Indice dei contenuti per July 2021 in Real Simple

WE WERE RENOVATING, so I expected a mess when I arrived home Friday evening from a weeklong business trip in the spring of 2009. After a tour of the rubble, cold beer in hand, I spotted a pile of two-by-fours between a couple of trees in the backyard. “What’s that for?” I asked, pointing at the wood with my longneck. “It’s for the tree house,” my husband, Steve, said. “Figured we should get this done while the kitchen’s being gutted.” “What tree house?” I said, looking around at the vegetable garden, the bird feeders, the trampoline (enclosed), and the zip line descending across the yard. “The girls don’t need a tree house.” “Sure they do. A childhood’s not a childhood without a fort. I figured you’d be all about the…

1 TABLE FOR TWO This intimate dining set folds for fast and easy storage. TO BUY: Coral Folding Metal Bistro Set, $150; homegoods.com for stores. 2 WORDS WITH (MORE THAN) FRIENDS Sometimes you have to spell out your desires. This serving platter helps. TO BUY: Jamida You & Me Word Tray, $40; gretelhome.com. 3 NEVER MISS A BEAT Play lovey-dovey tunes for 10 hours on this compact wireless speaker built for the outdoors—it’s waterproof and drop resistant. TO BUY: Roam, $169; sonos.com. 4 BOTTLE SERVICE Carry your wine in something other than a sad plastic bag. This quirky set of reusables is made from recycled nylon. TO BUY: Wine Baggu, $28 for 3; baggu.com. 5 KEEP YOUR COOL Sip from this insulated, spillproof cup that helps cocktails stay chilled…

Meet the Owner MEDINA GRILLO When the Birmingham, England–based designer was planning a study area for her 9-year-old son, she knew what she didn’t want: anything in his bedroom, and any place out of her sight, since she had to monitor his internet use during homework time. Then Medina noticed the space beneath the stairs in her living room, and—eureka!—she tapped her DIY know-how to transform the nook on a budget in a single day. She often works from the space too, and loves being around her family when they’re hanging out on the sofa. Get the Look TIE IT ALL TOGETHER Rather than painting the walls, Medina took a cue from the raw wood pieces in the adjacent entryway and nailed up wood slats, which warm up the alcove.…

By slicing instead of scooping, you can serve ice cream to a lot of guests lickety-split. Let a 1½-quart carton thaw for five minutes on the counter, then snip down the sides with kitchen shears. Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinder of frosty goodness in half from top to bottom and slice into half-moon slabs. Grab a spatula for easy serving. Your elbow will thank you—even if the clamoring throng of kids won’t.…

BEST NONSHEER American Giant Premium Slub V-Neck T Made entirely from heavyweight Supima cotton, this tee is built to last and offers top-notch coverage, so your bra won’t show through. TO BUY: $48; american-giant.com (turn to page 12 for a discount). BEST SWEAT WICKING J.Jill Fit Progress Pima-Stretch Shirttail Tee A quick-drying, breathable top that’s easy to dress up or down? We’re in. TO BUY: $49; jjill.com. BEST DRESSY PrAna Pacific Drift Top Swap your most basic black tee for this sustainable pick with a twist. The scoop neck and front knot elevate your look. TO BUY: $49; prana.com. BEST SIZE INCLUSIVE Yummie Slub Knit Cap Sleeve Tee This roomy shirt, in sizes XS through 2X, gets noticeably softer and cozier after every wash—without pilling or shrinking. TO BUY:…

STELLAR SUNFLOWER SEEDS These cute kernels make a great snack, and they’re also a smart swap for nuts in all sorts of recipes—even if no one in your house has a nut allergy. With a pleasant crunch and mild flavor, these babies boast outsize nutritional benefits: They’re rich in antioxidants, which protect cells against free-radical damage, and high in vitamin E, which can help reduce the risk of inflammation. Sunny seeds indeed! ACTIVE TIME 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 15 MINUTES MAKES 1 ⅓ CUPS 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (from a 4-oz. bunch), torn¼ cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds3 Tbsp. hemp seeds3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed1 tsp. lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon)2 cloves garlic, quartered¾ tsp. kosher saltFreshly ground black…

1 ICED TEA TIME Serve a cool drink in minutes with this sculptural set. Steep a tea bag in the upper pitcher, then instantly chill the beverage in the ice-filled vessel below. TO BUY: Tea Over Ice Pitcher Set, $55; teaforte.com. 2 CORD CORRAL Attach a sleek leather band to the edge of your desk to keep chargers and cables at the ready. No more excavating on hands and knees! TO BUY: SurfaceSnap, $30 for 3; twelvesouth.com. 3 PAW PATROL Use it now to protect your dog’s paws from a hot sidewalk, then again in winter as a salt barrier. It is made with safe-to-lick carnauba wax and comes in a handy tube. TO BUY: Paw Soother Travel Stick, $4.75; naturaldog.com. 4 KITCHEN ESSENTIAL This 14-inch extinguisher sprays in an arc to fight grease…

BEST MOUSSE Camille Rose Spiked Honey Mousse 4-in-1 Styler Mousse has settled down and softened up since its sky-high heyday of the 1980s. This frizz-fighting foam is infused with hydrating honey (don’t worry—no stickiness) and nourishing nettle to boost shine and define curls. Apply to wet hair for spirals that look conditioned, not crunchy. TO BUY: $14; target.com. BEST WASH Gold Series From Pantene Deep Hydrating Co-Wash This cleansing cream offers moisture and manageability without stripping. Use in place of shampoo and conditioner. TO BUY: $10; cvs.com. BEST TOOL Pattern Beauty Edge Tool This little guy takes your edges from loose to laid. Smooth with the brush, shape with the comb, then flip it over to part. TO BUY: $12; patternbeauty.com. BEST GEL Dove Define N’ Moisture Styling Gel Slick…

“I Retired Early to Pursue My Purpose”Jackie Cummings Koski, 51CINCINNATI SHE DID WHAT many of us only dream of. Jackie retired at 49. No, she doesn’t come from wealth. In fact, she grew up in poverty in the rural South. Nor did she earn a six-figure salary; her income from her sales job at LexisNexis averaged about $80,000 a year. And she doesn’t have a rich partner—she’s a divorced, single mom. She did it through a desire to make a better life for her daughter. After she divorced at 36, Jackie was shocked by how little she had saved compared with her ex-husband. She spent the next five years educating herself about finances. She joined an investment club, read up on taxes, and maxed out her contributions to her…

the BEACH ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY Take what you know about the classic boardwalk town—wide beach, old-school shops, Ferris wheel—and, as they say in Jersey, fuhgeddaboudit. Just over an hour from New York City, Asbury Park is a trendy shore town with nary a Snooki in sight. At the Asbury (from $250 a night), urban cool (modern fixtures) meets beach chill (poolside food truck). There’s the mural-splashed Asbury Park Boardwalk that practically Instagrams itself, and at the revamped Asbury Lanes, music makes bowling totally lit. Start your morning with pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwiches at Frank’s Deli and Restaurant. After an afternoon of sun and surf, reunite with Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde at the vintage arcade at Silverball Museum. For dinner, try pizza at Porta, Cuban at Cubacán,…

1 FACE REFRESHER Olehenriksen Cold Plunge Pore Remedy Moisturizer A moisturizer you’ll want to use on hot days, it cools on contact and controls shine. Eucalyptus refines pores. TO BUY: $46; sephora.com. 2 STAR SETTER Dior Backstage Face & Body Powder-no-Powder This has all the pluses of powder (absorbing shine, setting makeup, blurring lines), none of the minuses (settling into creases, looking cakey). TO BUY: $40; sephora.com. 3 WONDER WASH Dr. Zenovia Clear Complexion 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Cleanser The benzoyl peroxide shrinks honking chin zits in record time, without leaving skin irritated or desert dry. TO BUY: $30; sephora.com. 4 CUTER CARTONS Sk*p Shampoo, Conditioner, Cleanser, and Moisturizer These honey-infused formulas in sturdy paper cartons are easy on your skin, hair, and the environment (peace out, plastic!). TO BUY:…

PET MESSES aren’t always the bleachable moments that leave stains on the carpet. To avoid tangled piles of leashes, rawhides frosted with under-the-sofa dust, and cat food crawling with (eek!) bugs, learn from organizer Shauna Yule Brasseur of Lovely Life Home in Hingham, Massachusetts. The owner of a dog and a cat, she filled us in on how to keep pet gear neatly tucked away. PARE IT DOWN The first step in any organizing project is a good purge. “Pet owners often hold on to toys their pet no longer plays with, multiple leashes—you really only need two—outgrown collars, and even old food,” Yule Brasseur says. See if your local animal shelter takes donations. Box up the usable stuff to drop off, then toss the rest. UNPACK IT “Opened bags…

1 Act Like an Anthropologist. I approach my feeds the way I approach research—as if social media were just one book in the library, not the book. I open it, get what I need, then leave without lingering. Taking breaks also helps. If I stay off Twitter for a week, I’m more attuned to nuances and tone when I return, and that actually makes it less welcoming. It feels like a room full of screaming people. The distance lets me regard it with more curiosity, like I’m an anthropologist. JENNY ODELL TEACHES AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND IS THE AUTHOR OF HOW TO DO NOTHING: RESISTING THE ATTENTION ECONOMY. 2 Treat Platforms Like Parties. I think of social media as a party, where I make small talk with acquaintances and…

THE SCENE MAY BE all too familiar: Your beloved spouse is telling you how their day went. Their lips are moving and sounds are coming out, and you’re nodding and saying, “Mm-hmm.” But your mind has left the scene to dwell on more pressing things, like why is the fridge making that weird gurgle? Do you need cat litter? Wait, you forgot to send that email! Though we spend a considerable amount of time with our partners—perhaps more than ever over the past year—how often are we really present? “It’s easy to go on autopilot with those closest to us,” says Laura Silberstein-Tirch, PsyD, a psychotherapist in New York City and the author of How to Be Nice to Yourself. Social scientists call this the “closeness-communication bias.” We stop…

Jennifer Walsh 50, New York City I’M PROUD OF: My wrinkles and roots. WHY I’M OK WITH AGING: I turned 50 in January, and I feel liberated. I’ve been a beauty brand creator my entire adult life—but I haven’t had Botox or a peel in over a year and a half. I haven’t colored my hair in two years. I haven’t even gotten my nails done. I’m fully me. This is going to sound strange, but I didn’t hate the pandemic. I moved to the beach and lived in a tent for 3½ months, and it turned out to be really joyful. I FEEL MOST BEAUTIFUL WHEN: I’m connecting to nature. Being outside helps me so much. Walking in nature is now my beauty routine. MY EVERYDAY ROUTINE: I love…

It’s the time of year when nothing beats standing over the kitchen sink and biting into a juicy peach—delectable and the color of a summer sunset. Swoon. SHOP for fragrant fruit that gives slightly when gently pressed. Avoid any with soft spots or greening. If you can only find too-firm fruits, speed up ripening by placing them in a pierced paper bag with an apple. STORE at room temperature for up to a week. If you want to slow down ripening, keep in the fridge. TO SERVE, take your pick between sweet and savory. Blend with vanilla ice cream for a luscious milkshake, brush halves with oil and grill for an easy dessert, or slice and toss with flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a glug of quality…

Look closely at this image, noticing the fine detail of the mushroom gills. Take three deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the nose. Whatever your body is touching—your seat, your bed, the floor—feel yourself sink into it. Imagine each exhale draws you even deeper toward the ground. Let your stress, thoughts, and emotions flow from your body into the earth. Allow yourself to be rooted in this moment, feeling at home and at ease.…