Happy Sunday! Welcome to The Skinny, which will take you five minutes to breeze through. And for anyone new here: this is a free newsletter, full of snackable lifestyle news, designed to entertain and save you time—everyone’s most valuable resource.

What we’re covering:

• Recipes and inspiration from March weather: from a Lion’s Head Big Mac to hot honey lamb meatballs

• Spring Break is almost here, but don’t forget the self-tanner and our bathing suit shopping 101, including why Brazilians do it best

• We started off with one small Dunkin’ item and then we just couldn’t stop, since the DD news keeps comin’ in hot—from collabs to the new spring menu and the disappearance of the Butternut donut

• Plus: at-home sleep tests, an oyster-inspired playlist, the hype around “shalajit” & your next Netflix must-watch series

💡Did you know: all The Skinny editions are online and searchable—so you can easily find topics/links/recipes/items to shop that we have written about in the past. Bookmark this link for easy reference.

🔗If someone already in the know sent this, you can subscribe here.

Season’s eats

In like a lion, out like a lamb 

The Skinny: In the spirit of March—that coquettish, two-faced tease—we’re investigating recipes inspired by the animals representing the month’s beginning and end.

First up, the lion: Lion’s mane mushrooms—aka bearded tooth fungus, or bearded hedgehog—are as scary and intimidating as they are beneficial to your health (including mental health). Wild and shaggy tendrilled, we’re not sure if they’re meant to be eaten or returned to the set of HR Pufnstuf, but we will try them because Tabitha Brown shows us that we can with this easy sauté: “Looks like chicken, but it’s not! It’s lion’s mane mushroom.” 

We also learned about lion’s head meatballs, named for their oversized shape and surrounding vegetables that might resemble a mane. Enjoyed reading this personal story from designer Peter Som, who found his grandmother’s recipe book—including a recipe for lion’s head meatballs—20 years after she passed. The pork meatballs are usually served in a broth and because of their “cloudlike” texture, created via a tiresome mixing technique, soak up the surrounding flavors. 

Another take, from cookbook author Frankie Gaw, is the Lion’s Head Big Mac. And while he admits this will appall his ancestors, he couldn’t resist making this “dream turned reality.” 

On to lamb. We found this family-run regenerative farm in NC, Fat Mountain Farms, that you can also order from. They present an informative blog post on “the battle of the two superfoods: beef vs. lamb.” While lamb tops beef for high carnitine levels and omega-3s, beef is the champion of zinc, B12 and creatine. See who wins! 

(And in case you were wondering: “Nicole & Jill, what is regenerative farming?”, Jill listened to and highly recommends “The Bold Return to Giving a Damn—One Farm, Six Generations and the Future of Food”.)

Of course, the most venerated lamb occasion is Greek Easter, but until then, Real Simple has “non-intimidating” lamb recipes for your enjoyment. We’re thinking of ordering some ground lamb from Fat Mountain and trying the hot honey lamb meatballs, or the grilled lamb flatbread with feta. 

Calling all Spring Breakers

For all generations, LFG

The Skinny: If you have a matching micro mini + halter set, Rhode pocket blush, some throwaway footwear (because it will be lost), Sol de Janeiro perfume mist and a couple bathing suits, consider yourself Spring Break ready. Throw all that s–t in a fanny pack and hit the road (guys: sub Irish Spring 5-in-1 product, shorts + vintage tee/tank top, and Hawaiian shirt mix ’n’ match) with our mini The Skinny guide to this iconic March funfest.  

First stop to get into the spirit: IMAX theaters will be showing 90s comedy/crime flix “Spring Breakers" on one day only: March 19. 

Destinations: Per our co-ed correspondents, Cancun and Cabo are No. 1, followed by Costa Rica and Miami’s Ultra festival. Or if you’re mountain bound, here are the spring resorts to hit for sun’s out, beers in hand, skiing in bikini or shorts (or without a top, a la Chelsea Handler’s birthday tradition) optional. On our spring break fave and/or bucket list, ranging from highbrow to low and in between: The Alps, naturalment,  Mexico City, the iconic Floribama + Gulf Coast, including 30A, and dive bar crawling in Ft. Lauderdale. For the latter, at least one subscriber (who may or may not be Nicole’s dad) that had a little too much fun at the Elbo Room back in the ’60s. Fun fact: the entertainer at Jill’s fave Vail dive bar band, Scott Munns, is a resident Elbo Room fixture and affirms the “uniform” at tank top and flip flops is all you need. 

Swimwear: Yes, we are still currently skiing, but now is the time to think about your bathing suit game. Swimwear shopping is a deep, deep sinkhole so to keep from drowning, allow us to share these starting points to make it easier. 

Men and women alike: envision your swimsuit self by thinking about the type of suit fits for your needs (e.g. actually swimming or surfing, chasing kids down the beach, posing poolside, etc.) and what cuts fit your body shape and vibe (think search terms like “swim trunks,” “thong bikini,” “waterproof pocket,” “halter top,” “board short,” “bandeau,” “cheeky”). If you find one suit that looks like it would work for you, look at the description and use those terms to search. This will narrow down the choices from elevendy billion to a mere five or 10 thousand. Thought-starters and inspo here: 

• “Elder” Millennials, is this the bathing suit you seek and yet cannot find? 

• If you’re going one piece, our college sources say their preference is “high cut, low back,” and the less butt coverage, the better — even if you’re a senior. Again, just look at Bond girl Jane Seymour, who was one of our most clicked-stars in last week’s edition. Here’s a take on that look you can take for a spin without breaking the bank. 

• Conde Nast Traveler dares to categorize shopping for bathing suits in Brazil as “joyful,” and we’re listening. In Brazil, no matter your age, you can and should show some skin and here are CNT’s best Brazilian bathing suit brands to choose from. 

• Must-read (for guys, but really everyone): We love this story by the Gentleman’s Gazette, which is the type of thing we’d pen if we had more time. It touches on the history of men’s swimwear, including the pivotal painting by impressionist painter Frederic Bazille, advice to discover your ideal swimwear, and reminds us that true gentlemen in the 1920s were expected to “maintain a stately pallor.”

• Some of Nicole’s faves: Malia Mills (high-quality, bra-sized, gorgeous colors); mix and match Calzedonia bikinis; Bond-eye one-piece that comes in only one size due to its unique textured stretch fabric. 

• Wearing your triangle top inverted, to create a scoop neck, was a 2021 thing, but it might be staging a comeback thanks to Ashley Graham in a tiny yellow bikini last week in Miami.  

Most importantly, and say what you will about our vanity, but the unpleasant hue of bare winter skin requires a sunkissed tint before making its seasonal debut. We’re going to revisit this topic but for Nicole, the OG Jergens Natural Glow is the one and only. Now’s the time to pick up some of the less expensive tried-and-true drugstore versions and start testing them out before it’s too late. And we’ll get back to you about the shimmers, towels and drops in a future edition. 

The Dunkin dish

All the DD news that’s fit to eat & dunk 

The Skinny: Both Jill and Nicole lived in Boston at one time, and as such now have a little bit of Dunkin’ coursing through their veins. Here’s what’s brewing:

The people asked, and DD listened! The Dunkalatte is back, along with the new Dunkin spring menu (which includes a NEW “snackin’ bacon” flavor, but we hope that our current fave BEC, the Maple Sugar Bacon Croissant stays on the menu). But the good news doesn’t stop there! Beginning on March 5, Dunkin’ fans will no longer have to pay extra for dairy alternatives including almond milk and oat milk. A spokesperson for the brand enlightened People readers with this quote: “This enhances Dunkin’s ability to offer guests a wide range of beverage customizations, allowing them to enjoy quality Dunkin' beverages—their way—at a great value.” K thanks!

Nicole isn’t impressed because she is a snobbish black coffee drinker but she IS concerned about the rumored disappearance of the Buttercrunch, aka Butternut, donut. She hasn’t ever found it outside of Massachusetts but according to this elder TikTokker, who created a song to express his disappointment in the matter, there are reportedly none left in the entire world.  

Yet, when you love Dunkin and you want the world to know, we have more news: Dunkin’s bedazzled Juicy Couture tracksuit collab is now available (hoping to see lots of these on BOS > LAX flights). You can also smell like your fave donut, thanks to “healthy deodorant” brand NATIVE and their “Dunkin Collection” of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, 2 in 1, and hand and body lotions.

(Below, a link to our newly-discovered and now favorite convenience store and fast food YouTube reviewers—a father/daughter team.)

Last licks

This week’s newsfeed

• Shilajit happens! A mineral, which is the latest Western wellness obsession, has actually been used for centuries in India and beyond according to this write-up in India Today.

• Oysters vs. the superbugs: bivalves for the win, thanks to a new discovery that “oyster blood” might be a weapon against antibiotic bugs.

• Our favorite Colorado-based restaurant group Big Red F (click and sign up for their newsletter- it always makes our life better) is celebrating Oysters in March. To get in the spirit of “East Coast/West Coast Oyster battles, their wise leader, Dave Query curated a definitive East Coast/ West Coast Rap battles playlist to enjoy while you decide which side you’re on.

• What to watch: after our Book Club item last week featuring The Leopard/Il Gattopardo, an alert reader tipped us off to a new Netflix series based on the novel and described as “Italy’s version of The Crown.” March 5!! 

• And while we still haven’t started watching Season 3 of the “White Lotus,” we can’t stop talking about the collabs: an almost-complete list here, from sleep masks to bucket hats, luggage and sunscreen. 

• Good news for bad sleepers: home sleep tests (and smart “sleep pajamas”) are now available, eliminating the need to go to a sleep lab.

*If you purchase something linked in The Skinny, we may get an affiliate commission—but at no additional cost to you.