Home/Women's Lifestyle/O, The Oprah Magazine/September 2016/In This Issue
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016The Long GameAngela Flournoy, Writer“BRIGHT LIGHTS, BROKE CITY,” PAGE 111The timeless wisdom that’s been passed down to me is... to truly listen to people. Finding value in others’ ideas and interests can improve your life. I feel most vital when I’m... in a position to use whatever resources I have to help young people get closer to their dreams, whether that’s through a mentorship, meeting up for coffee, or simply sending a good word on their behalf.Katherine Streeter, Illustrator“LOVE WILL TEAR US APART,” PAGE 114The advice I would give my younger self is...to consider the logical side of things. When I was younger, I made choices more from emotion than logic. Now I try to let the voice of reason weigh in as well. The age I’m looking forward to is...70. I…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Soul FoodTITLE WAVEAmen to the value of reading, which was exemplified in the July issue! I’ve never seen such a comprehensive, varied list of novels in any magazine, and I cannot wait to get started on them. I also plan to teach my English classes Oprah’s words in What I Know for Sure. Their emotion and truth reflect the passion I want all people to experience.CARI MARKSCrockett, VirginiaEvery month when I receive O, I immediately flip to Reading Room to look for suggestions to share with my Women Who Dare book club. Summer volumes are usually fluff that I don’t recommend, but not this time! Reading the reviews, I wanted to immediately run out and purchase every title.JOANN BLACKBURNKansas City, MissouriIn the summer reading section, you asked several authors which books…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016PRIMATE TIMEAT CHIMP HAVEN, a 200-acre sanctuary in Keithville, Louisiana, more than 200 chimps, most of them retired from research, spend their days roaming free. “Without sanctuaries, our residents, many of whom weren’t even being studied anymore, would’ve spent the rest of their life trapped inside laboratories,” says Amy Fultz, who cofounded the refuge 21 years ago. Meet three spirited apes enjoying the good life at last.SARAH ANNE, 57“Sarah Anne, or Queen Sarah, is sweet but entitled. To befriend her, I had to make hot chocolate and spoon-feed it to her. She loves solving the challenges we create for our chimps, like recovering fruits placed inside plastic puzzles. You can tell she spent years in cognitive research projects.”HENRY, 31“Unlike our other inhabitants, Henry was kept as a pet for more than…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016FIELDS OF DREAMSSOWING THE SEEDSIn fall 2014, director Ava DuVernay was relaxing at Oprah’s house after completing her feature film Selma. “Making that movie was an intense physical and mental process, so Ms. Winfrey”—who coproduced and appeared in the film—“suggested I take some time to recuperate and invited me to her place in Maui,” says the director. “We were sitting around one day when she casually handed me a book and said, ‘I just got this. Check it out.’ ” So much for downtime. Queen Sugar, Natalie Baszile’s stirring family drama set in the fictional Saint Josephine, Louisiana, instantly spoke to DuVernay’s sensibilities. “The collision of class and culture in this one scattered family was really interesting to me,” she says. “I felt like it could be turned into the kind of…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GayleCOURTSIDEOPRAH HAD NEVER BEEN TO the U.S. Open before, so last year we took a trip to Arthur Ashe Stadium for her very first match. If our faces are any indication, boy, did she pick a good one. That’s us watching Serena Williams square off against her sister, Venus, in last year’s nail-biting quarterfinal. Even though Serena won, she still says Venus is her biggest competition. The tournament returns to the Big Apple on August 29, and I’m hoping to see them both back on the court. We still haven’t picked our jaws up off the floor!FOOD FOR THOUGHTA MICHELIN STAR– winning chef who’s sick of fine dining returns to the food that made him happiest as a kid: burgers and shakes. That’s Joe Isidori’s story in a nutshell. And…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Chances of a LifetimeMARTHA BECKWHEN I BEGAN writing, my lucky animal was the tortoise, because writers need to be soft inside, have a tough outer shell, and stick out their neck to move forward. Then I wrote a controversial book about a certain religion, which provoked a few crazy threats, and the tortoise didn’t seem up to the challenge. I needed an animal that could look danger in the eye. While packing for my book tour, I thought, Well, I was born in the Year of the Tiger. I guess I could go with the tiger.Just then a friend phoned and greeted me with “Hi, tiger!” She’d never called me that before. Huh. Then the doorbell rang. It was FedEx delivering a huge photograph of a tiger, which an acquaintance had sent as…6 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016O’S FALL FASHION LOOK BOOKNow trending: touchable textures, instant outfit makers, fresh-from-the-runway trends, and a whole lot of knit dressing. Fall has finally arrived, and O’s creative director, Adam Glassman, has packed this handbook with all the pieces that are shaping the season. Turn the page and find your new look!FALL FASHION EXTRAVAGANZA • DRESS YOUR BEST • ELEGANT EQUESTRIAN HOUSEWARES54 ITEMS UNDER $1003 DESIGNER LAUNCHES23 PAIRS OF SHOES27 TRENDS21 BAGSFROM RUNWAY TO O-WAYMarvelous MenswearPreppy plaids and structured separates are back in fun, unexpected ways (and no, you won’t be mistaken for Annie Hall). Time to suit up!ONE AND DONESlip into a one-piece wonder for a layered look without the bulk. A collared style is perfect tucked into a skirt for work, while casual, flowier options are best over jeans.Interior MotivesAdd some opulence to…8 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Val’s Guide to GORGEOUSMouthing OffHere’s a shout-out to an exuberant newcomer on the lip gloss front: Maybelline New York Lip Studio Color Jolt ($10; drugstores), which gives you a pop of color in eight bold choices. With nearly ten times more pigment than the average gloss, these are definitely not for the bashful!Penciled InBobbi Brown’s Retouching Face Pencils ($32 each; bobbibrowncosmetics.com) are a marvel of multitasking: They correct dark spots, highlight, and hide redness. In ten shades, from palest porcelain to deepest cocoa, they’re the next best thing to an Instagram filter.Bag It!I’m cheered every time I pull out the Mara Hoffman for Sephora Collection Kaleidescape Escapader ($20; sephora.com), with its playful graphic print—and enough room for my daily beauty essentials (gloss, blush, nail file, and small tube of sunscreen). It’s all I…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Fresh Ways to Fight FibroidsAlmost a third of women ages 25 to 44 have symptoms of fibroids, and if you’re among them, you can probably thank your mom. Your risk of developing the mostly benign, estrogen-fueled uterine tumors—known for causing heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pressure, and possible complications with pregnancy—roughly triples if your mother had them. And African American women’s risk of developing them is three times greater than that of white women.A generation ago, the standard fix for fibroids was hysterectomy or myomectomy (which removes only fibroids, though new ones can still grow). Treatment has since become less invasive, with X-ray-guided and laparoscopic procedures, as well as hormonal treatments like progestin-releasing IUDs. Yet there’s still room for improvement when it comes to fertility and recovery. The good news: Two promising new options are…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Ahead of the CurveESTROGEN20s to 30s: While estrogen fluctuates naturally during a woman’s menstrual cycle, overall levels stay relatively stable during this time because the body is primed for pregnancy and childbirth.Early 40s: Estrogen can start fluctuating more erratically now, so you may see changes in your cycle (shorter or longer duration, heavier bleeding).45 to 55: Most women hit perimenopause and menopause in this age range; estrogen declines steeply and bottoms out a year after your last period.LEPTINEvidence suggests that levels of leptin, which signals the brain when you’ve had enough to eat, increase for nonobese women in periand postmenopause. That may sound like good news, but it’s not the whole story. Higher leptin levels have also been linked to inflammation. Couple that with natural agerelated weight gain and the shifting of body…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016SANCTUARY“Memory is a slippery mirror, a surface that splinters into watery fragments when I touch it...it haunts me. —from How I Became a North KoreanAFTER A DINNER of delectable fish flown in on a private jet from Tokyo, smiling celebrities in fur coats and government functionaries wearing Rolexes dance to an American pop song under a glittering disco ball. But look closer: Their smiles are grimaces, dressed up to conceal terror. This is not Manhattan but Pyongyang, North Korea, and the elites know they are dancing on a minefield. From the shocking opening of her debut novel, How I Became a North Korean (Viking), Krys Lee invites us into a world Westerners rarely glimpse and can barely imagine.Lee’s heroes are three young refugees: Danny, a headstrong Chinese-born Korean who winds…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016THE NAKED TRUTHOn what’s expected of women: “[We’re] always the ones who have to smooth over all the awkward moments in life with soul-crushing pleasantries. We are basically unpaid geishas.”On faking org*sm: “I just lie there in happy baby pose making it sound like I’m having a good time.”On how her mother’s ban on junk food backfired: “I acted like an Amish kid on Rumspringa anytime I was near it.... I went full-metal-jacket crazy eating it all.”On being paparazzied while stand-up paddleboarding in Hawaii: “I didn’t even recognize myself. I saw the shots in magazines and thought, ‘Oh cool, Alfred Hitchco*ck is alive and loves water sports.’”…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016YOU, IN BloomSTAY StrongCROSS-TRAIN Your BrainJust as you’d lift weights and do cardio, you can maximize cognitive fitness with various types of exercise, says Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Longevity Center and coauthor of 2 Weeks to a Younger Brain. Rotate activities that focus on these areas:LANGUAGE Scrabble, word scramblesVISUAL-SPATIAL mazes, jigsawsPROBLEM SOLVING chess, sudoku, logic gamesMEMORY AND CONCENTRATION Trivial Pursuit, match games like Candy CrushA couple to try: CHANGING WORDS (language)Begin with WALL and change one letter at a time until you get to FIRM. Each change has to create an actual word.COUNTING SQUARES (visual-spatial)Count the squares below. (Be sure to count the squares within the squares.)Changing Words answer: WILL, FILL, FILM. Counting Squares answer: 21.TAKE CARE OF YOUR ChromosomesWhen it comes to aging, the date on your driver’s…19 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016THE SKIN YOU’RE INSPOT CHECKI wish there were a cure for acne!UNTIL NOW, the main treatments for dealing with acne have been topical and oral antibiotics (which clear the skin of acnecausing bacteria), retinoids (which prevent dead skin cells from clogging pores), and benzoyl peroxide (an antibacterial ingredient that eliminates acnecausing bacteria). But each has drawbacks: Antibiotics may contribute to antibiotic resistance; retinoids and benzoyl peroxide can cause irritation. As an alternative, the biopharmaceutical company Dermira has developed a gel called DRM01 that has an entirely new attack strategy. What makes it different, and likely more effective, is that it’s preventive. One central cause of acne is excessive oil secreted by the sebaceous glands. DRM01 inhibits oil production by targeting an enzyme essential to the creation of the fatty acids that are a…6 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016LOVE ME TenderA LOVE OF ALL THINGS grilled and cured runs in my family. It goes back to my mother’s mother, Gwen, the namesake of the restaurant I just opened with my brother, Luke, in Los Angeles. Back in Australia, my Nan farmed sheep and cows and cooked what she raised over a wood-burning stove. Mom, Luke, and I were always grilling on our ranch outside Melbourne. Now, at Gwen, we use lesser-known cuts to give dishes big flavor—a trick you can borrow. Let me introduce you to my favorite part of the rib eye: its tender cap, the perfectly marbled crescent that surrounds the meaty center; I dress it up with tart pickled onions. I also love juicy tri-tip, a triangular cut from the bottom sirloin. Tucking it into a fresh…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016RISE AND SHINEChef Heather Earnhardt’s hefty, buttery biscuits are drawing ever-longer lines of hungry customers to her Seattle restaurant, the Wandering Goose. In her cookbook, Big Food Big Love, Earnhardt shares the secrets to their fluffy perfection. Whether you whip up the classic buttermilk version or one of these sweet or savory variations, get ready to have friends gathering outside your door, too.Big Buttermilk BiscuitsMAKES 1 DOZEN 3" BISCUITS3¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour3¼ cups cake flour3 Tbsp. sugar2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. baking powder1 Tbsp. kosher salt1½ tsp. baking soda1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, diced and chilled, plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted3 cups buttermilk, chilled1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, thoroughly combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda on low speed.…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Sole MatesIT WAS A DELICIOUSLY candy-colored day at New York City’s Milk Studios, which had been temporarily transformed into a glamorous Parisian boutique. The inspiration came from O creative director Adam Glassman, who exclaimed that “the macarons from Ladurée and the shoe salon at Bergdorf had a baby.” In celebration of all things fashion, T-straps and sling-backs mingled with chunky heels and stilettos. “I’m having a party!” said Oprah, kicking up her strappy Louboutins— but it was Gayle who was on cloud nine. Scouting for new additions to her collection of nearly 200 shoes, Gayle zeroed in on a pair of J. Crew pumps: “Are these my size?” (They weren’t. Bummer!) But woman cannot live on heels alone. As Oprah likes to say, “There is nothing better than being comfortable. You…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Here We Go!THERE ARE A few things I will never outgrow. My love of books, for starters. My spirituality, which sustains me year after year. And my belief that every day brings tremendous possibility—a chance to live more fully, love more deeply, and learn something new, no matter how old I am.Age, in my opinion, is a mere suggestion for how to conduct oneself. Yes, we should mind our health and secure our money and make big life decisions at various points along the way. But we can, in important respects, remain ageless—strong, healthy, happy, and connected—even as we celebrate the years we’ve lived. Take the first step of a new journey on page 120.What to bring with you? My latest book club pick, a stunning novel that had me riveted from…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Smooth OperatorSHE CLOCKS IN for the morning shift before 7 a.m. By 10, she’s already seen dozens of joggers zip past and watched peregrine falcons take off for their morning hunt. When rush hour ends, she raises and lowers Seattle’s University Bridge to accommodate vessels in the bay below. Barb Abelhauser, who’s been one of the bridge’s caretakers for almost two years, says some days are busier than others: “Boat traffic is seasonal here. In the winter, I might have two or three openings per shift. In the warmer months, when everyone’s out in their sailboats, I might have 20.” During the evening, she quietly watches Seattle turn in for the night: people trudging home from work, dogs and their owners finishing up a stroll. “By the time it’s dark,” says…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Lupita Nyong’o“BEST FAMILY TRADITION Singing a lively Kenyan birthday song with lots of call-and-response while banging on pots and pans. Anyone who’s rolling with me needs to know it.BEST SONG TO ROCK OUT TO“Shekini” by P-Square, a Nigerian group, is infectious. I discovered it while filming Queen of Katwe in Uganda last year. Listening to the radio is very big in East Africa; if you’re driving with your window rolled down, you will hear music.BEST WARDROBE STAPLEA wide-brim hat. It can instantly elevate any look. I loved the film My Fair Lady growing up, so there’s a bit of me that feels like Eliza Doolittle every time I wear one.BEST ADVICEGo where you are loved. Danai Gurira, who wrote Eclipsed, shared that with me, and it’s a valuable thought that’s really…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016FORCES OF NATUREFIRST THERE WAS SuperSoul Sunday, the Emmywinning OWN series that’s given Oprah the chance to sit down with dozens of fascinating thinkers since it debuted in 2011. Then came SuperSoul Sessions, daylong inspiration fests where enthralled audiences go deep with captivating speakers. Now Oprah and the OWN team have dreamed up the next step: the SuperSoul 100—innovators and visionaries who are aligned on a mission to move humanity forward. On the list are Entrepreneurs (from LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner to the founders of SoulCycle), Igniters (such as author Janet Mock and activist Shaka Senghor), Teachers (like Brené Brown, Deepak Chopra, and Eckhart Tolle), Creatives (like ballerina Misty Copeland and director Ava DuVernay), and Givers (including Toms founder Blake Mycoskie and Emily Greener of I Am That Girl).Not long ago, more…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Let’s Make a DealFARNOOSH TORABIAS WE SET OUT to make our fall purchases, here’s a motto worth embracing: “Paying full price is so last season.” Sure, retailers enjoy cashing in at this time of year, when shoppers are giving their credit cards a workout. (Last year back-to-school and college spending was estimated at a whopping $68 billion.) But with a strategy in place, you can conquer your shopping like a champ, even when no sales are in sight. That’s right: You can actually guarantee yourself a discount, whether you’re buying a laptop or leather boots. Here’s a roundup of some stellar ways to save.FARNOOSH TORABI, personal finance expert and author of When She Makes More, hosts CNBC’s Follow the Leader and the podcast So Money.1 GET CARDEDMoney blogger Karen Cordaway recommends buying discounted…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016BEHIND THE SEAMS Adam’s Top Fit TipsBefore you hit the dressing room, turn the page for 13 clever ideas.1 Start with a Good FoundationI cannot say this enough! Ill-fitting undergarments can sabotage your entire outfit, so build from the inside out. You can never go wrong with a T-shirt bra with smooth cups that don’t cause lumps or bumps under thin fabric. For an all-over sleek look under dresses, try an all-in-one shapewear piece.2 WEAR YOUR ACTUAL SIZEDON’T BE SWAYED BY THE NUMBER ON THE TAG: THERE IS NO UNIVERSAL SIZING METHOD. AND REMEMBER, NO ONE SEES THAT NUMBER EXCEPT YOU—BUT EVERYONE CAN SEE WHEN YOUR CLOTHES ARE TOO TIGHT.3 Easily Conceal MidsectionYou might think a big, boxy shirt hides what’s underneath—but it will actually just make you look bigger. Instead, try a top that fits…4 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016YOUR BEST HAIR DAYS EVER!FRANTIC WITH FRIZZSHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER: The root cause of frizz is a lack of hydration, which makes hair brittle and unruly. Choose a shampoo and conditioner that contain moisturizing humectants (like hyaluronic acid or glycerin) and ingredients that help seal the hair’s cuticle (outer layer) to prevent moisture from escaping, says cosmetic chemist Ni’kita Wilson. Look for wheat and vegetable proteins, dimethicone, or a conditioning polymer like polyquaternium-7.TREATMENT: Once a week, apply a smoothing hair mask with rice proteins, vegetable proteins, or dimethicone. The concentrated dose of ingredients will reinforce the smooth seal on the hairSTYLING: Avoid products containing high levels of alcohol (it will be near the top of the ingredients list), says Wilson. Alcohol can damage the cuticle’s protective barrier.THE BEST CUT: Be sure your stylist always uses…6 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 201640sBYE-BYE, SHUT-EYEMore than one-third of women going through perimenopause—which starts with menstrual cycle changes and related symptoms and ends one year after your last period— experience insomnia, often awakening frequently during the night. “Fluctuations in estrogen can cause changes in body temperature that can trigger nighttime hot flashes or night sweats, which may then wake you,” explains Hrayr Attarian, MD, a sleep expert at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. The interrupted sleep doesn’t just leave you wiped out; it can also make you more likely to pack on pounds by increasing production of the hormone ghrelin, which boosts hunger, and reducing the hormone leptin, which suppresses appetite. Two other possible causes of restless nights: sleep apnea, the stop-and-start breathing that develops in approximately 20 percent of periand postmenopausal women,…4 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Advanced REPLACEMENTDR. OZIF YOU’RE ONE of the millions of women who’s approaching or has recently reached menopause and its symptoms are interfering with your life, you’d probably do anything for relief. Luckily, science has made this possible, in the form of hormone therapy (HT). It’s important to know, however, that HT isn’t one size fits all.In the 1980s and ’90s, it seemed that the magic answer to the sweats, mood swings, and sleepless nights lay in replacing depleted estrogen with drugs that mimic its effects on the body. Doctors’ belief that HT also carried a heart-health benefit (estrogen helps facilitate blood flow by keeping blood vessels flexible) made it a go-to remedy.Today the decision to start HT is more complicated. One of the biggest trials to look at the effects of…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016CHELSEA GIRLBEFORE YOU SCOFF AT THE IDEA OF A HIGH SCHOOLER writing a memoir, consider that Nicolaia Rips, author of Trying to Float (Scribner), came of age in the Chelsea Hotel, the bohemian milieu of Andy Warhol, Madonna, and Dylan Thomas and sanctuary to a disappearing breed of Manhattan eccentrics whose members include avant-garde nightclub proprietors, call girls, and paranoid painters. Or, as the author calls them, neighbors. Rips is disarmingly inquisitive, a quality that made her unpopular in school but the mascot of the Chelsea, and a magnetic storyteller. In a freewheeling series of anecdotes belonging somewhere between co*cktail party and therapy session, Rips describes her scenery-chewing parents, conniving classmates, erratic fellow tenants, and the pleasant mayhem that ensues when they all collide. Patti Smith has called the Chelsea the…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 201610 TITLES TO PICK UP NOWHarmonyby Carolyn ParkhurstAlexandra and her two daughters—the “undiagnosable” Tilly, whose behavioral condition causes the family to move to a remote therapeutic camp in New Hampshire, and the sharp, knowing Iris—narrate this heartfelt novel about the obstacles of raising an autistic child.Collected Poemsby Marie PonsotSixty years of wondrous verse from this awardwinning but curiously underappreciated poet. Open to any page and you’ll stumble on lines you’ll never forget: “The meanest mistake / has a point to make.”The Terror Yearsby Lawrence WrightWright has a gift only the most talented journalists possess: Whether unpacking large and complex entities like al-Qaeda or drawing in-depth profiles of FBI agents, he brings the world vividly to our fingertips. An essential record of the 9/11 era.The Selfishness of Others: An Essay on the Fear of Narcissismby Kristin…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Bound for GloryI WAS 14 and in my local library when I read “Ain’t I A Woman?,” the speech Sojourner Truth delivered to a suffragist convention in 1851. After 30 years in bondage, she had become a human rights activist, advocating for women and speaking out against slavery and racism. Her words awakened something in me, and I’ve never forgotten them, especially the last paragraph: “If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!” On that day I began my journey as a student of African American history. Decades later, I’m still consuming slave narratives, histories, and novels that help me feel the heat of…9 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016The Power of 3COLDER BREW • UPDATED SHAKES • SCRUMPTIOUS STEAKSTry This!Apples give salads a healthy, satisfying crunch, but they’re also the perfect partner for gooey cheddar: Every bite of our spicy skillet queso has a sweet note to counter the heat.Queso Fundido with Apples and MustardMAKES 4 SERVINGSACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTESTOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES16 baguette slices, cut on a bias1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil, divided2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Dijon mustard1½ ounces (8 large slices) pepperoni, quartered1 medium onion, chopped2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped½ tsp. kosher salt2 (8-ounce) red apples, such as Empire, cored and cut into ½" pieces½ cup beer (ale or lager)2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard10 ounces (3½ cups) shredded mild cheddar1½ Tbsp. all-purpose flour1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper1 medium tomato, diced3 Tbsp. cilantro leaves1. Preheat oven to 350°.…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Shop Guide(All prices are approximate.)COVER On Oprah: Dress, $135; 525america.com. Pumps, $825; christianlouboutin.com for additional colors. Earrings, Featherstone Fine Jewelry, $29,900; featherstonedesign.com. Black and burgundy bangles, $275 each, and green bangle, $300, Lizzie Fortunato Jewels; kickpleat.com. Gold bangle, $568; vitafede.com. Ring, $10,500; belperron.com. Prop shoes (clockwise from top): $750; giuseppezanottidesign.com. Kate Spade New York, $298; katespade.com. $495; marionparke.com. $1,350; jimmychoo.com. $1,095; sarahflint.com.BEHIND THE SCENES PAGE 12 Pumps (in Gayle’s hand), $254; jcrew.com.O’S FALL FASHION LOOK BOOK! PAGE 63 “Go for Baroque”: Bootie, Report, $70; available August 24 at dsw.com. PAGE 64 “Comfort Zone” (from left): Necklace, R.J. Graziano, $85; rjgraziano.com. Bag, $218; eileenfisher.com. Belt, $148; b-lowthebelt.com. Watch, $49; ninewest.com. Rings, $40 to $70 each; chamilia.com. Heels, $925; jimmychoo.com. Bag, $110; urbanexpressions.net. Sneakers, $65; feiyue.com. PAGE 65 “Tie One On”: 1. Blouse,…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016The QuestionI’ve lived long enough to know that every hiccup, heartbreak, and setback is really just a setup for something better than I can imagine right now.NICHOLE BAZEMORE, 42 Jonesboro, GeorgiaI don’t feel the need to compete. There is a sense of peace and freedom when you’re happy for others without wondering how you measure up.PEGGY PRICHARD, 52 Champaign, IllinoisI’m not expected to have it all together yet. I have room to explore, fail, succeed, and have fun. I’m expected to just be.CAILA COLEMAN, 27 OrlandoI can still call my parents for help. There’s something about being at the end of your teen years that makes them want to hold on to you a little tighter—and I’m not complaining.TEONA RINGGOLD, 19 PittsburghTHIS MONTH WE WONDERED...Q What’s the best thing about being…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016The Gratitude MeterFROM AWWW TO AWESOME !CAT HOUSESLet your tabby travel the world without leaving her favorite sunny spot. Poopy Cat, a felinecentric design studio in Amsterdam, recently introduced a series of sheltering structures inspired by famous landmarks like the Taj Mahal (right). What a win-win: a new space for your pet that’s anything but an eyesore. (poopycat.com)SMALL-SCREEN GEMSWhat we’ll be watching September 18: the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, helmed by late-night master prankster Jimmy Kimmel. Will Lily Tomlin be recognized for her hijinks on Grace and Frankie? Could The Good Wife’s Julianna Margulies pull off a best-actress hat trick? Tune in to find out—and catch our own Adam Glassman covering the red carpet.MEMORY LANESWas Solar the name of the bistro your boss recommended or the sci-fi film you wanted to see?…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016INCOMING!“I opened the bridge for a brick house (left) recently. It was built in Seattle and was going to be placed on one of Washington’s outer islands. When I saw it floating toward me, I thought I was hallucinating.”“The largest vessel I ever opened for weighed almost 24,000 gross tons. I was definitely sweating during that one. If you don’t time it just right, a barge like that could destroy your bridge. With a ship that size, the captain can’t exactly slam on the brakes.”“In Florida, I saw more naked people than I care to count. There was one well-known vessel in particular that was always full of nude senior citizens.”…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016WAFFLE: A LOVE STORYBARIATRIC SURGERY is a scary proposition, and believe me, I was plenty scared. But I was also, as the endocrinologist explained, “profoundly diabetic,” and the drugs weren’t working. Surgery, I was told, would be my best shot at achieving complete remission.Had I been on my own, I don’t think I’d have had the intestinal fortitude (sorry) to permit my stomach to be rearranged. But I was part of a package deal; there was my husband, my daughter, and my dry cleaner, all of whom needed me—especially my daughter. I owed it to Julia to be the healthiest mother possible. And that wasn’t the only thing I owed her.From the moment she could talk, Julia had one request: “Mommy, can I have a dog? Mommy, can I have a dog? Mommy,…4 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016GRAND DameEXPERT ADVICE • INSIGHT • REALLY SMART MOVESELIZABETH GILBERTMANY YEARS AGO when I was going through a dark season of depression and self-loathing, I taped a sweet photograph of myself at the tender age of 2 on my bathroom mirror. Looking at that photo every day reminded me that I once was this blameless little person, deserving of all tenderness— and that part of me would always be this blameless little person deserving of all tenderness. Meditating upon a smaller and more innocent version of my face helped me learn to be more compassionate to myself. I was finally able to recognize that any harm I inflicted on me, I was also inflicting on her. And that little kid clearly didn’t deserve to be harmed.Reconnecting with one’s inner child is…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016The O List BACK TO SCHOOLPlaid to the BoneTwo iconic brands, Pendleton and Gap, have come together for a singular plaid-accented collection. This fun twist on the classic jean jacket is just one of the happy results. (Gap x Pendleton 1969 Icon denim jacket, $80; available September 12 at gap.com)Safe and SoundConsider this little guy your undercover security. At first glance, it’s a convenient portable charger and flashlight. But pull the top ring for an earpiercing 100-decibel panic alarm that can be heard up to 200 yards away. (Power Protect, originally $25, now 20 percent off with code OPRAH; rayovac.com)Easy RiderGame day MVPs: stainless steel thermoses for keeping cocoa nice and hot, and a roomy organizer for tailgating, all personalizable. Score! (Car organizer, $59, and retro thermoses, $49 each; markandgraham.com)Pack and StayWhere to store your…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016YES, YOU CAN... Wear Fall’s Bold TrendsMakeup shouldn’t be scary (Kiss and Halloween notwithstanding), but even we have to admit some of this season’s most intriguing trends can be intimidating. Greige lipstick? Neon eyeliner? And the one craze that (still) shows no signs of slowing down...contouring! So we called on makeup artists Molly Stern and Daniel Martin for a few pointers on how to step—or rather, tiptoe—outside your comfort zone.1 SUPER-DARK LIPSTICKNot daring enough to rock greige or black lips? Neither are we. Instead, use the two shades to modify your favorite lipsticks. A layer of greige over any lipstick will turn it into a subtler shade. A coat of black creates a deeper, more dramatic hue. If you can't resist an eggplant or oxblood, keep it light and sheer. Swipe on the lipstick, then gently…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 201630sMUSCLE AND METABOLISM, WHEREFORE ART THOU?During your 30s, levels of key musclebuilding hormones, including growth hormone and testosterone, begin to decline. As a result, you may start losing muscle, which can slow your metabolism and lead to weight gain.TRY THIS: Pile on the protein. “My research has found that eating more protein, especially between meals and after exercise, can build muscle mass, helping reverse the decline in metabolism,” says Caroline Apovian, MD, an endocrinologist and professor of medicine at Boston University Medical School. She recommends getting up to one and a half grams per kilogram of body weight daily (so about 95 grams for a 140-pound woman). And you may build more muscle if you spread your protein intake evenly throughout the day. In a small 2014 University of Texas…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 201650s+CHANGE OF HEARTThe incidence of heart attack in women increases significantly after they reach menopause. Estrogen helps keep arteries pliable, and its decline may explain why blood pressure and LDL, or bad cholesterol, tend to rise during this time, says Deborah Kwon, MD, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. In addition, late peri- and postmenopause are associated with greater fat deposits around the heart, which has been linked to an increased risk (up to 54 percent) of heart disease, according to a 2015 study.HEALTHY HABIT: Blast away ab flab. The fat that forms in your middle is especially toxic: “It produces compounds such as inflammatory proteins called cytokines, which have been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes as well as heart disease,” explains Scott Isaacs, MD, an endocrinologist…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016BRIGHT LIGHTS, BROKE CITYENGAGING EXILES • CONFESSIONAL COMEDIANS • FLOUNDERING FAMILIESIN THE NEAR DECADE since the onset of the Great Recession, few works of fiction have examined what those years felt like for everyday people, how so many continued to hope and plan and love amid pervasive uncertainty. Enter Behold the Dreamers (Random House) by Imbolo Mbue, a Cameroonian American who situates her characters on U.S. shores just as prosperity is beginning to seem like a thing of the past.Jende and Neni Jonga are an ambitious young Cameroonian couple who settle in New York City believing that anything is possible and that with hard work they’ll soon turn their most cherished hopes—starting with obtaining permanent legal residency—into reality. Their fortunes appear to be on the rise when Jende lands a job chauffeuring Clark…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Love Will Tear Us ApartPOETRY PAUSEThis high summer we love will pour its light / the fields grown rich and ragged in one strong moment / then before we’re ready will crash into autumn–from Collected Poems (1950–2012) by Adrienne Rich (Norton)IN JOE McGINNISS JR.’S harrowing but, against all odds, ultimately tender Carousel Court (Simon and Schuster), everybody hurts.Nick and Phoebe Maguire were a young, upwardly mobile Boston couple with a new child and a promising future out West— until a job offer evaporated right before their cross-country move. When we meet them, now living in an L.A. suburb, Phoebe is a self-medicating pharmaceutical sales rep and Nick is a clean-out man specializing in “banksanctioned home invasions.”Haunted by an affair Phoebe can’t let go of and the pills she can’t stop taking, resentful of each…2 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016QuotablesFor more words to live by, follow us on Instagram @oprahmagazine.“Every day you’re alive and someone loves you is a miracle.” — Rita Mae Brown, Cat’s Eyewitness“No matter where life takes you... the place where you stand at any moment is holy ground. Love hard and love wide and love long, and you will find the goodness in it.” — Susan Vreeland, Lisette’s List“I WOULD MAINTAIN THAT THANKS ARE THE HIGHEST FORM OF THOUGHT; AND THAT GRATITUDE IS HAPPINESS DOUBLED BY WONDER.” — G.K. Chesterton“One key to knowing joy is being easily pleased.” — Mark Nepo“We can only be said to be ALIVE in those moments when our HEARTS are conscious of our treasure.” — Thornton Wilder, The Woman of Andros“Here are the two best prayers I know: ‘Help me,…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016WHERE ARE YOU GOING?LUCIA MENDEZ veteran, bride-to-beIn Search of the Perfect GownBridal Reflections Salon, New York CityI’m the third of four sisters, and when I was little, we shared a room. It was like a neverending sleepover—we’d hang up bedsheets and pretend we were camping inside a giant tent. We hardly ever got in trouble because that meant telling on each other, and we all knew you just don’t do that.When I was 14, our dad died from cancer, and right after that, my mom started having health issues—headaches, memory loss. Once, she asked who I was. The doctors assumed it was stress, but she had a brain tumor, and eight months later she passed away, too. So my oldest sister, Nancy, who was 21, dropped out of school to care for us.The…1 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016Mixing BowlSUNNY DELIGHTGrapefruit, that beloved staple of retro diets, is making a comeback. Happily, John Currence—author of the forthcoming cookbook Big Bad Breakfast, named after his restaurant in Oxford, Mississippi—has a trick to elevate the fruit: He sprinkles a little salt on top, along with the usual sugar, and pops it under the broiler. The resulting crème brûlée–esque crust makes the dish taste more like an indulgence than a health food.BRULÉED GRAPEFRUITMAKES 2 SERVINGSTOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTESPreheat broiler. Cut 2 grapefruits in half through equator. Sprinkle each cut side with 1⁄8 tsp. salt and 1 Tbsp. sugar and spread in an even layer. Place grapefruit cut side up on a baking sheet. Broil, watching carefully and rotating to ensure sugar doesn’t burn, until caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven,…3 min
O, The Oprah Magazine|September 2016What I Know for SureI JUST WATCHED THE SUN RISE OVER HALEAKALĀ NATIONAL PARK.It was my tenth visit to the crater. It never gets old.While balancing on two rocks, hoping for a little better view over the heads of hundreds of others who’d also driven the winding trek 10,000 feet above the clouds, I shed silent tears of joy at the opportunity to witness yet another dawn in this beautiful thing we call life. A new day. Another chance to get it right. To make amends. Forgive. Celebrate. Honor our call to be here on earth. Every day a new birth day.That’s what I felt as the tears welled and the crowd went still and silent, many with their cameras and smartphones pointed toward the eastern horizon, waiting for the first glimpse of golden…1 min
