Three Cheers for Social Distancing

A few weeks ago, Enrico Barberis Negra was unwinding with a glass of prosecco in his apartment outside of Milan. It was shortly after the government had imposed a lockdown in northern Italy, and he was adjusting to life indoors and alone. Early in the evening, he went to the bathroom and left his drink…

A Dinner-Worthy Grilled Cheese

Hello again, Five Weeknight Dishes readers. I hope you’re not feeling pressured to cook dinner tonight. Most of us are already spending more time than usual thinking about food, and how to get and keep it. Between the elder and younger generations of my family, I’m currently food shopping for eight people, in four different…

When Romance Is a Scam

Ellen Floren was not looking for love. The criminals who lured her into an online scam last summer approached her not on a dating site, where she might have been wary, but through the neighborhood hub called Nextdoor. A man who said his name was James Gibson said he’d noticed her profile on the site.…

In the U.S., Luxury Brands Board Up the Store

In Shanghai, day-to-day life for many luxury retailers has started — slowly — returning to normal. After almost two months of stringent lockdowns enforced by Chinese authorities hoping to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, retailers and restaurants are cautiously reopening for business, alongside the first sunny rays of spring. In Europe, however, where…