Happy Saturday. This weekend, I’m drawing inspiration from Drew Barrymore’s viral “hermit” lifestyle and staying in. While I enjoy uninterrupted indoor time, I’ll be scrolling through the comments section of Martha Stewart’s Instagram post that features a bizarre chicken-lobster dish straight out of the “Poor Things” universe. Safe to say, I won’t be attempting to make that — but I will try to perfect my at-home cocktail, using this TikTok hack to up my hosting game.
— Alex Carr / Editorial Director / New York, NY
“Memory Piece” by Lisa Ko
theSkimm
Giselle, Jackie, and Ellen meet as kids in the early 1980s and bond by crashing a neighbor’s Fourth of July barbeque and successfully pilfering hamburgers. That’s the beginning of their stories, which we follow through the ‘90s and finally into a dystopian 2040. Giselle becomes a performance artist, Jackie a software engineer, and Ellen an activist in New York City. Each woman gets her own section of the book, and each one has to contend with the changing world as she figures out what really matters to her. We asked Lisa Ko — whose first novel was the highly acclaimed “The Leavers” — a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: Like some of your “Memory Piece” protagonists, you were also raised in the New Jersey suburbs during the 1980s. How much did you draw from your own experiences?
Ko: Their experiences are not mine and their characters wholly fictional, but the landscapes in which they grew up are familiar to me — Jackie and Giselle’s New Jersey childhoods, and Ellen’s in New York City during the same time. The mall where Giselle does a year-long art project is my childhood mall, Paramus Park; like Jackie and Giselle, I, too, was a reluctant Saturday-morning Chinese school attendee. I also grew up on a steady diet of MTV and dreamt of one day moving to the city and becoming an artist, like Giselle.
Q: What’s one thing from the ‘80s you wish still existed today?
Ko: Telephone landlines still exist (for now!), but I haven’t had one in decades, and sometimes I yearn for that pre-text-messaging, pre-internet-in-your-hand world where we weren’t all contactable at all times.
Q: In a recent X post, you gave followers a peek at some of the Post-It notes and index cards that helped you plot “Memory Piece.” How many did you go through, and how exactly do you use them?
Ko: Hundreds, I’d guess. I like to use index cards as an analog way to map out more precise scenes when I’ve already drafted some initial ones, trying to figure out how to write more intentionally. On each card, I’ll write out a line or two about the external action I want the scene to include, as well as the internal action for the characters, and the change that occurs in the scene … I’ll then lay them out and move them around to see if the order makes sense — it’s all open to lots and lots of change. I’ll do the same thing with Post-Its, but put them up on the wall, using different colors for different sections.
Q: What’s the best book you’ve read recently and why?
Ko: I’m reading Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s “Chain Gang All Stars” and it’s just exhilarating — an abolitionist text that’s part satire, part horror, implicating the reader at every step.
The Creamy Pasta Recipe That’s Easy, Breezy, and Perfect for Spring
theSkimm
Pat yourselves on the back: We officially made it to spring. Sure, it might not be quite as warm as we’d like — but, weather be damned, we’re eating as if it’s bike-shorts degrees outside and farmers’ markets are bursting with all of the greens. Which is exactly why we’re recommending The Original Dish’s Creamy Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage & Spring Vegetables. The buttery pasta leans heavily on some of the earliest stars of spring produce (think: leeks, peas, fennel, spinach) and adds ample herbs, white wine, and lemon juice and zest for a welcome zing.
The Time Commitment: Around 45 minutes. Meaning, you’ll also be able to enjoy the best parts of spring — like longer days and outdoor happy hours.
The Original Dish’s Tip: The recipe calls for ramps — onion’s cool, hip cousin — which are only available for a few weeks each year. If you can’t find any, sliced spring onions or shallots will also work, but make sure to “cook them in the butter for [two to three] minutes before adding the garlic.”
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🍴 For a taste of authentic Greek cuisine, head to Souvlakia Kargas where the menu only has three items: gyros, souvlaki, and kebabs. Then, sip on an Aperol spritz and enjoy the sunset at Vavayia’s Cocktail Bar. For dinner, head to Dionysos Restaurant Garden for freshly caught seafood, which, as its name suggests, is set in a gorgeous courtyard garden.
Get there for 90% less by…signing up for this club. Don’t worry about scouring the web for the best flights; they’ll keep you posted on can’t-miss travel deals like an under-$350 RT ticket to Greece or $500 off a summer Eurotrip. Oh, and Skimm’rs can join for just $1 before midnight tonight. Don’t forget to send us a postcard.*
We asked you to vote on an etiquette question you’d like answered. The winner was:
Q: A few weeks ago, my friend got divorced, and I meant to reach out — but I completely blanked. Is it too late now? If not, should I acknowledge and apologize for the delay, or will that make it more awkward?
“It’s never too late to send a note, apologize, or reach out — for anything. People think if a certain amount of time has passed, they’re past their mark, but there’s no set date … I love the saying, ‘Never complain, never explain.’ You don’t need to give a tardy explanation — you just need to do it … [ideally] in person or [on the] phone … If you feel bad, you can apologize [and say something like], ‘I have no excuse’ or ‘I wanted to give you space’ … Some people feel very uncomfortable about things like this, [so sending] a note [first] would [also] be acceptable. Say, ‘Hey, listen, I don’t want to bug you, I’m sure you’re going through a lot, [but] know that I’m thinking about you. I’ll reach out to you at [X] time.’ Then make sure you do follow up … It [comes down to] the golden rule. If this happened to you, you’d want [your friend] to do the same thing. Not saying anything is only a stumble — but it becomes a major fall when you do nothing, especially if the friendship is a close one.”
Which etiquette question should an expert answer next week?
My sibling calls me once a day (if not more), mostly because she’s bored. Is there a polite way to let her know she’s bothering me, or should I just learn to ignore her calls?
Q: What’s the most meaningful financial advice you’ve ever received?
Jasmine Butler: Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Meaning, do not make significant purchases in anticipation of a significant bonus, raise, etc. before you have the funds in hand. You never know when circumstances could change (i.e. a company downsizes or restructures your compensation). Also, make sure your finances are in alignment with your values.*
Featured Professional
Jasmine Butler
Financial Advisor 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
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Skimm’d by: Melissa Goldberg, Alex Carr, and Niven McCall-Mazza
Photos by Riverhead Books, The Original Dish, Emily Kim Photography, eyecrave productions via Getty Images, Brand Partners
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