T LOunge for July 2nd 2025

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PinAssyl Restaurant – Marrakech, Morocco

That holiday weekend is barreling toward us and yet it still feels so very far away, darling. Best to just settle into today’s LOunge and let this WEDNESDAY pass you by. No need to work up a sweat, now is there. Drink something cool and forget about everything else.

Cate Blanchett to Receive Freedom of the City of London Honor
The ancient tradition, a symbolic honor, is believed to have been in action since 1237.
Cate Blanchett will receive the Freedom of the City of London, an ancient tradition used to honor an individual’s contribution to the community.
The Aussie actress, as well as Northern Ireland’s Adrian Dunbar, will receive the Freedom of the City for their work in the arts.
Blanchett is famed for her Oscar-winning roles in The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, as well as high-profile performances in The Lord of the Rings franchise and more recently, Black Bag. She is an activist on issues such as climate change and serves as an UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, advocating for refugees and displaced people.

How American Apparel Captured a Moment in Fashion—and Created the Indie Sleaze Aesthetic
Netflix’s ‘Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel’ traces the brand’s rise and fall. ‘InStyle’ takes a look back at the clothes that defined indie sleaze.
When I started college in the early 2010s, one of my first friends was a well-dressed Hawaiian girl with Tumblr taste and a wardrobe full of disco pants that appeared frighteningly fashionable and outrageously cool to my Midwestern eyes. She was wearing head-to-toe American Apparel, and before long, I was too.
To say that the brand had a chokehold on young millennials is an understatement. You couldn’t attend a Crystal Castles concert without spotting a metallic skater dress. It wasn’t a Cobra Snake-photographed party without at least one American Apparel deep V-neck tee in attendance. And for every Pitchfork review read and tiny line tattoo drawn between 2005 and 2015, there were countless pairs of funky tube socks sold. The brand was the breakout fashion star of a generation, dominating pop culture and providing an alternative to the blinged-out logomania of the Y2K era, until it all came crashing down.

Abby Elliott Isn’t Sure If ‘The Bear’ Season 5 Will Happen – But She’d Like Her ‘Schitts Creek’ Dad To Cameo
For season four, which has returned to screens this week, family extends beyond those complicated yet often beautiful relationships she has with her gastronomically-gifted yet somewhat tortured brother, head chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), erratic mother (Jamie Lee Curtis) and often hot-headed ‘cousin’ Richie (Ebon Moss Bachrach), after Natalie gave birth to her first child in the show’s third season.
‘Sugar is a mum now. Whilst she is very invested in the restaurant, she is equally invested in Carmy’s happiness and is a maternal figure to him too,’ says Elliott. ‘She is definitely torn in different directions and struggles to find bandwidth for the chaos of the restaurant. She doesn’t have the energy anymore, but at the same time, she is very fulfilled and happy in her personal life.’

“I wish brides would realise it’s their ‘biggest day’, not mine” — 15 anonymous bridesmaids reveal how they *really* feel about wedding expenses
It’s wedding season, but bridesmaids have had enough of expensive hen parties
Lately, I’ve been lamenting the lack of weddings in my life. Sure, I don’t want to get married, but would it hurt one of my friends to put on a frothy white dress and throw a big party for all our best friends? Of course, I’m kidding (kind of, I do have a dress I’ve been dying to wear), but friends, colleagues, and kindly strangers have been quick to point out the flaw in my thinking.
Weddings are expensive, and according to new research from Experian, over one in ten of us have gone into debt by attending one. The same report reveals that attending a wedding costs guests nearly 20% of their monthly salary.

All The Cool Girls Want To Be Cowgirls Right Now—These Western Scents Make It Even Easier
Scents worth saddling up for
First the western trend came for our wardrobes with cowboy boots and denim jackets, then our beauty routine was given a horse-girl inspired makeover (hello, cowboy copper hair), and now it’s time for our fragrance collections to embrace the ranch aesthetic. After all, everyone who’s anyone wants to look like a cowgirl right now and that means smelling like one too.
Now, when I say cowgirl perfumes, I of course don’t mean in their most literal sense—smelling fresh from a hard day’s riding isn’t something many aspire to. What these scents do embody, though, is the ranch lifestyle. A sense of freedom and adventure combined with a few quintessential western notes like fresh hay, smoky tobacco and heady rum and whisky accords. These are scents that embody the glamour of the equestrian aesthetic even if you’ve never been near a horse.

These 7 Summer Nail Colours Are Guaranteed To Make Your Tan Pop
Flattering shades for sunkissed skin
When the sun is out and your skin is gleaming, choosing summer nail colours that will take your glow to the next level becomes essential––not just as pre-holiday prep, but as the finishing touch to your warm-weather beauty routine.
2025 has already delivered an incredible line up of nail trends so far, from jelly nails in fruity hues to princess nails with pared-back polish, but when it comes to summer specifically it’s all about finding nail colours that will really make your tan pop. And, according to experts, there are a whole rainbow of hues that are perfect for enhancing that sunkissed glow—whether you’ve just stepped off the plane from a week in the sunshine or you’re faking it with the best self-tan. Here are the best summer nail colours to ask for at your next manicure…

Where Is Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Chandi Dayle Now?
The America’s Sweethearts star has an emotional arc in the latest season of the Netflix series.
The acclaimed Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has returned for season 2, chronicling the 2024 football season from tryouts and training camp all the way through the last game. But instead of checking in with fan-favorites from season 1, director Greg Whiteley focused on an entirely different set of women. Sixth-year veteran Chandi Dayle was one of the focal points, and her arc is an emotional one.
Chandi, who works as many as four jobs during the season, is one of the quieter members of the team and is self-admittedly ‘really good at pushing things down’ instead of dealing with emotions head-on. Over the course of the season, Chandi experiences high highs, like being named one of the 1st Group Leaders—a role that operates like a team captain—while also having significant lows related to her mental health. And after six years, Chandi decides to put down the pom-poms for good. Here’s an in-depth look at Chandi’s journey in season 2.

If You’re Into ‘Barely-There’ Fragrances, Rice Perfumes Might Be Your New Obsession
Cosy, clean and fluffy.
I love a good skin scent as much as any perfume lover, but while most of us have come to associate it with musk, there’s another key note that’s equally deserving of praise—rice.
I know, I was skeptical too. After all, in a world where everyone wants to smell like a holiday or a walking dessert, the thought of smelling like a bowl of grains doesn’t exactly seem quite as tempting. But despite its niche nature, I’ve come to learn that rice can add an effortlessly chic edge to an otherwise predictable scent profile. Think: cosy, soft and ever-so-slightly creamy.

Lupita Nyong’o, Peter Dinklage, Sandra Oh, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and More Present Twelfth Night
Mistaken identities, catfishing, cross-dressing: After an $80 million renovation, Central Park’s Delacorte Theater returns this summer with a star-studded production of Shakespeare’s wildest comedy.
As William Shakespeare once wrote, some are born great. Some achieve greatness. And some have greatness thrust upon them—while dodging wild animals in a narrow hallway.
The Bard might have added that last part if he’d known about the Delacorte Theater. The longtime home of Shakespeare in the Park, the Delacorte is an open-air stage surrounded by the greenery of Central Park. Performing there has also meant tactfully ignoring woodland critters who wander onstage, sidestepping downpours that seep into the dressing rooms, and finishing shows even after the elements fry the theater’s soundboard. “That was sort of the scrappiness of it, the fact that you shared this space with the creatures of the park,” says Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who’s preparing for his seventh show at the august New York venue. “It’s part of the charm of the space.” But honestly? “I don’t want to compete for backstage space with raccoons.”

Rosé Sake Is the Summer Drink You’re About to See Everywhere
Balanced, acidic, umami-forward, and sometimes sparkling, these blush-worthy bottles are coming for your summer wine.
There’s no surer sign that summer is underway than the ubiquity of rosé wine in every glass and on store shelves. It’s safe to say that rosé has gone from a trend to a warm-weather mainstay in just a couple of decades.
As rosé wine became the unofficially-official drink of summer, sake producers in Japan noticed an opportunity to tap into the zeitgeist. In the last few years, innovative iterations of blush-colored sake have made their way Stateside. Here’s what to know about sake rosé.

This Salt Tastes Like a Splash of Red Wine — and You Can Make It at Home
All your steaks this summer will thank you.
Salt and wine make everything better. You can argue with me if you want, but I’ll hold fast in that opinion, and I wouldn’t be surprised if most people agree. What I hadn’t thought of until a few weeks ago was that you could combine these two things into a single jar of seasoning.
Luckily, Kait Welch (@modhippiehabits) is two steps ahead of me and shared a video on Instagram earlier this year showing how to make homemade red wine salt. The clip has since racked up an impressive four million views, with viewers commenting things like “Omg, for lamb chops” to “Whoa, got to try this just for that gorgeous color,” as they realize the potential of Welch’s seasoning.
Although making your own salt might seem daunting, Welch’s straightforward instructions in the video show that you can easily make red wine salt at home. And if you’re still curious about its taste or how to use this rich, flavorful salt, don’t worry, we’re here to help.

From Red Cabbage to Turmeric, These Ingredients Double as Brilliant Natural Food Coloring
Use pantry staples to tint frostings, doughs, and more — no additives required.
Lately, I’ve been taken with natural food coloring — and not just because there’s been a lot of conversation about food dyes and safety. I love the wide range of pigments and the artisan look I can get from using fruit, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, and spices to create a whole spectrum of color in my baking projects — all without artificial or synthetic additives.
Recipes like Molly Yeh’s white chocolate mousse, tinted a soothing pale green from matcha powder, capture the beauty of cooking in color. 2020 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez uses sumac, a tangy Middle Eastern spice, to flavor and add pops of red color to her Lemony Sumac Pie with Ritz Cracker Crust.
Natural food coloring can even impart color to savory foods. This hamburger bun leaves an astonishing impression thanks to the natural pigments in ube, a vibrant purple yam. Read on to learn how to incorporate natural food colors and dyes into your cooking and baking.

Order Up: ‘The Bear’ Renewed for Season 5 by FX
The series is set to return in 2026 on Hulu
The final episode of The Bear’s fourth season is titled “Goodbye,” but it won’t be a permanent one.
FX has ordered a fifth season of the Emmy-winning series, with the renewal coming less than a week after The Bear’s fourth season premiered on June 25. As with previous seasons, the series will stream on Hulu. Season five is due sometime in 2026.
“The Bear continues to be a fan favorite worldwide, and their response to this season — as seen through incredibly high viewership — has been as spectacular as any of its previous seasons,” FX chairman John Landgraf said in a statement. “Year-in and year-out, [creator] Chris Storer, the producers, cast and crew make The Bear one of the best shows on television, and we are excited that they will continue to tell this magnificent story.”

‘Gilded Age’ Boss Sonja Warfield Shares Why Peggy Deserves a “Soft-Life Era,” Talks Agnes-Ada Clash [This story contains spoilers from the second episode of The Gilded Age season three.]
The co-writer talks to THR about the health update for the character played by Denée Benton, that evolving romance and tension between the sisters played by Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon.
Speaking of a woman’s place in society, we’re seeing more of Peggy’s world, and we have an important new addition and introduction with Dr. William Kirkland. Why now? What are you setting in motion?
Well, I think it’s time Peggy entered her soft-life era. She’s been through a lot the last two seasons. I know I felt like that’s what that character wanted and needed. And the history of Newport and the Black elite in Newport, we learned about that community. What’s interesting about Newport is that because it’s so small, both the Black and white population lived in close proximity to each other. Schools were integrated. Some spaces were integrated. Don’t get me wrong, there was still a lot of discrimination and degradation. But there were generations of freed Black people who were there, this Black elite community and so we wanted to show that while there was this ostentatious world of New York society going to their homes in Newport, at the same time, there was a Black elite community in Newport.

Inside the heartbreaking love story of Aga Khan III and his beauty queen wife, who became known as the ‘Red Rose’
On the anniversary of her death, Tatler delves into the romance between the Aga Khan and his fourth wife, Begum Aga Khan III
Beautiful, glamorous and loyal – Begum Aga Khan III passed away on 1 July 2000. She was the Aga Khan III’s fourth and final wife for 13 years.
Their love story is widely remembered as being the greatest, and has even been referred to as a story book romance. They married thirteen months after the Aga Khan III divorced his third wife, Nawab A’lia Shamsul-Muluk, by mutual consent.

He’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.
As he turns 85, one of the last surviving Beatles is still musically curious, dispensing his signature wisdom, and preaching the gospel of peace and love.
In the summer of 1985, Ringo Starr’s friend and fellow drummer Max Weinberg flew to England for the former Beatle’s 45th birthday.
Though the pair had become chummy since meeting five years earlier in Los Angeles, backstage at a concert Weinberg was playing with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Weinberg remained somewhat intimidated by his boyhood hero in the early stages of their friendship. (The ever-amicable Starr offered advice: “Sometimes it helps if you call me Richie.”)
While celebrating at Tittenhurst Park — the sprawling estate outside London that had previously belonged to John Lennon and Yoko Ono — Starr turned to his younger friend, then 34, and said something that remains an inside joke between them: “Well, Max, I’m going to be 45. Doesn’t that make you feel old?”

Meet Alfie Williams, the Face of the New 28 Years Later Trilogy
There aren’t many jobs that require someone to stand next to a swarm of naked zombies while waiting for the director to yell “Action!” But for 14-year-old Alfie Williams, the precocious young star of 28 Years Later, that’s just another day on set. The British actor, who hails from Newcastle, is making his name in the latest chapter of Danny Boyle’s apocalypse saga, released over two decades after the original 28 Days Later gave the genre a much-needed jolt of energy and innovation. The sequel is gritty, intense, and at times overwhelming, but Williams handled it with ease. “I just became desensitized to them,” he says, half-laughing, of the monstrously hung zombies that populate the film.
Though he was the youngest person on set by a considerable margin, Williams was treated more like a peer than a kid by his A-list co-stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer. When we got on a Zoom call earlier this month to talk about his breakout role, witnessing Zombies give birth, and where he sees himself 28 years from now, he demonstrated that same maturity while sharing his enthusiasm for In Utero by Nirvana.

Shock new favourite to play James Bond met with huge backlash from fans who have branded the actor ‘too adorable’ for the part
Fans have reacted to the news that Tom Holland could be in line to play the next James Bond, with the actor dubbed ‘too adorable’ for the role.
Supporters have been eagerly waiting to find out who will be the next star with a ‘license to kill’ after Daniel Craig relinquished the part with the 2021 film No Time To Die.
Following months of speculation, three clear favourites for the coveted role at last emerged on Monday.
It is believed that Saltburn star Jacob Elordi, Spider-Man’s Tom Holland and Babygirl actor Harris Dickinson are at the top of Amazon’s wish-list, according to Variety.
But the news was met with much animosity by die-hard Bond fans, who were particularly disillusioned with the possibility of Tom Holland bagging the part.

18 Red, White, and Blue Desserts for a Patriotic Celebration
Bursting with beautiful summer berries, any of these cakes, cookies, pies, and popsicles will make for a sweet ending at your next patriotic cookout.
Every party needs a sweet ending, and these red, white, and blue desserts are perfect for Memorial Day and Fourth of July festivities. While there’s nothing more American than an old-fashioned apple pie, we encourage you to lead with festive, patriotic desserts for your summer party menu. If the pomp of parades and picnics isn’t enough, the variety of make-ahead tarts, cookies, cupcakes, trifles, and pops in our collection will give you another reason to celebrate this Memorial Day or Fourth of July.

40 of Our Best Fourth of July Recipes, From Mains to Sides
Plan to grill, fry, or toss your way to Independence Day success.
Celebrate the Fourth of July with a delicious cookout featuring our best main course and side dish recipes for family and friends. It’s not a summer get-together without grilled meat, seasonal vegetables, and all-American hot dogs and burgers, so we’ve included recipes for all these and more.
Don’t forget to round up your meal with other summertime classics. Go for the foolproof pasta salad or homemade potato chips, which are always a favorite. If you’re looking for lighter side dishes, try our delicious leafy salads, grilled corn on the cob topped with savory seasonings, or the ultimate crowd-please: crunchy, tangy coleslaw that pairs well with any summer recipe. With succulent meats and fresh veggies galore, your Fourth of July menu will be one to beat.

Ben Stiller Says People Who Do This on an Airplane Drive Him ‘Crazy’
Ben Stiller tells Travel + Leisure about his favorite filming locations, going on the road to support the New York Knicks, and his new partnership with Chase.
Perhaps you thought Ben Stiller’s biggest airplane pet peeve would be someone saying “bomb” like his character did in “Meet the Parents” or maybe a fellow passenger asking him to do his Blue Steel face from “Zoolander.” But his real airplane pet peeve is something we have all unfortunately experienced at one time or another: someone taking their socks off and going barefoot during the flight. “I definitely have experienced that a few times, and look, the reality of it is, you just have to shut it out. But yeah, it really drives me crazy.”

[Photo Credit: selman-marrakech.com]

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