Black Women Reign at Beauty Pageants

When Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa was named Miss Universe on Sunday, her crowning signified a milestone: the first year that four of the major beauty pageants had simultaneously awarded the top prize to a black woman. Pageants have long been criticized for their antiquated beauty standards and, in many cases, outright racism or gender…

The Most-Read Food Stories of 2019

Julia Moskin, Melissa Clark and Pete Wells try the new fake meats. The Impossible Burger bested the competition in a blind tasting of six national brands. The taste test replicated the experience of a home cook: Each burger was seared in canola oil and served in a potato bun. People complaining about the health implications…

The I.R.S. Sent a Letter to 3.9 Million People. It Saved Some of Their Lives.

Three years ago, 3.9 million Americans received a plain-looking envelope from the Internal Revenue Service. Inside was a letter stating that they had recently paid a fine for not carrying health insurance and suggesting possible ways to enroll in coverage. New research concludes that the bureaucratic mailing saved lives. Three Treasury Department economists have published…

Moschino Makes the Subway Look Chic

The MTA is home to pizza rats, manspreading, and now, a high fashion runway show. Jeremy Scott staged his Moschino pre-fall 2020 collection at the New York Transit Museum. Inspired by the bustling city, the show featured busking pole dancers, models clad in NYC’s finest camo, and a ginormous puffer made for the next Polar…

Top 10 New York Dishes of 2019

This annual list is an exercise in selective memory: The trick is to remember every impressive snack, sandwich, pastry, main course and cocktail I ate over the past year without ever thinking about how much food it all adds up to. It helps to eliminate, right off the bat, anything I consumed in a restaurant…

What does it mean to be asexual?

Asexuality describes a lack of sexual attraction. Asexual people may experience romantic attraction, but they do not feel the urge to act on these feelings sexually. Asexuality is a sexual orientation, like being gay or straight. It is different from celibacy or abstinence. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, with much diversity in people’s experiences and…