LIFE MADE EASIER

Thanksgiving All-Stars!
Our best, most beloved recipes ever

The
ultimate
pumpkin
pie
page 72

Easy ways
to save money
during
the holidays

Gratitude advice
everyone
needs to hear
NOVEMBER 2024
F O R RECIP E IN SP IRAT IO N, V IS IT K E RR YG O L DU SA .CO M
 THE THANKSG IVIN G IS SUE

64

features
64 74 80
Thanksgiving All-Stars Care for the Caregivers Design Ideas to Steal
Reader-favorite recipes from Because it’s draining work from Restaurants
the REAL SIMPLE treasure trove and they need love and support Stylish touches for your own home

Photograph by Greg DuPree NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 3

 NOVEMBER / THE THANKSGIVING ISSUE

contents
how we live
stuff we love 47 Smart Money
Avoid overspending
1 3 Add to Cart this holiday season
Hand-painted candles,
host gift mistakes, and 5 0 Modern
army green everything Manners

1 6 Organize This
how to Advice from TodayÕs
Hoda and Jenna
22 Sort that precarious do things on the
52 Relating
stack of pots and pans
27 Things
Harness the amazing cover
1 8 Cook These Cooks Know
power of gratitude Cover
Books Experts troubleshoot
Photograph
Five new releases for common pie problems 5 6 Away
by Greg DuPree
your baking fun Three cool Caribbean
32 Sweet Thing Food Styling by
vacation spots
20 The Books List Cranberry ricotta cake Chelsea Zimmer
What to read next 59 Pets
3 4 Drinking Prop Styling by
Care for an animal
21 Clever Items with Jenna Audrey Davis
who’s getting up there
Little helpers to make Classic and bold
in years
your life a lot easier after-dinner sips
62 Nerding Out
2 2 Genius Beauty 3 8 Clean This
Football fever
Our beauty director’s Degunk bakeware
current fave products without damaging it

24 Beauty 40 Simple Twists what to cook

Road Test Get the most out of
89 In Season
The most effective your vacuum
Satsuma mandarins
43 fine line fixers
4 3 Health News are here!
How to learn to love
9 0 5 Easy Dinners
winter, and a heads-up
Burger tacos, miso
about lung health
pasta, and more

98 Better for You

Colorful squash salad

6 Editor’s Note 9 REAL SIMPLE Everywhere

1 0 Your Words 1 0 0 Minor Issues, Major Opinions

REAL SIMPLE (ISSN 1528-1701) (NOVEMBER 2024) (VOLUME 25/ISSUE 9) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY EXCEPT FOR COMBINED ISSUES IN JANUARY/
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4 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

THIS IS
HOME
FOR YOUR
HOLIDAYS
Martha Stewart
82 | Founder, Author, TV Host

Shop the Martha Stewart collection at QVC.com

THIS IS THE AGE OF POSSIBILITY

 EDITOR’S NOTE

Who Cares? We All Do

volunteered each day in 2022. Our readers

(you!) are among them. Just see page 10 for how
members of this awesome community creatively
help our neighbors. In REAL SIMPLE land,
and across the United States, it’s cool to care.
One way many of us are doing a lot of caring
is by watching after aging or ailing loved ones.
There’s a great story about that in this issue
by someone who shouldn’t know, but does.
Our home director, Erica Finamore, lost her
husband to a brain tumor at age 30. On page
74 she shares her hard-won wisdom, and that
of experts and others who’ve been there, to
create a compendium of info and resources
for those of us who are there, or will be.

S T Y L I N G B Y L I Z Z Y R O S E N B E R G ; H A I R B Y C L AY N I E L S E N U S I N G L E O N O R G R E Y L ; M A K E U P B Y D E B O R A H A LT I Z I O
We also show we care by feeding our fami-
lies. So you’ll find, all in one place, the tastiest,
easiest-to-pull-off Thanksgiving recipes in
the history of REAL SIMPLE, for a menu that’s
totally delicious and totally doable (page 64).

F O R C R E AT I V E M A N A G E M E N T U S I N G G L O S S I E R ; M A K E U P A S S I S T E D B Y A LY S S A Z A B A W A
Our editors also prep you for holiday spending
with tips on how not to overdo it (page 47).

H
E Y, T H E R E ! How you holding up? We help you spiff up your dingy bakeware
If the answer is “Not so great,” I hear (page 38) and hack your vacuum into doing its
you. It’s a nervy time. There’s all that job better (page 40). And don’t miss our deep
holiday prep and planning—to-do lists dive into the science of gratitude, with the
within to-do lists! Then there’s the news, which best tricks for maximizing this joy-spreading
lately has been…intense. Our social feeds take superpower (page 52). Because sharing truly
us from adorable dog videos to doomsaying is caring, and we really, really care.
election ads to hedgehogs eating cucumbers.
The MRI studies are underway, but it’s a good
bet that the emotional whiplash from flip-
flopping endlessly between the happy hormones
and the stress ones is not good for us. Lauren Iannotti
Still, as Americans, we pay attention to what’s E D I TO R I N C H I E F
happening in the world because we care. And
we take action! We give our money—individual
donors were the largest source of the country’s LET’S CONNECT!
charitable contributions last year, for a total of Follow me on Instagram
$374 billion. We give our time—11 million of us at @laureniannotti.

6 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 P h o to g ra p h by Fe l i x Wo n g

T H E H O L I D AY S H O P

The art of
connection
Artisanal cards and gifts that
inspire peace, joy, and kinship
throughout the holiday season

20% OFF
HOLIDAY CARDS
use code realsimplecard
Exclusions apply.
Details at minted.com/promos

Gift Wrap: Holiday Folk Pattern by

Jennifer Pace Duran • Holiday Cards:
Glide by Jennifer Postorino, Glittering
Garland by Kate Ahn • Ribbon, wax
seals, vintage stamps, and ornaments
available on minted.com
 What’s
the most
unconventional
dish your
family eats on
Thanksgiving?
Lauren Iannotti Deirdre Finnegan
VICE PRESIDENT, EDITOR IN CHIEF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP PUBLISHER

Phoebe Flynn Rich Tiffany Ehasz

CRE ATIVE DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER

Lisa Freedman Allison Kelly

“My mom makes sweet-
EXECUTIVE EDITOR EXECUTIVE MARKETING DIRECTOR
and-sour meatballs for
some reason. I don’t know Tara Cox
why they’re there, but I’m MANAGING EDITOR
A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S
certainly more than happy N E W YO R K
to have a few…dozen!” BR AND DIRECTORS Steven Cardello, Taryn Guillermo,
E D I TO R I A L
Lizzie Meier Utt, Susan Schwartzman
FE ATURES DIRECTOR Amy Maclin BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Meg O’Mara
HOME DIRECTOR Erica Finamore BLUE GROUP MEDIA Eric Davis, Jill Stone
FO OD DIRECTOR Jenna Helwig A SSO CIATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Lily Saul
BE AUT Y DIRECTOR Heather Muir Maffei
M I D W E ST
FE ATURES EDITOR Melissa Matthews BR AND DIRECTORS Ashley Connor, Chogie Fields,
SENIOR HOME EDITOR Hannah Baker Jennifer Latwis
EDITORIAL A SSISTANT Abby Fribush ADVERTISING SALES A SSISTANT Teri Dasbach

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS S O U T H E A ST “My mother’s famous

Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, BR AND DIRECTORS Holly Belk, Sarah Smith seven-layer ice cream
Kristyn Kusek Lewis (books) ADVERTISING SALES A SSISTANT Kaitlyn Sutton Jell-O, which doesn’t
wait until dessert.
W E ST C OA ST
A RT & P H OTO It’s served as a side dish
“We always start with BR AND DIRECTOR Ashley Connor
with dinner!”
sweet potato ravioli PHOTO DIRECTOR Muzam Agha T R AV E L
with butter, sage, and DESIGN DIRECTOR Deanna Lowe NATIONAL MANAGER Katy Hildman
pignoli. We are not
DEPUT Y PHOTO EDITOR Lawrence J. Whritenour Jr.
Italian—I have no idea
how this started!” DESIGNER Natalie Guisinger MARKETING
DESIGN DIRECTOR Sarah Massimo
C O P Y, R E S E A RC H & P RO D U C T I O N HOME DIRECTOR Misty Chandler

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR MARKETING DIRECTOR Heidi Walters

MARKETING CO ORDINATOR Mia Drake
Filomena Guzzardi
BR AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Katie Holzman
COPY & RESE ARCH CHIEF Jenny Brown
CONTRIBUTING SENIOR RESE ARCH EDITOR
R E S E A RC H & I N S I G H T S
Maya Kukes
SENIOR DIRECTOR Bridget Sellers
SENIOR MANAGER Cheryl Campbell
R E A L S I M P L E .C O M
MANAGER Maura Ruane
SENIOR EDITORIAL & STR ATEGY DIRECTOR
Jennifer Davidson
P RO D U C T I O N , C I RC U L AT I O N & F I N A N C E
A SSO CIATE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Katie Holdefehr
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Beard
SENIOR SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Leah Lopez Cardenas
SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Courtney Thompson
A SSO CIATE HOME DIRECTOR Leslie Corona SENIOR DIRECTOR OF QUALIT Y Joseph Kohler
“My gram used to make SENIOR EDITOR, FO OD Samantha Leffler COLOR QUALIT Y ANALYST Sarah Schroeder
her ‘candy apples’—
BE AUT Y & FA SHION EDITOR Hana Hong CONSUMER MARKETING MANAGER Lynn Bolinger
sliced, stewed apples
HOME EDITOR Morgan Noll NEWSSTAND RETAIL Rose Cirrincione “We’re pretty normal,
with melted Red Hots
LIFEST YLE EDITOR Ria Bhagwat EXECUTIVE BUSINESS DIRECTOR Janice Croat except for my brother,
candy. This two-
BUSINESS MANAGER Trish Schroder who brings his own
ingredient side dish is VISUAL S EDITOR Olivia Barr
ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER Zena Norbont personal baked potato—
instant comfort!” SENIOR SO CIAL MEDIA EDITOR Samantha Saunion
and hot sauce.”
SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER Jennifer Lomeli
BR AND LEADERSHIP
I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y C L A R E O W E N
Alysia Borsa
PRESIDENT, LIFEST YLE

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP GENER AL MANAGER,

HOME & DESIGN Mélanie Berliet
VICE PRESIDENT, A SSO CIATE GROUP GENER AL MANAGER,
HOME & DESIGN Courtney Mason

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, STR ATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Brian Kightlinger

VICE PRESIDENT, LIFEST YLE MARKETING Kristin Guinan

8 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 REAL SIMPLE Everywhere Find Exclusive Ideas,
Tips & Ways to Make Every Day Easier

IN YOUR
IN YOUR INBOX
LIVING RO OM
REAL SIMPLE
10 Movies & Newsletters
Books by Wanna have more
Indigenous fun while checking your
C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F P U B L I S H E R ; G R E G D U P R E E ; T E D C AVA N A U G H ; A S I A P I E T R Z Y K ; T E D C AVA N A U G H

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at realsimple.com/
indigenouscreators. A Bunch of Bright Sides
It’s a well-known fact that the sides are the best part of any Thanksgiving
feast. We’ve got some great classics on page 64, but for even
more options, trot on over to realsimple.com/thanksgivingsides.

IN YO UR BATHRO OM
ON THE WEB
The Best Drugstore
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Winter is coming, which means Guaranteed
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moisturizers has been tested find loads of expert-approved
and loved by our team. tips that can help.

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 9

 YOUR WORDS

How do you give back this time of year—

or, better yet, all year long?

I round up friends to write

holiday cards for people in I do a giant food
shopping trip for
nursing homes. Last year, we my local pantry.
I volunteer with Days
I buy up fresh fruits
sent more than 500! We hit and veggies—check
for Girls Interna-
tional, sewing wash-
with your pantry
the post-Christmas sales, and I first about donating
able menstrual
products and advo-
stash cards until the next year. produce—and
drop them all off.
cating for period
G I N A GAY D O S equity. My chapter
CARYND53
P L A I N F I E L D, I L L I N O I S meets several times
a month. It’s very
Maybe it’s because rewarding to use my
I grew up in Dunkin’ skills in a way that
territory, but I keep helps those in need.
$10 to $15 Dunkin’
CATHERINE TAYLOR
gift cards in my car I collect recyclables COLLEGEVILLE,
and give them out and make a run to PENNSYLVANIA

around the holidays, the recycling depot

or just whenever every month. The For Hanukkah,
someone goes money I receive goes everyone in my
above and beyond. into a small piggy family picks a dol-
Even if they don’t bank. Come Decem- lar amount we’d
drink coffee, who ber, I spend my like to donate.
doesn’t crave a earnings on toys On the last night,
doughnut hole every for disadvantaged instead of opening
once in a while? children. Even a milk a gift, we share the
SELDEN TEARSE carton has a certain charity we gave to
DUXBURY,
appeal when you and why. It’s how we
MASSACHUSETTS
see it as part of a end the holiday on
classic board game. a high note and find
My husband and I out what’s become
MARION YOUNG
use a specific bank REGINA, important to each
account for only SASKATCHEWAN
of us throughout
gas and groceries. the past year.
At the end of each I donate all the SUSAN MATTHEWS
month, we donate items in my closet SAN DIEGO
any remaining I didn’t know I had
balance to a charity to nearby charity
or person. thrift stores. If I have
ROSEANNA RYNERSON lived without some-
CHEBOYGAN, MICHIGAN
thing for a while,
I can live without it
in the future.
DEBS_M127

10 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 Illustration by Sol Cotti

 My favorite volun-
teer activity is rock-
ing babies in the
neonatal intensive Instead of exchang- READER OF
care unit at the local ing gifts among THE MONTH
medical center. I do the adults, we each
it all year, and it’s the Deanna Dyer, 37
anonymously
best three hours I choose a charity, FORMER NURSE
spend every week! I read a book about O C E A N V I E W, D E L AWA R E
then vote on the
LEIGH GRADY the benefit of doing one that gets our
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI How do you give back?
a good deed every pooled donation.
day. Now I help I put together an Advent calendar
This allows our
I go to garage sales parents by return- for my kids each year that
family to support
to pick up backpacks ing their grocery incorporates activities that help
so many amazing
and kids clothes in carts for them. them think of others—while also
organizations!
good condition, then Once their kids are enjoying the magic of the season!
MELISSA LUND
I donate them to a buckled in and pur- CHATTANOOGA,
local refugee group chases are loaded TENNESSEE Most organized part of your life:
that helps outfit up, it’s nice that they The calendar on my phone. It has
students for school. don’t have to walk I lead a Girl Scout everything from doctor’s appoint-
KARMA WANAMAKER away from their cars Juniors troop. ments to birthdays to when family
ALTOONA, IOWA
to return the cart! Watching the girls members are in and out of town.
KAREN ORR grow and become I would be a mess without it.
Volunteering at a SAN DIEGO more capable is
cat shelter. That’s a profound joy. Least organized part of your life:
where I found my Through Columbus ALANE KATARIA My car, thanks to my children.
rescue cat, and it Cake Celebrations, MOUNTAIN VIEW, I once had another kid get in my
CALIFORNIA car, take a look around, and ask me,
was the best day of I bake birthday
both of our lives! cakes for kids “What happened in here?” I ask
CHRISTINE KRYSZAK whose caregivers After I’ve chosen myself that question every day.
LANCASTER, NEW YORK
are unable to. It’s a my Christmas
creative outlet and decor for the sea- The coziest thing in your home:
I have always felt a way to bring a son, I go through There’s an old leather chair that
that donating blood little joy to families everything I didn’t faces a big window in our living
is the easiest volun- in my community. use and donate room. I keep a stack of the books
teer work you can SAM KING
decorations to a I’m reading next to it, along with a
do. It’s a small time COLUMBUS, OHIO women’s shelter. soft pillow and blanket. You can
commitment, there’s I think a box of find me there any time of the year.
no actual “work,” Christmas cheer
and you get snacks! could bring joy Most recent bargain:
KIM McELHERAN to someone who My husband loves buying vintage
CURLEW, WASHINGTON is starting over. shirts on eBay, but I’d say a good
SUZANNE LOWRY 75% of the time they’re too small
LAURENS,
and he gives them to me! Score!
SOUTH CAROLINA
C O U R T E S Y O F D E A N N A DY E R

NEXT QUESTION
What’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you?
Send an email (and a photo, if you want!) to [email protected]
and let us know your answer. Your response could appear on these pages.

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 11

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 FO R SELF-C ARE, H O ME C ARE
& ALL YO UR OTHER C ARES

ADD TO C ART

WA X P O E T I C
Regular tapers can’t hold
a candle to these beautiful
hand-painted options.
BY H A N N A H BA K E R
P R O P ST Y L I N G BY M A R I N A B E V I L AC Q UA

Harvest Taper Candles and

Faye Taper Candles, $22 for 2;
anthropologie.com

P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 13

STUFF WE LOVE

From left: Still Life

Tapers, $120 for 4, and
Veggie Tapers, $160
for 4; misettetable
.com Dusty Blue Tulip
Candles, $54 for 2;
overthemoon.com
Fruit Candles, $54 for
2; store.moma.com
Cherry Tapers, $22
each; angelwood
gifts.etsy.com South
African Tapers in
Festive Pastel and Blue
& White Botanical,
$28 for 4; uncommon
goods.com

MISTAKE S YO U DIDN’ T KNOW

P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S ; O L I V E O I L : T E D C AVA N A U G H ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y S O P H I A PA P PA S
YOU WERE MAKING

When Picking Gifts

for Your Host
Heather Taylor, owner of an eponymous Los Angeles–
based home goods store (@heathertaylorhome), gives us
some tips on how to win the award for best guest.

You’re Making the You’re Bringing You Assume You

Host Do Extra Work Unexpected Food Know Their Taste
Your gift shouldn’t While surprising your Scented candles,
require any effort on host with bites might picture frames—they’re
your host’s part. “If you seem like a good idea, risky! People can be
bring flowers, make Taylor urges you to very particular about
sure they’re already in reconsider. “Chances fragrances, Taylor says.
a vase,” Taylor says. are, a lot of planning has And it can be a big ask
Otherwise your host gone into the menu.” to give something to
may have to stop what Bringing your favorite display. Instead, go for
they’re doing to cut appetizer might throw a nice bottle of olive
the stems and find a things off. There may oil or vinegar. (Skip the
vessel—which can also be food allergies wine in case your host
disrupt the party’s flow. you’re unaware of. doesn’t drink.) ÑH.B.

14 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 STUFF WE LOVE
C O U R T E S Y O F L I N D A H AY S L E T T; P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S

COLOR OF THE MONTH

Army Green Shop the Shade

Ten-hut! This earthy tone is ready to serve on the front lines of
Pidät Silo Bird Feeder, $70; goodeeworld
your home. It’s strong on its own (as the U.S. Army uniform proves), .com Foley Velvet Dining Armchair,
but it can also join forces with rust and camel for an elevated $399; cb2.com Linen Indoor/Outdoor
Pillow Cover, $92; perigold.com
desertlike palette, or with peach or dusty pink for a light Luis Table Lamp, $178; luluandgeorgia
and sweet vibe. When mixed with creams, gold, and woven .com Green Ripple Wine Glass, $22;
shopterrain.com Nigel Side Table, $199;
materials, as in this kitchen by interior designer Linda Hayslett, urbanoutfitters.com Berry Hand-
it becomes a calming neutral that’s anything but boring. —H.B. Painted Pitcher, $39; greenrow.com

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 15

STUFF WE LOVE

ORGANIZE THIS

Your Pots & Pans

You know that leaning tower of cookware that teeters every time you grab a skillet?
Make things easier (and quieter) with these smart, hardworking products.
BY H A N N A H BA K E R

T O P- N O T C H
Keep lids from clanging
around with an over-the-door
holder that neatly stacks
six of them. Organize It
All Hanging Lid Organizer,
$12; homedepot.com

P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y M A R I N A B E V I L A C Q U A ; P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S
A B OV E B OA R D
Trick out this sturdy peg-
board with the included
hooks, bins, and other acces-
sories. (You can even buy
extras separately.) Then load
it up! Skådis, $60; ikea.com

A G O O D S O RT
BAR NONE This rack expands from 12 to
Reach for the stars…of your cookware! This pretty brass rail is available in three 20 inches, with 10 adjustable
lengths (24, 36, and 48 inches) and comes with at least eight hooks, allowing you to wire dividers to hold pans, pots,
hang up your go-to pots, pans, and gadgets for easy access. Tip: Install it close to griddles, and lids. YouCopia
the stove to streamline the number of steps you have to take when making dinner. Storemore Expandable Pan & Lid
Unlacquered Brass Pot Rail, from $209; holistichabitatclt.com Rack, $27; westelm.com

16 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h

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STUFF WE LOVE

COOK THESE BOOKS

Bake Up Some Fun

Pull out your stand mixer and preheat that oven!
A new batch of cookbooks with
sweet and savory treats is hot off the press.
BY J E N N A H E LW I G

Sweet Tooth
From Sarah Fennel,
creator of the über-
popular blog Broma
Bakery, this book features
a bounty of droolworthy
Breaking Bao
goodies. The best part
In her first cookbook,
is a chapter of desserts for
pastry chef Clarice Lam
just one or two people,
draws on flavors and
including Single Lady
techniques from her
Apple Crisp and Personal
Asian heritage, American
Edible Chocolate
youth, and decade-plus
Chip Cookie Dough.
of traveling the world
$35; penguin
as a model. The resulting
randomhouse.com
treats and snacks are
sometimes traditional
and sometimes
wildly creative. $40;
chroniclebooks.com

C O U RT ESY O F N I C O S H I N C O FO R S N AC K A B L E BA K ES ; C O U RT ESY O F PU B L I S H E R S ( 5 )
100 Afternoon
Sweets
There’s no rule that you
This seedy loaf have to eat author
totally counts as Sarah Kieffer’s goodies
a snack in Jessie
The King Arthur
between lunch and dinner,
Sheehan’s book.
Baking Company
but you’ll want to.
Chapters include “One-
Big Book of Bread
Bowl Bakes,” “No Bakes,” Whether you’re a sour-
and “Brownies, Blondies, dough stan, someone
and Bars.” A cool bonus: who buys yeast only
Salty, Cheesy, Herby, around the holidays, or a
the detailed information on
Crispy Snackable Bakes tools and ingredients. bread-baking newbie,
The easy-peasy-dessert queen Jessie Sheehan is $28; chroniclebooks.com this cookbook by the pros
here with a robust roster of savory crowd-pleasers. at King Arthur is for you.
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18 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 *

*
 The Books List Top Picks for Book Club & Beyond
BY K R I ST Y N KU S E K L E W I S

Fresh & Funny Tenderhearted Magical Realism

Romance Tale of Intrigue from a Master
After Anna Appleby’s Set in a London borough In The City and Its
husband leaves her, she in 1964, Shy Creatures Uncertain Walls,
decides she’s done with by Clare Chambers Suspense from Haruki Murakami’s first
love. She can lead a illustrates how we can Start to Finish novel in six years, the
nice enough life caring Portrait of an find meaning in unex- 45-year-old narrator still
Everyman Known for her bestsell-
for her two kids and pected places. Helen is ing thriller The Girl thinks about his high
working as a magazine The Book of George by a 30-something art on the Train, Paula Haw- school girlfriend. She
columnist. But when the Kate Greathead (Laura therapist at a psychiat- kins has done it again. disappeared shortly
young, slick go-getter in & Emma) follows the ric hospital whose only Her latest book, The after telling him she
the office starts gunning title character, a millen- pleasure comes from Blue Hour, is set on a was just a shadow, and
for her job, she pitches nial with lots of poten- the affair she’s having remote Scottish island, her real self lived in a
an idea to stay relevant: tial but little ambition, with a married col- where a famous artist nameless town behind
She’ll write a dating from early adolescence league. Then the hospi- lived until her death a wall. One day he finds
series…and her children to almost 40. As he fum- tal receives a new five years ago. When a himself in that alternate
will choose her matches. bles to find his purpose, patient, a 37-year-old human bone is found in universe, where he
For some of us, figuring he’ll elicit your sympa- man who was mysteri- one of her sculptures, works alongside her in
out who we are outside thy on one page (his ously shut away in a curator starts digging a library that archives
of our roles and self-doubt is endearing) his family home for into her past. Why did dreams. As he shifts
responsibilities can be and eye rolls on the next decades. Helen discov- her unfaithful husband between worlds,
tricky. Is She Really (why can’t he commit ers he’s a supremely disappear 20 years ago? in search of where he
Going Out with Him? to his loving girlfriend?). talented artist, and her What caused the falling- belongs, this mind-
by Sophie Cousens Clever and thoughtful, quest to learn about out with the benefactor bending story feels like
offers ample wit and with legit LOL moments, his life alters the course who inherited her life’s a love letter to reading
wisdom on the subject. this original read of her own. work? This taut, chilling and the imagination.
is moving in ways you read is just right for
won’t see coming. a dark November day.

P R O P ST Y L I N G BY M A R I N A B E V I L AC Q UA

20 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h

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4 6
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P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S

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NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 21

 1

P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y M A R I N A B E V I L A C Q U A ; P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S ; I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y B A B E T H L A F O N
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Genius Beauty Our beauty director tries

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BY H E AT H E R M U I R M A F F E I

22 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h

 STUFF WE LOVE

3
F LY I N G C O L O R S
DIY hair color without the mess! Pop a dye
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Come fall, my face is thirsty. This hydrating resulting in permanent color on roots or all
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4
CHEEKY UPGR ADE
My usual blush tends to
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6 About Heather
E AU S O G O O D With more than 17
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moltonbrown.com chat about facial hair.

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 23

STUFF WE LOVE

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F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y R I S H O N H A N N E R S ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y J U L I A B AY L E S S

THINGS COOKS KNOW

E ASY AS P I E
With these troubleshooting tips,
it’ll be nothing but flaky
crusts, juicy fillings, and delightfully
golden edges from here on out!
BY L I Z Z Y B R I S K I N

Photographs by Jennifer Causey NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 27

HOW TO D O THINGS

T H E P RO B L E M
The bottom crust of my fruit pies comes out gummy.

THE FIX The prospect of a soggy bottom haunts every baker.

A secret ingredient, which Stacey Mei Yan Fong, author of the cook-
book 50 Pies, 50 States, calls “crust dust,” can keep it at bay. “Before
adding the filling, sprinkle the surface of the crust with a teaspoon
each of sugar and flour. Or try panko,” she says. This creates a thin
barrier that protects your crust from the wet filling without impact-
ing flavor. Using the right pie pan can also help. While she still
bakes in ceramic sometimes, Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of
The Book on Pie and Savory Baking, says that metal is her favorite
for even baking. “Plus, it’s the most nonstick, which makes the
pie easier to slice.” She suggests skipping glass. “I find people have T H E P RO B L E M
the most crust problems using that type of pie pan.” My fruit filling is too
watery—or pasty.
T H E F I X Precooking your fruit filling
will help it thicken for that picture-
worthy slice, says Maya-Camille
Broussard, author of Justice of the
Pies, which features more than
85 sweet and savory recipes. “I love
caramelized apples in my pie,” she
says, “so I coat the apples in sugar,
flour, and spices and cook them in
a large skillet with melted butter until
they’re softened before assembling
and baking the pie.” This step helps
reduce some of the juice, so the filling
is less liquidy. When dealing with
juicier fruit—like cranberries and
other berries—Broussard relies on an
old standby to thicken things up:
cornstarch. She simmers the fruit in
a saucepan until it’s nice and saucy.
Then she removes a tablespoon or
two of juice and places it in a separate
bowl, where she makes a slurry
T H E P RO B L E M by whisking in an equal amount of
cornstarch. “I then pour the slurry
My pumpkin pie cracks.
back into the filling over the heat and
stir until it thickens,” she says. If
T H E F I X Custard pies, like pumpkin and sweet potato,
your fruit filling comes out drier than
can be finicky, but cracks are avoidable. Fong recom-
you’d like, drizzle each slice of pie
mends baking pumpkin pies at 325°F, which is cooler than with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce,
some recipes suggest (so you’ll need to add minutes to or maple syrup. And don’t forget
the baking time—likely 5 to 10, but keep an eye on it). that any slice of pie is improved by
“This helps the crust cook through and keeps the custard a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
from cooking too fast and cracking,” she says. Remove the
pie from the oven when the center “jiggles like a soft
thigh,” Fong says. It will continue cooking out of the oven.

28 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 This Thanksgiving, make every bite mouthwatering with
McCormick Turkey Gravy. Its smooth richness and perfect blend
of spices will have everyone racing to the table, ready to dig in.

Find more
recipes
 HOW TO D O THINGS

ONE T H E P RO B L E M

TWO
My crust always shrinks and
slumps during baking.

THREE
T H E F I X One key to preventing pie slouching is proper
chilling before baking, McDowell says. “Refrigerate your
filled pie—or just the pie shell if you’re parbaking (partially
baking) or blind baking (fully baking) the crust before
filling—for at least 30 minutes and ideally up to an hour
before baking.” The reasoning behind this: Chilled
butter won’t immediately melt in the oven, giving the crust
a chance to preserve its shape. Another key is adding
enough filling. “If the sides aren’t well supported in the
oven, the crust often slides down. This means filling
the pie all the way to the top with pie weights when you’re
par- or blind baking, and choosing the right pie pan
for the amount of filling.” In other words, don’t
make a standard-size pie in a deep-dish pan.

T H E P RO B L E M
The edges burn before
the filling is ready.
T H E P RO B L E M
THE FIX To give your crust a My dough is either too
golden glow without charred wet or so dry and crumbly
edges, watch the pie as it it won’t hold together.
bakes, Broussard says. “When
the edges start to darken, T H E F I X In a sticky situation, flour is your
gently cover them with alu- friend, Fong says. “If you’re working with a
minum foil and continue wet crust, don’t be shy with the all-purpose
baking until the pie is done.” flour on your work surface and rolling pin.”

NOW
As you roll, rotate the dough to ensure
McDowell suggests prepping
it’s not sticking to the counter, and add a
the foil strips before assem-

THAT’S
puff of flour between rotations as needed.
bling the pie. “Then, when “Dust off excess flour before placing the crust
you need the foil, it’s already in your pie pan,” she adds. If your dough

A LOTTA
in the proper shape, and seems dry and is still in the mixing bowl,
you’re not messing with Fong recommends pushing the wetter parts

LAYERS!
shaping it while adding it to to one side of the bowl, adding a bit of water
a hot pie.” Watching a top to the dry parts, then mixing it all together.
crust brown way too quickly? “If cracks develop as you roll, it’s fine
Loosely tent the whole pie to simply pinch the dough back together.” ■
with foil, such as Reynolds
Wrap Recycled Foil.

30 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

*More flaky layers than our prior recipe.

™
More flaky layers?
*
HOW TO D O THINGS

SWEET THING

CR A N B E RRY RI COT TA CA K E
Reintroducing a REAL SIMPLE classic.
Because pie isn’t for everyone.
ACTIVE TIME 15 MINUTES
BY J U L I A L E V Y TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR, 35 MINUTES
SERVES 6

Cooking spray
11/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
11/4 cups (248 g) granulated sugar,
divided
3 large eggs
11/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
(from a 15-oz. container)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,
melted
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
11/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen
cranberries (from a 16-oz. bag),
divided

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Coat an

8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking
spray and line with parchment paper,
leaving a few inches of overhang
on 2 sides. (For a round cake, use
a 9-inch cake pan, greased and lined
with parchment.) Stir together flour,
baking powder, salt, and 1 cup sugar
in a large bowl until combined.
eggs, ricotta,
ricotta, butter, and

F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y R I S H O N H A N N E R S ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y J U L I A B AY L E S S
WHISK
vanilla in a separate large bowl.
Fold into flour mixture. Gently stir in
1 cup cranberries. Spoon batter into
prepared pan, spreading into an
even layer. Toss together remaining
1/2 cup cranberries and 1/4 cup sugar;
sprinkle over batter.
BAKE until golden brown and a
wooden pick inserted in center
comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour,
15 minutes. (Check after 50 minutes
if using a round pan.) Let cool in pan
on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Using
parchment as handles, remove cake
from pan; discard parchment. Let
cake continue to cool on wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

32 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 Photograph by Jennifer Causey

 O F A B E T TE R R E A L E S TATE E XPE R IE N CE

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HOW TO D O THINGS

DRINKING WITH JENNA

W H AT TO D RI N K A F T E R D I N N E R
Don’t break up the party! Linger around the table
with one of these post-supper sips.
BY J E N N A H E LW I G
 HOW TO D O THINGS

brandy would have a darker, spicier

profile, with notes of dried fruit,
vanilla, and baking spice. A younger
YO U K N OW T H O S E D I N N E R Swhen
one might have a lighter fruit aroma.”
the plates have been cleared, dessert
Serve brandy at cool room tempera-
is mostly done, everyone is full and Chartreuse
ture in a cordial glass or even a white
happy, and no one is quite ready to Made by monks in France and dubbed
wine glass, Lay suggests. “I like being
leave the table? At my house, this hap- an “elixir of long life” in an ancient
able to swirl the spirit, which helps
pens after especially convivial dinner manuscript, Chartreuse still follows
bring out the aroma.”
parties, including Thanksgiving. Sure, a centuries-old secret recipe and
we could open another bottle of BEGINNER B OT TLE includes 130 botanicals. While it’s
wine to prolong the festivities, but Try Dudognon 10 Year Reserve for more popular than ever—sales report-
usually my husband pulls out the set notes of apricot, plum, and toasted oak. edly doubled during the pandemic—
of cordial glasses I bought at a yard the monks have declined to increase
A DV E N T U RO U S B O T T L E
sale, and we offer after-dinner drinks. production, citing their desire to focus
It makes the evening (and my guests) The cherry-and-vanilla-forward
Germain-Robin XO from California on solitude and prayer (fair). So if you
feel even more special. can get your hands on a bottle, snap
After-dinner drinks have long been has been served by presidents at
state dinners, Lay says. it up, though it will likely be pricey. Be
served to aid digestion—that’s why advised that the herbal and somewhat
they’re called digestivi in Italian and bitter concoction can be an acquired
digestifs in French. While there’s scant taste. Lay likens its flavor to “angry”
Amaro
evidence that sipping a little treat after root beer: “Everything found in root
a big meal actually gives the stomach Meaning “bitter” in Italian, amaro is
usually a grape brandy spirit infused beer—the herbaceous, green alpine
an assist, who am I to quibble with flavors and the bittersweet raw sugar—
centuries of tradition? Speaking from with herbs and spices, says Carlin
Karr, director of wine and beverage is intensified in Chartreuse.”
experience, dawdling at the table with
my friends and family, enjoying a at the James Beard Award–winning BEGINNER B OT TLE
small glass of something strong, does restaurant Frasca Food and Wine in Start with the classic green (stronger,
feel good in my belly…and my heart. Boulder, Colorado. “Most of them have woodsier) or yellow (softer, sweeter)
If that’s a placebo effect, I’ll take it. a sweet quality up front, with some Chartreuse.
You too? Read on for suggestions on sort of barkyness and notes of orange
peel, cinnamon, clove, rose, herbs, and A DV E N T U RO U S B O T T L E
what to serve; look for the bottles
spices, and a distinctly bitter finish.” Faccia Brutto Centerbe is a Brooklyn,
online or at your local liquor store.
Though amaro is typically served New York–made take on Chartreuse
P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y M A R I N A B E V I L A C Q U A ; I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y B A B E T H L A F O N

neat, Karr likes it on the rocks or even and contains herbs including lemon
as a shakerato: “Shake some with ice balm, nettles, coriander, and marjoram.
Brandy
What do cognac, calvados, pisco, and a pinch of salt, which will subdue
applejack, and Armagnac have in the bitter notes, then pour it into a
common? They’re all brandies! In the chilled Nick and Nora glass.” (What’s
simplest terms, brandy is a spirit dis- a Nick and Nora glass, you ask? See
tilled from the juice of fermented the photo on the next page.)
grapes (i.e., wine) or other fruit, then BEGINNER B OT TLE
aged. The category includes a seem- Montenegro is a great, widely available About Jenna
ingly endless number of options, and gateway amaro, Karr says. It’s super REAL SIMPLE’s food
Michael Lay, beverage director for approachable and not too bitter.
director and the author
of five cookbooks,
Bourbon Steak New York and the Mina Jenna is an enthusiastic
A DV E N T U RO U S B O T T L E
Group, says the flavors vary. “An aged eater, drinker, and
Varnelli Amaro dell’Erborista is sweet- home cook. Her go-to
ened with local Italian honey, but it’s cocktail is a negroni,
and her wine of choice
still distinctly bitter and has incredible is anything bubbly.
texture, Karr says. Cheers!

P h o t o g r a p h s b y Te d C a v a n a u g h NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 35

HOW TO D O THINGS

The Nick and

Nora glass! These
are handblown.
$40 for 2; glas.vin

Grappa
The feistiest on this list, grappa is
made from distilling the skin, seeds,
pulp, and stems of grapes left over
from the wine-making process (so it’s
technically a brandy). It’s a traditional
digestivo in Italy, Karr says, and pretty
intense. “The aroma and flavor of most
grappas are alcohol-forward, with a
floral, fruity undertone.” Offer grappa
in a petite stemmed glass at cool room
temperature. Hold the glass by the
base or stem, not by the bulb. “Due to
the high proof—usually between 35%
and 60% ABV—and alcohol-forward
nature of grappa, you don’t want to
Port Sherry
warm the spirit,” Karr says. That could
Hailing from Portugal, port is a storied While you may have a mental image
lead you to take in too much aroma.
fortified red wine. (“Fortified” means of someone’s grandmother sipping
Read: You’ll get walloped in the face
that a distilled spirit, like brandy, is a sweet cream sherry, this Spanish
before it hits your tongue.
added to it.) It comes in several styles, fortified wine doesn’t deserve its
BEGINNER B OT TLE though the deeply fruity ruby port old-fashioned reputation, says Jessica
Nonino’s Vendemmia, made from is the most widely produced. Ruby port Salyer, wine director for the Katie
white grapes, is one of the most is also a great after-dinner drink, says Button restaurant group in Asheville,
approachable options, Karr says. John Fischer, professor of hospitality North Carolina. “There are a range of
and service management at the Culi- fresh, lively sherry styles, and amontil-
A DV E N T U RO U S B O T T L E
nary Institute of America in Hyde Park, lados are especially excellent after
Karr suggests Nonino’s Il Merlot. “It’s
New York. “Full-flavored and sweet, it dinner.” Katie Button, the James Beard
incredibly soft, with aromas of red
has enough oomph to make an impact Award–winning chef of the aforemen-
apple skin, plum, and cassis. There’s a
at the end of a complex, rich meal.” tioned restaurant group, agrees: “They
level of finesse here that many grap-
In addition to the red-and-black-fruit taste of almond and hazelnut, with an
pas don’t have.”
notes, there can sometimes be a touch acidity and sharpness that will revive
of licorice on the palate, he says. Port your palate after a big meal.” Salyer
is often served chilled (but not frigid) suggests sipping sherry at cool room
in a stemmed glass. Just be mindful of temperature. Pour two or three ounces
the pour. At about 20% ABV, it has less into a wineglass or Nick and Nora
“Full-flavored and alcohol than most spirits, but it’s stron- glass. “Really get your nose in there to
sweet, ruby port has ger than wine. For a real after-dinner
treat, sip ruby port while nibbling on
appreciate it before that first sip.”

enough oomph blue cheese, a classic pairing.

BEGINNER B OT TLE
Lustau’s Escaudrilla amontillado is
to make an impact at BEGINNER B OT TLE complex and aromatic and has a spicy
Sandeman Porto Founder’s Reserve aftertaste.
the end of a complex, is a solid and affordable choice.
A DV E N T U RO U S B O T T L E
rich meal.” A DV E N T U RO U S B O T T L E Valdespino’s Palo Cortado Viejo hits
Try a rosé port, a newish category a little deeper than an amontillado,
of port. Button says, with stronger notes of
dried fruit and nuts. ■

36 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

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something blue
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city’s maritime spirit, designed by Minted artists and curated by
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 CLEAN THIS

All That Bakeware

Scrub those sheets and pans and leave no crumbs,
baked-on bits, or oily residue behind!
BY E R I C A F I N A M O R E

P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y S O P H I A PA P PA S

38 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h

 HOW TO D O THINGS

Always let
bakeware cool to
room temperature
before cleaning. And make
sure pieces are fully dry
before putting them away,
Silicone
storing them in a cool,
This material is beloved because cakes dry place (read: not in
pop right out and cookies slide off like the drawer under
butter. If tenacious pieces stick, soak your stove).
the bakeware in warm water with a
few drops of dish soap for two to three
minutes, then wash with a nonabrasive Tools for
sponge and warm, soapy water. To the Job
combat lingering smells, wash the pan
as usual, then bake it on a baking sheet
in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. go in with a nonabrasive sponge or
GOOD GRIPS
As for any stickiness or white film, a small brush (see right). If needed,
DEEP CLEAN
soak the stuff in distilled white vinegar hit the corners and creases with that B RU S H S E T
for about 30 minutes, or mix baking baking soda paste, then rinse. And if
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rinse. Starting to notice cloudiness? tackle extra-tough jobs. Remember
Bathe the whole thing in one part vin- to use a soft sponge, and be careful not
egar and one part water for 10 to 15 to scratch the coating.
minutes, and as a preventive measure
moving forward, consider adding a
rinse aid to your dishwasher. Uncoated Aluminum
No dishwasher here either. Aluminum
can be damaged by high heat and
Ceramic certain detergents, and the dishwasher
Turns out, letting pans soak isn’t just can end up permanently etching it.
P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S

an excuse to delay dish duty. It is, in (The pan will still be functional, but
fact, the best way to get caked-on bits it won’t look so pretty.) Instead, opt for
off ceramic. Let the pan sit in warm, hand-washing. Use a mixture of three O U R E X P E RT S
soapy water for 30 to 60 minutes (or parts water and one part cream of tar- CARLYANNE BROWN, CUSTOMER
even longer if necessary). The bath tar. This creates a loose, acidic slurry HAPPINESS TEAM LEAD AT GROVE
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NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 39

HOW TO D O THINGS

SIMPLE TWISTS

5 T I P S F O R E AS I E R , B E T T E R VACU U M I N G
It doesn’t have to suck!
BY L I S A F R E E D M A N

USE USE USE USE USE

A Stocking Painter’s Tape An Empty Toilet A Dryer Sheet A Damp
TO TO Paper Roll TO Paper Towel
Find Lost Earring Prevent TO Make TO

Backings Scuff Marks on Get into Everything Minimize

A basic law of physics: Your Walls Tiny Crevices Smell Better Dusty Messes
Every earring is bound Vroom, vroom, Most vacuums If your canister Speaking of bagless
to lose its backing scraaaape! If you’ve come with crevice vacuum has a bag— vacuums, have you
at some point. And it ever run your vacuum attachments, but and a stinky odor to ever emptied yours
will probably wind up along your wall or they’re somehow it—consider adding into the trash…only
in a hard-to-reach spot into a doorway, you never narrow enough. a dryer sheet to to throw something
under your dresser. know it’s likely to That’s where an the next replacement else out later and
(Hey, we don’t make leave a dark gray empty toilet paper bag. You’ll get create a giant dust
these laws—we just streak. Tape up the roll comes in. Slip one whiffs of fresh, clean cloud? Whoops!
report on them!) sides of the vacuum end over the hose laundry as you work. Next time, just put a
To retrieve the little head and you won’t attachment and Unfortunately, despite damp paper towel on
pieces, slide the foot have to worry. crush the other end what you may have top of the schmutz—
of a stocking over the Masking tape will to fit into window seen on TikTok, it’s not it’ll keep the dirt
hose attachment and work too. tracks, your car’s a good idea to put and dust in place as
turn on the suction. console, or even the a dryer sheet in the you add to your
The stocking will keep grooves between canister of a bagless trash collection.
the backing from hardwood flooring. vac. (In fact, Dyson and
getting sucked up other manufacturers
along with the dust warn against putting
and pet hair. anything in the
canister.) Your best
bet in this case? Clean
the filter regularly
according to the
manual’s instructions.

40 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 Illustrations by Sunny Eckerle

 KEEP A SHOVEL AND BUCKET OF WATER
NEARBY TO EXTINGUISH YOUR CAMPFIRE

SMOKEYBEAR.COM
 PROACTIVELY CARE
FOR YOUR CAT
THE YEAST BRAND BAKERS TRUST
 HOW TO D O THINGS

I F T H E WO R D“winter” fills you

with dread—the icy roads, the
darkness, the freezing temps—
Kari Leibowitz, PhD, can relate.
The author of the new book How
to Winter: Harness Your Mindset
to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Diffi-
cult Days always preferred sum-
mer sun. “I grew up on the Jersey
Shore, a confirmed winter hater,”
Leibowitz says. Nevertheless, in
2014 she found herself in Tromsö,
Norway, 200 miles north of the
Arctic Circle, where the so-called
polar night leaves the region
in near darkness for about two
months each year. Leibowitz,
who was there to study how locals
cope with winter, assumed that
as the temperature dropped, so
would the residents’ emotional
well-being. To her surprise, she
found that instead of dreading the
season, most welcomed it. “People
were talking about all the things
they liked about winter—coziness,
firelight, warm foods,” Leibowitz
says. “It changes the experience
when it’s something you’re work-
ing with rather than fighting
against. And these things chipped
away at my belief that winter is
a limiting time of year.”
SU RV I VA L G U I D E
Leibowitz later traveled to other
chill destinations around the world,
CO L D CO M F O RT including Denmark, Scotland, and
Japan, to observe how more folks
You can loathe winter, or you can embrace it adapted to wintertime. In her book,
with these cool strategies. she outlines her findings, along
with strategies to help winter hat-
BY A M Y M AC L I N ers everywhere warm up to the
deep freeze.

Illustrations by Ana Ayala NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 43

HOW TO D O THINGS

Focus on Opportunities,
Not Obstacles
This does not mean you have to
practice toxic positivity and pre-
tend to love scraping your wind-
shield in the dark. “We’re talking
about cultivating a more adaptive It’s also not proven that darkness
mindset, saying, Winter is full of drags us down. Research indicates
opportunities, and I need to figure that in the U.S., winter depression
out which ones I like,” Leibowitz rates increase with latitude (i.e.,
says. “So what makes the darkness Maine residents are more likely to
special? You can eat dinner by suffer than Floridians), which led
candlelight. You can have a movie psychologists to theorize that lack
night with your kids. Even if of daylight was the culprit. “Based
you’re more tired, there’s opportu- on that, you might assume winter
nity in that. Winter is my time to depression rates would increase
TAKE C ARE
slow down, say no to more things, as you head even farther north,

Save Your Breath

read books instead of being social but the data doesn’t show that,”
and running around.” Consider Leibowitz says. “Some research
implementing a ritual to mark the suggests that the people of Tromsö
end of daylight saving time, even have about the same rates as the It may not be talked about as much
if it’s just a weekly mug of hot people of Maryland.” as, say, lung cancer, but chronic
chocolate. Or take up an indoor Light therapy has proved effec-
hobby, like puzzles or baking. tive for some people with SAD, as
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
has cognitive behavioral therapy, is becoming more and more common.
which involves techniques such Caused by damage to the airways
Don’t Assume Winter & as reframing negative thoughts in
Depression Go Hand in Hand more neutral terms (for instance,
or other parts of the lung, restricting
Yes, seasonal affective disorder turning I despise winter into airflow, COPD is now the sixth leading
(SAD) is a thing. It’s triggered by I prefer summer). cause of death in the U.S., and
seasonal changes, most often
the condition affects nearly 16 million
the transition to wintertime, and
research suggests that between Make Sure You Get Outside American adults. One risk factor is
0.5% and 3% of people in the As Leibowitz discovered, people in tobacco use, says Jamie Garfield, MD,
United States experience it. harsh climates aren’t kept inside a volunteer medical spokesperson
Though we like to throw the term by “bad” weather; they just bundle
around, SAD is not just the winter up. She recommends the Norwe- for the American Lung Association.
grumps; it’s a form of clinical gian strategy of wearing moisture- “Others include exposure to
depression that can be accompa- wicking wool base layers to draw secondhand smoke or materials like
nied by symptoms like changes in sweat from the body, a fluffy mid-
eating or drinking habits, loss of dle layer for warmth, and a water-
radon or asbestos, and biological
interest in activities, and feelings proof outer layer to ward off the differences such as hormones and
of hopelessness. elements. When you head out, immune response.” If you’re coughing,
“notice how winter engages your
wheezing, or even having vision
senses differently—the light, the
color of the sky, the way your trouble (which can be caused in part by
clothes and hair smell when you a lack of oxygen)—especially if you’re
come back indoors,” she says, add-
a current or former smoker or you live
ing that in Iceland, they have a
special word for that scent: útilykt, with one—see your doc. It’ll be worth
or “outdoor smell.” it to breathe a sigh of relief. —A.M.

44 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 ADVI CE, INSPIR ATI O N &
A LIT TLE PE ACE O F MIND

SMART MONE Y

SAV E O N T H E
S E ASO N
It’s the most wonderful time of
the year—and the most expensive.
But it doesn’t have to be!
BY M E L I SS A M AT T H E W S

I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y J o s i e Po r t i l l o NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 47

 WO N D E R I N G H OW M U C H all this
pending holiday cheer will set you
back? If you aren’t, you probably
should be. Last year, retail sales in
November and December hit a record
$964.4 billion. And more than a third
of us went into debt to pay for our
celebrations, according to a survey of
nearly 2,000 people by LendingTree,
an online loan marketplace. After all,
there are tables to set, gifts to buy,
plane tickets to book, and parties to
attend. Those who carried a tab aver-
aged a credit card balance of $1,028,
the survey found. Bah humbug! To
avoid turning Scroogey, we asked
experts for their money-saving tips.

How to Be the Host

Who Doesn’t Spend the Most
S TA RT P L A N N I N G , L I K E , Y E S T E R DAY
We’re only slightly exaggerating. “When D I T C H T H E S T U F F N O O N E E AT S year. They become Thanksgivingy
you’re pulling something together Great-Grandma Mae’s gelatin salad with a neutral tablecloth, Christmassy
last-minute, you can be tempted to has been a family staple for as long as with a red one, and New Year’s Evey
throw money at it,” says Jenna Helwig, you can remember, and every year, with a black one. Maddox also gets
REAL SIMPLE’s food director. Store it lies curdled and untouched. Often creative when it comes to frugal holi-
shelves can be picked over during the people make certain dishes out of day decorating: “One Thanksgiving,
holidays, and if you rush in like a con- habit—even though no one actually I got branches from my backyard,
testant on Supermarket Sweep this likes them, says Laura Maddox, who cleaned them off, and spray-painted
November 27, you may be limited to works at Magnolia, an event planning them with gold paint,” she says. She
pricier items—like a spendy bottle of firm in Atlanta. “My family has a tradi- asked guests to write what they were
wine rather than the good $12 stuff. tion of eating oysters during Thanks- most grateful for on pieces of card
Plus, shopping early lets you spread giving, and nobody wants them, but stock, and as they were ready, she
out your expenses and take advantage we keep serving them,” she says. “You clipped the papers onto the branches.
of sales, says Andrea Woroch, a bud- can be the one to break the genera-
geting expert based in Bakersfield, tional cycle of the terrible family side LIMIT THE LIQUOR
California. Plunking down $62 a week dish!” Just think of how much money Expect alcohol to guzzle a large chunk
is more palatable than $250 in one it could save you. of your budget, particularly this year,
go, especially if you get more for your when prices are creeping even higher
money. To find sales, Woroch uses G O S I M P L E W I T H YO U R TA B L E T O P than they were last year, according to
a free app called Flipp. “You just enter “It’s very easy to get sucked into buy- the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Do not
your zip code and it aggregates circu- ing themed holiday decor you’re going try to please everyone with a full bar.
lars for your area.” to use for a single season. But you Instead, Milloy recommends keeping
don’t have to be so on the nose,” says things simple by serving red and white
Brandi Milloy, a Los Angles–based life- wine or a batch cocktail of your choice,
style expert. She has a few mercury
glass pieces (think: votives, hurricanes,
and bowls) she uses throughout the

48 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 HOW WE LIVE

How to Gift Enough—

but Not Too Much
as well as nonalcoholic options, of M A K E A L I S T, C H E C K I T A L L T H E T I M E
course. If you go with wine, choose Woroch starts by looking at her overall
a bottle made with what Madeline budget for the season, then notes who
Puckette, a certified sommelier and she needs to buy presents for with service like PayPal. “Those cash-back
cofounder of Wine Folly, a website that money. “When I have my list, I rates tend to get better during the
dedicated to all things vino, calls start a budget for each person, and I’ll holidays,” she says. “If a retailer offers
“undervalued grapes”—those that are write down some gift ideas along with 2% cash back right now, it could be
less popular but no less fantastic. general prices.” To ensure you don’t 10% on Black Friday.”
“People either don’t know about them omit anyone, look through last year’s And if you do only one thing,
or don’t perceive quality for whatever list. “And don’t forget to add tips for Woroch says, download the free app
reason, but they’re excellent,” she the service people in your life to your Fetch. Then take photos of your
says. Puckette recommends a Beaujo- gifting budget,” Woroch adds. receipts, upload them, and earn points
lais to go with Thanksgiving dinner. After doing this exercise, you may toward gift cards. “The app has a vari-
“They’re like the poor man’s bur- realize that some items are too expen- ety of partners, and you can use the
gundy.” For white: “I’m flabbergasted sive and find alternatives. Or you cards as a gift or to supplement your
by the affordability of Italian white could tweak the list so neighbors and shopping budget,” she says.
wines,” Puckette says. “A bottle of teachers get homemade treats.
Tuscan Vermentino is often less than
$20—and delicious.” You can always USE POINTS & EARN NEW ONES How to Travel
add a note to your invites about what There are all sorts of ways to knock Without Going Bust
drinks you’ll be serving. That way, small amounts off your purchases. B O OK DURING THE SWEET SP OT
guests can bring something else if they First, Woroch says to determine which We often get that nagging feeling
choose. Or you can make the whole of your credit cards is best for shop- when buying airline tickets that prices
party a BYOB situation. ping. “Some cards will offer bonus could drop in a week or two. If you’re
rewards at certain stores. You just have traveling this year, that likely won’t
B A RT E R F O R A N E W O U T F I T to log into your account and opt in happen during November and Decem-
When it comes to holiday attire, peo- on the offer, and you’ll get an extra 5% ber, says Brian Kelly, founder of the
ple tend to have once-worn dresses or 10% back when you use your card,” travel platform The Points Guy. “You
and barely walked-in shoes just sitting Woroch explains. Alternatively, you don’t want to wait until the last min-
in their closets. Instead of hitting the can sign up for a cash-back portal, like ute in hopes of getting a deal,” he says.
shops for something new, invite your CouponCabin or Rakuten. These sites “Domestically, we see a sweet spot
friends over for a closet clean-out offer a small rebate on qualifying pur- in pricing about three months before
party. Ask everyone to bring a couple chases, which can be transferred to a the holidays. For international flights,
of party pieces, and people can swap you’ll find the lowest prices six months
as they see fit. You could walk away out.” For the lowest fare, book flights
with a new-to-you sparkly number for Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednes-
without the $100 (or higher!) price tag. days, which are usually 13% cheaper
than flights on Fridays, Saturdays, and
Sundays, according to Google Flights.

USE AIRLINE MILES ASAP

If you have airline miles, use them,
“Domestically, we see a even before redeeming credit card
sweet spot in pricing on flights about points, Kelly advises: “Every day, air-
lines can increase the number of miles
three months before the holidays.” needed for a flight. A year from now,
those miles could be worth less than
they are today.” There’s absolutely
no reason to hold on to them. ■

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 49

 Modern Manners Advice for Your Social Quandaries
BY H O DA KOT B & J E N N A B U S H H AG E R

I think if it’s
JEN NA BUSH H AGER :
somebody you know, you can just
ask them to use headphones.

H ODA KOT B : Right, but if it’s some-

body on a train or whatever, I think
you could say, “I’m so sorry. I’m
doing some work. Is there any way
you could put that through your
headphones?” It’s hard. I’ve found
that sometimes if you wait, there’s
usually some real crank who might
just yell at the person for you.

JBH :Or if you really hate it, relocate

if you can.

HK: I mean, you can’t control the

world. Sometimes there’s gonna be
M I C H E L L E AS KS … construction or someone yelling
Is there a polite way to ask someone to use or whatever. We feel you, though.
headphones or put their phone to their
ear when they’re having a conversation in an
elevator, train, coffee shop, supermarket, C O U RT ESY O F P E T E R K R A M E R

or some other public place? Sorry, but your

convo doesn’t need to be on speakerphone!
H AV E A N E T I Q U E T T E Q U E S T I O N ?
Hover your phone’s camera here to submit
your question for Hoda and Jenna, or email
them at [email protected].

50 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 HOW WE LIVE

“Sometimes people make

jokes not knowing
they’re pushing a button,
K AT H E R I N E AS KS …
I’m part of a book club with six
and they think it’s all for
other women. I moved to this area fun because you’re friends.” G R A N D M A AS KS …

from the other side of the country, My husband of 55 years gets

and I’ve mispronounced the upset with our 25-year-old
names of local towns sometimes. grandson because he never takes
One woman in particular laughs at his cap off. So many men don’t take
me when I do this. I’m gracious their hats off anymore. What’s the
JA M I E AS KS …
in the moment and shrug it off with modern etiquette for headgear?
My husband’s brother has way,
a “Thank you for teaching me how way more money than we do. JBH: I feel this. My grandpa Harold
to pronounce it!” But it truly does He and his partner have often wore a hat every day, and he always
hurt my feelings and seems rude invited us on trips and paid, saying took it off at meals. My grandmother
of her to laugh. What can I do? they’ve been really lucky and was big on no hats at the table. I think
you can make it a rule at your house.
H K : I would have a conversation with
would love for us to join them. We
If you don’t want them to have their
just her, not in front of the group. You pay for an occasional dinner, but hats on at the table in your home, say
can say something like “It might seem they cover most expenses. Is this that. Make that clear, and I’m sure
funny to you, but I’m trying really OK, or should we skip because they’ll follow the rules.
hard, and your jokes kind of hurt.” we can’t pay our share?
HK: Agree. Your husband can make a
JBH: Sometimes people make jokes JBH: I think if your brother-in-law is rule if he doesn’t like it. It’s just the
not knowing they’re pushing a button, asking you to come, and they’re happy tone that matters. He can say it nicely.
and they think it’s all for fun because to be generous, then you join them Something like “Listen, you look great
you’re friends. She might not realize and you take them to dinner when you in that hat, but at our table, you’ve
she’s upsetting you. can. I would be on the lookout for any gotta take it off. You’re more than wel-
resentment from them, but it sounds come to put it back on as soon as
HK:Once you tell someone it’s your like they want to be generous, and you’re done eating.”
sensitive spot, that helps. We all they want you to be part of their trips.
have one. JBH:I think the etiquette is whatever
HK: They probably have an idea of you want it to be. At your dinner table,
JBH:Hoda, I love your idea of doing it what you’re making, and they want you get to make the rules!
alone and not in front of the group. to make it easier.
HK: It’s a courageous conversation. JBH: It sounds like they want y’all to
I wouldn’t make a big to-do out of it— be together as a family, which is so,
just a quick chat. You can say how so sweet. I would just enjoy it if I were
much you love book club and it’s only you. Pay for the meal when you can,
that one thing that hurts your feelings. or cook the meal if possible.
I’m guessing she’ll stop right away!
HK: Trust your instincts. Listen to your- A B O U T H O DA & J E N N A
self if it feels like too much, and The hosts of Today with Hoda & Jenna,
these two have been dishing out
maybe bow out of an extra excursion. honest, heartfelt advice on air for
But again, it sounds like they just years. They also interview celebrities,
really enjoy spending this time with pass along feel-good stories, and have
a ridiculous amount of fun. Watch
you! How cool is that? them live on weekdays at 10 a.m. ET.

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 51

 REL ATING

Thank You Kindly!

How to show appreciation and change your relationships
BY N AO M I BA R R
 HOW WE LIVE

Thank Your Partner for

All the Little Things
You could go for a grand gesture, like Bonus: Research has found that
a jumbotron message or an original when your partner feels appreciated,
sonnet, but it may be more meaning- they’re more likely to do things for
ful to simply thank your other half you, which leads you to feel more
for the unremarkable ways they make gratitude, which inspires even more
your life better. “As anyone who’s care and commitment from your other
been in a relationship for more than half, creating a positive upward spiral
AS WE HEAD INTO peak gratitude a week knows, often the things our of growth for your relationship.
season, we’re taking extra care to partners do for us go under the radar,”
appreciate the ordinary but wonderful says Allen Barton, PhD, assistant
things around us—time with the fam, professor of human development and Write a Thank-You Note to
warm bread and melty butter, dogs family studies at the University of Someone from Your Past
wearing sweaters, etc. As the psychol- Illinois Urbana–Champaign, who Another reason to revive the lost art of
ogists who study the topic remind us, studies gratitude and relationships. letter writing! Last year, in a study out
feeling thankful benefits our bodies, Keep it specific and, most of all, of the University of California, River-
minds, and spirits, rewarding us with sincere (not a “thx!!” text). Research side, participants who wrote gratitude
feel-good hormones that can boost indicates that sincerity may be partic- letters to specific people felt more
our health and happiness. ularly important between romantic thankful, positive, and elevated than
But gratitude’s true superpower partners, and that hollow expressions those who made gratitude lists.
may be the way it brings people closer. of gratitude may make faltering rela- “Writing a letter helps you understand
This is why gratitude developed in tionships even worse. According to a who you’re grateful for and why,”
the first place, evolutionarily speaking: 2020 study in the Journal of Social Wong says. “And that helps you appre-
Helping others and accepting help and Personal Relationships, when we ciate your relationship even more.”
in return ensured our survival. Now highlight ways our partner responded Who should your recipient be? While
gratitude is the social glue that holds to our needs (“Thank you for picking you can choose someone from your
us together, enabling us to “find, up the kids—I was so stressed at work, day-to-day life, there’s something
remind, and bind,” according to a pos- and you were there when I needed extra special about sending a note to
tulate embraced by current gratitude you!”), it holds greater emotional a friend from your past, letting them
researchers, like Joel Wong, PhD, a weight than emphasizing how they know how much they’ve meant to
professor of counseling psychology at were inconvenienced (“Thank you you. In a 2018 study in the journal
Indiana University. “The idea is that for picking up the kids even though Psychological Science, researchers
gratitude helps us ‘find’—notice and you had to leave work early!”). The found that the recipients were waaay
appreciate—someone we’d like to researchers surmised that people feel more touched by these surprising let-
know better,” he explains. “When we more satisfied when they hear how ters of gratitude than the people send-
feel grateful for the people in our lives, they’ve improved someone’s life. ing them even predicted.
we’re ‘reminded’ of all their good (Plus, something like “Sorry it was so Try to share details about how they
qualities, which in turn ‘binds’ us to much trouble for you” could come helped you at the time—whether it
them, or draws the relationship off as passive aggressive.) was by giving sage advice, lending an
closer.” He and other experts believe
that gratitude acts as a catalyst,
leaving us less selfish, more caring,
more socially engaged, and with a
higher opinion of humanity. “When we feel grateful for the people in
With that in mind, we’ve compiled
some wisdom on a few of the best our lives, we’re reminded of all their good qualities,
ways to reap and sow the benefits of which in turn binds us to them.”
gratitude. We’d also like to say thank
you, dear reader, for spending time
with us. OK, on to the advice!

Illustration by Sol Cotti NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 53

HOW WE LIVE

W HAT A FE W O F
O U R FA MO US FRI EN DS
A RE TH A N K FU L F OR

ear, or serving you delicious dinners—

and influenced you in the future. You
can talk about how rare it is for some-
one to be that generous with their
time or wisdom, and how much you
admire that person for it. “I am profoundly grateful for the
strength God has given me
to rise above every challenge,
Find the Good in Those
for the love and support of
Tough Family Relationships
my family, and most of all, for the
It’s ironic that the holidays, a time of opportunity to inspire others
peace and goodwill, may put you in to find their own light and let it
intimate proximity with the most shine brightly in the world.”
challenging people in your life. Thank- SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTOR, PRODUCER,
fully, a little gratitude can help get you SINGER, AND EMMY-WINNING COSTAR OF
through. Though Aunt Betty may be ABBOTT ELEMENTARY

once again snarking on your life

choices/political views/haircut, look
for a kernel of goodness in her to
appreciate, says Emiliana R. Simon-
Thomas, PhD, science director at the
University of California, Berkeley’s
Greater Good Science Center, which
sponsors research on topics like com-

F R O M T O P : M I C H A E L T U L L B E R G /G E T T Y I M A G E S ; J I M W R I G H T, W A R D R O B E S T Y L I N G B Y S T E V E S U M M E R S ,
“We’re so thankful for our family,
passion, gratitude, and well-being. and we’re thankful for our new

H A I R A N D M A K E U P B Y C H E R Y L R I D D L E A N D J E S S I C A C A N D A G E ; A N D R E W M O R A L E S /G E T T Y I M A G E S
“See if you can find a shared interest cookbook, Good Lookin’ Cookin’,
you can connect with,” she suggests. which we can finally share
Maybe you have a mutual fondness with everybody else’s family.”
for Love Island, or maybe you both DOLLY PARTON AND RACHEL PARTON
just adore your family. Similarly, your GEORGE, SISTERS AND PROUD
AUTHORS OF A NEW COOKBOOK ($35;
brother-in-law may be a pill, but PENGUINRANDOMHOUSE.COM)
remember that, like you, he wants
your sister to be happy. Those slivers
of appreciation may not sound earth-
shattering, but they can be your gate-
way to more positive communication.
They’re certainly a healthier alterna-
tive to rage-eating a whole apple pie.
Feel free to share your appreciation,
Wong says: “In most cases, recipients “This year has been a powerful
do respond positively—but if they reminder that an invisible clock is
don’t, that’s OK.” Gratitude is a gift with ticking for all of us, and I am grateful
no strings attached. Plus, if someone that I continue to remind myself
else sees your act of thanks, they may to savor every single second.”
be inspired to pass it on. And that’s MEL ROBBINS, EXPERT ON MOTIVATION
AND BEHAVIOR, PODCASTER, AND AUTHOR
the best Thanksgiving leftover anyone OF THE UPCOMING THE LET THEM THEORY
can take home. ■ ($30; PENGUINRANDOMHOUSE.COM)

54 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 A breakfast after
your own heart.

*Three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Honey Nut Cheerios™ cereal, in a diet low in saturated
fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Honey Nut Cheerios cereal provides .75 grams per serving.
 Arikok National
Park in Aruba

AWAY

W H E RE TO GO I N T H E CA RI B B E A N F O R ...
Any occasion! Seriously.
Winter is coming, and the tropics are calling.
BY S I M O N E C H E R Í

56 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 HOW WE LIVE

F U N W I T H T H E FA M

The Bahamas
A successful multigenerational
getaway requires cozy sleeping
space for everyone and activities
that appeal to all. The Atlantis
Bahamas (from $379 a night), a swing by Arikok National Park,
luxury resort on Paradise Island, where you’ll find a desertlike,
delivers on both points. A 30- cacti-studded landscape, wild
minute cab ride from the airport, goats, and the very spelunkable
this 3,800-room property fea- Quadirikiri and Fontein caves.
tures five distinct hotels, so you Rest up at the Embassy Suites
can choose the accommodations by Hilton Aruba Resort (from
that fit your needs and budget— $365 a night), which offers easy
a secluded three-bedroom suite access to the low-key vibes of
with a full kitchen, an all-suite Eagle Beach. You may even get
building with an adults-only to see some sea turtles!
pool, or newly renovated classic
rooms, for example.
R E L A X AT I O N I N N AT U R E
As for activities, there are
water slides, pools, and cabanas Grenada
galore, as well as nightclubs (even Grenada might very well harbor
one for teens!), a movie theater, some of the most tranquil spots
an ice cream parlor, a casino, out there. Near the northern tip
marine expeditions, and more. of the island sits River Sallee
Boiling Springs, featuring six hot
B E AU T I F U L A DV E N T U R E
springs and an on-site massage
therapist. For a different kind
Aruba of hydrotherapy, head to Seven
Known as One Happy Island, this Sisters Falls, home to several
southern Caribbean country of the island’s waterfalls. Note:
could just as easily be called One Some are only accessible through
Thrilling Island. Get your adrena- a challenging rainforest hike,
line pumping on the northern but you’ll get the most soothing
coast at the two-mile-long Palm soundtrack. Also, check out
Beach. You can swim in the Grand Etang National Park and
crystalline water or soar as high spend some time by the lake
as 600 feet in the air on a para- that’s nestled in the crater of an
sailing flight with Delphi Water-
C O U RT ESY O F A RU BA TO U R I S M AU T H O R I T Y

extinct volcano.
sports (from $75). When you’re For lodging that won’t stress
ready for more rugged terrain, your budget, consider the
Radisson Grenada Beach Resort
(from $158 a night), located by
the palm-tree-lined Grand Anse
Beach. It’s got oceanfront rooms,
a giant complimentary hot break-
fast, and the always essential
poolside bar. ■

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 57

 HOW WE LIVE

Visit the Vet Regularly

While humans officially become
seniors around age 65, cats generally
hit the milestone once they’re 10 years
old, and for dogs it’s around 8 to 11,
depending on their size (small breeds
tend to live longer). When your pet
reaches that age, take him to the vet
at least twice a year so early signs
of certain illnesses and conditions—
particularly cancer, cognitive dysfunc-
tion, and arthritis—can be diagnosed
ASAP through blood work, urinalysis,
fecal testing, and such. Sound spendy?
Look into a pet-insurance wellness
plan, which can still be purchased for
older animals and, unlike accident
and illness plans, should help cover
preventive care. (Plans vary, based on
factors like age and breed. While you
could end up paying around $150
a month, it may be worth the cost
if you can swing it.) Between visits,
look for subtle behavioral changes,
says Raelynn Farnsworth, DVM, chief
medical officer at Washington State
University’s Veterinary Teaching
Hospital. “Are they sleeping more, is
their weight changing, did they always
pull on the leash and now they’re
hanging back? They could just be
getting old, but there might be some-
thing we can do for it.”
PETS

S E N I O R M O M E N TS Feed Him Right

Before you switch Droolius Caesar to
a senior food, talk with your vet, says
V E R A L A I R /STO C KSY

Five things you can do to give your aging Deborah Linder, DVM, an associate
BFF some truly golden years clinical professor at Tufts University’s
Cummings School of Veterinary Medi-
BY JUNO DEMELO cine. “The main thing I tell owners is

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 59

 HOW WE LIVE

Approach a pet
with hearing problems
that every pet is an individual, and
‘senior’ is not a regulated term,” she
from the front,
explains. Still, senior foods can serve and walk with heavy
a purpose. Some pack fewer calories
footsteps to let him
Feed as a because pets tend to have less energy
to burn as they age, while others con- know you’re coming.
tain extra fiber, which breaks down
Snack, more slowly and helps your pet
feel full longer. “It’s not one diet fits

Topper, or
all,” Farnsworth says. Your vet can
help you determine the best one. nary Medicine. “Can he still catch a
treat? Is he having problems going

Treat Make Sure He’s Comfy

As pets become less mobile, they
downstairs when it’s darker?” Night-
lights can help him navigate stairs, or
you can block them off with a baby
need easier access to essentials. Use gate to keep him safe overnight. If
Made to please, stairs or ramps for hard-to-reach your pet’s vision is impaired, call his
spots, like a favorite window seat, the name before getting near him so he
no matter how couch, or the car. Put food in an doesn’t startle. Approach a pet with

you squeeze. elevated, tilted bowl, which can help

ease pressure on creaky joints, and
hearing problems from the front, and
walk with heavy footsteps to let him
use nonslip carpet runners or even know you’re coming. You can also
yoga mats on hardwood or tiled start adding hand signals to verbal
floors so paws don’t slide. Keep your cues he already knows. “That way
house at a comfortable temperature, you can do, say, a big arm wave to get
and try warming and cooling mats him to come in,” Boynton says, and
too, suggests Mary Gardner, DVM, he’ll know just what you mean.
author of It’s Never Long Enough:
A Practical Guide to Caring for
Your Geriatric Dog. “Just like with Change Up Your Walks
humans, temperature regulation Our dogs have a few signs for us
diminishes with age,” she says. As for when they’re tired: heavy panting,
beds, look for an orthopedic one with needing to be pulled along, limping,
a washable, waterproof cover, since and licking their joints when they’re
incontinence can be an issue. For resting. If you notice your dog is
older cats, put litter boxes with low struggling, take him on a few shorter
sides on every floor of your house. walks instead of one long one, Gard-
ner suggests. You can still provide
mental stimulation to keep him
Help Him Hear & See Better sharp without wearing him out phys-
Pets tend to experience vision loss ically. Boynton likes to put her dog
as they hit grandpaw age. You should in a sit-stay position. Then she hides
be able to spot the decline, says and quietly calls for him. “It’s a fun
Beth Boynton, DVM, professor of bonding activity, it lets him practice
wellness at the Western University problem-solving, and it reinforces
of Health Sciences College of Veteri- his recall,” she says. Plus, imagine
the look on Fuzz Aldrin’s face when
he finds you! ■

60 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

One Taste Is All It Takes™
So tasty, we could
only call it one thing.
Feed the real meat and
natural ingredients cats love.

Wet and dry recipes with real meat first

Natural cat food enhanced with

vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients

A wide variety of flavors and textures

Formulas for specific life stages

and lifestyles

ONE TASTE IS ALL IT TAKES ª

HOW WE LIVE

LIT TLE PIGGIES

Early footballs were made of air-
filled pigs’ bladders stuffed in leather
and stitched together by laces. So
asking someone to toss around the
old pigskin was never all that accu-
rate. Nowadays, the official NFL
balls are handcrafted out of pebbled
leather at the Wilson Football Factory
in Ada, Ohio. The prolate spheroid
shape—meaning a slightly pointed
sphere—hasn’t changed much over
the years. It has less drag than,
say, a basketball as it cuts through
the air, and it can spiral on its axis.
That’s why a football can be thrown
so far (the longest NFL pass to date:
701/2 yards!) and with such accuracy.

A S M A L L G AT H E R I N G
The huddle, now used in many
sports, is widely credited to Paul
Hubbard. He was the quarterback at
Gallaudet University in Washington,
D.C., a school for the deaf and hard
NERDING OUT
of hearing. In 1894, Gallaudet was
playing another deaf team, and
F O OT BA L L Hubbard worried the competition
would read his sign language as he
Let’s toss around some fun facts. called plays. His solution? He had
his teammates form a tight circle
You know, just for kicks! around him to block the view.
BY L I S A F R E E D M A N
NEW YEAR, NEW HELMET
Every spring, all the owners of the
THANKSGIVING, for many of us, was founded in 1920 (it was called 32 NFL teams vote on potential
means food, family…and football! the American Professional Football rule changes, so the game continu-
Why, though? The holiday and sport Association for the first two sea- ally evolves. This year, the owners
became linked in 1876, when the sons), no one paid much attention to approved the use of Guardian Caps
Intercollegiate Football Association it, so execs scheduled some games (helmets with external padding) for
(there were no professional leagues on Thanksgiving to try to siphon regular-season games. Some players
yet) started hosting its champion- attention from the college league. had been wearing them during the
ship game on Turkey Day. Four years It worked! Fast-forward to 2023, and last two years of training camps,
later, the association relocated a record-setting total of 34.1 million and the stats show a 50% reduction
the game to New York City, and it people watched the three NFL in concussions. Only time will tell
turned into a major social event. matchups on Thanksgiving. Here’s a if they’ll catch on, but they seem
When the National Football League little more history, if you’re game. like a heads-up play. ■

62 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 Illustration by Asia Pietrzyk

 RISE & SHINE WITH
HONEY NUT CHEERIOS

COMMAND

RISATA SPARKLING WINES

SURPRISE YOUR NEIGHBOR WITH

A BAG OF BLUE TREATS!
64 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024
 Behold: Gathered in one place, our
most popular, most tried-and-true
recipes from 24 years of Turkey Day menus.
Readers come back to these keepers
again and again because, unsurprisingly,
they’re real simple—and real good.

Edited by Jenna Helwig • Photographs by Greg DuPree

Food styling by Chelsea Zimmer • Prop styling by Audrey Davis
 Garlicky Green Beans
with Pine Nuts
ACTIVE TIME 15 MINUTES
Roast Turkey with TOTAL TIME 20 MINUTES
SERVES 6 TO 8
Oranges & Herbs
ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES 11/2 lb. fresh green beans or haricots
TOTAL TIME 2 HOURS, 40 MINUTES verts, trimmed
Make-Ahead
SERVES 8 TO 10
2 Tbsp. olive oil Shallot Gravy
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES
1 12-to-14-lb. whole turkey,
(about 3 Tbsp.) TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES
giblets removed
1/3 cup pine nuts SERVES 8
3 medium yellow onions
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for
4 small oranges, halved 6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
cooking beans
Kitchen string (optional) 1 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 carrots, chopped (about 11/2 cups) (from 3 or 4 shallots)
Flaky sea salt (optional)
1 stalk celery, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 head garlic, halved crosswise 3 cups chicken broth, warmed
BRING a large pot of salted water to a
1/4 cup olive oil or unsalted butter, boil. Add beans; cook until tender, 4 to 5 2 sprigs sage (optional)
melted minutes. Drain well. 2 sprigs thyme (optional)
2 Tbsp. kosher salt HEAT oil in a large skillet over medium. 1/2 cup strained turkey drippings
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Add garlic; cook, stirring often, for (optional)

R E C I P E S B Y K R I S T E N E VA N S D I T TA M I , A N A N D A E I D E L S T E I N , J E N N A H E L W I G , C H A R LY N E M AT T O X , K AT E M E R K E R , A N D S A R A H Q U E S S E N B E R R Y
1 bunch fresh sage 1 minute. Add pine nuts; cook, stirring 2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) dry white wine (such as
often, until garlic and pine nuts are sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
golden brown, about 3 minutes. 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
PREHEAT oven to 425°F with rack in low-
est position. Pat turkey dry inside and TRANSFER drained beans to skillet. 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
out with paper towels. Halve 1 onion; Add kosher salt and pepper; toss to coat.
Kosher salt
place it and 2 orange halves inside turkey Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using.
cavity. Tuck wings under body. If desired,
MELT butter in a large skillet over
tie drumsticks together with string.
medium. Add shallots; reduce heat to
CUT remaining 2 onions into wedges.
medium-low and cook, stirring often,
Place onion wedges, carrots, celery, and
until very tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
garlic in a metal roasting pan fitted with a
wire rack. Transfer turkey to rack. Drizzle
DRESS UP INCREASE heat to medium. Whisk flour
into shallot mixture until well combined.
turkey skin with oil; spread evenly over THE BIRD Cook, whisking constantly, until flour
skin. Loosen skin gently on breast and
mixture is bubbling and light golden
thighs; rub salt and pepper evenly under Pick one and stir the ingredients brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
and over skin. together with the salt and
VERY gradually pour broth into skillet,
ROAST turkey until lightly browned, 30 to pepper in step 2 before rubbing whisking constantly. Increase heat to
45 minutes. Add 1 cup water to roasting it on the turkey. medium-high and bring to a boil; cook,
pan. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
whisking often, for about 1 minute. Add
RETURN turkey to oven and roast until MEDITERR ANEAN
sage and thyme sprigs, if using. Reduce
a thermometer inserted in a thigh reads 2 Tbsp. za’atar and 1 Tbsp. heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring
170°F, 40 minutes to 1 hour. (Tent with lemon zest often, until mixture is thickened, 10 to
foil if turkey browns too quickly.)
SWEET & SMOKY 15 minutes. Discard herb sprigs. (If mak-
TRANSFER turkey to a large carving ing ahead, let cool to room temperature,
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp.
board. (If making gravy, reserve juices in about 20 minutes; transfer to an airtight
smoked paprika, 2 tsp. dried thyme,
roasting pan.) Let turkey rest for 30 to container. Refrigerate until ready to
2 tsp. dried oregano, 2 tsp. garlic
60 minutes before carving. Garnish with finish and serve, up to 3 days.)
powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, and
sage and remaining orange halves.
1 tsp. dried rosemary STIR drippings (if using), wine, soy
sauce, and pepper into mixture in skillet.
E X T R A C I T RU S Y Bring to a boil over medium. If needed,
2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic, 1 Tbsp. add water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time,
orange zest, and 1 Tbsp. coarsely to reach desired consistency. Season
ground coriander seeds with salt to taste.

66 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

ROAST TURKEY
WITH ORANGES
& HERBS
This turkey recipe
is about as
fuss-free as it gets.
People will
gobble it up!
 GARLICKY
GREEN BEANS
WITH PINE NUTS
Let’s all do our part
to liberate green
beans from the ho-hum
casserole dish!

BOURBON
CRANBERRY
COMPOTE
The zippiest dish on the
table gets some
smoky depth thanks to
a li’l booze.
 Bourbon
No-Knead Cranberry Compote
MAKE-AHEAD
SHALLOT GRAVY Onion Rolls ACTIVE TIME 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 45 MINUTES
No turkey drippings?
ACTIVE TIME 45 MINUTES SERVES 8
No problem! This recipe TOTAL TIME 2 HOURS, 50 MINUTES
still brings the flavor. MAKES 15 ROLLS
1 12-oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries
3∕4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1∕2 cup apple juice or apple cider
11∕2 lb. yellow onions, finely chopped
(about 4 cups) 1∕4 cup (2 oz.) bourbon

1∕4 cup (50 g) plus 2 tsp. granulated 1 pinch kosher salt

sugar, divided
3 tsp. kosher salt, divided STIR together cranberries, sugar, apple
11∕3 cups whole milk, warmed juice, bourbon, and salt in a medium
(100°F to 110°F) saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-
high. Reduce heat to medium and sim-
2 1∕4-oz. pkg. active dry yeast
mer, stirring occasionally, until cranber-
2 large eggs, at room temperature ries burst and sauce thickens, 18 to 20
6 Tbsp. (3∕4 stick) unsalted butter, minutes. Let cool to room temperature,
melted, divided about 20 minutes. (Sauce can be refriger-
5 cups (600 g) all-purpose flour, ated, covered, for up to 5 days.)
plus more for shaping dough
Cooking spray
Flaky sea salt
Creamy One-Pot
HEAT 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet Mashed Potatoes
over medium. Add onions, 1 teaspoon ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES
sugar, and 1∕2 teaspoon kosher salt; cook, TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES
stirring occasionally, until golden brown, SERVES 8
25 to 30 minutes. If onions start to look
dry, add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, 4 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and
stirring to release any browned bits from cut into 1-in. pieces (about 10 cups)
bottom of skillet. Let cool for 10 minutes.
4 cups half-and-half
PLACE milk and 1 teaspoon sugar in a large
5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and let stand
1∕2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted,
until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in
plus more for serving (optional)
eggs, 4 tablespoons butter, and remaining
1∕4 cup sugar and 21∕2 teaspoons kosher 1∕2 cup sour cream
salt. Add flour and 3∕4 of onions (about Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup). Stir with a spatula until a sticky
dough forms. Brush top of dough with PLACE potatoes, half-and-half, and 2 tea-
GET A remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cover bowl spoons salt in a large saucepan. Bring
and let dough rise in a warm place (70°F to
HEAD START ON 80°F) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat
to medium-low and partially cover; cook,
THE ROLLS COAT a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with stirring often, until potatoes are tender
cooking spray. Punch dough down. With when pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes.
To do most of the well-floured hands, form dough into 15 Carefully drain mixture into a colander
prep the day before, (about 3-ounce) balls. Place in prepared placed over a large heatproof bowl.
in step 2, let the
pan, spacing evenly. Sprinkle with remain- Reserve cooking liquid in bowl.
dough rise for 30
ing onions. Cover pan loosely with plastic WORKING in batches, transfer potatoes
minutes. Continue with
wrap. Let rise in a warm place until dou- to a potato ricer; press over saucepan.
the recipe, shaping the
bled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir butter and remaining 3 teaspoons
dough and placing
the rolls in a baking pan. PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Brush dough salt into potatoes. Fold in sour cream and
Refrigerate, covered, with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake enough cooking liquid to reach desired
for 8 to 24 hours. until rolls are golden and a thermometer consistency.
Let stand at room inserted in side of a roll reads 200°F, 18 to SERVE topped with melted butter, if
temperature for 22 minutes. (Tent with foil if tops of rolls desired, and pepper.
30 minutes before brown too quickly.) Sprinkle with flaky sea
baking. salt. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes.

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 69

 CREAMY ONE-POT
MASHED POTATOES
We try to avoid the
word “perfect” here at
REAL SIMPLE, but these
potatoes make us want to
break our own rule.
 SAUSAGE DRESSING
WITH SAGE
Warning: Don’t expect
leftovers. In our
experience, the dressing
(not stuffing, because it’s
cooked outside the bird)
is the first dish to go.

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 71

 Sausage Dressing
with Sage
ACTIVE TIME 45 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR, 35 MINUTES AS SEEN
SERVES 8 ON THE
COVER!
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage or breakfast
sausage, casings removed Maple
1 large (about 1 lb.) loaf Italian bread,
cut into 3/4-in. pieces (about 16 cups)
Pumpkin Pie
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, ACTIVE TIME 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 2 HOURS, 15 MINUTES
STREAMLINE plus more for baking dish and foil
SERVES 8
2 yellow onions, chopped
THE WINE (about 3 cups)
1 homemade or store-bought
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced piecrust, fitted into a
Forget elaborate pairings. You only
(about 21/2 cups) 9-in. pie plate
need three types.
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 large eggs
A S PA R K L E R sauvignon blancs from 11/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
There’s nothing more California or France 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as 1 cup heavy cream
celebratory than (including Sancerre) pinot grigio)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, plus
greeting guests with and pinot gris. A bottle 21/2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth more for serving (optional)
glasses of fizz. Be it a from the Lugana 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
dry cava, Champagne, region of Italy is also 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
prosecco, or other worth seeking out— 2 large eggs, beaten 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
sparkling wine, bub- the whites are vibrant
bles are an excellent and juicy. A chenin 1 pinch ground cloves
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Heat oil in a large Whipped cream and chopped
way to pique the appe- blanc is fuller in tex-
skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, toasted pecans, for serving
tite. They pair well with ture but still lively
breaking it apart with a spoon, until (optional)
rich, creamy foods— enough to counter all
browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a
including cheese that rich food on the
plate, reserving drippings in pan.
boards, dessert, and Thanksgiving table. PREHEAT oven to 350°F with rack
DIVIDE bread between 2 large rimmed
everything in between. in lowest position. Place pie plate
baking sheets. Bake until dry and crisp,
So if one of your A LIGHT RED on a baking sheet lined with foil.
10 to 12 minutes.
guests wants to con- Palate fatigue is real, WHISK eggs, pumpkin, cream,
tinue drinking spar- MEANWHILE, melt butter in reserved
and an inky, high- maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger,
skillet over medium. Add onions, celery,
kling wine throughout alcohol red, such as salt, and cloves in a large bowl.
pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook,
the meal, congratulate cabernet sauvignon, POUR pumpkin mixture into pre-
stirring occasionally and scraping any
them on their good may be too much for pared crust. Bake until center jig-
browned bits from bottom of skillet,
taste and pop open most revelers. Instead, gles slightly, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10
until very tender and starting to brown,
another bottle. go for varietals that minutes. (Cover edges with foil if
10 to 12 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring
crust browns too quickly.) Let cool
are lighter in texture occasionally, until evaporated, 2 to 4
A BRIGHT WHITE to room temperature, about 1 hour.
and taste, with bright minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let
Skip anything buttery fruit flavors—like pinot cool for 10 minutes. SERVE topped with whipped
or oaky, and opt for noir or gamay, the cream, chopped pecans, and/or
COAT a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with
a dry white with fruiti- maple syrup, if desired.
grape used in Beaujo- butter. Add toasted bread, sausage,
ness or minerality to lais. If you think your broth, parsley, sage, eggs, and remaining
refresh your taste buds crowd will want some- 1/2 teaspoon salt to vegetables in bowl;
every time you sip. thing with a little more toss gently to combine. Transfer to pre-
Classic options are oomph, consider a pared baking dish. Cover with buttered
cabernet franc. It has foil and bake for 20 minutes.
more structure but UNCOVER baking dish and bake until
none of that heaviness. browned, 20 to 30 minutes.

72 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 MAPLE
PUMPKIN PIE
We not so humbly present
the platonic ideal of
pumpkin pie—sweet and
spiced just right.
 for the

Tending to someone with health problems

is unglamorous, isolating, taxing work, physically
and emotionally. According to the
numbers, if you’re not doing it, you probably
know someone who is.
B Y E R I C A F I N A M O R E / I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y M O N I C A G A RW O O D

I
REMEMBER THE MOMENT the switch flipped—the very second
I became a caregiver and no longer just a newlywed. It was a chilly,
gray morning in February 2018, and I was standing in the hallway
of the neurological intensive care unit at the NYU Langone
hospital in New York City. I watched and waved with a shaky smile
as nurses wheeled my husband of four months, Jon Marc, to surgery.
A few days earlier, doctors had discovered a mass in his brain, a tumor,
and neurosurgeons were about to remove as much of it as they could.
This was a potentially life-ending surgery; I had signed the papers
that said as much. We locked eyes as he disappeared into the elevator,
unsure we’d get to do it again. We were 28 years old.

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 75

 He made it through, but he was floor with its privacy-free glass offices. I couldn’t remember who I’d been
never quite the same. When I met him At night, I’d research side effects, email before, and I certainly couldn’t picture
after the surgery in the ICU, he had doctors, and do my best to lift his spir- who I’d be after. For more than two
trouble speaking and comprehending its. I did whatever it took, 24/7, to make years, we fought for Jon’s life. He
words. The diagnosis was glioblastoma, his life as good as I possibly could. passed away at age 30 in 2020 (a terri-
a stage 4 brain cancer. He’d need addi- Every surgery, every treatment, ble time for everyone), and I’ve
tional surgeries, lots of treatments, and every clinical trial gave us a glimmer been working through the enormous
even more care. I became his primary of hope, but also offered diminishing loss and caregiver PTSD ever since.
caregiver, which meant I spent my days returns on his ability to care for him- I know my story isn’t typical—most
taking him to appointments, fighting self. In what seemed like an instant, caregivers tend to elderly family
with insurance companies, adminis- but was really a very slow 26 months, members. But what I’ve learned from
tering medications, and working to the scope of my duties progressed. talking to others is that the experience
keep my full-time magazine job while I started helping him recall words, is kind of the same no matter what.
trying not to cry on our open-plan pushing his wheelchair, and preparing The loneliness, the anger, the awkward
for his last days. At times I was so
defeated and guilty and heartsick I
could barely breathe. I felt as though
I were crumbling from the inside out.

Consider Give Yourself Try 5-Minute

IF YOU’RE A Financial Aid Some Credit Self-Care
CAREGIVER AARP found that family
caregivers spend an
Caregivers tend to under-
estimate how much
Making time for yourself
can seem like yet another
average of 26% of their they’re doing. Take a beat to-do to squeeze in.
income—about $7,242 to think about everything The good news: To reap
annually—on related you’ve accomplished the benefits of self-care,
Rely on Others expenses. If your loved this week, month, and you don’t have to book
on is already enrolled year. Write it down. Revel a spa day or even take an
Neighbors, friends, family—they in Medicaid, you might in it. “Does that mean it’s entire yoga class. “There
want to help. When people offer, let be eligible for some not still hard? Of course are things you can do
them. Or you know what? Call and ask compensation. You can not,” says Christina Irving, in five- or three-minute
for some help. “Caregivers often feel learn more through your a licensed clinical social chunks to lower your
as though they have to take on all the state’s Medicaid office. worker and the director of stress level,” Irving says.
responsibilities on their own,” says Similarly, some family client services at the non- Maybe it’s a brief medita-
Christine Crawford, associate medical leave programs will pay profit Family Caregiver tion (the free app Insight
director for the National Alliance on you to care for a family Alliance. “But it helps you Timer has a number
Mental Illness. That’s not necessarily member. Check with realize you may be more of great options) or just
the case. “We can look at caregiving your state’s labor office capable than you’re playing a fun song you
as a team sport.” to find out if you qualify. giving yourself credit for.” really love.

76 R E A L S I M P L E N O V E M B E R 2 0 24
 IF YOU LOVE
interactions with friends. And there are
so many of us. In 2020, approximately A CAREGIVER
53 million Americans were caregivers,
a report from the National Alliance for
Caregiving and AARP found. That num-
ber will only increase (at least one in
five of us could be caregivers by 2030, Reach Out
according to census data) because,
thanks to medical advancements, peo- When you don’t know what to say,
ple are living longer, which means it can be easier to say nothing at all.
more of us need assistance. Caregivers Check in anyway, says Allison
are everywhere, providing an esti- Breininger, founder of The Negative
mated $600 billion in unpaid labor, Space, an online community for
often while raising children, working caregivers (she’s one herself, for her
full-time, or both. husband). “When you don’t hear
Naturally, this added physical and from someone, you’re like, Do they take the pressure off. (The last thing
emotional stress takes a toll on people. even care? Does my situation make you want to do is add to their to-do
The most recent Blue Cross Blue Shield them uncomfortable?” she adds. You list! They can take comfort from
Health Index says that physical and should be honest, Irving says. “You your text without writing back.)
behavioral health conditions have a can say, ‘I don’t know the right thing Even if you don’t get a response,
26% greater impact on caregivers than to say, but I care about you and keep reaching out. While the person
the standard population. Caregivers are I’m here for you.’” Both experts also may not have the time or energy
also more likely to experience anxiety recommend ending texts or emails to write back, it’s good to let them
(34%), major depression (37%), and with a short “No need to respond” to know you’re still there.
hypertension (64%). And let’s not forget
about the financial stress—being sick
can be expensive. “I would argue
that financial strain is a key issue and
a key challenge for many families,”
says Joseph E. Gaugler, PhD, director
of the Center for Healthy Aging and
Innovation at the University of Minne-
sota’s School of Public Health.
I had the great fortune (in my mis-
fortune) of getting wonderful support
from family, friends, and colleagues.
I still remember all the nice things peo-
ple did to keep me going. I’ll always
be grateful for the friend who just
showed up at the hospital to sit with
me on a surgery day, and for the boss
who somehow finagled bonus money
Be Specific S O M E OT H E R
T H I N G S YO U C A N
to help me cover co-pays. But I also Delete “Let me know what I can do” from O FF E R TO D O
learned that people have a hard time your list of go-to phrases, Breininger says. “That Walk the dog
knowing what to say or do, which adds something to the caregiver’s to-do list,” Mow the lawn
makes an already isolating experience she explains. “They have to play matchmaker,
even lonelier. So I spoke with experts Make a grocery run
figuring out what each person is good at and
and put together this cheat sheet whether it’s something they need.” Instead, offer Do the laundry
of advice—the handout I wish I had to do a concrete task that requires little or Provide
back then. It’s for both caregivers no effort from the caregiver—for example, you’ll transportation to
and the people who love them. cook dinner and drop it off on Tuesday at 6 p.m. an appointment

78 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 Resist Bright-Siding Don’t
Similar to toxic positivity, bright-siding Assume
happens when people suggest focusing on
Though taking care
the good, even in a truly terrible situation.
of another human is
While this may be an attempt to cheer up
a caregiver, it can actually do the opposite, hard (understatement
minimizing their experience and of the year?), it’s not
downplaying their feelings. “Bright-siding always an entirely
makes what they’re doing feel less hard and negative experience
important,” Breininger says. “It also makes for everyone, Craw-
them less likely to open up to you in the ford says. “They actu-
future.” Skip clichés like “At least it’s not…,” ally may be deriving
“The silver lining is…,” and the dreaded some sense of joy and
“Everything happens for a reason.” In fact, pleasure from being
the best thing you can do is listen. No one in that role and caring
expects you to say something that will for someone,” she
make everything better, Irving notes. “Most points out. Before you
caregivers just want someone who will launch into “I’m so
listen and validate their experience.” Next sorry” and “This must
time a caregiver updates you on how be hard for you,” ask
things are going, hear them out, then tell what the experience
them they’re doing an amazing job. has been like.

Avoid
Problem-Solving
It’s human nature to want
to fix things, so you may feel
inclined to offer advice or talk
about an article you read recently.
Hold your horses, Irving says.
“Caregivers hear a lot of opinions
and sometimes critiques, which
can be very difficult emotionally
and make them question
themselves,” she says. If you think
you have something genuinely
Keep Showing Up It’s the quieter times later that can be the
hardest because they’re the loneliest.
helpful and insightful to share, ask Sometimes what a caregiver needs most Breininger uses an analogy of firefighters
the caregiver first. “Say something is someone who can simply be there. and carpenters: Firefighters arrive
along the lines of ‘Hey, you Offer to hang out and watch TV after dinner when a house is burning down; carpenters
may have this information already, or join them on a walk. “Just showing up stick around to help the homeowner
but I was doing some research is key,” Breininger says. “Say, ‘Do you want rebuild. Be a carpenter. “It can feel like
and saw a few organizations me to sit with you, or can I come give everyone else has moved on, but checking
that focus on this disease/issue— you a hug?’” And keep doing it. When in between emergencies says to the
would that be helpful?’” Irving a catastrophic health event happens, caregiver, ‘I know you’re still here.
says. Wait for the green light. many people will be in touch right away. I know you’re still in it. And I’m with you.’”
 1
Embrace the
Dark Side
Add drama to any space
by painting the walls
(including the trim) in
a moody monochrome.
Then contrast it with
light-colored furniture
and accent pieces.

THE INDEPENDENT
Georgetown,
South Carolina
 to steal from

These eateries serve up delicious

decor inspo you can bring right home—
no doggie bag necessary.
BY J E N N A H E LW I G

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 81

 2
Draw on the Walls
Or let a professional do it! Either
THEODOR A way, a simple, abstract mural adds
Brooklyn, New York loads of charm. While we’re
here, that narrow plant shelf across
the windows is goals.

82 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

 PETULA’S
Boston

3
P R E V I O U S S P R E A D : C O U R T E S Y O F M O L LY R O S E . O P P O S I T E PA G E : C O U R T E S Y O F B R I A N F E R R Y. T H I S PA G E , F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F H U M A R M I R A N D A ; C O U R T E S Y O F L I B E R T I N E

Go Big in a Small
Powder Room
Half-baths practically beg
for over-the-top decor.
This one features an ornate
mirror, beveled marble,
and hand-applied Roman
clay on the walls. You can
skip the messy crafternoon
and just go with a rich
limewash. Mix in luxe gold
and vibey flowers.

4
Hang
Multiple
Mirrors
We all know that one
of these babies can
make a room seem
bigger. To amplify the
effect, get two or
three (or four!). Not
only will they bounce
around beaucoup
light, they’re also an
easy design cheat.
Find one you like and
you’re done!

LIBERTINE
New York City
 PENDOLINO
Sandy Springs,
Georgia

6
Add Some
Island Flair
Got a kitchen island in
need of a zhuzh?
Take a cue from this
beautiful bar and cover
F R O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F C A S S I E W R I G H T; C O U R T E S Y O F F R A N C E S C O S A P I E N Z A

the side with cool

tiles, which tend to be
easier to clean than,
say, a painted surface.
See ya, scuff marks.

5
Sneak in a Little Art
Gallery walls and gigantic prints certainly have their place. The rest
of the time, a tiny piece here and there—in an interesting frame— SAWA
really hits the spot. Try this trick under a sconce, in a cozy nook, or Brooklyn,
above a plant. Also: Can we talk about those café curtains?! New York
NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 85
 ONE WHITE STREET
New York City

8
Be Extra
with the
Foliage
For atrium feels, start
with a leaf-print
wallpaper, then
add potted plants
throughout
the room. Because
nobody power-
clashes like
Mother Nature.

T H I S PA G E : C O U R T E S Y O F O N E W H I T E S T R E E T. O P P O S I T E PA G E : C O U R T E S Y O F D O U G L A S F R I E D M A N
7
Max Out on Marble
Stone with dramatic veining is super
on-trend. For a similar look without a full reno,
consider peel-and-stick paper, or
swap in a big, marble-topped dining table.

86 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

LEO’S OYSTER BAR
San Francisco
Lov� THE HOLIDAYS? • D E L I C I O U S R E C I P E S • C R E AT I V E C R A F T S
• DÉCOR INSPO • GIFT IDEAS

SO DO WE!
• H O L I D AY H A C K S • A N D M U C H M O R E !

Read Celebrate Now!

 RECIPES FO R
RE AL LIFE

Likely first
cultivated in Japan
700 years ago,
they hit Florida’s
farms in 1876.

IN SEASON

SATS U M A
M AN DARI N S
Typically seedless and always
F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y E M I LY N A B O R S H A L L ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y C L A I R E S P O L L E N

easy to peel, these sweet, delicate

citrus fruits are a little larger than
clementines and generally only
available in the fall and early winter.
S H O P Don’t be put off by a knobby
texture or loose rind. Neither
suggests that your satsuma
is overripe, and both suggest that
peeling will be extra easy.
S TO R E Keep them on the counter
for up to a couple of days or in
the crisper drawer for a few weeks.
E N J OY Peel ’em and eat ’em!
Put segments in a salad, squeeze
out the juice for a vinaigrette,
or drop a whole seedless one (sans
peel) into a blender to brighten
up a banana or berry smoothie.
—Jenna Helwig

Photograph by Jennifer Causey NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 89

W H AT TO C O O K

5
Easy Dinners
1 cup long-grain white rice
#
1 / Shrimp with Garlic 1 lb. peeled, deveined
large raw shrimp

Butter & Olives 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

11/2 tsp. smoked paprika, divided

ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter,
cut into 1-Tbsp. slices and
✓ Quick Cooking ✓ Gluten-Free softened, divided
2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
(from about 6 cloves)
1/2 cup drained pitted
Castelvetrano olives,
roughly chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
1/4 tsp. orange zest plus 11/2 Tbsp.
fresh juice (from 1 orange)
Thinly sliced scallions,
for garnish

COOK rice according to package

directions. Cover and set aside.
PAT shrimp dry with paper towels;
sprinkle with salt and 1 teaspoon
smoked paprika.
HEAT 2 tablespoons butter in a
large skillet over medium-high until
melted and bubbly. Add shrimp;
cook, stirring often, until pink and
just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.

F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y E M I LY N A B O R S H A L L ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y J U L I A B AY L E S S
Transfer shrimp to a bowl.
ADD garlic to skillet; cook, stirring,
until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add
olives, stock, vinegar, orange zest,
orange juice, and remaining 1/2 tea-
spoon paprika. Bring to a boil. Cook,
stirring often, until liquid is reduced
to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.
REDUCE heat to medium-low; stir
in remaining 4 tablespoons butter,
1 tablespoon at a time, until well
combined. Stir in shrimp until evenly
coated. Serve shrimp mixture
over rice, garnished with scallions.

PER SERVING: 460 Calories, 22g Fat

(11g Saturated), 189mg Cholesterol, 1g Fiber,
20g Protein, 39g Carbs, 721mg Sodium,
0g Added Sugar

R e c i p e s b y Tr i c i a M a n z a n e r o S t u e d e m a n
90 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 Photographs by Jennifer Causey
 1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh
cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
1/2 tsp. lime zest plus 1/4 tsp.
fresh juice (from 1 lime)
1 clove garlic, grated (about
1/2 tsp.)
1 lb. ground beef
1 1-oz. pkg. taco seasoning mix
(such as McCormick)
4 6-in. flour tortillas
1/3 cup chopped fresh avocado
(from 1 avocado)
1/4 cup pico de gallo, drained
if needed

STIR together mayonnaise, 11/2

tablespoons water, chopped cilan-
tro, lime zest, lime juice, and garlic
in a small bowl until well combined.
GENTLY combine beef and taco sea-
soning in a large bowl. Divide beef
mixture into 4 equal portions. Press
each portion into a thin patty over
1 tortilla, getting close to edges.
HEAT a large nonstick skillet over
medium-high. Add 1 tortilla, beef
side down; cook, pressing down
gently, until well browned, 2 to 3
minutes. Flip; cook until tortilla is
crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. (Adjust heat as
needed to prevent overbrowning.)
Transfer, tortilla side down, to a wire
rack placed over parchment paper;
cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas,
wiping skillet clean as needed.
TOP burgers with avocado and
pico de gallo. Drizzle with mayon-
naise mixture and garnish with
cilantro leaves. Fold tortillas in half
like tacos. Serve immediately with
#
2 / Smash Burger Tacos
any extra mayonnaise mixture. ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

PER SERVING: 569 Calories, 41g Fat ✓ Quick Cooking ✓ One Pan ✓ Dairy-Free
(12g Saturated), 88mg Cholesterol, 2g Fiber,
23g Protein, 25g Carbs, 1,012mg Sodium,
0g Added Sugar

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 91

W H AT TO C O O K

#
3 / Miso Mushroom Pasta
ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES SERVES 4

✓ One Pot ✓ Vegetarian

HEAT butter in a large pot or Dutch
oven over medium-high until melted
and bubbly. Add mushrooms;
cook, stirring often, until tender and
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
slightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
5 cups sliced fresh shiitake Add garlic and sage; cook, stirring,
mushrooms (from until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3 [5-oz.] pkg.)
ADD broth, 11/2 cups water, and miso
3 Tbsp. minced garlic to pot; stir until combined. Add fet-
(from about 9 cloves) tuccine, gently twisting and reposi-
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage, tioning using tongs until it can
plus more for garnish bend to fit in pot (it’s OK if fettuccine
23/4 cups vegetable broth is not completely submerged).
6 Tbsp. white miso Cover and bring to a boil over high.
12 oz. fettuccine STIR fettuccine mixture in pot
and reduce heat to a simmer over
1/2 cup crème fraîche
medium-low. Cover and simmer,
1 tsp. kosher salt stirring often, until pasta is al dente
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts with a bit of liquid left in bottom of
3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta pot, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in crème
cheese (optional) fraîche and salt. (Sauce will continue
Crushed red pepper, to thicken as it stands.)
for garnish (optional) SERVE pasta sprinkled with walnuts
and topped with ricotta, if using.
Garnish with sage and, if using,
crushed red pepper.

PER SERVING: 683 Calories, 29g Fat

(14g Saturated), 63mg Cholesterol, 8g Fiber,
18g Protein, 81g Carbs, 1,829mg Sodium,
0g Added Sugar
 #
4 / Spinach & Artichoke
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

✓ Quick Cooking ✓ One Pan ✓ Vegetarian

1/2 cup packed thawed frozen

spinach (from a 10-oz. pkg.)
4 oz. fontina cheese, shredded
(about 1 cup)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. (about ¾ oz.)
grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup drained chopped
artichoke heart quarters
(from an 8.5-oz. can)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbsp. mayonnaise, divided
8 1/2-in.-thick slices
Italian bread

DRAIN spinach, squeezing out

as much liquid as possible. Place
spinach in a large bowl. Stir in
fontina, cream cheese, Parmesan,
artichokes, garlic powder, Italian
seasoning, salt, and 3 tablespoons
mayonnaise until well combined.
SPREAD remaining 3 tablespoons
mayonnaise over 1 side of each
bread slice. Place 4 bread slices,
mayonnaise side down, on a cutting
board. Spread spinach mixture
on top. Cover with remaining
4 bread slices, mayonnaise side up.
HEAT a large nonstick skillet over
medium. Add 2 sandwiches; cook,
occasionally pressing down with a
spatula, until golden brown, 2 to 3
minutes per side. (Adjust heat as
needed to prevent overbrowning.)
Transfer sandwiches to cutting
board; cover loosely with foil to
keep warm. Wipe skillet clean and
cook remaining 2 sandwiches.

PER SERVING: 432 Calories, 36g Fat

(14g Saturated), 72mg Cholesterol, 2g
Fiber, 13g Protein, 15g Carbs, 780mg
Sodium, 0g Added Sugar

NOVEMBER 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 93

W H AT TO C O O K

You can also make this

with leftover
Thanksgiving turkey!

2 cups seedless red grapes

(from 1 bunch)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,
divided
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 tsp. Dijon
mustard, divided
21/2 cups chopped rotisserie
chicken (from 1 small
rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup chopped fresh shallot
(from 1 shallot)
4 cups baby kale
(from a 5-oz. pkg.)
1/4 cup chopped almonds
(preferably smoked)

PREHEAT oven to 450°F. Stir

together grapes, 1 tablespoon
oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a
rimmed baking sheet lined with
aluminum foil.
ROAST until grapes start to blister
and burst, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring
halfway through. Let cool on bak-
ing sheet for 15 minutes.
WHILE grapes cool, stir together
mayonnaise, tarragon, 1 table-
spoon mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon
salt in a large bowl. Stir in chicken
and shallot. Add cooled grapes
to chicken mixture using a slotted
spoon, reserving juices on baking
sheet. Gently fold until combined.
ADD 1 teaspoon reserved roasted
grape juice to a separate large
bowl. Whisk in remaining 1 table-
spoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon mus-

5 / Chicken Salad with

tard. Add kale and remaining 1/2
# teaspoon salt; toss until coated.
kale topped with chicken

Roasted Grapes & Almonds

SERVE
mixture and almonds.

PER SERVING: 587 Calories, 45g Fat

ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 45 MINUTES SERVES 4 (7g Saturated), 97mg Cholesterol, 3g Fiber,
30g Protein, 19g Carbs, 1,190mg Sodium,
✓ Gluten-Free ✓ Dairy-Free 0g Added Sugar

94 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024

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W H AT TO C O O K

BET TER FOR YOU

ROAST E D ACO RN SQ UAS H SA L A D

Every holiday spread deserves some color and crunch. ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES
This gorgeous pile of goodness delivers. SERVES 8

BY C R A I G RU FF
1 acorn squash, halved
lengthwise and seeded
(no need to peel)
T I M E S AV E R 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,
Put away your divided
peeler! The skin
gets super tender 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
in the oven. 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. pure maple syrup, divided
11/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot
(from 1 shallot)
1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed
and chopped (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped salted,
roasted pistachios
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
Crumbled feta cheese
(optional)

PREHEAT oven to 425°F with rack

in lower third position. Cut squash
into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Chop
slices into 2-inch-long pieces.
TOSS squash with 1 tablespoon oil,
cinnamon, cumin, 1 teaspoon
maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon salt

F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y R I S H O N H A N N E R S ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y J U L I A B AY L E S S
on a large rimmed baking sheet.
Spread into an even layer. Bake until
tender and browned on bottom,
15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
WHISK vinegar, mustard, shallot,
and remaining 3 tablespoons oil,
1 teaspoon maple syrup, and 1/2 tea-
spoon salt in a large bowl. Add kale;
massage with your hands until
wilted and tender, about 2 minutes.
Add squash and gently toss. Trans-
fer to a platter. Top with pistachios,
arils, and (if using) feta.

98 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 Photograph by Jennifer Causey

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 MINOR ISSUES, MAJOR OPINIONS

N A P S : YAY O R N AY?
Everyone’s got thoughts!
We collected yours, then called
on the experts to settle
the debate once and for all.
BY N AO M I BA R R
75% of
Instagram
commenters are
totally down with
catnapping.

Readers say…
Yay! Nay!
“I’ve always loved a nap! Especially now, “I have never been a napper. If I do nap, I
with a 9-week-old baby, I sneak them in as feel worse when I wake up than I did prior.”
much as possible.” _LAURATORR123

MYROCKFLAWLESS
“Not officially. But I find myself doing the
“When I can, yes. It gives me a second ol’ head bob sometimes (OK, most times)
wind on those extra-hard days and makes when I’m sitting on the couch reading.”
everything better.” LYNNE_CUMMEROW_KELLNER

STARDUST_920
“I don’t. Because usually, if I take a nap, then
“I can nap on demand. The best nap is a nap I can’t sleep at night.”
on a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon. Sublime!” SAYALCA

RANNBURT

The experts A little siesta may be just what the Mednick, PhD, professor of cogni- atively impact your sleep cycle.”
say… doctor ordered—as long as it’s quick. tive science at the University of Go longer and you’re more likely to
Studies have shown that naps can California, Irvine, and author of The have trouble falling asleep at bed-
make you more alert and less impul- Power of the Downstate. “Rather, time or sleeping through the night.
sive, boost your memory, and help it’s the need to nap that’s the first It appears that some humans are
you think more creatively. Plus, symptom of something underlying.” wired for daytime sleep and some
a 2019 study found that people who Reaping the benefits of a nap are not, says Hassan Dashti, PhD,
napped one or two times a week depends on when you take it and RD, an assistant professor at Harvard
lowered their chances of having a how long it lasts, says Rachel Salas, Medical School, whose research
heart attack or stroke by 48%. MD, assistant medical director of the includes how genes may determine
But some research has linked Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and our penchant for naps. If you’re in
consistent, long naps—an hour or Wellness. “Ideally, a nap should be the latter group, don’t fret: “Instead,
more—to an increased risk of heart 20 to 30 minutes and no more than focus your energy on your nighttime
disease, though it’s probably not the an hour, and happen before 3 p.m. sleep,” he says. Then nap only
snoozing that’s to blame, says Sara Any later and you could start to neg- if you really feel like it’ll happen.

100 RE AL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2024 Illustration by Joel Holland

 IT’S THANKSGIVING MADE EASY.
Serve up a meal to remember with the help of Reynolds Wrap.®

© 2024 Reynolds Consumer Products, LLC.