Hot Girl Summer, Little Mermaid Ignited It Then Barbie, The Movie, Fuels It.

 By Laura Medina

Summer 2023 got started by Disney's live action, "The Little Mermaid then it's finishing off  with Barbie the Movie.  It's the Summer of the Girl.

Ulta collaborated on sea-appropriate sea-based skincare and sunscreen.  That was two months ago.

Any girl who loves girly things, regardless of age and background, knows the real Barbie campaign started around the same time, when Truly Skincare launched their Barbie Collaboration to achieve flawless Barbie skin, from head to toe.

A month later, NYX Cosmetics' quality and very affordable Barbie Makeup Collection sold-out and the movie has yet to be officially released.

Two nights before the nation wide release on Friday, iPIC and Cinepolis threw Barbie the Movie cocktail parties, giving away limited edition, collector's official movie posters, pins, and Barbie cocktails...with Barbie popcorn and dinners...

The night before the nation wide rollout, AMC treated the early birds with real Barbie the Movie Doll with matching Barbie Corvette, both in the movie.  It was nice that the give away lasted all day and night for that day and night only.

Movie, gourmet movie buff theater chain, Drafthouse Alamo Theater offered Barbie tin lunch box with thermos, that you had to personally buy inside the theater.

Unless you're a Los Angeles local, once you watch the movie, it whets your appetite for Barbie Land.  What LA's lucky locals have known for the past two months, yes it's been around when the Little Mermaid dominated the box office, the walk-in, pop-up "World of Barbie,"  World of Barbie in Los Angeles (theworldofbarbie.com) wraps the visitors, Barbie fans, Barbie families, and their dates into what it is like being or pretending to be Barbie or Ken, walking through life-size closet, living room, Barbie Space Shuttle, Barbie Lab, Barbie talk show studio, Barbie music studio, and a very important Barbie Historical Museum, displaying the evolution of Barbie from bathing studio to President.  The museum pays honor to Historical Barbies based on ground-breaking real-life women, like Vera Wang and Jane Goodall.  Barbie can be anything and a good role model, not a dumb blonde.

Walking through the museum, you'll see Mattel's Barbie Dream Gap project, directly addressing making girls' goals come true in the real world, https://shop.mattel.com/pages/barbie-dream-gap

On certain weekends, not all weekends, the Paul Mitchell Barbie Salon is up and running, giving people Barbie hairdos, with Paul Mitchell products, that you can buy in the retail store.

https://feverup.com/m/128422?cp_landing_source=landing_medium&utm_source=landing&utm_campaign=128422_lax&thm=365&goe_D4ufE6rlTMqSS3hMADCnYQ=0&_gl=1*w7tj8r*_ga*NTM3ODMwNTg2LjE2OTA4MjYxMjQ.*_ga_4RV75H4MM6*MTY5MDgyODE5MS4yLjAuMTY5MDgyODE5MS42MC4wLjA.&_ga=2.209880149.1905241245.1690826124-537830586.1690826124

Another exclusive within an exclusive, not every night but a few, selected nights, the kid-friendly World of Barbie flips into Sips After Sunset Barbie, where adult Barbies and Kens can have a girl dinner, dining on portion-controlled Barbie Food, another slang for charcuterie, a mix board of cheeses, dried and fresh fruits, crackers, and nuts, dotted with dessert buffet of cupcakes and Strawberry & Cream French Macaroons.

Adult Barbies and Kens can sip Barbie cocktails, mixed with Swoon Barbie drinks, mixed alcohol, such as Swoon Pink Lemonade Vanilla Vodka.

If going overseas is too daunting for you, Californians and Americans can book a flight to LA and easily reserve tickets for daytime World of Barbie then Sips After Sunset Barbie for themselves, to brag back home.

If y'all want an uniquely All-American experience in a lifetime, book a flight to LA, then grab tickets to daytime World of Barbie for the kiddies then Sips After Sunset for yourselves.

It's an Hot Girl Summer.

“On the Wings of Hermès,” Hermes Tell Pegasus, the Mythical Winged Horse, Through a Puppet Show Using Hermes Scarves & Tote Bags.

 By Laura Medina

Using the story of the winged horse, Pegasus, seeking true freedom, Hermes did a puppet show using Hermes' tote bags and scarves to tell the story.

It's very Spoleto USA avant garde ballet and puppet show.

Hermes know how to target their upscale culturati audience.

It's going at the Santa Monica Airport until Sunday, July 23rd.

Too bad, it's already fully booked.

Netflix Bites Pop-Up Restaurant, The Toughest Reservations Got Some of the Best Meals Til August 15th Then It Disappears.

 By Laura Medina

                                                  https://www.netflix.shop/pages/bites-home

Thank god for foodie tourism.  During a Summer heatwave, it's an hassle in Mid-Wilshire District, across from The Gove outdoor mall.  But, it's them foodie tourists that keep LA's restaurants afloat during a double-whammy, necessary Writers and Actors Strike requesting download residuals from streaming networks.

This might mean that reservations are cancelled and clear for local, national, and international foodie traveling thru LA.

Unfortunately, Netflix Bites Pop-up Restaurant doesn't do weekly breakfasts or lunches.

But, they are open for dinner at 5pm and they do brunch every weekend from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

For dinner, go all out on Curtis Stone's Whole Dungeness Curry Crab while cooling down with Berry Smash mocktail of Seedlip Garden, Hibiscus, and Blackberry Tea.

This special treat from Netflix really over leaps the Food Network, a pop-up restaurant of a constellation of the world's best celebrity chefs from all sorts of cuisines, ranging from Aussie Curtis Stone to French Dominique Crenn, East-West Fusion Ming Tsai, British-Middle Eastern Nadiya Hussain, Pizza Chef Ann Kim, to and Barbeque Pit-Master, South Carolina's Rodney Scott, (where this scribe is from).

Since reservations are tough to get, this scribe leaps into Curtis Stone's decadent Whole Dungeness Curry Crab, sopping up the crab curry juice broth with a bib and a seafood picker stick while breaking and cracking and sucking out those juicy crab meat.

Then, this scribe went all out on the dinner-only dessert, Nadiya Hussain's Orange Chocolate Baklava.

This orange blossom perfumed is chocolate strudel crumble and chocolate nut pie filling encased in flaky phyllo crust, glazed in honey and dusted in pistachio dust.

For devouring with gusto, the Netflix Bites hostesses gladly personally, and directly booked a next reservation for this scrumptious scribe...for brunch.  This scribe was so grateful.

Since brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch and Netflix Bites is all about the best and the rare in a month, this scribe took advantage of Ming Tsai's Lobster Egg Custard topped with cream cheese and sprinkled with Everything Bagel Spices and Lobster chunks.

Surprisingly, Curtis Stone's Aussie-British pastry trolley of sturdy and savory mini meat pies and sturdy and sweet yet so flaky sweet pastries, cakes, and cookies are affordable as they are tasty.

Repeat diners rave about the Blueberry Coffee Cake.  The mini Cheddar Beef and Everything Bagel Spiced Chicken Pot Pies are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and sturdy enough to go.

Traditional British Millionaire Shortbread with a Middle Eastern twist, Nadiya Hussain's Cinnamon and Coffee Millionaire Shortbread, delightful for a contemporary Brit afternoon tea.

Desiring even more chocolate, Jacque Torres dominate half the dessert menu.  Get his chocolate box to go then store in the fridge then savor.

Be thankful you'll get one reservation before this culinary mirage disappears.

 

Stinky, Sweaty, Sultry Summer is Here, Time for Molton Brown's Dewy Lily of the Valley & Star Anise.

 By Laura Medina

No matter how much we try to stretch Spring, Summer is here!  Along with the humidity and the sweat and the pollution grime sticking on.

We need the brightness of Star Anise, Magnolia and Green Mandarin; middle notes are Lily-of-the-Valley, White Tea and Peony to bring a spring in our step when we feel like molting underneath the heat valley.

Molton Brown's Dewy Lily of the Valley & Star Anise refreshes by washing away the grime then infuses your skin in bright florals, giving you the confindence to step out in the heat wave...or not.

HAPPY AMAZON PRIME DAYS! Shop & Celebrate July 11-12 with 30% Off 18.21 Man Made

 By Laura Medina

Amazon Prime deals are officially here!  For the limited time of July 11-12, snag 30% off the entire 18.21 Man Made lineup – inclusive of the top-selling men’s 3-in-1 washes, signature colognes, body spritzers and hair styling products. 18.21 Man Made’s swanky Speakeasy aesthetic, professional-grade quality and legendary scent profiles make it the perfect addition to any man’s grooming regimen. This is the largest discount of the year, so shop it while you can! 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/B18EFF4E-2084-4E62-B483-D9BCFA0DF044?maas=maas_adg_9F900727031615F69A35AFD20ABB8EF0_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas

18.21 MAN MADE BESTSELLERS

• Man Made Wash in 4 scents: Sweet Tobacco, Absolute Mahogany, Noble Oud and Spiced Vanilla 

Over 7,800+ reviews & 4.6 out of 5 star rating - (was $29) NOW $20.30

Quotes from actual Amazon reviews: 

• “Just don’t drink it: I love love love this packaging! This looks like a bottle of your finest bourbon, but it’s the best all-in-one shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. What more could you need?”  

• “Hands down best body wash: This stuff smells like heaven’s man cave.”

• Fragrances: Spirits Cologne & Spirits Spritzer Body Spray 

Over 1,500+ reviews & 4.3 out of 5 star rating

Spirits Cologne - (was $86) NOW $60.20  &  Spirits Spritzer Body Spray - (was $24) NOW $16.80

Quotes from actual Amazon reviews: 

• “Definitely buy again: Wife loves it. Gotten numerous compliments from others as well! Just smells like a classy man should smell.” – Spirits Cologne 

• “Okay! Where are the designers or manufacturers of this product??? I just opened my package and within the first instance of a spray on my wrist, I am in LOVE!!!!! I cannot stop raising my nostrils to my wrist!!!” – Spirits Spritzer 

• Hairstyling Products: Wax, Pomade, Paste, Clay  

Over 2,800+ reviews & 4.6 out of 5 star rating - (was $25) NOW $17.50

Quotes from actual Amazon reviews: 

• “Only thing I use for my hair: I really like this stuff. I also get a lot of compliments on my hair since I started using this product. It makes the hair look more natural and doesn't make my hair feel greasy or oily. It smells great too.”

RECENT LAUNCHES FROM 18.21 MAN MADE

• Absolute Mahogany Spirits Cologne (was $86) NOW $60.20

• Elixir 13 hair styling & thickening treatment (was $36) NOW $25.20 

Snoop Dogg's Very Own Jack in the Box weekend pop-up, "Snoop in Tha Box," Disappeared Last Sunday Night at 8pm.

 By Laura Medina

Now we all know what's Snoop Dogg's favorite fast food chain is.  He collaborated with Jack in the Box in curating his own take on a Munchie Meal...

• Spicy sauced and loaded chicken sandwich
• Crunchy taco
• Medium curly fries 
• Baked brownie
• Sprite or a drink of your choice

All for $14.

The meal, itself, is available at all Jack in the Box, until August 6th.

The real treat was when Snoop Dogg flipped an Inglewood Jack in the Box into his own version of a Jack in the Box.

Bathed in purple and gold (an ode to the LA Lakers), it was a nightclub themed of a fast food joint, perfect for post-hunger and post-thirsty munching and hydration after partying at the clubs, to Snoop Dogg dropping beats.

It was a good concept, perhaps a test run of a good idea, since it ended last Sunday night at 8pm.

Since it's in Inglewood, "Snoop in tha Box," Snoop's Jack in the Box pop-up, it showcase only in South LA local culture, the thumping and pimped up lowrider cars.  Of course, his own boutique and him owning Death Row Records.

Was only in Inglewood.

Snoop Dogg's idea of Juneteenth for anyone and for everyone.