California has said goodbye to another longtime gathering place amid a continuing wave of beloved restaurant closures. The Victorian in Santa Monica ended its 20-year run after a final Halloween celebration on October 31, closing a chapter filled with brunches, weddings, cocktails and late-night dancing. The farewell event leaned into the mood, turning the mansion into a haunted house while DJs carried the crowd through one [...]
Can you refreeze chicken after thawing? It depends on how you did it
Yes, you can refreeze raw chicken that thawed in the refrigerator, as long as it stayed at 40°F or colder and you refreeze it within one to two days after it finishes thawing. If dinner plans change before you make coconut milk chicken with lime, the deciding factor is how you defrosted the chicken—not simply whether it has been frozen before. Chicken thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately before [...]
The 3 most beloved New Mexico restaurants that are now gone includes one that’s been around 50+ years
Another wave of New Mexico restaurant closures has taken three very different dining rooms. One brought a much-needed neighborhood grill to Rio Rancho, another made plant-based Ayurvedic food approachable, and the third served Italian family recipes for more than half a century. Annapurna’s name continues at other locations, but its longtime Eubank café is gone. Screaming Coyote and Paisano’s shut their doors, leaving regulars [...]
Aldi offers $10,000 in groceries for Christmas decorating—here’s who’s eligible
Aldi is offering one holiday decorator $10,000 in grocery gift cards, but the Christmas contest comes with a catch: residents of 10 states are excluded. The promotion adds a decorating challenge to the discount chain's holiday plans, which also include its 2026 Advent calendar collection. Called the ALDI Deck-Out, the competition invites fans to turn a room, Christmas tree, front porch or other space into an Aldi-inspired [...]
Georgia brewery plans to close flagship production site after 13 years
Three Taverns Brewery plans to close its original production facility and taproom at 121 New Street in Decatur after 13 years, saying the site is no longer financially feasible to operate. The decision follows another recent Georgia brewery production shift, but Three Taverns is not shutting down companywide. The brewery announced the plan on November 2. The announcement did not include a final day for the Decatur taproom. [...]
KFC and Taco Bell suddenly shut down every Puerto Rico restaurant
Every KFC and Taco Bell restaurant in Puerto Rico closed on November 2, 2026, after Yum! Brands ended its relationship with Encanto Restaurants, the local company that ran both chains. The sweeping shutdown interrupted two familiar fast-food brands across the U.S. territory. Unlike earlier closures of individual KFC restaurants elsewhere, this was an islandwide disruption tied to the end of a franchise agreement. Yum! [...]
