Latest news with #Town&Country
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gordon Ramsay says there's one dish you should 'avoid ordering' at restaurants
Brits have been warned to be wary of a specific dish in restaurants. According to Gordon Ramsay, there's a certain reason why it should be avoided by customers When you spot a "dish of the day" at a restaurant, it's often tempting to give it a go. These menu options are presented as exclusive and described in such an enticing manner that we're naturally drawn to them. Yet, a marketing and psychology guru has shed light on why this could be a trap. Despite appearances, these deals might not be as fantastic as they seem. On TikTok, marketing whizz Basia claims these "specials" are rarely special at all. In reality, they're usually concoctions designed to use up ingredients that need to be cleared out. Take, for instance, a surplus of steak that's nearing its expiry date; chefs will cleverly incorporate this premium product into a new dish to avoid waste. In her enlightening clip, Basia remarked: "The daily special written in chalk? It's been 'today's special' for three weeks. But your brain sees handwriting and thinks: limited, fresh, rare." Even Michelin-starred culinary maestro Gordon Ramsay supports this viewpoint, advising diners to steer clear of soup specials. He suggests they're often just a mix of leftovers that get served up repeatedly. Speaking to Town & Country, he advised: "Ask what yesterday's soup du jour was before today's special. It may be the case that it's the soup du month." Anthony Bourdain also cautioned his Kitchen Confidential audience against ordering fish on Mondays. A fish special at the start of the week could indicate it's been lingering in the kitchen since Friday, unsold. Many fish markets tend to shut down over the weekends, suggesting that dishes served on Mondays may not be as fresh as they could be. Restaurants employ various other psychological tricks. Basia shared more advice in her video, aiming to educate her followers on these subtle marketing tactics.... 1. Restaurants often use an "anchoring effect" to manipulate customers' perception of value By pricing one steak at £50 and another at £35, the latter appears relatively affordable. As Basia noted: "It's to make others look like a deal." 2. The tip jar is never empty Peer pressure can be a powerful influencer, even when it comes to strangers. Basia observed: "They put cash in the tip jar before you even show up. So when you see it, your brain goes: 'Oh... tipping is what people do here." 3. The still or sparkling question When sitting down at a restaurant, you're often asked whether you prefer still or sparkling water. Requesting tap water can feel awkward, leading to increased costs. Basia pointed out: "[It's] not 'would you like water?' It skips the choice of whether, and jumps to which." 4. Menus without currency symbols Some restaurants omit the currency symbol from their menus, listing only the numbers. This tactic can affect your perception of the price, making it seem lower than it actually is. Basia clarified: "Because '£24' screams money. But '24' just looks like a number."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kate Middleton Pays Homage to Princess Diana Through Key Detail in Outfit Worn to Christen the HMS Glasgow
Kate Middleton—along with her husband Prince William—took part in a ship naming ceremony for the HMS Glasgow in Scotland on May 22. The future queen held a masterclass in literal dressing, wearing a navy and white Suzannah London coatdress and a sentimental pair of heirloom earrings. The sapphire and diamond drop earrings once belonged to the Princess of Wales' late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who was thought to have received the pair as a wedding gift when she married Prince Charles in Middleton's ensemble yesterday as she took part in a ship naming ceremony for the HMS Glasgow was a masterclass in literal dressing—and the look took several cues from the style of Kate's late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. Seeing as the Princess of Wales—known as the Duchess of Rothesay while in Scotland—was launching a ship, she wore a nautical-inspired navy and white coatdress from Suzannah London that fit the theme of the day. The silhouette of her coatdress mirrored outfits Diana wore throughout her years as a royal—shoulder pads included. But perhaps the most outright callout to Diana was a pair of the late Princess of Wales' sapphire and diamond earrings, thought to be a wedding present when Diana married Prince Charles in 1981. The earrings feature cabochon sapphires surrounded by diamonds, with a central diamond connecting the two clusters, per Town & Country, which added that the sapphires are thought to come from the strap of Diana's Saudi sapphire watch. Kate wore this particular pair of earrings with the same Philip Treacy hat she wore on May 22 to Trooping the Colour in June 2022, which doubled as Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee marking her historic 70 years on the throne. Diana wore this pair of earrings while on tour in Melbourne and at the Council of Fashion Designers Awards in New York City in 1995. The earrings were also present on Diana's 1994 cover of British Vogue, which marked her 33rd birthday. Kate, for her part, wore the set for the President of South Korea's state visit to London in 2023, as well as more than one Trooping the Colour. The pair also complement Kate's sapphire and diamond engagement ring—which, of course, also previously belonged to Diana. In addition to her Suzannah London coatdress, Philip Treacy hat, and heirloom earrings, fashion site What Kate Wore reported that Kate wore Gianvito Rossi suede pumps, a clutch by Emmy London, and a new brooch, designed by local jeweler Simon Porter of James Porter and Son, a fifth-generation family-run firm. The Naval crown is present at the top of the brooch, and thistles—Scotland's national flower—are also visible, as is the word 'Glasgow' near the top of the piece. What Kate Wore made a prediction that the figure in the center of the brooch is St. Kentigern (also known as St. Mungo), patron saint of Glasgow. Per Tatler, Porter said it was an 'absolute honor' to see Kate wearing the brooch. 'Against a plain navy background, it really stood out,' he added, per The Daily Mail. The Princess of Wales—then the Duchess of Cambridge—was named the sponsor of the HMS Glasgow in June 2021, and, per The Daily Mail, is said to hold 'a real interest' in the ship 'and in the lives of those who will serve onboard.' At the naming ceremony yesterday, the future queen said, 'I have the pleasure to name this ship HMS Glasgow. May God bless her and all who sail on her.' Of Thursday's events, Kate 'appeared relieved it had gone to plan,' The Daily Mail reported. 'It's so beautifully made,' Kate said of the vessel, adding, 'It's so exciting to see it all come together. All the technology is so impressive. What's really interesting as well is seeing the international interest.' While at the royal engagement yesterday, Kate admitted, 'I'm still learning all my naval lingo. There are a lot of abbreviations that I don't fully understand. I've got a lot to learn.' Read the original article on InStyle
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Princess Catherine shines bright at first Royal Garden Party in 2 years
Catherine, Princess of Wales, returned with flair to the Royal Garden Party season on Tuesday after a two-year, cancer-induced hiatus. It was the first garden party the Prince and Princess of Wales have attended this year, and the third one of the season launched two weeks ago by King Charles and Queen Camilla. Middleton last attended a garden party in May 2023, days after the king's coronation. The princess has been making her way back into public life since announcing that she was in remission after finishing chemotherapy. Tuesday's surprise appearance saw Kate vibrant in the same butter yellow Emilia Wickstead dress she had worn for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, according to Women's Wear Daily. In a romantic gesture, the future queen also donned her wedding-day earrings, imbued with extra meaning because they were commissioned by her parents for the special day, as Town & Country noted. In general, Kate has downplayed her fashion choices and is known for re-wearing and restyling previous pieces. Royal Garden Parties are held to recognize and reward public service, as the royals' official website describes. About 30,000 guests, many linked to causes championed by royal family members, attend over the course of the four-party season. Tuesday's guests included the family of Liz Hatton, a teen photographer whom the princess met late last year while undergoing her own cancer treatment. Hatton died weeks later at age 17, just 10 months after being diagnosed. Also among the guests was a boy who had been thwarted by traffic en route to last year's garden party, People reported. This year he finally got to meet Prince William.
Sky News AU
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Just having fun, man': Tom Cruise's extremely awkward answer to Father's Day question goes viral amid estrangement from lookalike daughter Suri Noelle
Tom Cruise was left visibly rattled when asked a question about Father's Day during a red carpet appearance, prompting renewed speculation about his strained relationship with daughter Suri. The 62-year-old Hollywood icon appeared taken aback during an interview at the New York premiere of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning on Monday night. "Father's Day is just around the corner," an E! News reporter asked the star. "What would an ideal Father's Day look like for you?" Cruise hesitated, replying: "You know …" before trailing off and glancing into the distance. Eventually, he said: "Just having fun, man." The Top Gun actor then bizarrely added: "Making movies, big adventures, having a great time." Cruise is a father of three: Isabella 'Bella' Jane, 32, and Connor, 30, whom he adopted with ex-wife Nicole Kidman, and 19-year-old Suri, his daughter with third ex-wife Katie Holmes. The Hollywood icon has remained notoriously private about his children in recent years, particularly Suri, from whom he has reportedly been estranged since his 2012 split from Holmes. It's understood Holmes, 46, for divorce in order "to protect Suri from Scientology", as per a 2013 deposition. Suri, who bears a striking resemblance to Cruise, grew up in New York City with her mother and graduated from LaGuardia High School in June 2024. At the ceremony, the teen announced her new name in the official program as 'Suri Noelle', which is both hers and Katie's middle name. "I'm proud of my daughter. Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but I'm really proud of her and I'm happy," Holmes told Town & Country in August 2024. "I remember being this age, this time of beginnings. It's exciting to learn about yourself, and I loved that time, so it makes me happy to think about it like that." While Cruise is understood to remain close to his older children, they largely keep out of the spotlight. Connor, a BBQ enthusiast and avid fisherman, lives in Clearwater, Florida, and has been seen attending events from time to time with his father. Isabella, meanwhile, is based in South London with her husband Max Parker and works as an artist and graphic designer. Both also share half-sisters Sunday Rose, 16, and Faith Margaret, 14- Kidman's daughters with her husband, Aussie country singer Keith Urban. Kidman recently faced backlash online for seemingly excluding Bella and Connor from a Mother's Day Instagram tribute. The Babygirl actress posted a photo of herself with her late mother Janelle and her two younger daughters during a family visit to Uluru. "My mother and my daughters in Uluru, beautiful memories… always. Happy Mother's Day," she wrote. But fans were quick to point out the omission. "Doesn't she mean 'with 2 of my daughters'… what happened to Bella? (and Connor?)" one user commented. "@nicolekidman how about the other ones?" another added. Other fans quickly came to the 56-year-old actress' defence. "None of your business, this is a celebratory, sincere post, buzz off," one user said, while another claimed Bella and Connor are "disconnected" from their mother due to being "indoctrinated Scientologists".
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Princess Catherine shines bright at first Royal Garden Party in 2 years
Catherine, Princess of Wales, returned with flair to the Royal Garden Party season on Tuesday after a two-year, cancer-induced hiatus. It was the first garden party the Prince and Princess of Wales have attended this year, and the third one of the season launched two weeks ago by King Charles and Queen Camilla. Middleton last attended a garden party in May 2023, days after the king's coronation. The princess has been making her way back into public life since announcing that she was in remission after finishing chemotherapy. Tuesday's surprise appearance saw Kate vibrant in the same butter yellow Emilia Wickstead dress she had worn for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, according to Women's Wear Daily. In a romantic gesture, the future queen also donned her wedding-day earrings, imbued with extra meaning because they were commissioned by her parents for the special day, as Town & Country noted. In general, Kate has downplayed her fashion choices and is known for re-wearing and restyling previous pieces. Royal Garden Parties are held to recognize and reward public service, as the royals' official website describes. About 30,000 guests, many linked to causes championed by royal family members, attend over the course of the four-party season. Tuesday's guests included the family of Liz Hatton, a teen photographer whom the princess met late last year while undergoing her own cancer treatment. Hatton died weeks later at age 17, just 10 months after being diagnosed. Also among the guests was a boy who had been thwarted by traffic en route to last year's garden party, People reported. This year he finally got to meet Prince William.
