Don’t worry—Mother’s Day in the U.S. still isn’t not be for a few months (you didn’t miss it), but moms in the U.K. are being celebrated today, March 26. That includes some of our favorite British mothers, including Victoria Beckham, whose family went all-out to show her how much she’s loved and appreciated. Get the tissues ready!
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VIDEO: Watch Little Kids Interview Victoria Beckham
The matriarch of the Beckham family was smothered with too-cute wishes for Mother’s Day this year. The first sweet sentiments came from her husband, former pro soccer player David Beckham, who wrote a heartfelt thank you to his wife on Instagram, saying that she gave him “the most beautiful gift” of their children. Aw!
Next, the couple’s 5-year-old daughter presented her mom with not one, but two adorable cards. In one card, Harper, the youngest of the Beckham children, wrote, “You are very special to me. You are my best friend I have ever met.” The other, which was accompanied by a “Super Mom” song, was decorated with hearts and a trophy for her mummy.
The cuteness doesn’t end there! Romeo, Victoria’s 14-year-old son, posted two pictures of himself and his mother on Instagram, writing, “I can’t ask for a cooler, nicer and joyful mum,” and 18-year-old Brooklyn followed suit, expressing how much he loves his mother.
If a low-key birthday with family in a tropical locale sounds like your idea of paradise, you’re in good company. Yesterday was Sarah Jessica Parker’s 52nd, and she spent it relaxing at the beach with the people she loves the most.
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Earlier in the week, Parker left the snowy streets of N.Y.C. behind and headed to a warmer destination ahead of her birthday. A few days ago, she shared a stunning image of a double rainbow arching over the palm trees outside her window, and things only got better from there.
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Yesterday, Parker’s daughters treated her to an amazing birthday dinner, complete with handmade place settings, paper crowns, and lots of confetti. The Sex and the City star shared several sweet pictures of the tablescape, including her children’s hands covered in sparkly sequins and a placecard written in adorable kid’s handwriting.
That wasn’t all, though. Parker also recieved a gorgeous floral arrangement, which she showed off in an Instagram video. In the caption, she thanked all the people who made her birthday a great one, writing, “For all the friends I know and love and for those I have yet to meet. Thank you for helping make my birthday so very special and memorable.”
On Sunday morning, it was time for SJP and her crew to head home, but she shared one last glimpse of the beach. Now we’re dying for a tropical getaway, too!
It’s not every day you get your first Barbie doll! Madonna’s twin daughters went through this rite of passage yesterday, and their doting mom captured the sweet moment for us to enjoy.
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The 58-year-old “Like a Virgin” singer recently adopted 4-year-old twins Estere and Stelle from Malawi, and she’s been posting the cutest Instagram pictures of the girls ever since. This week, the sisters were surprised with matching Barbie dolls, and their excitement is too much to handle.
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Madonna shared a video of her daughters playing with their new toys, and in it, the girls are singing the Finger Family song as they make their chic new Barbies dance. According to Madge, the dolls quickly took the title of “Favorite Toy”—she captioned the sweet clip with, “What happens when you get your first Barbie Doll! Pikachu is left in the dust!”
Estere and Stelle seem to share their mom’s love for singing, as they’re always performing in Madonna’s Instagram videos. They’ve performed renditions of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” a makeshift coffee song, and more!
Hemingway made his home here; Bruce and Demi own much of the town; George Soros’ vintage Wagoneer is a frequent sight on the local streets. The place is Sun Valley, Idaho, long a ski destination for the rich and famous, albeit one that’s far more low key than Park City or Aspen.
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Here, everyone from J. Crew’s Mickey Drexler to Clint Eastwood to Dree Hemingway and Scout is basically free to ski and, in summer, sun, undisturbed amidst a stunning snow-capped backdrop that rivals the Alps. If you missed the beginning of ski season this year—fear not. A record snowfall this year means that the fabled Bald Mountain (and its smaller companion, Dollar, to which Katy Perry was relegated during her visit last year) will be open for business through late April, and skiing in a bikini top is not unheard of.
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And as locals say, “people come for the skiing and stay for the summer,” so opportunities to visit abound. But hurry—The New York Times has named Sun Valley one of the top places to visit in 2017, so be sure to get there before the crowds.
Below, we’ve compiled the best places to stay, see, and visit in the area.
STAY
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SUN VALLEY RESORT: Imagine your ideal mountain retreat—grand lobby, fireplaces aplenty, snow-capped views—and you’ll find it at this storied retreat, established in 1936. The recently-renovated hotel’s halls are lined with archival photos of illustrious guests from Clint Eastwood—who still hits the slopes early morning—to Marilyn Monroe.
courtesy Galena Lodge
GALENA LODGE: Those in search of more rustic accommodations (read: no wifi) can book one of the coveted yurts at the remote mountain lodge outside of town. It’s the ideal jumping off point for various skate-ski and snowshoe trails, and the views atop the surrounding mountains are unparalleled. If you favor more conventional accomodations, it’s still worth a trip for dinner and a sunset snowshoe on select evenings. Book ahead.
SPA
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SUN VALLEY RESORT SPA: The recently-renovated resort also features a world-class spa, to which you can adjourn for an après-ski hot stone massage or a signature Carita facial, followed by a dip in the hotel’s idyllic heated outdoor pool, which steams enticingly in front of a stunning mountain backdrop.
EAT
THE PIONEER SALOON: No trip to Sun Valley is complete without dinner at The Pioneer Saloon (or the Pio, as locals call it), a taxidermy-festooned, wild-west feeling favorite. Start with drinks in the boisterous bar area, then adjourn to the dining room for the special trout or an insider’s choice, the Jim Spud, a baked potato loaded with all the usual fixin’s as well as world-class steak. Extra points for recognizing where it’s name comes from—it’s an homage to the preferred meal of Jim, the affable host. Order the mud pie for dessert.
THE KNEADERY: Daytime sister restaurant to the Pio (and with an almost as impressive taxidermy collection), where they serve up delicious pancakes, benedicts, and omelettes as well as lunch fare until 2 PM daily.
THE GRILL AT KNOB HILL: “Rocky Mountain fare” is the vibe at this delicious restaurant, situated in at another local hotel; perfect for date night and comfort food like fried chicken, prime rib, or schnitzel.
TRAIL CREEK CABIN: If you’re staying at the Lodge in winter, request a sleigh ride to this romantic cabin that’s located on the edge of the woods just outside of town. You’ll be greeted by a roaring fire and the most delicious bread—make sure to order German chocolate cake for dessert. If you’re staying elsewhere, you can drive right up.
ENOTECA: Happening Italian restaurant right next to the Pio with delicious flatbreads. Make a reservation as it’s a hot ticket right now.
CAFFEINATE
LIZZY’S FRESH COFFEE (open only until 3 PM): This tucked-away spot has the best brew in town and roasts the beans in-house, a process you can watch thanks to the open floor plan.
WORK OUT:
THE MILL: Crave some exercise beyond skiing? Tiffany Larson’s new treadmill studio is your ticket for private and group running and strength combo classes that will work off all the rich foods you’ll inevitably be sampling.
courtesy Zenergy at Thunderspring
ZENERGY: You can buy a week-long membership to this luxury gym, which boasts state-of-the-art equipment, hot yoga and other great classes, an indoor-outdoor pool and hot tub with memorable mountain vistas. Especially striking at sunset.
SHOP
BRASS RANCH: The high-end ski shop offers the best of the best mountain attire, from Rossignol at the more affordable level right up to the most luxurious styles from Moncler and Bogner. Stop by the adjacent pro shop to have your boots adjusted and your feet will thank you.
THE GOLD MINE CONSIGN: Stop by here for chic secondhand furs and finery; visit the sister store Gold Mine Thrift down the block for mega-deals on clothes and ski equipment (a recent trip yielded a Missoni hat for $8 and a Bogner ski jacket for $30) all to benefit the cozy community library.
PANACHE: Those in search of their contemporary fashion fix can find what they seek at this boutique, which sells such designers as FRAME, Rebecca Taylor, et. Al.
DÉJÀ VU: Suzy Hart’s jewel box of a vintage shop features an impeccably-curated selection of all the staples: Gucci, Prada, Chanel, as well as an array of fabulous furs and Hepburn-worthy ski styles.
The occasion, which Sofia referred to as her “first rave,” was the Beyond Wonderland EDM music festival in Southern California. And it looks like Vergara had a swimmingly good time!
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The Colombian bombshell posted an Instagram pic of herself with hubby Manganiello in a prop bathtub. Both are holding inflatable fish and there’s a giant seashell lurking behind them, which seems appropriate, based on the festival’s aquatic “The Endless Sea” theme.
Manganiello regrammed another of Vergara’s pics, in which the couple holds their arms aloft in pure EDM enthusiasm. “Took my wife to her first rave,” Manganiello captioned the post, “courtesy of @thedieselboy and @djcolette.”
What did Vergara do after her rave revelry? Tucked into a nice slice of cake, of course. The actress is famous for her love of sweets and proclaiming said fandom on social media.
As it turns out, Reese Witherspoon has always been a fashionista. In fact, long before the days of the star’s legendary style sense in Legally Blonde, she was experimenting with trendy looks. And Witherspoon took advantage of this week’s Flashback Friday to post a photo from her ’80s glory days. The 40-year-old celebrity is pictured with her older brother at Disney World looking cuter than ever in printed surfer-styled Jams board shorts and a cropped Esprit top—talk about a blast from the past. She paired her look with a classic pair of round specs and a pair of white Reebok tennis shoes perfect for running around an amusement park all day.
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The Big Little Lies actress captioned the photo, “#FBF to #Disneyworld with my bro (Gotta love those Jams!) #80sstyle,” paying tribute to both her older brother and the fun trends of the ’80s. Witherspoon is no stranger to taking a walk down memory lane every once in a while—she’s shared multiple throwback photos to her Instagram and obviously we can’t get enough.
VIDEO: 16 of Reese Witherspoon’s Favorite Things
Scroll down to take a look back at further Reese memories!
Like any siblings, the Kardashians can get pretty competitive, but Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian are taking their sisterly rivalry to the next level. They’re currently in the midst of “pantry wars,” a surprisingly intense competition to see who can curate a better storage room.
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Younger sister Khloé documented the competition on her Snapchat yesterday, showing off Kourtney’s impeccably organized pantry. In the video clip, you can see entire shelves of Fiji water, Pellegrino, tea, and more—it literally looks like a grocery store!
Kourtney also has beautiful glass containers filled with granola, oats, and other pantry essentials, but Khloé had a critique about the way the jars are labeled.
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“You know what would be winning? If these [labels] were clear with another color writing,” says the younger of the two sisters. We certainly don’t want to know what Khloé would think of our pantries!
There was another fun revelation from the “Pantry Wars” tidbit: it was revealed in the proceedings that Kourtney doesn’t believe in microwaves. She has a toaster oven and several other fancy appliances in her pantry, but there’s no microwave in this Kardashian household.
In an IRL plotline we’re certain Mindy Lahiri would liken to You’ve Got Mail, Mindy Kaling and U.S. Senator Cory Booker are getting their flirt on via Twitter.
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It all began when The Mindy Project threw some subtle shade at Booker’s beloved Newark, New Jersey—implying that the senator was desperate to escape the town.
(He still hearts her, though!)
Kaling quickly apologized for her fictional counterpart, writing: “Senator, if Mindy Lahiri shades it, it means we know it’s cool. Thanks for the [heart emoji]. It’s mutual!
It’s getting hot in here, but the best is yet to come …
After Kaling clarified her character’s comment, Booker responded with an invitation to have dinner with him in Newark. Mindy’s totally having her Meg Ryan moment.
Mindy accepted the invite, cheekily mentioning she’d need to check the New Jersey PATH train schedule.
PATH beat her to the punch, though, tweeting the schedj at both prospective dates:
Kaling tweeted her appreciation to the public transportation service with a string of emojis, but Booker’s response really took the cake:
SHE IS “LYFT WORTHY.” It looks like this casual flirtation may be the start of something more!
Among other things, this romantic tweet-a-thon is proof that fan fiction can mirror reality. BRB, shipping Cory Booker and Mindy Kaling every day for the rest of my life.
With lush reverbs and breathy vocals, the indie pop band Tennis will transport any listener straight to the ’70s. And fittingly, the duo, consisting of husband-wife team Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, dresses the part. On stage, the musicians can most often be seen in distressed jeans, button-down T-shirts, and sheepskin coats, and the band’s Instagram is an amalgam of vintage-tinged photos that befit an old yearbook. Their latest release, Yours Conditionally, even lyrically tackles deep-seated political issues of the decade, like the feminist movement, which sadly remains pertinent today. Here, Moore and Riley talk about the new release, the joys of thrifting on eBay, and why it’s necessary to be a feminist in 2017.
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What were your goals for Yours Conditionally?
Patrick Riley: One for me was to make a record that was fun for both of us. With the last few releases, there was a lot of filtering that went on before the final product came out—a lot of producers, a lot of A&R people.
Alaina Moore: We wanted to see what we could make if we involved no one, showed no one anything, and did everything alone. We really didn’t know what would happen. It could’ve been the worst thing we’ve ever done [laughs].
Riley: We just knew the process would be more enjoyable.
Moore: I wanted to write about the things I care about that would bring me catharsis and a feeling of exploration in my writing.
Speaking of exploring, you embarked on a sailing trip to write this album, which you also did for 2011’s Cape Dory. Why set sail?
Moore: It could’ve been anything, but we happened to be sailing. Patrick happened to really like sailing when he was 12, and he’s the type of person who commits fully and forever to something.
Riley: I grew up in landlocked places, so it was an idea that became a fantasy. We didn’t go on a sailing trip initially to write an album, it just naturally happened. There was this flippancy to our music, where we would not think about things and write it.
Moore: It was very spontaneous and stream of consciousness.
The ’70s seem to be a huge influence for you musically and style-wise. What do you find so alluring about that decade?
Moore: I love ’70s production. It just so happens that I was listening to Carole King, Judee Sill, and Neil Young while we were recording too.
Riley: Those production techniques are something we’ve always strived for.
Moore: Patrick and I have very divergent musical tastes, but where it converges is in that period of time. We both listen to and really enjoy totally different genres and eras of music. We’re not married to this decade, but that’s where Tennis works. As far as style goes, I have this old-timey face and uncontrollable curls, so I try to dress in a way that suits me and my own natural features. High-rise pants look better on me and I like my hair in an afro, so I naturally ended up there.
You’re the living embodiment of couples that dress alike.
Moore: Every time I get dressed, I have to be like, “You can’t wear that too.” It’s always black, blue, white, denim. If he [Patrick] has over-shrunken shirts, I’ll take them.
Moore: It’s about female friendships and relationships and how impactful they are, and how you see yourself mirrored and reflected and also confronted. It’s something I haven’t thought a lot about but I’ve been remiss in writing about. There’s so much writing about male-female relationships—especially romantic ones—and it’s extremely influential and foundational to my life and my own concept of myself as a woman. I look to other women for style inspiration and concepts of womanhood and feminism.
Who do you look to for style inspiration?
Moore: Solange is amazing. Basically, any woman with natural hair, because their hair so much more sculptural. I spend a lot of time searching blogs. Hair is my starting point, then I try to dress in a way that makes sense with it.
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Do you consider yourself a feminist?
Moore: Honestly, I used to be one of the people who would say, “I feel equal to men, who cares?” But to people who reject feminism because they feel like they don’t need it: you’re standing on the shoulders of all the feminists who allowed you to feel powerful. I noticed that I needed feminism when I became an adult woman and started seeing the way gender was affecting not just me, but men in my life.
Moore: She emailed me out of the blue and said she liked my music. I’m obsessed with Girls, so it was perfect. I’m a home-schooled girl from the suburbs in Aurora, Colo.—I don’t expect Shoshanna to e-mail me and say, “Let’s hang out when you’re in New York.” She’s been a big supporter of the band.
Watch the music video for “Modern Woman” above, and buy Yours Conditionally for $10 on iTunes.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
The very first time actress Christy Altomare sang on stage as Anastasia, she had a gut feeling that the musical was going to take off.
“It was absolutely surreal,” says Altomare of the show’s initial run in Hartford, Connecticut. “We had a packed house and when I came out with the cast to do our final bow, the energy was crazy! I whispered to my stage manager, ‘I think this is a hit!”
Turns out she was right, and now, Altomare and the entire Anastasia crew begin previews of the production this week on the Great White Way.
Like most of us, Altomare first became familiar with the story after seeing the animated version of the film from 1997. “I remember watching it all the time when I was a kid,” she says of the movie, which featured Meg Ryan voicing the role of Anya. “And when I was 16 and started auditioning for musicals, I would always sing the song “Journey to the Past” from the movie. Once I finally got the part of Anya, I also watched the Ingrid Bergman version of the film from the 50’s. It was like seeing a master class in acting.”
Joan Marcus
The Broadway production will be an adaptation of the animated film, which follows the true story of Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II, who was one of the only members of the Imperial family to survive the Russian Revolution.
Besides Altomare’s favorite number “Journey to the Past”, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1997, the show will feature 19 new numbers as well. “It’s a dream for me to tell this story to whole new generation,” she says. “I’ve always connected to the character of Anya, because she’s an optimist despite all of the obstacles that come her way. It’s a beautiful message for all of us.”
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Joan Marcus
The other big way that Altomare connects to her role? Through the amazing costumes, designed by Tony winner Linda Cho. “I grew up playing dress up and always wanting to look like a Disney princess, so this is my chance,” she says. Altomare says audiences can expect to see her character go through a pretty dramatic wardrobe transformation as the show progresses.
“There’s a beaded red gown that I wear at the end of the show that is absolutely stunning,” she says of her final look. “You don’t think you’re going to cry over a dress, but I definitely teared up the first time I put it on.”
Anastasia opens in previews today. For tickets and more information, visit anastasiabroadway.com.
