Ann is blogging today. Andy is over in OurLittleCorner reminiscing about alleys!
Even if Barbie wasn’t chosen as “Best Picture” in Sunday’s Academy Awards, it’s certainly creative . Who would have thought that anything about Barbie could actually support the empowerment of women! I remember liking the lines late in the film which describe the plight of women, but I didn’t realize those lines are so popular that they’re now referred to as “The Speech.” Here’s a link to those lines, if you need it, and here’s one of my favorite parts:
You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard!
Could it be that “never get old” especially speaks to me?
This getting old stuff has been on my mind every since my daughter introduced me to the term “grandfluencers” (sometimes also written as “granfluencers”). According to CreatorDB, “Typically we expect older people to be weak and frail, to spend most of their time napping, and to be overall boring. Granfluencers are subverting these expectations by showing how there is fun and joy even after retirement. ” The only slightly-off-putting thing about all this is that “grandfluencers” are often considered to be anyone over 50. FIFTY! I thought you’d surely have to be 70 to qualify.
Iris Apfel may have been one of the earliest and most glamorous grandfluencers. Though she passed away this month – at the age of 102, her influence on younger folks is incredibly positive and enthusiastic. Here’s a comment left on her Instagram account: “Her bold style, fearless creativity, and unwavering confidence have left an indelible mark on the world of fashion and beyond. Rest in power, Iris. Your vibrant spirit will continue to inspire generations to come.”
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Personally, rather than dwelling on the many TikTok and Instagram Grandfluencers, who may – or may not – be inspirational, I’m pleased to see a senior making the March cover of Vogue Magazine. Who is it? Miuccia Prada – of Prada fame. And I love this quote from this 74-year-old: “It’s strange, because every single morning I have to decide if I am a 15-year-old girl or an old lady near to death.”
A few weeks ago the NYTimes ran an article about this magazine cover. The article describes the cover this way: Mrs. Prada here looks youthful and vibrant, but her photo seems utterly unconcerned with primping or dissembling age. Her long, reddish-gold hair is tucked simply behind her ear, some stray flyaways visible. She seems to be wearing almost no makeup at all, allowing us to see the normally unseeable: the natural texture of her skin, its freckles, a mole, the lines around her mouth and eyes. In any other context, those details would be unexceptional, everyday sights. On a Vogue cover, they read as fresh and arresting, tiny hand grenades tossed into the status quo.
And Mrs. Prada’s life is fascinating. The NYTimes article continues: She is also—something confirmed with a nod when I asked—politically left of center, with a doctorate in political science (she also studied mime for five years), a former member of the Italian Communist Party who marched for women’s rights. “I always thought there were only two noble professions: politicians or doctors,” she told me. “Doing clothes [while coming from] a group of very important intellectuals—for me it was like a nightmare. I was so ashamed, but anyway I did it.
Choosing a recipe to go along with thoughts about growing old and thoughts about women’s empowerment isn’t easy. We could cook something PINK in honor of Barbie and “The Speech” – or make a recipe with turmeric, which Apfel thought was especially beneficial, according to a BonAppetit article. Or maybe we should do something Italian and fancy schmancy in honor of Mrs. Prada.
Frankly, I want a drink after watching and thinking about all of this – and looking at the photo of Martha Stewart. How about a Negroni in honor of Mrs. Prada? A year ago Prada opened the Prada Caffè at Harrods in London. Negronis are front and center on their small cocktail menu.
Negroni
- 1 oz gin (OR – for a lighter, summery negroni, substitute 1-2 oz of prosecco; or use mezcal instead of gin for a nod to Mexico)
- 1 oz campari
- 1 oz sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica Formula is wonderful – and pricey – but it’s versatile; try it as an aperitif or in your Negroni)
- 1/2 oz fresh orange juice
- Orange wedge for garnish
Add all the ingredients to an ice-filled mixing glass, shake, and serve it over the rocks – 1 big ice cube is best – in an old-fashioned glass (alternatively, you can serve it in a chilled cocktail glass with a twist of orange peel)
“Orange peal.” It has a nice ring to it, no?
Thanks for pointing the orange “peal” error. We’ve corrected it despite the nice ring to it.
Corrected it? You should have doubled down. It is, after all, an appealing drink. Or at least I imagine you think it so. I’ve never had one, as I don’t do mixed drinks.