From Aleppo to Za'atar

A FRESH TAKE ON SUMMER SIDES INSPIRED BY THE FLAVORS OF THE MIDDLE EAST

Grumpy's Guide to Hummingbirds

How to attract these aerial acrobats to your garden-and then enjoy the show

Stitched Together

For South Carolinian Andrea \"Annie\" Cayetano-Jefferson, sewing sweetgrass baskets ties her to generations of Gullah people, including her mother and daughter

Ciao Bella!

The founder of the Italianmade ceramics brand Vietri celebrates high summer with a pair of tables suited for all occasions

5 JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS

Plan a seriously fun!) trip that’s rooted in history.

SAVING HOPSCOTCH

Rather than parting with their much-loved Lookout Mountain home, a Tennessee family renovated the spot to suit their evolving needs

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Chill out with this nostalgic no-bake dessert

Changing the Game

For this North Carolina pair, pickleball is the ticket to a healthy lifestyle - and a social one

More Is More

Designer Gray Benko isn't afraid of color, pattern, or dogs on the furniture

THE BRIGHTEST

On this list, you'll find the people, products, and ideas that light up our world, show us the way, and change the game.

Use Your Melon

Refreshing recipes to showcase the versatile and sweet cantaloupe

She's Got the Scoop

In Richmond, Virginia, Rabia Kamara creates ice cream that celebrates Black culture and her heritage

Modern Manners Advice for Your Social Quandaries

My husband's niece is getting married in eight months. The save-the-date only had my husband's name, my name, and my husband's two kids' names (my stepkids).

BLUEBERRY SWEET CORN SHORTCAKE

Two of summer's best ingredients come together in an epic dessert just begging to be invited to a party.

MAKE YOUR JEWELRY SHINE

A treasure trove of tips to get your sparkly things ready for primetime

THE BEST

Sometimes it's not enough for our editors to be instantly impressed by a product. Sometimes we want to push it to the limits in one of our three labs, our own homes, or both to see how it holds up under pressure. We cook, we wear, we smear, we clean. We evaluate and tally. Then we give out the REAL SIMPLE Selects seal. When we put that label on something, that means it's among the 5,200-plus products we've formally evaluated according to strict protocols. On this list: some of our current faves. If you see something you like, scan the QR code and get shopping!

The FRIENDLIEST Places in the South 2024

Hospitality is a hallmark of our region, but people define it in different ways. Is it a conversation in the checkout line? A bartender who knows your order before you sit down? The way a community welcomes people who are just passing through? So we asked you, our readers, to share the places that make you feel right at home on every level. Narrowing down thousands of nominations for hotels, restaurants, stores, nonprofits, and more was no small feat, but it was very uplifting. As these 20 standouts show, Southerners go above and beyond to take care of one another.

what to COOK

RECIPES FOR REAL LIFE

The Music of the Mountains

When warm weather arrives, Brevard, North Carolina's open-air concerts and cascading waterfalls fill the town with the song of summer

No Plant Sitter Required

These hardy groupings can stand up to the heat, even while you're away

Women & Their Finances

We partnered with the brilliant minds at the finance site Investopedia to determine what’s holding women back in the money department. The findings? We’re on our way! But we’ve got some work to do.

A Folly Original

This young couple got scrappy to score the South Carolina beach house of their dreams

The Truth About Tomatoes

Here's how to store them the right way

design rules you should definitely break

When it comes to expressing yourself at home, sometimes it's best to ignore the \"supposed tos\" and do your own darn thing instead. As proof, we offer these rule-breaking rooms from six of our favorite designers.

how we live

ADVICE, INSPIRATION A LITTLE PEACE OF MIND

THE BEST GUY IN THE WORLD

From the very start, our rescue pup sensed what we needed from him.

YOUR BED OR MINE?

Doctors and sleep pros tackle the thorny question of where Pepper should sleep.

SPLISH, SPLASH

Before you let your pup dive into the deep end, here's how to help her get on swimmingly in the water.

EXPLORING THE EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF HAVING A DOG

Who gives the best warm fuzzies? That little furball curled up at your feet right now.

QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE GETTING A DOG

She will change your world-in ways you can and can't imagine. Most important to both of you: building trust.