it is now setting its sites on the bahamas. southeastern united states may be next. we expect it to become a category 3 storm later today. it's been three years since a hurricane has made landfall in the u.s. that was ike back in 2008, in southeastern texas. we're keeping an eye on this one. >> precautions to take. >> lightning strike, it is believed, from irene who sparked this huge fire at the home of richard branson in the caribbean. they say it was like a hollywood movie. kate winslet, the actor, who was staying there with her family, actually saved branson's 90-year-old mother from the flames. we'll have a lot more on what happened. >> amazing. and then in "today's" money, going paperless. if you're nervous about getting all of your bank statements e-mailed to you or paying your bills online, we'll tell you why it's not only good for the environment, but it also could actually save you some money. and then speaking of money, guess who is here? jill martin. "steals and deals" today, from bedding as you see there, and skin care and jewelry. jill has all the deals. she'll tell us all about it coming up in a few minutes. >> too many pillows. >> right there. >> really? >> all around. that will be after we hear from the news and natalie morales at the news desk. hey, natalie. >> good morning once again. good morning, everyone. for the first time in nearly three years a hurricane is threatening to make landfall here in the u.s. and hurricane irene is gaining strength today as it turns to the caribbean. nb nbcl's lilia luciano is in the path. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, natalie. the ba ma'hamas has not seen a strong like this in six years and gearing up for what could be a category 3 hurricane to hit us some point this morning or tomorrow. irene is raking through the caribbean, in puerto rico it dropped ten inches of rain, flooding streets, tearing up trees and knocking out power to more than a million people. >> bigger than your average size hurricane. >> reporter: the storm is picking up strength in the warm atlantic water. under hurricane warnings the dominican republic and neighboring haiti where heavy rain could be devastated for the 600,000 still homeless since last year's earthquake. weather experts say the hurricane is now headed straight for the bahamas and on to the u.s., potentially targeting florida, georgia, and the carolinas. >> hurricane irene is forecast to become at least a category 3 hurricane and maintain that status and could be even higher than that as it makes an approach to a potential landfall somewhere in the southeast u.s. >> along the eastern coast many are already stocking up to stay safe. >> a lot of everything basically. watt water, nonperishable food, flashlig flashlight, batteries. >> reporter: he picked up a list on google, hoping it will get him through his first hurricane season in florida. >> this one really looks like it's coming. >> reporter: preparing to secure his grnandmother's roof, he say you can never be too cautious. hurricane andrew changed lives and attitudes. >> i was not prepared in andrew. it was tough. now i don't even wait. i go and grab what i need. >> reporter: expert or rookie, surviving a hurricane means thinking ahead and not taking chances. so what to do if you are in irene's path, make sure to plan ahead of time. keep an emergency kit with enough water, food, and medicine for at least three days. keep your gas tank full. if you're in an area that is told to evacuate, make sure that you listen. natalie? >> good advice. thank you, lilia. forces loyal to home garr da daffy aren't giving up today. they are in tripoli again this morning, especially around gadhafi's compound and his son made a surprise appearance today telling reporters that loyalists loyia his father. he was thought to be under arrest. meantime, they have no idea where moammar gadhafi is hiding. a top navy captain is fighting to save his career today. can tan owen honors was yanked from command earlier this year after raunchy videos surfaced that was shot onboard. he helped to produce and star in them and said they were made to improve moral. they begin to hear arguments today on whether he should stay in the navy. important health news. number of americans complaining about failed hip replacements is skyrocketing, according to the "new york times." the fda received thousands of complaints of all metal hips failing after years of use. it's the most common procedure in the u.s. and baseball players come out of game for a lot of reasons but here is one you probably never heard of before. st. louis cardinals outfielder matt holiday had to leave a game on monday night when a moth flew into his ear and he couldn't get it out. trainers actually had to use tweezers eventually to remove it. pretty unbelievable. six minutes past the hour. let's get another check of the weather from al. there's one you haven't heard of, al, right? >> never heard of that one. let's see the latest on hurricane irene. right now 70 miles south southeast of grand turk island. category 2 storm. probably become a 3 later today. 100-mile-per-hour winds. moving west northwest at ten miles per hour. you can see we've got hurricane warnings and watches up from santa domingo up to the bahamas. we've got hurricane watches in effect. and this system makes its way in parallels the florida coast as a category 3 storm. maybe even a 4 sometime thursday into friday. makes landfall sometime late saturday into early sunday. and it could be devastating. again, coming onshore as a category 3 storm. you can see the tropical storm force winds extend out quite a distance from the center of the storm. so as it makes its way along the florida coastline, they will be feeling its effects. that's what's going on around the counro >> it is a beautiful start this tuesday. kind of feels like autumn to start the day. mostly sunny skies. high temperatures an time now for "today's" money, saving some green by going green. going paperless, coupons and credit card offers not only cuts down on clutter but, believe it or not, can actually help you save some cash. carmen is the personal finance expert and the author of "the real cost of living." good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> i understand saving paper. how does it save you cash? >> here's the thing, when you automate things and have things living on the cloud, your e-mail, for example, it really can save you money because it can help you do things like make sure you pay your bills on time, have things for tax time. it adds up. >> you say, first of all, you want to stop getting paper receipts. are we talking about receipts at stores? >> when you go to a store and you get this receipt, what if you need to exchange or return something, what if you lose it? ask for an e-receipt. apple is one of the first retailers to do this. send you an e-mail receipt. now gap, anthropology, nordstrom, old navy, they all do this. you can always find that receipt and come tax time, 40% of americans make money on their own outside their employer, tax reductions. you have all of your receipts in one place. >> what if you don't want to give out your personal e-mail? >> here's the thing. do what i do. create another e-mail. so you give them another e-mail so you don't get slogged with a lot of junk mail from retailers and have it all in one place. >> is there software that will help you aggregate this stuff and keep track of it? >> especially i'm hs if you have it in one spot in terms of that new e-mail. you can go in there and see all of your receipts, put them all together. there is some tracking that's coming soon, but just have them online. don't lose them. >> you also say say no to paper coupons. >> yes. the number one reason they don't use coupons anymore, i don't have them with me, i forget them. here's the thing. coupon has an app now on the iphone coming soon for the blackberry android where you can have them all with you in realtime. you can be shopping around and put in an item, coupons will just pop up. you go to the register and hand them your phone. it's either a scannable coupon or a code that they enter. >> wow. also, you want to say no to catalogs and credit card offers. >> i know this one wrangles you. right? >> i'm getting catalogs anyway. >> any time we buy anything online, et cetera, there's always this trail. someone buys the list. catalogchoice.org is where you can go to opt out of the catalogs and you get all of these offers for a new credit cards or balance transfers and all those things, go to optoutprescreen.com and it will stop other solicitations, as well. you have to go every year but it's helpful. it's a temptation. you can get an offer and use it on the spot instead of shopping around like you should, or catalog shopping instead of shopping around, i love that let me do that. it will save you from doing that. >> by all means, avoid the credit card offers. >> listen, you want to shop around. you don't want to just see it, let me sign up. shop around online first. >> what about paper bills and statements? >> okay. i know some of us already do this with your banking. we bank online. get our monthly statements online. i can't tell you how helpful it is to have all of this online. utility, cell phone, landline, internet, cable, all of these folks offer paperless statements and paperless bills. sign up. you can sign up for automated bill pay. you save if you are late on a bill and, like you said, you can sort and search at the end of the year come tax time, huge safings. >> everything is there for you. >> right there on the cloud. >> on the cloud. thanks so much. >> thanks. still to come, setting back the clock. we're going to check out the best foods to make you look and feel younger. but up next "steals and deals." the stealer and dealer jill martin is back. r wanted it to end. well, hey, at least the pasta's never ending. really? yeah, you choose your pasta, choose your sauce, as many times as you want! a dish i create and it's never ending. i'm in! i'm in! the never ending pasta bowl is back. for just $8.95 try new sauces like roasted mushroom parmesan and hearty pizzaiola meat. enjoy any sauce and pasta combination, then try others. have all you want along with our unlimited fresh salad and warm breadsticks all for just $8.95. try it tonight at your olive garden. when you're here, you're family. i usually work alone... don't mind him. chocolate's just got a chip on his shoulder. [ female announcer ] new quaker chewy smashbar. kid-loved ingredients, smashed together. with 33% less sugar than the leading sweet snacks. for his dentist, the choice is clear. fact is, more dental professionals brush with an oral-b toothbrush than any other brush. trust the brush more dentists and hygienists use, oral-b. ♪ ♪ i like dat, all right [ male announcer ] mio. a revolutionary water enhancer. add a little...or a lot. for a drink that's just the way you like it. make it yours. make it mio. for a drink that's just the way you like it. hey. hey mom! what is this? it's a special paste i invented to replace socks. why? because we can't find socks that shape to our feet. we're sick of it! try hanes socks with the smooth comfort toe seam. a better fit your whole family will love. if you have painful, swollen joints, i've been in your shoes. one day i'm on p of the world... the next i'm saying... i have this thing called psoriatic arthritis. i had some intense pain. it progressively got worse. my rheumatologist told me about enbrel. i'm surprised how quickly my symptoms have been managed. [ male announcer ] because enbrel suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. get back to the things that matter most. good job girls. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. good job girls. you've been there. you pick out a makeup thinking it's your shade... until you actually try it out. now, i have a makeup that always gets it right. smart shade makeup instantly adjusts to match perfectly to your skin. almay smart shade makeup. only from almay. only for me. this morning on jill's steals and deals, high style products and very low prices. discounted exclusively for you, our "today" show viewers. "today" and "us weekly" author is here. some 85% off. good morning. >> good morning. >> again, how does this work? >> i feel like everyone has been involved because i'm getting tons of tweets, please offer this, please offer this. if you haven't done this, here's how it works. go on to today.com right now and all of these retailers have brought us these deals that you can have up to 85% off. and we'll link you to the retailer's website. but we only have a certain amount of each item so you have to act quickly. >> and be patient as well because sometimes it takes a while getting through. >> exactly. >> the first couple of items. this is great if you're looking to give your bedroom a new makeover. you can check out these queen and king comforter sets by sl home fashions. as you see, they're offering five different designs in a variety of colors from serenity embroidered collection. what exactly comes with the whole set here? >> we love this for fall. it always makes us start fresh. the retail of these, $299 to $439. it comes in queen or king. available in five desipsgndesig. eight-piece set, comforter, three shams, three decorative pillows and one bed skirt. >> the bed is made up here. >> sold at macy's. retail, $299 to $349. the deal is $60. that's up to 83% off. >> that is great. fantastic. looks beautiful. hi quality as well. now, we also have another comforter set to offer today, as well, again, by sl home fashions. this one is for kids. >> going off to college, perfect. the dorm room. >> and back to school. why love about these, they're reversible. if you spill something on one side you flip it to the other side. $125, available in twin or queen. all dimensions stated clearly on the website. comes in four different styles. again, reversible. the comforter and sham combo, same for this. i want to point out the shipping on these, really large items. test the shipping. may be a little higher for this. it's because the other is so low. make sure you ship it before you bite it -- check the retail. retail, 125. deal, $25. 80% off. >> great. look good in a dorm. give it lots of color. >> let's move on to jewelry. best-sellers for us. you have these beautiful bracelets. very trendy right now. i know a lot of celebrities really love these and layering them up is better, right? >> right. huge with celebrities. these, retail for $200. offering nine styles made with semi precious and natural stones, including jade, amethyst, turquoise, and onyx. these are great for men and women. you will see some men with on two or three. i put them on stacked to show you what they looked like. $200. deal is 29$29. great gift. they come in these cute little pouches. >> i was thinking how great that is for a gift right now. perfect. thank you. over here, let's do some skin care. this is new for us. one of our favorites around here. products from philosophy. >> these are going to fly. you can always judge from the studio and our producers saying i can't believe we have this. >> right. >> if you want hope in a jar, we have that for you. >> we're going to do it. >> retail, $127. this includes five full-size products. hope in a jar, as you said, best-selling moisturizer. one-step facial cleanser, exfoliating wash, retina eye treatment and pink tinted lip treatment. katherine heigl, miley cyrus. the retail, again, $127 for the bundle. the deal, $31.75. that's 75% off. again. >> best-sellers. these are, yeah, full-size products. >> awesome deal. >> great deal. all right. fantastic. let's go over here, handbags. look at these. how gorgeous they are. made of rich, ultrasuede. >> right. i think everyone is shopping now for a fall bag. well, here you go. retail, $245. comes in two styles. the fringe bag which is hanging right here, and then the studded bag in camel or charcoal. rich suede. look at the we detail and the hardware. several fans are the kardashians, selma blair. the retail is $245. the deal, $58. that's 76% off. $58. pockets inside for everything. love it. >> beautiful. okay. guys, we have something for you, too, today. >> right. >> we love this. we love this. okay. speaker system for your iphone, ipad by i home, actually charges it as well. >> retail, $199.99. has the latest in sound technology. charges and plays device while docked. the av jack, the video from ipad or iphone to tv. you can play the videos that's on your ipad or iphone and put it on your tv. great if you have a movie for your kids. retail, $199.99. the deal, $75. that's 62% off. >> fantastic. this will go quickly as well. as always, jill martin, you brought us real best-sellers here. thank you. all right. five products for you, comforter by sl home fashions, the bracelets by mon ami, beauty products by philosophy, handbag and speaker system by i home. just head to our website today.com. if you do have any questions about the products or want to know more, jill will be answering on twitter at the today show. mean why, coming up, secrets to looking younger. but first, these messages. also get a free flight. you know that comes with a private island. really? 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[ male announcer ] of all the things that happen on your shiny surfaces, disinfecting has to be one of them. clorox disinfecting wipes. kills germs. dries clear. vine-ripened tomatoes and real italian seasoned meat. the food got famous. and soon, so did the chef. hello, i am chef boyardee. quality ingredients no preservatives still in every bowl. you're working out while watching us right now, this guy might make you want to work a little bit harder. >> that's right. extra motivation because he's a two-time iron man world champion and the author of a new book "i'm here to win," world champion advice from chris mccormack. >> good to see you. how are you? >> you don't have to be an iron man to really get involved in this triathlon. al is starting to train for one. i have been doing them for a couple of years now. >> i've been sitting on the koump a lot. >> waiting for her to get into it, as well. chris, what is the advice to mentally prepare for something like this and why do them? >> it's a lot of fun. it's the fastest growing sport in the world. inspired by a challenge. i just get out there and do it and enjoy it and embrace that moment, embrace the challenge. >> how do you get started? what do tip for somebody thinking about it? >> get off the couch and do it. get off the couch and do it. >> is this intervention? >> the hardest thing is that initial moment to get into a routine and rhythm. once you get over that bridge, it's fun. >> you can start small with the sprint. work your way to bigger things. >> sprint is a way to start. all of the way up to what i'm doing now. >> i know you're the winningest iron man champ. 13 times? >> yes. >> twice world iron man competition. and i hear you are looking to go to the olympics in 2012. >> yeah. my wife is telling me it's my mid-life crisis. it's definitely the objective now. >> the book is "i'm here to win." chris mccormack. good to see you. >> good to see you. >> thank you. still to come this morning, ith after your local news and weather. ♪ hershey's chocolate syrup. stir up a smile. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> it is going to be a nice day. again, a little hint of ottoman. temperatures in the low 80s. dew points in the 50's. mostly sunny skies. another dry day tomorrow. we will make up to 87 in the afternoon. the forefront on thursday ♪ did you know this song drives savannah crazy because it gets into her head and then she can't get it out? >> i sing it all day long. >> all day. >> they are going to be jamming on the plaza, the san francisco rockers will come into our plaza on the summer concert stage. next week, lenny kravitz rocking us into labor day weekend. >> wow. i don't believe we've had lenny on before. >> our first. >> family reunion for al. >> my cuz. >> cousin, really? >> yeah. train, you can help pick the set list. >> you have three hit songs to choose from. they're they are. they are going to play them on the show. text the number of the song of your choice, text 1 for "maryry me." i guarantee if they play that song, lots of proposals on the plaza. text 2 for "drops of jupiter." text 3 for "calling all angels." voting ends tomorrow. make sure to cast your votes. all hits. maybe they will play all of them. >> if you text enough maybe they will play all of them. >> come on. >> you beat us into submission, fine. all right. >> move on. >> we really nag. we all want to look and feel younger, of course. this morning we're going to show you the best anti-aging remedies from fresh fruits and veggies to creams and serums and potions. we'll have all the secrets to add life and years to your skin. straight from an hollywood action thriller. probably heard this about now. the caribbean home of billionaire sir richard branson went up in flames after a lightning strike. and academy award winner ait winslet staying there was hailed a her reporter for saving his mother. we're going to hear from richard branson himself coming up. >> i think it was the lightning strike from irene. >> which we are watching. does your mom make casseroles? >> all the time. >> who doesn't like casseroles? >> chicken pot pies. >> okay. they're making a comeback. this morning we've got the casserole queen. >> cute outfits. >> showing us one savory and one sweet dish that will help you get out of bed in the morning. >> love it. first, i know we are watching irene. how about a check of the weather? >> we'll show you what's happening. for today, no problems from irene. we do have a risk of strong storms in the mississippi river valley. the heat continues in texas to the southwest. spectacular here in the east. then for tomorrow, that risk moves into the upper ohio river valley. same in the southwest, into texas. sunny and warm up and down the eastern sea woerd board. >> lot of sunshine to start the day. beautiful afternoon. dew points running in the 50's. high-temperature only are around >> that's your latest weather. coming up next, how to look and feel younger from the inside out. right after this. ♪ [ sniffs ] ♪ ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] with glade sense and spray you get a burst of fragrance when you walk by. get motion activated glade sense and spray and release the magic. sc johnson, a family company. and release the magic. i brought champagne. wow! the best in the world. ...some chocolates swiss! ah...the best in the world. oikos greek yogurt from dannon. really? wait until you try it. so creamy thick dannon oikos berry flavors beat chobani 2:1 in a national taste test. mmmm... this may be the best in the world. oikos greek yogurt possibly the best yogurt in the world. like us on facebook and get a free cup of dannon oikos. covergirl trublend has skin twin technology. other makeup can sit on your skin, so it looks like...makeup. but trublend has skin twin technology to actually merge with your skin. how easy breezy beautiful is that? trublend...from covergirl. and, just like toddlers, puppies need food made for them. that's why there's purina puppy chow... with all the essential nutrients your growing puppy needs. purina puppy chow. 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(announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. now's a great time to save big on a toyota the most fuel-efficient full-line automaker. take advantage of the summer's best selection and the year's biggest deals on our most popular models. don't miss the perfect opportunity to get the toyota you've always wanted. plus, every new toyota comes with toyotacare, a complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance. toyota's nationwide clearance event ends soon. hurry in today before time runs out! ♪ this morning on "today's" beauty, turning back the clock from everything from beauty boosing foods to skin and hair products. we have the editor and chief of "good housekeeping" magazine. good to see you. >> great to be here. >> i know "good housekeeping" did a lot of testing. how did you figure out which ones were the best? >> second annual anti-aging award. this year we did all haircare products because more and more of these are making claims and some of them are outrageous claims. you find them in drugstores, beauty salons and department stores. we tested more than 70 products on more than 500 women. we had 2,500 lab tests that we did. our "good housekeeping" research institute and we have the winners. >> here is your chance. the first category in hair, this is at revlon hair color. i think to cover up gray. >> permanent hair color. we looked at things that totally covered gray that lasted the full four weeks they're supposed to and left your hair sign ahin manageable and not dry and performed well. very good price value. >> the root touch-up, you liked two products. >> there were only two touch-up products on the market. they both deliver. they are great for in between colorings. specifically because they have the cool little tools that will put the coloring where you want it. >> application is the key. >> that is the key. put it along your part and your hairline. if you don't have a tool, it's going to go everywhere you don't want it to go. >> who knew you needed conditioners that had anti-abling. >> when we did our skin care awards last year a lot of drugstore brands vastly out performed the super expensive brands. >> that's nice. >> in haircare, not so much. the goldwyner is purology. it's $53 a bottle. >> oh, my goodness. >> shampoo and conditioner. however, in both the lab testest tests tests o and consumers, clear winner. very rich formula. if you shampoo twice a week, ten months. what about these? >> biolage was the runner-up. less than half the price, also works well. this is a serum. this is something you put in both to protect your hair and to increase shine. >> is this a leave-in conditioner? >> exactly. it's a leave-in serum. compared to untreated hair, increased shine 3 1/2 times. huge difference. >> let's look at skin care. as skin gets older we start getting the dark spots. >> it's called a hyper pigmentation. there are a couple of things you want to do. first of all, you want to use a product all over that's brightens your skin and sloughs off skin cells. this is a great product for that. then you want a specific spot treatment. this product has acid in it. it works well. then use something more intense if you have a lot of age spots, a serum like this will work. it has acids and licorice, which oddly enough is great to do. >> would eating it have the same effect? >> oddly not. >> so a serum like that, would you put it all over your face? >> it is an all-over treatment. and then finally, no matter what you're using if you want to use a product with retinol, don't forget to use it on your neck and chest as well as face. retinol speeds up the skin cell turnover. it also fights hyper pigmentation. >> retinol can be really expensive but this product here is not. >> this is not. this is sold at walmart. it's not expensive. more and more products do have retinol in them. you can get a higher concentration from our dermatologists but these work well for most women. >> foods. why are berries good anti-aging foods? >> in the september issue you will find an entire diet to help you lose ten pounds in a month but nourish your skin from inside out. you want high vitamin c foods like blackberries, raspberries, broccoli has a lot, cranberry, pomegranate. you only need 75 milligrams a day. a cup of rapgs bspberries in yo cereal in the morning and a cup of broccoli at night, you're done. women have fewer wrinkles and moisture skin. >> one common denominator with all these foods, they're orange. >> beta carotene, right? this is very protective for your skin and you find it in sweet potatoes, apricots, squaush and cantaloupe. cooked tomatoes. >> okay. lastly, whole grains. >> whole grains. flour, rice, cake, triggers your insulin which triggers an inflammatory effect which ages your skin, whole grain does the opposite which fights the sun damage. >> thank you. we got to all of it. thank you. coming up next, a fire through the island home of sir richard branson while an oscar winner was inside. the dramatic story, right after winner was inside. the dramatic story, right after this. and st i'm teaching attitude! if your kids want to sound cool, they have to look cool! so, here's what they'll need: denim, graphic tees, leggings and tunics, more denim, backpacks, headphones, hair gel, denim, converse one star shoes, denim, shaun white hoodies and denim. school takes a lot. target has it all. discover aveeno positively radiant tinted moisturizers with scientifically proven soy complex and natural minerals. give you sheer coverage instantly, then go on to even skin tone in four weeks. aveeno tinted moisturizers. vine-ripened tomatoes and real italian seasoned meat. the food got famous. and soon, so did the chef. hello, i am chef boyardee. quality ingredients no preservatives still in every bowl. now?! 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[ female announcer ] two hour whitestrips from crest. life opens up when you do. new newtons fruit thins. real cranberries and cranberry citrus oat... crispy whole grain. newtons fruit thins, one unique cookie. newtons fruit thins, hey. hey mom! what is this? it's a special paste i invented to replace socks. why? because we can't find socks that shape to our feet. we're sick of it! try hanes socks with the smooth comfort toe seam. a better fit your whole family will love. and off we go! seeking inspiration from the world's best yogurts for activia selects. in paris we discovered the inspiration for a totally new yogurt. activia selects french. so silky and smooth with lots of juicy fruit. then our search took us to beautiful greece and this thick and creamy greek yogurt, so rich and full of flavor. it was a grueling trip! get your free cup of activia selects at freeactivia.com crispy granola layered with creamy peanut butter or rich dark chocolate flavor. 90 calories. 100% natural. and nature...approves. granola thins. from nature valley. nature at its most delicious. now to the dramatic rescue at the island loam of sir richard branson that was straight out of the hollywood movie. >> sure was. with complete special effects. lightning from hurricane irene which sparked a massive fire. >> this morning praising one oscar winning actress who performed a daring rescue. >> reporter: the raging flames tore through the luxurious compound early monday as richard branson and 20 guests were sleeping. >> it took hold incredibly quickly. twerp we were staying nearby and we woke up just to see gigantic 100-foot flames in the sky. it ripped through the house unbelievably quickly. >> reporter: branson's 25-year-old son sam heard explosions in the main house, sounded the alarm and ran over to help. >> it was terrifying to me because my daughter and nephews, nieces, friends were all staying in the house. i just ran naked towards the house to try to see if i could make sure i could get people out. >> reporter: inside the burning home branson's 90-year-old mother eve and oscar winning actress kate winslet who sprang into action for a daring rescue. >> she was staying there with her children. she had staying at the house with my mother. she said it was like being in the film waiting for the words cut but they just don't come. >> reporter: everyone made it out okay but the largest home on the private and exclusive island known as the great house was destroyed. monday afternoon branson tweeted, thank you all for your kind messages. currently just huddled up with family and friends in the continuing tropical storm, realizing what really matters in life. branson is the chairman of the virgin group which includes virgin atlantic airways and virgin mega stores. he's owned the island paradise in the caribbean for more than 30 years. >> this is a place where the rich and the famous come to enjoy themselves. >> reporter: matt got his own private tour of the island in 2004 from richard branson himself. these 74-acre island retreat costs $10 million to build. six homes make up the estate which can be rented for $54,000 a night. it's been a vacation getaway for celebrities like oprah winfrey, johnny depp, robert de niro, and jimmy fallon. nick lachey and vanessa minnillo got married on the island last month. for branson and his family, it's their own private paradise, but now it's damaged beyond repair. richard branson says he's going to rebuild. and branson says his office was based in the house, so he lost thousands of photographs and notebooks. his daughter holly was planning to get married there later this year. unfortunate loss but fortunately the good news here, everybody got out okay. >> so isolated. it could have been a disaster. >> absolutely. >> amaze that kate winslet was able to save his mom. we've had happy ending in that. >> she's a hero, too. who knew. coming up next, easy casseroles. you may want to cook these up for breakfast this morning. but first, this is "today" on nbc. 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[ female announcer ] new ultra downy with silktouch, it's an upgrade in a bottle. this morning on "today's" kitchen, casseroles that ares a easy as one, two, three. really popular in the 1950s but casseroles are still a fast and easy way to get a hearty meal on the table. crystal cook and sandy are out with the casserole queens cookbook, featuring these recipes. good to see you. how did you guys get back into casseroles? never leave for you? >> you know, i think they did a little bit, but i went home for christmas one year and my mom -- it had been a long time since we had any. when i had them they were just so good and i noticed every person in our family ate it from the littlest to the biggest. and we got back and started brainstorming thinking this is great. >> what's not to like? frenchy toast casserole? >> yes. do you want to help me make it? >> absolutely. >> take the melted butter and light brown sugar. >> okay. >> a little bit of cinnamon in there. make a nice paste. when that gets done you can put it in the bottom of this casserole dish. >> i noticed you cut up bread, day old bread? >> day old bread works well. it soaks up the juices. really good. i'm just going to take six eggs, some milk, and a little more cinnamon because you can't have enough. >> definitely. >> agreed. >> you need -- okay. that's good. these make a little bit more of a paste but that it's going to be just fine. >> perfect. there you go. >> we've got four minutes here. >> that's right. >> you make your base. >> your make your base. lay the bread on top. you can help me so we can get through it. >> okay. >> looks much lovelier when you do it at home. and then y pour that? >> pour that over the top. you bake it and it comes out beautiful. >> how do you get this nice brown? >> save the sugar stuff and pour it on top. >> and now savory. >> savory. just kind of a switch on this. still doing the bread at the bottom. still doing the cream. spicy sausage in here. you can use a less spicy sausage for that. we have brie that we have frozen a little bit to keep it hard to easier to cut in chunks. >> little brie balls. >> yes, little brie balls. >> if you would put that on top of that, that's great. i'm going to sprinkle on the brie. come on, brie, how the that going to be bad? >> i love brie. could you use a different cheese? >> yes. any kind of a soft cheese. you can also put parmesan on the top of that would be great. we're going to pop that because it is a ball. and then here we've got eggs and seasoned salt, mustard, sage, cream, and milk. mix all that together. that's the garnish. >> back aaway from the garnish. >> this goes over the top like over there. it's going to set up to be a lovely custard. that's what it ends up being. that's amazing. >> how far in advance can you make these? >> you can make this up to three months in advance and freeze it. >> three months? >> yeah. if you want to make it the next day, make it the nooigs night before, in the fridge, perfect to stick in the oven. >> just get it all set up? >> the beautiful thing about breakfast casseroles, they both can be made ahead of time. >> when you do these, the breakfast one, do you start off early and then just get it ready and into the oven? >> yes. >> here comes some breakfast tycoons. >> hi! >> here is some breakfast. >> good. >> this is going to be the savory. >> oh, my goodness. >> a little spicy. >> i like these dresses. >> cute outfits. >> i got this at a vintage store in d.c. >> very nice. >> we do have a story about our apro aprons. a woman sent us all of her mother's aprons from back in the '50s. they are from her. >> very special. >> yes. this is delicious. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> it's been an honor. coming up, kathie lee and hoda are going to be working up a sweat, exercising through the whole hour. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> temperatures are going to stay below average this tuesday. we should only taught in the low 80s. a hint of autumn in the air. mostly sunny is the forecast. seventies in the mountains. over the next couple of days, dry tomorrow. scattered thunderstorms possible