You worked hard enough this week. Let us plan your weekend…
Remember the insanity that was The Swan? The reality show that flew 16 “ugly ducklings” (aka completely normal women) to LA for extreme cosmetic-surgery makeovers, then pitted them against each other in a beauty pageant? Many of those contestants are telling their story in The Swan: Behind The Mirror, a Hulu doc from Erin Lee Carr (of Mommy Dead and Dearest fame). Think: several procedures in 10 hours; three months cut off from friends, family, and mirrors; a pageant they didn’t find out about until after they’d signed on; and 1,000 other things that make the America’s Next Top Model docuseries look tame. Our mid-aughts selves are still recovering.
If you’re already bored by your fall wardrobe (same), there’s hope: These remarkably simple styling tricks will even make the cardigan you’ve worn on repeat since 2019 feel brand new.
Cowboy caviar, you’ve met your match. This no-cook dip packs everything you love about a charcuterie board (briny olives, cured meats, creamy cheeses) into a bowl, with zero food-stylist skills required. As one fan put it, “Girl dinner definitely got an upgrade.”
A question for the room: Do we really need another literary adaptation? Probably not. But give East of Eden a Cathy-centric bent and a stacked cast, and we’ll make an exception. Based on John Steinbeck’s classic, the Netflix series from Zoe Kazan (whose grandfather directed the 1955 film) follows brothers Adam and Charles Trask (Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist) and the woman who drives them apart: Adam’s manipulative wife, Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh). But this time, Cathy gets more space than ever, as the miniseries digs into her backstory and what’s behind her cruelty. Your high school English teacher would be so proud.
October is here, which means it’s officially acceptable to start decorating for Halloween (yes, we make the rules). And these Architectural Digest-approved ideas all lean more Practical Magic than Saw.
Psst... See what else is happening this weekend so you never miss a moment.
Happy (almost) weekend. I’ve been thinking about coziness — mostly because New York is still stubbornly warm. So I’m finding it in familiarity instead: shows I can recite beat for beat and paperbacks I’ve carried from my freshman dorm to the home where I’m raising my son. To keep it going this weekend, I’ll…
Try Sweetgreen’s new menu items from its first chef in residence, Molly Baz. As a longtime disciple of her devotion to punchy flavors, I’ll treat myself to the lemony, pickle-forward Big Dill Caesar Wrap for a solo lunch between errands. Pray for my breath.
Rewatch Nurse Jackie, after seeing Merritt Wever everywhere during the Primetime press tour. While the words “cozy” and “drug abuse dramedy” may seem at odds, it’s my go-to comfort rewatch. Picture Grey’s Anatomy meets Gilmore Girls meets Breaking Bad.
Chip away at The Power Broker. I’m trying to model readership for my 2-year-old by putting my phone down in the rare moments I have both hands free. The Robert Moses biography is a strange choice for casual reading, but it’s the most appealing paperback in my Kindle-first home. I’ll review it when I finish in 17 years.
Consume a shocking amount of WNBA content while I wait to find out who the New York Liberty will face in round 2 of the playoffs. I’ll also attempt to re-create the smoothies that have become a fixture of the team’s postgame press conferences.
Upgrade my sneakers. My beige Adidas Tokyos are very important to me, but my wardrobe could use color. I’m torn between the red Pumas from the Ciara Miller + DSW collab and Puma’s Speedcat Mules, which are sneaker-adjacent but endorsed by our shopping editor.
— Amanda Duberman / VP of Multimedia / New York, NY
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