EDITORâS NOTE Happy Saturday and Happy Halloweekend to all who celebrate. Iâm dressing up as a Y2K-era teen, so Iâm planning to take advantage of all the â00s trends. Specifically, Iâll draw inspo from Amanda Seyfriedâs chic take on the controversial dress-over-pants look, Jennifer Lawrenceâs extra-long, boho-inspired cord necklace (featuring, obviously, a large stone pendant), and Suri Cruiseâs shearling-lined denim jacket, which admittedly looks extremely cozy. Of course, my nostalgic costume wouldnât be complete without a Von Dutch trucker hat, which is allegedly making a comeback (someone tell Paris Hilton). But there will be one exception: My footwear â since these chunky âballet sneakersâ are actually pretty cute. So cute, in fact, that Iâll be wearing them well past October. â Taylor Trudon / Writer, Culture & Lifestyle / Brooklyn, NY |
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Creamy Rigatoni With Butternut Squash and Spicy Sausage? Say Less theSkimmWe probably donât need to tell you that pumpkin is the Homecoming Queen of Fall Flavors. But if you, like us, need the occasional break from the seasonâs most popular gourd (we swear, itâs nothing personal), allow us to make the case for Cherry on My Sundaeâs Rigatoni with Butternut Squash and Spicy Sausage. Packed with perfectly al dente pasta, hearty Swiss chard, spicy sausage crumbles, nutty Parmesan cheese, and velvety butternut squash, this crave-worthy dish hits all the right notes: sweet, salty, savory, and outrageously comforting. Pumpkin, who? The Time Commitment: About 45 minutes. But to save time â and energy â use precut squash from the store. (Itâs literally the same thing.) Key Tips: If you canât take the heat of spicy sausage,Christine Ma (aka Cherry on My Sundae) suggests swapping in a mild Italian sausage or chicken-apple sausage. And keep in mind: Seasoned ground meat (for sausage haters) and soyrizo (for vegetarians) are also good substitutes. Plus, you can easily replace Swiss chard with spinach or kale. Other Takes: Flavorful and versatile, butternut squash shines with pasta, which is why we also love this Brown-Butter Orzo with Butternut Squash (it gives risotto vibes, minus all the standing and stirring) and this pillowy Squash Gnocchi with Thanksgiving Chili Crunch â which you absolutely should not wait until Thanksgiving to make. But if pastaâs not your thing (we wonât judge), this Smoky Butternut Kale Salad combines crunchy pumpkin seeds, creamy goat cheese, and an irresistible apricot vinaigrette, while this Butternut Squash, Kale, and White Bean Soup comes together in 40 minutes (in one pot, we might add) and âwill become an instant favorite.â |
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Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me by Glory EdimtheSkimmEven if you donât know Glory Edim by name, thereâs a good chance youâve stumbled across her wildly popular neighborhood book club turned online literary community, Well-Read Black Girl. Now, in her moving memoir, Gather Me, the lifelong booklover is telling her own story, recounting the powerful ways in which writers like Maya Angelou and Audre Lorde helped her through various life challenges (a chaotic upbringing, deep depression) and shaped her into the person she is today. A moving love letter to literature, Gather Me is part autobiography, part reading recs by yourâŚwell-read friend. We asked Edim a few questions. Hereâs what she had to say. Q: Whatâs one thing you canât stop listening to?Edim: Victoria MonĂŠtâs latest album, Jaguar II, is on repeat. From âAlrightâ to âOn My Mama,â you canât help but feel self-assured and sexy. Q: Whatâs the last social media post you sent to friends?Edim: Iâm constantly sharing [the beautiful poems posted by] @poetryisnotaluxury. The last one was written by Chana Bloch, and the opening stanza reads: âThe past tense is so severe, it makes everything smaller.â Q: Whatâs something you recently read that youâre still thinking about? Edim: Kennedy Ryanâs romance novel Reel. Iâm obsessed with the main characters, Neevah and Canon â and their chemistry is palpable on the page. |
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Your Next Adventure â No Flights RequiredYou donât have to fly across the world to find adventure. There are plenty of exciting experiences waiting for you within driving distance. So today, weâre highlighting a few epic American road trips you should add to your bucket list â all of which are that much more magical in the new 2025 Ford ExplorerÂŽ SUV. We call shotgun. đď¸ Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Parkâs iconic 105-mile National Scenic Byway is all about enjoying the view. No matter what season you ride along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, youâll either be in awe of the foliage, a wild flower-dotted landscape, or sweeping green vistas. Youâll climb to 3,680 feet above sea level with 75 scenic overlooks to take it in along the way. If you need a break from driving, there are countless activities to choose from including hiking, horseback riding, stargazing, and wine tasting. đ If the ocean is calling your name, cruise along the rugged, 600-mile Pacific Coast Highway to enjoy the best the golden state has to offer. Begin your journey in San Francisco and travel down to San Diego â but donât make the trip in one day. Stop to stretch your legs on the Devilâs Slide scenic walking path, visit with adorable elephant seals at Piedras Blancas, and sip on delicious wine in the Santa Ynez Valley. đď¸ Glacier National Park covers about one million acres of land, and the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road highlights a particularly picturesque slice. People come for the breathtaking views like the one at Jackson Glacier Overlook, but stay for potential sightings of mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and grizzly bears. Pro tip: Time your trip so you can see the sun rise at Logan Pass, the highest point on this roadway. Ready to get going? The new 2025 Ford ExplorerÂŽ SUV has everything you need to enjoy each moment along the way. Weâre talking an available V6 engine with 400 horsepowerâ and available Ford BlueCruise driver-assist technology.⥠Plus spacious, comfortable seating for up to seven passengers. See for yourself.* |
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We asked you to vote on an etiquette question youâd like answered. The winner was: Q: My sister doesnât earn a lot, so my parents always pay for her flights home for the holidays. While I can afford my flight, is it wrong to ask my parents to cover the cost of my plane ticket too?âMy initial reaction would be to not ask your parents to pay for your flight. However, if this is a bigger issue about the way your parents support [your sister] and [how it feels] less fair to you ⌠maybe itâs time to have a conversation with [them] ⌠[Donât] lead with talking about money, but your concern that the treatment feels unfair ⌠Iâd [also] avoid starting with âyou, you, youâ and blaming your parents. [Instead], frame it as: âI want to talk about how Iâm feeling,â so youâre exploring your [perceptions], rather than brushing them under the rug and letting them manifest into something bigger.â |
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Skimmâd by: Taylor Trudon, Alex Carr, Melissa Goldberg, and Margaret Wheeler Johnson | Photos by Cherry on My Sundae, Ballantine Books, Caia Image via Getty Images, courtesy of Mariah Grumet, Brand Partners Design by theSkimm *PS: This is a sponsored post. â Horsepower and torque ratings based on premium fuel perSAE J1349ÂŽ standard. Your results may vary. âĄAvailable feature. Equipped Ford vehicles come with either a complimentary trial period or an included duration, after which purchase of a BlueCruise subscription is required. Modem activation is required for subscription purchase and for initial activation of BlueCruise (for pre-2024 model-year vehicles). See ford.com/bluecruise for details. BlueCruise is a driver-assist feature and does not replace safe driving or driverâs attention, judgment, or need to control the vehicle. Only remove hands in a hands-free Blue Zone. Always watch the road and be prepared to resume control. See Ownerâs Manual for details and limitations. |
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