T LOunge for May 8th, 2023

Casa de Comidas Buenavista Restaurant – Barcelona, Spain

It’s MONDAY and that calls for a space that manages to be soothing and fun at the same time. Let’s not take anything seriously today, kittens!

Florals? For Spring? A New Book Makes Them Groundbreaking
Thank the Surinam-born artist Natasja Sadi and her popular Instagram account, @cakeatelieramsterdam, now a gorgeous coffee table book.
If you had a Saruman-style crystal ball and predicted that I would make a friend through the internet, I would tell you that you must have Houdinied out of your straitjacket and escaped the asylum. As a Gen Xer who lived through the dawn of online life, I’ve always approached strangers with some amount of apprehension—until I became besotted by the cult-followed Instagram account @cakeatelieramsterdam.
The genius behind the account, Natasja Sadi, is no longer the wedding cake maker her handle suggests but a floral artist whose anticipated Sunday posts burst with colorful flowers from Dutch flower markets.

Richard Avedon’s Vision
A new exhibition explores the outsized legacy of the late photographer, who got his start at Harper’s Bazaar. But before he was one of the world’s most celebrated image-makers, he was coeditor of his high school literary journal—with James Baldwin.
Richard Avedon once won a teen poetry contest. It’s a tiny factoid that bobs like a little buoy in the great sea of accolades that has surrounded his body of work as a photographer—one he began creating in earnest at Harper’s Bazaar in the waning days of the Second World War and continued to restlessly reshape and reimagine until his death in 2004 at the age of 81. Avedon’s winning entry in the 1941 Scholastic Art & Writing competition was a poem called “Wanderlust,” in which the narrator appears eager to leave home in search of new people, places, and experiences despite those who caution him to take a more conventional path. It begins with the couplet “You must not think because my glance is quick / To shift from this to that, from here to there,” and concludes, “I know my drifting will not prove a loss, / For mine is a rolling stone that has gathered moss.”

Dua Lipa has co-designed Versace’s latest collection
The house will host a show in the South of France this month in celebration
Dua Lipa has teamed up with Donatella Versace and co-designed Versace’s latest collection. Entitled ‘La Vacanza’, the line will be presented via a show in the South of France later this month.
The singer – who has long been a friend of the house – has turned her hand to design for the first time, helping to create a high summer, holiday-inspired collection of pieces.

Willie Landels, the first editor of Harper’s & Queen, has died
The celebrated editor, artist and designer, spearheaded the magazine that would become Harper’s Bazaar
Willlie Landels, the celebrated first editor of Harper’s & Queen, has died aged 94. Known as an eccentric wit, a celebrated designer and a consummate artist whose talents extended from producing magazine layouts to designing sofas, he had an enormously influential legacy on the magazine that would later become Harper’s Bazaar.
Born in 1928, in Venice, to Scottish and Italian parents, Landels was raised in Lake Como and attended art school in Milan. One of his first jobs was as an apprentice set designer at La Scala Opera House, before he moved to London and turned his creative instincts towards advertising.

Queen Letizia of Spain attends a pre-Coronation event wearing Victoria Beckham
The lime green dress first appears on Beckham’s SS23 catwalk
At a reception for overseas coronation guests last night, one look in particular caught the eye of style watchers: that of Queen Letizia of Spain, who paid tribute to British fashion and wore a slinky, lime green ruched-front dress by Victoria Beckham.
Queen Letizia isn’t the first to have worn the piece, which was first seen on Victoria Beckham’s spring/summer 2023 catwalk in Paris, modelled by Bella Hadid.

King Charles’ Coronation Outfits: The Meaning Behind Kate Middleton And More’s Coronation Outfits
On this momentous day, we look to Kate Middleton, Queen Camilla, Princess Charlotte and more’s outfits and find out the meanings behind them.
Almost eight months to the day since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away aged 96, King Charles III has been crowned.
Despite ascending to the throne following the late Monarch’s passing on September 8, 2022, today (May 6, 2023), the former Prince of Wales’ coronation ceremony has seen him symbolically take the throne. In fact, the day has been full of symbolism, from the Sovereign’s Orb and the Sovereign’s Sceptre, right through to the royal guest’s jewellery and clothes.
Ever ones to communicate through their brooches, tiaras, designer choices and clothes’ colours, the royal guests at Westminster Abbey showed what a momentous occasion the coronation was through their outfits.

King Charles’ Coronation: Everything You Need To Know About Queen Camilla’s Jewellery And Crown
King Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, was bedecked in meaningful jewellery for the momentous coronation.
While all eyes were on King Charles III on the momentous occasion of his coronation today (May 6), we couldn’t help but look to his wife of 18 years, Queen Camilla.
Camilla (formerly the Duchess of Cornwall and Queen Consort until the coronation), accompanied her husband to Westminster Abbey from Buckingham Palace wearing a white silk dress, covered in floral embroidery and designed by Bruce Oldfield.
Atop this, the Queen wore a traditional robe known as The Robe of State, that was first made for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

How To Spot A Fake Handbag, According To The Experts
Unintentionally buying a fake handbag is something we all want to avoid – particularly considering the rise of so-called “superfakes”. Given that so many of us are now looking to purchase second-hand luxury bags (it’s better for the environment, and much more affordable), knowing what to watch out for is key.
Three experts share their top tips on how to spot a fake handbag, whether buying online or IRL.

Prince Louis Charmed The Internet Again During The Coronation
Amid the seriousness of the Coronation, leave it to Prince Louis to provide a dose of comic relief. Throughout the historic affair, the five-year-old delighted viewers with his number of expressive moods – especially his many yawns.
By all accounts, Louis was remarkably well-behaved – this was a long day for everyone, especially for children – as were the rest of his siblings. However, cameras couldn’t help capture the little Prince as he navigated the historic ceremony. During the two-hour service in Westminster Abbey, he was spotted holding hands with his sister Charlotte, yawning, as well as whispering with her in the pews.

‘Bridgerton’ Prequel Takes Queen Charlotte on an 18th-Century Natural Hair Journey
“I’ve never seen it before in a period drama. And that’s what this was all about, creating images that you get to see now,” says hair and makeup designer Nic Collins.
“We all agreed that it would be a journey,” says hair and makeup designer Nic Collins. “She’s not coming in as this big personality with these large wigs. She starts with natural hair. She’s in a foreign land, she’s in an arranged marriage that she doesn’t want to be in. It must have been terrifying for her. Those were the things we were considering.”

How to Get Picture-Perfect Grill Marks on Meat and Fish
Follow our step-by-step guide to creating a pro-level crosshatch on grilled food.
There’s something supremely satisfying about getting those criss-crossed grill marks on meat and fish. Achieving these results is a picture-worthy moment (that is, if your hungry diners are willing to wait). But can you consistently create that perfect crosshatch design, and do they have culinary value—or are they just for looks? We consulted with two grilling experts to find out.

Carex Is One of the Best Grass Alternatives for Your Lawn, Say Horticulturalists
After a five-year study, experts at Mt. Cuba Center, a botanical garden, say this turf type is one to watch.
Often referred to as sedge, carex is the sustainable grass alternative taking the landscaping world by storm. The reason why this genus of turf-like and often-native plants is gaining in popularity? A recent trial at Mt. Cuba Center, a botanical garden in Hockessin, Del., evaluated 70 types of carex and found that most make excellent native lawn replacements thanks to their spreading habits—many can even be mowed just like regular grass. We spoke with two garden experts to learn more about carex, including how to use it to transform your landscape.

How to Brew the Best Iced Tea All Summer Long
Our guide includes different techniques, sweeteners, and one of Martha’s favorite recipes.
A thirst-quenching glass of iced tea is a lovely antidote to the summer heat and surprisingly easy to make. All you need to do is combine two ingredients—tea and water—using one of our easy-to-brew methods. From there, you can enjoy your iced tea with plenty of ice and maybe a slice of lemon or tailor each glass by adding a sweetener, seasonal herbs, and fruits. Follow our guide for how to make iced tea so you can enjoy an icy, vibrant, and refreshing sip all season long.

How Your Favorite Queer Creators Use Fashion and Beauty to Tell the World Who They Are
From Orville Peck to Sugar and Spice, these trailblazers are modeling—for the LGBTQ+ community and beyond—what it means to be wholly, authentically, genuinely yourself. And also hot as hell.
The queer community is—and has always been—the blueprint for fashion designers worldwide. We break boundaries. (RuPaul, anyone?) We start trends. (Elton John was doing glitter-geek-chic long before Gucci.) We bend the rules of gender, tradition, and decency—and as a result, we’ve turned getting dressed into a defiant form of self-expression. As a means of survival, queer people have learned to use the makeup and garments with which we adorn our bodies as a way to signal our very existence to the world. Our closets are the safest place to unapologetically assert our individualism. What we wear is more than just clothes; it’s a way of letting one another know what we’re all about. Getting dressed is a form of storytelling. And for queer folks, there’s a lot to say.

MTV Movie & TV Awards Complete Winners List: Pedro Pascal, Tom Cruise & ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast Among Golden Popcorn Recipients
The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards went on with a pretaped ceremony amid the writers strike and talent pulling out in support of the movement.
Drew Barrymore dropped out of hosting duties earlier this week and pledged to return next year. Barrymore had already pretaped the opening segment of the show where she was inserted in scenes from films like Cocaine Bear, M3GAN, and Top Gun: Maverick, as well as TV shows like The White Lotus, all while dressed as her Never Been Kissed character Josie Gellar.
Pedro Pascal took the first golden popcorn trophy of the night for his role in The Last of Us.

Who is Penny Mordaunt? Leader of the House of Commons had a star turn at King Charles’s Coronation
Penny Mordaunt, MP and Leader of the House of Commons, walked in front of King Charles III at his Coronation and carried a historic sword
Penny Mordaunt was tasked with carrying out one of the key roles at King Charles’s Coronation today. As Leader of the House of Commons, Mordaunt also holds the office of Lord President of the Privy Council, giving her the responsibility of carrying the 17th-Century Sword of State into Westminster Abbey for King Charles’s Coronation.

Building a Better Colonial Williamsburg
Virginia’s reconstructed colonial capital, long criticized as presenting an idealized image of the American Revolution, brings its history into the 21st century.
After decades of declining attendance and financial instability, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the private entity that owns and operates the site, is rethinking not just some of its structures, but also the stories it tells, adding or expanding offerings relating to Black, Native American and L.G.B.T.Q. history.

Dapper Dan is the “Fairy
God Daddy” of Harlem
Dapper Dan is as ubiquitous with New York luxury as Karl Lagerfeld is to Parisian luxury. His innovations know no bounds and often have few manners, so it feels only right that for Brooklyn Public Library’s People’s Ball, the 50th anniversary edition, Dapper Dan was the guest of honor. Days before the ball, Interview‘s consigliere Jeremy O. Harris called the man of the hour to hear his Cinderella story.

[Photo Credit: restaurantbuenavista.es, concepcionpadilla.com]

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