Blind date: ' I thought we had a ton of romantic chemistry'
28 / operations/event planning
Her hobbies:
Hiking, swimming, skiing, pickleball
When she is happiest:
Spending time with friends and family
7:30 P.M. Eastern Standard, Boston
Pearls of Conversation
Max
I used to be a press secretary and like any good PR flak, I read as many [Cupid] clips as I could while I rode in the Uber to the restaurant. I wanted to get some insight into other people's experiences.
Meghan
Before the date, I got a drink with a friend at a bar close by.
Max
I got to the restaurant a minute or two early and our table wasn't ready. So, I went to the bar and attempted to order a martini. The bartender was busy and I was attempting to make eye contact when Meghan approached me.
Meghan
The hostess told me, 'Your party is already here.' I spotted Max standing at the bar.
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Max
I thought she was stunning. She was dressed nicely in a blue dress and looked incredibly chic with a glass of prosecco in her hand. She seemed cool, calm, and collected.
Meghan
I thought he was very handsome and had a great smile. He seemed happy to be there.
Sparks Over Shellfish
Max
While we waited for our table to be ready, Meghan and I covered most of the basics: hometowns, alma maters, neighborhoods of residence, jobs, etc. The prerequisite pleasantries.
Meghan
We started talking about our careers, hometowns, and anything else that came up! Max has a lot of great qualities, hobbies, and interests.
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Max
We talked about our families, her dog, what our dating goals are, books, everything. The better question is what didn't we talk about? The whole conversation felt incredibly natural.
Meghan
He is a very kind and interesting person, so great conversation came naturally for us.
Max
I felt very comfortable with Meghan. She's an amazing conversationalist and is super interesting. Relationship-wise, we are looking for the same thing.
Meghan
I felt really comfortable with Max; I could tell he is a genuinely nice person with strong life goals and values. We have pretty similar values.
Max
We had the steak tartare, oysters, and shared the cacio e pepe.
Meghan
We ordered oysters, steak tartar, and a yummy pasta dish.
Max
I thought we had a ton of romantic chemistry. The whole experience felt quite natural and it was almost as if we had known each other for a long time.
Meghan
When I learned more about Max's family and how he has spent his life, I thought,
I really like this person.
Appetizing Connection
Max
After dinner, we took a walk and stopped into a bar for another drink. I do not remember who suggested it, but I was excited to keep the date going.
Meghan
We went for a walk around the city and stopped for another drink to continue our conversations.
Max
We exchanged phone numbers and made plans to see each other again. We kissed goodbye.
Meghan
We kissed goodbye and made plans to see each other again.
Second Date
Max
I definitely think so.
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Meghan
A second date is in the works.
Grading the Date
Max
/ A+
Meghan
/ A+
Go on a blind date.
We'll pick up the tab. Fill out an application at
.
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Business Insider
16 hours ago
- Business Insider
We tried Meghan Markle's new As Ever rosé in a blind taste test. It wasn't what we expected, but we'd buy it again.
Meghan Markle is in her wine-making era. The Duchess of Sussex launched her As Ever brand in the spring, selling items like fruit spreads, high-end honey, and flower petal sprinkles. As Ever's first two product drops sold out within an hour, and in June, the company announced it was debuting its first-ever wine, a 2023 Napa Valley Rosé curated by Meghan. As Ever said its rosé is supposed to taste "crisp" and has notes of "stone fruit, gentle minerality, and a lasting finish," much like Provençal rosés from France. The rosé retails for $30 on As Ever's website, and it sold out almost immediately after going on sale on July 1. The bottles are only available in packs of three, six, or twelve, so it costs consumers at least $90 to taste Meghan's rosé. As Ever has not yet announced if or when it'll restock the rosé. Because royals and rosé are two of my greatest passions, I knew I had to try As Ever's wine. I've been writing about the royal family and Meghan for years. I've also been closely following As Ever over the past few months as Meghan further expands into the lifestyle space. Plus, I'm a big rosé fan when I'm off the clock, so I knew I had to try Meghan's wine when it was released. I decided the best way to experience As Ever's rosé would be in a blind taste test, comparing it to a few other popular rosés on the market. I got a few of my colleagues to participate in the taste test with me. I didn't think it would be fair to assess the wines by myself, especially because I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to rosé. Give me a glass of pink, cold wine, and I'll be a happy camper. Three of my colleagues graciously volunteered to spend a Tuesday afternoon drinking with me. (They are such givers, I know.) Here's a quick rundown of why you can trust us. Spoiler alert: The main qualification is that we like drinking wine. Callie Ahlgrim, senior pop culture writer: I did work at a wine bar for like a year, but that was a long, long time ago. And since then, I drink wine recreationally and copiously. Samantha Rollins, deputy editor of entertainment and real estate: I'm a wine enthusiast who has been to France, the rosé capital of the world, in my opinion. So that's my only qualification. Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief, Life: I'm a new wine lover. I did not drink wine that much in my 20s. I love Rieslings and rosés, and I just got into red. So I think I would be quite picky because I'm sort of new to the whole thing. We sampled four rosés total, including another celebrity brand. For the taste test, I selected three wines in addition to As Ever, choosing rosés that were pretty similar in price point to Meghan's. It seemed only fitting to include another celebrity brand, so I chose Côtes de Provence Rosé from Château Miraval, Brad Pitt's wine company. Pitt's Provençal-style rosé cost $23.88. Next, I selected the $22.49 Summer Water Rosé, which is made on the California coast and offers a slightly different experience with a screw cap. Finally, I included Whispering Angel, one of the most popular rosés on the market. It's a personal favorite of mine and is made in the Provençal-style like As Ever. It was $22.96. As Ever ended up being the most expensive wine of the bunch, which wasn't surprising considering it isn't widely available like the others. We kept the test completely blind. For the test, I put a piece of tape on the bottom of each wine glass with "A," "B," "C," or "D" written on it, which corresponded to one of the wines. The code was: A: Summer Water B: As Ever C: Whispering Angel D: Château Miraval The wine was poured out of sight and given to us in a random order, so we didn't know which rosé we were tasting. Brad Pitt's rosé wasn't a hit with our group. First, we tried Miraval's rosé, aka Brad Pitt's wine, aka "wine D" during the test. The flavor was a bit intense for some of us. McKenzie: It's good to me. Ahlgrim: It has kind of a sharp aftertaste. Rollins: It's honestly kind of bitter. I usually like bitter things, but it's a little too bitter. Pettyjohn: I like it. It's sharp, and I wish I had some cheese to eat with it. It has a champagne-y flavor. McKenzie: And that, to me, resonates. Rollins: There's something about it that I don't really like. Pettyjohn: If a bottle were offered to me, I would certainly have a glass, if not two. McKenzie: It'd be perfect for hot weather. Summer Water tasted the most like a classic rosé to us. Next, we tried Summer Water, known to us as "wine A." We immediately noticed that it had a pinker hue and a distinct aroma. As we took our first sip, it was easy to see why. Pettyjohn: Oh, that is way more berry-forward. Rollins: It's a little more effervescent. Pettyjohn: This is definitely more pool vibes to me. McKenzie: This is a better wine. Ahlgrim: Lighter. McKenzie: I didn't notice the aftertaste being that sharp on D, but now, this has no aftertaste, and I'm like, "This is better." Ahlgrim: I like a funkier, tangier wine, but I think most people expect rosé to be a bit sweeter and smoother. So I think this fits what people reach for when they reach for a rosé, more so than the first one. McKenzie: As a sweet enthusiast, it has my vote. Ahlgrim: I don't know if I would spend $30 on it because it feels like such easy drinking. As Ever took us by surprise. As Ever was the third wine we tried, under the alias "wine B." It had the most unexpected flavor profile of the bunch. Ahlgrim: Oh, I like the smell. This smells more expensive. Pettyjohn: This tastes expensive. But it doesn't taste like rosé to me. It's good, but it is not what I would expect. Rollins: This is like a very dry white, maybe. McKenzie: It has a very bold flavor. Ahlgrim: I actually like that I don't think it tastes like a rosé. It's much bolder than I expected. I feel like it's aged. Rollins: There's something oaky about it. Pettyjohn: It's fancy. Ahlgrim: It's earthy, almost. Whispering Angel had the group split. The final wine of the test was Whispering Angel, which we labeled "wine C." It was a hit or miss vibe for the testers. Pettyjohn: I do like this one. This is what I would consider easy rosé drinking. Ahlgrim: Oh, this is bland. McKenzie: It's very harsh on my tongue. I don't prefer this at all. Rollins: Really? This one seems like an easier drinking version of B and D. McKenzie: This one? I don't like it at all. I just taste more of the alcoholic taste, which I don't love. Ahlgrim: Yes, I think there's very little flavor, and it's more alcohol-forward. This is my least favorite of the four. Rollins: I feel like this one splits the difference between all of them. It's got a bit of the berry of the other ones, but it's still dry, and it's got the rosé. Ahlgrim We revisited all four wines before the reveal. While we still didn't know which wine was which, we compared them to each other, referring to them by their letter code. Overall, our takeaway was that Summer Water was the best for casual rosé drinking, thanks to its light and berry flavor, but the taste of As Ever's wine stood out for being unexpected and refreshing. Miraval sat in the middle of the pack, while Whispering Angel was too alcohol-forward for McKenzie and Ahlgrim. After the big reveal, we loved that As Ever wasn't what we expected from Meghan. When we finally found out which wine was which, we were all surprised that "wine B" was As Ever. Ahlgrim: Oh, that's the one that doesn't taste like rosé! It's weird, and I like that. McKenzie: It was my number two favorite! Ahlgrim: As Ever was my top in terms of what I like in a wine. I like a weirder flavor, but I think Summer Water is more rosé-y. But if I saw As Ever at the store, I would buy it again. Pettyjohn: Me too. I would buy this again, and I think it would be nice if you paired it with fruit or cheese — that vibe. If you brought this to a party, your friends would be like, "Oh, the rosé you brought is so good. Where did you get it?" Rollins: I would be curious to drink it in a cup, like in one of the "Love Is Blind" cups, where you can't see what color it is, and just be like, "What does that taste like to you?" Ahlgrim: I admire that Meghan didn't take the easiest route. So many celebrities have an alcohol brand, so I think it was bold of her to do something that does not taste like every other rosé on the market. Pettyjohn: If I put my Meghan Scholar hat on, I also feel this reflects her as a flavor. You think you're going to get one thing, but then she surprises you, and it's a really lovely flavor, even if it's not necessarily what you were expecting. McKenzie: It's something that I would order again. Pettyjohn: Me too. We took a closer look at the As Ever bottle after the taste test. Once we knew which wine it was, we checked out the As Ever bottle. Its 14.5% alcohol content — the highest of the four — surprised us, particularly because it didn't taste too alcohol-forward. We also liked that the wine seemed versatile. Ahlgrim: It is the best bang for your buck if you're looking for the highest alcohol content. McKenzie: 14.5% is pretty high. Ahlgrim: That surprises me because because of how alcohol-forward I felt like the Whispering Angel was. I expected that to be the highest. Pettyjohn: I like to make a rosé sangria, and I think As Ever would be good with that. Ahlgrim: Ooh, with a bit of prosecco or seltzer in it? Yeah, because the flavor is so strong, it would lend itself well to a mix. Pettyjohn: Yes, exactly. Ahlgrim: It's not a poolside rosé. It's like a charcuterie rosé. Three out of the four of us could see ourselves buying As Ever. Ahlgrim, McKenzie, and I said we would buy As Ever down the line, though we want people to know they shouldn't expect a classic rosé flavor. Rollins had reservations, especially because the bottles are only available in three, six, or 12 packs. Rollins: As Ever was interesting, but I definitely wouldn't order three bottles because of the price and strong flavor. You really have to love the flavor. Pettyjohn: I would buy it! When I went to Sonoma, one winery had a rosé you could try, and it was very similar to this. It didn't taste how you expected a rosé to taste, but it was good. McKenzie: It's a good wine. I would order it again. It was my top two. It tastes like a chardonnay, and I don't mind that. Ahlgrim: The Summer Water would be what I would drink on a Saturday during the day in the summer. Then I would switch to Meghan's at night. I tried As Ever's rosé at home and loved it even more. A few days after the official taste test, I revisited As Ever rosé, pouring a glass for myself and my husband. I gave it a sniff, inhaling that full-bodied, almost orange wine-like scent that surprised me during the test. It was inviting and bright, and as I took a sip, I was delighted that As Ever tasted even more refreshing and crisp than I remembered. My husband was a fan, too, and I had to remind myself not to drink it too quickly over dinner. Meghan's rosé is a hit in my book, and I'm intrigued to see how her foray into the wine industry continues. Cheers!
Tom's Guide
17 hours ago
- 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.
Newsweek
18 hours ago
- Newsweek
How Meghan Markle's US Popularity Compares to Royals
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Meghan Markle's popularity in the United States has had highs and lows in the five years since she moved back to America from Britain. Currently, she has a positive net favorability score, but it has not always been that way after backlash in the aftermath of Prince Harry's book Spare and their Netflix show Harry & Meghan. Markle still has not recovered the level of popularity she enjoyed before the couple's 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, but she is broadly on positive terms with the U.S. public. Meghan Markle's Popularity Before Oprah U.S. polling on the popularity of the royals is rare compared to Britain, but not non-existent. YouGov has conducted a number of surveys over the years, including in November 2020. Markle was liked by 57 percent and disliked by 30 percent, giving her a net approval rating of plus 27. This compared to Prince Harry at +40, Princess Kate at +49, Prince William at +54 and King Charles III at -13. The couple's rift with the monarchy had not yet fully exploded into the public domain and they had only recently signed their Netflix deal that September. There had, though, been public backlash after Markle called for the "change we all need and deserve" on behalf of former first lady Michelle Obama's "When All Women Vote" initiative in the run-up to the presidential election that toppled President Donald Trump that month. In January 2020, YouGov asked Americans whether they supported or opposed Harry and Meghan stepping back from the monarchy. Exactly half supported the move, 7 percent opposed it and 43 percent answered "don't know." On March 5, 2021, as teasers from Oprah's interview began to drop, YouGov asked whether people were mostly sympathetic to the royals or the Sussexes. At that point, 29 percent backed the Sussexes and 13 percent backed Queen Elizabeth II and the royals, while most said either "both," "neither," "don't know" or "not applicable." Meghan Markle at The Paley Center for Media fall gala at the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel, in Beverly Hills, California, on December 4, 2024. Meghan Markle at The Paley Center for Media fall gala at the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel, in Beverly Hills, California, on December 4, 2024. Leon Bennett/FilmMagic Meghan's Popularity After Oprah On March 8, 2021, YouGov conducted a snap poll immediately after its broadcast that showed 68 percent of Americans had sympathy for Harry and Meghan compared to 27 percent who had either not very much or none. This compared to 28 percent who had sympathy for the royals and 68 percent who had either not very much or none. In other words, Americans initially appeared to take Harry and Meghan's side in the immediate aftermath of the interview. By, May 2022, however, YouGov ran further polling that showed a slump in Meghan's net favorability ratings. Meghan was liked by 45 percent of Americans and disliked by 36 percent, giving her a net approval rating of +9. A drop of 18 points compared to November 2020 may seem sharp, but she remained in positive numbers and the slump was significantly less severe than in Britain, where she dropped deep into negative territory. Meanwhile, Harry dropped to plus 18, a 22-point slide, Kate slipped to plus 36, William to plus 31 and Charles crept up to minus 7. Queen Camilla was at minus 13. Meghan's Popularity Around Spare and Netflix Redfield & Wilton conducted further polling on behalf of Newsweek on December 5, 2022, days out from the release of the couple's Harry & Meghan biopic and three months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. At that time, 43 percent of Americans liked Meghan and she was disliked by 20 percent, meaning a net approval rating of plus 23. Harry was at plus 38, Kate plus 43 and William plus 40, while Charles was at plus 12 and Camilla minus 2. However, the couple crashed in the aftermath of Prince Harry's memoir Spare and Netflix in the eyes of the U.S. public. Further polling by Redfield & Wilton for Newsweek on January 16 showed Meghan dropped 36 points, after she was liked by 26 percent of Americans and disliked by 39 percent, giving her a net approval rating of -13. Harry dropped 45 points to minus 7, while Kate slipped to plus 26, William to plus 21, Charles to plus 8 and Camilla to minus 8. Meghan's Popularity in 2025 YouGov's most recent polling of Americans came in April, when 41 percent liked Meghan and 26 percent disliked her, giving a net rating of plus 15. Meanwhile, Harry was at plus 35, Kate was at plus 43, William was at plus 53, Charles was at plus 21 and Camilla was at minus seven. In summary, Meghan has consistently polled behind William, Kate and Harry and in front of Camilla. She has mostly polled ahead of King Charles except in the most recent poll, in which he did unusually well. While she may not command figures as strong as her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, she has substantially bounced back from her lowest point in the aftermath of Spare. She has not, though, regained the high ratings she enjoyed before Oprah, in November 2020. Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
