Parenting: How can we help our kids get along better while in quarantine?
Whatever you do, keep offering the children empathy (separately and together). These are difficult times, and simply enduring with as much grace as you can muster is a win.
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Articles
13 books on the history of Black America for those who really want to learn
The national uprising for racial justice and social change sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis has prompted new calls for changes in school curriculum that reflect the broad reality of Black America—but there’s no reason that students should be the only ones learning.
Money: How ‘maximizers’ can cut decision-making angst
Our determination to make the optimal choice means we’re often plagued by buyer’s remorse as well as decision paralysis.
Recipe: Spicy shrimp salad on buttery toasted bun tastes like day at the beach
Traditional lobster rolls are pretty mild, letting that pricey crustacean be the star with just a few ingredients, such as mayonnaise, parsley and lemon. I take a few liberties with the concept.
Gardening: Choosing a shade tree for your yard
Most fast-growing trees have short lives and are not too sturdy. They lose more twigs and other debris and have more insect and disease problems than longer-living trees. Fortunately, many trees are fast-growing while they are young.
Ask the vet: Feed commercial cat food, not just tuna
Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to figure out why Tater Tot refuses his regular dry food. Until then, feed him canned cat food that’s nutritionally complete and balanced, and save the tuna for yourself.
Online: As choirs go digital, technology is a new virtuoso skill
These videos provide an opportunity for creativity in a time when live concerts are simply not possible. But behind the squares lies hours of technical work.
Home: 9 improvements that can get you more out of your outdoor space
Whether you have a backyard big enough for socially distanced entertaining, or even a stoop, balcony, patio or corner lot, you can upgrade your outdoor space to make it somewhere to visit.
Kitchen: How to turn single-purpose tools into multi-use gadgets
Whenever I feel the inclination to add “just one more thing” to my cooking supplies, I have to ask myself, “Will I use it? Will it earn its real estate?”
The Art of Design: Stoned
Hippies and those who are spiritually inspired have always used stones in and around their homes, but now, due to their sparkling appeal, these stones have been incorporated into bowls, sculptures and even embellishments on uber expensive lamps.
PARENTING: Stuck at home? Now’s the time to talk.
Here’s how the experts recommend framing conversations about racial injustice and inequity, money and privilege, grief and loss, sexuality and healthy relationships, and values and meaning.
Recipe: Vibrant marinade makes this jerk chicken stand out
Serve this with Mango Chutney as a condiment, and with a side of rice and peas or coconut rice.
Drink recipe: How to make bubble tea—boba included—from scratch
Finding my favorite boba shop used to be a way of curing my homesickness, whenever I’d move to a new city. I’d seek out shops that took the time and care to make their boba drinks the right way. When the coronavirus pandemic forced many bubble tea shops to shutter, I found myself craving something I couldn’t easily have.
Wanderlust woes? Décor ideas for the housebound traveler
Whether you’re wishing you were at a wilderness cabin, the beach or an exotic passport destination, designers and retailers are offering clever ways to bring the world into your quarantined home space.
Ask the vet: Many ways to help calm dog with noise phobia
Q: Our dog Hunter is terrified of loud noises, so I’m concerned he’ll panic during Fourth of July fireworks and summer thunderstorms. How can we help Hunter remain calm?
Gardening: Duckweed has its positives, negatives for ponds—but can be controlled
Duckweed on a pond helps prevent algae that causes bad-tasting water. It also reduces water evaporation out of ponds helping to conserve water. But it can also reduce oxygen in the water that fish and other aquatic animals need.
The Art of Design: That old black magic
Black is a color that is stable; it symbolizes order and control. It is sophisticated and authoritative.
KIDS: Pandemic may drive some parents to opt for home-schooling this fall—if they can afford it
The coronavirus pandemic, which shut down most of the nation’s schools in March, has provided parents who might have never considered home-schooling with a test drive of what it’s like to have the kids learning at home.
5 ways the pandemic is changing fashion and beauty trends
Sales of eye makeup are on the rise as Americans look for ways to express themselves behind face masks while staying six feet apart.
Vodka has a new definition—it’s still neutral, but no longer flavorless
if you are drinking vodka neat, over ice or in a vodka martini, you will pick up distinctions in sweetness, aroma and mouthfeel.