Guides

2008 Holiday Survival Guide for Slackers

It’s a holiday tradition: You’re giftless mere hours until Christmas, and it’s printouts and January ETAs for the unlucky few on your list. MATTHEW BALDWIN has ideas for the eternally belated. (Guides | December 24, 2008)

How to Go Caroling

‘Tis the season to be jolly, all over the cul-de-sac, on your neighbors’ porches, against your neighbors’ most fervent holiday wishes. PASHA MALLA goes fa la la la la, la la la la. (Guides | December 18, 2008)

The 2008 Good Gift Games

This holiday season, rather than hock what’s left of your 401(k) for Starbucks gift cards, gather friends and family around a cozy, non-energy-dependent board game. Here are MATTHEW BALDWIN’s picks for the best of the year. (Guides | November 25, 2008)

Writing My Twitter Etiquette Article: 14 Ways to Use Twitter Politely

Every form of communication deserves an etiquette manual, if only so we can treat our fellows better, even in 140-character bites. MARGARET MASON’S 14-point guide to improved tweets. (The Thoughtful User Guide | August 15, 2008)

2007 Holiday Christmas Survival Guide for Slackers Cultural Warriors

Talented gift-givers put time and thought into selecting presents for their loved ones. MATTHEW BALDWIN has gift ideas for the ungifted. (Guides | December 21, 2007)

Gift Subscriptions

A gift in the mail is a joy to open—a gift every month (or less) trumps that. For those stumped on how to tie up their holiday shopping, our resident shopping expert MARGARET MASON advises you to pour yourself some ’nog, and order a few magazines. (Guides | December 20, 2007)

The 2007 Good Gift Games

As long as you’ve got two to four friends, that’s all you need for a fun afternoon of playing board games. Oh, except for a board game that’s actually fun. MATTHEW BALDWIN presents his choices for the games even a sore loser will enjoy. (Guides | November 28, 2007)

2006 Holiday Survival Guide for Slackers

It’s always better to give than to receive—at least that’s what your loved ones say, just as they’re about to open another present from you. MATTHEW BALDWIN brings us another year of gifts that will gather dust in the garage. (Guides | December 22, 2006)

Our Favorite Gifts

The most meaningful gifts are so personal they cannot simply be plucked from the shelves of a store—but sometimes we need a little help. Turning holiday inspiration into shopping salvation, THE WRITERS recall their fondest gift memories. (Guides | December 15, 2006)

The 2006 Good Gift Games

Around the holidays there are always two to four players within earshot. Every year dozens of board games are marketed into existence, but some are so fun they stand alone. MATTHEW BALDWIN unloads his top picks for 2006. (Guides | December 6, 2006)

Port, Portamento

In America it’s the after-dinner drink of champions, and it’s not just for winter anymore. Whether gunning for a spot in the boardroom or a way to impress friends, if you know a thing or two about this sweet stuff, says CLAIRE MICCIO, you’ll go far. (Guides | March 27, 2006)

2005 Holiday Survival Guide for Slackers

You made your list, checked it twice, and still haven’t bought a single gift. With just over 48 hours to go, it’s gift cards or IOUs—or MATTHEW BALDWIN’s suggestions for the presents nobody will forget, no matter how much holiday cheer they down. (Guides | December 22, 2005)

Twelve Calendar Gifts for a Happy New Year

In 2006 you will remember every birthday, every tooth cleaning, every oil change and tune-up. Your mother will get flowers; you will turn your mattress; you will schedule your vacation months in advance. MARGARET MASON picks the calendars that will help. (Guides | December 19, 2005)

The 2005 Good Gift Games

Being with friends and loved ones is what makes the holidays special—and once you’re fed up with that, it’s time to humiliate them over a board game. Here are this year’s best tabletop entertainments. (Guides | December 6, 2005)

Fifteen Prudent Gifts for the Budget-Minded

You enjoy the lights, you’re fond of the cocktails; you loathe the stores. Our shopping expert offers her online picks for under $30, so you can focus on making merry. (Guides | December 2, 2005)

Fifteen Luxury Gifts Worth the Splurge

Maybe you’re feeling especially generous, maybe you did something unforgivable, maybe you’re just loaded. Our shopping expert suggests gifts they’ll remember for years. (Guides | November 23, 2005)

To Blunt the Razor’s Edge

November is National Beard Month—but before you stop shaving you’d better have a close look at your options. An explanation of common facial hairstyles, including notes on those best avoided. (Guides | November 2, 2005)

Tight Wine

We love high-dollar wine, but we don’t love panhandling for it. And while the savvy know a good bottle can be picked up for under 10 bucks, we are not savvy: We are cheapskates. Here, then, are seven reds, four whites, and a rosé—all cheap, all perfect for Solo-cupping. (Guides | October 12, 2005)

2005 Editors’ Awards for Online Excellence

Web Geeks Unite! was our original slogan when we launched this site in 1999, and while the tagline has changed, the spirit is undiminished. Editors ANDREW WOMACK and ROSECRANS BALDWIN share their picks for this year’s Editors’ Awards. (Opinions | May 19, 2005)

The Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gift Guide

You put it off again this year, and now you’re on the verge of disappointing your very own mother. You have four days to find and ship an amazing Mother’s Day gift. MARGARET MASON recommends gifts from sites that offer quick delivery. (How To | May 3, 2005)

Valentine’s Gift Guide

The heart-shaped box of chocolates was sweet and the bouquet of roses was lovely, but your Valentine deserves a surprise this year. This Valentine’s Day, let Margaret Mason do your shopping for you. (Opinions | February 1, 2005)

2004 Holiday Survival Guide for Slackers

Every year you show up with a stack of giftcards from Rite-Aid. And every year your family roasts your chestnuts for waiting until the last minute to do your shopping. This year will be different. Matthew Baldwin has gift ideas for the lazy. (Opinions | December 22, 2004)

Twenty Gifts That Go Easy on Your Budget

You’re a generous sort, but you don’t have much time (or cash). Mighty Goods shopping expert Margaret Mason has 20 clever gift ideas that won’t leave you paying off your credit cards through July. (Opinions | December 16, 2004)

The 2004 Good Gift Games Guide

The last time you played a board game you got the Adam’s apple caught in the funny-bone slot and then you couldn’t pass GO or collect $200. These days, however, board games are a lot more enticing and fun, and Matthew Baldwin is here with the best of this year’s crop. (Opinions | December 7, 2004)

The Morning News Guide to the Republican National Convention

With New York overrun by delegates and helicopters, dragon-burning anarchists and the president’s twin daughters, THE EDITORS present a mid-week survival guide for Republicans confused by the city that never sleeps or says thank you. (New York, New York | August 31, 2004)

Tricks of the Trade

For every occupation, there is a catalog of secrets only its employees are aware of—such as how waiters with heavy platters know to look straight ahead, and never down. Armed with a bag of reader mail, Matthew Baldwin unfurls a whole lot more true insider knowledge. (How To | August 24, 2004)

The Art of the Cure

Using salt to preserve meat goes back to the Egyptians, but curing pork in a small New York apartment? Food writer JOSH FRIEDLAND takes us through the steps of making guanciale—including, do not plan to hang your jowls at your mother-in-law’s—with recipes for the finished product. (How To | June 22, 2004)

How to Walk in New York

Walk or don’t walk? In New York, there is rarely a choice. ANDREW WOMACK lays the ground rules for how you should maneuver the pavement, always showing your best side under special circumstances, and what to do when sidewalk rage hits. (How To | April 7, 2004)

Virtue: Volunteering from Home

You planned to spend the morning hammering together a shelter for the homeless, but your hangover is better suited to a cup of coffee and the Sunday paper. In the second installment of her Virtue series, Margaret Berry shows you how to get off your duff without leaving the couch. (How To | March 24, 2004)

Virtue: Ten Bucks? Ten Charities

They’re providing basic sanitation; we’re subscribing to Cooking Light. In the first installment of her series on Virtue, Margaret Berry introduces you to 10 charities that know the value of 10 bucks. (How To | February 12, 2004)

A Reasonable Guide to Scum Rock

Let the strippers go unpaid, let the motel rooms burn—rock’s only as good as its most depraved leaders are terrible. Reporting from his headphones, Tobias Seamon has a catalog of true low-life hedonism. (Opinions | February 10, 2004)

2003 Holiday Survival Guide for Slackers

Last year you did all your shopping on the drive to grandmother’s house, but this year you’ve got a chance to make good. Matthew Baldwin reports with 2003’s last-minute gift ideas for the lazy. (Opinions | December 22, 2003)

Rules for the Holidays

Surviving relatives, co-workers, and lovers drugged by cheer is easier when there are guidelines for action. THE EDITORS share some tips to help keep your step-dad’s paws off your Christmas sweater. (Stories | December 17, 2003)

How to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner

You’ve got less than two days to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Is the menu set? Do you have a cooking timetable ready? Uh oh. LESLIE HARPOLD offers sage advice for those whose stuffing isn’t quite ready for prime time. (How To | November 26, 2003)

Wedding Guide: Part IV, Wedding Tips

Will custom-printed cocktail napkins take this celebration to the next level? No one cares. In our wedding guide’s final installment, writer and newlywed Margaret Berry gives the you tips that count. (How To | November 25, 2003)

How to Carve a Pumpkin

It’s nearly Halloween, time for ghosts, treats, and hours of time invested in what invariably winds up splattered down your block. Yes: the season-o-Jack. ANDREW WOMACK explains how to cut your gourd. (How To | October 29, 2003)

How to Road Trip

Driving at least once from Connecticut to California should be required for all Americans, but how to survive the trip is less understood. LESLIE HARPOLD offers timeless advice for a tiring journey. (How To | October 8, 2003)

How to Write a Thank-You Note

‘Sincerely, Help?’ Having trouble finding the right words to thank your Cousin Sal for that mango slicer? Should you even bother? Oh yes you should. LESLIE HARPOLD tells why and demostrates how to write the perfect, honest thank-you note every time. (How To | October 1, 2003)

Wedding Guide: Part III, Wedding Party Responsibilities

The bride and groom just spent hours arguing over dad’s new wife and whether she gets to sit at the head table. Now is not the time to piss them off. MARGARET MASON explains how the wedding party can stay in good graces. (How To | September 8, 2003)

Wedding Guide: Part II, Ten Ways to Mess Up Your Marriage Proposal

You’ve got one chance here, don’t flub it. In the second part of our Wedding Guide series, Margaret Berry writes the warning label for your proposal. (How To | August 5, 2003)

Wedding Guide: Part I, Fifteen Fights to Have Before You Get Engaged

If you’re the couple that never fights, now’s your chance. In the first installment of our Wedding Guide, Margaret Berry asks you to vent now, or forever hold your peace. (How To | May 19, 2003)

Seven Steps to the Perfect Mix

We know it’s ill-advised to drop Blonde Redhead next to word jazz, but our mixes are still hopeless. Jennifer Conrad talks with Isaac Green of the StarTime International record label about putting together the best mix tape ever. (Personalities | May 12, 2003)

A Brief Catechism of Rock Shows, Part I

When it comes to rock shows, there are many guidelines to be followed, and some fans do so with a religious fervor. Hear the word of the rock gods, know the truth, and know that LESLIE HARPOLD spake it. Here is Lesson First: The End of Cool. (Opinions | March 28, 2003)

Women’s Fashion: Part V, Releasing Your Inner Slut

If you look like you just got some, it’s sexy. If you’re dressed like you’re out to get some, it’s slutty. In the fifth part of our women’s fashion series, MARGARET MASON encourages you to ignore the distinction. (Opinions | March 20, 2003)

Women’s Fashion: Part IV, Accessories

Forget about your butt; consider your jewelry. (You can change it a hell of a lot faster.) MARGARET MASON adds part four to our Women’s Fashion series with a look at the history of accessories. (Opinions | January 14, 2003)

Holiday Survival Guide for Slackers

Don’t know what to get your (sorta) loved ones for the holidays? Well, there’s always powdered urine. Matthew Baldwin reports with last-minute ideas for the lazy. (Opinions | December 13, 2002)

Women’s Fashion: Part III, Hats

In the third installment of our Women’s Fashion series, MARGARET MASON wonders why hats ever fell out of favor. After all, if you choose your headgear well, no one will notice what else you’re wearing. (Opinions | December 10, 2002)

Holiday Gift Guide

Thanksgiving’s over, Chanukah’s in full swing, and Christmas is right around the corner. THE EDITORS throw in their recommendations for what to get that special someone, i.e., yourself. (Opinions | December 2, 2002)

Women’s Fashion: Part II, Color

MARGARET MASON returns with our second installation in the Women’s Fashion Series. This week, black is slimming, but orange is fun. To hell with neutrals, we want to see more cha-cha in your wardrobe. (Opinions | November 14, 2002)

Women’s Fashion: Part I, Classics

Forget about trends for a moment and focus on good taste. MARGARET MASON kicks off our series with what you need: the a-line skirt, the peacoat, the little black dress. (Opinions | October 28, 2002)

Don’t Be Rude: Part IV, Weddings

Continuing with her series on etiquette, Margaret Berry explains why you can’t ask your wedding guests to pay for your mortgage, or their own drinks. (Opinions | September 30, 2002)

Don’t Be Rude: Part III, Socializing

Why is that woman next to you gasping? Oh, dear. You seem to be stepping on her toes. You didn’t even notice, did you? Well, do move a bit to the right, and let Margaret Berry explain how you got there. (Opinions | September 4, 2002)

Don’t Be Rude: Part II, Relationships

Continuing her series, Margaret Berry returns with advice on relationships: how to call, coo, cuddle, and compete, all by adhering to a decent code of conduct. (Opinions | August 12, 2002)

Don’t Be Rude: Part I, Kindness

You may think that etiquette doesn’t matter, that grapefruit spoons are for sissies and no one should hold the door anymore. Think again, jerk. Margaret Berry weighs in with her first of a four-part series on being polite. (Opinions | July 30, 2002)

Kevin Fanning’s Home Security Basics

Dangerous times call for drastic measures. From mental combat to homemade weaponry, Kevin Fanning knows a few good tricks to keep the bad guys away. (Opinions | June 27, 2002)

Budgets for the Aspiring Rich

In today’s world every cent counts. Make them count even more by learning a thing or two about how to successfully live on a budget. MICHAEL COTTON switches on the desk lamp and flips through your receipts. (How To | June 18, 2002)

The Case for Cocktails

Fifty years ago, men ordered Manhattans, women drank Mai Tais, and no one brought guns to school. The logic is irrefutable; MARGARET MASON urges you to drink well. (Opinions | May 21, 2002)

Guide to New York Jargon

You’re probably familiar with ‘Fugget about it,’ ‘Assa matta pa you,’ or the timeless ‘Fuck Off.’ But the Editors felt it was time to update New York’s jargon, and have compiled a list for the contemporary dweller. (New York, New York | May 13, 2002)

Men’s Fashion: Part 4, Conclusion

THE EDITORS conclude the Men’s Fashion series with a few tips of advice to how to wear a tie, hold an umbrella, and arrange your wallet to win when your lover goes a-spyin’. (Opinions | May 6, 2002)

Men’s Fashion: Part 3, Pants

They decorate your legs. They accentuate your form. They define your character. And the correct choice between wearing them or not can keep you out of jail. THE EDITORS present part three of their men’s fashion advice: pants. (Opinions | April 29, 2002)

Men’s Fashion: Part 2, Dress Shirts

Our second installment of men’s fashion advice, and our favorite topic: dress shirts. They can match any outfit, be worn in planes and malls alike, dress Miles Davis and Bill Gates in the same colors, and still say different things. THE EDITORS explain how. (Opinions | April 22, 2002)

Men’s Fashion: Part 1, Suits

It’s the one thing every man should own: a suit. THE EDITORS salute the suit’s ability to withstand expiration, bask in its enduring appeal, and offer advice on what to look for when you’re off to buy your own. If only we could be there to say, “Suits you, sir!” (Opinions | April 15, 2002)

The Morning News Guide to Urban Etiquette: New York City

You’d be surprised at what you’ll see people do in New York. Or maybe you wouldn’t. But maybe you should. THE EDITORS offer a guide to everyone who lives in New York, whether there for an hour or for a lifetime. (New York, New York | February 8, 2002)

Investigating Tragedy

In the wake of the September 11 attacks and the responses they have instigated, we tried to read and learn as much as possible about the events that occurred and what they caused: herein are links to the information we found helpful. From The Editors. (Opinions | September 24, 2001)

The Morning News Guide to New York

Summer is tourist season in New York City and maybe you’re one of them, on a visit to the city, unsure of where to go. Maybe you have recommendations from friends, maybe relatives have ideas for where to go; don’t trust them. Trust us. THE EDITORS share their favorites. (New York, New York | August 1, 2001)

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