EDITOR’S NOTE
Happy Saturday. Despite the fact that my sports career ended on the T-ball field, this week I was thrilled to learn there is something I have in common with Olympic athletes: my favorite relaxing activity. Other things I'll do this weekend?
Book it to my favorite restaurant (the Costco food court) to try the newest ice cream sundae, which combines two of my favorite flavors — and costs $3.
Try my hand at “sleepy girl makeup,” which, contrary to my initial understanding, is unfortunately not achieved by sleeping all day.
Pay a visit to my grandma's house to see if she has one of these controversial items hanging in her closet, which are currently trending. Hey, at least they're vintage, right?
Whip out the pants (and pockets) that dominated my wardrobe in the 2000s. Thanks to these updated style tips, I might even look cool wearing them.
— Jamie Feldman / Writer, Culture & Leisure / Brooklyn, NY
You've Met Marry Me Chicken, Now Meet the One-Pot Wonder Version
theSkimm
Listen, Marry Me Chicken is a nearly perfect recipe. But if there was a way to improve upon the massively viral dish, it would be by turning it into a comforting, creamy soup. Namely, Real Food Whole Life's Marry Me Chicken Soup. Think, the same flavor-packed ingredients you know (and love) from the original — sun-dried tomatoes, a healthy dose of Parm, shredded chicken — all made in one pot and served with a spoon. Oh, and did we mention it's made with the World's Cutest Pasta Shape™? Forget kissing the cook, we’re ready to run off with the soup itself.
The Time Commitment: Just 30 minutes.
Key Tips: If you're feeling ambitious, by all means make and shred your own chicken. For the rest of us, Robyn Conley Downs (aka Real Food Whole Life) says she loves using a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead.
Other Takes: Ready to fall in love (with more soup)? Try…
Caramelized Gochujang Tomato Soup. A grown-up tomato soup that's a little spicy, a little sweet, and all flavor. Cheesy scallion pancakes on the side not required… but highly recommended.
One-Pot White Bean Soup With Turkey, Leeks, and Kale, a classic flavor combo with a coconut milk twist that one commenter said “tastes like a warm hug.”
Creamy Pastina Soup With Sausage — because when it comes to the number of ways we want to eat tiny pasta smothered with butter and cheese, the limit does not exist.
So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder
theSkimm
An overcrowded house party in the East Village. A hellish destination wedding in Cancún. A Halloween party in the town your friends picked for its school district. These familiar, millennial milestones are also where we meet the tight-knit circle at the heart of Grant Ginder's So Old, So Young. Sprinkled with Ginder's signature laugh-out-loud dialogue, his latest novel follows six best friends at five parties over the course of 20 years. Relationships change, rifts form, and all of the happiest — and most heartbreaking — aspects of friendship are (oh so relatably) revealed. It's as nostalgic as flipping through one of your old Facebook albums. Or, as the LA Times put it, “like a younger version of the recent Four Seasons adaptation.” Sold. We asked Ginder a few questions. Here's what he had to say.
Q: What's the one thing you can't leave the house without?
Ginder: Since it became socially acceptable to watch Instagram Reels on a crowded subway at full volume at 7:15 am: my noise-canceling AirPods.
Q: What should be required reading for every human being?
Ginder: [George Eliot's] Middlemarch, for a few reasons. The first is that it's well worth the hype. The second is that it teaches more about compassion, connection, and the flaws that make us human than TikTok ever could. Plus, when you’re reading Middlemarch, you get to tell everyone that you're reading Middlemarch.
Q: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only eat one thing, what would it be?
Ginder: California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Chicken Pizza — but particularly the one they made at the Laguna Hills Mall when I was 16 and thought it was the height of sophistication and luxury.
TOGETHER WITH IHG ONE REWARDS PREMIER CREDIT CARD
The Mexico Getaway No One Told You About (Until Now)
theSkimm
Cabo, Tulum, Cancún — we know them all. So if you’re ready for a Mexican escape that hasn’t been Instagram’d to death, say hello to La Paz, Baja California Sur’s best-kept secret. This laid-back city boasts spectacular sugar-white beaches (hi, Playa Balandra), rich marine life, and a pace that practically dares you to slow down. Kick things off at Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés, where the desert-meets-sea design and coastal views make it clear: you chose wisely.
🚲 The best way to take in La Paz? Start in the heart of the city: Malecón, a palm tree–lined waterfront promenade. Stroll the 3.4-mile stretch (or cruise on a rental bike) at golden hour for unbeatable ocean views. Along the way, browse vibrant local art — including sea-inspired sculptures — and grab fresh fish tacos at one of the many open-air spots.
🐋 La Paz is known as one of the best places in the world for marine biodiversity, so save a day for Isla Espíritu Santo, a UNESCO World Heritage–listed island just offshore. Snorkel in crystal-clear water (read: prime conditions for spotting sea lions, whale sharks, and stingrays) or post up on a secluded beach that feels straight out of a screensaver.
🏨 Back at Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés, wind down by the pool, sip a margarita overlooking the Sea of Cortez (hailed by Jacques Cousteau as “the world’s aquarium”), or enjoy a slow dinner as the sky turns pink. It’s stylish, serene, and perfectly placed for soaking up everything La Paz does best — without feeling rushed.
And here’s a little travel tip: the Chase IHG® One Rewards Premier Credit Card† lets you earn points toward stays with IHG Hotels & Resorts, making an escape at properties like Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés even more possible. Now through March 18, 2026, new cardmembers can earn 175,000 Bonus Points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening – consider this your sign to go off the beaten path.
We asked you to vote on an etiquette question you’d like answered. The winner was:
Q: I’m always organizing hangouts with my friend group. If I don’t initiate and set a date, we don’t see each other. I can’t tell if they’re relying on me because they know I’ll do it or aren’t invested. How do I bring this up without making it weird?
“Instead of trying to figure out what the other person is thinking, the best thing to do is ask. It will be uncomfortable, but pose it very simply to get a direct answer. ‘I notice I typically organize the event. Is that because you prefer I do it, or would you like to organize sometimes?’ Some people might say you’re good at it, others might assume you prefer to do it. You never know what type of answer you’re going to get. Determine what’s important to you: spending time with your friends, or having them plan the event? If the group breaks up because you’ve asked, you probably just did yourself a favor.”
Skimm’d by: Jamie Feldman and Kylie McConville. Fact-checked by Jordan Mamone.
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