Happy Saturday. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but starting tomorrow, 7 pm sunsets are back — which has honestly been the main thing getting me from one day to the next. Also helping? This recipe for a homemade version of the viral cookie-croissant hybrid (aka, “Le Crookie”), and this imaginary convo with the inventor of jeans. I also thought Phoebe Philo’s Pillow Scarf would be a good addition to my wardrobe…until I saw the $2,000 price tag. In other things I don’t know how to make sense of: Oscar Mayer going vegan. And this newly-discovered, prehistoric sea lizard species, which is being described as “terrifying, nightmarish and hideously ugly.” Stay safe out there.
— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC
“Help Wanted” by Adelle Waldman
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We’ve all seen the aisles upon aisles of inventory at a big-box store. But we don’t tend to think much about how it got there. This sophomore novel from the author of “The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.” clears that up. It focuses on the team called Movement (at a fictional store, “Town Square”) whose job it is to unload the truck in the warehouse at 4 am. When their hated boss, Meredith, is put up for a promotion, the people of Movement realize that her exit would open up a management spot for one of them — and conspire to get Meredith hired. It’s a fascinating, funny, supremely readable workplace novel that just happens to be set at a workplace that’s largely invisible to the outside world. We asked Waldman a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: “Help Wanted” originated from your own experience working at a big-box store — something you had once written down on a list of potential projects. Why was that?
Waldman: I sought out a job at a big-box store in the hope that it would inspire a novel, but without knowing for sure whether it would. I had worked a low-wage job before. I was a bagger at a grocery store, a cashier at Starbucks, and a waitress, among various other jobs. But I did those jobs after school or [while home from] college. And being young and self-involved, I mostly hung out with the other people who were, like me, on the job temporarily, as a waystation on the road to somewhere else. This was different because I went into the job wanting to be there, curious about the place and how it worked. [It didn’t take long to] realize there was a novel there. A closed big-box store in the middle of the night, with a skeleton crew of workers unloading boxes, turns out to be a very rich environment.
Q: If you had to work in a fictional workplace for six months, which would you choose and why?
Waldman: I would love to work at the bar from the sit-com “Cheers.” This probably dates me — I’m a Gen Xer. But for those who haven’t seen it, it’s a great show. And if I worked at that bar, Ted Danson would be my boss. Plus, the conversations with the regulars would be really fun.
Q: What’s the last book that kept you up way too late?
Waldman: “Big Swiss” by Jen Beagin. It’s so smart and funny and original that I just never wanted to stop reading, even when I was so tired I had to struggle to keep my eyes open.
The Best Thing To Do With a Store-Bought Rotisserie Chicken
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A wise person (OK, Eater) once said you should always “keep a rotisserie chicken in the fridge.” We couldn’t agree more. They’re available at most grocery stores (follow these tips to pick the best bird), they’re about half the price of an Erewhon smoothie, and they’re incredibly convenient. As in, with one chicken, you’re halfway to pulling off a variety of quick, easy dinners — like this Spiced Chickpeas and Rotisserie Chicken Pulao/Pilaf from cookbook author Nik Sharma. It combines fluffy basmati rice, jazzed up chickpeas, warming spices, and yes, juicy chicken for a simple yet deeply satisfying dish. Oh and did we mention it’s all done in one pot?
The Time Commitment: Approximately 40 minutes. Though, this trick for deboning an entire chicken in one minute could speed things up. Also worth noting? Most of the cooking time is for the rice — which requires little to no attention.
Our Tip: For some crunch, toss in chopped pistachios, sliced almonds, or toasted pine nuts just before serving. You could also top it off with a generous sprinkling of dried cherries, cranberries, or currants for small bursts of sweetness.
Try It With: A bright and crunchy Kachumber Salad, which is the perfect complement to this hearty main. Same with a glass of off-dry Riesling (if you prefer white) or Beaujolais (if you prefer red).
This Southern Hidden Gem Is Bursting With Cherry Blossoms
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PSA: Washington, DC isn’t the only spot where you can see stunning cherry blossoms. Every spring, cities across the country transform into a sea of pastel pink and white, but perhaps none more so than Macon. Located in central Georgia, the recently revitalized small town has an astounding 350,000 cherry blossom trees (for comparison, DC’s National Mall has 3,800) and fewer tourists — meaning, there’s enough room to stop and take in the view.
🛏 If you can snag one of The Woodward Hotel’s nine rooms, you should. Each one feels both hip and classic, featuring plush mattresses, high-quality linens, cozy reading chairs, and great books — a tribute to the owner’s grandfather, an English professor. Another nod to him is the hotel’s speakeasy-style bar, Quill, which specializes in literature-inspired cocktails.
🌸 While peak bloom varies from year to year, it’s commonly in late-March (follow this route for some of the best views). The city celebrates its Yoshino cherry trees — and their quirky history — with “The Pinkest Party on Earth” a 10-day event that includes rides and games, a parade, a glamorous ball, a Weiner Dog Race, and a variety of themed bites and beverages. This year the festivities run from March 15 to 24.
🍴 You can’t visit Macon without sampling superb soul food — so make sure to get the fried chicken and homemade biscuits at H&H Restaurant, a local institution open for breakfast and lunch. Another classic spot? Nu-Way Weiners, famous for its red hot dogs loaded with chili sauce. For a more upscale dinner, make a reservation at Dovetail, known for seasonal twists on Southern cuisine.
Same vibes, different budget. Sorry for being obvious, but nowhere does cherry blossom season quite like Japan — there’s even a Japanese word that means “flower viewing.” While the beautiful blooms can be found across the country, we recommend starting with Tokyo, which has equally vibrant food and music scenes.
We asked you to vote on an etiquette question you’d like answered. The winner was:
Q: Whenever we go out, my friend’s partner constantly makes jokes at her expense. She’s never complained about it, but it’s pretty uncomfortable. Should I bring it up to my friend?
“You need to [first] take a look at the history of your relationship with your friend. So, how close are you? Are you casual friends? Are you dear friends where you tell each other everything? Are you comfortable with each other offering unsolicited advice? Is this friend particularly sensitive, or do they tend to not take things personally? Also consider, how long is their relationship? If it’s new it raises more of a red flag than if it’s a 20-plus year relationship … If this happens once or twice, and you don’t spend a lot of time with that friend … I think it’s best to try and [avoid] any type of conversation … [But] if you’ve determined that you'd like to say something because you’re actually concerned for your friend, I’d wait for a situation where it can be [brought up] as organically as possible … something to the effect of, ‘We’ve been spending a lot of time together, and I noticed your partner has [said] some silly things at your expense. Maybe I’m extra sensitive, [but] I’ve just wondered, are you okay? Do you ever get upset?’ … Make sure they know you’re not passing judgment — you’re just there to listen and offer support.”
Q. What’s the most meaningful financial advice you’ve ever received?
Lena Haas: The most meaningful advice I've received was from my parents early on. It was simple, but really shaped my mindset. They told me that I should take full ownership of my financial future. My financial success is my personal responsibility and no one else's — not theirs, and not a future partner's. Learning about my finances and making good decisions should start now (these conversations were happening before I moved out to go to college).*
Featured Professional
Lena Haas
Head of Wealth Management Advice and Solutions at Edward Jones.Her answer has been edited for length and clarity. Find more financial education here.
*This content was paid for by Edward Jones
Trending products and brands our shopping team has been loving recently.
1. The camisole we always wear under our sweaters.
You know it's time to throw away those camis you've had since high school. This Skims Fits Everybody cami lies flat underneath top layers, and it really does fit everyone perfectly. For a less-expensive option, buy these in bulk.
This clever tool works as both a veggie chopper and tongs for tossing and serving, so you can prep salad in one bowl and without a knife. Rainbow salads for everyone.
Life hack: Wearing cute clothes is the best way to motivate yourself for a workout. We're looking forward to wearing these lightweight shorts for warm-weather runs. Until then, we'll be living in this leggingsand hoodie combo.
*PS: Want more product recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram.
Up for a challenge? These new puzzle games are easy to get into, but tough to excel at. (Trust us, we’re still trying.) You can play alone, as a team, or competitively against your frenemies 😈. We’ll see you on the leaderboard.
THESKIMM: HERE'S WHAT'S NEXT
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Skimm’d by: Melissa Goldberg, Alex Carr, Margaret Wheeler Johnson, and Niven McCall-Mazza
Photos by W.W. Norton & Company, courtesy of Nik Sharma, Sean Pavone via iStock, RAUL RODRIGUEZ via iStock, recep-bg via Getty Images, courtesy of Lisa Gaché, Brand Partners
