Happy Saturday. Real question: Has anyoneâs AC died when it wasnât oppressively hot outside? Because mine conked out...in the middle of July. In Washington, DC. Thankfully, the internet has been delivering some much-needed distraction from my sauna (sorry, apartment). Like:
If you also fall somewhere between âaged out of denim cutoffsâ and ânot cool enough for long shorts,â meet the high-waisted, universally flattering style I wish Iâd discovered two months ago.
One womanâs deeply nostalgic pick-me-up on low-energy days â which, I can attest, works equally well for incredibly frustrating moments (I can still feel the frat house floors bouncing).
Target just dropped a collab with an NYC âItâ Girl designer â and every piece has that driving-with-the-windows-down, music-blasting energy. Perfect yellow sundress, I have to have you.
â Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC
This Caramelized Zucchini Pasta Is the Summer Dinner Youâve Been Sleeping On
theSkimm
Real Farmers Market Heads⢠know: Zucchini has a bit of a PR problem â and weâre here to solve it. Our first pitch? Dishing Out Healthâs Caramelized Zucchini and Sausage Pasta. In this weeknight-friendly recipe, a whole pound of zucchini is sliced into coins and seared until golden and caramelized, then combined with savory chicken sausage, a delightful shell-elbow hybrid pasta, and a lemon-Parmesan cream sauce â all of which is topped with fresh basil and crunchy, lemony panko. The result? A dish thatâs light, bright, creamy, crispy, simple, and satisfying. We could go on, but weâre betting youâre already convinced.
The Time Commitment: About 45 minutes.
Key Tips: The secret to perfectly caramelized zucchini? Resist the temptation to stir â it needs to cook undisturbed for three to four minutes per side. And while lumache pasta is ideal for catching every drop of the creamy sauce, any shape will work.
Other Takes: For more pastas that taste like summer, tryâŚ
Sun Gold Spaghetti alla Chitarra. We firmly believe Sun Golds are the only tomatoes that matter â and this dangerously easy recipe is their highest calling. Â
Angel Hair Pasta. Ready in 30 minutes and studded with juicy cherry tomatoes, consider this the redemption arc angel hair desperately needed.
Creamy Corn Miso Pasta. In this sweet, umami-packed goodness, peak-season corn is transformed into a creamy, dreamy sauce â without any actual cream. So itâs basically magic? Â
Whatâs new in food & home:
â If you keep missing out on the greatest Costco invention, itâs probably because youâre not up to speed on the retailerâs âstar of death.â No need to thank us.
The only thing worse than accidentally causing your dadâs fiancĂŠ to ditch him at the altar? Being forced to go on a road trip to find her with your estranged fatherâŚand your one-night stand. That special kind of nightmare is the premise of Naina Kumarâs Just a Highland Fling. After Neeluâs booze-fueled rehearsal dinner rant sends her dadâs bride-to-be running, the dating show producer ends up driving across the Scottish Highlands with Jacob â the attractive bagpiper she met at the pub a few nights earlier, who, as it happens, now wants nothing to do with Neelu but knows her future stepmother better than she does. Though something tells us his disinterest wonât last long. We asked Kumar a few questions. Hereâs what she had to sayâŚ
Q: Whatâs one thing thatâs made you 10% happier?
Kumar: My under-the-desk treadmill. Walking helps me think and de-stress, and I love that I can do it while getting some things done.
Q: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only eat one thing, what would it be?
Kumar: My motherâs salmon biryani, which isnât super traditional, but she started making it when I was a pescatarian and now itâs my favorite.
Q: Whatâs one thing you canât stop listening to?
Kumar: Olivia Rodrigoâs new album. Iâve had it on repeat since it came out. Iâm seeing her in concert this fall, and Iâm so excited.
PS: The âtruly immersiveâ book Kumar loved so much sheâs already counting down to the sequel? Find out here.
You thought your family vacation was rough? Chelsea Handler just resurfaced the detailed list of etiquette rules she sent loved ones after a âshortfall of manners.â Donât touch her ginger ale.
Grab this handheld, cordless Shark vacuum while it's on sale, then stash it in your car to easily clean up crumbs.
Sorry to say it, but now's the time to get a fall jacket. Bernardo is taking up to 40% off fall styles to ease the sting.
Keep scrolling...more recs below
Think Paris Is the Pièce de RÊsistance? This French City Will Make You Think Twice
theSkimm
If The Hills taught us anything, itâs that you never want to be âthe girl who didnât go to Paris.â True â especially if Paris is still on your bucket list â but weâd argue France has more than one showstopper. Enter: Lyon, the countryâs third-largest city and its undisputed gastronomic capital. In addition to the buzzy food scene, Lyon also has splendid museums, expansive green spaces, vibrant neighborhoods, exceptional boutique hotels (stay at HĂ´tel de lâAbbaye), and that same je ne sais quoi â without the overwhelming crowds and exorbitant prices. Plus, with easy day trips to the Beaujolais wine region and even Switzerland, Lyon is the kind of city that turns âjust a weekendâ into âhow can I move here?â
đ No visit to Lyon is complete without wandering around Vieux-Lyon â the historic old town. Among the maze of Renaissance-era cobblestone streets, youâll discover 15th- and 16th-century buildings, storied hidden passageways, and the ornate CathĂŠdrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste. From there, take a funicular ride to the top of Fourvière hill, where the main attraction is Notre-Dame de Fourvière, a 19th-century basilica with Byzantine-style mosaics, stained glass windows, and the cityâs best panoramic views. As you make your way back down, be sure to stop at the Lugdunum Museum, which includes three archeological sites and a 10,000-seat Roman amphitheater that now hosts music, opera, and dance performances.
đď¸ Soak up Lyonâs culture with a tour of its standout museums: The MusĂŠe des Beaux-Arts â housed in a former Benedictine abbey â spans 5,000 years of history, from Egyptian antiquities to works by Rodin and Picasso. The MusĂŠe des Confluences blends anthropology, science, and natural history to tackle lifeâs biggest questions. Film buffs will love MusĂŠe Lumière, the family home of brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière, inventors of the cinematograph and pioneers who put Lyon on the map as the birthplace of cinema. Finally, Maison des Canuts chronicles the cityâs silk industry and is located in the trendy Croix-Rousse neighborhood (essentially, the Lyonnais equivalent of Montmartre), so leave time for browsing the small boutiques, vintage stores, and Lyonâs best outdoor market.
đ´ Come hungry, because food is a main attraction in Lyon. Start at Boulangerie Saint Paul, where the minimum order should include a croissant and a pink praline brioche (a Lyon specialty). For lunch, head to LâĂtabli to enjoy a shockingly affordable set menu featuring seasonal dishes, mind-blowing bread, and some surprises along the way. And while you should absolutely indulge at Lyonâs Michelin-starred restaurants (we recommend Japanese-inspired Takao Takano), dining at one of its famous bouchons (a bistrolike establishment serving Lyonnais specialties) is a must. So make a reservation at Le CafĂŠ Comptoir Abel and order the pike quenelle, chicken with morels, and pâtĂŠ en croĂťte.
Our Senior Commerce Editor can't stop buying stuff from Cyklar. These are her favorite products from the viral body-care brand.
PS: Want more product recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram.
We asked you to vote on an etiquette question youâd like answered. The winner was:
My maid of honor and I have been going through a rough patch, and I donât feel comfortable with her giving a speech at my wedding anymore. How do I tell her without making things worse?
âFirst, ask yourself: Are you both aware youâre in a rough patch, or is this just how youâre feeling? If you chose her to be your maid of honor, sheâs one of the most important people in your life, so it may be worth clearing the air before making a decision youâll both remember forever.
Also consider: Has she shown up for you? If sheâs done the sometimes thankless work of being your MOH, you may not want to sideline her right before her biggest moment. Instead, say: âI feel like things have been off between us lately, and I donât want to go into my wedding carrying that. Is something going on?â Then listen. Chances are, youâre both carrying assumptions the other didnât know about. You may not solve everything, but youâll gain clarity on where the friendship stands. My two cents: Unless something truly unforgivable happened, donât make a permanent decision based on a temporary conflict. Donât let a rough patch turn you into a bridezilla.â
