ThunderShirts, dance parties and anxiety meds can help ease dogs' July Fourth dread
Most of the U.S. may be looking forward to July Fourth for dazzling displays of fireworks or setting off firecrackers and poppers with their neighbors
2023-07-04 02:48
13 Facts About Opossums
Opossums have a bad reputation, but they’re smarter and more beneficial to people than other woodland denizens. Discover more about these unique marsupials here.
2023-07-04 02:25
How to Track Down Ice Cream Trucks Near You
These online tools can help you locate the nearest ice cream truck in your neighborhood.
2023-07-04 01:16
The dish that defines me: Eddie Huang’s Taiwanese beef noodle soup
Defining Dishes is a new IndyEats column that explores the significance of food at key moments in our lives. From recipes that have been passed down for generations, to flavours that hold a special place in our hearts, food shapes every part of our lives in ways we might not have ever imagined. My earliest memory of Taiwanese beef noodle soup is the first time I compared the version my mother makes and then going out to eat it at restaurants. It was just terrible outside the walls of my home, just a sad watery soup with no flavour. I was born in Washington DC but grew up in Orlando. In America, and even in some places in Taiwan, there are a lot of places that are lazy when it comes to making beef noodle soup. They just whip up a thin broth with ginger, spring onions, some type of chilli. Then there are other places trying to do expensive s***. They’ll try and promote it by saying, “Oh, I use dry aged beef” or “I use this super expensive stock”. But that’s all unnecessary. What Taiwanese beef noodle soup needs is time, not anything fancy. What do we do when we cook? We apply the right level of heat to the proper amount of time to the proper ratio of ingredients. That’s it. With this dish, the longer you let it simmer, the better it is. The flavour develops and becomes richer, the beef becomes fall-apart tender. It’s so simple and humble, all it takes is time. I make mine using two separate stocks. I make a master stock, which begins with simmering meat and bones for a long time so it becomes really flavourful. Then I make another stock with my aromatics – including ginger, spring onions, garlic, fresh chili peppers and dried red chili peppers, and Szechuan peppercorns – and sauces, like dark and light soy sauce and rice wine. Doing it separately allows me to strain the aromatics out and keep the broth really clean so that each bite is consistent. For the protein, I use beef shank and oxtail. The thing that sets my beef noodle soup apart is that I use chilli oil as well as fresh chilli for that acid kick. That’s something I haven’t seen other people do, most dishes use just chilli oil. I’m also quite loyal to tomatoes in my beef noodle soup. A lot of people make it with either tomato or no tomato, it’s one of those divisive things. People will ask, “Are you a tomato beef noodle soup guy or you’re not a tomato guy?” I’m a tomato guy because it gives the dish more umami and another layer of acidity. The chillies and tomatoes combined deliver different levels of acidity. Between those three, they cut through the fattiness of the beef. I don’t over-skim my soup either, I leave all the globs of fat in there to keep it rich, but the acidity stops it from being excessive. I’m agnostic about the type of noodle I use in my soup. I served it once to my homies with a really good number 10 Italian spaghetti, which is a finer noodle than regular spaghetti. They were like, “Yo, this is crazy”. It totally changed the dish, I’ve never had it like that. Most people use a Chinese wheat noodle, some do knife-cut noodles and others do hand-pulled. They’re all fine for me. I’m mainly here for the broth, which I’ll just drink a lot of the time. I do like knife-cut noodles though, I would love to try that. But mostly I will serve it with a Chinese wheat noodle or spaghetti, because it’s the closest you can get to wheat noodles if you can’t get them. The difference between my mum’s beef noodle soup and mine is that she doesn’t add the chilli oil and fresh chillies. But I have to say that my mum will tell you that my beef noodle soup smokes hers. It’s just that much better. She does not f*** with me anymore. There are certain dishes that I practice so much and she just says, “I’m not playing with you anymore, right?” But she’s still the best at home-style small dishes and stir fries, like baby dried fish with peanuts, red-cooked pork or lion’s head meatballs. But some other dishes, my mum gives me the nod. She doesn’t make them anymore, she’s like, “You make it”. It’s fun to say, “Alright, you taught me and I really, really mastered it”. I was never one to do it just like my mum. I was always going to learn how she does it and then I’m going to make it a little bit better. Beef noodle soup is incredibly close to my heart, it’s the only dish that occupied an entire chapter of my memoir, Fresh Off The Boat. I wrote at the time that the best part of beef noodle soup is that there are no rules and you can add whatever you like as long as it has the essentials: beef, noodle, and soup. I like it the most because there is nowhere to hide with this dish. Just take your time. Eddie Huang is the chef-founder of Baohaus. He wears many hats, including author, presenter and director. Read More Eddie Huang: ‘I’ll never eat at BAO London – I know mine’s better’
2023-07-03 23:28
Dior’s couture show was the epitome of quiet luxury
Dior’s haute couture runway show in Paris saw the French fashion house tap into the most exclusive trend of the moment: quiet luxury. Brought to the fore by HBO television show Succession – which put the spotlight on the ultra-wealthy – quiet luxury is all about sleek, understated clothes that ooze elegance and wealth. Dior’s latest show took place at the Musée Rodin in Paris, a grand 18th-century mansion that displays Auguste Rodin’s work, most notably the famous sculpture The Thinker. In keeping with creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s continued dedication to feminism, the collection was themed around female narratives and representation in ancient mythology. The show opened with a model wearing a classic white gown with caped sleeves trailing to the ground. This set the aesthetic tone – models wore lots of long, flowing gowns in muted colours – mainly whites, earthy tones, navy or grey hues. There was lots of layering, sheer panels and flowing skirts – but everything was so precisely tailored that silhouettes were kept crisp and sharp. After all, this was a couture collection – seen as the pinnacle of craftsmanship, garments are one-of-a-kind and require a lot more skill, time and money to produce. While clothes were mainly left plain – as is the trend within quiet luxury – there was the odd subtle accent. Think intricate knotwork, heavy beading and floral appliques, adding to the overall feeling of wealth and glamour. The styling was kept simple – models wore their hair in low ponytails with a centre parting – and Dior made the case for a new trend: wearing one statement drop earring, instead of a pair. The show closed with a model wearing a heavily embellished caped gown – like a more formal, red carpet-ready version of the opening look. Celebrity guests on the front row also wore silhouettes and simple designs that felt like quiet luxury. Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki – who plays Diana, Princess of Wales in The Crown – kept things chic and French-inspired with her outfit, wearing a black beret with netting over the top, a simple white tank top and a black leather skirt. House ambassador Natalie Portman wore a white strapless gown with watercolour-style pastel accents. A familiar face on the Dior front row, actor Rosamund Pike had her hair slicked back, and donned a black dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline. At the end of the show, designer Maria Grazia Chiuri took a brief bow, her own outfit another prime example of understated luxury: a simple yet impeccably tailored navy suit. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live The history of royal fashion at Wimbledon Cardi B and Tracee Ellis Ross sit front row at Schiaparelli show in Paris Affected by someone else’s drinking? 3 key pieces of advice for loved ones of alcoholics
2023-07-03 23:27
Barbecuing vs. Grilling: What’s the Difference?
Though they’re sometimes used interchangeably, grilling and barbecuing describe distinct methods of outdoor cooking.
2023-07-03 23:16
Drag queens are out, proud and loud in a string of coal towns, from a bingo hall to blue-collar bars
In red communities across America, lawmakers are pushing to restrict drag performances and, in some cases, broader trans and gay rights
2023-07-03 22:54
Kimberly Palmer: Creative ways to cut your energy costs this summer
With energy prices rising and summer heat looming, it’s a good time to make sure your home is running as efficiently as possible
2023-07-03 21:53
Why Do Cats Lick Tape and Plastic?
Your cat's weird snacking habits may be related to compulsive behavior condition—or they might just like the crinkly sound.
2023-07-03 21:17
From Princess Diana to Kate Middleton: The history of royal fashion at Wimbledon
Ties between Wimbledon and the royal family go back a long way. To 1907, to be precise, the first year that the Prince and Princess of Wales (who would become King George V and Queen Mary) attended the famous Championships. King George V later became patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, a role now held by the current Princess of Wales. Kate Middleton’s outfits are pored over almost as much as the action on court, and looking back at royal appearances at the tournament we can see how fashion has evolved throughout the decades. Keep up with Wimbledon 2023 via our liveblog. As the iconic Championships begins today (Monday 3 July), a fashion expert talks through some key looks and what they tell us about the style of the era… King George V and Queen Mary During the first Wimbledon Championships after a four-year hiatus due to World War I, the 1919 women’s final was attended by King George V – who was known to dislike contemporary fashion – and Queen Mary. “When George arrived at Wimbledon, the hub of fashion inspiration for trendy Brits going into the Twenties and Thirties, he stood out like a sore thumb,” says Rosie Harte, author of The Royal Wardrobe. Queen Mary wore a fringed dress with a loose coat, hat and gloves, and carried an umbrella. “She, like other members of the royal family, felt pressure to fall in line with George’s conservative fashion preference,” Harte continues. “And so appears here dressed in a slightly dated, soft and cluttered outfit at odds with the trim tailoring and sleek silhouettes beginning to emerge in women’s fashion.” Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II became patron of the All England Club in 1952, but only visited the Championships a handful of times. The first was in 1957 when she attended the women’s singles final, wearing a floral midi dress with white accessories. “Unlike the celebrities of their day, the most dutiful of Wimbledon-bound royals have often avoided pandering to the tennis aesthetic when styling themselves for an appearance,” says Harte. “Even as a young Queen at Wimbledon, Elizabeth was always more fond of an outfit that read homely British romance rather than the wardrobe of the modern woman.” The monarch returned to the tournament in 1977, donning a pink coat dress and hat, and in 2010, wearing a similar ensemble in aqua blue. “Each appearance followed the rubric of the Queen’s royal uniform which, as the years went on, became more and more regimented,” Harte says. “Whether she was on the green or sat in a sea of spectators, the eye needed to be drawn to the Queen through the use of vibrant colours that do not typically feature in the Wimbledon setting.” Diana, Princess of Wales Tennis fan Diana attended Wimbledon more than a dozen times during the Eighties and Nineties, during which time her personal style evolved considerably. “Going into the Nineties, the Princess of Wales was under no illusion that her marriage was the fairytale it had initially been framed as,” suggests Harte. “Consequently, the frothy, fairytale elements of her wardrobe, inspired by the traditional looks of more senior royals, began to disappear.” Floral frocks and roomy sailor dresses made way for more structured and tailored looks. Harte says: “Her white pleated skirt in 1991 embodied an elevated tennis skirt, and in 1995, her pale suit jacket with sunglasses folded over the collar set her apart as a sleek modern woman.” Kate Middleton Another big tennis fan, Kate has been snapped in the audience at Wimbledon as far back as 2007, but her first memorable fashion look came in 2012, a year after she married the Prince of Wales. Kate donned a seemingly tennis-inspired knitted dress from Alexander McQueen (the label that made her wedding dress) with a drop-waist and blue accented cuffs and hem. “She radiated the essence of the iconic pre-war tennis star – an aesthetic largely rejected by the royal family,” says Harte. Taking over from the late Queen as patron in 2016, Kate has continued to reference tennis colours over the years with green and white dresses, and in 2022 opted for vintage-inspired looks. “Last year saw her attending Wimbledon in various outfits that used cut, colour and accessories to reference the fashions of the daring, modern woman who emerged in the 1920s and Thirties,” says Harte. “Her bright yellow Roksanda IlinÄić frock was the most subtle of these, but the vibrant colour was uncompromising, making her an unavoidable figure at the event.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live The Idol should have been about modern cults rather than Tedros’s weird kinks Stanley Tucci recalls trying to break up with wife Felicity Blunt over 21-year age gap Plans for Prince Andrew to move into Harry and Meghan’s former home ‘quietly shelved’
2023-07-03 19:55
Roller coaster with crack in support pillar set to be investigated today at Carowinds in North Carolina
Inspectors are due at a North Carolina amusement park Monday as they continue investigating a roller coaster shuttered since shortly after a dad spotted a crack at the top of one of its steel support pillars.
2023-07-03 19:27
Cardi B and Tracee Ellis Ross sit front row at Schiaparelli show in Paris
Cardi B attended the Schiaparelli Haute Couture show in Paris wearing a glamorous outfit from the Italian fashion house. The rapper sat front row at the opening show of the autumn/winter season, held at the Petit Palais, in a black gown with gold trim and a huge fluffy black jacket. She accessorised her look with a black head wrap and surreal gold earrings – a Schiaparelli signature. American actor Tracee Ellis Ross sat next to Cardi B on the front row, wearing a blue and white shirt and matching trousers. Other fashionable celebrities in attendance included Game Of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie, French actor Philippine Leroy Beaulieu (who plays Sylvie in Netflix series Emily In Paris) and fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni. The opening runway look – a sculptural black and white skirt suit with oversized collar, cuffs and hem – set the tone for the collection, which was all about volume and texture. Creative director Daniel Roseberry sent out a variety of ensembles in the label’s signature black and gold colour combination. Black and white winter coats came with voluminous sleeves and collars, or were made from thick, shaggy fabric. A gigantic metallic puffer coat was teamed with strings of equally enormous gold beads. “Blurring the lines between the real and the unreal,” was how the collection was described in a preview post on Instagram. More vibrant looks included a pastel-toned, long-sleeved dress that looked like it had been painted on the model. Flashes of electric blue and turquoise appeared throughout the show. This season saw models adorned with statement necklaces and huge bangles. The show concluded with glamorous evening looks, including a rust satin corset gown with a flowing tulle skirt modelled by South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech. Russian supermodel Irina Shayk closed the show in a diaphanous black gown and textured cape with electric blue lining. Always one of the big draws at Haute Couture Week, Schiaparelli has become known for its eye-popping catwalk designs, surrealist take on fashion and stellar front row. The label has recently been worn by stars such as Adele, Beyonce and Naomi Campbell. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Affected by someone else’s drinking? 3 key pieces of advice for loved ones of alcoholics The history of royal fashion at Wimbledon How to be waterwise in your garden this summer
2023-07-03 18:53