The Lo Down: 3/26/25

A man? With 26 personalities? Groundbreaking...

Featuring a report from our first ever contributing writer…

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Arts & Culture

Culture vultures, rejoice-we have our first Lo Down contributing writer! My friend and fellow arts devotee, Maddie Ptacin, was the first boots on the ground at The Picture of Dorian Gray (mentioned in last week’s letter) and is here to report back. Maddie is my go-to for anything on stage or screen, always down for a movie or musical-though, for reasons unknown, I seem to attract the strangest seat neighbors wherever we go. (Someone fainted on top of me during Funny Girl, but that’s a tale for another time):

There is a moment in The Picture of Dorian Gray where I actively thought, as it was happening, “I wish I could come back and watch this scene again.” I widened my eyes as far as they could go and prayed my dry-ass contacts wouldn’t smudge my view of Dorian (played by the tireless Sarah Snook) as he marveled at the mechanics of his sin-eating portrait and broadcasts to the audience the shocking juxtaposition of his outward beauty and inner decay. All this is done with the immersive use of hi-def screens, a snapchat filter, and an impressive multitasking Snook.

The entire production feels like it is pushing the form forward; something that *must* be seen once and dozens of scenes that beg to be seen again (and again and again). It makes sense that Snook’s immersion into 26 characters is heavily advertised: she gives each one their own voice and charisma and wardrobe, and you can seamlessly follow along as she delivers a dialogue between two or even three characters at once, sometimes even laughing along with the audience at the sheer audacity of what they’re doing. I’m sure there’s something to be said about the line between theater and television, though Portrait makes a good case for the blurring of those lines.

There were only a few moments that took me out of the production. Like Sunset Boulevard, the Picture team had their own fun with mobile cameras and an off-stage detour. Snook breathlessly continued her narrative as she ran down stairs and across stages and transformed into three more characters, which would be exciting had the video feed not stalled in the venue and she not been so hard to hear over the music. You never want the audience to be thinking “I can see what they were going for.” There were also a few moments of broken fourth walls that didn’t seem to connect with the audience, though perhaps it had done better in the West End.

Go, drink, sin, contemplate morality! I highly recommend walking through the Music Box Theater, which has been decorated with the Victorian timescape in mind.

Fashion

CuratedBuyChloé started as Chloé Lazard’s Parsons capstone project, tackling the question of how fashion can exist between fast and slow—both sustainable and economically viable. Her answer? A reimagined consignment shop that feels like shopping directly from the closets of people with real style, rather than sifting through the chaotic abyss that is The Real Real these days. Unlike traditional resale, where you’re left digging through endless listings, CuratedBuyChloé is highly edited, pulling from Chloé’s well-connected, fashion-forward circle (she’s also a stylist, so trust that the curation is good). I love the personal approach and am so honored that she asked me to be one of the featured closets (seeing my name next to Candace Bushnell’s? One degree from being Carrie Bradshaw—only in fashion, because let’s be honest, she was insufferable otherwise). If you’re in Palm Beach this weekend, March 27-30, CuratedBuyChloé is popping up at The Colony Hotel - go check it out if you’re nearby!

For more of what’s in my closet, what I’m currently obsessing over, shopping guides & more, check out my ShopMy. Looking for some personal style advice? Whether it’s for curating a flawless vacation wardrobe, hunting down the perfect shoes, or finding the best basics for your closet, I’m here to help—just reach out!

Food

Is there anything better than having a home cooked meal from your mom? Every time I visit her, she always makes me her homemade basil pesto (hands down the best)! She used some Roscioli pasta this time that really took it to another level. (Also, how cute are her shell placemats!)

I grabbed dinner at Sushiro The Handroll Bar last week, and it’s officially earned a spot in my West Village sushi rotation. Great quality, cozy and low-key vibes, and surprisingly reasonable prices - definitely a new go-to.

Current Obsession

Everything from the new Ciao Lucia collection has me itching for summer to be here ASAP (especially this sunny gingham mini). Of the collection, designer Lucy Akin said “I am enamored with the beauty of the French countryside. I wanted every piece in this collection to channel that carefree bucolic vibe.”

On My Radar

Celine Pilates Collection, catch me rolling up to to Bala Bangle Barre Burn in these

Win Son Bakery East Village, I need one of their scallion pancake breakfast sandwiches & mochi doughnuts asap

Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead album (an extended version of one of my favorite albums to come out last year) and accompanying short film Brighter Days Ahead, both releasing on Friday.

Spence, a new brand in the athleisure/racquet sports space launched their first collection this week. They did a pop up last year in NYC that put them on my radar, and I’ve been anticipating their launch ever since. I got a pair of these sweatpants from their soft launch a few weeks ago, and they’re my new go to. I absolutely love their branding and logo.

Until next week -

xo

Lo