Like a flame in the darkness, Pluto retrograde in Aquarius inspires the spark within, helping us to strategize ways to enrich both society and the self. Although we are making moves at this time, we aren’t screaming about them from the rooftops. Instead, we’re quietly assessing how to transform. The next several months are allowing us to plot and plan for the future.

Pluto turns retrograde for approximately five months every year. During this time, Pluto gets a chance to reevaluate the changes that it’s making as well as dealing with power struggles and the way clandestine matters are revealed. This time around, Pluto will be moonwalking in the air sign Aquarius. From May 6th to October 15th, we will be in the state of deep analysis, contemplating our past moves and deciding how to put our best foot forward. The journey backward will open our eyes, giving us the insight we need to implement growth.

Past issues with friends and loved ones may resurface, leading to arguments. Don’t be fooled by the context of what is said: the basis for the drama is jealousy and control. Someone is tired of receiving negative thoughts and words and they will start to pushback. To be real, they don’t deserve the negging. The reason this occurs more during the retrograde is because when Pluto slows down, it gives people time to think about matters and shake them up. After all, what good is being moody if we can’t take our feelings out on anyone else? 

The flip side to this energy is that Pluto retrograde in Aquarius could mend fences. Rather than tearing relationships apart, this transit could bring friends, lovers, or family members back together. However, we have to do the work to make things right. We can’t just blink our eyes and be okay. Apologizing and learning from mistakes made is vital — more importantly, being accountable. Pluto retrograde can create better dynamics once it understands matters from a soulful perspective, resulting from sharing intimate stories with those we care about. Friendships that are limiting or holding us back will be put on ice as we decide how to incorporate them into our current state of being.

On an individual level, this period marks a time of introspection and reflection. We might augment ourselves by dyeing our hair pink or mixing our fits. The same applies to ideas and aspirations. The bottom line is that experimenting will make us feel powerful and radiant. Fitting in with the status quo isn’t something to adhere to — it is what we’re fighting against. Assimilation is something that should stay behind in the past.

Other areas highlighted during the retrograde are health matters, intuition, and societal change. Oftentimes, people suffer from unexpected physical conditions that surface during the retrograde. The silver lining is that Pluto retrograde wants us to heal, so it’s shedding light on repressed or unforeseen matters that require attention. The chances of getting to a state of well-being are high since Pluto retrograde helps us regain stamina. 

People might try to gaslight us, but we don’t have to give them any mind or attention when we know what is true. Also, it can be challenging for global progress, as everyone wants to revert to old ways of being. We must ensure that no one is slipping into old beliefs or patterns and choosing to think radically. 

All in all, Pluto retrograde in Aquarius won’t be a super challenging time. Of course, this astrological transit will allow us to see areas that need to evolve in our lives for the better. Do not fear the retrograde! It’s going to bring necessary change. Welcome it with open arms. 

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Taurus Season Is Here

Your May 2026 Horoscope Is Here

Your Horoscope This Week: May 3 To 9

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The first Monday in May is here, and the Hollywood and fashion elite are gearing up for one of the biggest nights in entertainment: the Met Gala. But, like every year, the backlash to the world’s rich and famous flaunting their wealth while the world is on fire has been swift and passionate. Protestors have been making their dissent known throughout New York City since February, when Amazon founder and noted evil billionaire, Jeff Bezos, and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, were announced as the event’s honorary co-chairs and lead sponsors of the fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. 

But the calls to boycott the annual, invitation-only gala are nothing new. There’s a long history of organizers and activists pushing against the event, which sees tables going for upwards of $100,000. When people can barely afford to buy eggs or basic healthcare, and gas prices are astronomical, it’s understandable why this egregious display of excess is off-putting. Critics of Bezos’ involvement with the gala cite a long list of concerns, as per The New York Times, which includes  major layoffs and editorial decisions at The Washington Post, which he owns; Amazon’s donations to President Donald Trump’s  inauguration fund; and Amazon’s backing of a $40 million documentary about the first lady Melania Trump.

Bezos reportedly contributed $10 million dollars to the Met Gala, which does ultimately serve to fund the Costume Institute, but aside from a general surge in anti-billionaire sentiment (imagine supporting billionaires in this economy?!), people are upset because of Amazon’s treatment of its workers and its ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Amazon workers have said they’ve had to skip bathroom breaks and urinate in bottles. To shed light on these horrific workplace conditions, a guerrilla activist group called Everyone Hates Elon (yes, as in Musk) has been leading boycott calls by plastering posters on New York subway cars and bus stops and projecting slogans on buildings. On Friday, the group placed 300 bottles of fake urine inside the Museum.

Say what you will about the fake pee stunt, but it was an effective way to get everyone talking. This is part of why protesting is so important. The Met Gala is one of the biggest platforms in the world, with millions of eyeballs focused on what Beyoncé (also a co-chair of the event) and other celebrities will be wearing. What so many of these causes — like workers’ rights, the war in Iran, genocides in Gaza and Sudan, the affordability crisis — need is more attention. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani knows this. Despite some of his predecessors attending the Met Gala, Mamdani is opting to skip the event, citing that he’s focused on “making the most expensive city in the United States affordable.”

And this morning, while stylists have been steaming, makeup artists have been primping, and hairspray has been spraying, Mamdani made a point to highlight the people behind the scenes — six local industry garment workers are featured in a new portrait series by Kara McCurdy, including former Amazon delivery employees. (This morning, a group of organizations, including the Service Employees International Union, the Strategic Organizing Center, and the Amazon Labor Union staged a Ball Without Billionaires in which workers for Amazon, Uber, and Starbucks served as models). 

A red carpet with this much global attention could be used to challenge power… If the night is going to center excess and spectacle, it might as well also reflect the realities people are protesting outside those museum steps.

kathleen newman-bremang

“The fashion industry is made possible by the thousands of workers behind the scenes — seamstresses, tailors, retail workers, delivery drivers — whose immense talent and dedication deserves to be celebrated,” Mamdani told i-D. This is a great point, and it’s also why I can’t do away with the Met Gala completely. There may be better ways to highlight the workers behind the scenes, but this event is one of the ways, and at its core, the Met Gala is a fundraising event for a museum that needs money to survive (although, it may be financially independent soon). Plus, this night employs hundreds of artists, stylists, fashion workers, and working-class people in New York. 

As for the celebrities, Zendaya is also reportedly skipping the Met Gala and Meryl Streep, who has actually never been, is also likely not attending. It is not confirmed if any celebs skipping the night are doing so in solidarity with the protestors, but if they are, it would be nice to actually hear that stance from them. I know there was backlash when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez showed up to the Met wearing a “Tax the Rich” dress, but I do think this is a perfect platform for celebrities to use fashion as messaging. The Met Gala is literally about the intersection of art and culture, so why not lean into that? Clothes have always been political, whether people want them to be or not, and a red carpet with this much global attention could be used to challenge power, spark conversation, and make a statement that goes beyond aesthetics. If the night is going to center excess and spectacle, it might as well also reflect the realities people are protesting outside those museum steps.

In the words of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada 2, the Bezoses are not visionaries, they are vendors — and the fact that they are two of the faces of an event that is supposed to be a celebration of art makes very little sense. On the surface, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is an entertaining sequel, full of glossy fashion moments and sharp one-liners, but underneath all that, it’s poking at something deeper: who actually gets to shape fashion and culture, and at what cost? When money becomes the loudest voice in the room, creativity risks becoming just another commodity (see: Emily).

The satire hits a little too close to home when you look at what’s happening around the Met Gala right now. Billionaires underwriting culture isn’t new, but the growing discomfort with that reality is. The movie frames it as absurd — editors bending to sponsors, art bending to capital — but outside the theater, it’s playing out in real time. What’s being protested isn’t just one event, but a broader system where wealth doesn’t just fund art, it influences it. And increasingly, people are asking whether that influence is something we should keep accepting as the price of admission. I don’t think we should. 

“The Met Gala is now giving Bezos exactly the kind of reputation laundering and cultural rocket fuel he needs to keep destroying America,” Cynthia Nixon, Gilded Age actress and activist who ran for New York governor in 2018, said to The New York Times. She’s not wrong, and it’s through these protests (and notable people refusing to show up), that public pressure starts to chip away at the gloss. It shifts the narrative from spectacle to scrutiny, forcing a closer look at who benefits from these cultural moments. And if that attention keeps building, it could push institutions to rethink who they align with — and why.

What’s being protested isn’t just one event, but a broader system where wealth doesn’t just fund art, it influences it. And increasingly, people are asking whether that influence is something we should keep accepting as the price of admission. I don’t think we should.

kathleen newman-bremang

Potentially one day, The Costume Institute won’t need Vogue or billionaires to continue their important work. Until then, I think it’s important to be having these conversations. The activists doing the work of protesting and organizing to send a message to Bezos and the world about class inequality and ICE terrorizing U.S. neighborhoods is necessary. The spectacle that is the Met Gala will go on, but pressure being applied outside its iconic steps is what will force a broader reckoning about who gets to fund culture, who it serves, and whose voices are too often not given seats at $100,000 tables.

Ultimately, it’s up to us, the consumers, if we want to engage in any of it. I completely understand the decision to opt out. For us here at Refinery29, we have jobs to do. We cover Amazon in our shopping stories, because many working-class people depend on its low prices, but that’s what makes their practices even more egregious. We follow culture. We cover fashion, entertainment, and pop culture, and this — for better and for worse — is a massive cultural event. Personally, I’ll be looking out for celebs who use their Met Gala look to prove that art is political and who aren’t afraid to say it with their full chests, in a room with the man responsible for so much oppression and, increasingly, attacks on press freedom. I want to see them demonstrate that fashion can speak louder than hollow donations and that art can never be bought.

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Cosmic beings, we’ve made it to an integration week. After last week’s Scorpio Full Moon brought emotional truths to the surface, this is where we begin to process what was revealed. The intensity of the start of the month settles into something more manageable. With Mercury now in Taurus for its first full week, your thinking slows down in a noticeable way… You can hear yourself more clearly, but you might also notice a tendency to become fixed in your perspective.

Fortunately, Uranus’ presence in Gemini (until 2033) is introducing curiosity, new ideas, and movement, while Mercury in Taurus is asking for sustainability. One wants variety, the other wants consistency. Let them work together this week so you don’t overload yourself or shut down new possibilities too quickly.

On May 6th, Pluto, the Planet of Transformation, begins its five-month retrograde in Aquarius, shifting the focus toward deeper collective reflection. Pluto retrograde is less about external events and more about internal recognition. In Aquarius, this brings attention to how we think, how we participate in communities, and what we consider progress. There’s a strong reminder that building a new world doesn’t always mean constant innovation. It can also mean returning to simplicity, to presence, to shifting from group think to radical thought. This retrograde asks for awareness of where we’ve been following societal patterns without questioning them. During Pluto’s 4.5 month retrograde, all zodiac signs will feel an urge to reconnect with their roots, or alternatively, investigate some of the more unsettling parts of their heritage.

The week closes with the last quarter moon in Aquarius, a natural checkpoint following the Scorpio Full Moon. This phase is about adjustment and release. After being deeply engaged with your emotions, you may feel the need to step back and create mental space. That can look like unplugging, reflecting, or simply allowing yourself not to be as emotionally available to everything at once. There’s value in that distance. It helps you see what actually matters and what you can gently let go. This week’s core theme is to go slow and be in alignment with your values.

Read your horoscopes for your Sun and Rising signs for the most in-depth forecast.

Aries Sun & Rising:

Aries, quick question: have you actually been enjoying your life, or just trying to stay ahead of it? This week slows you down on purpose. With Mercury spending its first full week in Taurus, your attention shifts to money, stability, and what actually makes you feel secure. Not the flashy wins, but the real ones: eating well, moving your body, having enough, feeling grounded in your day-to-day life. There’s something humbling about realizing wealth isn’t just what’s in your account, it’s how supported you feel in your own routine. And ironically, when you stop trying to do everything at once, your financial decisions get sharper. You spend with more intention, you plan better, you build slower but smarter. Just watch out for stubbornness emerging this week. There’s a difference between being committed to your values and refusing to adapt when something clearly needs to change.

The deeper shift this week is quieter but longer-lasting. Pluto begins its retrograde in Aquarius on May 6th, activating your friendships, social networks, and digital spaces for the next few months. During this transit, you’ll start noticing dynamics you may have brushed off before: power imbalances in friendships, unspoken competition, the way certain online spaces either empower you or subtly drain you. It’s less about cutting people off impulsively and more about seeing clearly who aligns with the version of you you’re becoming. You might also rethink how you show up online, what you share, why you share it, and whether it reflects your truth or just keeps you in the algorithm. This retrograde teaches you discernment. Not everyone deserves access to your orbit, and not every space deserves your energy.

Taurus Sun & Rising:

Taurus, there comes a time in your life where you realize you don’t have to keep bracing for impact. This week is that time. With the sun still in your sign and Mercury spending its first full week there, things feel clearer, steadier, more yours. And more importantly, Uranus is no longer in your sign… not to return until 2102. The constant shake-ups, the identity shifts, the “who even am I right now?” phase… that chapter has closed. Now you get to sit with who you’ve become without immediately being pushed into the next version.

This week isn’t about rushing forward. With Pluto beginning its retrograde in Aquarius on May 6th and activating your career, reputation, and legacy sector for the next four and a half months, your focus shifts toward what you’re actually building long-term. Not the version of success you thought you wanted a year ago, but the one that still feels aligned now. You may start re-evaluating certain goals, questioning paths you’ve been on, or realizing that some ambitions were rooted in pressure rather than purpose. You’re allowed to change your mind about what success looks like. The more honest you are about that, the more intentional your next moves become.

Gemini Sun & Rising:

Gemini, your pace just changed… and your instincts are still catching up to it. With your ruler Mercury now in Taurus for its first full week, you’re feeling that shift more than most. Your mind isn’t racing the way it usually does. There’s a pull inward, toward quiet, toward reflection, toward moments where you’re not constantly stimulated. At the same time, Uranus in your sign is doing the opposite: sparking ideas, inviting spontaneity, pushing you to try new versions of yourself. So the tension is real. One part of you wants to go offline and process, the other wants to say yes to everything and see what happens. This week is about learning how to hold both without overwhelming yourself. You don’t need to rush into every opportunity, but you also don’t need to shut down the excitement. Ground yourself enough to choose what actually feels aligned, and stay open to the plot twists that don’t require you to force them.

The deeper layer of this week unfolds more quietly. With Pluto beginning its retrograde in Aquarius on the 6th, your expansion and long-term vision sector starts to shift in a way that’s less visible but more lasting. Over the next few months, you may find yourself revisiting dreams you thought you had outgrown, or realizing that certain goals still matter to you more than you admitted. There’s also space to release visions that no longer fit who you’re becoming. Give yourself permission to evolve your perspective. With Uranus in your sign, you’re already changing in real time. Pluto just makes sure that what you’re moving toward actually means something to you.

Cancer Sun & Rising:

Cancer, your social life just got more curated. With Mercury now in Taurus, your friendship and community sector slows down in a way that feels intentional. You’re less interested in being everywhere, replying to everyone, or saying yes out of habit. The vibe is more “does this actually feel good?” and that’s so valid. You might find yourself gravitating toward smaller, more meaningful hangouts, better conversations, even friends you can just exist around without performing.

Taurus energy also brings pleasure back into your social life. Good food, good music, good company. No networking or forced vibes, just enjoyment. And yes, you might be a little more selective now. Not everyone gets access to your energy like that anymore, and that’s part of the upgrade. The deeper shift this week is quieter but more powerful. On the 6th, Pluto retrograde in Aquarius activates your sector of intimacy, shared resources, and emotional depth for the next few months. You may notice themes around money owed, debts, financial entanglements, or even emotional exchanges that feel unbalanced starting to surface. It can also bring up older wounds, family patterns, or generational dynamics that you’re ready to understand differently. Stay organized with your finances, have the conversations you’ve been avoiding, and give yourself space to process what comes up instead of pushing it away. This is long-term healing energy. It’s not always comfortable, but it significantly changes how you move going forward.

Leo Sun & Rising:

Leo, you’ve made it to the part of your story where the spotlight feels a little quieter… and somehow, more revealing. With Mercury in Taurus, your career and public image sector is asking you to slow your roll and actually think about what you’re building. This isn’t your usual “move fast, be seen, make it happen” rhythm. It’s more deliberate than that. You’re choosing your words more carefully, making decisions that have weight, and realizing that not every opportunity needs an immediate yes. You might initially feel tension because Taurus energy doesn’t move at your preferred speed, but that’s the point. You’re learning how to create something that lasts. The more patient you are with the process, the more solid the outcome becomes.

Meanwhile, Pluto’s retrograde in Aquarius begins May 6th and activates your relationship sector over the next few months, so you may find yourself rethinking how you show up in partnerships, what power dynamics exist, and whether the connections in your life feel truly reciprocal. You’ll start noticing patterns surrounding the way you give, the way you receive, and where things feel balanced or not. Some relationships may deepen through honesty, while others may naturally shift as you outgrow certain dynamics. The more honest you are about what you need in connection, the easier it becomes to build relationships that actually meet you there.

Virgo Sun & Rising:

Virgo, this week feels like your worldview getting edited in real time. With Mercury now in Taurus, your expansion sector slows things down just enough for you to choose what you’re growing into. This transit is teaching you that not every idea needs a spreadsheet, and not every opportunity needs a 10-step plan. You’re drawn to experiences that feel good in your body: learning something hands-on, planning a trip that actually excites you, studying a subject because you love it, not because it’s “useful.” Say yes to what nourishes your curiosity, not what clutters your calendar. And if you notice yourself getting rigid about the “right way” to do things, loosen the grip. Growth isn’t linear this week.

Meanwhile, starting the 6th, Pluto’s retrograde in Aquarius highlights your routines, health, and work systems for the next few months, and it’s the kind of shift you feel before you fully see. Patterns surface regarding how you manage your time, where you overgive, and what your body has been trying to tell you. No need to overhaul your life overnight, but rather spend time getting honest about what’s not working, and making strategic adjustments. Clean up one habit, set one boundary, or simplify one workflow. The more you refine the small yet crucial missions now, the easier everything else becomes.

Libra Sun & Rising:

Libra, this week pulls you into the spaces you don’t usually narrate out loud. With Mercury now in Taurus, your attention moves toward intimacy, shared resources, and the emotional exchanges that don’t show up on the surface. You might find yourself thinking about money in a more long-term way, or noticing who you feel safe opening up to and who you instinctively hold back from. There’s also something sensual about this transit for you… you’re craving depth, not just connection for the sake of connection. The kind where you can actually relax into someone’s presence and not feel like you have to manage the energy the whole time.

On the 6th, Pluto’s retrograde in Aquarius shifts your creativity and romantic life for the next five months. Over time, you’ll start to notice where you’ve been performing instead of expressing, and where you’ve been seeking validation instead of enjoying yourself. Old creative ideas, past lovers, or even younger versions of yourself can come back into your awareness in a way that feels unfinished. There’s something here about reclaiming your joy in a way that may feel a little messy, unfamiliar, or slightly outside your usual comfort zone. The shift isn’t loud, but it changes your energy in a way people can feel.

Scorpio Sun & Rising:

Scorpio, you can feel the difference in your body before you even put words to it. For years, Uranus in Taurus kept your relationship sector in a constant state of change: sudden shifts, unexpected endings or beginnings, and learning the hard way what you will and won’t tolerate. That energy destabilized your life so you could clearly see what had to go. Now, with Mercury spending its first full week in Taurus, the tone is completely different. The chaos has quieted, and in its place comes clarity. Your thoughts are more grounded, your voice more steady,
and your boundaries more defined. You’re not scrambling to adapt in the same way. You’re simply… deciding.

That Scorpio who used to say yes just to keep the peace might catch themselves pausing, choosing their words, and naming a non-negotiable without the same fear of loss. There’s a calm confidence in knowing what works for you now. The only thing to watch is swinging too far in the other direction and becoming so fixed in your opinions or values that you shut down connection before it has a chance to meet you halfway. Uranus in Gemini is reminding you that flexibility is still part of the equation, just not at the cost of your self-respect.

At the same time, something deeper is shifting underneath it all. Pluto, your ruler, is now retrograde in Aquarius, activating your home and foundation zone. This shows up as a quiet pressure… a sense that something in your personal life needs to be restructured. Over the next five months, you may notice old family dynamics resurfacing, responsibilities that feel heavier than usual, or a realization that the way you’ve been showing up at home no longer feels sustainable. Pluto is here to help you understand your own patterns more deeply and choose how you want to engage moving forward. This transit reshapes your sense of stability from the inside out.

Sagittarius Sun & Rising:

Sag, your week starts asking for a different kind of discipline… the kind that actually supports you. With Mercury in Taurus, your focus lands on your routines, your health, and how you move through your days. You’re used to jumping ahead, multitasking, chasing what excites you, and now your mind wants to slow down, repeat, refine. At first, that can feel restrictive, like everything is taking longer than it should. But there’s something quietly satisfying about noticing what works when you stick with it. Eating better, moving your body, organizing your time so you’re not running on vibes alone… it adds up, and suddenly routine starts to feel less like a cage and more like something that actually has your back.

Meanwhile, starting the 6th Pluto retrograde in Aquarius moves your attention to your voice, your ideas, and how you communicate them over the next few months. The vibe is very “log off and touch something real.” There’s a nostalgic pull here towards swapping your iPhone for a Discman, printing out photos instead of leaving them in your camera roll, or recording voice notes just to hear your own thoughts back. You might find yourself revisiting old projects, unfinished writing, or hobbies you dropped when life got busy. And weirdly, they hit differently now. Less pressure to perform, more interest in creating for yourself. Conversations feel better in person than through a screen. You’re choosing your words more carefully, posting less, observing more. It’s giving main character in a coming-of-age film where nobody knows what you’re working on yet… but you do, and that’s all that matters.

Capricorn Sun & Rising:

Capricorn, this week feels like your creative voice coming back online in a way that actually makes sense to you. With Mercury in your fellow earth sign Taurus, the mental friction you felt during Mercury in Aries starts to ease. You’re thinking more clearly, speaking more intentionally, and creating from a place that feels grounded instead of rushed. This lands in your sector of romance and inner child healing, so you might find yourself reconnecting with what you genuinely enjoy and what feels good to express. And after Uranus spent years shaking things up in this part of your life, the difference is noticeable. You can actually see how much you’ve grown in how you love, how you create, and how you step into visibility.

At the same time, Pluto’s retrograde in Aquarius activates your money and self-worth sector, and the tone here is more reflective than reactive. Over the next few months, you may start questioning the structures you’ve built around income and stability, because they might be more rigid than they need to be. There’s space to think differently about how you earn money. Working smarter starts to feel more appealing than working harder, but in a way that still respects your need for security. You don’t have to act on every idea during this retrograde, but you do want to let your mind open to new possibilities.

Aquarius Sun & Rising:

Aquarius, your attention turns inward this week, in a “let me get my space right” kind of way. With Mercury in Taurus, your home, roots, and emotional foundation come into focus, and it can feel a little slower than your usual pace. You might notice yourself wanting more quiet, comfort, or control over your environment. At the same time, that fixed earth energy can clash with your need for movement and change, so there can be moments where you feel stuck or slightly irritated without fully knowing why. The key is not to rush out of that feeling. Pay attention to what actually makes you feel grounded right now. Once that feels steady, everything else flows a lot easier.

Meanwhile, Pluto begins its retrograde in your sign on May 6th, kickstarting a much deeper, more personal process — but it doesn’t have to feel heavy. It’s more like you’re stepping back and observing your own evolution. The version of yourself you said you wanted to become earlier this year… does it still fit? Are you moving toward it, or has something shifted along the way? This retrograde brings forth a sense of personal excavation, but you’re not digging with urgency, you’re exploring with curiosity. Treat it like an experiment… this is your life. You’re allowed to change the hypothesis or test out new ways of being, new identities, new directions. The goal isn’t to lock anything in right now, but to get closer to what actually feels aligned.

Pisces Sun & Rising:

Pisces, your voice softens this week… but it also gets clearer. With Mercury now in Taurus, your communication sector takes on a more sensual, intentional tone. You’re not speaking just to fill space, you’re intentionally choosing your words, timing, and energy. There’s something more flirtatious and artistic about how you express yourself too… whether that’s through conversations, writing, or just the way you move through your day.

At the same time, you’re becoming more selective thanks to Taurus Season. Not everyone gets access to you like that. You’re learning how to name what you need, what you’re okay with, and what you’re not… one conversation at a time. And people can feel when you mean what you say.

Pluto retrograde in Aquarius begins on the 6th, leading to a quieter shift behind the scenes, in your solitude and spirituality sector. This retrograde is less about diving deep into shadow work and more about changing your relationship to it. You already know how to “go there”. This time, it’s about letting healing feel lighter, less consuming, like something that integrates into your life instead of taking it over. You might feel drawn to spending more time alone, reflecting without overanalyzing, or releasing the pressure to constantly “fix” something within yourself. Over the course of the next five months, prepare to feel a peaceful detachment that allows your spiritual journey to evolve on its own timeline.

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Your May 2026 Horoscope Is Here

Uranus In Gemini 2026 Is Here

Your Horoscope This Week: April 26 To May 2

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On the first Monday in May, the biggest stars in Hollywood and fashion will take to the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the 2026 Met Gala. This year, the annual fundraising event will celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Costume Art” with a starry group of co-chairs including Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Beyoncé, who will be making her grand return to the steps after a decade. 

But before the glitz and the glamour of the Met steps, the stars seek residence at some of New York’s most luxurious hotels to get ready for fashion’s biggest night out. And when it comes to the crème de la crème of Manhattan hotels, there’s nowhere quite like The Mark. A crown jewel of the Upper East Side and just a few blocks down from the Met, the historic hotel serves as the unofficial Met Gala red carpet, with a handful of the gala’s guests showcasing their Met looks as they depart from the hotel’s famed lobby before heading to the gala’s grand staircase.

The elegance of The Mark is undeniable. From the second you approach the hotel’s black-and-white umbrellas, which line 77th street, and walk into the sleek, yet sophisticated lobby, you experience a level of luxury that is inherently fabulous. So it only makes sense that The Mark is the place celebrities want to be before and after the Met Gala. But what goes into putting on a picture-perfect, pre-Met production, you wonder? Well, a lot.

From months of organizing hotel bookings to executing the strategic Met Monday elevator system, over the years, the Mark staff have perfected their Met Monday operation, which successfully gets an assembly line of stars from their rooms and suites, down to the lobby, and cleared to walk the custom-made Mark red carpet before heading off to the gala. The system, which requires the help of the concierge, security, elevator operators, and staff on every level of the 16-floor hotel, is no easy feat. But like everything at the Mark, the team pulls it off with an effortless elegance. Take it from The Mark’s Associate Director of Marketing, Allegra Acosta, and Chief Concierge Maria Wittrop, Met Monday veterans who are sharing the inside details of the hotel’s craziest, but most fun day of the year. 

Make York Mark with a Hotel Stay: 

The Mark is known for its chic, black-and-white striped aesthetic, seen as part of the hotel’s exterior and interior design, from the outdoor umbrellas to the marble lobby floor and accent pillows. The black and white design theme continues throughout the property’s restaurants and magnificent guest rooms. So, exactly how much does it cost for a stay in one of those iconic hotel rooms? If you’re looking to book a stay in a classic queen or king room, the starting price is around $1395 a night (depending on the season). But it’s The Mark’s Penthouse Collection, featuring three sprawling sky suites that celebrities love to call home on Met weekend. 

Nestled on the 14th floor are the Madison and Central Park Penthouses, both overlooking their respective streets. The two penthouse suites, which start at $45K a night, feature multiple bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, an entertainment room, a grand terrace equipped with plush loungers and umbrellas, and more bathrooms, varnished with the hotel’s signature pale green finishes, than anyone could ever want or need. And when stars check into the penthouses for events like the Met Gala, best believe that all of the bed and sitting rooms are full. 

“When a celebrity checks into one of these suites [for the Met Gala], they’ll come with full glam squads, team members, stylists, tailors, everything, using every room,” Acosta tells R29. 

And for those who can indulge in the finest of luxury, let us introduce you to the Mark Penthouse. With elevators that open directly to the 16th-floor suite (think Blair Waldorf’s penthouse pad in Gossip Girl), the Mark penthouse is one of the finest in New York. At $100K a night, the penthouse has all of the standard amenities when it comes to multiple bedrooms and living spaces, but unlike the “smaller” penthouses, the Mark Suite boasts a unique second-floor terrace, a master bedroom with a double-sided, glass fireplace, a bathroom that has an infinity-style tub, and its very own tech-savvy gym. The Mark Penthouse terrace, with its 360-degree view of the UES, is also a spot for wellness. Equipped with a sleek, black-and-white plunge tub, the spa can be used for either cold dips or as a hot tub. But that’s not all. With the terrace being a prime spot for penthouse guests to entertain, it only makes sense that the hotel takes full advantage of the rooftop space. In the summer, during the US Open, the Mark can transform the terrace into guests’ own personal mini tennis court. And in the winter? A private mini skating rink at the guests’ request, of course. Talk about top-tier service. 

Checking in for the Met Gala:

So how do famous faces make the most coveted hotel reservation of the year? Well, for the most part, individual fashion houses and brands are tasked with the responsibility of reaching out to The Mark’s sales team to coordinate hotel bookings with requests starting as early as August, ahead of the upcoming Met Gala. Then, with all the rooms and penthouses booked (with some celebrities requesting the same rooms year after year), Met guests begin to check into the hotel on Thursday and Friday before the gala so they can settle in for a weekend of pre-parties before the big day. 
“It’s a very busy weekend. There’s a ton of deliveries and people running around. It’s chaos, but it’s very fun,” Acosta says.

Operation Met Monday at The Mark: 

Met Monday is one of the busiest days for The Mark Hotel, and it’s all about traffic flow both inside and outside of the property walls. But as chaotic as it all sounds, the hotel staff are masters in their own art of Met Gala orchestration. Inside the lobby, the hotel’s elevators and staircase serve as the main vehicles for guest traffic flow, which is fluidly navigated by the system run by the hotel’s concierge, security, and the manual elevator operator teams. On Met Monday, guests begin the process of getting ready for the annual gala in the wee hours of the morning, with The Mark’s two elevators, which take you up and down the building’s 16 floors, running normally. But once the clock strikes 4 pm, the elevators switch from automatic to manual, as the concierge starts a call-based system with associates on each hotel floor and security teams. 

“We have a security guard inside each elevator, that is operated manually, and we know that talent is ready to come down to the red carpet through the associates stationed on that floor,” Wittrop explains. “Each talent has a number. We are very discreet at The Mark. So we’d just say, ‘Number 6 is coming down.’ Then the security officer will make sure that the elevator goes up to that floor and then bring the talent down to the lobby to have their moment on the red carpet, which is very magical.”

But the operation doesn’t stop in the lobby. A-list guests then have to find their transportation from the Mark to the gala. But like the elevator system, the hotel staff also has an operation for guests’ pick-up.

“So the magic is that we have [all of the cars] stationed on 77th between Madison and Park. (The hotel is between Madison and 5th). The street is closed down for us, and it’s a common misconception that 60 sprinters are just sitting in front of the hotel. I don’t know where they would fit!” she continued, going on to explain that, like the talent, each car has a number that is then called out by the hotel’s coordinators, letting the talent know that their vehicle is ready to pull up in front of the hotel. Once the vehicle is called, it will turn onto 77th, in front of the hotel, for the talent to step into their ride for the night. “It’s all very technical.”

And while the elevator might be the preferred option for those with larger or heavier garments, the fastest and most discreet way to get to the lobby is simply by using the stairs. In The Mark book by Assouline, Karlie Kloss is quoted as saying, “Tip, take the stairs.”

“It’s an insider tip for celebrities and talent that are staying here and getting ready with us because it is so busy on that Monday. And while we have the manual elevators, if you want to avoid being seen, use the stairs,” Acosta says. 

Party Dogs and Crisp Cocktails:

On the night of the Met Gala, the hotel’s iconic hot dog cart takes center stage in the hotel’s lobby. Yes, the hotel is known for its fine dining restaurants like Caviar Kaspia and The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges, but the famed hot dog stand is an institution all its own. “The Mark hot dog cart has become such a big staple, because we really emphasize the high, low concept. Obviously, we’re on the Upper East Side and this is a luxury hotel, but the hot dogs by Jean-Georges Vongerichten are $6,” Acosta explains. “And Heri, who’s our hot dog connoisseur, has his special toppings and has become an amazing icon for everybody on the Upper East Side, whether you’re staying at the hotel or floating by, going to Central Park, or going to Madison Avenue.” On a typical day, you can find Heri and his stand just outside of the hotel, serving the Upper East Side’s favorite hot dogs from 9 am to 5 pm. But following the gala, the stand moves inside for the hotel’s special celebrity guests as they return from the gala, officially ready to kick off a long night of after parties. From the lobby, guests also pour into The Mark Bar, where they enjoy cocktails made by the hotel’s resident bartender and celebrity favorite, Vlad, who will be celebrating nine years with the hotel next month. “It’s really a time when the talent comes back and is relaxed — the gala is over, so we have our hot dog cart with Mark French fries, and drinks flowing. Everyone is in the lobby, and it’s just really a relaxed, celebratory moment that’s very special,” Acosta adds.

Mark Moments and Extraordinary Service:

When working Met Monday at The Mark, there’s no shortage of surreal moments wrapped up in gala chaos, with a melange of A-list stars, press, PR teams, stylists, and more flooding The Mark’s iconic lobby and running throughout the hotel’s luxe halls. And while there’s an abundance of crazy moments to account for over the years, there are a few standouts that have stuck with the hotel staff.

“It always feels like a blur, but last year, Charli XCX got behind the concierge booth when she returned to the hotel from the gala and was playing concierge with the phone and with the team. She said she always wanted to be a concierge,” Acosta recalls, in addition to sharing one of the hotel’s most far-fetched room service requests. “A few years prior, somebody was very famished, and right before they were leaving, they requested 4 or 5 olives, exactly, just to tide them over.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 06: Charli XCX departs The Mark Hotel for 2024 Met Gala on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for The Mark Hotel)

“I remember when Tyla came back, after the gala, with only half of the sand dress — they then handed [the cut half] to me. So I’m holding her half of this dress, and it literally only fit my arm!” Wittrop says of the unique fashion moment. “We get all of their dresses, as they are then picked up by the fashion houses, so you get to see the dresses you saw on the carpet.”

And with the caravan of black cars and sprinters gathering around the hotel, sometimes things don’t always go as planned. Wittrop recalls how a minor hiccup in transportation plans sent her team into immediate action. 

“One time, a talent’s Sprinter didn’t show up, so we arranged to take the talent in a pedicab to the Met,” she says. “We are always prepared for literally anything.” And that’s what we call top-notch service. Nothing beats the magic of Met Monday at the Mark.

Tune into Met Monday at The Mark livestream on the hotel’s Instagram after 4 PM for a first peek at all the Met Gala action.

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