T LOunge for May 16th, 2023

Kilo Kitchen and Lounge – Jakarta, Indonesia

Kittens, it’s TUESDAY, so let’s spread out on some couches or gather round a table; whichever appeals to you most today. The point is to not to do anything of import for the next twelve hours or so. Are you up for it? Or down with that?

Your Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2023 Cover Models Are Martha Stewart, Megan Fox, Kim Petras and Brooks Nader
This year’s issue celebrates 28 incredible women—including some familiar faces.
There’s no arguing that Stewart is an absolute icon. The Emmy Award–winning television show host and founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia reaches more than 100 million fans monthly and, throughout her illustrious career, has written 99 lifestyle books. She’s also a proud mother and grandmother and, now 81, is the oldest SI Swimsuit cover model in the publication’s history. While Stewart says she doesn’t think about age very often, she does admit that the opportunity to pose in a swimsuit for the cover of the 2023 issue is, in fact, historic. She was photographed by Ruven Afanador in the Dominican Republic at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas.
“Never in her life has she let her circumstances dictate her outcome,” Day says of Stewart. “She’s changed with the times—always one step ahead, it seems—to build a wide-reaching business empire.”

Brooke Shields on Richard Avedon’s Centennial—And That Infamous Calvin Klein Campaign
One icon illuminates the work of another when Brooke Shields sits down with Vogue for a special “Life in Looks” marking the centennial of Richard Avedon’s birth, which takes us roughly from the photographer’s Funny Face era to a few years before his death in 2004.
The iconic images Shields talks through express a range of emotions, including joy (Suzy Parker and Robin Tattersall roller skating in Paris, 1956) and melancholy (his “Sad Marilyn” of 1957). A 14-time Vogue cover girl, Shields speaks from experience. Reacting to a 1978 portrait Avedon took of her for an issue of the magazine, she recalls: “I remember being taken to his studio after school with my mom. I had already done Pretty Baby and had been a model, but I remember seeing this photograph of myself and being so shocked, because it was unlike any other photograph I had seen of myself. He did capture something that I wasn’t giving him per se.”

10 ways to help your hair grow long, quickly
Whether you’re trying to grow out a short haircut, or are simply dreaming of Rapunzel-length locks, these tips will encourage longer, stronger hair
Went for the chop and now reminisce about your longer length? Or simply want to stop waiting for your hair to reach below your shoulders? It is no surprise that so many of us end up asking how we can make our hair grow longer, quicker.
On average, your hair grows around half an inch a month – or six inches a year. But, unfortunately, damage and breakage can interrupt this process, meaning if your hair is dry, overly heat-styled or simply subject to wear-and-tear from brushing and other activities, you’re likely to see less growth than this.

The Most Stylish Saint Laurent Looks On Film
Countless designers have costumed stars for the big screen, but few were as prolific as the formidable Yves Saint Laurent. Over the course of four decades, the couturier dressed the likes of Catherine Deneuve, Jean Seberg, Claudia Cardinale and Romy Schneider in subversive vinyl trench coats and frothy cocktail dresses in the works of François Truffaut, Luis Buñuel and Claude Chabrol – his striking creations frequently stealing the spotlight from the luminous leading ladies who sported them.

How costume drama is dominating our screens, and influencing our wardrobes
‘Succession’ might be fuelling ‘stealth wealth’, but a number of other shows are embracing the theatrical, and encouraging us to do the same
The ‘stealth wealth’ aesthetic has been dominating online chatter and style headlines the world over and, while the autumn/winter 2023 collections mirrored a similar proclivity for impeccable tailoring sans bells, whistles and, indeed, logos, lest we forget we’re still firmly rooted in spring/summer. And the mood here is distinctly more theatrical.
In the past month, we’ve witnessed a Met Gala and a coronation, both of which celebrated the art of getting dressed – as in, really dressed. It’s in keeping with a wider celebration of truly beautiful clothes rooted in history, something which was explored by fashion’s most famous houses for the current season and which can also be seen in the many costume dramas dominating our screens (and influencing our own wardrobes).

Ruth Wilson: “I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’m not sure I ever will again”
The award-winning actress is about to take to the stage… for 24 hours. She sits down with Bazaar to discuss her latest challenge.
The Second Woman, created by experimental playwrights Nat Randall and Anna Breckon, is a fascinating proposition. In it, Wilson will replay the same one scene – between a man and a woman at a precipice in their relationship (a scene inspired by inspired by John Cassavetes’ film Opening Night) – but she revisits this moment 100 times, with 100 different men, most of whom are non-actors, all of whom have never rehearsed with Wilson. Oh, and this will go on continuously for 24 hours. Sound crazy?

Is Microwave Cooking About To Make A Comeback?
Growing up, one book on my parents’ shelf obsessed my siblings and I above all others. It wasn’t The Joy of Sex, Valley of the Dolls or Lady Chatterley’s Lover. This work was free of sex, violence or scandal, but it evoked more gasps than any pulpy paperback. It was The South African Book of Microwave Cooking, and it was truly shocking.
We spent years poring over it, never tiring of its cornucopias of grey “roast” meats, creamed oysters and sweaty fish fillets. We grilled my parents about what the “toasted” cheese sandwiches tasted like – fascinated as to why these seemingly functional adults would do something as outrageous as cooking French toast in a microwave.

Timothée Chalamet On French-Guy Hair, Filming With Scorsese, And Being The New Face Of Bleu De Chanel
Chalamet is coming off a long run of exciting film projects of his own. The second instalment of the blockbuster Dune trilogy is out in November. Then in December comes Wonka, directed by Paul King of Paddington fame, in which he plays the titular kooky and much-beloved chocolatier. “To work on something that will have an uncynical young audience, that was just a big joy. That’s why I was drawn to it,” he says. “In a time and climate of intense political rhetoric when there’s so much bad news all the time, this is hopefully going to be a piece of chocolate.”

Shopping for What it Means to be an American Girl
As the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, Jennifer De Leon was always asked to explain where she came from. Clothes helped her find an answer.
Our family worshipped the Gap so much that when one of my sisters was old enough, it was the only place she wanted to work. She was suddenly the coolest person on the planet, coming home with her “fifties” and “thirties”—monthly items she could purchase at 50 and 30 percent off the regular price. She also came home with new lingo—boot cut, relaxed, khaki. We had never heard these words before, even though we lived in the suburbs of Boston.

The Essence of the Subject: 11 Highlights From ‘Avedon 100’
Born in New York City 100 years ago today, Richard Avedon was a singular force in fashion and art photography, pioneering a visual style that privileged both formal innovation and a sense of theater—whether he was working in the studio or out on the street. “Avedon’s unflinchingly frank aesthetic has become so much a part of the conventions of photographic portraiture it is easy to forget that he invented it,” Larry Gagosian writes in the splendid exhibition catalog for “Avedon 100,” the sprawling centennial celebration now on view at his 21st Street gallery. “He is one of the greatest portraitists in history, as important to his time as Holbein and Gainsborough were to theirs.”

A Minnesota Man Invented a Motorcycle That Runs on Beer
Simply calling Ky Michaelson an innovator is an insulting kind of understatement, like referring to the Pacific Ocean as an oversized paddling pool. In the past half-century, the Minnesota man has invented — and then improved upon — countless machines, filed patents on top of patents, and has set over 70 state, national, and international speed records with his jet-powered innovations. He set a Guinness record with a rocket-powered snowmobile, devised a hot-dog cooker called “Ky’s Little Cremator,” and made a high-speed margarita-maker by putting a weed-eater motor in a blender.
His latest creation might be among his most impressive, which is really saying something. According to KMSP, Michaelson has designed and constructed what he believes is the world’s first beer-powered motorcycle, powered by a 14-gallon keg instead of a gas engine.

I stayed at ‘The White Lotus’ hotel in Sicily where the hit series was filmed. Take a look inside my 366-square-foot suite, which cost $2,248 per night.
I spent one night at the hotel where season two of “The White Lotus” was filmed in Sicily.
My sea-view room with a terrace at San Domenico Palace cost $2,248 for one night.
I was impressed with the freebies that came with the room and the gorgeous scenery.

75 Easy, No-Bake Summer Desserts to Make This Weekend
All you need are just a few ingredients and these recipes will help you beat the heat.
During summer’s hottest days, we don’t even want to *think* about turning on our ovens, let alone take on a baking project like making a layered cake or a big batch of cookies. But, that doesn’t mean we’re willing to ditch dessert any time the temps get too high. Fortunately, there are tons of easy-to-make, no-bake summer desserts that are perfect for this time of year.
For many of these recipes, your freezer is your friend: Its cold temps come in clutch for setting up no-churn ice creams, ice pops and icebox cakes. Plus, you can keep a stash of fruit on hand (buy bags of frozen, or learn how to freeze strawberries or how to freeze bananas) for easy frosty desserts in a flash. That said, your grill, stovetop and microwave are great tools as well. The season’s finest fruits (think: peaches, pineapples and all the strawberry desserts) taste incredible after getting a quick char on the grill, while you can use your microwave to quickly melt chocolate or make individual mug cakes and your stovetop to fry up Oreos. Yum!
Whether you’re craving chocolate or looking for a light and fruit-forward option, we’ve got you covered. (P.S. Don’t miss our favorite summer dinners, many of which also keep the oven off.)

Everything old is new again
Is it possible to be truly original anymore — in your own life, in commerce, in art?
We’re in a cultural moment where it feels like so much is being rehashed, repackaged, and resold to a captive audience. This is certainly the case in entertainment, where the Hollywood reboot machine is the driving force behind what makes it to our screens; even “original” programming is frequently built from familiar storytelling tropes and formats. The same kind of recycling — sorry, remixing — holds true in pop music.
This carries over into matters of business and politics with just as much resonance. And when it comes to lifestyle topics like dieting, parenting, and even sex, we wind up circling the drain and repackaging old trends and ideas as hot new fads, too.
What makes newness, or novelty, or originality, so important in the first place, particularly in a society that heavily prioritizes individual comfort and choices? Are we in a uniquely not-new moment, or has it actually always felt this way?

How Long Does Every Type of Tea Last?
It’s time to go through your tea collection—expired bags and loose leaves aren’t as flavorful as the fresh stuff.
Whether you brew it at the beginning of your day or in the evening to wind down, tea is a beverage most of us keep on hand. If you like to have multiple blends in your pantry—black tea for a caffeine boost, chamomile for bed time, or fruit blends for flavor—it may be hard to keep track of how long ago your purchased each type. While expired tea won’t make you sick, it does change its potency and flavor. But how long does it take for this to happen? Here, tea experts explain how long the beverage lasts, plus the best storage methods to extend its shelf life.

How to Choose the Right Type of Baseboards for Your Home
You may not have given baseboards much thought in the past, but you should—they add personality and style to a room.
When it comes to renovating or designing a home, baseboards are often cast aside as an afterthought. Though they may seem like a minor design element, baseboards are an important feature that deserve your attention. Not only do they add visual depth to rooms and help anchor walls, but baseboards can also protect fragile finishes, like wallpaper, from damage when moving furniture or cleaning floors. While they may seem like a one-style-fits-all feature, there are actually a handful of baseboard options available.

12 Sustainable Swaps to Make If You Want a Plastic-Free Kitchen
From produce bags to storage jars, here are the eco-friendly glass, wax, and silicone products you need to keep plastic out of your kitchen for good.
Imagine your kitchen right now. How many things in it don’t contain plastic? These days, plastic is everywhere. We store our food in it, tote our lunch in it, and stir ingredients with it. And eventually, that plastic in our kitchens can end up in our oceans, our soils, and even in us.1
According to the U.N. Environment Program, the world now generates more than 400 million tons of plastic waste annually.2 It’s a planetary crisis—and it’s also a contributor to the climate crisis. More than 99 percent of plastic is made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas.
While it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all that plastic, the good news is that we’re living in a golden age of eco-friendly alternatives. There are small steps we can take to reduce our use of plastic dramatically, starting in our kitchens. From produce bags to glass storage jars, here are the best product swaps to make if you want a plastic-free kitchen.

At 81, Martha Stewart Is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover Star
The domestic diva talks about shedding her inhibitions, and (most of) her clothes, for the cover shoot.
It’s useless to try to pigeonhole Martha Stewart. Decorously entertaining homemaker-slash-lifestyle guru, television personality, publisher, canny entrepreneur-turned-white-collar criminal, Snoop Dogg’s unlikely BFF — these are labels she spins, or drops when it suits her, as adroitly as a juggler.
Resisting attempts to peg or malign her, Ms. Stewart has survived, even thrived, “not as a Superwoman,” as Joan Didion once put it, “but as an Everywoman.”
But now, at 81, she seems intent on shrugging off that label as well, swapping her “domestic goddess” persona for something a little saucier: badass Martha, a hottie who, it would seem, will shuck her inhibitions as lightly as an ear of corn.

The Restaurant Service Charge Isn’t Going Anywhere
These added-on fees confuse diners and even employees, but more owners are relying on them to help make a tough business work.
Here’s a familiar restaurant scene: Dinner is over, the plates have been cleared and the server discreetly drops the bill on the table. But there’s something less familiar at the bottom of the check — a service charge, tacked on with little explanation.
Questions immediately swirl. Is this a tip? Does it go to the wait staff? If not, should I leave more money? Is it rude if I ask my server any of this?
“You shouldn’t have to ask,” said Chloe Lynn Oxley, a project manager in Washington, D.C., who dines out frequently and — like many diners — is often bewildered by the fees. “It should be very clear what the service charge is, and what it is for.”

[Photo Credit: studio-dinding.com]

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