on to the richmond bridge, the sun will hit the other folks in their windshields. >> that does it for us on this terrific tuesday. >> there you go, we need that sun to warm things up. look at that, 34 degrees in livermore this morning! the "today" show is coming up next. have a good one. good morning. breaking news, the first children in the u.s. now receiving moderna's covid vaccine. part of a new study testing the shot's safety and effectiveness for kids. new hope for families and schools across the country, while the rollouts and reopenings expand for spri break, leading to this new warning from health officials. >> i'm pleading with you for the sake of our nation's health. where this goes depends on whether we do what must be done to protest ourselves and others. >> we'll have the very latest.

new battle at the border. fema being brought in to deal with a sudden and massive surge of migrant children entering the u.s. alone. while top republicans head to texas to lay blame directly on the president. >> no other way to claim it than a biden border crisis. >> we're there live. behind bars. the fbi arrests two men in the deadly attack on the capitol hill police officer killed in the january riot. the charges they face, and why more are expected in the case. inside operation varsity blues. the new documentary revealing never before heard details on the college admissions scandal, as the prosecutor in that case that landed two hollywood stars behind bars talks to us exclusively. >> sometimes it takes a little while for it to sink in, just how big a deal this kind of federal indictment is. those stories, plus, one-on-one. as michelle obama premieres her new netflix show, the former

first lady opens up to jenna about life in lockdown with her family, coping with pandemic stress. >> find some time, just to get a moment by yourself. >> and her take on the royal family rift. >> i pray for forgiveness and healing for them, so that they can use this as a teachable moment for us all. >> their candid and revealing conversation today, tuesday, march 16th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hey, everybody. welcome to "today." so happy that you are joining us on this tuesday morning. looking forward to that sit down with jenna and mrs. obama. >> whenever a former first lady and former first daughter gets

together, a little magic happens they covered a lot of topics. we'll get to that in a few minutes. we are going to begin with the coronavirus, as more parts of the country reopen. air travel is building. a record 1.3 million passengers on sunday. flights to spring break spots like florida filling up, and that is fueling new concern from health officials. >> yeah. also on their radar, the situation in europe. with cases on the rise there again, italy, the first country to lock down last spring, is once again ordering people to stay at home. >> and here at home, a positive step in the vaccine push that's being taken in mississippi. every resident aged 16 and up now eligible for the shot. we're just learning this morning that moderna's vaccine is now being tested on kids a lot younger than that. nbc's sam brock is in miami beach with the very latest. hey, sam. good morning. >> reporter: hoda, savannah, good morning. it is big news from moderna, which is announcing this morning that the first participants of its kid study have been dosed.

the clinical trial and safety and efficacy for children 12 years old to 6 months old. for families grappling with whether to one day vaccinate their children against covid, moderna announcing this morning it's officially kicked off the second phase of its kid cove study. the company says children less than 12 to babies 6 months are getting the first shots. the goal, providing some critical answers on how effective and safe the vaccine will be for the youngest americans. this as young adults in south padre island, spring breakers throw caution to the wind, gathering in crowds, apparently unafraid of covid. >> i just feel like it's time to move on with our lives and stuff and get back out there. >> i've been around a couple situations where i was closely exposed, and nothing happened to me. i've kind of got over the fear of it. >> reporter: the brass bashes, a boost to local bars. >> we're trying to get back to business, trying to get people employed. >> reporter: the sometimes uncontrolled scenes from las

vegas hot spots to the streets of south beach raising concerns of another covid spike. what's it like at midnight? >> it's chaotic. the restaurants close, and everyone gets pushed out onto the street. no masks. it's like one big party on the strip. it's a mess. >> reporter: public health experts are particularly concerned about highly infectious variants, like the uk strain, rising in florida and california, and wreaking havoc in europe. >> they simply took their eye off the ball. i'm pleading with you, for the sake of our nation's health, these should be warning signs for all of us. >> reporter: the antidote, beyond social distancing and masking, vaccines. some 71 million americans have now received at least one dose. perhaps what most concerns health experts right now, they say once a variant reaches 50% of new cases or more, that's a

opportunity for exponential growth. one of the reasons there's so much concern about spring breaks here in miami beach and across the country, hoda. >> and the worries, of course, of all the variants. there's new data on the uk variant and it can be more deadly than we first thought. what can you tell us about that, sam? >> reporter: that's exactly right. there's been two cases now, two studies that have been published just in the last week looking at whether or not the uk strain presents a higher risk of death and both of them found the same thing, yes, it does. the most recent was published that found a 55% increase from what a normal variant would be. then you have another one from the british medical journal that saw a 50% to 100%. back to you. >> sam brock, thank you. now to the growing crisis at the southern border where a surge of migrants, many of them children, are crossing into the u.s. and republicans are pointing the finger at president biden for reversing policies put

in place during the trump administ nbc's garrett haake joins us from el paso, texas. good morning. >> the department of homeland security said this morning they're expecting to encounter more migrants on the border than any time in the last two decades. so many, unaccompanied children fleeing desperate conditions back home. more of them arriving at the border every week. >> this facility was opened in midland, texas, and larger spaces like the dallas convention center and even a nasa research facility in northern california to handle the influx. the border patrol detaining a record 3,200 unaccompanied children in jail-like facilities not designed for kids. >> it's a complicated problem and we are sending the message in the region now is not the time to come. >> reporter: republicans say that message has been muddled by policy changes that attract

migrants and should be reversed. >> this crisis was created by the presidential policies of this new administration. there's no other way to claim it than a biden border crisis. >> reporter: since taking office, president biden was ended a trump administration policy of requiring would-be refugees to remain in mexico during their asylum application process. and while most migrants are still barred by the country by pandemic rules, unaccompanied children are now admitted, moving them beyond crowded border patrol stations, a growing challenge. mr. biden and other democrats who consistently criticized the trump administration for holding children in harsh facilities -- >> and those kids are alone, nowhere to go, nowhere to go. it's criminal. >> reporter: -- now facing an influx, as border apprehensions like those captured by our cameras on sunday tick up. in may of that year, the border patrol apprehended 144,000 immigrants, including more than 11,000 unaccompanied minors. last month the border patrol

apprehended a little over 100,000 immigrants, including nearly 9,300 minors. as winter turns to spring, more migrants are expected to arrive by the passing week, with washington divided on how to handle it. >> what should happen to those children who are making this trip? >> stop them before they get here. >> meanwhile, this does come as democrats are set to unveil their first legislative plans under president biden to address immigration reform. what can we expect? would it address this at all? >> reporter: the house have considered two bills this week on immigration, one to provide a pathway to citizenship for dreamers, another a pathway to a legal status for farm workers. neither bill directly deals with the crisis at hand and both face an uncertain future in a 50/50 senate. >> garrett haake in el paso for us. thank you. now to new arrests in the deadly attack on the u.s. capitol. more than two months later, two men appeared in federal court

yesterday charged in the assault of u.s. capitol police officer brian sicknick, who later tied. kasie hunt joins us with details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. those two men are behind bars pending additional hearings. they've not been charged with the death of officer sicknick and the investigation remains ongoing, but federal authorities are revealing chilling details about their alleged assault on sicknick and two other officers during that deadly mob attack. this morning, two men now facing federal charges for assaulting police officers with an unknown chemical substance during the violent siege on the capitol on january 6th, when a mob attacked officers. one of those officers, brian sicknick, died the next day. later, lying in honor in the same building he served to protect for 13 years. the defendants, julian khater and george tanios facing nine charges for assaulting sicknick and two other officers. neither have been charged with sicknick's death, the cause still under investigation.

the fbi piecing together the defendant's actions using digital evidence, including surveillance videos and an officer's body camera. authorities say one video shows the two men were working in concert. give me that bear expletive. this screen shot showing one defendant holding a canister. minutes later, as rioters try to break through a metal barrier, he's seen aiming the canister at officers. these screen shots show the officers retreating, their hands to their faces. this image shows another officer engaging him as he sprays again. all three officers injured, requiring medical attention. one suffering facial scabs for weeks. video presented by the house impeachment managers last month shows other rioters using sprays against law enforcement. >> the crowd is using it and they have bear spray in the crowd. >> reporter: in a statement, capitol police writing in part, quote, those who perpetrated these crimes must be held

accountable. if convicted, the pair who are childhood friends could face up to 20 years in prison. the sicknick family is not speaking out right now, but earlier this year the officer's charl, charles sicknick, told reuters, quote, i'll never get over this, and noted his son loved his job. >> kasie hunt for us there at the capitol. thank you. also from washington, president biden is reportedly planning the first major tax hike in nearly three decades, according to bloomberg news this morning. the tax hike would fund key initiatives like infrastructure and climate change and expand help for low income families. under consideration, raising the tax rate on individuals earning more than $400,000 a year and boosting the corporate tax rate. the white house says the package is still a work in progress. any proposed tax hikes would likely face an uphill climb with senate republicans. we have a lot more to get to, including covid's impact on

march madness. craig is here with the latest. >> good morning. good morning to you as well. here we are just days before tip-off, positive tests are rocking both the men's and women's college basketball tournaments now. nbc's gabe gutierrez joins us with that story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. march madness is known for going down for the wire, but the ncaa is scrambling to make last-minute changes after a group of refs and one of the biggest names in college coaching were impacted by the coronavirus. this morning college basketball is attempting to rebound from a pair of tough covid calls as it tries to keep march madness on track. the ncaa tells nbc news, six of its officials have now been barred from working the tournament, after one of them tested positive and five others were deemed exposure risks due to close contact among them, ted valentine, a ref for more than 30 years.

>> we're always following the conference's guidelines and we've been tested and gone beyond the call of duty just to keep respect to the game >> reporter: valentine says the refs arrived in minneapolis on sunday but their hotel rooms weren't ready, so they were given permission to leave for food >> we were all wearing masks and we were instructed that we could go to dinner together. >> reporter: when they took the covid test, one of them came back positive, with a field of 68 teams already set on the men's side the ncaa isn't taking any chances. >> they don't want anybody to be locked out of this tournament and the further down the road we go, first round to get, and the second round to get to the sweet 16, the higher the stakes get. >> reporter: on the women's side, a storied program will start the tournament without its coach. uconn's coach is out for ten days after testing positive over the wen. >> it came as a complete shock to me, obviously, and to our medical staff. >> reporter: the university says

the 66-year-old hall of famer got a second dose of the vaccine just last week he says he has no symptoms and has been isolating at home the huskies team doctor says contact tracing found no team member had been in contact with him since last friday and that all other post contacts have tested negative so far. >> i just need them to win two game tournament is takisan antonio, is no mask mandate uconn is one of the number one seeds. >> and they should win those two games. gabe gutierrez, thank you. we have breaking news from great britain. prince philip has left the hospital after a four-week stay. the husband of queen elizabeth was being treated for an fe infection and underwent a heart procedure. he was admitted on february 17th his illness is not believed to be related to the coronavirus both he and queen elizabeth received covid-19 vaccines back

in january. >> let's get a check of the weather. al, good morning to you. >> we've got severe weather that will be going on for the next 72 hours. kansas, we had tornadoes reported and fortunately no injuries, tharnk goodness. you can see heavy showers and thunderstorms firing up through the southeast, but where we're looking right now to see the action begin this evening into overnight, from austin to wichita, 16 million people at risk, tornadoes likely tomorrow the risk expands from little rock to montgomery, mobile, 26 million people at risk for tornadoes, damaging winds and hail and then look at thursday. it moves to the southeast. 38 million people at risk from jacksonville, cape hatteras, north back to lexington, tornadoes possible this system will be making its way to the east, today into the mid mid-atlantic states. then on wednesday, violent storms in the lower mississippi

river valley, a severe threat shifts into the southeast and mid-atlantic states on thursday, with soaking rain. we're talking about rainfall amounts 1 to 3 inches locally. could be upwards of 4. and back through the rockies, the second storm comes in and os of snow before this is all over. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds peacock premiu i'm so glad to see you sunshine ♪ ♪ hello sunshine ♪ ♪ it's been dark for such a long time ♪ ♪ hello sunshine ♪ good tuesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. beautiful sunrise, but it's also

very chilly out there, even below freezing in some of our inland valleys, and then we're headed into the upper 50s and low 60s for a high today. overall it will be a fairly mild afternoon and we'll see another day like it tomorrow, but not as nice and sunny and clouds move in as well as some rain on thursday, that will continue into friday. >> and that is your latest weather. hoda >> thank you. coming up, what can you expect if you're booking a flight for the first time since the pandemic well, a lot has changed. tom costello is going to walk us through everything we need to know, including how your phone can help keep you safe. then the revealing new look inside the college admissions scandal, coming to netflix, and our exclusive interview with the prosecutor who was at the center of the cases that brought hollywood stars down, ceos, other parents, all caughin the cross hairt s.

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one-on-one with former first lady michelle obama. >> they covered a lot of ground, from social justice to the mental health toll with the pandemic to the royal family plus, mrs. obama has a new netflix show to teach kids about healthy eating. >> definitely going to be a conversation you do not want to miss, after your local news. - it's true jen. - really?! this nourishing prebiotic oat formula moisturizes to help prevent dry skin. - one day? - for real! wow! aveeno®. healthy. it's our nature.™ and for twice the moisture, try the prebiotic oat body wash, too. i gotta say i'm still impressed. very impressed. allergies don't have to be scary. spraying flonase daily stops your body i gotta say i'm still impressed. from overreacting to allergens all season long.

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to today's 1:00 p.m. city council meeting to speak up and ask councilmembers to immediately restore critical police services using money from the $1.9 trillion america rescue plan recently signed into law by president biden. under that plan, oakland is slated to receive $192 million. the mayor wants to use that money for full restoration of oakland's cease-fire strategy, which is aimed at reducing gang shootings and murders, support for the leanup of homeless encampments and enforcement of laws banning sideshows. if you joined us earlier on -- [ muted ] -- cold start to the morning, kari. >> yes, we have a clear sky as we take a live look outside in san francisco, and very chilly temperatures. make sure you're wearing a heavier jacket as you step out the door. we're mostly in the low 30s and 40s across the bay area. after this cold start t will be a fairly mild day, and a lot of sunshine, but clouds will return to the bay area tomorrow, and

rain not far behind, moving in on thursday, and continuing into friday. laura? >> all right, thanks so much. we'll be back with another local news update for you in about half an hour. enjoy your tuesday morning. majestic mountains... scenic coastal highways... fertile farmlands... there's lots to love about california.

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7:30 headlines made by former first lady michelle obama after she waded into the royal family rift some of her comments came during a candid conversation with one ms. jenna bush hager, who is always getting the scoop hi, jenna. good morning. >> how are you >> good morning. we talked about a wide range of topics mrs. obama's new netflix show, how her family adjusted to life during the pandemic, and, yes, that bombshell interview with prince harry and meghan markle >> reporter: i wonder, when you watched meghan markle, what went through your mind?

>> public service is a bright, sharp, hot, spotlight. most people don't understand it, nor should they. the thing that i always keep in mind is that none of this is about us in public service it's about the people that we serve. i always tried to push the light back out and focus it on the folks that we're actually here to serve >> reporter: what about when she talked about the fact that she experienced racism i mean, i feel like that was heartbreaking., her ow to hear that she felt like she was, in her own family -- you know, her own family thought differently of her >> race isn't a new construct in this world for people of color it wasn't a complete surprise to hear her feelings and to have them articulated i think the thing that i hope for, and the thing i think about, is that this first and

foremost is a family i pray for forgiveness and healing for them, so that they can use this as a teachable moment for us all. >> yeah. we talk about a lot more, but it was so interesting you know, as mrs. obama has spent a lot of time with the royal family, as first lady. >> sure. >> it's reported that harry and meghan called her, that their path in america has taken a lot of similarities to the obamas. they both have netflix deals, et spotify. it was really interesting to hear her take on all of this. >> you have a lot more coming in a little bit you have more of the conversation coming up next hour cover a lot of ground. >> we cover a lot of ground. we hear about the girls moving in, and even the boyfriend >> oh! you went there, too? >> good teaser. >> of course you did >> thank you now, guys, we're going to turn to our special series, focusing on the pandemic and the

future of travel. >> as we mentioned, this past weekend saw the most airline passengers taking to the skies in more than a year. of course, a lot of families are starting to think about and talk about that much-needed summer vacation. >> before you make plans, if you haven't flown in a while, you need to know a lot has changed nbc's tom costello joins us from reagan national airport with what to expect i love this. you'll walk us through it, step by step. >> reporter: yeah. it has changed keep in mind, the cdc is still recommending against travel. however, more people are getting vaccinated states are lifting restrictions, and so more people are starting to make plans. keep in mind, if you are going to fly, there are fewer planes as a result, they may be fuller than you expected. we thought we would walk you through the entire process if you haven't flown in a while before you travel, if you're going to a destination that requires a negative covid test, you should take a photograph of your test results, then upload it to the site the united app will tell you, based on your destination, exactly which documentation you need

whether you're flying overseas or even to hawaii, the requirements can change. know before you go your phone can now serve as your airline ticket, hotel key, even your dining menu once at the airport, with your boarding pass on your phone, it's all about minimizing contact. at the check-in kiosk, no need to touch the screen. simply scan your boarding pass, and the luggage tag spits out. attach the tag to your bag then the agent will verify the name on the id with the bag tag, and you're done. next step, security. now, at most tsa checkpoints, they don't ask for your boarding pass you slide in your driver's license, and you're through. inside the airport terminal, this is not 2019 chances are, you're still going to find the airports pretty empty. u.s. airline passenger levels are down 57% from two years ago. because there are fewer flights, passengers come in waves mike hannah is in charge of every united airport operation worldwide.o'hare, one of

the busiesk? >> tom, i think we'll start to see some additional customers coming this summer, but it is probably a couple years before we see a more fuller recovery. >> reporter: back to your trip with the family. if you need help but want to avoid in-person contact, united lets you have a video chat with an agent on demand, by scanning the qr code. your phone connects to a live agent. hi, i'm on a 6:00 flight any chance i can catch an earlier flight >> one is leaving at 2:00 p.m. i can put you on that one. >> reporter: thank you agent mehan says the common questions are, can i change my seat, and where is my gate i guess you're not as susceptible to bribery for an upgrade. i can't hand you chocolates for an upgrade. >> no, but they still try. >> reporter: on board, most airlines disinfect the planes from cockpit to coach to restrooms before every flight.

many board passengers back to front to minimize passenger contact. the ventilation systems constantly are running depending on the plane, fresh air is cycled through every 3 to 6 minutes. it flows from top down, pulling viruses down to the floor and then through the hepa filters. after a year of lockdown, the hope is that americans, once vaccinated, will be eager to get away is this coming summer the summer where things pick up again in terms of travel? >> we're hopeful we'll see an uptick the key areas we're seeing the uptick in is places you can socially distance. locations with national parks, beach destinations, south florida, the caribbean, mexico, central america. >> reporter: the expert advice, wait until your entire family is vaccinated, and don't forget to pack your phone. yeah, the airlines, by the way, are not saying how long the cleaning protocols will stay in effect after the pandemic. there may be, as you know, more

variants coming down the pike, so they may need to keep them in place beyond this current outbreak by the way, delta is still the only airline that keeps the middle seat blocked. they've extended that now through the end of april savannah >> tom, with vaccinations picking up, there's been a lot of talk about vaccine passports, whether they would be required to travel this summer. what are you hearing about that? >> reporter: it's a big, open question, right? some european countries are talking about creating a passport with proof you've had your vaccination the trouble is, if you get vaccinated, the card that you get, this paper card, is very flimsy, just some ball pen ink writing on it. there's no real way to verify that it can be easily forged. so they've got to come up with some way, some piece of proof that you can show, wherever you travel right now, it just doesn't exist. >> tom, thank you. we should mention, lester is going to have more on the future of travel, including an

exclusive interview with the ceo of delta coming up tonight on nbc nightly news >> we've flown a few times for work so far since the pandemic started. it is amazing, some of the length the major airlines have gone to. people, i think, by and large, feel safe.rpts are. >> and never been cleaner. tuesday morning, the former prosecutor in the college admissions scandal speaking out for the very first time. >> what he is saying to us about cases that sent lori loflin to prison two $5-a-months right here. hey. hey. plus the players of my squad. hey. what's up? then finally my whole livestream. boom! 12 months of $5 wireless. visible, as little as $25 a month or $5 a month when you bring a friend. powered by verizon.

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we are back with "in-depth today. an update on the college admissions scandal that rocked the country. that was two years ago. >> it landed wealthy parents, including hollywood celebrities, behind bars. now the case is the subject of a new documentary, offering insight into the scheme and the players behind it. >> nbc national correspondent, miguel almaguer, has more on all of it. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: hi, guys. good morning the case known aspiration varsity blues is being brought to life in a netflix documen of the same name stunning, new details about the scandal. the prosecutor in the case is speaking exclusively to nbc news about what he thinks of the two most famous defendants, felicity huffman and lori loughlin. >> an fbi investigation called

operation varsity blues. >> reporter: it was the college admissions scandal that brought down rich and famous parents, dramatized now in a new netflix documentary. >> it recreates wiretapped conversations between the parents and the mastermind, rick singer, played by actor matthew modine as a charismatic and controlling conman >> singer played a key role in the government's case. >> he was able to help us flush out what the entire conspiracy looked like. >> reporter: now, for the first time, former u.s. prosecutor andrew lelling is speaking out about his case to nbc news sharing his thoughts about felicity huffman, who served 11 days behind bars after admitting she paid a fixer to correct her daughter's college board test. >> felicity huffman was quick to take the plea deal and say she

was guilty did it surprise you she didn't fight these charges? >> it did not surprise me. you had the sense she just wanted this behind her it seemed to me that she was sincere in her regret over this having occurred. >> reporter: lelling says the tougher case was the one against lori loughlin and her husband, giannulli. they were accused of paying singer $500,000 to falsely portray their two girls as crew recruits to get them into usc. early on, loughlin appeared outside court smiling, even signing autographs what was your reaction when you saw that on the evening news >> sometimes it takes a little while for it to sink in, just how big a deal this kind of federal indictment is. i can't ask for more prison time just because they're famous. that would not be right. >> reporter: loughlin and giannulli pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and

mail fraud and paid 400,000 in fines. in december, she was released from prison after two months >> i don't really care about school. >> reporter: her daughter, youtube star olivia jade, dropped out of usc and is back online, posting vlogs. >> i don't really do anything by myself anymore because i'm -- i have such bad anxiety when i'm in public. >> reporter: giannulli, her father, is serving five months in prison, due to the released in april. >> she's a water polo player, but she's not. >> reporter: there is a film documentary being released soon about what happened. why is the public fascinated by this >> you have 2 million or so students every year applying for admission to college when they turn on the tv and see that people who already have every possible advantage sought even an illegal advantage, i think that enrages people. >> so compelling miguel, you mentioned there how rick singer was the key to this whole case what kind of sentence might he face because of his cooperation?

>> reporter: well, andrew lelling, the prosecutor, said singer initially faced more than ten years behind bars for his crimes because he did work with prosecutors, he'll likely face a lighter prison sentence. craig, guys, back to you. >> miguel almaguer for us, thank you. i'm here for it. looking forward to watching that. >> i think a lot of people will be watching that one. >> fascinating one. 7:45 mr. roker, how is the weather looking? >> i like when craig says, "i'm here for it. >> i'm here for you, too >> i'm here for you, too, my brother. >> all right chillier still here in the northeast from bangor to charlotte. temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below average. above average in nashville, little rock, 82 today in dallas, and then that warmth expands tomorrow charleston, you'll be at 71. knoxville, 66. jackson, mississippi, 14 degrees above average at 82. little rock, 73. unfortunately, temperatures cool down again saturday, rochester, it's a 34 43 in new york city on saturday.

d.c., 50 55 in louisville temperatures cooling down. not too badly, but still, a little bit of a chill in the air. that's what's going on a good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. taking a look at our seven-day forecast, after this chilly start at least we will have sunshine and temperatures headed close to 60 degr we'll see some showers moving in by thursday, continuing into friday. a dry weekend, as we officially start spring, and then we'll see some more showers in the forecast early next week. meantime san francisco going to see temperatures remaining in the 50s. >> that was close. you have no idea. >> you almost fell >> i almost fell. >> are you good? >> yes well, my clumsiness is real. i almost knocked the chair over. >> i'm here for you. >> i need you. i really need you. ahead, kids, jenna has an

interview with mrs. obama, including the former first lady's message to women struggling during this pandemic. >> mothers, we're already hard on ourselves, and this is a time where we have to give ourselves a break. >> we are going to have a lot more on what mrs. obama found as a bright spot in the past year first, these messages. what's so great about dunkin' at home? you don't have to wear pants.

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a very good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia. here is a look at what's happening now. >> good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. president biden is in pennsylvania today, as he goes on the road to explain the american rescue plan, the stimulus. it's more than just checks. there is money in there to fight child poverty and other opportunities the white house wants to make sure everyone understands what's in it for them. i'm cierra johnson in san mateo county. this county could be the next county to enter the next round of restrictions. as it stands now, every county in the bay area is currently in red but county and health officials in this county are saying if the current metrics continue, san mateo county could enter the orange tier. with that, looser restrictions,

including indoor worship, indoor dining and a bigger capacity for some of the retail stores. well, it's tuesday morning. the gardeners are here, the dog is barking and it's cold out there, kari. >> yes, it is cold out there for any work you have to do this early in the morning. at least it's all clear and sunny and our temperature also warm up as we go into today, reaching into the upper 50s and low 60s. tomorrow, more clouds move in and we'll see some showers back in the forecast on thursday into friday, but it will be clear for the weekend, but the cool temperatures remain even as we officially welcome in spring. laura? >> yes, that's coming this weekend. that will be exciting. we'll be back with another update in half an hour.

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it's 8:00 it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, giving it a shot. the first children in america now receiving the covid vaccine as part of moderna's clinical trial for kids this as officials issue a new warning to spring breakers amid a new wave of covid cases in europe >> things are starting to open up we're starting to have some hope now, completely shut down. >> we are live with the very latest >> reporter: plus, candid conversation jenna goes one-on-one with michelle obama about her latest project. >> our goal is to feed a million families in need

>> and the reality so many are facing after a year in lockdown. >> you know, the darkest points were when we felt bombarded by everything >> just ahead, michelle's message of support to those who are struggling. cooking with giada she joins us to talk about how you can eat better and feel better, and shares a pasta dish that's delicious and healthy today, tuesday, march 16th, 2021. ♪ i've got you moonlight ♪ >> maryland, sending our parents. >> and grandparents. >> lots of love on their golden anniversary. >> we love you >> we're from memphis, texas our daughter, evelyn, wants to send a hello to all the family she's missed this past year, as she turns 1 year old today. >> happy birthday, evelyn. ♪ away with me tonight ♪ >> lockdown canceled by sweet 16, but it won't stop me from celebrating my 17th birthday on the "today" show ♪ fly away with me tonight ♪

>> 17 looks real good. welcome back, guys it's tuesday thank you for starting your day with us. good to see everybody. >> tues-yay. tomorrow on "today" we're going to take on a big topic, kids and mental health, anxious, depression, feelings of isolation has increased for everybody during the pandemic. there is help out there. kate snow is going to break down a new report on the digital tools that can help young adults manage things better. let's get started with our news at 8:00, shall we in what could be a big boost for schools and young families, moderna started testing a vaccine on children in the united states, between the ages of 12 years and 6 months more than 70 million american adults have already had at least one dose of the vaccine, but health officials are increasingly worried about spring break crowds ignoring safety measures. variants of the virus are spreading across the u.s. and causing chaos in europe. >> they simply look their eye off the ball i'm pleading with you, for the sake of our nation's health,

these should be warning signs for all of us. >> meantime, the ncaa basketball tournament about to start. six refs will be barred from working the game after one member of their group tested positive the head coach of uconn women's team, auriemma, is out for ten days after a positive covid test. many of europe's largest countries are trying to push back a third wave of covid infections "today" senior international correspondent keir simmons is on this story more on what went wrong here keir, good morning. >> reporter: hey, savannah good morning europe is being tested in ways unseen this century. already criticized for a slow and cautious vaccine rollout, now pausing one vaccine over health fears this morning, half of its elite under lockdown venice, rome, and milan, now high-risk red zones. streets deserted schools and shops closed again exhausted italians back where they began when the pandemic was

first declared a year ago. >> it's pretty painful things were starting to open up. we were starting to have some hope, and now completely shut down. >> reporter: in germany, cases surging. france's hospitals already under pressure intensive care patients in paris relocated to other regions europe struggling to contain the third wave of the pandemic, triggered by more infectious coronavirus variants dr. fauci says europe's struggle is a warning for america >> that's one of the issues, that when you plateau, there's always the risk of a surge that's exactly what the europeans have experienced >> reporter: europe's covid crisis has been fueled, in part, by a stumbling vaccine rollout now, germany, france, and spain, among the countries pausing astrazeneca's vaccine over a small number of vaccine recipients experiencing blood clots. the company and european health officials say there is no evidence the shot is to blame. a review under way, while worrys

will mean even mor across this struggling continent. savannah, news this morning from france of another new virus variant. italy has known about it at this stage, but it adds to this sense of europe losing the covid war, savannah >> all right keir simmons overseas for us thank you very much. dramatic video back here a doorbell camera captured the moment a small plane crashed onto a south florida street. check it out here. it happened shortly after take-off from an airport near ft. lauderdale you can see the plane come into frame from the right side there. we're not going to show impact because three people died in that accident, including a young boy who was riding in the suv there. at this point, no word on what caused that plane to go down, t one of hollywood's most versatile and intense action

stars, yaphet kotto, has died. known for "alien," "live and let die," and the action comedy "midnight run" with robert de niro he spent six years on nbc's "homicide, life on the street" his wife wrote he played a villain in some movies, but he was a real hero to her and a lot of people. the couple had six children. yaphet kotto, 81 years old. feels like a time for a boost. >> let's get to one. the signs were all there a little 4-year-old boy was about to have a total meltdown over a nintendo game, but instead of mom stepping in to try to calm things down, it was his 6-year-old brother take a look.>> again. oh, my >> oh, my she says it took a while to teach them all this kind of self-control, but she >> looks like she is doing it.

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♪ i don't know where i am, ♪ ♪ i don't know where i've been♪ ♪ but i know where i wanna go♪ welcome back coming up on 8:10, as we welcome in carson. guys, michelle obama, she's back in the spotlight today she's releasing a new children's series on netflix. >> jenna caught up with her. the former first lady talked about that new project and more. >> she has a lot on her plate. mrs. obama is speaking out about the challenges many faced this past year, her own dark days, and the unexpected blessings, too. she also weighs in on the recent royal family news, all as she takes on a new role as producer and star of her new show "waffles and mochi." >> i made a big mistake. >> you made a mistake? >> reporter: mrs. obama's latest netflix series is a passion project. she's promoting healthy eating

for kids, a cause she's championed since she was first lady "waffles and mochi" teams up with partnership for a healthy america, a nonprofit helping families gain access to healthy food she says this work is more important than ever. in a year where we've all witnessed heartbreaking images of people lined up for miles at food banks, why is it so important? >> well, this has been a hard year for millions. there are a lot of people who lost work. there are people struggling to keep food on their table there are families in this country today that are going hungry our goal is to feed a million families in need. >> reporter: this has been a really trying year for mothers mothers who are working from home and teaching our kids 2 million women have left the workforce. what do you say to all of those that are struggling? >> mothers, we're already hard on ourselves and this is a time where we have to give ourselves a break.

what's most important for our kids is that they know we love them and that we try to be as consistent as we can, but we can't get everything right find some time just to get a moment by yourself, even if it means going into the bathroom, locking the door. >> reporter: i've hidden in the pantry, i have to admit. maybe while eating my kids' string cheese. mrs. obama says she's felt it, too. facing some of the same mental health struggles so many have faced this past year last summer on her podcast, revealing, i'm dealing with some form of low grade depression not just because of the pandemic but because of the racial strife later, comforting her followers on social media. you said, "i hope you're always allowing yourselves to feel whatever it is you're feeling. i wonder at the darkest points, what were you feeling? >> the darkest points were when we felt bombarded by everything, you know

a virus that felt out of control with no real clear solution. the country shut down. racial unrest. seeing young people despair. it was a lot, and it continues to be a lot. >> reporter: in this last year, we watched george floyd call out for his mom. we watched breonna taylor's mom grieve her baby. as a mom yourself, how do you come to terms with all of that >> you don't come to terms with it, but you do have to talk about it you have to sit down with your children and acknowledge the truth of the world we live in. so how i come to grips with it is to talk about it, and to talk about it often >> reporter: the recent interview with prince harry and meghan markle, now sparking conversations about race in many homes. i remember talking with you. i wonder if you'll remember this you talked about life in the white house, and how although you didn't take a single moment for granted, that there were

moments of real loneliness and so i wonder, when you watched meghan markle speak out, what went through your mind? >> public service, it's a bright, sharp, hot spotlight most people don't understand it, nor should they. the thing that i always keep in mind is that none of this is about us in public service, it's about the people that we serve i always tried to push the light back out and focus it on the folks that we're actually here to serve. >> reporter: but what about when she talked about the fact that she experienced racism i mean, i feel like that was heartbreaking, to hear that she felt like she was, in her own family, you know, her own family thought differently of her. >> race isn't a new construct in this world for people of color so it wasn't a complete surprise to hear her feelings and to have

them articulated i think the thing that i hope for, and the thing that i think about is, this, first and foremost, is a family. and i pray for forgiveness and healing for them, so that they can use this as a teachable moment for us all. >> reporter: for the obamas, this last year was full of moments together when college campuses shut down last spring, the obama's empty nest became a full house 22-year-old harvard university senior malia, and 19-year-old university of michigan sophomore sasha were back at home with mom and dad. you've said that one of the most beautiful parts of this year was the unexpected, uninterrupted time with your girls >> i feel for them because, you know, malia is a senior. this was her last year in college. sasha has essentially missed her second year in college but for barack and i, we have cherished this time. it's even fun just peeking in and hearing them in their online classrooms

it's like, oh, you actually did your reading oh, you have an opinion. i like that. >> reporter: i read that your husband was shocked by how much one of their boyfriend's ate. they eat a lot sometimes we forget that he'd need to eat. he'd need to eat often the boy would be waiting for the next meal. like, we weren't thinking about lunch. >> reporter: the obamas recently joined my parents and other former presidents to help support the vaccine. >> it will protect you and those you love >> reporter: the ex-presidents club just got back together. y'all got vaccinated do you feel like there's hope on the horizon? >> yes it is here we have a vaccine. i have taken it, and i would encourage everyone to take it when they have the chance to take it. i believe in science we are blessed to have people who are chemists and scientists and doctors who are doing the right thing, but we have to do

our part >> reporter: now that you're vaccinated, is there anything you're looking forward to, or have you been able to hug your mom yet? >> she's first on the list, but my mom is no joke about this she is still sort of, like, i'm not sure if i'm ready to see you yet. >> reporter: that'll be an epic hug. >> getting back to chicago, our hometown, and giving my mom a hug, there's a lot to look forward to >> you know, one of the things that she said that surprised me, by the way, is that they're thinking about retirement. about life after all of this she said she has so many kids to help before then, but she said, president obama is turning 60. she can't wait to make fun of his golf game. also, she has taken up knitting. >> oh. >> i know. i was like, wait, i've traveled with you all over the world. you're not really thinking about retirement she said, at some point, we have to step out of the way and let others step in "waffles and mochi" is a cute show

the puppets are hilarious. we get to meet them and do the blender dance, which is the roger rabbit from our day. >> oh, i remember. i remember the roger rabbit. >> "waffles and mochi" premieres on netflix today you'll all want to watch it with your kids. we'll have more of our conversation in the fourth hour. the puppets, darling kids, they all join us. you can find more on our website, today.com. >> really good conversation. i feel like you hit every topic. fun to watch. >> i want to know more about the boyfriend. >> don't we all? >> i want her real feelings on that. >> jenna, thanks see you in the 10:00 let's get a check of weather from al. >> wait, they're puppets anyway, i thought they were real severe weather from texas to kansas 16 million people at risk. tomorrow, we've got an even greater risk, 26 million people stretching from montgomery, little rock, down to lake charles. this is a possibility of tornadoes as we move on into thursday the risk moves to the southeast

and the mid mississippi river valley for 38 million people, from northern florida up to lexington and as far east as rest of the country today, we are looking for heavy rain down through the southeast. severe storms will be developing in the plains. up to a foot of snow in parts of the rockies. meteorologist kari hall. very cold start to the morning, but the sunshine will help warm us up and we're heading towards the upper 50s and low 60s for an n high. today will be nice and the rest showers off and on between thursday and friday. it does move out by saturday as we officially welcome in spring. cold and dry weekend with more rain early next week. >> that's your latest weather. heading out, don't forget, take us with you. sirius xm channel 108. mr. melvin >> mr. roker, thank you, sir glad you're sticking around,

mr. daly. >> good morning, everybody yo-yo ma in "pop start" yesterday, we talked about the famed cellist's impromptu performance at a massachusetts vaccination site here it is again ♪ i mean, you're waiting 15 minutes, and you're like, that guy over there is good who is that dude against the wall jenna, you sat down with yo-yo ma and asked how the moment came to be. he explained he couldn't leave his cello in the car, literally for insurance reasons. he went for the vaccine, and in came the cello, too. >> about to be poked, and jill takes the cello over people recognize her and me. it was, "well, are you going to play for us? >> what was the reaction did you feel people were delighted by it?

>> some people just immediately -- there was an older man who brought a chair over and sat straight in fronto right? >> though it was a happy accident, maybe you're happy you had your instrument with you that day >> well, in the end, yes you know, i'm always happy to respond when people feel like they need some music that's what i'm here for i'm basically a human boombox. >> not that far-fetched. they say, i don't know, but with the javits center in new york, sometimes waiting the 15 minutes, they have people playing music. >> what he said is that he loves mr. rogers and always to look for the helpers. the way he can help is through music. >> jenna, you're rocking it. >> i know. >> hit the brakes, girl. what's next? >> leave some for the other anchors. >> full sit-down with yo-yo ma

later this month gwen stefani stopped by jimmy kimmel, talking about writing music during the pandemic and getting into country music, thanks to her fiance, blake. jimmy asked about her years with no doubt and revealed a funny connection the two of them had during his radio show days >> do you remember going into a record store and buying one of your cds, one of your own albums or cds >> definitely. i definitely remember doing all the stuff. calling up k-pop, being like, play "just a girl. >> i was a deejay at that time i remember a couple -- >> remember me calling you >> you called in, yes. you called in, and the phone screeners said, yeah, gwen stefani called in. we never believed it was you we never believed it >> she's the best. i was deejay at k-rock at that time, too. >> did she ever call >> no. i remember when "just a girl" came out in '95 or whatever. it was so big, so fast it was great.

finally, ready for this? st. patrick's bracket challenge. started with 16 classic st. patrick's day items. asked you all to vote in for your favorites after three rounds, only two challengers remain >> oh, yeah. >> that's what we thought. >> corned beef and cabbage took down shamrocks, 58% of the vote. no surprise there. guinness proving crazy staying power. guinness beat irish whiskey. tough match-up then beats u2. then just beat step dancing with 59% of the vote. >> oh, yeah. >> you have an even matchup. the staples. who do you like? >> why can't they go together? >> corned beef and cabbage and guinness. >> who is the favorite >> we know it's got to be guinness. >> no, corned beef going all the way. >> i have guinness. >> you can only have one would you want a bite of corned beef and cabbage or a sip of guinness >> corned beef. >> guinness is going to take it. >> you're on an island. >> on st. patrick's day, you

want a guinness, right >> i want corned beef. >> i want that, too. you have to pick one. >> they live in harmony. it is like peanut butter and chocolate. laverne and shirley. >> peanut butter and jelly. >> resee's. >> life in the brackets isn't utopian like that. one has got to go. >> it is a hard knock life. >> is that a jay-z reference >> it's "annie." >> if you're at home, get to it. today.com. this is the final -- >> come on, corned beef! >> -- round in the st. patrick's day bracket. >> if you pull it out, it is because of your will. >> it is corned beef's deliciousness. come on, everybody. straight ahead, we're going to eat better and feel better with our friend giada. a few recipes from her cookbook, all about wellness first, your local news

good morning, it's 8:26. i'm marcus washington. a popular pandemic program may soon become a permanent part of san francisco landscape. mayor london will offer things like outdoor dining and streamline permits for businesses and nonprofits to use sidewalk and full-street faces. in some of those cases it may permanently change traffic patterns. the forecast today starting out nice and code. just came from our walking area and it's still cold. >> yes, that will get you moving

a little faster to try to stay warm with the live look outside in san francisco. we can see more of the same, clear, sunny start to the day and a lot more sunshine in our forecast for much of this afternoon, as we reach into the upper 50s and low 60s. little cooler than where we should be for this time of year. tomorrow more of the same but we won't see all of the sunshine. more clouds will start to move in and showers in the forecast between thursday and friday, off and on rain. it will clear out by saturday as we officially welcome in spring, and sunday is looking pretty nice too, with cool temperatures. by early next week we see the rain returning in the forecast that will greet us into next week. marcus? we'll have another local news update in 30 minutes. see you back here then.

this unplugged device is protecting our beautiful coastlines and more. put off chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm to help keep our state golden.

♪ i want just to be loved ♪ welcome back to "today." it is 8:30. welcome back to "today." it is 8:30 tuesday morning, 16th of march, 2021 tomorrow is st. patrick's day. go buy your corned beef and cabbage. so delicious coming up, we've got -- >> stop doing that. >> it is delicious we have two of our favorite authors this morning isaac fitzgerald and jasmine guillory so many new titles you'll want to add to your list. they have picks to please everyone also ahead, jenn falik is back with a batch of better basics these are aimed at improving

your bedtime routine sleeping well to eating well, giada is going to fill us in on her journey to wellness. she's going to share a pasta recipe that comes without all that guilt perhaps a healthy spaghetti. 30 minutes from now, we'll start the "3rd hour of today." this morning, the latest installment of our "dad's got this" series this morning, we'll introduce you to a front line worker whose first baby arrived just as the pandemic started then came the real surprise. >> oh. >> wow. >> good tease. >> nice. tomorrow on "today," we're going to dive deeper into the future of travel should you start doing it again? deals are tempting option to buy now, pay later vicky nguyen has everything to know before you book a getaway. one last check of the weather for this half hour. >> for today, looking kind of rough down through the southeast and the gulf coast with some heavy rain, severe storms developing in the plains mountain snows out through the rockies. for tomorrow, we're looking for a risk of really severe weather from the upper mississippi river

valley through the central plains, down into the gulf the western third of the country looking pretty good. on st. patrick's day, irish hill, 58 degrees patrick, north carolina, 69. cloverleaf, new mexico, 72 rainbow. and guinness patrick, nevada, 57 degrees. that's your st. patrick's day weather. that's what's going on around the country. good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. temperatures will warm up today with a lot of sunshine, and our inland areas will reach into the upper 50s. tomorrow clouds will be rolling in and we will see our highs in the low 60s. we test showers that will be arriving in the bay area thursday morning and continue off and on until friday. on saturday, rain is moving out but cold temperatures will remain with highs in the low 60s. early next week we will be watching out for our next chance of rain.

>> all right al, thank you so much. ahead, the must-reads for spring authors sorted through the big releases to find something for everyone's taste everyone's taste first, this is "toy" on nbc.da

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look who came back to hang jenna bush hager once again for "read more today." >> spring may not quite be here yet, but all the great book spring releases are. >> march is a huge month for publishers this morning, two of our favorites are here to walk us through what you want to pick up best-selling author and speaker, isaac fitzgerald and "new york times" best-selling author jasmine guillory good morning. >> good morning, guys. >> thanks for having us. >> love the king and queen of books. we love y'all. isaac, talk to us about, you know, books got us through the pandemic things may be opening up a little bit, but we want to go outside and read something we can't escape from.

you have a great read. >> yeah. let's get these books outside, absolutely patricia engel's "infinite country" is a multi-generational story of a columbian family torn apart by deportation. stunning sentences vivid language a pace that will leave you breathless "infinite country" is steeped in myth and rich in beauty and depth. also, diamond sharp, gets you back in the reading spirit. >> it is a reece pick, by the way. >> you mentioned another book club look at you. >> yes, i did. >> jasmine, you have a good one. this is about a 28-year-old girl who goes on a wild adventure to get to know herself. >> she starts the book by getting married to a stranger in vegas. this is a woman who has always done everything she's supposed to she finished her phd she's done, like -- followed all the rules. this book is about her discovering herself.

it is about friendship and family, found family i just loved it. i loved the love story. >> love that isaac, let's move to non-fiction. you have a really poignant memoir about race, identity. tell us about that. >> absolutely. it is a heart-rendering story, "surviving the white gaze" by rebecca carroll. it's a mesmerizing memoire of a black girl growing up in a world of whiteness it is the complex relationships in her life, the discrimination she's experienced, and the toll those experiences have taken this story is uniquely carroll's to tell, and she does so brilliantly with candor, confidence, and grace. i really love the care that rebecca took with her own story in this book >> can't we listen to isaac talk about books all day? jasmine, you have a really powerful one, too. >> yeah. this book is called "already toast. it is the story of a woman whose husband suddenly getting diagnosed with a very severe form of cancer she becomes his caregiver.

it is an amazing memoir. it is totally readable i couldn't stop reading it it is also, i think, so relatable to so many people, especially after this year, where, you know, so many women took things out of their lives to sacrifice for their families. you really see the supports that women don't get in america she offers some solutions to that she does a lot of research it's just, i think, so many people will relate to a lot of moments in this book >> all right finally, author's choice, no rules. i call it authors gone wild. >> i'm scared. >> isaac, what do you have let's throw the rules out. what do you got? >> throw the rules out i absolutely adore this book it is original and incredibly great. no one is talking about this patricia lockwood's novel told in fragments hilarious and heartbreaking. divided into two parts what starts as a book about being extremely online, which we all have been this past year, it slowly becomes a story focused

on one incredibly important, beautiful subject. read it in a single setting, that's what i did, and watch as it becomes thunderously more human. >> thunderously more human. >> i love it. >> jasmine, okay, i want a book. i want romance i want to laugh. i want to escape do you have something for me >> absolutely. this book is called "once upon a quinceanera. if you like books about teens falling in love, first love, and you also like books about messy families who fight all the time, but really, really love each other. you will soon over this book like i did i could not stop reading it. i couldn't get the characters out of my head it was like i was rooting for all of them. i cared about them so much the day i finished, i was upset i couldn't read it anymore >> that sounds like one of your books to me. isaac, take us to ya what is good for kids and teens? >> okay. i pulled an audible here and went with a children's book,

pena and robinson are "milo imagines the world." it's author pena and robinson are back, and this book is so wonderful. milo is riding the subway. you know, he's kind of imagining what the lives of his fellow commuters are like so he's drawing those illustrations in his notebook. this is a story about empathy. it is a beautiful tale, and i'm not going to give away the end just know that it is exquisite, and it ends with a heartfelt punch. you're going to want to love this. >> we want it for all our kids patch it through. >> hand it over. >> thank you. >> finally, jasmine, what do you have for kids or young adults? >> i also have a picture book. it's called "laxmi's mooch." it is the cutest story look at that illustration. you just want to pinch those cheeks it'll be fun for adults to read to kids. fun for kids to read it is a positive story about, like, seeing your own differences, and then being excited about them seeing other people's differences. it is joyful you'll love it >> jasmine, somebody has a book out in july.

raise your hand if you have a book out in july is that jasmine? >> that's me i do jasmine, isaac, thank you. you can find all of the book pics on our website. go to today.com/shop coming up, new ways to wind down a

it is 8:43 "better sleep today. it is national sleep awareness week, and between the time change, and you remember coronasomnia, learned about that yesterday, we're struggling to get the much-needed rest. >> struggling mightily lifestyle expert jenn falik is here to help coming to the rescue with better basics problem-solving products that will help you create a soothing bedtime routine.

you can find them easily scan the qr code right thereu. thanks for coming on. wind down. what do you do >> now, it is all about setting your routine up for success when it comes to sleep. things we're doing anyway, kind of elevating the experience to help you kind of lull into that calm state and be ready for bed. starting with a shower i know everyone talks about baths, calming baths some of us aren't bath people, for time, whatever the reason. if you're a shower person, you'll love this this is an aromatherapy shower it is the easiest thing ever you literally clip it on the showerhead it has little pods with all different scents one pod will last you, maybe, anywhere from four to eight showers. it automatically turns your shower into a calming aromatherapy experiencip it on,a

shower, and you're all set willu >> we've been teasing this one, and this is crazy. you're talking about something in your toothpaste that can help you sleep better >> yes no, it is not vodka, although it was a good idea. >> oh, you could hear? >> commentary. >> gives me an idea, patent pending. no, this is new from hello this is a toothpaste with chamomile and lavender it could be part of your nighttime routine. it has a really great, calming scent and flavor, but it has the minty freshness. it is about making those small changes that are, again, going to kind of trick your brain into getting into sleep mode, helping you wind down from the day this toothpaste is great i love it. my kids love it. it gives you the freshness, but it is also calming. >> it has no fluoride, is that right? >> so it has all these healthy for you ingredients. it is what the brand is known

for. it gets the job done, but without any of the stuff that some people, you know, don't love to have in their routine. >> jenn, your next item is for the pillow flippers among us, always looking for the cool side of the pillow. >> yeah. this is a story of my life they say it's like -- i guess the phrase is, if you sleep hot, you're always hot at night, this is great i slept on this last night i love it. this is from allswell home it is a gel cooling pillow see this panel here? it is cooling gel, stays cold all night. i was up testing it out on different sides. it is amazing. it comes with this pillow case, so you can wash it, keep it on clean and healthy, but it is breathable enough you'll get the cooling experience it is really amazing i couldn't believe it. every time i kept switching from looking from the left to the right, you get a cooling sensation. this is smart. i love this one. good quality to it supports your neck it's a good one. >> that is good. all right.

how about performance fabrics? they're popular with workout clothes. what about, you know, you say there's performance fabrics they're using in sheets? >> these are so cool peach skin sheets. >> what? >> it's technology that's in the workout gear and puts it into the softest, most delicious, yummy bedding. it is really well priced for all different sets they've got all these fun colors see all the different options. what's cool about it is the material, again, like what is in the workout wear, the moisture wicks from the body to keep temperature regulated, it's in these sheets people are crazy for these i love them. the name, peach skin, trying to figure it out. it is like the peach skin feeling, somewhere between a jersey and cotton sheet. a lot of people have, you know, do you like the jersey, the cotton this is exactly in the middle. i love this. keeps you cool if you're a person that's always cool at night, somehow, it'll also keep you warm it's amazing i'm a fan. order a sample book online, and

they'll send you the swatches. pick your color and order there. >> there's a lot of ambient light in our bedrooms from chargers, things like that you have something that blocks those lights >> this is the epitome of a simple thing that is genius. these are the things i love to find blue light blockers, or any light blocker. i have a charging station in my room you put these little stickers over the light once you see the light at night, you can't stop looking at it these block it out completely. one great way to get your room super dark and ready for sleep the other light device over here, this is called -- this is a moon beam light sensor what it does, you kind of tap the top right here, have an eight-minute setting it is a blue light it's not a blue light that keeps you up it is a calming blue light you work your breathing with the light. if somebody else is in the room sleeping, what i love is this makes no noise it's kind of training you to use

it for cardiac coherence, i believe is the term, using your breathing to regulate your sleep and help you lull into a nice rest the blue light gets bigger, then smaller. your breathing follows that. and you don't annoy anybody. it can get annoying. >> quickly, do you have anything to prevent a 6-year-old from jumping into your bed at night >> i'm still working on that trust me, i've been there. i'll get back to you on that one. >> keep me posted, please. i'd sleep so much better. >> thank you, jenn. >> try the lavender toothpaste. >> jenn, thank you if you want to shop the better basics for sleep, scan the qr code at the bottom of your screen or go to today.com/shop up next, we're going to dive into a bowl of pasta >> sounds messy. >> we're going to do it with giada. >> oh, wow. >> a tiger. >> looks like a cheetah. >> looks like a cheetah. >>i'm morgan, and there's more to me than hiv.

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this morning on "today" food, one of your favorites on the show giada de laurentiis is here. >> world famous for her many, many hit shows on the food network. best-selling cookbook. she's taken a new approach with her latest. >> that's right. "eat better, feel better" is packed with tips, meal plans, and recipes to help you choose foods having you feel better inside and out world renowned sheff, but i guess you're running an exotic animal park? >> like something you'd see in vegas. it's been taken too far. >> i'm the new ms. tiger king, i guess, yes. >> how much does that cat weigh? >> that cat is actually about 8 pounds you know, the minute she smells food, since i'm cooking mushrooms and have fresh pasta here, she's all over the place i try to keep her off the counter, and i know she's, you know -- it makes people very uncomfortable. unfortunately, when you're shooting from home, it is

difficult to do a show, to cook, and keep your animals all off. >> just saw your cat run across the counter there. >> yes, and it's early. >> what is your cat's name >> luna. >> maybe luna will make an appearance as you cook for us. >> oh, she's roaming. >> on the book front, between the age of 40 and 50, you were on a personal wellness what was going on in your life on the wellness journey that prompted the book? >> well, you know, i had my daughter late in my 30s, and then i worked and traveled a ton. when i found myself just riddled with sinus infections, and so much so, that i would come to new york to do your show, and i'd a steroid shot just so i could function and keep my eyes open, they got so bad. i was on antibiotics constantly, for years, every month i kept getting told that i just had a small child, i worked too much, and i traveled too much. i started to realize, okay, there's got to be more than just

all of this. i started going on sort of a journey to wellness, really resetting my gut, is what it was, and my digestion. i had eaten the wrong things for too long mostly i'm addicted, and was addicted to sugar. i am still slightly. i'm working on it. feeding myself things like caffeine and sugar to keep going, and not eating enough of the things that i needed that's what this book is about. >> what are you going to make for us what are you and luna cooking for us there >> i'm making you some pasta, but it is pasta loaded with vegetables arugula and mushrooms. i'm making it with mushrooms and pistachios the whole idea here is that if you do eat pasta, and i say this this particular wellness plan, you eat pasta maybe a couple times a week just switch out the grains and make sure they're not part of you do it a few times a week

load it up with lots of veggies, lots of types of vegetables. whatever vegetables you like also some lean protein anyway, we chopped up mushrooms. if you come over here, you can see it's any kind of a sorted mushroom you like. then i sauteed them with a little garlic and shallot. i add a little -- >> good shot there luna is running camera. >> oh, my god. that's a great overview. >> yes i have shane over here, who is a professional >> see what you're doing. >> anyway -- al, you know shane. >> i do. >> you add a little marsala wine you haven't taken away all the flavor of the food that you want so a little bit of marsala wine. i finished the mushrooms in chicken broth.

>> we've only got 30 seconds left >> so you take these lovely pastas, and you can do gluten free if you want to. you add it right into the skillet. >> yup. >> little cheese and a little butter, but just a little bit. i used to use a ton of both. now we only use a little bit you still get the flavor, but you don't get as much as you used to. then you add the arugula >> giada, you're going to come visit us at 10:00, okay? >> i will. >> "eat better, feel better" hits stores today. recipes at today.com/food. >> bye, giada. >> later good morning. the criteria of what should be

allowed moving into the orange tiers will be changing and when that happens, breweries and restaurants can increase capacity and offices that are nonessential can bring employees back to work, although remote work is still recommended. represent sonoma and contra cost ra just changed to the purple tier. and you can go to nbcbayarea.com and we will post updates as soon as we get them. live from st

rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." >> good tuesday morning. welcome to this "3rd hour of today." tuesday, march 16th, st. patrick's day eve. >> it's getting ridiculous now. >> everything is an eve. >> well, these days, you have to have something to look forward to, right? craig melvinmelvin, al roker, d dreyer, sheinelle jones in her go-go boots there.

we