Eat, Read, Go: Hawaii-Style Shoyu Chicken, “Everyone Is Lying to You,” and Lucerne

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Saturday. I’m not exaggerating when I say nothing gave me more joy than the surprise Photo Dump Seen Round the World (I’ll be thinking about those his-and-hers phone lock screens until at least September). But that was just the cherry on top of a week of internet chaos. Other gems included:  

• The “Belly” engagement ring — polarizing enough that even people who don’t watch The Summer I Turned Pretty are weighing in.   

• A nail polish trend so aggressively 2014, it might as well come with a statement necklace. 

• The shoes I wore to seventh-grade dance class? They’re apparently the next big footwear trend. 

• Forget Golden Retriever Boyfriends — everyone’s now into “Black Cat Boyfriends.” 

• And right when you thought the toe ring craze had peaked, it got bedazzled. Good luck wearing closed-toed shoes.

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

This Salty, Sweet, and Satisfying Chicken Is a Lazy Dinner Dream

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A question for the room: Have you also reached the point in summer where you’re willing to call anything — and we mean anything — dinner? Since no one can subsist on cereal alone (we tried), allow us to introduce you to one of the most ridiculously easy meals out there: Hawaii-Style Shoyu Chicken from Plays Well With Butter. In the six-ingredient recipe, chicken thighs are braised in a garlicky, gingery shoyu sauce until they’re salty-sweet and fall-apart tender. Serve them with a side of rice — and repeat every week for the rest of summer.

The Time Commitment: About an hour — but the chicken is cooking for more than half of that.

Key Tips: Before you run to the store for shoyu, it’s worth noting that’s just the Japanese word for “soy sauce.” Also, if you want more flavorful chicken, Jess Larson (aka Plays Well With Butter) suggests marinating the thighs in the sauce for up to three days. And for crispier skin, place them under the broiler for a few minutes after braising.

Other Takes: For more simple, summery dishes, try…

• Smashed Beef Kebab With Cucumber Yogurt, which is cool, creamy, crispy — and The New York Times’ most popular recipe of 2025 (so far).

• Mom’s Mediterranean Chopped Salad. Sure, it may sound basic, but it’s honestly the closest we’ve come to making a restaurant-worthy Greek salad (a surprisingly tricky feat).

• Summer Green Pasta Salad, featuring sautéed zucchini, marinated artichokes, itty-bitty mozzarella balls, and an outrageous lemon-basil dressing.

Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

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If you’ve ever found yourself hypnotized by apron-clad influencers churning butter on their biodynamic farm, Jo Piazza’s Everyone Is Lying to You will be your new obsession. The thriller centers around Lizzie and Bex, who were inseparable in college, until Bex vanished right after graduation. Fifteen years later, Bex has reinvented herself as Rebecca Sommers: a “traditional” Instagram star with millions of followers swooning over her picture-perfect ranch life, doting husband, and kids (sound familiar?). Lizzie, meanwhile, is a struggling magazine writer, lurking in her old friend’s feed for glimpses of the life that might have been. Then, Bex calls, out of the blue, with a career-making offer. What happens next? A disappearance, a murder, and Lizzie transforming into a full-blown social media sleuth to uncover the truth. We asked Piazza a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…

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

Piazza: Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra. I never want to be alone overnight in the house with my kids again. This book crawled into my brain and took up residence there.

Q: What’s your shortcut to relaxation?

Piazza: I put on a Bluetooth sleep mask and listen to The Rest Is History podcast. My only parasocial relationship is with the hosts, Tom and Dom.

Q: What’s your email signature?

Piazza: Sorry if I offended you. I’m perimenopausal and no longer have a filter.

Why Yes, This Charming Swiss City Is a Real-Life Disney Movie

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Paris is packed. Capri is chaos. Lucerne, Switzerland? Quietly minding its business — and doing it better. Around 45 minutes from Zurich by train, this underrated gem has everything you want in a Swiss escape: snowcapped mountains, shimmering lake views, and a medieval old town that looks suspiciously like a movie set. Check into Hotel Château Gütsch (a literal castle), then get your culture fix at the Rosengart Collection (home to over 300 works by the likes of Picasso and Paul Klee). Or step inside the epic, 360-degree Bourbaki Panorama for a crash course in Swiss history. And, of course, we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t mention all. the. chocolate. Suddenly, that return ticket feels optional.

🏰 Cue the lute music: Things are about to get very castlecore, very fast. Lucerne’s flower-trimmed Chapel Bridge — the world-famous 14th-century wooden walkway stretching across the Reuss River — is your gateway to one of Switzerland’s best-preserved medieval old towns. This is a roam-don’t-rush kind of place: cobblestone alleys, mural-covered façades (see: Pfistern Guildhouse and Hotel des Balances), and town squares that feel pulled from a fairytale. Wander to Peter’s Chapel, which has an 800-year-plus history, then detour to the Spreuer Bridge (check out the striking paintings beneath the roof). Finally, climb the ancient Museggmauer ramparts for a view from the iconic Zytturm clock tower — and, yes, it still chimes.

🏞️ Lake Lucerne’s not just a backdrop — it’s the star of the show. The famously blue water demands to be admired, splashed in, sailed on, and stared at for an unreasonable amount of time. Join the locals sunbathing and swimming at Ufschötti (a sandy beach made for DIY picnics) or take a dip at Seebad Luzern — a historic floating bathhouse that doubles as a bar and bistro. Prefer to stay dry? Hop aboard the sleek MS Saphir, where panoramic windows and an open-air deck bring the views to you. And for a perspective shift, ride the glassy gondola up Mount Pilatus, then brace yourself for the steepest cogwheel railway in the world.

🍴 Switzerland’s culinary claim to fame? Cheese and chocolate — and Lucerne more than delivers. Start at Max Chocolatier for decadent truffles (that’s correct, we’re endorsing chocolate for breakfast), then swing by Chäs Barmettler, a family-run shop slinging dozens of varieties of cheese. At lunchtime, grab a table at Mill’Feuille, a cozy spot perched above the water that serves homemade soda (get the blood orange flavor). For dinner, head to Old Swiss House to feast on Wiener schnitzel (tender, pan-fried veal cutlets) in a storybook-style chalet. (Pro tip: order the Zuger kirschtorte — a boozy, buttercreamy, almond-meringue dream.)

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

Q: I just found out I’m pregnant, and I’m nervous about telling one of my close friends, who has been struggling with infertility for years. What’s the best — and most sensitive — way to share the news?

“One of the kindest things you can do is give your friend space to feel. I recommend telling her privately — like in a voice memo, a text, or an email — so she doesn’t have to process in real time or manage her reaction in front of others. You might say, ‘I want to share something personal with you, and I’m also really aware it might be hard to hear. I just found out I’m pregnant, and I wanted you to hear it from me. I’m holding your story and your heart close as I share this.’ 

After you’ve shared the news, offer her grace. She might respond with love, tears, or she might need a little time — all of that’s OK. You can say: ‘I know this might be complicated to hold. I want our friendship to keep feeling honest and safe, so please let me know what you need — or don’t need — from me right now.’ [Ultimately], you’re allowed to feel joyful about your pregnancy and tender about how it impacts your friend. Real friendship doesn’t require us to pretend things aren’t hard — it asks us to show up with softness when they are.”

You can get a lot done with one phone screen. But two? That’s the multitasking magic we’re all about. The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 opens up to a massive 8" display that’s perfect for streaming, editing, and scrolling — all at the same time. The 200MP camera allows you to capture ultra-detailed photos, and with AI tools like Photo Assist,^† that random photobomber? Gone. Plus, the Best Face^‡ function makes it easy to get group pics where everyone’s eyes are open. And it’s sleek and lightweight, so we’re sold.*

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.