Lifestyle of a Fashionista

Five on Friday

April 28, 2023

 “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” — Jane Austen

One: Independent Bookstores

Independent Bookstore Day is 4/29/23

Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country on the last Saturday in April. 

Reasons to visit a local bookstore:

Read about it: https://lifestyleofafashionista.com/2023/04/28/independent-bookstores/

Two: What to watch

Sources: PureWow, Vulture, Netflix Tudum, and Boston.com

Netflix:

Films:

AKA (action/adventure), A steely special ops agent finds his morality put to the test when he infiltrates a crime syndicate and unexpectedly bonds with the boss’s young son.

Series:

Firefly Lane (last episodes of the final season), Kristin Hannah’s novel Firefly Lane was adapted into this Netflix series of the same name, starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as two best friends who endure the ups and downs of life together. 

Workin’ Moms (season 7), In an emotional final season, Kate and her friends seek a balance between professional wins and personal fulfillment. It’s hard — but laughter helps.

The Nurse (Danish drama), A new nurse at a hospital begins to suspect her colleague’s desire for attention may be tied to a series of patient deaths. Based on a true story.

Sweet Tooth (fantasy/drama, season 2), Gus and his fellow hybrids are held captive by the Last Men in order to find a cure for the Sick. To save his friends, Gus must find new strength as he uncovers the origins of The Great Crumble.

Hulu:

Saint X (drama series/3-episode premiere), A young woman’s mysterious death during an idyllic Caribbean vacation creates a traumatic ripple effect that eventually pulls her surviving sister into a dangerous pursuit of the truth. “Based on a novel by Alexis Schaitkin echoing the Natalee Holloway case, this drama uses multiple timelines to depict what happens after a white woman goes missing on an island resort.” (Roxana Hadadi) From People, Hulu’s Tropical Mystery ‘Saint X’ Adds a ‘White Lotus’ Spin to a Ripped-from-the-Headlines Death 

Clock (horror/thriller film), A woman enrolls in a clinical trial to try and fix her seemingly broken biological clock after friends, family, and society pressures her to have children.

Disney+:

Peter Pan & Wendy (fantasy/adventure movie) introduces Wendy Darling, a young girl afraid to leave her childhood home behind, who meets Peter Pan, a boy who refuses to grow up.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (animated series), Jedi younglings study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need, and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way.

Matildas: The World at Our Feet (6-part docuseries), A behind the scenes look at the Australian soccer team, the Matildas, as they prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Prime Video:

Citadel (action/thriller series), The global spy agency Citadel has fallen and the memory of its agents has been erased. Now, the powerful Manticore crime syndicate is filling the power vacuum. Citadel agents must remember their past and find the strength to fight back.

HBOmax:

Love & Death (drama mini-series), Two churchgoing couples enjoy small town family life in Texas – until somebody picks up an axe. It is about Candy Montgomery, a suburban housewife who, in 1980, killed her friend Betty Gore with an axe. There is a 2022 Hulu version called Candy.

Warner Bros. 100 Years (docuseries), a three-part documentary on the history of Warner Bros.

Moonage Daydream (documentary film), Featuring never-before-seen footage and performances, filmmaker Brett Morgen explores David Bowie’s creative, spiritual and musical journey.

Peacock:

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love (comedy/reality tv), It showcases Carol’s close friends, colleagues, and admirers for a night of musical performances and tributes.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning (series), a new home improvement reality TV show from Amy Poehler about decluttering homes. Based on Margareta Magnusson’s book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. A Swedish “Death Cleaner” will help organize and demystify homes, lives, and relationships, allowing us to prepare for death while we enjoy life.

Paramount+:

On March 30, Fatal Attraction (thriller series, three episodes released, followed by a weekly release Sundays for the remaining five episodes.), An affair threatens the lives of Dan Gallagher and his wife, Beth, in this reimagining of the 1987 movie, exploring marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes toward strong women, personality disorders and coercive control. “The new series will explore fatal attraction and the timeless themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes toward strong women, personality disorders and coercive control.” The Hollywood Reporter

Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Hallelujah (documentary film), “The doc, which captures the singer on a tour she was supposed to share with Naomi, seems content to exist primarily as a lifeline for others who have experienced loss.” NYT

Apple TV+:

Frog and Toad (animated series), the animated kids and family series based on the beloved Caldecott and Newbery Honor-winning four-book series by Arnold Lobel.

In Theaters:

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret (comedy/drama/adaptation), From The New York Times, “Judy Blume’s groundbreaking novel about puberty — and so much more — finally gets the adaptation it deserves.” Read the review, ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ Review: Periods and Question Marks

The End of Sex (rom-com), Emma and Josh are excited to have some alone time while their twin daughters are away at camp. Unfortunately for them, their romantic week becomes a series of sexual adventures to revitalize their relationship.

Polite Society (comedy/adventure), A martial artist-in-training believes she must save her older sister from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, she tries to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.

Sisu (action/war), When an ex-soldier who discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness tries to take the loot into the city, Nazi soldiers led by a brutal SS officer battle him.

Big George Foreman (biography/drama/sport), From Olympic Gold medalist to World Heavyweight champion, boxer George Foreman leads a remarkable life. He finds his faith, retires and becomes a preacher. When financial hardship hits his family and church, George steps back in the ring and regains the championship at age 45, becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history.

Independent movie releases (might not be in a near by theater):

R.M.N. (drama), Matthias returns to his parents’ mountain village in Transylvania, longing to see his ex Csilla again. Arriving on the scene, he notices the unrest caused by Csilla offering two foreigners work in her bakery.

The Eight Mountains (drama), Two young Italian boys spend their childhoods together in a secluded alpine village roaming the surrounding peaks and valleys before their paths diverge.

Three: What to Wear

Carry A Book:

A book can make a great accessory. I like to check out the books people carry.

From The Washington Post (2019), Books have become the new ‘it’ fashion accessory. Is that such a bad thing?

From The New York Times, Searching for the Notorious Celebrity Book Stylist. “The worlds of literature and fashion have flirted with each other since long before Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe tied the knot in 1956, but in the past few years, books have become such coveted signifiers of taste and self-expression that the objects themselves are now status symbols.“

From the Milwaukee Journal, This Wisconsin woman styles outfits to match book covers on her popular Instagram.

A light jacket:

Tuesday was April 25th, made famous by this scene in Miss Congeniality:

From the Cut, The 4 Jacket Trends We’ll Be Wearing This Spring

Four: What to Try

Radishes with butter and salt:

From BuzzFeed, This “Magical” 3-Ingredient Snack Is Suddenly Everywhere (From TikTok To Trendy NYC Cafes), But The French Have Been Eating It Forever

Suzy’s 2022 post about the snack in The Mediterranean, Radish With Butter And Salt

From Real Simple, 6 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Radishes, Your New Favorite, Crunchy Veggie

I tried this snack, and I’m not a fan. Radishes have a bold flavor that is too much for me, even after adding butter and salt.

Five: What to do

Read: What’s the 411? These are trending stories from the last week.

What not to wear?

A blue check on your Twitter profile. From Slate, How Elon Musk Turned the Blue Check Mark Into a Scarlet Letter. “Musk has successfully made it a humiliating thing for someone in most social circles to pay for Twitter.”

A Mount Washington bumper sticker on your car: From the Boston Globe, Peak cringe? Critics take aim at ‘This car climbed Mount Washington’ bumper stickers.

A label that say champagne if it’s not champagne: From Food and Wine, Belgian Customs Destroys Miller High Life for Masquerading as Champagne

Watch or follow the MET Gala:

The MET Gala is taking place on Monday, May 1, 2023.

From Vogue, Met Gala 2023: Celebrities, Red Carpet, Theme & More. Affectionately referred to as “fashion’s biggest night out,” the Met Gala 2023 is a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The event welcomes stars, young creatives, and industry paragons. The 2023 Met Gala theme will be ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ to honor Karl Lagerfeld, who was a regular attendee at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute. 

From PureWow, What Happens at the Met Gala? Here’s a Full Breakdown and How to Watch the Met Gala Red Carpet (Plus More Details About Fashion’s Biggest Event)

The guest list for the Gala includes some regulars. Blake Lively is one. From E!, This Isn’t Gossip: Here’s Proof Blake Lively Is the Queen of the Met Gala

Or watch Ocean’s 8 on HBO max to see: Debbie Ocean assembles an all-female team of thieves and specialists for a heist during the Met Gala, aiming for the $150 million worth of diamonds around the neck of world-famous actress Daphne Kluger.