Martha Stewart Says It’s “Fantastic” To Be a Sex Symbol at 81

It should go without saying that Martha Stewart is an icon. Full stop. She doesn’t need some crazy fanfare to prove it. While hosting an event at her Las Vegas restaurant, The Bedford By Martha Stewart — it’s just one of the many establishments and businesses that keep the mogul booked and busy — Martha was the picture of ease, sipping on a refreshing Red Iced Tea, despite the fact that her day had been filled with press interviews, mixing cocktails, and serving food.

The new restaurant, which officially opened last summer in Paris Las Vegas (owned by Caesars Entertainment), sits in the Parisian-style concourse across from other restaurants like Nobu and Vanderpump à Paris. The interior is nearly an exact replica of Stewart’s 1925 New York farmhouse, down to the light fixtures, wood paneling, copper pans, and 19th-century glass collection. Plus, the entire menu is a reflection of Martha’s heritage and favorite culinary dishes, including her Polish mother’s pierogi recipe. 

“We came up with the idea that we could recreate some of the rooms in my house in Bedford at my farm,” she explains. “This is quite a bit larger than my own house, but the kitchen with the copper hanging is so absolutely perfect for the view, and people love it. My own kitchen is very much like that.”

She spends the luncheon in Vegas with a Meyer lemon drop martini demonstration (while sipping on one) and graciously answering questions about the establishment. After enjoying the meal, Stewart leaves to catch a flight, onto her next venture. Between her jet-setting lifestyle and stacked schedule of public appearances and work events, there’s no sign of slowing down for the 81 year old. Plus, her radiant skin and Instagram thirst traps give no allusion to her age either. Although it may seem like the queen of hosting doesn’t have much down time, Stewart tells me that self-care is actually what helps her maintain her energetic and youthful spirit — not to mention her glowing appearance.

“I have all organic food. I don't diet necessarily, but I watch what I eat,” she explains before adding that in addition to monitoring what she consumes, she also takes good care of her body on the outside. “I do Pilates three times a week with an instructor. I have a massage. I go to a chiropractor. These are all things I just do to keep feeling good.”

Of course, she has a killer skincare routine, an unsurprising fact after witnessing her sprightly appearance IRL. “If you have good skincare, you can have beautiful skin. And it doesn't have to cost a fortune, you just have to do it.”

Stewart’s enviably smooth and bright complexion is practically a walking marketing campaign for her go-to products, which include Mario Badescu serums and Clé de Peau products (“I know they're very expensive, but they actually work.”). She also credits her longtime makeup artist Daisy Toye for perfecting her flawless glam.

It's not just her beauty routine that reflects her young energy. Her fashion sense — which, by the way, she does not consider to fall under the coastal grandmother aesthetic — is also fresh and vibrant. (At the event, Martha wore a leather jacket, cargo pants, and sparkly platform heels.) She tells me that this summer, she plans on living in “lots of shorts.”

“I love sort of baggy shorts, so I have accumulated a small collection of shorts,” she says. But don’t get it twisted, Martha will not be donning Bermuda-length shorts anytime soon. “I've been working on my legs at Pilates, and I'm going to show them off this summer.”

The businesswoman is aware of everything she brings to the table (literally, in this case). And she says it’s a “fantastic” feeling knowing that she has become a permanent fixture in internet culture and a bona fide sex symbol at 81. She hopes others can take a page out of her book and exude the same confidence no matter their age.

“It's a good example for others, actually,” she says. “I'm a teacher. I'm trying to teach others that you can look great. There's no reason to slump around.”