T LOunge for September 27th 2024

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PinM’Ama! Restaurant – Praiano, Amalfi Coast, Italy

Deep breaths, darlings. Close your eyes and smell the sea beckoning you. Lean back and let the sun caress you in non-carcinogenic ways. It is FRIDAY. Get a drink, dammit.

Maggie Smith Dies: Oscar-Winning Star Of ‘Harry Potter’ & ‘Downton Abbey’ Was 89
Dame Maggie Smith, the celebrated British actress, has died. She was 89.
Smith’s death was confirmed by her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. In a statement shared with UK media, they said: “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September.
“An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

Maggie Smith, Grand Dame of Stage and Screen, Dies at 89
She earned an extraordinary array of awards, from Oscars to Emmys to Tonys, but could still go almost everywhere unrecognized. Then came “Downton Abbey.”
Maggie Smith, one of the finest British stage and screen actors of her generation, whose award-winning roles ranged from a freethinking Scottish schoolteacher in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” to the acid-tongued dowager countess on “Downton Abbey,” died on Friday in London. She was 89.

Lady Gaga on “Deep Experience” With Her ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Character That Inspired ‘Harlequin’ Album
The actress-singer plays Lee, aka Harley Quinn, opposite Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker in the upcoming musical sequel, out Oct. 4.
Lady Gaga is opening up about the inspiration behind her Joker: Folie à Deux companion album titled Harlequin.
The actress-singer recently spoke to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about finding a balance between herself and her character Lee, aka Harley Quinn, for the album, which will be released Friday and include 13 tracks.
“I think that for me, this idea of dual identities was always something that was a part of my music-making,” Gaga explained. “I was always creating characters in my music, and when I made Lee for Joker, she just really had this profound effect on me. The film had so much music in it, so much music that I love, and I was able to discover the character through the story, through the music that we did live every day as well as dance and the costumes and the makeup. So I kind of had this deep experience with the character and she just didn’t really leave me creatively, and I decided I wanted to make a whole album inspired by her.”

There’s a Movie in the Works About Jackie Kennedy’s Wedding Dress Designer Ann Lowe
Lowe was the first Black woman to own a shop on Madison Avenue
Anew film will tell the story of Ann Lowe, who famously made Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress.
Sony’s TriStar Pictures recently acquired The Dress, which will focus on Lowe’s creation of the famed bridal gown.
The novel, by Piper Huguley, is “the incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America’s most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy.”

Our 50 Favorite Saturday Night Live Sketches
Live, from New York, it’s an idiosyncratic list of SNL moments we’re still thinking about—from the Belushi/Aykroyd/Radner years to the Eddie Murphy era to Sandler, Fey, Hader and beyond.
When was Saturday Night Live at its peak? According to executive producer Lorne Michaels—who has shepherded the show for nearly its entire 50-year history—the answer is different for everyone. “Generally when people talk about the best cast I think, ‘Well, that’s when they were in high school,’” he told the Today show in 2015. Even diehards will admit that SNL has always been wildly uneven. In a way, that very inconsistency is central to its appeal: This is live television! Anything can happen! One minute, you could be watching a poorly thought-out idea limp to the finish; the next, you could see genius unfurl before your very eyes.
To celebrate the comedy juggernaut’s upcoming 50th season, Vanity Fair’s staff compiled this list of our 50 favorite SNL sketches. They may not necessarily be the show’s “best” material—whatever “best” would mean in this context—but they’re the moments that have stuck in our minds for the last 1, 10, or 50 (!) years.

The centre-parted bun is *still* the chicest way to wear your hair—as a die-hard fan, here’s how to do it
Fuss-free hairstyles don’t get better than this
Although I’m a beauty editor, I have to confess, I am a complete novice when it comes to hair styling. While I love to write about the latest hair trends and trending hair colours, my repertoire for creating looks on myself is pretty limited. I usually work from a rotation of three styles: a 90s-style blow dry (using my favourite Amika hot brush), soft waves and, finally, a centre-parted bun. Then, once I’ve completed the trifecta, I know wash day has arrived and I begin the circuit all over again.
Because of this, however, I’ve honed my skills at perfecting the centre-parted bun over the years and now, not to brag, but I’d say I’ve got it down to an art form.

I adore warming perfumes come autumn—these 13 are like walking into a bakery first thing in the morning
We’re talking grown-up gourmands
Sure, some of the best perfumes remind me of those sunny moments when the warm breeze hits me and makes my worries disappear (looking at you: lemon perfumes). But for this time of year, there are other creamy fragrances that wrap me in a cashmere blanket and tell me that my work can wait until tomorrow with a gripping Netflix series and duvet calling my name. And then there’s the last category, the type of scent akin to my favourite pastime: coffee and pastries.
There’s something magical and comforting about the wafting of a favourite bakery filled with fresh pastries and bread, with the sounds and smells of coffee brewing. Some of the best perfumes are so good, you can almost eat them. Enter: gourmand fragrances.

51 best TV series on Amazon Prime for your next night in
From My Lady Jane to Expats.
Worried you’ve completed Netflix? Never fear, Amazon Prime Video is your next best bet for some of the best TV series to ever grace the small screen.
Yes, there once was a time when we would worry about exhausting all our viewing options… a time when we believed we might come to the end of everything Netflix had to offer and be left with nothing to do but actually talk to our friends or leave the house. Then, Amazon Prime Video came along, and thanks to on-demand streaming services, with its vast array of exclusive series, award-winning original TV, and exciting movie content to feast our eyes on, we’ve never worried again.

Emilia Pérez, starring Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana, is the Mexican cartel musical you need to see ASAP
This one’s got serious Oscar buzz.
Selena Gomez and Marvel star Zoe Saldana star in unique, exciting Netflix movie Emilia Pérez, which will explore the story of a Mexican cartel leader who asks a lawyer to help them fake their death and pursue gender reassignment surgery.
It’s rumoured to be a potential nomination for the Best Picture Oscar, so it most certainly should be on your radar.
Emilia Pérez has been described as a “transgender cartel musical” and “a musical story of rebirth”, and loosely based on the 2018 novel Écoute by Boris Razon. We are very inrigued.

The 10 Best Classic Films To Have On Your Radar
You can never go wrong with a classic film.
When it comes to cinematic classics, certain films stand the test of time and with good reason.
Whether it’s the iconic elegance of Breakfast At Tiffany’s or the sweeping drama that is Gone With The Wind, some films have the power to do more than just tell stories; they’ve defined eras in history. Inspiring fashion, fuelling societal conversations and, of course, offering escapism into a world that still feels relevant, despite being released decades ago.
For those looking to indulge in the nostalgia of a true classic film, we’ve curated a list of enduring beacons of Hollywood that continue to influence the way we think about love, identity, and the art of cinema itself. Prepare to be captivated.

Everything We Know About Netflix’s East of Eden TV Show
Zoe Kazan will write the show, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Elia Kazan, who directed the 1955 adaptation of the famed novel.
There’s a new East of Eden adaptation in the works at Netflix.
The limited series was greenlit by the streamer, with Florence Pugh, Mike Faist, Christopher Abbott, and Hoon Lee attached to star. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming TV show:
It is based on John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel.

The Best New Royal Books of 2024 (So Far)
It’s shaping up to be a major year for royal books, with a memoir by Kate Middleton’s brother, a new biography of Anne Boleyn, and a royal cookbook by Queen Camilla’s son.
When Prince Harry released Spare last year, readers couldn’t get enough of his stories from inside the palace walls. Now, a year and a half later, 2024 is shaping up to be another major year for royal-related books. From new biographies of Tudor queens to memoirs by both Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, and Kate Middleton’s brother, James Middleton, to a cookbook from Queen Camilla’s son, there’s a bevy of fantastic new books for those interested in the British monarchy.

This Missouri City Has a Cashew Chicken Trail
Cashew chicken is so significant in Springfield, 50 restaurants serve the specialty.
If you grew up in the Ozarks, like I did, it’s likely that your family had a go-to Chinese restaurant. And when you vehemently defended your beloved spot, it was because it had one dish that was made better than any other: cashew chicken. Ours was Canton Inn on the west side of town near my childhood home. My husband’s family was die-hard for Lucy’s Chinese Food. Both restaurants serve a version of the Springfield-style dish, which is most often made with fried chicken chunks, smothered in a brown gravy of soy and oyster sauce, and topped with green onion and cashews.

17 Dreamy Tuscan Recipes With Plenty of Olive Oil and Rosemary
Cook like you’re in Tuscany with a few of the region’s prized ingredients.
Channel a backdrop of rolling hills and dreamy villas with these meals that celebrate the flavors and specialties of Tuscany. Your Tuscan olive oil, balsamic, and herbs will sing in pasta, meat, and salad dishes from the idyllic region. Start with soup like Ribollita or Pappa al Pomodoro; then make the pici of Siena, the gnocchi of Bolgheri, or of course, eggs Florentine. Prepare Tuscan-style chicken, trout, or steak, and for dessert, bake cake like a nonna. Don’t miss the wine pairings in these Tuscan recipes, from Chianti to Vernaccia. Buon appetito!

Brooke Shields, 59, On Her 50s Being “a Period of Freedom”
The multi-hyphenate wants to flip the scripts on how we see aging.
For much of her life, Brooke Shields didn’t think about aging. Her focus “was always just trying to put one foot in front of the other and stay afloat.” She didn’t look forward to any age, nor wish time would slow down. She wasn’t dying to turn 18 years old or pining for the day she’d be 21; when she got to 50, she wasn’t full of dread like many people are as they approach the milestone. She simply was.
“I am not a Zen individual. I’m not, you know, present. But, when I look back at that, I think, Wow, I was just reacting in the moment, counting my blessings at each stage, and making that set the precedent for the way I felt,” she says, clad in a sunshine-yellow sweater and purple eyeglasses. “I don’t know how that happened. I spent so much of my time comparing myself to other people. I fell into all the other insecurities, age just didn’t feel like one to me because it didn’t seem like I could do anything to change it.”

Kate Winslet’s Son “Cried a Lot” the First Time He Watched ‘Titanic’
10-year-old Bear was “very upset.”
Watching Titanic for the very first time is something that movie buffs never forget and for the film’s star, Kate Winslet, having her children watch it is another momentous occasion. The Oscar-winning actress explained to E! News that her 10-year-old son, Bear, recently watched the three-hour epic and he was understandably distraught.

Julia Roberts to Narrate Audiobook of Lisa Marie Presley’s Posthumous Memoir
Presley’s daughter Riley Keough, who helped complete the book following her mother’s death, will also lend her voice.
Julia Roberts will narrate the audiobook of Lisa Marie Presley’s posthumous memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown, it was announced Wednesday.
The actress will narrate alongside Presley’s daughter, Riley Keough, who helped complete the book following Presley’s death.
The audiobook will also feature never-before-heard selections from the personal tapes Presley recorded as she prepared to write the book.
In a statement, Roberts said, “I was so moved by Lisa Marie’s incredible memoir. It was a real privilege to give voice to her wild and beautiful life and I deeply appreciate Riley entrusting me with her mother’s story.”

30 Photos Of Venus And Serena Williams’s Sweet Sisterly Bond Over The Years
From their days as kids playing tennis in Compton, to dominating and shining together on the world’s biggest stages, see some of our favorite images of the Williams sisters.
Doubles partners. Tennis trailblazers. Best Friends. Sisters. Icons.
Venus and Serena Williams have done it all together, changing the face of tennis the minute they stepped on the scene in the early ’90s, inspiring Black girls, and boys too, to pick up a racket. Through it all, including through the many competitive matches they’ve had to play versus one another (31 between ’98 and 2020), they’ve remained close and inspired by each other.
“My role model was always my sister,” Serena told young reporter Jazlyn Guerra in 2023. “She was older than me, she was great, she was fun, and she was amazing. She was such a great older sister. I did everything, literally, I did everything Venus did. That was definitely my role model.”

The 25 Best Romantic TV Shows to Watch Now, from ‘Moonlighting’ to ‘Normal People’
From fizzy period fantasy romance to modern drama, TV is filled with indelible love stories to savor.
If there’s anything TV is built for, it’s creating a satisfying romance. The prospect of watching the same characters for several episodes, several years potentially, and see them evolve means that fans can watch as a pairing meet, bicker, fall in love, get together (and maybe do those last two steps over and over again for some on-and-off-again tension), and reach relationship milestones that film can’t really cover with the same breadth. One of TV’s very first hits, “I Love Lucy,” didn’t have the word “love” in it for nothing — at its core, it was a story of a loving (if hectic) marriage.

An outing fit for a Princess: Kate Middleton makes a surprise appearance as she visits the ballet to watch a matinee performance
Whilst there were no photographs of the appearance, Kate Middleton made a private visit to see the performance
The signs are small, but definite: Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales is gradually starting to feel better, after months spent out of the public eye recovering from cancer. Catherine felt well enough to privately attend the English National Ballet’s matinee performance of Giselle at Sadler’s Wells, this week, a surprise visit that she later spoke about on social media.
‘Congratulations and thank you to the English National Ballet and Sadler’s Wells for the wonderfully powerful, moving and inspiring performance of Akram Khan’s Giselle. Creativity at its best!’ she wrote as the caption posted to social media, which also featured a still of the production.

What to Do When a Joke Hurts Your Feelings
Teasing can actually strengthen relationships, experts say. But sometimes things go too far.
“So I’m texting on this giant family feed, like, ‘Has anybody seen my mom?’” Dr. Smith-Bynum told me. She’d get a tip — “I saw her by the pool!” — and head over, only to miss her mom once again.
This soon became a running joke with relatives who, weeks later, were still asking her, deadpan, if she ever found her mother. […]
Affectionate ribbing, like this, can strengthen connections, she said, because it’s “coming from a place of warmth and celebration of the person’s quirkiness.”
Then there’s the harmful kind of teasing can make you feel shame and anger, and can erode your sense of safety and trust. So I asked experts how to know when someone has gone too far — and how to shut them down.

Pedro Almodóvar Wants to Make a Film About Zendaya and Her Stylist
It would be “a cross between ‘All About Eve’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada.'”
What’s next for Pedro Almodóvar after winning his first Golden Lion? Perhaps something very, very different.
“I’m fascinated by the stylist who looks after Zendaya [Law Roach],” “The Room Next Door” director Almodóvar told Vanity Fair Spain in an interview published in his native Spanish (we used the built-in Google Translate tool for this story).
“I think his work is an act of enormous creation. It’s about fashion, frivolity, and social issues, and it’s about promotion,” he continued. “But above all, I think it takes talent for that. I’ve asked about this guy, and I’ve been told that he’s almost as much of a diva as she is. I’d love to make a film about them, a cross between ’All About Eve’ and ’The Devil Wears Prada.’”

The Fall Decorating Trends You’re About to See Everywhere, According to Designers
Kick off cozy season with these simple and subtle seasonal touches.
While some autumnal décor elements are practically perennial—think: jewel tones, cozy textures, and cinnamon-laced scents—figuring out how to incorporate them into your home in new ways each year can be challenging. Fortunately, if you’ve found yourself in a seasonal slump, today’s top interior designers have fresh takes on fall decorating trends that are simple yet impactful.
From hues inspired by your spice rack to dramatic floral arrangements, these are the fall decorating trends set to be everywhere this season. (Plus, find all the straight-from-the-experts tips you’ll need for pulling them off.)

How to Eat Lychee the Right Way, According to Chefs
Learn how to enjoy the crisp, juicy texture of this tropical treat.
If you have yet to try lychee, you’ll want to add the fruit to your cart. Also known as litchee or alligator strawberry, lychee is often used to garnish sweet cocktails—but the tropical fruit can do so much more. It’s a lovely addition to both sweet and savory dishes, particularly those inspired by Asian cuisines. However, if you’re new to lychee, you might be looking for specific ways to enjoy the fruit. Read on to learn how to eat lychee, plus tips for buying the fruit, storing them at home, and removing the peel and pit.

The Pumpkin-Spice Old Fashioned Is the Ultimate Fall Cocktail—Here’s How to Make It
Spice up the classic old fashioned with pumpkin spice and cinnamon sticks this season.
As entertaining season arrives, there is the underlying pressure to pull out all the stops and create a special guest experience for your friends and family as you welcome them into your home. Preparing what you can beforehand is always the best option, but we know some things are better off freshly whipped up and served. For classic cocktails, it’s just that. As your guests arrive, it is routine to offer up a unique refreshment that you can call your own. This fall, we are giving you a spiced-up take on this classic slow-sipping cocktail that will warm any guest up–and fast.

10 Décor Tips for Tsundoku—the Practice of Buying More Books Than You Can Read
Follow these designer pro tips to beautifully store all your books.
There’s something uniquely fulfilling about purchasing a new book—even if you can’t possibly read every single one you buy. Books instantly invite a sense of wonder as we think about what words sit beyond the cover, ready to transport us into another world. They also double as art with their sturdy spines, embossed titles, and carefully designed covers.
The Japanese practice of tsundoku takes the idea that we can’t possibly read every book we purchase and instead embraces the notion, encouraging us to collect and acquire for the sake of being surrounded by the beauty of books. So, how do you artfully display books to provide these pages with the respect they’re owed? We spoke to designers for their best advice on beautifully displaying those books, whether you ever actually read them or not.

This 1,200-foot Bridge Has a Glass Bottom That Makes You Feel Like You’re Walking on Air — and It’s One of the Best Places to See Fall Foliage
The SkyBridge Michigan is the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge.
The world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge doesn’t connect two cities or buildings — it connects two mountain peaks.
The impressive accolade belongs to the SkyBridge Michigan, a pedestrian bridge that spans 1,200 feet between McLouth and Disciples Ridge peaks in Northern Michigan. The suspension bridge is part of the Boyne Mountain Resort, a year-round playground with 415 skiable acres and Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark.

[Photo Credit: hotelmargherita.info]

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