Innehållsförteckning för Special #4 2023 från O, Quarterly

A few years ago, Gayle hosted a roundtable for Oprah Daily and a guest said, “Gratitude is a posture of your heart, a choice, and a privilege.” Now, you know how much I believe in the power of a gratitude practice—and how I’ve kept a gratitude journal for decades—but that description stopped me in my tracks! Isn’t it good? I just love how it makes clear that it’s up to us to choose gratitude with an open heart—and to do so again and again. There’s no better time to start (or restart) your own gratitude practice than during these busy holiday weeks. To help inspire you, we’ve got six writers on the unexpected things they give thanks for, plus a list of things—112 Favorite Things, that is, starting on page…

Quali-Tree Time “For six years running, the day after Thanksgiving is dedicated to finding and decorating our tree. It starts with an adventure at the tree farm, where we play hide ‘n seek and take turns cutting. Then we head home for a cozy decorating party in matching PJs bought or made special for this memorable event.” —DUANA & CURTIS ON OUR WISH LIST With a baby girl on the way, Duana & Curtis can’t wait to gather their new family of 8 (including the 2 doggos!) for a photo by this year’s tree. Open House “We never lose sight of the fact that the holidays can be tough for many. Being a beacon of unconditional love for those who are struggling and displaced and making sure everyone knows they…

How did you get your start in the makeup industry? I’m from a town in Florida where not a lot of people make it out successfully. I had a pretty good upbringing, but I made some not great choices. I had a baby when I was 15 and dropped out of high school. I worked at, and got fired from, Church’s Texas Chicken. Then I got married, went back to school, and eventually landed a job at the Fashion Fair cosmetics counter. Honestly, I picked it because I could earn commission but soon realized how much I loved beauty. Years later, I cold-called Disney World’s cosmetology department. They gave me an interview, and I got a job styling the characters’ wigs, which turned into running the makeup department at the…

In a Flurry This feather boa of a cake brings tropical flavors to the table and is breezy to make, too. The batter goes in a single rimmed sheet; you just cut it into four rectangles and stack them. Coconut Lime Layer Cake INGREDIENTS CAKE 10 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking sheet2 cups cake flour1 Tbsp. baking powder1¼ cups granulated sugar4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature2 tsp. pure vanilla extract¾ cup whole milk, at room temperature1 cup toasted unsweetened shredded coconut FILLING Store-bought lime or lemon curd FROSTING 8 ounces cream cheese, very soft8 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature1 cup confectioners’ sugar1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract1 ½ cups toasted unsweetened shredded coconut 1. Prepare the cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a…

Noteworthy Novels Happiness Falls BY ANGIE KIM Everything seemed normal the morning of Mia’s father’s disappearance. But an abnormality in 0.00000003 percent of her younger brother’s DNA resulted in a condition that leaves him—the only one who knows what happened on that fateful morning—perpetually smiling and unable to speak. As the mystery of her father’s disappearance becomes entangled with mysteries of the human condition, the question arises: Can we ever really know those we love? Absolution BY ALICE MCDERMOTT “You have no idea what it was like. For us. The women, I mean. The wives.” The year was 1963; the city, Saigon. Patricia was newly married to an engineer working for the military and spent her days ignoring artillery blasts and attending garden parties. Sixty years later, the next generation…

Dear Public Library, I LOVE YOU. Not just because there are wild roses—which I can literally stop and smell—growing all around your little stone self, or because your chilled entryway is shelved with “pay what you like” discards for rummaging through, or because of your nerdy owl logo. I love you because your librarians are so kind. To me, with my excessive enthusiasms and my daily piles at the circulation desk and my overdue notices (“It looks like that book on fermented cashew cheese was due back two weeks ago, but no worries!”), but also to the down-and-out folks who pass some time with you, to the kids with nowhere else to go. They are even nice to the teenagers vaping in the self-help stacks—my teenagers vaping in the self-help…

No matter who you are, what you do, or how far you’ve already come, you have been tapped by a force greater than yourself to step into your calling. The work of your life is to figure out this calling. It takes time and effort, a willingness to get it wrong, and the energy to keep going until it feels right. So rather than depleting yourself with judgments about what you haven’t accomplished or aren’t good at, redirect that energy toward the next big push—the one that takes you from making a living to making a life. This means identifying that unique combination of intelligence, talent, and ambition that makes up your very best self. Your skills and talents aren’t necessarily what you do to earn a living, or attention,…

Ready for some sweet holiday fun, BFF-style? It’s no secret you love your Hallmark Channel Holiday Movies. You love watching them—and recapping them—with your best friends! So this year we’re gifting you the ultimate girlfriends’ viewing party guide PLUS festive activities to help you savor every mo-mint. Ready, Set, Sleigh those friendship goals! Never Been Chris’d PREMIERES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 AT 8/7c Stars Janel Parrish, Tyler Hynes, and Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes Home for the holidays, BFFs Naomi and Liz reconnect with high school crush Chris. A complex love triangle forms! Pair it with: Make a batch of mulled wine and toast your high school honeys. Don’t forget the yearbooks! A Heidelberg Holiday PREMIERES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 AT 8/7c Stars Ginna Claire Mason and Frédéric Brossier Heidi has a dream opportunity to…

A Fresh Start Kick off the new year with six flattering lipcolors, five sharpened pencils, four brushes and sponges, two inclusive palettes, plus a highlighter, blush, and contour powder. Hands-Down Favorite Know someone who loves a good manicure? Here’s everything they’ll need for a DIY gel version, from files and lacquers to a mini LED lamp and festive nail stickers. All Natural With fair trade ingredients and recyclable packaging, these 24 gifts, from shea shampoo to mango shower gel, define clean beauty. Classic Crowd-Pleaser Nothing is just okay in this bunch. The lip balm is iconic, the body lotion is buttery, and the midnight recovery cream is a dream to apply. Your lucky someone will enjoy every drop. Scented Luxury I’m over the moon when I get one Jo Malone…

FOR THE HOPELESS ROMANTIC Black Love Letters BY COLE BROWN AND NATALIE JOHNSON “There are many books about love,” John Legend writes in the foreword to this achingly beautiful collection, “but precious few are love.” In these pages, editors Natalie Johnson and Cole Brown offer up “distilled love to soothe your soul,” gathering 45 love letters from “statesmen, acclaimed and upcoming writers, artists, poets, and creators—all reflecting on what it means to be Black, to love, and to be loved in America.” There are the classic, romantic love letters (like John Legend’s own goose-bumps-inducing letter to Chrissy Teigen). There are letters to ancestors and relatives, to children, and children yet to be born, and there are letters that press the boundaries of what love can mean and what it can…

Photographed and interviewed prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike. The 1982 Novel Discovering the story on the page. OPRAH WINFREY (Sofia in the 1985 film; producer on the 2005 Broadway musical, the 2015 Broadway revival, and the 2023 film): I was obsessed from the moment in 1982 when I read the New York Times review of the novel. I got out of bed, went to get the book at the bookstore around the corner from me, came home, and read it straight through. When I read those first lines, “Dear God, I am fourteen years old,” I thought, How does Alice Walker know about my life? I was moved by the story because at 14 years old, I became pregnant and had to hide it, and the baby died. But I also…

BERRY PIGMENTED Deep purples look great on darker skin tones, says MAC Cosmetics makeup artist Keri Blair. Tap along the crease of your lid with a finger. PRETTY PASTEL Outline lids or highlight the inner corners of your eyes with this ethereal periwinkle pencil, says Blair. PLUM ASSIGNMENT This gel-to-oil formula creates a subtle, glossy stain; layer it for a bolder finish. MAGIC MAGENTA To brighten eyes, add a smidge of magenta shimmer to the center of each lid, says makeup artist Ehlie Luna. DEEPLY MAUVE-OLOUS A dark mauve tone works as a neutral for all skin tones, Blair says. Blend this ultra-fine powder from cheek to cheekbone. LILAC AND CO. Swirl the matte lilac and shimmery coral shades together to add radiance to fair to medium skin tones. ROYAL…

Bobbi Brown’s Platinum Pink Glow Sometimes all it takes is amping up your day-to-day look, Brown says: “I still want to feel like myself at a party.” Try her color swaps and grown-up sparkle. Step 1: Brown replaces her usual brown eyeliner for The Best Pencil in Black, applying it along her upper lashline and the waterline, which “looks more defined and a little sexier,” she says. Step 2: Think pink. “You may not gravitate to this color for holiday, but the bold pop makes it special and blends into a pretty stain that works on everyone,” says Brown, who swipes the Lip and Cheek Stick in Bright Pink on lips and the apples of her cheeks. Step 3: Make cheekbones and eyelids gleam. Brown uses a finger to break…

I'm talking to you from the land of old,” says Joan Price, 79, as we tuck into the topic of vibrators. “The land of ‘young,’” I say reflexively, adding that she looks amazing. “No, no no!” The author of The Ultimate Guide to Sex After 50 catches me, sharply. “We think of youth as the goal, but how about celebrating who we are now? Then we have more of a chance of going through our later years happy, zesty, and able to problem-solve.” She has a point. If you’re always craning to see yourself in the rearview mirror, you’re not looking forward to what you’ll become. And that, experts would say, is the first step to kicking ass as you age. Longevity is the word on everybody’s lips these days,…

You Loved… Then Read.… Cutting for Stone Readers who were fascinated by the medical, political, and family history of The Covenant of Water, the 101st Oprah’s Book Club pick, will devour author Abraham Verghese’s first novel, Cutting for Stone, the story of twin boys born in Ethiopia to an Indian nun and a British doctor. As with The Covenant of Water, which is set in Kerala, Verghese drew from his personal life to create this book’s evocative world. He was born in Ethiopia to Indian parents. “It’s a very rich cultural heritage that I carry,” he says, “a dual heritage, and I wanted to set the novel there.” Book of Longing In Bittersweet, the 99th Oprah’s Book Club pick, author Susan Cain argues that we should embrace, rather than avoid,…

Just Add UMAMI White miso is the backbone of this vegan kale and basil-based pesto; walnuts add richness and body. A few splashes of starchy pasta water thicken and smooth the vibrant sauce, which pairs well with long, al dente noodles that have plenty of surface area for it to cling to. For recipes, turn to page 110. Flip the SCRIPT For this inverted pizza, you roast shallots, salami, and fennel in a sheet pan, then cover it in store-bought pizza dough and bake until crisp and golden brown. After flipping it out of the sheet, you add slices of creamy taleggio or Brie, which melt and fill the crevices with buttery richness. Satay ALL DAY The Southeast Asian–inspired marinade for these skewers combines cilantro stems and leaves, lime juice,…

My mother-in-law was the easiest person to buy presents for. All she ever wanted was an abundance of alone time with my husband, Jamie. One year, she actually asked for 36 holes of golf with him, and only him—which shakes down to at least eight hours, not including the inevitable extra few hours practicing their swings on the range beforehand or tossing back a few drinks at the 19th hole afterward. She really adored him—drinking up time with him but also just plain drinking with him. Do I even need to say that that situation is the opposite of what exists in my own family, where long stretches of together time happen only with a TV and a Coke Zero nearby? Which is why it struck me as so foreign…