Eat, Read, Go: Lemon Blueberry Cookies, "Early Thirties," and the Highlands

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Saturday. I may be too old for an Easter basket, but that’s not stopping me from hitting the drugstore for my beloved Cadbury mini eggs (scroll down for the genius cookie recipe I’ll use them in). Once that mission’s complete, I’ll also:

• Investigate the hot pink Gap sweatsuit that evidently has a chokehold on every Cool Mom™.

• Take a page from Hailey Bieber’s book with this (literally) effortless beauty trend. (I’m not brave enough to try her psychedelic, 3D Coachella manicure, though.)

• Contemplate these intensely ’80s, Princess Diana pants, which are apparently having a moment. (Honestly, if they’re not skinny jeans, I’m in.)

• Finally, I’ll channel one of my favorite childhood Disney princesses, whose hair is supposedly this summer’s hottest style. Perfect, since I’ve been looking for a reason to give my straightener a break.

— Taylor Trudon / Writer, Culture & Lifestyle / Brooklyn, NY

Caution: You’ll Be Powerless Against These Lemon Blueberry Cookies

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If the joy of driving in the car, with the windows down and music blasting, could be captured in a cookie, it would be Broma Bakery’s Lemon Blueberry Cookie. In addition to being super simple to make (case in point: no mixer needed), the obsessively good treats deliver “classic blueberry lemon muffin vibes, but in cookie form.” Meaning, you can expect bursts of juicy blueberries, lots of zesty lemon flavor, melty white chocolate chunks, perfectly chewy edges, and supremely soft centers. Essentially, they’re edible serotonin.

The Time Commitment: About 45 minutes — so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the sunshine.

Key Tips: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, says Sarah Fennel (aka Broma Bakery). If you’re using frozen, no need to thaw — just toss them with a little flour to help keep the color from bleeding into the dough. Also, whatever you use, be careful not to overmix the dough. According to Fennel, the idea is to fold in the fruit and jam “until just distributed.”

Other Takes: For other scroll-stopping cookies to add to your spring baking lineup, try…

• Fixation-worthy Lemon Bar Butter Cookies, in which crackly, sugar-coated edges + a puddle of ooey, gooey lemon curd in the center = “heaven in a cookie.” 

• These one-bowl, six ingredient Pisatchio Drop Cookies. Note: The recipe says the brown butter icing is optional — but is it really?

• Cadbury Egg Cookies, featuring an oatmeal brown sugar base, melty chocolate chips, and mini Cadbury Egg pieces. After all, ‘tis the season for discounted Easter candy.

Early Thirties by Josh Duboff

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Ever feel like your 30s should come with a manual? Early Thirties, Josh Duboff’s sharp and emotional literary debut, might be the next best thing. The author’s profoundly accurate novel follows Victor and Zoey, longtime best friends living in New York City, who’ve weathered it all together: bad dates, chaotic jobs, late nights out, and hungover brunches. But when an unexpected tragedy upends Victor’s life, the foundation of their friendship starts to crack. Poignant, hilarious, and boldly declared “the year’s best coming-of-age novel” for adults, don’t be surprised if you have the urge to call your best friend after reading the last page. We asked Duboff a few questions. Here’s what he had to say…

Q: What’s the last thing you read that you can’t stop thinking about? 

Duboff: There’s a passage toward the end of Ursula Parrott’s perfect novel Ex-Wife, which I think about all the time. If you’ve read the book, you know which one I mean.

Q: What’s one unpopular opinion you have?

Duboff: I think [reacting with a] thumbs-up on iMessage is basically always rude.  

Q: What’s your email signature?

Duboff: I adopted “XOJD” when I moved to New York at age 22 and I have not wavered since.

Hike, Sip, Repeat: North Carolina’s Highlands Have Entered the Chat

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Durham may be getting its 15 minutes, courtesy of a certain fictional family. But we’d like to make the case to head west — specifically, to the Highlands. Nestled in the southern Appalachian Mountains, just north of the Georgia border, this criminally underrated town has drawn comparisons to both Asheville and Aspen. (Unexpected? Yes. Accurate? Also yes.) It’s got a vibrant arts scene, luxe accommodations (check out the midcentury modern Skyline Lodge), fantastic restaurants, stylish boutiques, dramatic waterfalls, and outdoor activities galore (hiking, fly-fishing, horseback riding). Add in plenty of patios made for wine-sipping and people-watching — and something tells us Victoria Ratliff would approve.

⛰️ Come for the outdoors, stay for…even more outdoors in this mountain-town escape. While the Highlands has no shortage of scenic trails, the two-mile loop at Whiteside Mountain is one of the most popular, thanks in part to a 4,900-foot summit with sweeping panoramic views (keep an eye out for falcons flying overhead). Want something less crowded? Head to Secret Falls Trail, a lesser-known route that leads to a stunning waterfall — one of many in the area. Others include: Bridal Veil Falls (it cascades over the highway, so there’s no hiking required); Glen Falls (technically, three waterfalls, accessible via a roughly 2-mile round-trip hike); and Dry Falls, where a short path takes you behind the 80-foot-drop.

👟 Sure, the Highlands is a playground for outdoorsy types — but don’t sleep on the shopping. Spend an afternoon popping into the surprisingly cool boutiques around Main Street, including Ronsenthal’s (think: chic, high-end clothing), Citizen Wilder (pick up some great plants and Oprah-approved Stick Candles), Highland Hiker (a must-visit for outdoor gear), Uashmama (for Italian linens and bags), and CK Swan (known for its curated collection of home decor). Still got time? Take a short walk to The Bascom, a six-acre horse farm turned visual arts center, where you can browse rotating exhibits, buy local art, and take a variety of classes.

🍽️ Eating barbecue in North Carolina is basically a rite of passage — so stop by Highlands Smokehouse, a roadside fave that dishes out pit-smoked brisket, BBQ nachos, and ridiculously good hush puppies. But since you (sadly) can’t have barbecue for every meal, try Ristorante Paoletti, a beloved family-run spot serving comforting Italian dishes, like porcini mushroom tortelloni. (Pro tip: don’t skip the tiramisu.) Or, book a table at Madison’s, where the farm-to-table menu includes cornmeal-dusted fried oysters, seared sunburst trout, and truffled mac and cheese.

Can you really call yourself a pro traveler if you don’t have CLEAR Plus?

We think not. It’s a fast, easy way to verify your identity so you can get to your gate faster. Enroll now to get two months free of CLEAR Plus. Or, sign up for $169 per year — that’s $30 off. Less time waiting in line = more time at the MAC kiosk at duty free.

We asked you to vote on an etiquette question you’d like answered. The winner was:

Q: My spouse wants to loan his sibling some money because they’re having financial troubles. But I'm worried we’ll never get the money back. How should I approach this?

“[It’s important to first ask]: ‘Do we actually have money to lend?’ If you don’t, you’re going to be putting yourselves in a really difficult situation [and that might create resentment] … [It’s also important to consider things like]: What has your spouse’s relationship been like with your in-law? Do they trust them? What have you observed? You might say, ‘ I've observed them take money from your parents and not pay it back’ or ‘ There’ve been times where you’ve offered money, and they didn't seem to take it seriously.’  

… [A few other factors] to consider. If you lend money, [are you both OK with the possibility of not getting it back]? Would you ask the sibling to set up automated payments? If they don’t pay them, how would you approach this? … There ultimately needs to be a conversation around [the question of]: Do we feel like we have each other's backs? Or, does one of us not feel that way? In that case, you shouldn’t move forward [until you’re on the same page].”

Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.