Eat, Read, Go: Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake, “Vantage Point,” and Livingston Manor

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Saturday. Thanks to what has been the coldest, most frigid week of my life (don’t fact-check me), I’ve become fixated on all things warm and cozy. In addition to making this Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew (words can’t express my feelings for this dish), I’ve been thinking about what I’ll wear if/when I venture outdoors. While I probably won’t copy Irina Shayk’s very fuzzy bunny purse (did she raid her daughter’s closet?) or Julia Fox’s highly perplexing “ice skate heels” (please explain how you’re supposed to walk in those), I am taking cues from the A-List “Furry Coat Brigade.” Specifically, Hailey Bieber and her enormous, floor-length fur coat (it’s giving bougie Jon Snow). Plus, I’m considering Dua Lipa’s “duvet trench,” which is essentially the closest you can come to wearing a sleeping bag outside. The dream.

— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC

This Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake Will Brighten the Gloomiest January Day

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We admit, we’re no doctors. And while we don’t claim to have a cure for the “January Blues” (yep, it’s real), luckily, we have the next best thing: The Mediterranean Dish’s Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake. Ideal for citrus season, this simple-yet-impressive dessert is packed with bright orange flavor, which is perfectly balanced by warm and cozy cardamom. Plus, a generous amount of olive oil ensures that it stays tender and irresistibly moist, even after sitting on the counter for days. That is, of course, if it lasts that long.

The Time Commitment: Just under an hour and a half — but your cake spends almost all of that time baking and cooling.  

Key Tips: According to Suzy Karadsheh (aka The Mediterranean Dish), olive oil is the “star ingredient” in this recipe, so be choosy about which one you use. A bulk supermarket brand may not deliver the right flavor — which is why Karadsheh recommends using a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil that’s more fruity than peppery. Also, if you don’t have any cardamom, cinnamon works just as well.

Other Takes: Not sure what to do with the rest of that 3-pound bag of oranges? This Orange Marmalade Cake, with its delightfully sticky topping and bits of candied orange peel throughout, is perfect at any hour of the day. That last comment also applies to this not-too-sweet Orange Upside Down Cake, “which looks and tastes gourmet, but comes together super easily.” More of a cookie person? Do yourself a favor and whip up these light, bright, melt-in-your-mouth Orange Cookies. Or, these shortbread-like Dark Chocolate Orange Slice & Bake Cookies, which you can and should dip entirely in chocolate.

Vantage Point by Sara Sligar

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If you thought the Roys were the most chaotic (and seemingly cursed) ultrawealthy fictional family, just wait until you meet the Wielands from Sara Sligar’s Vantage Point. After their parents die in a freak accident, siblings Clara and Teddy become the talk of their small Maine island. Fourteen years later, they return home — along with Clara’s best friend, who’s now Teddy’s wife — to manage the family’s sprawling estate, Vantage Point. But things take an even darker turn when explicit videos of Clara — which she has zero recollection taking — are leaked online after Teddy announces his run for Senate. With both a Kennedy-esque family and Succession-worthy drama, we’re counting down until HBO options Vantage Point for its next hit series. We asked Sligar a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…

Q: What’s one thing everyone needs to watch?

Sligar: Of all time, The Americans. Of more recent times, The Diplomat. Sometimes I get sad that I am not Keri Russell, but I’m glad she gets to be her.

Q: What’s one thing you can’t stop listening to?

Sligar: Griff’s album Vertigo. Her songs are so catchy, and her lyrics always slice me open. I think she’ll blow up in 2025.

Q: What’s one recipe everyone should make?

Sligar: That is so nice that you think I can cook. I really enjoy the instructions on the back of Trader Joe’s frozen dinners.

This Charming Catskills Town Is an Outdoor and Design Lover’s Dream

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You don’t have to go wheels up to have an unforgettable getaway. Case in point: Livingston Manor, NY — an inviting small town nestled in the western Catskills — is just a three-hour drive from NYC. Oh, and the Toyota Crown Family can make the journey like a vacation in itself. Both models have premium interiors and provide a smooth, quiet ride with low noise and vibration.

🛏 Immerse yourself in nature with a stay at The DeBruce, a cozy country inn that sits on hundreds of acres of private land. The dining room’s floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer unbeatable views of the Willowemoc Valley. If you want to get out there, consider booking a room at the dog-friendly Arnold House where you can hike and snowshoe on their expansive grounds. Then, check out 150 exotic, tropical, and sub-tropical plants in their climate-controlled greenhouse.

⛷️ Hit the slopes at the newly renovated Holiday Mountain, which is guaranteed to be covered in fresh powder thanks to the upgraded snow guns and pumps. First-timer? Their Snowsports School and beginner-friendly terrain make it a great place to learn. Or you can head straight to the 350-foot tubing run if that’s more your speed.

🏞️ The 29,500-acre Delaware Wild Forest is a 20-minute drive from Livingston Manor and features nearly 50 recreational trails with camping, snowmobiling, and freshwater fishing options. Insider tip: Hike Russel Brook Falls, a short, scenic trail featuring a stunning, multi-level waterfall. 

🛋️ Long Weekend on Main Street is a vintage furniture and textile treasure trove. If their goodies don’t scratch your shopping itch, head to Foundry42 in Port Jervis for boutique-y homewares and stationery or Black Walnut Mercantile in Callicoon for handmade ceramics and artisanal candles. 

🍳 Don’t leave Livingston Manor without tasting the The Walk-In’s flaky, homemade biscuits, which are made using the owner’s great-grandmother’s recipe. For lunch or dinner, enjoy thin, wood-fired pies with unique seasonal toppings at The Kaatskeller’s pizza garden. 

Ready to see it for yourself? Let one of the Toyota Crown Family models get you there. Both the sleek sedan and impressive SUV come with the quality and reliability that Toyota is known for, not to mention bold and elegant exterior styles. Learn more.*

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

Q: An acquaintance asked to join my mom-group chat. I don’t want to exclude her, but I don’t feel comfortable, since it’s a tight-knit circle. What should I say? 

“If you really don’t want anyone else joining, you probably shouldn’t talk about it [with others in the first place]. That said, don’t feel obligated to provide an answer at that moment. Sometimes when we’re confronted with unexpected questions, we feel we must offer an immediate response … but you could say, ‘I can’t invite you without speaking to the group.’ [If the answer from the group is no], you can later explain, ‘We agreed to keep the group at its current size. If something changes, I’ll let you know.’ Or, ‘The group has been together for a long time. It would be impossible to fill you in on all we’ve shared. But I’d be glad to pass along any tips we discuss.’

[You could also offer to] start a new group … [In which case, you could say], ‘I know another mom who I think you would get along with, so maybe we can invite her to the park next week.’”

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.