I'm happy to eat birthday cake at other people's parties. But when it's my big day, I'll take pie—one part flaky crust, one part sweet, jammy fruit—every time. I celebrated my last birthday by making an attractively lumpy, left-leaning strawberry-rhubarb pie. I didn't care what it looked like—it tasted like pure summer. 

And yet many otherwise confident cooks find pie baking a daunting proposition. "People get all nervous when it comes to pie, thinking everything has to be perfect," says Emily Luchetti, author of The Fearless Baker and the executive pastry chef at San Francisco's Waterbar and Farallon, who developed the versatile and forgiving recipes here. "But even if your crust has some cracks and the juices run out, it's still going to be good. Just serve it in a bowl with some ice cream. I mean, it's pie!" 

Photo: Gregor Halenda

...And it sure feels like one when you toss sunscreen and a juicy novel into this ultraplush Turkish-cotton terry tote.

Photo: Gregor Halenda

A rose is a rose, etc., unless you mix it with blackberry, neroli, and ebony woods to get the boldly sexy fragrance Gold Rush (left); or jasmine, gardenia, and vanilla to come up with the romantic Shakespeare in Love (right); or white peony, osmanthus, and white musk for the sophisticated Iced White (center). This trio, from A Dozen Roses, is bloomin' beautiful.

Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D.

Q: Could you recommend a can't-go-wrong summer hat and sunglasses?

A: This neutral fedora looks sophisticated whether you're on the beach or walking to work. It offers UPF 50+ sun protection; crushable organic cotton and raffia means it travels well; and its hidden drawstring provides the perfect fit. 

Photo: Courtesy of DANNIJO

Bewildered by the big, chunky bracelets, earrings, and rings seen everywhere from Forever 21 to J.Crew? We asked the sister duo of Jodie and Danielle Snyder behind cult-favorite jewelry line, DANNIJO, how to pull off bold pieces (like their Bea necklace at left).

Their company started as a labor of love after Jodie's visit to Lwala, Kenya for an internship in 2006. She learned about the devastating rate of HIV infection among the villagers after one-third of them were tested by doctors at the nearest hospital--a four hour walk away. Determined to make a difference and build Lwala's first health facility, she co-founded a non-profit and named it after the community (L.W.A.L.A.) giving it the acronym "Live With a LIfe-long Ambition." To raise funds for the cause, Jodie and her sister designed a capsule jewelry collection--a passion they shared as children. The small line was so successful that their charity project quickly turned into big business, resulting in the creation of their attention-grabbing accessories label.

Photo: Thinkstock

A cold shower doesn't just temporarily cool you down. "It lowers your skin temperature and can actually reregulate how much you sweat"; says Loretta Ciraldo, MD, voluntary professor of dermatology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. 

Adam before: "I let myself go physically, emotionally, and spiritually."

Many things cause people to make a radical change--a new job, marriage or moving to a new city just to name a few. But for O's creative director Adam Glassman it was a yearly physical with his doctor and the discovery of high blood pressure that caused him to re-evaluate his relationship with food. A self-described skinny kid, he says, "I never had to diet in my entire life."

After doing a search online, he found one major cause of high blood pressure was salt. He didn't often add it to meals, but he found it was in everything--especially processed and canned foods. (And the heavy, rich business dinners and fast food he ate during late nights at the office didn't help either). In addition to eliminating sodium from his diet, he put his gym membership to use, doing 45-minute cardio sessions every morning while he caught up on the news. "The first 45 days are the toughest, but it took me that long to break bad habits," says Adam. He quickly noticed that he didn't just lose weight and lower his blood pressure, but he had more energy, his mood and skin improved, and he slept better. Compliments didn't hurt either. "Every person told me I looked younger," he says, "I never realized that I had gotten big or looked like a hag." 

It wasn't until a visit to dermatologist David Colbert, M.D., that Adam found a more detailed regimen for him to follow in the doctor's book, The High School Reunion Diet. He cut out red meat, coffee, white foods (like bread and pasta), alcohol, and soda and replaced with healthier options, reminding him that dieting doesn't mean you have to feel deprived or unsatisfied. After sticking to Colbert's plan for three months, he started to slowly integrate things back into his life--like the occasional glass of champagne at a party--but found he no longer had the same cravings. "My palate had completely changed," he says.