Sunday Edition | May 18, 2025
- Olga Nesterova
- May 17
- 9 min read
Because life is more than politics — and kindness still matters.
Welcome to the Sunday Edition!
🎭 CULTURE SNAPSHOT
🎤 Eurovision 2025 Grand Final – May 17, Basel
On May 17th, the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 took place in Basel, Switzerland — hosted there thanks to Switzerland’s victory in the 2024 competition.
The Eurovision Song Contest is an iconic annual international music event organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). First held in 1956, it brings together countries across Europe (and invited nations like Australia and Israel) to perform original songs live, competing for jury and public votes.
With dazzling performances, outrageous costumes, and plenty of political subtext, Eurovision is a spectacle like no other. Past winners include global stars like ABBA (Sweden, 1974) and Celine Dion (Switzerland, 1988).
It’s one of the most-watched television events worldwide, blending music, national pride, and sometimes pure chaos — all in the name of song.
This year’s Eurovision favorite, according to the experts, was Sweden’s act — a comedy trio singing about saunas, who performed the song while sitting in a mock-up sauna.
At the end, Austrian singer JJ secured the third Eurovision win for his country.
Austria has won twice previously, in 1966 and 2014. The contest was held in Vienna in 2015.
"Love is the strongest force in the world, let's spread more love," said JJ as he picked up the trophy.
🎨 Venice Biennale 2025
The 60th edition opened to global acclaim. Australian Indigenous artist Archie Moore won the Golden Lion for Best National Participation, honoring his monumental work on identity and memory.
🖼️ Frieze New York 2025
Frieze showcased digital and conceptual art, drawing art world elites and collectors to New York with over 60 galleries participating.
🎬 Cannes Film Festival 2025
The red carpet dazzled, with Bella Hadid grabbing headlines for defying fashion norms. The festival spotlighted cinematic excellence from across the globe.
🎟️ Beyoncé Fans Upset Over Ticket Prices
Many Beyoncé fans who paid top dollar for Cowboy Carter tour tickets were dismayed to discover cheaper tickets still available closer to show dates — some nearly half price.
🕌 Festival Islâmico de Mértola, Portugal
Mértola transformed into a medieval souk for this biennial celebration of Andalusian and Arab culture, featuring music, crafts, and cuisine.
🏛️ International Museum Day – May 18
Global museums celebrate with free entry and programming. In Spain, Xàtiva offers concerts and theater; in Italy and France, exhibits focus on cultural preservation.
🎉 Bengaluru Habba Cultural Festival, India
The city’s parks came alive with traditional dance and music, aiming to unite communities through culture and sustainability.
🖌️ Midland Celebration of the Arts, Texas
The 41st festival included live demos, classic cars, and international artists like The Women of Pader Uganda, merging visual art with empowerment. This year’s theme is inspired by the pop art artists of the 60’s, most notably, Andy Warhol.
🍺 Ocean Brews & Blues – Deerfield Beach, Florida
Back on the beach! This year’s Ocean Brews & Blues craft beer festival featured over 125 craft brews from across the U.S., plus live blues, local eats, and artisan vendors in a sun-soaked celebration of community, music, and hops.
🥂 MOCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: APEROL SPRITZ
The new series continues: The Mocktail of the Season Showdown.
Each Sunday, we’ll feature one delicious contender — and let you vote for the ultimate winner at summer’s end.
🍊 Nonalcoholic Aperol Spritz
3 ingredients, 2 minutes, and a spritz glass — that's all you need to create this easy non-alcoholic Aperol Spritz mocktail. Just imagine... the deliciously bittersweet, bubbly mix of orange, herbs, and rhubarb you know and love — but without the headache. Cheers to that!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Quick and easy: No bartending skills required, and with minimal ingredients, your virgin spritz will be ready in under 2 minutes.
Just like the original: This simple recipe comes remarkably close to the classic, so the only thing you’ll miss is tomorrow’s headache.
Instagram-worthy: With its signature color and simple orange slice garnish, you’ll want to snap all the pics of this stunning mocktail.
Ingredients – What You Need
Non-alcoholic Prosecco or a dry alcohol-free sparkling wine.
A non-alcoholic “Aperol” replacement: Suggested – Lyre’s Italian Spritz and Free Spirits Milan. DIY replacement using everyday ingredients is also a great choice.
Soda water.
How to Make a Non-Alcoholic Aperol Spritz
Step 1: Fill your spritz glass with ice.
Step 2: Add your non-alcoholic sparkling wine or grape juice.
Step 3: Add your Aperol replacement.
Step 4: Top with soda water and stir gently — don’t disturb those lovely bubbles too much!
Step 5: Garnish with the signature orange slice.
Step 6: (Optional) Add edible flowers for that oh-so-pretty final touch!
Expert Tips and Tricks
To make a batch mocktail: Yes, you can make a big batch! Use the recipe to adjust the number of servings.
Important: Don’t add ice to the pitcher — it will dilute the flavor. Instead, serve over ice in spritz glasses and garnish with orange slices.
Chill your ingredients: There’s nothing worse than a diluted spritz! Chill your ingredients (especially the sparkling wine) beforehand for that crisp, cold flavor we all crave.
Experiment with variations:
Use non-alcoholic rosé instead of sparkling wine for a floral twist.
For a tropical vibe, swap soda water for pineapple juice and garnish with fresh pineapple.
Muddle 3 sliced strawberries in the bottom of your glass before adding other ingredients, then garnish with more strawberries — perfection!
Originally appeared: The Mindful Mocktail, 4/2025
🍍 DID YOU KNOW?
Oranges Were Once Bitter—and They Were Used as Perfume
When we think of oranges today, we picture juicy, sweet fruit bursting with flavor—but the original orange wasn’t sweet at all.
The first oranges cultivated by humans were bitter and mostly used for their fragrance.
Native to Southeast Asia, these early oranges were valued less as food and more for their aromatic oils. In ancient Persia and India, orange blossoms and peels were crushed into perfumes or steeped in oils for use in religious rituals, skin treatments, and even insect repellents.
It wasn’t until around the 15th century that sweet oranges—likely a hybrid between pomelos and mandarins—were cultivated in China. Portuguese traders brought them to Europe, where they quickly became a luxury item. Over time, their popularity exploded, and by the 17th century, they were growing in groves across southern Europe and the Americas.
So next time you peel an orange, take a moment to smell the zest—it’s a whiff of history, once prized more for scent than taste.
💙 HEALTH & LONGEVITY
5 Surprising Benefits of Working Out Outdoors This Summer
As the days get longer and warmer, now is the perfect time to take your workouts outside. Whether it's a jog through the park, a beachside yoga session, or just a brisk walk after work, exercising outdoors offers mental and physical benefits you won’t get in the gym.
Here’s why it’s worth lacing up and heading out:
🌞 1. Vitamin D Boost
Just 15–30 minutes in the sun can give you a much-needed dose of vitamin D, essential for healthy bones, a strong immune system, and even better mood regulation. Just don’t forget sunscreen!
🍃 2. Better Mental Clarity
Nature has a calming effect on the brain. Outdoor workouts have been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue—more than the same activity done indoors. Green spaces literally help you think more clearly.
💸 3. It’s Free and Flexible
No gym fees, no closing hours. Parks, trails, and even your neighborhood sidewalk are always open. Outdoor workouts save money and offer more freedom and variety.
🏃 4. More Engaging, Less Boring
Treadmills and fluorescent lights can be mind-numbing. Exercising outside adds natural scenery, changing terrain, and fresh air—which helps you stay motivated and consistent.
🧠 5. Better Challenge for Your Body
Outdoor environments are naturally unpredictable—wind resistance, hills, and uneven paths challenge your muscles and coordination in ways indoor workouts can’t.
Pro tip: Bring a water bottle, wear breathable layers, and make it fun—invite a friend or create a playlist just for your summer sessions.
Ready to take your fitness goals outside? Your body (and brain) will thank you.
💧 Boost Your Water Game: Simple Add-Ins for Better Hydration
Tired of plain water? Elevate your hydration with easy, nourishing add-ins that not only taste great but also support your wellness goals.
Try slices of cucumber and mint for a cooling detox, lemon and ginger for immune support, or berries and basil for a refreshing antioxidant boost. You can also add electrolyte drops, chia seeds, or a splash of coconut water for extra minerals and hydration power.
Staying healthy has never tasted so good!
😊 FEEL-GOOD RECIPE
🍌 Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Banana Bites
A Feel-Good Snack That’s Naturally Sweet & Mood-Boosting
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
Optional toppings: crushed almonds, shredded coconut, sea salt flakes
Instructions:
Slice bananas into thick coins and place on a parchment-lined tray.
Freeze for at least 1 hour until solid.
Melt dark chocolate with coconut oil until smooth.
Dip each frozen banana slice halfway in chocolate, then sprinkle with your favorite toppings.
Return to freezer for 15 minutes to set. Enjoy straight from the freezer!
Why it’s feel-good:
Bananas provide potassium and vitamin B6, which help regulate mood and support serotonin production.
Dark chocolate contains compounds like theobromine and phenylethylamine, known to trigger feel-good brain chemicals.
The crunch + creaminess combo gives sensory satisfaction without the sugar crash.
It’s simple, indulgent, and surprisingly good for your mental and physical health — happiness on a stick!
🎶 MOMENT OF ZEN
🎹 William Ge’s Chopin Finale
This week’s Moment of Zen features a luminous performance by 17-year-old pianist William Ge, 5th Prize winner of the 11th National Chopin Piano Competition. Recorded live on May 17, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida as part of the Chopin Foundation’s Season of Winners, Ge’s program includes beloved works by Chopin, from the elegant Waltz in A-flat Major to the powerful Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor.
Ge’s expressive touch and remarkable maturity make this recital a perfect soundtrack for a reflective pause in your day.
🎧 Watch here:
❤️ KINDNESS
This week’s Moments of Kindness both feature surprise reunions.
In the first video, a wife surprises her husband on his birthday by reuniting him with his best friend—someone he hasn’t seen in decades.
In the second, a son pretends to FaceTime his father, who slowly realizes his son is standing right behind him.
Smiles guaranteed!
🎨 FASHION MEETS SOUND
Valentino has unveiled L'Atelier Sonore, an immersive listening room nestled within its Madison Avenue boutique in New York City. This intimate space, designed in collaboration with Italian cultural collective Terraforma, offers visitors a sanctuary for deep listening and quiet contemplation. Featuring a bespoke sound system crafted by sound designer Giorgio Di Salvo and architect Francesco Lupia, the room combines avant-garde acoustics with luxurious design elements, including handcrafted wooden furnishings and velvet seating.
The opening event on May 15 showcased a 10-hour live program with performances by artists such as Laraaji, Lea Bertucci, and Lizzi Bougatsos, each delivering curated vinyl sets that transformed the boutique into a haven of sonic exploration. L'Atelier Sonore is now open to the public daily through August, inviting guests to experience a curated collection of soundscapes that blend fashion, architecture, and music in a unique sensory journey.
For a glimpse into this serene auditory experience, watch the video below:
📺 WHAT’S STREAMING
Netflix | Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2025)
Comedy's biggest stars gather to toast and celebrate late-night legend Conan O'Brien as he accepts the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Watch here.
Personal Favorite: Netflix | The Quilters (2024)
In this award-winning short documentary, men in a Missouri maximum-security prison design and sew beautiful, personalized quilts for foster children. Watch here.
🎧 Podcast Spotlight: Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files
World-renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour and ex-husband Jamie Rubin, a former US State Department official, unpack today's defining global crises. Drawing on decades of insider experience in global affairs, reporting from conflict zones, and grilling world leaders, they explain how we ended up where we are - and where we might be going.
Forget about a new world order - right now, there's no world order. From Trump and Putin to the war in Ukraine, China's global rise, and chaos in the Middle East, geopolitics has never been more dangerous or unpredictable. The Ex Files provides unparalleled insight into the issues keeping world leaders, and the rest of us, awake at night.
With searing honesty, jaw-dropping stories, and candid humour, this is the foreign policy podcast for our fractured age. They're no longer married, but when it comes to current affairs, Christiane and Jamie still finish each other's sentences.
📣 COMING UP ON ONEST
We’re now accredited to cover:
MET Gala Exhibition
Eden Gallery, NYC
GIORGETTI x MASERATI Collab at NYC Design
ICFF 2025 | Top Furniture Show (next week!)
United Justice Coalition by RocNation
…and more!
🧡 Help Us Grow
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Happy Sunday —And remember, life is more than politics.
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