Read, Eat, Drive: "Love Can’t Feed You," Crispy Chicken Thighs With Sticky Rice, and Scenic Road Trips

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Saturday. Temperatures have dropped in NYC, which means I’ll be layering up for the foreseeable future. I’ll take inspo from “Princess Diana Season” as well as Doja Cat, who’s managed to give Lenny Kravitz’s giant scarf a run for its money. But when it comes to coats, I’m torn between Hailey Bieber’s deeply cool leather bomber jacket (obviously, her mani matched) or this buttery suede trench, which all the French “It” girls are supposedly wearing. While I look for a jacket in my budget, I’m also trying to wrap my head around the fact that fleece has gone bougie (like, $910 bougie). And I might nab a pair of chic schoolgirl stockings, which I’m hoping will fulfill my childhood Eloise at the Plaza fantasies. At the very least, they’ll help keep my legs warm.

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

What’s for Dinner Tonight? These Crispy Chicken Thighs With Sticky Rice

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Forget sweater weather. As soon as cold, crisp days start to creep in, it’s officially chicken and rice weather. Naturally, the only rational thing to do is make these incredibly cozy, deeply comforting Crispy Chicken Thighs with Sticky Rice from Kristina Cho’s latest cookbook, Chinese Enough. Inspired by one of Cho’s favorite dim sum dishes, this suspiciously simple meal comes together entirely in one pot: The sticky rice steams alongside perfectly golden chicken thighs and salty-sweet Chinese sausage, before it all goes under the broiler for magically crispy results.

The Time Commitment: About 45 minutes. And given that cleanup is limited to one pot, you’ll be curled up on the couch watching Love Is Blind in no time. 

Key Tips: Cho uses a cast-iron braiser with a fitted lid, but if you don’t have one of those lying around, any oven-safe pan will do. Also, for maximally crackly chicken skin, place the thighs in a cold skillet, then turn on the heat to sear. We repeat: Do not preheat.

Other Takes: We firmly believe you can never have enough one-pot chicken and rice recipes, so let us introduce you to this herby, zesty, and supremely schmaltzy One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Caramelized Lemon — which was published just over a month ago and boasts more than 2,000 five-star reviews. Meanwhile, this Spiced Coconut Chicken Rice is made with gloriously fluffy basmati rice and is so good it’s impossible not to reach for seconds. That’s also true of this Mexican-inspired twist on Arroz con Pollo. And while this One-Skillet Garam Masala Chicken Thighs & Saffron Rice delivers major “party vibes,” you certainly don’t need guests to enjoy this weeknight-friendly dish.

Love Can’t Feed You by Cherry Lou Sy

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In Cherry Lou Sy’s powerful debut novel, Love Can’t Feed You, 17-year-old Queenie emigrates from the Philippines with her brother and elderly father to live in New York with her mother, who came to the US five years earlier. But Queenie’s new life is nothing like the American dream she imagined: Her mom seems very different; her brother begins acting out, causing tension at home; and Queenie’s dreams of attending college are stalled due to money troubles. Expect big questions about identity, culture, and family expectations in what’s been called both “astonishing” and “a knockout.” We asked Sy 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?   

Sy: All Fours by Miranda July. Perimenopausal lady life — what’s not to like?

Q: What’s a corner of the internet you recently discovered?

Sy: Subreddit threads on ex-members of certain cults. 

Q: What’s one thing that’s made you 10% happier?

Sy: Getting pregnant and selling my debut novel literally at the same time.

Your Next Adventure — No Flights Required

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While we love the view from 30,000 feet, there’s so much to discover within driving distance. So we’re swapping long security lines and last-minute gate changes for scenic drives and open roads this fall. Keep reading to preview a few incredible adventures waiting for you behind the wheel — best experienced from the driver’s seat of the new 2025 Ford Explorer® SUV, of course.

🛣️ Starting off with the road trip of all road trips — Route 66. This historic route stretches 2,400+ miles across two-thirds of the continent, beginning at the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago and winding through seven states before ending in sunny Los Angeles. Noteworthy pit stops include Meramec Caverns in Missouri, Cadillac Ranch in Texas, and Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Gotta seem ‘em all.

🏖️ Feeling beachy? The Florida Keys Overseas Highway is just what it sounds like — a 113-mile roadway that extends from Key Largo to Key West featuring 42 bridges. Swim, kayak, or snorkel at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (the US’s first underwater sanctuary) or go fishing in Islamorada, where species like marlin and tuna visit season after season. No matter where you stop to eat, fresh-from-the-dock seafood is guaranteed.

🏜️ We’re pretty sure the phrase “it’s about the journey, not the destination” was coined for Scenic Byway 12. This 122-mile All-American Road is embedded in the slickrock, making it feel like a natural part of the otherworldly landscape. Must-see sites like Bryce Canyon, the summit overlook at Dixie National Forest, and Grand Staircase-Escalante’s colorful cliffs punctuate an already jaw-dropping drive.

No matter what route you pick first, the new 2025 Ford Explorer® SUV is the perfect road trip companion. And thanks to available Ford BlueCruise hands-free highway driving, you can enjoy every moment along the way.^† Vroom vroom.*

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

Q: My partner is introverted and often skips large social gatherings. I’m worried friends and family think it’s rude, so what’s the best way to approach this?

“We’re not responsible for explaining or protecting a partner’s behavior … [But] if you do want to say something [because you] want people to know that you have this really good partner and they’re simply more introverted, just tell the truth. [For example, if you go to a party], say, ‘I would’ve loved [for my partner to be] with us, but they needed some downtime.’ Or, ‘They would’ve loved to be here, but they need to recharge.’ Keep it simple and don’t say you’re sorry. Because we [shouldn’t] apologize for being introverted.”

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.