1 . Popular Shows

Every family has a story. This Is Us follows the Pearson family across the decades: from Jack and Rebecca as young parents in the 1980s to their 37-year-old kids, Kevin, Kate and Randall searching for love and fulfilment in the present day. This dramedy in a grounded way shows how the tiniest events in our lives impact who we become, and how the connections we share with each other can survive time, distance and even death.

The Voice, which has won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program, returns with the strongest singers from across the country invited to compete in the show’s new season. Superstar singer, songwriter, actress and pop-culture icon Miley Cyrus takes a red chair on Season 13 alongside the show’s returning coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton and the host Carson Daly.

Saturday Night Live, the Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy show, enters its 45th season for another year of laughs, surprises and great performances. Since its first show in 1975, Saturday Night Live has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. The program has won 67 Emmy Awards, the most for any show in television history. Saturday Night Live is influencing the political dialogue while making fun of it at the same time.

The summer sensation America’s Got Talent promises of the fun, excitement and feel-good performances that America has come to love over 13 seasons. With the show open to acts of all ages, America’s Got Talent continues to celebrate the variety format (形式) like no other show on television. Year after year, America’s Got Talent features a colorful array (大量) of singers, dancers, comedians, magicians and hopeful stars.

2 . Movies to Enjoy

Eating Animals

The 2018 documentary Eating Animals, based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer published in 2009, tells us that factory farming is bad, and that most Americans don’t realize just how bad. Still, this isn’t a feel-guilty film. There’s plenty of hope as director Christopher Quinn shows farmers who are still using practices that do not, for example, force chickens to live their short lives in a dark building while covered in their own poop (大便). Will the film cause you to go vegan (素食主义者)? Eh, burgers are really tasty. But it will make you think about what it is that you’re putting in your mouth and maybe inspire you to head for the farmers’ market to see what a chicken that lived a happy life tastes like.

Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW, Washington, D. C.; opens on Oct. 15 (Mon.),   $10-$12.50.

Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema, 7235 Woodmont Ave. Bethesda, MD.; opens on Oct. 15(Mon.),   $9.50-$12.50.

The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia

Sometimes it’s enjoyable to see what everyone else has been seeing. It helps with dinner party   conversation. Sometimes, though, it’s fun to see something really different. The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia is a 2009 documentary about the only two surviving performers of Armenian tightrope dancing, 76 and 77 at the time of the film, and their desperate efforts to pass on the traditional art form to the only student of tightrope dancing left in the land, a 16- year-old orphan boy.

Library of Congress, Mary Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington D.C.;   Oct. 15 (Mon.),8p.m., free.

Family Movie Series

The Old Greenbelt Theatre is here to help quiet the endless “ I’m bored “ at the weekend. Every Sunday at l p.m., you can take the kids to see a family-friendly film for free, including Despicable Me 3 and Paddington 2. Just have fun!

The Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD.;Sundays through

3 . Top attractions

Amsterdam is most famous for its artistic heritage. This tradition is proudly on display in the Rijksmuseum(translates as State Museum). Once you’ve taken in all that has to offer, artists, history fans, and families shouldn’t pass up the chance to visit the Van Gogh Museum—containing around 700 paintings and drawings by Vincent and his contemporaries, including Gauguin, Monet, and Toulouse-Lautrec.

Amsterdam is also home to the Anne Frank Museum, where Anne hid with her family during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands. On a lighter note, taking a canal cruise through its extensive waterways is a rewarding way to see the Dutch capital.

Art lovers get their kicks at:

•The Van Gogh Museum

•Rijksmuseum

•Museum Het Rembrandthuis

Food and drink

Cheese lovers love Amsterdam. You can find an excuse to eat cheese at any time of the day here. Gouda is Holland’s favourite, developing a more intense flavour the longer it’s aged. Find a selection at the markets, try a cheeseboard at dinner time, or just order cubes with mustard for dipping to accompany a drink.

When you’re hungry for non-cheese food groups, you’ll find Michelin-starred restaurants, vegetarian, and organic restaurants that accompany an array of global cuisine. For old-fashioned and modern Dutch food, try these Amsterdam restaurants: Moeders, Haesje Claes, Loetje, Greetje, and De Silveren Spiegel.

Don’t leave without tasting:

•Patat(hot chips with toppings)

•Stroopwafel(waffle cookie)

•Chocomel(chocolate milk)

Amsterdam Fast Facts

Approximate flight times:

• NYC/New York 7 hours 20 minutes

• Philadelphia 8 hours

• Boston 7 hours

• Miami 9 hours 45 minutes

• Los Angeles 10 hours 15 minutes

Entry requirements

Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area and have 2 blank pages for entry stamp.

4 . School Activities for Kids and Teens

July is a month of fun－filled activities for kids and teens as long as you know where to find them. When you want some fun activities for July, consider these ideas happening in this month.

10 . Welcome to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor is one of the official residences (住所) of the Queen, who sometimes stays here.

Guided tours

Visitors can explore the history of the Castle through a tour of the Precincts with an expert guide. Tours depart at regular intervals (间隙) throughout the day from the Courtyard and finish at the entrance to the State Apartments.

Visitors with children

For those visiting with children, a special family tour and various activities are offered during school holidays and at weekends. Please note permits in the State Apartments. However, baby carriers are available to borrow.

St George’s Chapel

Visitors arriving at the Castle after 15:00 from March to October are advised to visit St George’s Chapel first before it closes.

Shopping

Shops offer a wide range of souvenirs designed for the Royal Collection, including books, postcards, china, jewelry, and children’s toys. Please ask at the Middle Ward shop about our home delivery service.

Photography and mobile phones

Non-commercial photography and filming are welcomed in the Castle. Photography, video recording and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel. Mobile phone must be switched off inside the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel in consideration of other visitors.

Security

As Winter Castle is a working royal palace, visitors and their belongings should get through airport style security checks. For safety and security reasons, a one-way system operates along the visitor route.