âSay Youâll Be Mineâ by Naina KumartheSkimmCross âMy Best Friendâs Weddingâ with âIndian Matchmakingâ and youâd get this swoonworthy debut novel. When Meghnaâs ex-boyfriend, best friend, and unrequited love gets engaged â and worse, asks her to be his best man â she realizes heâll never feel the same. Determined to have a plus-one for the big day, she agrees to meet a potential match picked by her parents: Karthik, a handsome engineer whose mom is committed to finding him a wife, even though he has no intentions of getting married. A fake engagement seems like the perfect solution to both their problems â until it becomes hard to separate whatâs real from whatâs not. We asked Kumar a few questions. Hereâs what she had to say... Q: The fake relationship is one of romanceâs most beloved tropes. How did you put your own spin on it?Kumar: I love the fake dating trope, but itâs such an over-the-top concept at its core, which is part of what makes it so fun. I really thought about the motivations behind entering a fake relationship. I was living at home with my parents, and they were having a lot of conversations with me about matchmaking and finding a spouse, and I couldnât stop thinking about how [that] pressure might prompt someone to fake an engagement. It seemed like a fun, natural way to put a spin on this classic trope. Q: Thanks to shows like âIndian Matchmaking,â arranged marriage has recently been in the spotlight. Did that influence your decision to put it at the center of âSay Youâll Be Mineâ?Kumar: It definitely did. I was inspired first and foremost by my own family. My parents had an arranged marriage, but things have changed a lot in the years since my parents got married. I think âIndian Matchmakingâ showed the modern reality of matchmaking, especially in the diaspora vs. in India. I tried to capture some of that tension between tradition and modernity in the book, as well as the specific experience of being Indian-American. Q: If âSay Youâll Be Mineâ was turned into a movie or TV show, who would you want to play Meghna and Karthik?Kumar: I love Simone Ashley and think she was brilliant in âBridgerton.â Iâm so excited to see more and more of her and think sheâd be an amazing Meghna. And Iâd love Sendhil Ramamurthy as Karthik. Or, maybe Dev Patel. Q: Youâre hosting your dream book club â whoâs invited, what are you reading, and what are you eating?Kumar: Weâd probably read âPride and Prejudiceâ and do a desi version of afternoon tea â chai, mini-samosas, and other snacks. Iâd invite Jane Austen, of course, Ali Hazelwood (sheâs the best, and I love any excuse to hang out with her), and Nikki Payne. Nikki writes fantastic contemporary retellings of Austenâs books, and Iâd love to see her chat with Austen about them. PS: Looking for a read thatâs just as romantic, but a little steamier? Check out these hot and heavy recs. |
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These 20-Minute Noodles Are Almost Too EasytheSkimmIf youâre also a member of âThe Cult of Spicy Chile Crisp,â you mightâve seen that the condiment is at the center of a very heated food fight. (If you havenât, hereâs the play-by-play.) Now, we donât know that anyone should own the terms âchili crunchâ or âchile crunchâ but one thing we do know? The spicy, salty, crunchy condiment has a magical ability to turn any dish from good to great. Just take Pickled Plumâs Pan Fried Noodles with Chili Crisp. The less-is-more recipe already had a lot going for it (namely, crispy-yet-tender noodles), but add some chili crisp â and suddenly theyâre the best ever. The Time Commitment: Approximately 20 minutes. Meaning, itâs probably even faster than your go-to delivery or takeout. Key Tip: Of course, the simplicity of this recipe is part of what makes it so appealing. But itâs also what makes it so easy to riff on. Want more veggies? Onions, carrots, mushrooms, and Chinese broccoli are all great options. Prefer more protein? Add beef or shrimp. Just make sure to prepare it separately, to ensure itâs cooked thoroughly, then pile it on top of the cooked noodles. Other Takes: Just as the world of chili crisp has exploded (weâre partial to Lao Gan Ma and Fly By Jing), so have the different ways you can use it. Add it to soups and other noodle dishes, from Chile Crisp Spaghetti al Limone to Dan Dan Noodles. Spread it on chicken, salmon, or your favorite grilled cheese. Mix it into chocolate chip cookie dough for the ultimate spicy-sweet combo. Or, feeling even more adventurous? Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream â and thank us later. |
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The Tiny Canadian Island with Big New England VibestheSkimmLetâs get this out of the way: Yes, Canadaâs Prince Edward Island â aka, PEI â is where âAnne of Green Gablesâ took place. But thatâs not why the picturesque province gets all the glory come spring and summer. Instead, itâs because of the lighthouse-dotted coastline, spectacular shores (thereâs more than 90 beaches), sandstone cliffs, and quaint towns. Not to mention, lots and lots of fresh seafood. đ First-timer? Just staying a few days? Consider making the capital, Charlottetown, your base. Specifically, the Sydney Boutique Inn & Suites, a 19th-century convent turned hotel, which includes 18 meticulously restored suites and apartments, featuring high-quality bedding and lavish marble bathrooms. đ PEI is so tiny, it only takes about five hours to drive from end to end. That makes it easy to visit a few small towns in one day. We recommend following the idyllic Central Coastal Drive, whichâll take you to: Victoria-by-the-Sea, home to many talented artisans; North Rustico, a charming fishing village known for deep-sea excursions; and Cavendish, where you can walk in the footsteps of PEIâs most famous export (Anne) and learn about her creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery. đ„Ÿ You could traverse the entire province by foot, courtesy of the 435-mile Island Walk. But, full disclosure, it takes just over a month â so instead, tackle one of the 32 sections, like Mt. Stewart to St. Peterâs, which some say is the most scenic. (Worth noting: You can also bike here and on the equally popular Confederation Trail.) And spend a few hours at PEI National Park, which has striking dunes and memorable views. đŽ Even if youâve never visited PEI, youâve likely tasted its culinary claim to fame: mussels. But thereâs nothing like going straight to the source â particularly when thatâs the lively, harborfront Blue Mussel CafĂ©. Also not to be missed? A round of freshly-shucked oysters at Sea Rocket Oyster House, a lobster supper at local institution New Glasgow Lobster Suppers, and at least one scoop from Cows Creamery. |
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theSkimmMoney: always on our minds, not as always on our to-do lists. Because figuring out where to start can feel like a chore in itself. So in honor of Financial Literacy Month (happeningâŠright now), weâre sharing a few ways to get in the spirit â and on the right financial track: 1. Start â or grow â an emergency fund, ideally enough to cover six to eight months of living expenses. Canât swing that right now? Start with as little as $25 a month and work up from there. 2. Take full advantage if your employer does a 401(k) match. Because you wouldnât leave free money on the table. 3. Protect your most important asset: your income. Read up on how here. |
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We asked you to vote on an etiquette question youâd like answered. The winner was: Q: During my morning commute, I often run into the same coworker, who I donât really like. Do I have to make conversation, or is there a way to do my own thing without being rude?âWhen I rode the bus or subway, that would be my time, [in which I could] read a book or listen to a podcast. If theyâre close enough to say hi and you know their name, just say âHi Janeâ or whatever ⊠Itâs a low bar to be decent and civil to each other. You donât have to engage in conversation, even if they try to engage you. You just respond appropriately. In other words, if they [ask] how youâre doing, [just say], âGood, thank you,â and then stop ⊠When you donât ask them something in response, youâre acknowledging what they said, which is the polite and civil thing to do, but youâre not engaging them by reciprocating ⊠I also like to close the conversation and not just leave it hanging there, which seems kind of rude. Just say, âHave a good day,â or something like that.â |
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Which etiquette question should an expert answer next week? |
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Trending products and brands our shopping team has been loving recently. The tinted sunscreen that sold out at Ulta.Head to the BeautyBio website to get your hands on the cult-favorite Bronzing Blendrops. It's made with plumping and color-correcting ingredients and gives your skin a fresh, natural-looking tan. And it has a solid SPF 40. An Earth Month sale at GreenPan.Until tomorrow, get 30% off GreenPan's does-it-all, toxin-free, nonstick frying pans. They're running special sales all month long, so keep this page bookmarked. Cute dresses under $60 for every occasion.This Carrie Bradshaw-esque tank dress for every day, a silky halter-neck you can wear to weddings, and an effortless maxi for the pool. Summer wardrobe, sorted. | PS: Want more product recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram. |
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Have a book, recipe, or travel rec? Or, a dicey etiquette question you want answered by an expert? Submit them here. |
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Skimmâd by: Melissa Goldberg, Alex Carr, Margaret Wheeler Johnson, and Niven McCall-Mazza | Photos by Dell, Caroline Caron-Phelps, Don White via iStock, Peter Unger via Getty Images, martin-dm via Getty Images, courtesy of Juliet Mitchell, Brand Partners Design by theSkimm *PS: This is a sponsored post. |
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