The upper crust of New York City society and all of the most relevant celebrities are preparing for their night on the red carpet at the annual Met Gala, but last night, The People’s Ball held court.

Last year, we named it the best nightlife event of 2023, and for good reason! Unlike the invitation-only event at the Met Museum tonight, the People’s Ball is open to all—and for free—at the Brooklyn Public Library. And on Sunday night, everyone was allowed to show off their best looks.

As the Library states, “the People’s Ball declares that the pinnacle of fashion is found in the everyday New Yorker!”

RECOMMENDED: This year’s Met Gala theme and hosts have been announced

The event was co-curated by Harlem icon Souleo, actress Delissa Reynolds and celebrity stylist Robert Verdi and featured a performance from drag icon Kevin Aviance, music from DJ Spinna and a tribute to New York Times fashion and street photographer Bill Cunningham on what would’ve been his 95th birthday with a catwalk featuring a group of his former models: Lauren Ezersky, Jean Stone, Lana Turner and Amy Collins.

“The People’s Ball has become one of Brooklyn’s rituals of spring,” said László Jakab Orsós, Vice President of Arts and Culture at Brooklyn Public Library. “Last night, hundreds of people from every corner of the borough and from every walk of life showed off their stellar outfits and unique personalities on a runway in the middle of the public library. This event celebrates the true spirit of democracy and reminds us that fashion and creativity belong to everyone, and you really don’t need much to be a relevant part of it – just imagination, inspiration, courage, and a zest for life, values that we all deeply believe in at the library.”

Below, see 10 of the most fabulous fits from the People’s Ball (and you can see 2023’s looks here).

1. A Gold leaf suit

2. An all-denim dress 

3. Power in gold

4. The best hat of the night

5. A clear message

6. A floral arrangement

7. The People’s princess

8. Brooklyn fashion trio

9.  Paper plumes 

10. Call 911, she’s on fire

* This article was originally published here

Fresh sushi and a shopping session? It’s possible at Hōseki, the six-seat, modern omakase spot located, awesomely, in the jewelry department of Saks Fifth Avenue. But now the experience is getting even more exclusive with a private dining option, available only to those who have frequented the midtown sushi restaurant before. 

RECOMMENDED: The 16 best Japanese restaurants in New York City, for sushi, skewers and more

Only those who have previously enjoyed the regular omakase dinner at Hōseki will be able to reserve the exclusive private dinner (hey, it pays to be a regular!), which is a great birthday party idea or special occasion soiree, amping up the usual 11-course omakase prix fixe ($95) for a whopping 17 courses overseen by sushi chef Morgan Adamson, who was trained in the raw-fish discipline at Kissaki. While the regular menu at the sushi den is lunch-only, served Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 4pm each week, the private dining omakase can be reserved after-hours for $250 per person. 

Simply follow the escalators down to the Saks Fifth Avenue jewelry vault, take a left and you’ll find Hōseki hidden like a true sushi speakeasy behind dark grey curtains, where you and your hungry group can enjoy a selection of otsumami (Japan’s salty bar snacks), fresh nigiri and hand rolls, as well as a sesame Rice Krispies sweet for dessert. Among the nigiri offerings, you’ll find dishes like spot prawn with cured quail egg and union, amberjack with soy salt, and cured fluke with yuzu salt. 

On the beverage side of things, there will be a selection of sakes to enjoy alongside your nigiri, such as Seikyo Takehara Junmai and Soto Sake Junmai Daijinjo, as well as non-alcoholic drinks like Kimino Yuzu Sparkling Juice and Yame Black Tea Spritz.

Check out photos of the subterranean Hōseki space as well as several of Chef Adamson’s raw-fish creations below:

* This article was originally published here

When an artist creates a painting, their intention is for us to look at it. Not to listen or smell or, god forbid, touch it. But when a designer makes a piece of clothing, the intention is different, the Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s Director Max Hollein says. Yes, the outfit is meant to be admired visually, but it’s also expected to be touched by the wearer who imbues the piece with their own scent and creates sound as the garment moves on their body.

Though the latest exhibit from the Met’s Costume Institute mounts dresses upon the museum’s walls, it doesn’t treat them as stagnant, framed objects. Instead, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” takes a multi-sensory approach allowing visitors to smell, touch, and hear the clothing, not just look at it. With more than 200 garments from the 1600s to today, the exhibition is the largest and most ambitious in the Costume Institute’s history in terms of range and scope.

Here are six things to expect from the exhibit, which runs May 10-September 2 after The Costume Institute Benefit (a.k.a. The Met Gala) tonight.

RECOMMENDED: A first look at the Met’s powerful new rooftop art installation

1. New life for ‘sleeping beauties’

The Costume Institute at the Met maintains a collection of 33,000 garments, but some are so fragile, they can’t even be put on a mannequin for display. Instead, these pieces, called “sleeping beauties,” lie flat beneath panes of glass. In the exhibition, the Met found ways to reanimate them.

For example, an ornate 1887 ball gown with glittering beadwork and pale green satin has deteriorated so much that it cannot be restored. However, a video animation reimagines what the dress would have looked like on a woman dancing through a ballroom.

2. A natural twist

Nature serves as a throughline in the exhibition, showcasing poppies, roses, birds, and insects as inspirations for designers. 

“In many ways, nature serves as the ultimate metaphor for fashion with rebirth, renewal, and simplicity but also its ephemerality,” The Costume Institute’s Curator Andrew Bolton explained. 

Garments self-destruct and become fragile, much like the processes we see in the natural world. But the exhibit resuscitates their stories. 

Taking a fresh approach to fashion’s overlapping ethos with nature, don’t miss the “grass coat” by LOEWE’s creative director Jonathan Anderson. The navy blue wool coat decorated with real oat, rye, and wheatgrass is now alive, but it will slowly die over the course of the exhibition. An accompanying timelapse video shows the complete cycle from germination to death as a way to explore fashion’s ephemerality.

3. Sniffable surprises

If you’ve ever borrowed a hoodie from a boyfriend or a jacket from a relative, then you inherently know that clothing holds smells that are unique to the wearer. We tend not to think about those smells when it comes to museum garments, but these flaunted fashions also hold aromas, sometimes dating back decades.

To reawaken these clothes through smell, the team from Sissel Tolaas Studio extracted scent molecules from the fabrics, then used a microfilter to trap the air and moisture. Eventually, they analyzed the molecules to identify and replicate the smells. Some of the smells you’ll find include odors found in tobacco, bitter drinks, high-end skin products, roses, polluted environments, and toothpaste. The technology is so advanced, that it even determined aromas associated with human hair and human skin that had been in contact with a dog. 

In several installations, you’ll sniff the aromas through tubing, while in another you can gently rub the wall to release the aroma, as if the wall is human skin.

4. A chance to touch the famed Miss Dior dress

The Met’s typically a ’no-touch’ kind of place, but you’ll get a chance to experience the feeling of Christian Dior’s famed Miss Dior dress. A 3D-printed plastic replica of the floral dress offers a chance to feel the shape of the flowers. Visitors are also welcome to touch the black patterned wallpaper behind the replica, which was created from the flowers embroidered on Raf Simons’s interpretation of the “Miss Dior” dress.

5. Stirring audio installations 

The ears don’t get much love at a typical fashion exhibit. Maybe you’ll hear some quiet music in the background, but it’s certainly not a focal point. Curators here, however, thought about how audio components could complement the visual elements. 

In a display featuring poppies in fashion, from Isaac Mizrahi’s “Exploded Poppy” dress to Viktor & Rolf’s multi-hued poppy piece, a recording of the 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields” plays through speakers. The poem, read by Morgan Spector, praises the courage and mourns the sacrifice of soldiers who died on the Western Front during World War I.

In another room exploring Romantic artists’ fascination with the mermaid, you’ll learn about how fashion designers created glittering pieces that created sounds like gentle waves.

6. A dazzling Depression-era wedding gown with a modern twist

You may not know the name Natalie Potter now, but if you were alive in the 1930s, you likely would have. This New York socialite’s wedding to financier William Conkling Ladd on December 4, 1930, was such a glamorous affair that the bride’s wedding photo was published in Harper’s Bazaar.

The dress was at once dramatic with its cathedral-length train, yet devoid of beading or other embellishments due to the Depression-era sentimentality. Its design draws upon the waistless, androgynous silhouette of the 1920s and the more feminine aesthetic of the 1930s.

To bring to life Potter’s wedding, the Met worked with OpenAI (the creators of Chat GPT) to build an interactive platform where you chat with Potter through AI. You can ask her questions about her wedding, her outfit, and her life in the 1930s — putting a very 2024 spin on a 94-year-old dress.

* This article was originally published here

Ever wanted to hop right into the pages of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and have yourself a tea party alongside the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the rest of those classic Lewis Carol characters? Now you can: to tie into the New York Botanical Garden’s immersive exhibition, Wonderland: Curious Nature—which is set to open on Saturday, May 18, and run through Sunday, October 27—the gardens will also debut several whimsical food experiences this summer, including a picturesque tea party. 

RECOMMENDED: The best afternoon tea NYC has to offer, with scones, sandwiches and more

As garden guests journey down the rabbit hole in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and across 250 acres done up in sights, settings and scenes straight out of Carol’s iconic story, the Constellation Culinary Group will bring immersive, Alice-themed food and beverage moments to life, including trippy cocktails, afternoon tea experiences, a new prix-fixe menu at Hudson Garden Grill and more.

At grab-and-go pastry and coffee spot Pine Tree Café, you’ll find Alice’s “Drink Me” Lavender Lattes, served hot or iced; a Queen’s Lemonade inspired by the Queen of Hearts; and themed pastries including Illustrated Wonderland Sugar Cookies and Mad Hatter Chocolate Brownies. There will also be sandwiches, salads and wraps, with all-day service stretching from 10am to 6pm on Tuesdays through Sundays. 

The Rose Court will transform into a Queen of Hearts-inspired pop-up at the blooms-filled Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, where visitors can indulge in the Queen’s berry lemonade, an array of cookies, sweets, and frozen treats such as ice cream sandwiches, complemented by refreshing cold beverages, including an enticing red spiced hibiscus iced tea. 

NYBG’s full-service, sit-down restaurant Hudson Garden Grill will serve themed menus and specialty cocktails throughout the duration of the exhibit. Prix-fixe options ($60 for three courses) including an Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Heart Salad, Roasted Freebird Chicken Breast and Cauliflower Steak. You can finish your meal off with sweets like themed “Eat Me” Sugar Cookies, classic petite fours, and house-made scones with clotted cream. The summertime menu will run from May 17 through August, with a fall switchover happening in September.

And for that classic Mad Hatter’s experience, the Hudson Garden Grill will also host an enchanting Tea Party Party (so nice, they named it twice), offering pots of tea, savory hors d’oeuvres, tea sandwiches, and a selection of sweets. Offered by reservation-only on Thursday afternoons, the Tea Party Party ($80 per adult, $45 per child) features festive stuff like a Mad Hatter cocktail flight, mini meat pies, and kid-friendly dishes like bunny-shaped sandwiches. And guests are encouraged to break out their Wonderland-inspired best from their closets for an extra dose of whimsy. 

Savory treats including Mini Meat Pies, Stuffed Vine-Ripe Cherry Tomatoes, and kid-friendly dishes like Bunny-Shaped Sandwiches for the littlest wonderers. Guests are invited to don their finest Wonderland-inspired attire and costumes for an extra sense of adventure. The experience will run from 4:30pm to 5:30pm from May 23 through October 24. 

See more photos of some of the NYBG’s wondrous Wonderland-themed food-and-drink offerings below.

* This article was originally published here

After plenty of false starts, it’s finally getting warmer, which means we can actually count on being outside. 

If you’re looking to maximize the good weather, look no further: Governors Island Arts just announced its robust schedule of free programming for the spring and summer season, which includes world-class public art, performances, environmental education courses and more. 

RECOMMENDED: Here’s how to spend a day on Governors Island

Among this year’s new offerings is a series called “Interventions” featuring local and international artists who work with the elements to create art that can be sustained outdoors. Performances will include an open rehearsal by Dance Heginbotham on June 7 and 8 and another show by Rena Anakwe on July 19 and 20. 

The organization also makes it a point to bring together initiatives from all across the country. This year you’ll find curations by 28 non-profit organizations that will take over the space at two historic houses on the island, Nolan Park and Colonels Row. 

Among many others, expect to see representatives from the American Indian Community House, which promotes the visibility and well-being of the American Indian community; the Bronx Council of the Arts, which will display works by five Bronx-based artists; the New York Latin American Art Triennial, which will highlight printmakers and writers from the Dominican Republic; the Taiwanese American Arts Council; and many others. The exhibitions will be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm through the end of October.

There’s more: on May 18, Third Saturday will feature Fogo Azul, an all-women, trans and non-binary Brazilian Samba reggae drum line; Rueda de Oro, an Afro-Indigenous collective that celebrates traditional rhythms, and other music-forward enterprises.

On August 16-19, the island will celebrate House Fest, which will feature performances by Eliana Colachis Glass, a singer, pianist and visual artist, and Eli Fola, a Nigerian American saxophonist, DJ and producer.

“The burgeoning arts and culture scene that has grown on Governors Island during the past few years has become the home to some of the most anticipated exhibitions and performances not only in New York City but across the world, and this year is no exception,” said Lauren Haynes, the Head Curator and Vice President for Arts and Culture at Governors Island Arts, in an official statement. “We encourage art lovers from all walks of life to visit Governors Island this season and take in the many varied programs and exhibits on offer from our numerous cultural partners.”

To learn more about the programming and updated schedules, visit Governors Island Arts’ website.

* This article was originally published here

Perfectly groomed and ready to strut their stuff, the stars dazzled in their Met Gala looks last night. Sure, they looked cute. But you know who would look even cuter in those couture styles? Dogs.

Pet Couturier Anthony Rubio is making that fever dream a reality this year, and you can attend. He’s hosting The Pet Gala at the AKC Museum of the Dog in Midtown East on Monday, May 20. Expect to see up to 20 Met Gala looks re-created for dogs at pet fashion’s biggest night.

RECOMMENDED: The Met Museum’s new ‘Sleeping Beauties’ fashion exhibit is a wonderland for the senses

Rubio is no stranger to creating couture looks for pets. He regularly hosts pup fashion shows during New York Fashion Week. And he’s recreated Met Gala looks for the past decade, though usually just to share photos with journalists and social media. His most famous re-creations include looks worn by Salma Hayek, Cardi B, Rihanna, and Pedro Pascal.

A passionate advocate for animals, Rubio hosted his first in-person Pet Gala event last year, recreating 12 looks worn by celebs and even replicating the iconic backdrops at the Met Museum in miniature form.

While last year’s event was invite-only, this year’s Pet Gala is open to all; tickets cost $300/person. The dogs will walk on a 24-foot red carpet and pose for photos in front of floral walls. The evening’s program will also include a runway show of the stars and conclude with a sit-down dinner for patrons. Rubio will be on hand to talk about his inspiration and the work that went into creating these iconic looks for pets.

“I love to challenge myself,” Rubio says. “The designers for The Met Gala have months to create their looks for celebrities to shine on the red carpet. I have two weeks to recreate them and for dogs. When I design for my Fashion Week runway shows, it’s all my aesthetic. For The Pet Gala, I have to figure out how to translate garments worn by humans onto our four-legged stars. Humans can suffer for their fashion, but dogs will not. Their comfort and safety is my top priority. It’s a challenge I’m always up for. I thrive under the pressure.”

For The Pet Gala, I have to figure out how to translate garments worn by humans onto our four-legged stars.

With its display of more than 180 sculptures and paintings of four-legged furballs, The AKC Museum of the Dog will serve as the perfect backdrop for this dynamic dog event. 

“Having borne witness to the stunning fashions of the Met Gala for decades, it was instantly clear that the AKC Museum of the Dog is the only suitable home for Anthony Rubio’s Pet Gala,” said Christopher Bromson, Executive Director of the AKC Museum of the  Dog. “Just like the Met, the Museum boasts one of the world’s most impressive collections of dog art. On May 20, it will be the steps of the AKC Museum of the Dog that brim with glamour, where breathtaking pieces will wind their way through our gallery. Together, we’ll celebrate these creations for what they truly are: art.”

To give you a sense of what to expect from the Pet Gala, here are a few of Rubio’s previous Pet Gala creations: 

* This article was originally published here