New York Fashion Week has its models, its designers, its celebrities and its front rows. But last night, September 8, some of the most irresistible models walking into the spotlight had four legs—and some of them were looking for homes.

CatWalk FurBaby, presented by ELYSIANImpact and Seven Runway returns for its fourth year at Sony Hall in Times Square, bringing together fashion and animal rescue for an evening appropriately billed as “Where Fashion Meets Compassion.” Created by ELYSIAN founder and publisher Karen Floyd, the event pairs designers with animal rescue organizations, transforming the traditional Fashion Week runway into something considerably more meaningful.

Karen Floyd, Marc Bouwer, his dog and friend

This year’s show brought together 11 designers and ateliers supporting ten rescue organizations, with Anne Fontaine, Bless by Bless, L’Agence, Cate Brown, Hot Girl Quilting, Marc Bouwer, Magpies & Peacocks,

Victor De Souza

Victor De Souza, Halyna Shunevych, Any Old Iron and D’Marsh Couture taking part.

Prince Mario Max and Karen Floyd

Yes, there was couture. Yes, there were celebrity judges and Fashion Week glamour. But it was the rescue dogs that were the point.

Lessa Roland

That distinction is what has allowed CatWalk FurBaby to become more than another event competing for attention during an increasingly overcrowded Fashion Week calendar. Each designer walked in support of a participating rescue, giving animal welfare organizations something extraordinarily valuable during NYFW: visibility.

Here comes the dog

The concept comes from Floyd’s passion for animal welfare and her belief that philanthropy and fashion don’t need to occupy separate worlds. CatWalk FurBaby uses the spectacle of a runway show to direct attention toward rescue, adoption and the organizations doing the decidedly less glamorous work of caring for abandoned and vulnerable animals every day.

Karen Floyd, Jean Shafiroff

The formula has already attracted formidable names in fashion. Previous CatWalk FurBaby participants and guests have included NYFW founder Fern Mallis, supermodel Carol Alt, philanthropist Jean Shafiroff who was a judge this year and designer Nicole Miller, while DJ Chloe Jane has appeared wearing Tommy Hilfiger. The event has also earned national attention, including coverage in Forbes.

Carmen D’Alessio and guest

There is something particularly clever about putting rescue animals into the middle of Fashion Week. Fashion is built upon desire: the dress we suddenly need, the bag everyone wants, the image we imagine ourselves becoming. Animal adoption asks us to look at desire differently. Instead of asking, Do I want this?, it asks, Can I give this animal a life? Unlike a handbag, that decision loves you back.

Gizmo was one of the lucky dogs to be rescued. Sitting in the front row with his human

The evening also reflects a larger movement within fashion toward purpose. Consumers increasingly want to know what the brands they support stand for, where things come from and whether all that beauty is attached to anything beyond commerce. CatWalk FurBaby doesn’t pretend a runway can solve the enormous problem of animal abandonment. It does something more practical: it puts the organizations trying to solve it in front of people who might donate, adopt, volunteer or simply pay attention.

The host for the night was Charles Charlii Sebunya

Behind the event is ELYSIAN Impact, the philanthropic arm of ELYSIAN, which focuses its charitable work across five areas: women, children, service, animals and the environment. According to the organization, ELYSIAN Impact has disbursed more than $17.5 million over the past decade, with donations going directly to nonprofit organizations.

 Dr. Christina Rahm

For the participating rescues, however, the impact of the evening isn’t measured only in dollars. Every animal placed before an audience becomes an individual rather than a statistic. One face can accomplish what thousands of numbers cannot. Someone sees a dog. Someone falls in love. Someone decides there is room in the apartment after all.

That is where CatWalk FurBaby gets this exactly right.

Eliza

Fashion Week gives New York plenty of beautiful things to look at over the coming days. There will be extraordinary clothes, impossible shoes, parties, celebrities and enough photographers to make crossing certain blocks of Manhattan nearly impossible.

Opening it with compassion isn’t a bad statement about what beauty ought to mean.

The best thing walking the runway this Fashion Week might not be wearing the clothes at all.

CatWalk FurBaby took place September 8 at Sony Hall, inside the Paramount Hotel in Times Square.

Look for Part 2 on who was adopted and who won the awards.

In the heart of the Theatre District, The Actors Temple is welcoming New Yorkers to celebrate the Jewish New Year with two community events that combine tradition, spirituality and something particularly meaningful this year: giving back.

On Saturday, September 12 at 7 p.m., The Actors Temple will hold a free Rosh Hashanah Second Evening service, open to the community at its historic home at 339 West 47th Street. It is an invitation to enter the Jewish year 5787 not simply through ritual, but through reflection, renewal and community—ideas that feel particularly resonant at a moment when the world could use considerably more of all three.

Rosh Hashanah is traditionally a time of taking stock. It asks us to examine where we have been, consider where we have fallen short and decide how we want to move forward. The sounding of the shofar is both ancient ritual and spiritual wake-up call: the new year has arrived, but entering it consciously requires more than simply turning a page on the calendar.

The following afternoon, Sunday, September 13 at 2:30 p.m., The Actors Temple takes that idea of renewal beyond the walls of the synagogue with Reverse Tashlich, another free community event. Traditional Tashlich symbolically casts away the mistakes and transgressions of the previous year, often beside a body of moving water. Reverse Tashlich turns the ritual in another direction: instead of putting something into the water, participants take something harmful out of it.

It is a wonderfully contemporary interpretation of an ancient idea. Rather than symbolically casting away what we no longer wish to carry, Reverse Tashlich asks participants to help remove litter and debris from waterways and surrounding areas. The spiritual act becomes a physical one. Repairing ourselves and repairing the world are no longer separate ideas.

That concept sits comfortably within the Jewish principle of tikkun olam—repairing the world. A new year can bring prayers, promises and intentions, but eventually intention has to become action. Cleaning a shoreline may appear to be a small gesture against the enormous environmental problems facing the planet, yet there is something powerful about beginning with the piece of the world directly within our reach.

There is also something wonderfully appropriate about these celebrations taking place at The Actors Temple. Founded as Congregation Ezrath Israel, the synagogue has been part of the Theatre District for more than a century and became famous for its connection to performers and entertainment figures. In a neighborhood defined by people telling stories on stages, this small synagogue has quietly preserved a much older story of faith, survival and community.

Both events are free, making them particularly welcoming for New Yorkers who want to participate in the High Holidays without allowing the cost of admission to become a barrier. The Rosh Hashanah Second Evening service begins Saturday, September 12 at 7 p.m., with Reverse Tashlich following Sunday, September 13 at 2:30 p.m.

A new year traditionally begins with the hope that we can do better than we did the year before. The Actors Temple is offering two ways to begin—one by looking inward and the other by looking at the world around us.

Perhaps we need both.

The Actors Temple High Holidays and 2026–27 events

High Holiday tickets and membership

Gliding past coral reefs, exploring sunken shipwrecks and coming face-to-face with marine life can seem like stepping onto another planet. But before you take the plunge, it helps to understand what scuba diving actually costs.

The upfront investment to start scuba diving can seem steep, especially when you add up certification, gear and travel. If the numbers give you pause, a $10,000 personal loan is one option some people explore to spread out higher gear costs over time.

Keep reading to decide whether diving fits your budget and your goals.

The costs of getting started

Certification is essential for new divers. Most beginners start with an open-water course, which typically costs several hundred dollars, depending on the dive school, location and what the price includes. Through classroom or online learning, confined-water practice and supervised open-water dives, you’ll develop the skills needed to use your equipment, manage common problems and dive safely.

Next comes gear. You can rent equipment early on, but many divers eventually buy their own.

Essential gear you’ll want to own:

• Mask, snorkel, and fins for a proper fit
• A wetsuit or exposure suit suited to your dive conditions
• A dive computer to track depth and time

Gear you can often rent or buy later:

• Tanks, which many dive shops fill and store for you
• A regulator and buoyancy control device
• Weights and other accessories

Buying your own fit-focused items early makes sense. Bigger-ticket items like tanks and regulators can wait until you know diving is a long-term passion.

Long-term costs to remember

The upfront price tag isn’t the whole story. Diving comes with ongoing expenses that add up over the years.

Maintenance is the first one. All of your gear needs regular servicing to stay safe and reliable. Skipping this isn’t worth the risk when your equipment is keeping you breathing underwater.

Travel another factor. The most beautiful dive sites often sit far from home, which means flights, lodging, boat charters and dive fees. Popular spots like the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the Great Barrier Reef offer unforgettable dives, but they come at a price. If travel is part of your plan, budget for it the same way you would any vacation.

Benefits that go beyond the price tag

So what do you get for all that spending? Quite a lot, actually.

The experiences alone draw many people in. You’ll explore marine reserves, drift through kelp forests and see creatures most people only watch on a screen. Few hobbies deliver that kind of wonder.

Controlled breathing, steady movement and swimming against gentle currents build endurance and improve lung capacity over time. It’s exercise that rarely feels like a chore. There’s a mental payoff, too. Diving sharpens your problem-solving skills, teaches you to stay calm under pressure and deepens your awareness of ocean conservation. Many divers say the sport changes how they see the natural world.

Whether diving is worth it comes down to you. For some, the personal satisfaction and sense of adventure easily justify the expense. For others, the costs may outweigh how often they’d realistically get in the water.

If you want to enjoy diving without draining your budget, a few strategies help:

• Rent gear until you’re sure diving is a lasting hobby
• Join a local dive club for member discounts and shared trips
• Watch for off-season deals on travel and courses
• Buy quality essentials once, rather than replacing cheap gear repeatedly

Certification, equipment and dive trips can add up, so decide what you can comfortably pay upfront and whether you might want to borrow to cover some costs. If you’re considering a loan, understanding the difference between APR vs. interest rate can help you better understand the total cost of borrowing to make a choice that works with your budget.

Making the decision that’s right for you

There’s no universal answer to whether scuba diving is worth the money. The right choice depends on your budget, your interest and how committed you are to sticking with the hobby.

Before making a major investment, spend time on the water in other ways. Try a snorkeling trip, sign up for a single guided dive or talk with local instructors and dive communities. Doing your homework on both the experience and the costs helps you dive in with confidence, knowing you’ve made a choice that fits your lifestyle.

Notice: Information in this article is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views of OneMain Financial or its employees. Always consult with financial advisors for personalized advice.

Labor Day has arrived, which means retailers would very much like you to believe that absolutely everything you have ever wanted is suddenly a bargain. It isn’t. Some of these sales are genuinely excellent; others are merely ordinary prices wearing very enthusiastic red signs. The trick is knowing what is worth buying now, where the deepest discounts actually are and what should stay firmly in your shopping cart until later.

Fashion is surprisingly strong this Labor Day, particularly if you shop the sale racks rather than the shiny new Fall 2026 collections arriving just in time for Fashion Week. Bloomingdale’s is one of the standouts, with selected designer clothing, shoes and handbags marked down as much as 70%. Nordstrom has thousands of markdowns, including Free People, Paige, Spanx and Tory Burch, with some reductions reaching 80%. Macy’s is advertising savings up to roughly 60–65%, depending on the department.

For a less expensive wardrobe refresh, this is also a very good weekend for basics. Gap has knitwear, denim, outerwear and other pieces marked down as much as 50%, while J.Crew is offering an additional 40% off already-reduced sale merchandise. Banana Republic has selected wardrobe pieces discounted as much as 40%, and Levi’s has 30% off selected styles. Those are the places to look for denim, shirts, trousers and transitional pieces that will carry you into fall without paying full September prices.

Home is where Labor Day gets serious. Williams Sonoma has one of the most aggressive offers we’ve found, with its Warehouse Sale reaching 75% off and an additional 20% off clearance. Pottery Barn and West Elm have markdowns reaching 70%, while Crate & Barrel is offering discounts up to 60%. If you’ve been waiting to replace bedding, cookware, furniture or something substantial for the apartment, these are considerably more interesting than buying another sweater simply because it is 30% off.

Furniture shoppers should also look at Wayfair, where the Labor Day Clearance reaches 70% off rugs, furniture, storage and décor. Ashley has selected furniture up to 70% off, while CB2 is offering reductions up to 50% across furniture, mirrors, lighting, rugs and tabletop. The usual warning applies: never buy a sofa because the percentage looks impressive. Measure the room first. There is nothing chic about discovering your fabulous 70%-off sectional blocks the front door.

For appliances and home improvement, The Home Depot has more than 1,000 Labor Day sale items across appliances, tools, grills, outdoor equipment and patio furniture; some current individual discounts exceed 40%. Lowe’s is offering discounts reaching 50% across selected appliances, outdoor products, tools and home merchandise. This is exactly the kind of purchase Labor Day is good for: the refrigerator you actually need, not the air fryer that somehow becomes irresistible at 11:47 p.m. because it is $28 cheaper.

Mattresses are another genuine Labor Day buy. Saatva, Casper, Avocado, Bear and Mattress Firm all have significant promotions running. Casper’s discounts reach 35%, Bear’s 35%, Avocado’s 20%, while Mattress Firm is offering savings of up to $700 on selected mattresses and related products. Labor Day remains one of the few sale weekends when waiting to replace a mattress can actually pay.

Outdoor merchandise is another buy now. Patio furniture, grills and summer entertaining pieces need to disappear from stores before holiday merchandise takes over. The Home Depot has current patio and grill reductions exceeding 50% on selected products, and other home retailers are clearing outdoor collections as well. Buy the patio set in September and enjoy feeling terribly clever when you pull it out next May.

There are, however, things I would not rush to buy. The newest Fall 2026 designer fashion is arriving now, and unless something is likely to sell out, paying close to full price during Fashion Week season makes little sense when markdowns will come later. The same applies to holiday toys and many electronics: Black Friday and Cyber Monday will bring another enormous round of competition. There are exceptions—Best Buy and Walmart do have legitimate electronics promotions this weekend—but don’t replace perfectly functional technology merely because Labor Day has given it a sale sticker.

The best Labor Day strategy is therefore wonderfully simple: buy what retailers are trying to get rid of, not what they’re excited to sell you. Summer fashion, outdoor furniture, mattresses, appliances, furniture and clearance merchandise are where the leverage is. Brand-new fall collections, holiday merchandise and impulse electronics can wait.

Remember 70% off something you actually wanted is a bargain. Seventy percent off something you never needed is still money spent.

Herbed Potato Salad

This potato salad is for last-minute people. This recipe is surprisingly simple and quick to make. This healthy potato salad recipe is mayo-free, easy to make, vegan, egg free and gluten free. Recipe yields 6 side servings.

• 2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
• 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus about 2 tablespoons more for garnish
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped green onions, plus about 2 tablespoons thinly sliced for garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 stalks celery, chopped

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine sliced potatoes and salt. Cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are easily pierced by a paring knife and pulled out with little resistance, about 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water, then drain. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small food processor or blender, combine the olive oil, ⅓ cup parsley, ⅓ cup green onions, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Process until the herbs and garlic have been chopped into little pieces. Then, while running the food processor, pour in the reserved cooking water and process just until blended. (If you don’t have a food processor or blender, just finely chop the parsley and onions and whisk the dressing together until the oil is fully incorporated.)
4. Drizzle the potatoes with the herbed olive oil mixture and gently mix to combine. (It will look like you’ve poured in too much dressing, but don’t worry, the potatoes will soak it up!) Let the potatoes rest for ten minutes, gently tossing every few minutes.
5. Add the celery to the bowl, along with a couple tablespoons each of additional chopped parsley and green onions. Toss again. Season generously to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. This salad is best served within a few hours, but will keep in the refrigerator for about three days.

Elote Corn

Corn season is here! Corn is never better than right now. I love sweet fresh corn on the grill with charred crispy kernels. I especially love the versatility of corn.

• Vegetable oil for brushing
• 6 ears corn, shucked
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup queso fresco or cojita cheese crumbles
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• kosher salt
• lime wedges

1. In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and garlic. Mix until well combined, set aside. Spread cheese crumbles on a plate, set aside. In a small bowl combine chili powder, cayenne paper, and 1 teaspoon salt, set aside.
2. Brush grill grate with vegetable oil. Heat grill to high heat. Place corn directly on the grill. Grill corn, turning occasionally until cooked and lightly charred, about 10 minutes.
3. Immediately brush the corn with mayonnaise mixture. Roll corn in cheese crumbles sprinkles with chili powder mixture and cilantro. Squeeze lime over corn and serve immediately.

GARLIC BROWN SUGAR FLANK STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI

• 2 pound flank steak, about 1-inch thick
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 2/3 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1. Add the flank steak to a large baking dish and season it with the salt and pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, brown sugar and garlic cloves, then cover the steak with it and place it in the fridge to marinate. I marinate anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.
2. When you’re ready to cook the steak, you can grill, broil or pan sear it to your liking. I tend to broil it as I find that easiest. Preheat the broiler in your oven and move the oven rack as close as possible. Place the steak on a broiler pan or baking sheet and broil on each side for about 5 minutes. This will result to a medium to medium-well doneness in my oven.
3. Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing it thinly against the grain. Serve it immediately with the chimichurri.

EASY RED, WHITE, AND BLUE TRIFLES

• 1 angel food cake About 12 ounces, store bought or homemade
• 2 pounds strawberries
• 12 ounces blueberries
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Place your bowl and whisk for the whipped cream in the freezer for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Remove the tops from the strawberries and dice into cubes.  If you are making the strawberry stars for garnish, make those first so you can use the prettiest parts of the strawberries.  To make the stars, cut a strawberry in half and use a small star shaped cookie cutter to cut out a star shape.  Cut as many as you need.  Scraps can be tossed in with the diced strawberries.  Set the strawberry stars aside.  With the rest of the diced strawberries, toss with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and set aside for 30 minutes to macerate. 
• Cut  or tear the angel food cake into 1/2 inch cubes.  If making the angel food cake stars, use a small star shaped cookie cutter to cut star shapes out of a flat slice of cake.  Scraps can be used in the trifle along with the cubes.
• Make the whipped cream.  Remove bowl and whisk from freezer.  Pour in heavy whipping cream, sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar on top, and add vanilla extract.  Beat until soft peaks form (1–2 minutes in a stand mixer, 6-7 minutes by hand).
• To assemble the trifles, use 6-8 small glass containers such as mason jars, drinking glasses, or wine glasses.  I recommend using smaller sized glasses, about 4-6 ounces.
• Cover the bottom of the glass with a layer of angel food cake cubes.  Top with a layer of the macerated strawberries.  Top that with a layer of whipped cream, then a layer of blueberries.  Repeat until you reach the top of your glass.  Top with more whipped cream and garnish with strawberry and angel food cake stars.