Megan Thee Stallion is no stranger to taking risks on the red carpet – from the sparkly Y2K-reminiscent dress she wore to the “Mean Girls” musical movie premiere in 2024, to the wave-like, body-hugging gown by Indian fashion designer Gaurav Gupta she opted for at the 2022 Oscars, to her three-tiered hairstyle at the Met Gala just last week, which channeled Black performer Josephine Baker. Saturday’s Gold Gala was no exception. The American rapper arrived at the Music Center in Los Angeles in a dramatic creation by New York-based fashion brand Quine Li. The look wove aspects of the traditional Chinese qipao, or cheongsam, such as the mandarin collar and a floral pattern, with unexpected flourishes – soft, puffy sculptures encircling the bust and hip, black lace and a thigh high slit. Megan received the One House Honor at the annual event put on by non-profit Gold House – a celebration of Asian Pacific talent across entertainment, fashion, technology and more – for her support of the AAPI community through creative collaborations. “I was so excited because I wasn’t 100% sure that she would wear it,” the brand’s 32-year-old founder Kuai Li told CNN in a phone interview, of seeing the star appear in her creation. “Normally (stylists) have backups – so I was so happy to see this come true,” she said, adding that she had less than a month to design it. The Chinese-born designer said the brief was to create a look that could be modern, reference Asian design and reflect Megan’s personality. The result was a sculptural qipao that had a sci-fi slant, as two curved rings framed Megan’s midriff — almost-exposed if not for the thin weft of lace — like the dress had been run through an X-ray machine. She used fabric from her recent collection of Swallowtail Butterfly qipaos and combined it with the geometric expressions seen throughout her relatively short, but budding career (celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Michelle Yeoh and Julia Fox have already worn her garments for campaigns and magazine covers). In her wider portfolio, designer Li says she fuses her background in industrial design and fashion, “obsession” with architecture and 1980s “vintage vibes” to create futuristic looks. The qipao traces its origins to robes worn by Manchu nobility during the Qing dynasty, but the garment rose in popularity and the figure-flattering silhouette we know today is largely thanks to Shanghai tailors and the city’s glamorous nightlife in the 1930s. In recent decades, both luxury and fast fashion Western brands have been accused of appropriating the garment, while people of non-Asian descent wearing versions of it have either faced criticism for cultural appropriation, while others have argued it’s acceptable and celebrates Chinese culture. Li said while fashion designers should be aware of cultural appropriation she saw this as “a great opportunity to feel proud of Asian culture, especially in America,” and wanting “to try something very bold, (that would be a form of) cultural appreciation as well.” Many celebrities at the Gold Gala also wore looks by Asian designers or incorporated elements nodding to their cultural heritage. Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey wore a silver gown by Huishan Zhang, while “White Lotus” breakout star Tayme Thapthimthong accessorized his suit wearing a maroon sash with gold embellishments from Thai boutique The Phukaw. On accepting her award, Megan told the audience, “My respect and appreciation for the Asian Pacific culture extends far beyond music, and into other areas like fashion, cuisine and of course anime,” adding that she looked forward to visiting more places in Asia and working on future collaborations with the community. “Wicked” and “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu also took to the stage to accept the Gold Legend award and in a speech said, “We’re not just guests at the table anymore. We built the damn house, and guess what? It’s made of gold, and we’ve got more work to do.” “I’m ready, if you all are.”

Looking for a last-minute Mother's Day gift? Sons and daughters can show their mom some love with a quick-and-easy chicken dish that celebrity chef Robert Irvine says can be prepared in minutes. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Irvine shared his recipe for seared herb chicken paillard with toasted coriander Greek yogurt and spring harvest salad. Although it's suitable for any occasion, the dish is particularly helpful for anyone pressed for time. That's because the meal can be made in less than three minutes. Irvine also revealed four practical cooking tips that will help make your Mother's Day meal a success. 1. Choose your meat Chicken paillard is pounded flat and grilled or sautéed quickly. "Paillard just means a flat piece of meat," Irvine told Fox News Digital. He used chicken breast for his dish. "But you can do this with the thighs, which have much more flavor because the dark meat contains more natural fat," Irvine said. "The white meat doesn't." When it comes to flattening the chicken, Irvine recommends using the smooth end of a meat pounder. "And all we're doing is breaking the protein apart, so it cooks faster." Fish can also be substituted for chicken. "We could use salmon the very same way. We could use cod," Irvine said. 2. Don't forget the stem One of the herbs used to bolster the chicken's flavor is rosemary. "Now, people think that when I use the rosemary, which is literally taken off the stick here, that this is the flavor," Irvine said, holding the stem. "It is slightly. But this, the twig, is much more intense in flavor." He incorporates the twig into the dish, using the back of a knife to bring out the aroma. "I'm going to drop that in when I cook." Irvine then removes it before serving. "I'm never going to eat this because it's too hot," he said. "But it's a great flavor." 3. Pick the right oil Instead of a traditional olive oil, Irvine prefers to use a grapeseed oil. "The reason I use grapeseed oil is because I don't want a bitter, peppery aftertaste," he told Fox News Digital. "I've already got arugula. That's the pepperiness." Grapeseed oil reaches a higher temperature than olive oil, "sears the chicken nicely" and "doesn't get absorbed into the chicken like an olive oil would," he said. "Olive oil's really only for finishing." 4. Let it be While the chicken is cooking, there is no need to move the pan, Irvine said. "If I shake the pan, the protein moves," he said. "It will never get golden brown." Put down the spatula, Irvine said, and "let it do its thing." "It will tell you when it's ready to turn over because the edges will turn golden brown."

Corcoran purchased the home more than 20 years after she first saw it Corcoran Group founder and "Shark Tank" star Barbara Corcoran has put her Upper East Side penthouse up for sale. The duplex penthouse, which Corcoran just recently put on the market, is located within a building nestled in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, a stone’s throw from Central Park, The New York Times first reported Tuesday. It sports a $12 million asking price, according to its listing with Corcoran brokers Scott Stewart and Carrie Chiang. "Real estate is always emotional, but I never thought I’d say goodbye to this beautiful palace in the sky," the "Shark Tank" star wrote Friday on Instagram. "I’m just hoping the special person who buys it cherishes it as much as I do!" Corcoran paid $10 million to acquire the penthouse in 2015, roughly 23 years after the businesswoman first encountered it while doing a messenger side-gig and becoming enamored with it, according to the Times. At the time, Corcoran was struggling to get her real estate business off the ground. She asked the owner in 1992 to let her know if it ever went up for sale and, finally in 2015, the opportunity for Corcoran to purchase it arrived. At that point, she was well into her successful business career and had the money to buy her dream home. While Corcoran owned it, the penthouse underwent significant renovations. The residence has nearly 3,800 square feet spanning two floors. Its living space includes four bedrooms, four full-bathrooms, two half-bathrooms and other rooms, the listing said. The living room on the penthouse's first floor "features five oversized windows, soaring ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace, and elegant custom moldings," per the listing. From many of the penthouse’s rooms, "sweeping views" of Central Park and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir are present, the listing said. A library and service wing are among some of the home’s other offerings. On the second floor, there is a glass solarium dining room that, according to the Times, had previously been a greenhouse. The listing touted the solarium as an "unparalleled space to host dinner parties" with a seating area for "everyday meals." Beside the solarium is a large outdoor terrace. Corcoran said in an Instagram post that she and husband Bill Higgins "have decided a one-story home would better suit us, and it’s time to begin our next chapter," prompting them to put the penthouse up for sale. She told the Times the home’s staircase has posed difficulty for Higgins. Corcoran established the Corcoran Group in 1973 using a $1,000 loan, according to the real estate company’s website. She sold it to NRT Inc. in 2001, taking home $66 million. She has been a "shark" on the popular TV show "Shark Tank" for many years. In an Instagram post last fall, Corcoran marked 16 years on the show, sharing some insights she has learned from it. "Here’s to 16 beautiful years of Shark Tank!" she wrote. "It’s hard to imagine that a decade and a half has flown by; it feels both like a whirlwind and a blink of an eye."

You have no control over the volatility in financial markets or the economic tumult caused by President Trump’s tariff policies. But you can prepare for financial potholes by bolstering your rainy-day fund. “Emergency savings is one of the single best predictors of a person’s financial well-being,” said Stephen Roll, co-director of research and policy innovation at the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis, where he studies economic security. Consumers are facing more uncertainty than usual about the economy. While the labor market has held steady, with unemployment at 4.2 percent in April, the Trump administration’s pursuit of tariffs has rekindled worries about both inflation and a possible business slump. “Nobody can predict what’s going to happen,” said Ramit Sethi, the author of personal finance books, including “Money for Couples.” “I’m hoping everything goes well.” But in case it doesn’t, he said, it’s wise to create a cash cushion. How much should I save in an emergency fund? Vanguard, the big mutual fund company, suggests setting aside $2,000, or half of one month’s expenses, whichever is greater, as a buffer to cover unexpected but common “shocks,” like a car or home repair or medical bill. Then, to protect against a possible job loss, it suggests continuing to save to build a buffer of three to six months of living expenses so you can pay your bills while looking for another job. (The average span of unemployment was just under six months, according to the latest jobs report.) With roughly $2,000 on hand, people can generally cover unforeseen costs without resorting to credit cards, which carry double-digit interest rates, said Paulo Costa, a senior behavioral economist at Vanguard who is also a certified financial planner. “The initial $2,000 is really what makes a big difference,” he said, by helping people avoid becoming financially derailed by common, if unanticipated, expenses. “Having it when you need it provides people with a lot of peace of mind.” Even smaller amounts can help, Dr. Costa said. “Saving something is better than saving nothing.” Some research has shown that for lower-income families, savings of as little as $250 to $750 can significantly reduce the likelihood of serious financial woes, like missing a utility payment or being evicted. Also, take your family’s circumstances into account, said Spencer Betts, a certified financial planner in Lexington, Mass. If you are married and both you and your spouse make good salaries, maybe saving three months of expenses is sufficient. But if you’re in a niche or low-demand industry and it may take a while to find a new job, you may want to put aside enough money to cover six months of expenses or more. He recommended setting both a number and a time frame. “The more specific the goal is,” he said, “the easier it is to save for.” J. Michael Collins, a professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and a household finance specialist, said the three- to six-month guideline might be too daunting for many people. He suggested that people consider these questions: “What keeps you up at night? Making the rent or mortgage? A car payment?” Aim to set aside enough to cover a month or two of those expenses, he said. Mr. Sethi said that given the potential upheaval from the tariffs, he would recommend building up savings to cover 12 months of expenses as a protective “moat,” in case companies begin to retrench and lay off workers. But he acknowledged that that was a large number for many people to contemplate, so savers should start with a smaller goal and build from there over time. “It’s a very ambitious goal,” he said. How can I find extra cash to save? Mr. Sethi advised scrutinizing nonessential spending for potential trims. This may include travel and restaurant meals. If you dine out multiple times a month, consider reducing eating out to once a month. He also suggests putting major purchases like a new car on hold, and stretching out personal services like haircuts from, say, four weeks to five weeks. Create a “mission statement,” he said — something like, “In our family, we always have a financial moat in case something goes wrong.” That helps remind you that there’s a larger purpose for cutting spending, he said. If you are paying extra on a mortgage to pay it off faster, you could temporarily stop that, especially if you have a low interest rate on the loan, he said. And if you max out contributions to a workplace retirement account, consider reducing contributions temporarily and putting the funds toward your emergency account. But you should at least continue contributing enough to get any match your employer offers, he said. Once you have determined how much to save, automate transfers from your checking account to a separate emergency reserve account, Dr. Costa said. That way, you don’t have to remember to move the money. In addition to making regular transfers to savings, Dr. Costa said, try to save one-time windfalls — such as an income-tax refund or a bonus. Where should I keep my backup funds? Someplace that’s accessible, but not too accessible, experts say — like a separate, high-yield savings account that’s linked to your checking account. Mixing the emergency money with your working cash may tempt you to spend it. Most high-yield accounts, typically available at online banks, are paying rates of 3 or 4 percent or more, which is above the rate of inflation. Those rates are much higher than a typical checking account. Money market accounts — either at banks or money market mutual fund accounts available at brokerages — can also be a good choice. Dr. Costa at Vanguard said that if you had built a substantial reserve, you might want to consider keeping at least some of the funds invested in the market, where they can earn higher returns. But that depends on your risk tolerance. “Emergency savings is for peace of mind,” he said, so whether any of your reserve is invested or kept completely in cash “is a personal decision.” Can my employer help me save for emergencies? More employers are exploring ways for workers to save for surprise expenses, either through accounts linked to retirement plans or via stand-alone apps. A provision of the SECURE 2.0 retirement law, which took effect last year, allows employers to offer emergency savings accounts within workplace retirement plans. Workers can contribute up to $2,500 after taxes to an emergency fund and withdraw the money as needed. (Generally, employees making less than $160,000 in 2025 are eligible.) Employers can match contributions, but they must deposit the matching funds into the retirement account. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Employers have been slow to adopt the retirement-plan option, in part because the rules for creating the emergency accounts are complex, said Emerson Sprick, an economist and associate director at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank. Still, interest is growing. T. Rowe Price, which oversees retirement plans for employers, announced in April that it had begun offering the accounts — formally, “pension-linked” emergency savings accounts — to its clients. T. Rowe also supports penalty-free, emergency withdrawals of up to $1,000 a year from retirement plans, another option permitted under SECURE 2.0. In addition, the company offers a stand-alone emergency savings option to employers, outside the retirement plan, through its Waysavers app. Employers can adopt one or all of the options. Other stand-alone digital tools, like SecureSave, are helping companies offer rainy-day accounts to their workers. (One difference is that unlike retirement-linked emergency savings accounts, independent apps can’t automatically enroll workers.) SecureSave automatically transfers funds from workers’ paychecks into accounts at partner banks. If workers leave the company, they take the accounts with them. Sabrina Jones, founder of moving and cleaning companies in Spokane, Wash., said that she began offering SecureSave to employees at both companies last summer and that the accounts had proved popular. One worker told her that she had used the funds to repair her car. “It’s a great benefit,” Ms. Jones said. “I’m not a huge employer, but I want to offer what I can to be competitive.” Workers at Movher, a moving company, who are paid biweekly, receive a match of $5 for every $20 contributed, while employees of the cleaning firm, paid weekly, get $2.50 for every $10. So far this year, Ms. Jones said, the cleaning employees have accumulated a total of $4,300, while the moving staff has saved $3,000.

A man who runs a food business on a Scottish island has a tantalizing offer for the right couple. He's planning to give the entity away for free to someone looking to move to the area long term — all part of a desire to help protect his community's future, he said. Richard Irvine, 65, founded his smokery about three years ago, said news agency SWNS, after first "falling in love" with the Hebridean island in the 1980s when he and his wife honeymooned there. His business, Colonsay Smokery, supplies smoked salmon to the shop as well as to local restaurants and venues off the island. The tightknit community has just 120 residents or so — and Irvine wants to hand the business over to a young couple who plan to stay and help contribute to building up the area. He said he wants to help boost the local and school populations however he can. "Attracting younger people to live here is a constant driver for island efforts," he said, SWNS reported, as the current population is growing older. "Many of my peers on the island have devoted their skills and time in a voluntary capacity to help develop the island economy … [They've aimed] to increase the amount of affordable accommodation, which is great," he said. "Call it a desire to help an island I love." "But housing is only one side of the island's problems. Economic development – jobs – is the other. That's where I thought I could add value." He said he wants to "pass this business and the opportunity it presents on to someone who has the desire to run and grow a business, but perhaps is missing the initial capital to get it set up. Call it putting back, call it boomer guilt — call it just a desire to help an island I love," he added. "My vision is to find a young couple, possibly with a young family, who’d like to make it their home [and] need a way of earning a living." Irvine founded the smokery after retiring from a career as a brand consultant, he said. "I moved here after retiring early from a career that encompassed building, working as a chef, commercial writing and running a successful design and brand consultancy," he said. "I did so as we’ve [vacationed] here for almost 40 years since I took my wife here on our honeymoon." The couple originally planned to buy a plot and build a home on Colonsay, but realized they needed a place to stay during the process. Within months, they found and purchased a house with sea views. While his wife stayed on the mainland with their son, Irvine took on the task of renovating their new island home. It was complete by the "end of the pandemic," he said. He also "needed a project to keep me busy," he said. "I conceived the idea of creating a business that would benefit the island that I love and that I could hand over to someone to encourage them to relocate here." The ideal candidates would have an "entrepreneurial spirit," he said. The process of smoking salmon takes five days. It includes fileting and curing the fish in salt, before it is dried, smoked and left to mature, the BBC noted. It is then sliced and packed before being sold. Irvine said he will mentor prospective owners for three months, he said. "I’ll mentor and teach them for three months as a handover if they need it … The only thing I will do is retain a form of ‘golden share’ to ensure they keep the business going, and hopefully growing, for five years." He said that ideally, he's hoping to find a family who would appreciate the close-knit nature of Colonsay’s tiny primary school, and the opportunity to swap a small city flat for a larger, more affordable home just minutes from work, as SWNS reported. "If you think you might be that couple – write to me telling me why," he said.

The No. 1 destination for pizza in America isn't New York. And it's not Chicago either. That distinction belongs to … New Hampshire. That's right. Each U.S. state was ranked by how much it loves pizza, according to research from Maine Lobster Now. The study analyzed the number of pizzerias per 100,000 residents, along with people's interest in pizza, by using data from Google searches and the average price of pizza in each state. Travel + Leisure reported on the study and provided statements from Maine Lobster Now. "New Hampshire is the ultimate destination for pizza lovers," Maine Lobster Now said in a statement provided to the publication. Fox News Digital reached out to Maine Lobster Now for additional comment. The state has 1,022 pizzerias, which equates to about 72.73 pizzerias per 100,000 residents. This was the highest in the dataset, according to Maine Lobster Now. "Add in the high pizza enthusiasm of 22,512 pizza-related searches per 100,000 residents and a wallet-friendly average pizza price of $15.74, and you've got a state that ensures pizza enthusiasts have ample options at relatively affordable prices," the Maine-based seafood company said. Another top state from the study was Ohio — with 4,150 pizzerias. What sets Ohio apart is its high number of searches (28,563) per 100,000 residents, according to the study. That's the highest search ratio in the top five states. The next three states in the top five are, respectively, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Michigan. "New York ranked 29th." The rest of the top 10 states are Kansas, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Indiana. Kansas is a standout pizza destination for its low average price of $14.96 per pie, according to the study. New York ranked 29th. The study admits this is shockingly low, probably because the state is known for pizza. The average pie in New York costs $19.73, making it one of the most expensive pies in the dataset. The state also only has roughly 19 pizzerias per 100,000 residents. "It's hard to reconcile these numbers with New York's cultural dominance in the pizza world, but its iconic, thin, foldable slices continue to shape America's love for pizza, regardless of the rankings," the report stated.

Many McDonald's customers are raving about a secret menu hack. The "Cotton Candy Sprite" isn't something you'll find on your local McDonald's menu — but social media users have cracked the code on how to finagle the fizzy drink. Here's how it works: Customers simply ask for a medium Sprite with three pumps of French vanilla syrup. This creates a blended and bubbly refreshment, according to the Instagram page for the food news website Mouth Attack. But to get in on the viral sensation, customers need to order in person inside a McDonald's or at the drive-thru. The fact that the treat is an in-store exclusive hasn't stopped the hype around it. The beverage seems to be drawing on a combination of fascination and distaste. Of the more than 5,000 people who participated in a poll conducted by Mouth Attack on Instagram, 42% fell under the category of "I'm trying this," while 50% responded with "I'll pass." "That should stay a secret." "That should stay a secret," wrote one commenter. One person who mentioned a past stint at McDonald's said, "I did this when I worked there. Best way to have a Sprite from McDonald's." But some expressed skepticism about the flavor profile. "I wonder how citrus & vanilla flavors would create a cotton candy flavor," wrote one person. Others seemed unimpressed by the blend. Said a commenter, "Wasn't good at all, lol. Tasted nothing like cotton candy, more like a creme soda. Dissatisfied!" "This sounds horrible," said yet another. Someone else expressed skepticism at the brand's ability to fulfill customers' requests for the secret menu item, writing, "McDonald's can't even get working milkshake machines … so don't waste our time." This isn't the first time a debated secret menu hack at McDonald's has sparked a viral conversation. In 2022, the "Land, Air & Sea" trendy sandwich involved ordering a Big Mac, McChicken and Filet-o-Fish and stacking the sandwiches on top of one another into a multiverse of meat. McDonald's seemed to legitimize the trend when it offered the burger trifecta for a limited time, though it required customers who ordered it to "make it yourself," which was met with plenty of debate on social media. It's not certain if McDonald's will embrace the Cotton Candy Sprite in the same way.

So you can whip together a weekend bag or fit a fortnight’s worth of outfits into a rolling suitcase, but does your status as “packing guru” extend to your phone or tablet? Think of your device as a second carry-on, with its own packing list of apps that are essential for entertainment, getting around, safety and more. “Everyone talks about making the super app, the one place for everything you need,” said Gilbert Ott, partnerships director at Point.me, a website that helps travelers manage loyalty points, “but no one has done it yet.” Until that super travel app exists, here are some suggested apps to download before you go. Safety and security Public Wi-Fi networks like those in cafes and hotels may not be secure, so to keep criminals from intercepting passwords, credit card numbers and emails, “it’s better to encrypt your internet activity,” said Mr. Ott. One method to keep data secure is to download and use virtual private networks like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, which encrypt your web doings. Both charge about $13 per month for a monthly plan, and about half that rate for a yearly plan. Another VPN provider, Mullvad, charges about $5.50 per month. It may be tempting to store copies of important documents like passports, health insurance cards and prescriptions on your phone as photos, but it’s more secure to use apps that encrypt that information, like 1Password (starting at $35.88 per year) and Microsoft OneDrive Personal Vault (included with a $99.99-per-year Microsoft 365 subscription or, for nonsubscribers, three files free storage). Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Getting around The U.S. government’s free Mobile Passport Control app can help U.S. citizens and some other groups — even travelers not in the Global Entry program — make their way through immigration and customs more quickly by scanning their passport into the app and adding a selfie within four hours of arrival. Preloading the information speeds your interaction with the officer. For detailed information on public transportation that can go beyond Google Maps, Moovit (free with ads or Moovit+ with additional features and no ads for $17.99 per year) and Citymapper (free with ads or $9.99 per year) can help with routes, fares and trip length around the world. In cities like New York and London, make sure you’ve loaded a credit or debit card in your digital wallet and set it up for transit to avoid lines by using touchless payment at turnstiles. In some countries, hailing a cab on the street may be difficult or unsafe. So where Uber and Lyft aren’t available, download local trusted ride-hailing apps that offer set fares and location tracking. In Vietnam, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, for example, Grab offers rides in cars, taxis and on the backs of motorcycles. In India, Ola is a popular choice. Entertainment For hours spent in planes, trains and hotel rooms, load your device with a mix of diversions and destination information. Taylor Beal, a travel blogger from Philadelphia, who leads high school groups on trips to Europe, recommends borrowing electronic library books using Libby and Hoopla. The apps are free but require a local library card from one of the more than 90,000 participating public libraries and schools. For road trips in the United States, the phone app Autio ($35.99 annually, with a free trial) offers 23,000 short stories and information about the surrounding landscape and history, based on your location. Offerings include Kevin Costner on the northern Great Plains and John Lithgow on “Footloose” filming locations. Traveling together Keeping track of who paid for what among a group of friends can be a fun-killing chore. Jamie Larounis, a travel industry analyst for Upgraded Points, recommends Splitwise Pro ($39.99 per year, or a limited free version), which tracks and divides up expenses for taxis, meals and more. Other apps like Tricount (free) and Settle Up (free, or $19.99 per year for the premium version) offer similar services. For tracking flights and making plans either solo or with companions, TripIt (free version or TripItPro $49 per year) and Wanderlog (free version or Wanderlog Pro for $39.99 per year) can tame even complicated itineraries. Translating You may already have Google Translate on your device, but that app also has some lesser-known handy features. Point your camera at a foreign menu, train station sign or receipt, for example, and Google can translate it — even with non-Roman characters. The Conversation button in the app lets you pass your phone back and forth when you’re trying to get directions, order food, ask for help and more. You can even create a custom phrase book in the app. Local attractions Bloomberg Connects has teamed up with more than 800 museums and other cultural spaces, like the New York Botanical Garden, around the world to offer free information on their exhibits, complementing local organizations like the Musée Carnavalet, a history museum in Paris, which often have institution-specific apps. Of course, there’s also always the good, old-fashioned way to travel — wandering around and letting serendipity take the lead. Is there an app for that, too?

So you can whip together a weekend bag or fit a fortnight’s worth of outfits into a rolling suitcase, but does your status as “packing guru” extend to your phone or tablet? Think of your device as a second carry-on, with its own packing list of apps that are essential for entertainment, getting around, safety and more. “Everyone talks about making the super app, the one place for everything you need,” said Gilbert Ott, partnerships director at Point.me, a website that helps travelers manage loyalty points, “but no one has done it yet.” Until that super travel app exists, here are some suggested apps to download before you go. Safety and security Public Wi-Fi networks like those in cafes and hotels may not be secure, so to keep criminals from intercepting passwords, credit card numbers and emails, “it’s better to encrypt your internet activity,” said Mr. Ott. One method to keep data secure is to download and use virtual private networks like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, which encrypt your web doings. Both charge about $13 per month for a monthly plan, and about half that rate for a yearly plan. Another VPN provider, Mullvad, charges about $5.50 per month. It may be tempting to store copies of important documents like passports, health insurance cards and prescriptions on your phone as photos, but it’s more secure to use apps that encrypt that information, like 1Password (starting at $35.88 per year) and Microsoft OneDrive Personal Vault (included with a $99.99-per-year Microsoft 365 subscription or, for nonsubscribers, three files free storage). Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Getting around The U.S. government’s free Mobile Passport Control app can help U.S. citizens and some other groups — even travelers not in the Global Entry program — make their way through immigration and customs more quickly by scanning their passport into the app and adding a selfie within four hours of arrival. Preloading the information speeds your interaction with the officer. For detailed information on public transportation that can go beyond Google Maps, Moovit (free with ads or Moovit+ with additional features and no ads for $17.99 per year) and Citymapper (free with ads or $9.99 per year) can help with routes, fares and trip length around the world. In cities like New York and London, make sure you’ve loaded a credit or debit card in your digital wallet and set it up for transit to avoid lines by using touchless payment at turnstiles. In some countries, hailing a cab on the street may be difficult or unsafe. So where Uber and Lyft aren’t available, download local trusted ride-hailing apps that offer set fares and location tracking. In Vietnam, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, for example, Grab offers rides in cars, taxis and on the backs of motorcycles. In India, Ola is a popular choice. Entertainment For hours spent in planes, trains and hotel rooms, load your device with a mix of diversions and destination information. Taylor Beal, a travel blogger from Philadelphia, who leads high school groups on trips to Europe, recommends borrowing electronic library books using Libby and Hoopla. The apps are free but require a local library card from one of the more than 90,000 participating public libraries and schools. For road trips in the United States, the phone app Autio ($35.99 annually, with a free trial) offers 23,000 short stories and information about the surrounding landscape and history, based on your location. Offerings include Kevin Costner on the northern Great Plains and John Lithgow on “Footloose” filming locations. Traveling together Keeping track of who paid for what among a group of friends can be a fun-killing chore. Jamie Larounis, a travel industry analyst for Upgraded Points, recommends Splitwise Pro ($39.99 per year, or a limited free version), which tracks and divides up expenses for taxis, meals and more. Other apps like Tricount (free) and Settle Up (free, or $19.99 per year for the premium version) offer similar services. For tracking flights and making plans either solo or with companions, TripIt (free version or TripItPro $49 per year) and Wanderlog (free version or Wanderlog Pro for $39.99 per year) can tame even complicated itineraries. Translating You may already have Google Translate on your device, but that app also has some lesser-known handy features. Point your camera at a foreign menu, train station sign or receipt, for example, and Google can translate it — even with non-Roman characters. The Conversation button in the app lets you pass your phone back and forth when you’re trying to get directions, order food, ask for help and more. You can even create a custom phrase book in the app. Local attractions Bloomberg Connects has teamed up with more than 800 museums and other cultural spaces, like the New York Botanical Garden, around the world to offer free information on their exhibits, complementing local organizations like the Musée Carnavalet, a history museum in Paris, which often have institution-specific apps. Of course, there’s also always the good, old-fashioned way to travel — wandering around and letting serendipity take the lead. Is there an app for that, too?

A pair of gently curved bridges, a bronze oak tree and a lily pad-inspired walkway are among the standout features of five shortlisted designs for Queen Elizabeth II’s official memorial site in central London. The national memorial will be built in St. James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace in the heart of the British capital. The finalists, unveiled Wednesday, include some of the UK’s most prominent architecture firms, including Foster + Partners, which designed London’s City Hall and 30 St. Mary Axe (known as The Gherkin), and Heatherwick Studios, the firm behind New York City’s Vessel structure. A panel from The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, which was jointly established by the British government and Royal Household, will announce a winning proposal this summer, according to a press release. The memorial is expected to be unveiled in 2026, marking what would have been the late Queen’s centenary. The design brief asked for “an emotionally powerful place” that celebrates Elizabeth II’s “extraordinary life of service,” while providing the public with a space for reflection. “She was part of our national identity and helped to define our values, she gave us a sense of continuity through times of great change, she was integral to recognizing achievement and she exemplified service and duty, strengthened by faith and leavened by pragmatism, optimism and humor,” said committee chair Lord Janvrin, the late Queen’s former private secretary, in the press release. “The masterplan design needs to seek inspiration from all this,” he added. “The memorial must be — simply — a beautiful place, a place to visit with friends, a place to gather, to enjoy, and to reflect on an extraordinary life.” The public can view the finalists’ designs as part of an online exhibition and can provide feedback until May 19. Bridging together To honor Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Heatherwick Studio proposed an entry with a lily-themed bridge at its heart (pictured top). In a video introducing the design, the firm’s founder Thomas Heatherwick said Elizabeth II’s values of “togetherness and unity” led his team to conceptualize a “Bridge of Togetherness” that would serve as a gathering place in the park. The design features a sculpture of the late monarch protected by a canopy of “sculptural lilies” at the center of a limestone bridge. The proposal also includes a pathway of 70 limestone “lily pads” signifying the Queen’s 70-year reign, as well as plants that held significance for her. “Like her legacy, it is quietly monumental,” reads the firm’s entry. “A memorial grown from the landscape, open to people throughout the world from every walk of life.” Another design looking to themes of harmony was proposed by Foster + Partners, which was inspired by British architect John Nash’s 1820s remodeling of St. James’s Park. The design consists of gardens connected by a network of meandering paths and linked by a “Unity Bridge” symbolizing the Queen as “a powerful force for bringing together people, nations, charities, the Commonwealth, and the Armed Forces,” the firm’s founder, architect Norman Foster, said in a video entry. The pathways will feature Elizabeth II’s words, both as audio installations and inscriptions on the path, including a quote from her 1953 coronation speech: “Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.” Proposed sculptures include new figurative statues of the Queen and Prince Philip, as well as a “Wind Sculpture” designed by the British artist Yinka Shonibare, intended to serve as a place of “reflection and shared experience.” ‘The nation’s bedrock’ The proposal from landscape architecture studio J&L Gibbons centers on a vision of the late Queen as “the nation’s bedrock” by incorporating a bridge made of literal bedrock. Its layout also “invites forest bathing” in a series of glades surrounded by trees. In its proposal video, the firm said its design represents a quote from the Queen’s 1966 Christmas broadcast, in which she spoke to breathing “gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind.” Also borrowing from nature is landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, whose proposal incorporates a replica of a centuries-old oak tree from Windsor Great Park, once the private hunting grounds of the late Queen’s former residence, Windsor Castle. Stuart-Smith’s team would digitally scan the tree before casting it as a full-size bronze sculpture. Called “The Queen’s Oak” and situated beside a gently curved bridge, the sculpture would be the centerpiece of the site, its lacquered leaves appearing like a “golden mirage reflected in the lake” at night, according to the firm’s entry. Other features include bronze casts of flowers from various Commonwealth countries, as well as a “sonic soundscape” playing recorded memories from people whose lives were impacted by Elizabeth II. To create a contemplative experience, architecture firm WilkinsonEyre, which recently restored London’s Battersea Power Station, proposed pathways with “threads” symbolizing the Queen’s life. Visitors can follow each of the threads, which are built around seven themes, including family, nature and the Commonwealth, representing her seven decades of service. A pair of bridges, set on two different levels, would give visitors views of the park, royal palaces and the London skyline.