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Showing posts from June, 2018

Fascinating Facts About Queen Elizabeth II

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The 40th monarch since the English crown was obtained by William the Conquerer, and the longest-living sovereign of Britain to date, nobody can hold a flame to Her Majesty dearest — especially when she's living life by her own rules. Here are some of the best (and wonderfully unexpected) facts you never knew about The Queen: 1. Her Majesty's first address is now the location of a posh Cantonese restaurant. The future Queen Elizabeth came into the world at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair to the Duke and Duchess of York. Eventually, their royal house was demolished, but the building erected in its place now holds the world renowned Michelin Star restaurant (and celeb magnet) Hakkasan. 2. Queen Elizabeth became a home owner at 6 years old. On the young Princess's birthday, the people of Wales presented her a little straw-thatched cottage in Windsor Park nicknamed Y Bwthyn Bach. The name means "The Little House" in Welsh, and it has its own tiny garden with scaled dow

Pretty Pink Cocktails Perfect for Valentine's Day

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Treat yourself, or your loved one, to a sweetly romantic sip. Photo via Jelly Toast Love Potion This frozen treat combines the lush flavors of raspberry with mint to create a cocktail like no other. Recipe: Jelly Toast Blog Raspberry Moscato Cocktail The addition of heart-shaped ice cubes makes this raspberry Moscato drink the perfect cocktail for Valentine's Day weekend. Recipe: Create-Celebrate-Explore Cherry Bourbon Manhattan A touch of cherry preserves adds a Valentine's Day-friendly twist to a classic Manhattan. Recipe: A Cocktail Life Raspberry Champagne Float Making this pretty blush drink is as simple as adding a scoop of sherbet to a glass of bubbly. Recipe: Celebrations At Home Spiced Pomegranate Cocktail The addition of bold whiskey barrel-aged bitters to this vodka-based cocktail adds an undeniable spice. Recipe: Honestly Yum Cran-Raspberry Spritzer Cran-Raspberry juice and lemon-lime soda combine to create this bubbly mocktail. Just add champagne to ad

This Iris Apfel Movie Is One of the Best Documentaries on Netflix Right Now

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When it comes to the documentary, you want a true telling about an interesting subject from a talented filmmaker who's done their research. But above all, you want one that evokes emotion — one that grabs hold and doesn't let go until you're crying, cheering, inspired or infuriated. These are those docs. Courtesy Iris (2014) Iris Apfel was never trying to become the style maven she is. A woman without a rulebook and one helluva collection of couture costume jewelry, she and her circle-rimmed spectacles are the centerpiece for this joyous portrait from Albert Maysles. Courtesy What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) The world knows Nina Simone as the High Priestess of Soul, but director Liz Garbus's camera, with the help of Simone's daughter Lisa Simone Kelly, captures the true essence of who she really was: a classic pianist in a jazz world, a black female in racist America, and a woman losing the battle to her inner demons. Courtesy 13th (2016) After her Best Pictur

Tomatoes Topped With Crabmeat and Basil

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Johnny Miller If you don't have the time or the inclination to peel the tomatoes, use the juiciest tomatoes you can find, slice and season them, top with the crabmeat and basil, and enjoy! Serves 6 Ingredients: 6 ripe medium to large Creole or other in-season tomatoes Salt 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise 1 sprig fresh basil, 6 small leaves reserved for garnish and the rest finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard  2 cups jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over  Basic Creole Spices 3 - 6 chive or garlic chive blossoms for garnish, optional Directions:  1. To peel the tomatoes, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Core the tomatoes, then score the bottoms by making a small X. Blanch 3 tomatoes at a time for exactly 5 seconds per batch, moving them around with a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon. Transfer the tomatoes cored-side down to paper towels to let drain and cool briefly, then peel off skin and discard. 2. Using a teaspoon and starting at

Ashton Kutcher Surprises Mom With a Complete Home Makeover

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Courtesy of Daily Mail This year, Ashton Kutcher didn't take the typical route to picking out a Mother's Day gift. Instead of a beautiful bouquet or spa day, the 37-year-old actor decided to surprise his mom by completely redesigning her Iowa house. Kutcher, who recently had a baby with wife and actress, Mila Kunis, had a vision to transform his childhood home into a more grandkid-friendly space. And the makeover was also his way of thanking his mom for all she's done for him. "My mom has been the greatest influence in my life – my parents gave me everything. They went to great sacrifices to give me the life that I have and anything I can do to say thank you is the right thing," said Kutcher. Though he lives in Los Angeles, the actor was able to redesign the home through the website, Houzz. But it wasn't hard for Kutcher to make decisions remotely: He helped his step-father build the house when he was 13, so he knew the layout inside and out. The 27-day

There Are Bedrooms Hiding Inside of These Giant, Red Letters

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MMX architecten You might consider a new kind of cruising. The Amstel Botel is the only 3-star floating hotel in Amsterdam. And in addition to its 176 regular rooms, it now contains five more semi-secret ones for its guests to enjoy. In a joint effort, MMX architecten, filmmaker-architect Jord den Hollander and a team of interior designers created the giant red letters that sit atop the ship's roof, spelling out "BOTEL." As bold and eye-catching as they are, each letter actually serves a purpose: There are rooms inside.  Standing 6.5-meters high, every room has its own conceptual style, based on what the designer envisioned and what each letter's shape would allow. From a skateboard lover's dream pad to a room inspired by a novel, the five rooms could not be any more different.  Hollander created a mini cinema inside of the "E," which takes up the space on the opposite wall of the bed.  Janiek Dam The "T" contains a replica of the captain

7 Common Mistakes You Make Choosing a Paint Color

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Getty Picking the shade that will cover a room can be a daunting task — just where do you begin when staring at wall of dozens of shades? To help you approach the paint aisle with confidence, we asked interior designers to share the biggest missteps they see DIY decoraters make most often. 1. You choose a hue by only looking at the paint chip. "Teeny tiny swatches can be misleading," says interior designer Kaylan Kane. "I always recommend painting a relatively large area in the room before committing to a color." 2. You don't consider how the color changes over the course of the day. Paint stores (notoriously lit with fluorescent bulbs) might try to provide examples of what the shade will look like in different lights, but you need to take it home to truly see what works in your space. "Look at the color in the morning, throughout the day, and at night," says Kaylan. "Light can change so much in 12 hours!" Interior designer Caitlin Wils