Lifestyle of a Fashionista

Five on Friday

November 11, 2022

“657 Boulevard is my job now, my life, my obsession, and now you are too, Brannock family. Welcome to the product of your greed.” — The Watcher

One: The Outfits in The Watcher

Netflix released the series The Watcher on October 13, 2022. A family moves into their dream home and is plagued by threatening letters, strange neighbors, and sinister threats; it is loosely based on actual events. Here is an article about the events that took place, The Watcher, A family bought their dream house. But according to the creepy letters they started to get, they weren’t the only ones interested in it. By Reeves Wiedeman in The Cut.

I enjoyed watching the series; there were enough changes to the true story to keep me guessing how the series would end.

My favorite part of the series was observing the outfits worn by the characters, especially by Naomi Watts.

Read about it: https://lifestyleofafashionista.com/2022/11/11/the-outfits-in-the-watcher/

Two: What to watch

My goal with this newsletter section is to inform you of the new shows and movies released on the different streaming services and in theaters. Then, you can choose your favorites to watch. This list of shows is for the week ending on 11/11/22.

This week, the most buzzed-about shows and movies are The Crown, The Fabelmans, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Read the descriptions below for more information.

Netflix:

Films:

Falling for Christmas (romance), After losing her memory in a skiing accident, a spoiled heiress lands in the cozy care of a down-on-his-luck widower and his daughter at Christmastime. From Vanity Fair, Lindsay Lohan’s Christmas Movie Is Actually Medium-Okay. Netflix’s schmoopy Falling For Christmas brings both the expected (eyerolly amnesia plot device) and the unexpected (a really solid comeback performance for Lindsay Lohan).

My Father’s Dragon (animation), “This adaptation of Ruth Stiles Gannett’s beloved children’s book, from a director of the lovely animated movie The Secret of Kells, is a solid bet for non-annoying kids’ fare. Beware, though: Your fond childhood memories may not be able to withstand modernization.” —K.V.A.  New York Magazine   

Don’t Leave – (drama/romance) Semih’s girlfriend suddenly breaks up with him. In search of answers about their relationship, he must soon confront what he had long ignored.

Series:

The Crown Season 5, “Season five spans 1991 to 1997, a six-year period that—unfortunately for the queen—was packed with unprecedented high drama for the royal family.” Vanity Fair .

Why Is There So Much Outrage Over Season 5 of The Crown? Vogue

Down to Earth with Zac Efron—Season 2 

Laguna Beach—Seasons 1 and 2

Documentaries:

Is That Black Enough for You? (film), Film critic Elvis Mitchell examines the craft and power of African American films released from the landmark era of the 1970s. Review from the Guardian, Is That Black Enough for You?!? review – tremendous study of black American cinema

Capturing the Killer Nurse (film), When mysterious lab results link a series of deaths at a local hospital, a heroic nurse teams up with two small-town detectives to help capture nurse and friend Charles Cullen, one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.

Ancient Apocalypse (8-episode series), Journalist Graham Hancock travels the globe hunting for evidence of mysterious, lost civilizations dating back to the last Ice Age. 

FIFA Uncovered (series), From power struggles to global politics, an exploration of FIFA reveals the organization’s checkered history — and what it takes to host a World Cup.

State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith (film), The harrowing story of a woman trying to use Alabama’s stand-your-ground law as a defense after killing a man she says brutally attacked her.

Hulu:

Code Name Banshee (2022 film), Caleb, a former government assassin in hiding, resurfaces when his protege, the equally deadly killer known as Banshee, discovers a bounty has been placed on Caleb’s head. Now, they must put the past behind them and join together one last time to fight off the secret CIA-backed killers who threaten to destroy them.

Disney+:

Breakthrough, seasons 1-2
Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted Showdown, season 1
The Lion Ranger, season 1
World’s Deadliest, season 3
The Montaners, Disney+ original 5-episode premiere
Save Our Squad with David Beckham, Disney+ original season 1 premiere (all episodes streaming)
The Tatami Time Machine Blues, Disney+ original season 1 premiere (all episodes streaming)
Zootopia+ (shorts), Disney+ original premiere (all shorts streaming)

Prime Video:

The English (series), “This epic Western follows Lady Cornelia Locke and Eli Whipp, who come together in 1890 Middle America to cross a violent landscape. Both of them have a clear sense of their destiny; however, neither is aware that it is rooted in their shared past. As they face obstacles that push them to their limits, they get even closer to their final destination in Wyoming. Once there, a series of bizarre and unsolved murder begins to take shape as their intertwined history is more complicated than they realize.” BuzzFeed

HBOmax:

Don’t Worry Darling (2022 film)

The Big Brunch (Season 1), Ten chefs share their business dreams and vie for a $300,000 prize; Dan Levy hosts.

Say Hey, Willie Mays! (documentary movie), From the Negro League to Major League Baseball, Willie Mays becomes one of America’s first Black superstars to help erode racial barriers and move the sport forward.

Showtime:

Spector (documentary series), “This four-part docuseries about the sordid life of legendary record producer Phil Spector could be classified as a work of true crime — much of it focuses on Spector’s murder of actress Lana Clarkson and the criminal trials that followed. But it also traces Spector’s evolution and devolution as an artist, one with enormous talent and a level of self-involvement that loomed equally large.”  —Jen Chaney New York Magazine.

Nothing Lasts Forever (documentary film), Hidden from public view, a war is raging inside the diamond industry. When filmmaker Jason Kohn infiltrates this highly secretive world, he uncovers a vast, far reaching crime that threatens the value of every diamond ever mined. At stake is nothing less than the universal symbol of love and commitment – the engagement ring. Featuring some of the most colorful and powerful industry insiders, Nothing Lasts Forever launches us deep inside a criminal investigation and forces us to reconsider the creation of value itself. Rotton Tomatoes

Peacock:

The Calling, (season 1, episodes 1-8), THE CALLING tells the story of NYPD Detective Avraham Avraham, whose belief in mankind is his superpower when it comes to uncovering the truth.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022 film)

Apple TV+:

Mythic Quest (season 3), “This new season of Mythic Quest will pick up with Ian and Poppy navigating the gaming world as their partnership at the newly formed GrimPop Studios takes off. Meanwhile, back at Mythic Quest, David settles into his new role as boss, but finds out that the job is harder than he imagined.” BuzzFeed

In Theaters:

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (action/adventure), Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.

‘Wakanda Forever’ bids farewell to T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman, review from NPR.

The Fabelmans (drama/coming-of-age story), Young Sammy Fabelman falls in love with movies after his parents take him to see “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Armed with a camera, Sammy starts to make his own films at home, much to the delight of his supportive mother. (semi-autobiographical story co-written by Steven Spielberg)

The Son (drama), The Son is a 2022 drama film directed by Florian Zeller from a screenplay by him and Christopher Hampton. It is based on Zeller’s 2018 stage play of the same name. The film serves as a follow-up to 2020’s The Father. It stars Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, Hugh Quarshie, and Anthony Hopkins. Wikipedia

Sam & Kate (comedy), A life-affirming family dramedy starring Oscar®-winners Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek, Sam & Kate takes place in a small town in the heart of the country.

Retrograde (Sci-fi/action), A team of soldiers are sent back in time to prevent the outbreak of a deadly bacteria that threatens to wipe out the entire human race; the team soon realise their actions in the past could have a disastrous impact on the future.

Bar Fight (comedy), Having split everything in their lives after the break-up, former couple Nina and Allen compete in a ludicrous custody battle for their favourite watering hole.

Three: What to wear

The long (maxi) coat- I love a floor-length coat; it’s a dramatic, stylish look. However, when shopping for long coats, you might find some hems that hit your calves. So choose a length that fits your liking.

From Who What Wear, This 2023 Coat Trend Was All Over Paris, Milan, and New York—20 I’m Shopping Now. “Designers in Paris, Milan, and New York introduced maxi-length coats to the 2023 style lexicon, and since ankle-grazing hemlines in dresses and skirts are already popular this year, there’s no question this outerwear take will also be a hit.“

For women:

Men:

Four: What to Try

Drink more tea:

What’s your favorite morning beverage? Is it coffee? Tea? Or maybe you drink cold beverages in the AM. I am a coffee drinker, and my morning cup is essential to my daily routine. Occasionally, I drink tea in the morning, mostly when I’m not feeling well. I have switched my afternoon beverage choice from coffee to tea. I also enjoy herbal tea in the evening.

History –

Tea is one of the oldest beverages in the world, discovered around 2700 BC. FAO.org. Read more about the history of tea on Wikepedia.

According to the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc, In 2021, “Americans consumed almost 85 billion servings of tea,
or more than 3.9 billion gallons. About 84% of all tea consumed was black tea, 15% was green Tea, and the small remaining
amount was oolong, white and dark tea.“

Health Benefits –

“Tea is a refreshing beverage that contains no sodium, fat, carbonation, or sugar. It is virtually calorie-free. Tea helps maintain proper fluid balance and may contribute to overall good health. Recent research suggests that tea and tea flavonoids may play important roles in various areas of health and may operate through several different mechanisms still being explored.” Tea Facts

Research continues, and the list of key areas of research are as follows: heart health, certain cancers, neurological decline, factors related to diabetes, weight management, bone health, and immune function. Read more details in the Tea Fact Sheet – 2022

From Your Best Digs article Tea Consumption & Industry Statistics in 2021, “A study found drinking black tea for 3 months significantly lowers LDL levels in subjects with borderline hypercholesterolemia.” NCBI

Adding Tea to your daily beverage consumption:

Are you a tea drinker? If not, this is an excellent time of year to try some different teas. If you do drink tea, try some new types.

1. Shop:

Find a local tea retailer

One of my favorites: WANG & DICKERSON RARE & ARTISAN TEA

2. Fun ways to drink more tea:

Afternoon tea: Read, What Is Afternoon Tea?

In Massachusetts: Massachusetts Afternoon Tea Venues from Destination Tea. Look up more local options: https://destinationtea.com/

Teas-infused cocktails or a new brand of hot tea

From Bustle, On TikTok, Tea-Infused Cocktails Are The New It Drink. “But alas, TikTokers have (thankfully) revived the classic cup and given the herbal favorite a super spiked makeover. Enter: Earl Grey Old Fashioned and Bourbon Sweet Tea, just to name a couple of concoctions to get you familiar with the social media trend.“

“One of the most popular tea cocktails is the Earl Grey Old Fashioned, as mixed by TikTok cocktail connoisseur Hannah Chamberlain (@spiritedla on TikTok). Made with homemade earl grey syrup, bourbon, orange bitters, and lemon to garnish, this Old Fashioned with a twist is the perfect introduction to tea-based cocktails.“

If you’d like a soothing warm tea cocktail, try Chamomile-Honey Hot Toddy.

Five: What to do

Get ready for Thanksgiving:

From Real Simple, Thanksgiving Organization Ideas That’ll Make Your Holiday Prep Even Easier.

For your thanksgiving meal there are several options:

Option 1 -At home with home cooks – plan your menu, take out the decor (and buy more if necessary), order your turkey from a local vendor, create your shopping list, and start shopping.

*In Boston: order your turkey by Nov. 13th from Farmhouse Meat & Cheese

Option 2 – At home with help from local restaurants and stores- order ready to heat dishes from a local restaurant or grocery store to pick up.

Option 3 – Make a reservation to eat your meal out.

Shop:

Williams Sonoma: Thanksgiving Food

Recipes:

From Food and Wine, Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes and Dressings

From Our Place: It’s the Black Friday Sale! UP TO 30%+ OFF SITEWIDE* (until Nov. 28th)