T LOunge for January 26th, 2023

QBar Cocktail Lounge – Johannesburg, South Africa

Lately, it seems like the darker, more atmospheric LOunges are where it’s at for us. Must be a January thing. Anyway, today is THURSDAY and the LOunge is full of whimsy and attitude, much like us. Pull up a seat and tell us what’s what.

First Lady Jill Biden’s Inauguration Outfits—Face Masks Included—Are Now in the Smithsonian
Two years ago, Dr. Jill Biden became the first (and hopefully only) first lady to accessorize her inauguration day ensembles with matching face masks. Now, those emblems of the COVID-19 pandemic—along with Dr. Biden’s blue Markarian coat and dress and white embroidered coat and dress by Gabriela Hearst—have joined the Smithsonian’s popular First Ladies Collection. Showcasing over two dozen gowns worn by first ladies throughout American history, the exhibition includes Jacqueline Kennedy’s white Oleg Cassini inaugural gown, a 1780s dress owned by Martha Washington, and the ethereal, one-shouldered Jason Wu ensemble that Michelle Obama wore to the inauguration ball in 2009.

Natasha Lyonne Is Calling Bullshit in Peacock’s New Show ‘Poker Face’
The star talks working with ‘Knives Out’ director Rian Johnson, her character’s unique talents, and which of her pals has the worst poker face.
Lyonne admits that working with a new group of actors for each episode comes with its own unique set of challenges, but according to her, Johnson’s ability to succinctly develop the show’s tone helped the A-list guest stars — including Adrien Brody, Chloë Sevigny, Judith Light, Jameela Jamil, Nick Nolte, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and more — to quickly catch on.
“Actors are funny. They’re a bit like musicians, so even if everybody is incredible at playing their instrument, you just have to see if you guys are in tune together,” Lyonne says. “I would say that was pretty much the case. It was like they were trying to hear, ‘Where does it fall in the pocket? What key are we playing it in almost? Is it a comedy? Is it a drama?’ [Johnson] sent me a script that was beautiful. It’s so well-written, and he’s so brilliant. He’s a master craftsman and so funny.”

The Simple Yet Remarkable Feat of the Best Picture-Nominated Women Talking
“If there can be 12 Angry Men, there can be eight women in a hay loft.”
There’s nothing that should seem so revolutionary about Women Talking. In its atmospheric score and desaturated tones, the Best Picture nominee is designed to be as unobtrusive as the Mennonite women it portrays, each of them conditioned to be quiet, gentle, and subservient, even when their natural temperaments grate against that training. In the film—adapted from Miriam Toews’ book of the same name, which is based on a true story—that subservience is expected to extend into the aftermath of being raped by their husbands, sons, and brothers, several of whom have been arrested by the time the film begins. In the absence of the rest of the colony’s men, who’ve left town to bail the rapists out of jail, the women must decide what comes next. Who are they, in the absence of their supposed superiors? What is the godly thing to do: Stay and fight? Leave? Pretend the violence never happened, or that it will ever stop?

Silver Bullet: How to Go Gray
Silver transition pro Jack Martin guarantees to deliver your most flattering shade.
It was over brunch that my aunt Heidi Katz dropped the bombshell. “I’m going to go gray,” she said. “I’ve been coloring my hair since I was 26, when I had so much gray people thought it was frosted.” After peak Covid, when her husband colored her hair so often he developed tennis elbow, she’d had enough. But making the decision is only step one; the actual act of going gray is more emotionally fraught. “As a baby boomer, I want to remain forever young, so the thought of going gray is like, Whoa,” she confided.

‘Top Chef’ Is Back, These Are the All-Stars Competing This Year
All the details you need on the show’s milestone 20th season.
Bravo’s Top Chef is entering its 20th season in style, with World All-Stars in Lonon.
On Wednesday, the show announced its milestone season will take place in the UK’s largest city, and will feature 16 of its greatest competitors, representing 11 different Top Chef versions around the world. The chefs will battle it out throughout London, before the grand finale in Paris. According to a statement provided to Food & Wine, the chefs will have access to all the best ingredients in the U.K., and will craft their culinary creations in destinations like Highclere Castle and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

IT’S MORE DANGEROUS TO BE PREGNANT IN POST-ROE AMERICA
On the 50th anniversary of the landmark ruling, the slogan “abortion is health care” has never felt so urgent.
This past weekend marked the 50th anniversary of Roe, which, instead of a time of celebration, was marred by marches—because the antiabortion movement remains determined to further erode Americans’ rights—and misery, as women across the country face far more restrictions than a year ago. At least 13 states have banned abortion since Roe was officially overturned. This loss of bodily autonomy on the federal level has created medical disasters for women all throughout the country.

The 2023 Oscar Nominations, and What Should Have Made the List
These selections highlight the gap between what’s on the Academy’s radar and what’s going on in the world of movies at large.
If Oscar nominations bore a movie’s title, this year’s rundown would borrow one from Stanley Kubrick’s first feature, “Fear and Desire.” The movie-industry news of the past year has been the collapse of the box-office for almost everything but blockbusters, and the Academy’s response has been to put its mouth where its money is, by way of Best Picture nominations for the megahits “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Elvis,” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” plus one for the power that be, Netflix, whose “All Quiet on the Western Front” had an almost undetectable theatrical release.

26 Super Bowl Appetizers That Will Win Big on Game Day
It doesn’t matter if you’re a football fan—the appetizers served at Super Bowl celebrations are reason enough to celebrate. Kick off the festivities with staples like pigs in a blanket, chicken wings, and nachos, then score a touchdown with fresh dips and more innovative bites, like skewers and crab croquettes. We don’t know who will win the game, but we’re certain about this: Our favorite Super Bowl appetizer recipes are sure to draw cheers.

You may be thinking about animals all wrong (even if you’re an animal lover)
Philosopher Martha Nussbaum says humans should grant equal rights to animals, even in the wild. Is she right?
Martha Nussbaum is a very, very big deal, the kind of philosopher who, when she publishes a book, makes waves well beyond the ivory towers of academia. Her new volume, Justice for Animals, plunges into the animal welfare debate, billing itself as a “revolutionary new theory” in how we humans think about other animals. Which makes it all the more surprising that, at its heart, her theory isn’t very revolutionary at all.

How to Clean Your Patent Leather Furniture, Shoes, and Accessories
Make this coated leather shine with tips from our experts.
Whether it’s your couch or favorite pair of shoes, you likely own something covered in patent leather. The common material is known for its glossy appearance and smooth feel; other standard leathers tend to have more of a rubbery texture. But like all leathers, this iteration needs just as much care to ensure it stays in mint condition for as long as possible. If you want to know how to get your patent leather furniture, shoes, and accessories clean, follow these tips from our experts.

Hollywood’s Power Players: Why 2023 Will Be the Year of Video Game Adaptations
From ‘The Last of Us’ to ‘Gran Turismo’, get ready to see your favorite characters hit the big (and small) screen
IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE, but one day Hollywood is going to run out of Marvel and DC IP to mine for box office gold. Luckily, there’s an entire world of untapped source material waiting in the wings with a built-in fan base numbering in the billions. Granted, video game adaptations don’t exactly have the best track record. From famous flops like 1993’s live-action Super Mario Bros. to the steady stream of direct-to-DVD quality schlock from the likes of Paul W.S. Anderson, it’s fair to be skeptical about the game industry’s ability to break through to Tinseltown on an Avengers-level scale.

How to Make Crystal-Clear Ice for Cocktails and Other Drinks
Renowned ice authority, Camper English, shares his tips for clean, fresh, and clear cubes.
When you make cocktails at home for friends and family, you take the extra time and pay close attention to the details. You practice your mixing and shaking skills, find just the right garnish, and pull out your most beautiful glassware—but you should also check your ice. If it’s cloudy or foul-smelling, even your best mixology efforts will fall flat.
Luckily, making crystal-clear ice—and learning how to properly use it when you mix and pour drinks—isn’t difficult. To help, we tapped Camper English, a cocktail writer, author (his upcoming book on all things ice will hit shelves in May!), and educator, and the foremost authority on ice in the country (maybe the world).

National Portrait Gallery announces spectacular re-opening programme following three-year closure
Chair David Ross tells Tatler it will be ‘fantastic’ to have it open in June, with this year’s exhibitions set to include a collection of Sir Paul McCartney’s never-before-seen photographs
The National Portrait Gallery has confirmed it will open its doors and welcome visitors back to its hallowed halls on 22 June 2023, following a three-year closure and a £35.5 million redevelopment project.
On 25 January, the renowned institution announced that it would mark its new era with a stylish re-brand: ‘a fresh visual identity to better reflect its role as a gallery that is of people, for people, telling the story of Britain’s past, present and future through portraits,’ said a press release. Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, added: ‘Building on the concept of our architectural renovation, which is to reveal and celebrate our history while creating a Gallery fit for 21st century audiences, our new brand reflects our rich heritage but re-imagined to be more relevant to more people in 2023 and beyond.

The glories of dining out alone
Solo dining is one of life’s great pleasures — and privileges.
At a recent family gathering, the conversation turned to dining, and from there to a common practice of mine: eating alone in restaurants.
My grandmother, who’s in her 80s and grew up in the upstate town where they all live, said she’d never do it, that when she was a girl it was frowned upon and it still felt strange to her. Other female relatives a generation younger talked about their reticence to eat in a place where they thought they’d be judged by fellow diners, silently pitied as a loser. One aunt who waited tables at an upscale restaurant said she always felt bad for people who were eating alone, wondering if they were lonely. “Unless they had a book with them,” she added, smiling.

When you can’t speak to the manager — or anyone
Need to call Facebook? Frontier? Good luck.
“Initially, all companies had phone call services, and then some firms started saying, ‘Sorry, we are only going to be reachable on certain days of certain hours,’” Hu said. Then maybe if you called off hours, you got connected with someone offshore, and eventually, you got connected with someone offshore off the bat. “It’s not for service quality, it’s for cost control,” she said. Then customer service moved to live chat options, often with a reply from a template, because automation also saves money, and then to robots and AI. The pandemic made everything worse, because many companies that did have in-person call centers shut them down altogether. It’s increasingly difficult for companies to get call center employees in the door and to get them to stick around.

[Photo Credit: quoinrock.co.za, yuliyagaiduk.com]

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