Caring for homegrown pumpkins when they’re in the ground can be a time-intensive process, but as long as you set a routine, there will be big orange gourds in your garden in just a few months. Here, Danny Watson, a garden center associate at The Home Depot, shares his best tips for planting and growing pumpkins from seeds. When to Plant Pumpkins The best time to plant pumpkin seeds is from late May to early July, so you can enjoy them in the fall....
“Your hair reverts to its natural state when it comes in contact with moisture,” explains Joseph Maine, celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of Trademark Beauty. “Since humidity is high levels of moisture in the air, you will see any wave or texture begin to coil up. We often refer to it as frizz because the humidity will primarily affect those little fine hairs or shorter pieces that have less weight to combat the moisture....
Pick the Perfect Type of Christmas Tree Your local Christmas tree lots, farm, or nursery may sell only a couple of tree varieties, but if you have a broad choice, go for “true firs,” like noble, Fraser, Nordmann, and Turkish, because they’ll last the longest (four to six weeks). Trees with the second-longest life span include Douglas fir, Scotch pine, balsam, and grand fir. Spruce trees last only two or three weeks....
But because apple season is right around the corner, we’re down to speed things up. That’s why we consulted superstar chef Thomas Keller, founder of The French Laundry, Per Se, and apple pie technique instructor at Masterclass on pie-making skills not to skip. It’s all in the apples. His top tip for baking the perfect apple pie is controversial. Keller says to incorporate both diced and grated apples into your filling....
Set Up Stations If you have a fairly spacious deck, patio, or backyard, setting up areas for different functions can make parties flow better. Dmar Interiors used this concept in this L.A. backyard. “We wanted to create various areas for different types of entertaining: lounging, swimming, dining, and cooking,” they explain. An area with outdoor sofas was designed for sipping drinks and chatting. Another station has lounge chairs for relaxing and reading poolside, while a third zone is outfitted with an outdoor kitchen and a dining table for al fresco dinners....
Acquania Escarne, lead wealth strategist at the Purpose of Money, and Paco de Leon of the The Hell Yeah Group, a financial firm for creatives, say that folks on a fluctuating income should focus on these three money matters: realistic goals, emergencies, and taxes. Keep your ambitions high—but your budget realistic. It is tough to budget consistently when your income is a moving target, but Escarne says that it’s best to take an average income from the last three months and create a budget around that round figure....
What You Need suitcase, resealable bags for shoes, plastic pillbox or film canister, items to pack Follow These Steps
What You Need FurnitureDrop cloth220-grit sandpaper or flexible foam sanding spongePrimerLatex paintRoller frame and rollersPaintbrushesFoam paintbrushes Follow These Steps
For those moments where standard laundry detergent won’t do, we rounded up our tried-and true tips for keeping your most cherished items as pristine as the were on the day you purchased them. Dealing with embarrassing, sweat-stained t-shirts? We have you covered. And because you’re bound to eventually encounter a lap full of lo mein or an ill-timed ink stain, we included stain-removal tips that cover everyday mishaps. Since everybody’s gotta spill, drip, or trip sometime, here’s your first-things-first strategy for addressing common household stains on machine-washable clothes....
Tanja’s story may sound extreme, but the truth is, a lot of people can reduce their working years, with a little financial foresight and planning. “Many middle-class-and-up folks could retire earlier than they think, even without having big advantages,” says Hester, who now lives in Lake Tahoe, Calif., and recently wrote Work Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way ($10; amazon.com). In fact, there’s an entire movement of people retiring in their 30s and 40s—they call it FIRE (financial independence, retire early)....
“Being good consumers of healthcare costs is always a challenge, and you might be anxious about going to a doctor and getting a prescription not knowing how much it’s going to cost,” says Ramzi Yacoub, chief pharmacy officer at SingleCare. “This is just a really easy tool for people to use to understand their costs beforehand.” If you go this route, still do your own homework. “[These options] can save you a lot of legwork, although it’s always a good idea to confirm the lowest price directly with the pharmacy,” says Kate Ashford, a Medicare specialist at NerdWallet....
To buy: The Greenlay Dress, $295; mmlafleur.com. Regent Blazer, $198; jcrew.com. Natural Swirl Silk Square Scarf, $99; echonewyork.com. James Avery Cascading Circles Ear Statement Hooks, $160; dillards.com. The Longitude Tote, $245; awaytravel.com. Hanes Hosiery Micro Rib Tight, $10; hanes.com. The Lizzy Boot, $268; loyalfootwear.com. To buy: Blouse K021, $48; oakandfort.com. Wide Feather Belt, $119; whbm.com. Nina Zayna Earrings, from $35; nordstrom.com. Elizabeth and James Ring Handle Soft Pouch, $59; kohls.com. Marc Fisher LTD Zala Block Heel, $160; marcfisherfootwear....
Then someone recommended a wood stain pen. This amazing tool was just $16.42, and available in seven colors to match many types of wood, from maple to mahogany. With hardwood floors, the color choice would have been easier. With my faux wood, I simply selected the shade that was closest to my laminate floor. Luckily, “Golden Oak” blended in perfectly. When the marker arrived, I carefully filled in all of the exposed scrapes and scratches on my living room floor....
To put it simply, Freshly is just plain easy to use. The service sends pre-packaged meals your way weekly that are fresh, never frozen, and take a well-balanced diet into account. Processed foods and large amounts of sugar are left off the table, and calorie counts per meal range from 300 to 650. The rotating menu features more than 30 gluten-free single-serve meals to choose from each week, from comfort foods with a healthy twist to nutrient-dense veggies and protein to takeout-staple replicas; dishes like Sicilian-style chicken parmesan and creamy cashew coconut chicken are up for grabs....
And you won’t see red sauce or ricotta here; instead, the base is made by stirring sour cream and zippy whole-grain mustard for a pop of flavor and texture. (Or, for extra luxe points, use crème fraiche instead of sour cream.) Large, striking pieces of dressed lacinato kale are lightly pressed onto the cheese-covered dough, and the finishing touch is a squeeze of lemon to balance the richness. Cut it into small squares for bite-sized appetizers or as you wish for a satisfying meal....
Highlights: Over 10 years of experience in culinary nutritionLicensed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and culinary professionalTrained and worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant for nearly five yearsPrevious Adjunct Professor at New York University in the Department of Nutrition and Food StudiesContributed 100+ articles and recipes as a freelance writer for nationally recognized digital food and health platforms including RealSimple.com, Spruce Eats, VeryWell Fit, and Well + GoodNearly 50 media contributions as a culinary nutrition expertMedical Review Board Member for VeryWell FitCo-founder of the Culinary Nutrition Collaborative Kristy began her career in clinical nutrition as an outpatient dietitian at a world-renowned cancer center in New York City but after completing culinary school, transitioned into culinary nutrition as her chosen field of specialty....
For example, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many homes that were built before 1978 used lead-based paint—and even the dust from the paint can be hazardous to your health. And that’s not the only potential problem you might in a home built before 1978. If you live in an old house, these are the things you need to check—or call in a professional to check for you....
