A Van Cleef & Arpels Watch That Took Nearly 1,300 Hours to Make
In the 1660s, decorative brooches and ribbons began appearing on the bodices of women's clothing in Europe. A century later, Marie Antoinette wore frilled trimmings on her coronation robes and Madame de Pompadour, the chief mistress of King Louis XV, tied lacelike collars around her neck. When Van Cleef & Arpels opened in Paris's Place Vendôme in 1906, one of its first orders was for a gem-encrusted bow-shaped brooch. In 1918, the house produced a black onyx and diamond broche noeud, or knotted pin; this was followed in 1926 by a round, Art Deco-inspired clip with a fluttering band of diamonds that mimicked a swatch of silk. During World War II, the company, unable to obtain as many precious stones, improvised with pendant bows featuring intricate gold lacework that resembled flowers and tulle fringes.
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San Francisco Chronicle
4 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: Spy thriller ‘World Pacific' turns wartime intrigue into farce, folly and adventure
No one is to be trusted in the fantastic, fanciful and often extremely funny novel, 'World Pacific,' from San Francisco writer Peter Mann. Much like Mann's debut novel, 'The Torqued Man,' this second, equally farcical novel, revolves around real-world events that touch, at least tangentially, on World War II. But this time, the setting, to which the novel's title 'World Pacific' refers, leads several dubious and unreliable characters toward the 1940 World's Fair on Treasure Island. One of these characters, and perhaps the most dubious of them all, is Richard 'Dicky' Halifax, a self-proclaimed author-adventurer, very much in the spirit of the real-life Richard Halliburton, who disappeared in 1939 in the same manner as Dicky does in the first few pages of this novel, while on an ill-prepared sailing journey from Hong Kong to San Francisco on a Chinese junk. The excursion is, in part, funded by a subscription service for young readers. In Dicky's case this subscription service would be 'The Dicky Halifax Junior Adventurers Club,' a series of letters that not only weaves in many an inappropriate reference to Dicky's crotch, but also operates as Dicky's central voice within the novel. Written in a folksy devil-may-care style, these letters, presented as chapters within 'World Pacific,' highlight Dicky's escape from many a tight spot. Or as Dicky writes in an early chapter, leading to his current predicament of being lost at sea: 'Dear boys, This is where the story starts to get hairy. Of all the close scrapes I've had, all the times I've blundered into a hornets' nest or was caught taking pictures of military installations on Gibraltar or got dragged to a pretty lady's bed only to find I was flaccid as a gym sock, this one took the cake.' The writing, particularly in the Junior Adventurers Club chapters, feels wonderfully inventive, often playing with clichés of the period and then elevating them through Dicky's individual voice and upbeat, foolish optimism. But Dicky is certainly not alone in this novel. While the connection to a talented émigré painter of Jewish descent, Hildegard 'Hilde' Rauch, feels at first tenuous, it soon becomes clear from a letter addressed to Hilde from her comatose brother that the now-lost-at-sea and presumed dead Dicky, might just be the key to understanding his current state. Or, as the suicide note from her brother so eloquently puts it, 'I just can't bear to live in a world without Dick.' Besides what becomes a sizable number of euphemisms and allusions (one, by sheer absurdity, that kept me laughing for a good five minutes), there is a plot to this novel, and a very twisty one at that. For, even as Hilde searches for answers and Dicky stumbles from one madcap adventure to the next, another character — Simon Faulk, a British intelligence officer on the hunt for Nazi spies and who also harbors a serious grudge against author-adventurer Dicky Halifax — takes the stage. All of which confirms that, along with being a quixotic tale of adventure complete with truth-telling sidekicks and wild goose chases, 'World Pacific' is, like Mann's first novel, a spy thriller of ingenious quality.
USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
When does the Pumpkin Spice Latte return to Starbucks? Here's when you can get one
Pumpkin spice has returned at Dunkin' and will soon be back at Starbucks, too. Starbucks announced last month the Pumpkin Spice Latte will return to menus at the end of August, which fits within the range of when it historically has opened pumpkin spice season in the past. First introduced in 2003, the return of the PSL has become an annual rite of late summer since Starbucks introduced the drink. Over the last two decades, customers have looked forward to the PSL's return. As pumpkin spice season gets underway, here's what to know. When does the Pumpkin Spice Latte come out at Starbucks? PSLs return to Starbucks on Tuesday, Aug. 26. When does Starbucks drop the fall menu? What's back and new Starbucks' fall menu drops on Aug. 26 with the PSL. Also returning are the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai and Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte. Newcomers to the menu include Italian Sausage Egg Bites and a Pecan Oatmilk Cortado. The Cortado, a new style of coffee drink Starbucks added earlier this year, is made with three ristretto shots of Blonde Espresso and steamed milk (ristretto espresso shots are smaller and more concentrated than traditional ones). A current option is the Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado. Dunkin' fall menu: Dunkin' Pumpkin Spice Latte is back. See the full fall menu. What's in the Pumpkin Spice Latte? The PSL, which Starbucks says is its most popular seasonal beverage – available hot, iced or blended – is made with real pumpkin flavor, pumpkin-related spices (including cinnamon, nutmeg and clove), Starbucks Signature Espresso and steamed milk. The drink is topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices. Pumpkin spice already on Dunkin's menu Dunkin' announced its fall menu on Wednesday, Aug. 20, which includes new items like a cereal milk latte and the latest Sabrina Carpenter-inspired drink. Along with the donut and coffee chain's Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte, which can be ordered hot or iced, there's another new latte on the menu: the Cereal N' Milk Latte, made with marshmallowy cereal milk. Dunkin' also announced a new Iced Pumpkin Loaf and a new Mixed Berry Daydream Refresher, the latest beverage the chain has created with pop star Carpenter. Also on the Dunkin' fall menu, available now: Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@ Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@
Buzz Feed
8 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Disneyland's Blue Bayou: Is This Restaurant Worth It?
If you've been on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland Resort, you've probably wondered about the restaurant that's literally inside the ride at the very beginning of your journey. As your boat glides through the slightly foreboding but kind of romantic bayou, you can spot guests eating at a Southern-inspired restaurant. Dark with beautiful twinkling lanterns, a huge willow tree, dressed up waiters, and a 'patio' overlooks the waters of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride — THAT is Disneyland's infamous Blue Bayou restaurant. It's a restaurant full of intrigue and mystery. And if you're anything like me, you've probably REALLY wanted to try eating here. ^ The view from my boat on Pirates of the Caribbean. Recently, the Blue Bayou has been popping up all over my FYP. As one of the more elegant and pricier sit down restaurants at Disneyland, people are wondering if the price point is worth it, what the vibes are actually like, or if the food is any good. *Editor's note: BuzzFeed was provided part of this trip free of charge; however, we were under no obligation to give a positive review. The writer paid for this meal.* Well wonder no more! I FINALLY got to dine at the Blue Bayou and it was quite the culinary and sensory experience. Here's how it all went: Reservations at the Blue Bayou get snatched up pretty quickly but guests are able to make a reservation online or through the Disneyland Mobile App up to 60 days in advance. I didn't have a reservation on a recent Disneyland trip but I kept checking the Disney app and was lucky enough to get a table for two the day before. Tucked away on a cute street in New Orleans Square, the Blue Bayou exterior blends in perfectly with the other store and shop fronts. The restaurant entrance is right beside the exit of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. My reservation was for 1pm and I would have been seated right away but I requested a 'waterfront' view, so I waited about 30 more minutes. After all, I wanted the FULL Blue Bayou experience here. We were seated in prime spots (aka right by the water with a perfect view of guests about to meet their destiny on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride) and two things stuck out to me: the cooler temperature and moody lighting of the restaurant. It was cool. You didn't need a jacket but it is distinctly cooler than other indoor rides or buildings at Disneyland. I'm not sure why this is — maybe to protect all the pirate animatronics from the hot weather? All I knew was that I was thankful for an escape from the steamy, sunny outdoors. And second, it was dark in a spooky but also kind of romantic way. The table candle lights, strung up patio lanterns, "fireflies" in the bayou, and occasional shooting star — it was a vibe for sure. I felt completely immersed in this new environment, that I kind of forgot I was in the middle of Anaheim and not in New Orleans. Sitting by the water only enhanced this experience. Back to the main event, the meal! First our drinks arrived. I ordered the Sweet Peach Iced Tea with Rum ($18.75) and my friend ordered a glass of prosecco, Le Grand Courtage, Grand Cuvee ($13.00). The Sweet Peach Iced Tea was perfectly sweet, slightly tart, and very refreshing. A little on the pricier side but I would definitely recommend it. By the way, the Blue Bayou is one of the only restaurants you can order alcohol at in Disneyland Resort along with Carnation Cafe, River Belle Terrace, Cafe Orleans, and Docking Bay. Then our appetizers came: we ordered the Crab Cakes ($18.00) and the Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad ($15.00). The crab cakes had a nice spice to them but they were a little dry. And personally, I like to eat my watermelon plain and by itself. I ordered "A Taste Of Blue Bayou" which included an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $79.00. This appetizer was the Fig and Prosciutto Salad and it was delicious — probably my favourite appetizer. The prosciutto was perfectly salty, balanced out by the smoothness of the Manchego cheese and herbed vinaigrette. Loved all the different textures in this. For our main, we split the Cajun Surf and Turf. And it's a good thing we did because this thing was I say too big? This came with bone in ribeye, clams, mussels, prawns, clams, potatoes and cajun butter. This dish was filling and decadent to say the least. The ribeye was cooked well and a little over seasoned. The prawns had a lovely smokey flavour to them— but some of the natural flavour was drowned out by the amount of sauce on it. The cajun butter was melt-in-your mouth delicious. Again, this dish was huge and we didn't even come close to finishing it. Hand included for size context. And finally, our dessert came. Now THIS was chef's kiss. It was the Brown Butter Banana Cake and it was the star of the meal. The cake is ooey gooey, caramelly, and soaked in bananas foster sauce. It's topped with candied walnuts and vanilla ice cream. I'm drooling just thinking about this! This would have gotten extra brownie points if the cake was warmed up. In total, our meal for two came to $154.90 before tip. That included two drinks, three appetizers, one main, and one dessert. I think next time we would order our own mains so that we could try more of the menu. The food was good, the drinks were great, the service was fantastic, and the atmosphere was one-of-a-kind. Overall, the best part of it all was the ~vibes~. When you're on a ride at Disneyland you're taken to a whole new world. Eating at the Blue Bayou was a beyond immersive experience where you get to indulge all your senses, especially your sense of taste. One of the most fun parts was watching the boats of riders pass by as we were enjoying our meal. They'd often wave at us and we'd wave at them. We were part of their ride experience and they were part of our dining experience. Mid bite, I'd hear screaming in the distance as the boats descended into their pirate adventure! Or some riders would scream at us, "What are you eating?" Hot tip: ride the Pirates of The Caribbean before you eat at The Blue Bayou for an extra immersive experience. Would I eat there again? Absolutely! What about you? Would you give it a try? Let us know your favourite foods to eat at Disneyland Resort. For more travel content with Tasty Trips, check out fun things to do in Aruba, the Banff Cocktail Trail, and some culture shocks about visiting Japan.
