| 1. HOW THE MET GALA’S MASSIVE FLAMINGO CENTERPIECE WAS CREATED: The pink flamingo has long been associated with camp, which is why the Met Gala showcased a giant floral flamingo centerpiece in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Great Hall on Monday. Inspired by the theme “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” the 25-foot centerpiece was created by event planner Raul Avila and his team with 30,000 flowers. Vogue: “‘We reference the radical and wild tones from the movie to create a refined, luxurious, and breathtaking centerpiece that exceeds any and all expectations,’ Àvila tells Vogue. ‘This was our opportunity to take the unexpected and turn it into a theatrical and transcending moment for the industry.’ … The playful creatures are surrounded by a border of pink feathers. All in all, Àvila says it took 25 people to assemble—a worthwhile effort for such a theatrical design.” 2. DAVE CHAPPELLE WILL RECEIVE MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR HUMOR: Comedian Dave Chappelle will receive the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Chappelle will be honored at a gala on October 27. Washington Post: “Although the Kennedy Center declined to identify potential entertainers at the gala performance, expect prominent names in comedy, including fellow stand-up performers. Typically, featured entertainers have a personal or professional connection to the honoree; Chappelle performed at Eddie Murphy’s gala in 2015. … Chappelle will become the fifth black recipient of the Mark Twain prize. Past recipients include Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg and, the very first Mark Twain honoree, Richard Pryor. (Last year, the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees rescinded Bill Cosby’s 2009 award following his sexual assault conviction.) The performance gala will be televised January 6 on PBS stations.” 3. WHY A NEW YORK RESTAURANT MENU IS SPONSORED BY ARIZONA ICED TEA: It’s not every day diners see a menu sponsored by a brand at a restaurant, but customers who eat at Mission Chinese Food in Brooklyn will be treated to menu items sponsored by Arizona Iced Tea. Restaurant chef Danny Bowien is running a monthlong “Great Buy” menu, riffing off Arizona’s slogan, that incorporates Arizona products into two savory dishes, a dessert, and one cocktail. The New York Times: “Green Tea noodles with chicken, ‘Mucho Mango fried rice’ and a tequila-vermouth cooler are $9.99 each. The dessert, whipped cream and a gelatin made from Arizona Grapeade topped with Arizona fruit snacks, is 99 cents, the price at which Arizona Beverages has kept its 23-ounce cans of sweetened drinks for more than a quarter-century. In a telephone interview, Mr. Bowien said he saw the promotion—and others he plans with Arizona—‘as an opportunity to reach more people.’ He added, ‘We already appeal to people in the food world, but I really wanted to reach, like, kids that are familiar with Arizona to branch out and try something different.’” | 