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While Matt Gaetz is keeping busy making jokes about how no one would want to f**k most pro-choice activists and conveniently ignoring the fact that he’s under investigation for sex trafficking, political insiders within the congressman’s own party seem pretty confident that the brash Florida man may soon have to do all his body-shaming from behind bars.

On Monday, as The Daily Beast reports, Mike Pence’s former chief of staff Marc Short appeared on CNN to chat with Erin Burnett about his former boss and the possibility of Pence making a run for president in 2024. Burnett also wanted to get Short’s thoughts on Gaetz’s very public diss of Pence over the weekend, when he appeared at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit and (in addition to branding pro-choice women unf**kable) stated that “Mike Pence will never be president. Nice guy, not a leader.”

While Short responded that he didn’t think the presidency was necessarily something Pence was angling for, he also made sure to note that whatever Matt Gaetz thinks would in no way factor into any decision the former VP makes.

“In fact, I would be surprised if he’s still voting,” Short shot back. “It’s more likely he’ll be in prison for child sex trafficking by 2024. And I’m actually surprised that Florida law enforcement still allows him to speak to teenage conferences like that. So I’m not too worried about what Matt Gaetz thinks.”

In addition to being investigated for his ties to a sex trafficking ring, Gaetz has also been cited as a key player in the events of January 6th and the attempts to overturn a completely legitimate presidential election. Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who offered explosive testimony in front of the January 6th committee, stated that Gaetz had reportedly been pushing for a presidential pardon since long before the Capitol riots—albeit unsuccessfully.

(Via The Daily Beast)

Things are not going great for Rudy Giuliani right now. After ignoring a subpoena to testify in Fulton County, Georgia about his alleged attempts to overturn a perfectly legitimate presidential election—then skipping out on a hearing about why he shouldn’t have to testify—the former New York City mayor has been ordered to testify in front of a grand jury next month. If he skips out on that, the judge can issue a “material witness warrant,” which could see Rudy arrested and detained until he is able to appear before the grand jury (and who knows how long that could be). But if you think Rudy’s running scared, then you know nothing about the Borat 2 star who married his own cousin.

On Monday night, Rudy chatted up Greg Kelly on Newsmax, which seems to be the only network where he’s still welcome. When Kelly asked Giuliani whether he’s fearful of the future and whether he might be facing any charges in the wake of the piles of evidence being gathered against him by the January 6th committee and witness testimony, Rudy went full tough guy:

No! Why should I be fearful of that? If they do, I’ll fight it. I’ve fought everything they’ve done so far. So far, every single thing they’ve accused me of, I’ve been right… I was accused of knowing about Russian collusion. I said, ‘There was no Russian collusion,’ they say there was. They were lying, I was telling the truth. Then I was accused of being a Russian agent by the top intelligence people in the Democratic Party — a bunch of whores — and it turns out they’re a bunch of liars. And I’m not a Russian agent.

Wow — Rudy with the W-bomb. Just the kind of badass antics you’d expect from a man who equated being lightly patted on the back to attempted murder.

Jonathan Byers is still a creep, but not as much of a creep as we were led to believe.

Yesterday, we learned of a conspiracy theory in the Stranger Things fan community on TikTok that a scene from season one where Jonathan is spying on his crush, Nancy Wheeler, while she takes her shirt off was George Lucas-‘d to make him seem like less of a pervert. “Some fans have said he raised the camera once more, and claim they saw him deliberately take more pictures of Nancy while she was in this vulnerable position. Instead, he raises his camera and the edit makes it look like he chose to photograph Barb (fully clothed and sitting by the pool) instead,” Insider reported.

The Stranger Things writers’ room Twitter account has settled the issue:

“PSA: no scenes from previous seasons have ever been cut or re-edited. And they never will be,” @strangerwriters wrote. When a follower asked if that “also counts for the Jonathan spying on Nancy scene in s01,” they responded, “Yes.” He was still stalking Nancy, but at least he had the decency to… yeah, no, it’s weird, even without the edit.

“Previous seasons” does not include the most recent season, as Stranger Things editor Dean Zimmerman confirmed to Variety that “the editors are still uploading new shots to the episodes out on Netflix with updated VFX, as the series creators the Duffer Brothers want the show to be as perfect as possible.”

(Via Variety)

Vladimir Putin probably has a lot on his mind lately. He’s waging war on a country that did nothing to Russia. And he’s a a global pariah to the point where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan president recently kept him waiting and fidgeting through his Botox in front of the whole world. And now, Russia’s quitting the International Space Station.

Yep, it’s true, and this is not a scrapped pilot script for Apple TV+’s All For Mankind. Rather, Putin’s guys are severing Russia’s longstanding relationship with NASA, and the current plan is for Russian astronauts to abandon the orbiting ship in 2024. Granted, Putin didn’t make this official call. Roscosmos chief Yury Borisov did so, and then he informed Putin, who (according to CNN) had one word to say: “Good.”

So much excitement from Putin. Meanwhile, CNN seems skeptical about whether this will really happen:

This is not the first time that Russia has threatened to abandon the ISS amid crippling US and European sanctions over the war in Ukraine. Borisov’s predecessor, Dmitry Rogozin, repeatedly threatened to do so before he was ousted earlier this month.

But this most recent threat has more teeth, and the apparent approval of Putin himself. According to the transcript of a meeting posted to the Kremlin’s website, Putin said “good” after Borisov told him that Roscosmos will begin to build its own space station after 2024.

It’s truly the end of an era of international space cooperation, which somehow lasted for decades but is no more. Perhaps Putin’s actually looking to escape Earth at some point. Stranger things have happened! Even more so than a world leader lashing out while defending shirtless horseback riding photos. He’d better make sure and pack his beloved Botox for the ride.

(Via CNN)

A summer escape to Napa Valley is incredibly decadent. But it might be a necessary decadence for the Year of Our Lord 2022, in which it’s too hot out, the news cycle is relentless, and the days of summer are already dwindling. Besides, expensive trips aren’t an inexcusable indulgence anymore, not if you can file them under “self care.”

If you’re thinking of hiding away in Napa Valley and necking some vino, there’s really only one place to stay for the full Napa experience — Hotel Yountville in Yountville, California.

Hotel Yountville is pure luxury escapism. And that doesn’t come cheap. King rooms are going to set you back around $1,400 per night, with suites hitting well above that. But what you’re getting for that price tag is seclusion and luxury with spot-on food, great wine, and rooms that truly are top-tier. It’s the sort of place where you can spend the morning lounging by the pool while waiting for a spectacular massage and spa experience before walking into town for a wine tasting or two and then a world-class dinner before hitting the hotel for a nightcap under those drooping and twisted Coast Live Oak trees and a blanket of stars.

Let’s dive in and break down why Hotel Yountville is truly one of the great hotels in California.

WHY IT’S AWESOME:

I mentioned the seclusion and that’s a huge selling point. Chillness envelopes you from the moment you check in to the poolside lounges to the breakfast dining room with an open-format kitchen. It’s a whole mellow vibe.

The details here are so on point. The towels and sheets on the poolside lounges are ultra-soft. The pool is just the right temperature. The hot tub is hot but not too hot. The trees around the pool and outdoor seating areas provide the right shade at the right time of day. The service staff is impeccably attentive but never obviously present.

I don’t know if I’ve encountered a more relaxed staff at such a high-end property. The whole feeling was “take your time, we’ll do the rest.”

Each suite has a small balcony or veranda for outdoor wine sipping. There’s a gas fireplace with over-stuffed furniture for indoor wine sipping. Then there’s the bed, but I’ll get into that a little further down. There’s great privacy between the rooms even though they’re side-by-side and, in some cases, built into the same two-story structures. It kind of never feels like you’re in a resort. Sure, you’ll see some folks walking to and from rooms or around the pool or at breakfast, but seeing other guests never feels like a big deal.

That said, you can easily make friends poolside in the late afternoon when people return from a day of tasting around Napa.

Then there’s Napa itself. The town of Yountville — which is probably one of the most iconic towns for food in the U.S., thanks to Thomas Keller taking the whole place over — is a few steps away. Ad Hoc, Bouchon Bistro and Bakery, and The French Laundry are all just up the road. In between, there are tons of options for wine tastings (Hill Family Estate and Jessup Cellars are good spots for drop-ins). Most places had a walk-in policy in late spring, but you might need a reservation in the summer.

If you get tired of all the wine and Thomas Keller fussiness, you can always hit up places like Ranch Market Too for a slice of pizza and a really well-made Italian sub or La Calenda for some tacos and margaritas.

IN-HOUSE FOOD + DRINK:

It should come as no surprise that the food is stellar at this place. I mostly had breakfasts while there. I never eat breakfast at home, so when I’m in a place like this, I tend to go all-in.

The first morning, I ordered the eggs benny (the true test of a resort’s kitchen). It was the most audacious and delicious benny I’ve had in a while, it was served with in-house smoked pork belly, fresh avocado, bacon hollandaise, crispy bacon lardons, a big pile of frisee and basil with a light vinaigrette dressing, and asparagus all over some excellent whole-grain bread. I decided to add some local chicken apple sausage on the side because, why not?

Yeah, it was astoundingly good. The pork belly was perfectly unctuous. The hollandaise had the best tang to it. The bread took me back to the health food store bread my mom would buy us in the 1980s in our little seaside hippy town up in Washington state.

Then there were the pancakes (sampled the next morning, I’m not that much of a sicko). They were these airy yet slightly tangy, long-fermented pillows of delightfulness, served with a medley of local strawberries, pistachios, and basil with a perfectly sour creme fraiche and bespoke strawberry syrup that I could have drank on its own. And I don’t even really dig on sweet food that much. If there’s a better pancake in the U.S., I have not had it.

Lastly, there was the poolside dining service. Attendants were more than happy to bring you a lunch menu of beer, wine, cocktails, and even some alcohol-laced popsicles alongside excellently built cheese and meat boards, legit crispy chicken wings served with house-made aioli in a peanut/lime dressing, and some seriously good truffle fries.

Check out all of Hotel Yountville’s menus here.

AMENITIES:

Based on a Premium King (which is the halfway point between the room types available):

• 575 Sq. Ft.
• Four-Poster King Bed
• Bellora Italian Linens and Down Duvet Comforter
• Large, Two-Person Spa-Tub
• Free-Standing Rainfall Shower
• Private Balcony or Private Garden Patio (Depending on Location)
• Second Floor Rooms have Ceiling Fans and Vaulted Ceilings
• Field Stone Fireplace
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• 55-Inch Television
• Minibar stocked with complimentary organic fruit and nut mix, granola squares, caramel macchiato almonds, and water
• Coffee and Tea Maker

You can check out individual room amenities here.

ROOM TYPES:

There are seven room types at Hotel Yountville, but they basically break into two categories: King bed rooms and suites.

The king rooms will come with, you guessed it, a king bed, a great bathroom, a large spa tub and rain shower (except in the standard king), and then patios and fireplaces in the deluxe and premium versions. There’s a two queen bed option at this level as well.

The suites include four-poster king beds and separate “living areas” where you can sit around on big couches and chairs around a gas fire or slip out onto a balcony or veranda from the room.

It should be noted that all the suites have a two-person spa tub in the bathroom.

You can browse Hotel Yountville’s rooms here.

THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 5-MINUTE WALK:

Wine. I could leave it at that. I already mentioned a couple of spots up above. And look, you can spend the day hitting one side of the street and the next day hitting the tasting rooms on the other side of the street.

Maybe a three minute walk up Washington Street (the main drag through town) is Regiis Ova Caviar & Champagne Lounge. It’s a nice break from the reds and whites of all the tasting bars. Make sure to get the deviled eggs with Royal Caviar. It costs $38 for two but it’s phenomenal. I know, I know… Thomas Keller does it again. Wash it down a little bubbly and then follow it up with raw oysters, and you’re more than set.

THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A $10 CAB RIDE:

The French Laundry. Well, you can take a cab/Uber/Lyft there and walk back under a sky full of Napa Valley stars. This is basically the whole point of staying in Yountville. It’s also a culinary adventure through truly amazing foods (and wines) from the local area or grown across the street in a huge garden. While I could spend the next 5,000 words going over the beauty that is The French Laundry in 2022 (still!), I’ll save that for another day.

Instead, I’ll leave you with this. Even if you’re only remotely interested in food (in any way), you need to eat at The French Laundry at least once in your life. Or as Anthony Bourdain once said after dining there, “the best restaurant in the world, period.”

Reservations for The French Laundry can be made here.

BED GAME:

Okay, this is where Hotel Yountville really shines. The bed game is quite possibly one of the best I’ve ever experienced. Maybe the Hotel Eden in Rome beats it out, but it’s a photo finish.

The beds are Simmons Beautyrest World Class Felicity II Super Pillow Top (I asked), and they’re out of control in comfort. Then the pillows are Down Etc. pillows that had the perfect density and stayed cool throughout the night like some magical pillow from a fairy tale land. It was the best nights of sleep I think I’ve ever had in a hotel room, or anywhere for that matter. I bought these pillows as soon as I got home.

The sheets matched the quality of the bed and pillows thanks to Fili D’Oro linens from Northern Italy. Soft Egyptian cotton and Flanders flax made for a sleeping experience that felt like you were being cradled in the womb. By the second night, I was looking forward to just getting back to the room to get into bed. I didn’t even care about the wine around me anymore.

Rating: 10/10

SEXINESS RATING:

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This is pretty high. This is where you take your secret lover for a luxurious romp, hidden away from the wide, mean world. The bed game alone is worth it. Then there’s the spa tub for two, the killer actual spa for deep tissue treatments, and the overall chilled-out vibes of the whole place. It’s the sort of resort and spa experience where you can let the outside world just disappear for a spell and be 100 percent focused on the person you’re there with.

Look at it this way: no one’s taking their kids to a $1,500-a-night resort spa in Yountville. In fact, you rarely see any kids around town (especially compared to St. Helena and Calistoga further north). It’s almost exclusively couples and adult groups getting their wine on or eating through Thomas Keller’s oeuvre of restaurants.

That said, it’s not like the property goes out of its way to be sexy the way some other high end properties do — whether with in room saunas or private plunge pools, etc.

Rating: 7/10

INSTAGRAMABILITY:

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I mean, it’s wine country. I feel like that’s self-explanatory. But then there’s the Yountville/Thomas Keller food scene. People line up for a long time to get a pastry from Bouchon Bakery and then the moment they step out of the bakery, they take out their phone and post that shit.

Unique and amazing food that’s Insta-ready, Northern California sun, rolling hills, and endless vineyards … yeah, this is IG heaven. That said, I’m talking about the area and not the hotel. Overall, it’s very photogenic but not quite the South of France on a summer day either. It’s all an American’s idea of that, but not quite that.

As for the thirst trapping… this isn’t quite that. It’s a little more refined. Think of that whatever you will.

Rating: 7/10

BEST SEASON TO VISIT:

I was there at the end of March. As I’m wont to do, I struck up a convo with the bartender over some Sierra Nevadas (I can’t drink wine all day) about this. At that time, there were plenty of people around Yountville and the hotel but there was plenty of space. He told me two weeks later (around Easter), they’d be smashed basically until October. Not just on the weekends either, once late spring starts leading into summer, it’s going to be hard to get in anywhere (hotels, wineries, and restaurants) on weekdays and weekends.

Based on that, I’d say March and October are probably your best bets with a month on either side working too. Winter tends to be quiet with a lot of the tasting rooms restricting hours and so forth.

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:

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Yountville is the set for the Truman Show except instead of a maniacal Ed Harris in charge it’s Thomas Keller.

There’s a character to the town, in theory. But it’s all so … plastic. It’s like a set with amazing food hiding behind the facades. The only place that felt real — or real-world even — was the Ranch Market Too grocery store with a deli and pizza joint on the side. The rest is all this sort of regulated, ultra-clean, eerily quiet “town.”

St. Helena and Calistoga have character, and grit even. Yountville felt like a rich person’s idea of what a “small town” is without any purchase on the real world outside.

That has nothing to do with the hotel, as it’s completely isolated from all of that. Plus, you’re likely going to spend most of your time at one of the gazillion wineries within a five to 20-minute drive, meaning you’re less likely to notice this anyway.

BOOK HERE:

Expect to pay between $1,400 and $2,200 depending on the room.

Book Here.

More Photos of the Hotel:

Around town:

Uproxx was hosted for this story by Visit Napa Valley. However, they did not review this story. You can learn more about the Uproxx Press Trip policy here.

After a nearly year-long search, The View has reportedly chosen a permanent co-host to fill Meghan McCain‘s seat. Ever since the fiery conservative exited the show last summer, ABC has struggled to find a conservative replacement as it tested out a series of right-wing guest hosts including former White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah Griffith, who’s been chosen as McCain’s successor for Season 26.

Despite clashing with The View co-hosts, particularly Sunny Hostin called Griffith a “stormtrooper” for working for Donald Trump, the former comms director was offered the permanent position by ABC who will announce the news “imminently,” according to the Daily Mail. The decision is reportedly not going over well behind the scenes:

One source close to the discussions with the former White House aide said: ‘My jaw dropped when I was told that she was the pick. It makes no sense. Part of me wishes they just leaned into MAGA and hired Kimberly Guilfoyle, at least it would better reflect part of the audience and there would be fireworks every day.’

Another insider told DailyMail.com: ‘Her soon to be co-hosts are very upset. They feel she isn’t authentic and changes her opinions based on who her paymaster is.

As for McCain’s reaction, she conveniently announced that she was taking a “Twitter break” on the same day that her current employer broke the news of Griffith being offered her old gig:

“Taking a twitter break for the rest of the summer but will be updating you all on my @DailyMail columns here,” McCain tweeted. “Thanks for following. Go outside and breathe the fresh air while summer lasts if you can!”

Griffith hasn’t even started her new position yet, but she’s already caused a problem with at least one celebrity guest. Comedian Wanda Sykes backed out of an appearance on The View last week after learning that Griffith was going to be on the panel. “She didn’t want to be part of helping a Trumper launder her reputation,” an insider on the show told The Daily Beast.

(Via Daily Mail)

Now that Barack Obama is no longer occupied with being our country’s president, he has found himself with more time to focus on his true passion: Sharing lists of things he likes a few times a year. The former POTUS’ latest mix was his favorite songs of 2021 and now he’s back with his annual summer playlist.

Sharing it on social media today, he wrote, “Every year, I get excited to share my summer playlist because I learn about so many new artists from your replies — it’s an example of how music really can bring us all together. Here’s what I’ve been listening to this summer. What songs would you add?”

Obama’s playlists are usually an eclectic mix and that’s the case here, too. He has some picks from popular modern artists, like Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul,” Harry Styles’ “Music For A Sushi Restaurant,” Drake and Rihanna’s “Too Good,” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Die Hard.” He also has rock selections old and new, like Wet Leg’s “Angelica,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In The Dark,” and Jack White’s “I’m Shakin’.”

Other artists who made the cut include Tems, Sampa The Great, Rosalía, Lil Yachty, Prince, Maggie Rogers, Al Green, Dr. John, Miles Davis, Burna Boy, Doechii, Aminé, Aretha Franklin, Bad Bunny, Rakim, D’Angelo, Nina Simone, Caamp, Otis Redding, Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill, Fatboy Slim, Omar Apollo, Maren Morris, The Internet, Vince Staples and Mustard, and Kacey Musgraves.

Check out the full playlist above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Over the past few weeks, celebrities like Drake, Kylie Jenner, and Travis Scott have come under fire for contributing to climate change thanks to a new Twitter account, @CelebJets, which has been documenting “comically” short flights. However, as with most viral outrages on the internet, it appears there’s more context to be gleaned. While Kylie Jenner isn’t one to spend a lot of time online to address such controversies, Drake, as we all know, is chronically online, and took the time to respond to an Instagram trying to gin up more anger.

Popping in the comments of a post publicizing the “15-minute flights,” Drake clarified, “This is just them moving planes to whatever airport they are being stored at for anyone who was interested in the logistics… nobody takes that flight.”

Of course, when it comes to celebrities — especially ones who inflame public passions as much as Drake does, a little thing like logic isn’t going to stop people from lobbing indictments. “It’s still using the same amount of fuel regardless of whether it’s carrying people or not,” wrote one commenter. Another took a more direct stance, writing, “Shut up stop polluting our air.”

While there are certainly some criticisms to be made about these short hops, the unfortunate fact remains that they would still be a minuscule fraction of emissions created by the largest CO2 emitters — those would be industry, electricity, and the collective totals for all transport, including cars, trucks, ships, trains, and yes, planes, which only account for 10% of what cars and trucks emit. Meanwhile, electricity and heat are by far the biggest emitters, and the ones that could most easily be fixed using alternate fuel sources like wind and solar.

Phasing those in would also help reduce the emissions from actual oil and gas production as well, since we’d need less of those things. 5 minutes on Google, people. That’s all we’re asking. Since Drake can’t save the world by taking fewer flights (at least, not by himself), maybe that energy would best be spent pushing government representatives to support initiatives like new infrastructure and stricter regulations on industry — two solutions that have been proven to work.

Najee Harris had a strong rookie year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, rushing for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on 307 carries, along with 74 catches for 467 yards and three touchdowns.

The former Alabama star was drafted with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 Draft by Pittsburgh, as they looked to replace James Conner with a new bell cow in the backfield. That worked out well in Year 1, as Harris played in all 17 games and no one else on the Steelers had more than 36 carries (he also had the second most receptions on the team as Ben Roethlisberger was eager to check the ball down all year).

On Draft night in 2021, Harris didn’t learn he was heading to Pittsburgh from the usual phone call with the team, but instead by getting a call from Steelers superfan Snoop Dogg, who somehow had the information and called Harris before Mike Tomlin and the Steelers did, as he told Bryant McFadden on the All Things Covered podcast.

Harris still isn’t sure how Snoop knew he was being drafted by Pittsburgh, but noted they’re pretty tight now — a perk of being a Steelers star. He also explained that when Tomlin and the Steelers did call, they hung up on him initially because his family was being too loud — as Harris recalls, they were too drunk off Patron and Hennessy — and had to call back once Harris walked outside to deliver the news officially.

Hold The Girl, the upcoming second album from Rina Sawayama, is set to drop on September 2. That will give US-based fans a couple months to familiarize themselves with the album before Sawayama is in their area: Today, she announced a run of tour dates for the US for November.

The first of the 13 shows goes down in Brooklyn on November 1, and from there, Sawayama will find herself in Boston, Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Houston, other cities before wrapping the trek in Los Angeles on the 23rd. Tickets go on sale on July 29 at 10 a.m. local time.

Sawayama also noted while sharing the dates on Twitter, “can’t wait to perform the record for u [smiling crying emoji]. which songs from the first record do u wanna hear ??”

Check out the list of tour dates below.

11/01 — Brooklyn, NY @ Great Hall at Avant Gardner
11/04 — Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
11/05 — Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
11/06 — Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
11/08 — Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
11/09 — Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
11/11 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
11/12 — Austin, TX @ Emo’s Austin
11/13 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
11/16 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
11/18 — San Diego, CA @ SOMA
11/21 — Oakland, CA @ FoxTheater
11/23 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium

Hold The Girl is out 9/2 via Dirty Hit. Pre-order it here.