Latest news with #Iris
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Vintage baby girl names that are on-trend and will 'never be boring'
Deciding your little one's name is no easy task as there are so many to choose from – and while unique names are great these traditional, vintage ones never go out of style Anyone who's had a baby, or is expecting, knows how exciting the naming process can be. Choosing a moniker for your child is one of the most important decisions new parents will make. It can often be difficult if you haven't found the perfect one as there are so many names to choose from. With that being said, you might need a little inspiration. One video went viral on TikTok recently – as 'The Baby Name Consultant' shared a list of 31 vintage names for those expecting little girls. She listed the traditional names have stood the test of time, which means they are less likely to go out of fashion or get boring. Girly names that are popular right now include Penelope, Florence and Matilda. According to Bounty, a family toy company, Ivy comes in at number seven as most popular. If you are looking for names beginning with 'S', you could use vintage names such as Sophie or Sophia, or Seraphina - which is commonly shortened to 'FiFi'. The list by @thebabynameconsultant also mentioned Maeve, Iris, Phoebe, Ruby, Flora, Lydia, Juliet, Elena, Juno, Zoe, Naomi, Helena, Louise, Lucia, June, Vivian, Isadora, Claudia, Elise, Nina, Frances and Georgia. One parent commented and said: "My daughter is Serafina, Fifi for short and my name is Nina! Rare seeing both of our names in one place." Another said: "We have an Iris." A third wrote: "We have a Genevieve and call her Gigi." And a fourth added: "Louise is so beautiful." Why do parents like vintage baby names? Many parents feel a connection to the past and want to honour their family heritage by choosing names that belonged to grandparents or great-grandparents. Vintage names often have a classic, enduring quality. They tend to age well and are less likely to go out of style quickly. And as some vintage names fell out of common use, they now feel fresh and distinctive compared to more modern, trendy names. What are the most popular baby names in the UK? The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its annual figures for the most popular baby names in England and Wales back in December. The data always reflects the year just gone, so the list makes up the top 100 names for boys and girls from 2023. Muhammad has overtaken Noah as the top name for baby boys, with Noah dropping to second place after coming in first in 2021 and 2022, followed by Oliver. Muhammad was the second most popular name last year and has been in the top 10 since 2016. Back in 2012, it ranked only 20th so it's climbed up the list significantly over the past decade. Meanwhile, there have been no changes to the top three names for baby girls, with Olivia, Amelia and Isla, coming up top. Unsurprisingly, Olivia has stolen the crown as the most popular baby girl's name for the eighth year in a row.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sunday short stories, episode 1 : My Big Fat Greek Honeymoon
This week's story takes us to the beautiful Greek island of Santorini, where love and suspense dance under the setting Mediterranean sun. Hello readers! My name is Kay Kingsman and I am a fiction author and travel writer. I am starting a new weekly column called "Sunday short stories" that will be travel-focused short stories, each week featuring a new story in a new destination - a la Shakespeare when he used to publish his now famous stories in his local newspaper. If this particular story is not your cup of tea, feel free to skip; each week will be a different genre. If you love reading, please consider subscribing so you can be the first to read every week! Now with that intro out of the way, let's get into the story. My Big Fat Greek Honeymoon, by Kay Kingsman location: Santorini, Greece genre: crime, suspense content warnings: murder (off-screen) *This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. ——— I was the one scared to get married. Everyone knew that. Yes, it was a bit stereotypical of me, being a 30-something male and all, but marriage was a big deal. If anything, society was a bit too relaxed and casual about the fact marriage entails completely merging everything about your life to another person. And how long did newlyweds typically know each other? A couple years? Practically strangers. I was certainly not the man I was even two years ago. Plus, my heart had been broken before so I didn't fancy the idea of having to pay thousands of dollars to eventually have the same thing happen all over again. Thankfully, Iris, bless her sweet heart, was very patient with me. When we passed jewelry stores, she pretended to check her phone or suddenly feigned interest in the particular color of the sky. If we ate at an upscale restaurant, French if I chose or Mexican if she did, Iris would politely excuse herself to the restroom while the host looked up our reservation. However when my eyes followed her body sashaying into the bathroom, she would always pitstop by the kitchen to question the staff by miming kneeling and opening a box. Most of the time, they would shake their head, but on the off-chance they confirmed her suspicious of any proposals, we would promptly eat anywhere else. I had never watched a romantic movie with Iris either. She claimed that genre was nauseatingly ridiculous and catered to the chauvinistic ideal that a woman's life, no matter how successful, was not complete without a witty and slightly arrogant male partner. "Are you just saying that because I'm not witty or slightly arrogant?" I would tease. "Well, you are definitely one of those," she would retort with a smirk, turning on Top Gun for the fiftieth time. Not that I was complaining. And while Iris wasn't completely wrong, about the romance genre not my level of wit, I couldn't help but notice her Netflix saved list was cheesier than a plate of nachos. Iris did it all for me, which, when I was finally ready six years later, made my actual proposal extremely difficult. I had to catch her completely off guard. She foiled my restaurant proposal twice, a fireworks proposal once, and she even caught the time at the Ferris wheel. I had asked the conductor to stop us at the top when Iris ran to grab a bag of cotton candy, and even made eye contact with him as we got inside our pod. We stopped at the top, sunset dazzling in the background. I took the box out of my pocket, then called out her name. My heart was in my throat as she looked at me. Then she threw up all over my shoes. I put the box back in my pocket. It had come to the point where I wasn't nervous anymore, just frustrated about carrying around an awkwardly shaped velveteen cube for six months. For those who asked later of our proposal, they were answered with the story of how we stayed in Friday night for our favorite activity (again, Top Gun) and Iris asked me if she should skip her Pilates class in the morning and I responded with 'Will you marry me, Iris?' Not the cutest story, but at least vomit wasn't involved. She even had a work around for my hesitation around price. "A destination wedding?" I looked at her incredulously, but she just beamed back with her dazzlingly white grin. "They're actually so much more affordable than normal weddings. Resorts usually have a package so less planning too. And my yiayia and Papou can join us." My eyebrows furrowed together. "Wait, what do you mean?" Now it was her turn to look at me incredulously. "I'm Greek." "Oh. Really?" "My name is Iris." As if that was supposed to mean anything to me. Most of the Irises I had known were Asian. "Well, that's cool..." because I didn't know what else to say. Iris had never mentioned anything about her heritage before. See - practically strangers. "But you were born here, right?" Her eyebrows rose into her hairline, "Does it matter?" "No not at all." I quickly backtracked. "Greece sounds incredible." And it was. Iris was beautiful in Greece. We arrived to the island of Santorini, Greece a full week before our wedding so she could show me the streets she used to run down barefoot every summer on her annual family trip. There was something about the Mediterranean sun kissing her skin that made Iris even more beautiful. Her bright blue eyes sparkled like the water lapping up at our feet on the rocky shores. Her hair glistened, soaking up the warm rays until the curls expanded into a full thick halo around her head. The language dripping from her tongue blossomed a new personality, one that I had only briefly seen after Iris had a glass (or three) of wine. On our wedding day, she was beautiful. In between resort staff pulling and prodding me in every direction as they ushered us through the schedule, friends and family sobbing throughout the entire day, plates breaking one thing I remembered was how beautiful she was. The day after our wedding day, she was also beautiful. Looking down at Iris now, her eye makeup smeared down her cheeks and one set of fake eyelashes perched on the side of her forehead, she was still beautiful. The day we met, it was at a dim bar on a Wednesday night. I just had a bad day at work and she was out for happy hour with her girlfriends. Her future bridesmaids, in fact. Iris had absolutely no makeup on, but her laugh made everyone turn around to watch her. For one, her laugh was very loud and on the verge of a snort with every inhale, but it was also invigorating. She was beautiful then too. Meanwhile, those same bridesmaids stood behind her at the alter, their eyes as dry as the whiskey shots that night. The way the sheet laid over her naked curves, revealing no information but teased to their secrets, I wanted everything to happen all over again. The meeting, the first day, the first kiss, the second kiss, every kiss after, all the hand holding and laughing and binge eating then stomach aches and the fairs, movies, vacations, running errands together. And the wedding. Oh the wedding. I wanted it all again, and to last forever. Bruises from last night trickled down the side of her neck in a twisted galaxy of blue, purple, and red, but already starting to lose vibrancy. Iris still wore her veil, I couldn't get her to take it off. Not even a full day after the wedding. No one could convince her to part with it, and I knew she wanted to live in the dream again. For it to last forever. The veil was ripped, torn into thin lace curtains cascading down the chestnut curls of her hair, now matted from hairspray and friction. Even with her eyes closed, I knew Iris was the love of my life. 'Is that her?' The coroner asked again, his hand firmly gripping my shaking shoulder. I hadn't even realized I was shaking. I hadn't even realized I was crying, barely holding myself up as my heart landed in my gut. Even with her blue skin and her fingernails ripped off and scratches running up and down her limbs, Iris was beautiful. And it was only the beginning of our honeymoon. ——- Stay tuned for Sunday short stories, episode 2, when we head to the continent of Africa for a rivals-to-lovers story set nestled in the mountains of Morocco! Solve the daily Crossword
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: ‘Oh, Hi!' is a movie that has no business working, but somehow it does
We've all seen movies that have a great premise and a solid story, but they fail in execution, because the filmmakers just can't bring it off. The reverse situation is almost never heard of — a movie with a bad premise and weak story that, somehow, kind of works. But 'Oh, Hi!' is that rare case, a movie that's engaging and interesting moment by moment, but everything else is wrong with it. Writer-director Sophie Brooks locks into a narrative that's unpleasant and far-fetched and that forces the characters to behave in ways that make no sense. And Brooks concludes the movie as if in search of the least dramatic ending she could devise. What holds it all together is Molly Gordon, who stars in the film and co-wrote the story with Brooks. She plays a young woman, Iris, who goes away for the weekend with her boyfriend, Isaac (Logan Lerman). They have been dating for four months, and this weekend represents a milestone – their first time away together and an opportunity to get closer. The first 20 minutes of 'Oh, Hi!' are the best, which is odd, because next to nothing happens. The movie begins with them driving down the road, stopping to buy strawberries. Then they get to the house that they're renting, have sex, go swimming, and have sex again. At this stage, the movie provides nothing but the pleasant spectacle of two people getting along. Yet if you pay close attention, you might detect some points of potential conflict. Very subtly, Brooks and her actors are able to hint that, while Iris is wholeheartedly keen on Isaac, Isaac may have some reservations about Iris. Though he can be effusive and demonstrative, he can also be, at times, guarded, as if reserving judgment or concealing his thoughts. This comes to a head when, at the worst possible time, he tells Iris that he is seeing other women and doesn't want to be in an exclusive relationship. Her reaction is extreme — don't read any other reviews if you don't want to know how extreme — and the rest of the movie is about the consequences of that response. The film hinges on Gordon's ability, not to be sympathetic, but engaging and fun to watch. Over the years, I've noticed that the best emerging stars are often people who already seem familiar the first time you see them. Gordon is like that — familiar, while also being likable, refreshingly self-mocking and comedically inventive. Easily, the character of Iris could have been played as a flat-out wackjob, and the film could have descended into horror-movie territory, but Gordon, without softening Iris' bizarre behavior, sets a light tone. In the end, 'Oh, Hi!' can almost seem like a meaningless exercise, because the points Brooks seems to be making — about the difficulties of establishing intimacy and the obstacles in the way of commitment — are fairly banal. That these difficulties are especially pronounced for millennials and Generation Z folks helps Brooks somewhat, but the movie glances off these issues in such a superficial way that it's hard to feel that anything important is being said. Yet sometimes things are best said without words. There's something about the way in which Gordon plays Iris — with her insecurity and neediness living alongside her wit, good humor, vivacity and intelligence — that speaks louder than the screenplay. Gordon makes you think, wow, if someone of such obvious appeal is coming unglued, maybe times are tough all over.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish holidaymakers told 'never wear' 2 items to airport or risk delays
Summer holiday season is in full swing across Ireland, with thousands of excited tourists packing their bags and heading to the airport for their long-awaited sunny getaways. But before you set off, experts are urging Irish travellers to think twice about what they wear to the airport - or risk unnecessary stress and delays. It turns out that certain fashion choices could seriously slow you down at security or passport control, according to a leading travel expert. The warning comes as Dublin Airport braces for one of its busiest summers in recent years, with passenger numbers expected to surge. With things like tight security, long queues and early morning flights already enough to test anyone's patience, even the smallest mistake can cost you valuable time. And now, two everyday items are being singled out as potential problems. Travel specialist Pearlyn Yeo from Jetpac shared her essential advice for a smoother journey with Mirror UK, and it could save Irish holidaymakers time and hassle at the airport. The expert explained: "Keeping sunglasses on or wearing headphones through passport control can cause unnecessary delays and stress. These accessories can make it harder for border agents and automated systems to confirm your identity or get your attention. Both facial recognition gates and human officers rely on clear eye contact and unobstructed facial features. Sunglasses can interfere with the technology and an officer's ability to assess your behaviour and demeanour. "Headphones, on the other hand, can distract you and mean you miss important instructions - both of which can slow down the process. As well as removing the above accessories before heading through security and passport control, it's important that travellers are prepared. "At Jetpac, we advise all travellers to keep their documents digitally and ensure they are easy to access. eSIMs can help to organise everything you need. But it's also wise to know when to put your devices and any other distractions away. For example, when going through immigration. Removing accessories and putting devices away shows that you're ready and also that you respect certain protocols. "Most security staff will ask you to remove these items or stop using devices, so it will only add to your journey time and stress if you're not prepared. With this in mind, it's best to remove headphones, pack away phones and tablets and pop your sunglasses safely away before you reach security, passport control or immigration. "In doing so, you're more likely to breeze through border control and you won't have to worry about unnecessary delays or stress." As well as ditching the two problematic accessories, Jetpac also recommends keeping your travel outfit practical. Avoid overly tight or bulky clothing, and opt for breathable layers and comfortable shoes. Any metal-heavy accessories or clothing could also lead to further holdups during security checks. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 movies like 'Brick' but better
I'm a big fan of campy movies if the premise is interesting enough, but even I found "Brick" a total snooze fest. I'm honestly shocked to see it still holding strong in the Netflix top 10, but then again, the hook feels made in a lab to entice folks to hit "play." Netflix's latest psychological thriller debuted on July 10, and it has a claustrophobic, escape room-style setup with plenty of potential for mystery. A grieving couple mid-break-up suddenly gets trapped in their apartment building when an ominous brick wall entombs everything overnight — now that's intriguing. Frustratingly, while "Brick" manages to build an ominous atmosphere, the vibes aren't enough to outshine its laundry list of problems. Heavy-handed dialogue, undercooked characters, and plot beats that swing between predictable and nonsensical are pain points impossible to ignore. I'm not alone in my assessment. Over on Rotten Tomatoes, "Brick" has a pitiful 35% critics' score, and audiences enjoyed it even less (it's sitting at a 27% score on the Popcornmeter). If you're looking for a truly gripping or original thriller, "Brick" doesn't offer anything new or compelling. Thankfully, you can find plenty of better mystery thrillers across the best streaming services, the kind that keep you glued to the screen, trying to piece together what the hell is going on from start to finish. So, without further ado, here are some movies like "Brick" but better. What makes this sci-fi thriller so compelling is also what makes it hard to talk about (a common theme you'll find among most of the entries on this list). Giving away too much would risk spoiling some of its most surprising and rewarding reveals. Sophie Thatcher is proving to be a regular scream queen after starring in "Yellowjackets," "Heretic" and "Companion." She plays Iris, a young woman who sets off with her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) and friends to a weekend getaway at a remote cabin owned by eccentric billionaire Sergey (Rupert Friend). However, their trip takes a disturbing turn when Iris appears one morning, drenched in blood. What begins as a relaxing retreat quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I'm intentionally keeping things vague because this is one of those films that's best experienced with minimal context. It's a tightly wound mystery that unspools with twist after twist — and trust me, this is one film you'll want to go into with as little prior knowledge as possible. Watch it now on Max If you enjoyed "Brick's" claustrophobic atmosphere, get ready to really get your heart racing with "Buried." This single-location thriller sees Ryan Reynolds play Paul Conroy, a man stuck in a truly desperate situation. Our first introduction to Paul, an American truck driver working in Iraq, is when he wakes up disoriented, trapped in utter darkness. After fumbling for a lighter, he realizes he's been buried alive in a coffin. With no clear way out and only a limited supply of air, time is not on his side. His only lifeline to the outside world is his cellphone. He manages to contact a U.S. department that handles hostage negotiations and learns that those responsible for his situation are demanding a hefty price for his freedom. It becomes a race against time to try to escape his terrifying ordeal without losing his cool. Because the more he panics, the faster he'll burn through what precious little air he has left. Watch it now on Tubi Both "Brick" and "10 Cloverfield Lane" tap into themes of distrust, manipulation, and the uneasy overlap between protection and imprisonment. If you enjoyed "Brick's" slow-burn tension, this makes for an ideal follow-up. And no, you don't have to watch the first "Cloverfield" to follow along. After storming out of her New Orleans apartment over a fight with her fiancé, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up injured from a car crash and at the mercy of her rescuer-turned-captor, Howard (John Goodman). He insists that an alien invasion has made the outside world deadly. The only way to survive is to stay holed up in his bunker with her fellow captive Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.). But as cracks appear in Howard's story, Michelle and Emmett start digging for the truth. What they discover pushes them to plan a desperate escape, but the real nightmare doesn't begin until Michelle steps outside to face what's really waiting for her. Watch it now on Prime Video "His House" is one of the most affecting movies I've seen in years. While it definitely leans more toward horror than the other entries on this list, its character-led drama keeps you guessing every step of the way with a poignant twist on the haunted house trope. "His House" follows the plight of a young Sudanese couple, Bol (Sope Dirisu) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku), who risked everything to flee to the UK. An accident at sea has them arriving on British shores grieving the loss of their daughter, and their troubles only multiply when they're finally granted asylum in a small English town. Facing hostility and racism in their new neighborhood, the couple struggles to settle into their new life. Tensions between them deepen as a supernatural presence in their home begins to surface, which seems tied to the trauma they thought they left behind. While Rial insists they need to leave, Bol fears that making waves could risk deportation. Left with no support, they must confront whatever's haunting their new home alone, unearthing painful secrets they wish would stay buried. Watch it now on Netflix A bit of an older pick, but the mystery at the heart of "Memento" is so fun to unravel, it's hard to resist being drawn to it again and again. Writer-director Christopher Nolan has gone on to win Oscars for "Inception," "Interstellar" and "Oppenheimer," but his breakthrough film kicked off his legacy with plenty of twists that blew audiences' minds. This ingeniously structured thriller stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man suffering from anterograde amnesia. He can't form new short-term memories, and the story unfolds out of order, so audiences share in his disorientation. By extension, nearly every scene functions like a twist, revealing information Leonard once knew but has since forgotten, with misleading clues or outright lies often muddying the waters further. Nolan plays with both style and structure throughout, weaving together black-and-white and color sequences as well as chronological and reverse-chronological order. Piecing together the fragmented narrative is deeply satisfying, but "Memento" remains gripping even when the truth is just out of reach. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
