LK_18122

Your Weekend
Deserves Frittata Energy

Fun fact: Elevating your hangover food makes the hangover go away.

BY KRISTY ALPERT PHOTOGRAPH BY CHELSIE CRAIG

As the tradition of at-home brunch is written, it must be (1) very, very Ingredient
impressive to look at and (2) very, very unimpressive to make. Enter Combos to Copy
le frittata: literally just half a carton of eggs and some fridge lurkers
(yes, jars of olives and stray spinach leaves count) or ingredients like • Broccoli +
prosciutto and goat cheese that you bought ahead of time for this exact cauliflower +
purpose because you’re mature like that. Either way, the genius of this provolone
dish lies in its do-nothingness, so bask in the more-praise-than-you-
technically-deserve-for-what-you-did glory. • Leftover
noodles +
The Recipe Parmesan +
bacon
1. Crack 6 to 8 eggs (depending on your hunger)
into a large bowl. Whisk in pinches of salt and • Kalamata
pepper plus a few glugs of milk until everything’s olives + baby
blended. Whole milk = creamier frittata. spinach +
feta
2. Heat a drizzle or two of olive oil over medium heat
in a 10-inch skillet (that’s a standard size), and sauté • Prosciutto +
any veggies you’re using until tender. asparagus +
goat cheese
3. Pour the egg mixture on top of the veggies in the
skillet. Drop in any remaining, unsautéable frittata • Chorizo +
accoutrements—prosciutto, feta crumbles, leftover Oaxaca
pasta, whatever (look to the right if “whatever” cheese +
makes you anxious). Cook until edges start to pull cilantro
away from the sides of the pan, about 7 minutes.
• Asparagus +
BONUS: Sprinkle on some extra cheese and broil for smoked
2 to 4 minutes for added presentational/delicious- salmon +
ness value. chives

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 49

BITES No-Rules Recipe

Hot Chocolate Upgrades
Could? Change? Your? Life?

Or at least make seasonal affective
disorder a bit more bearable. Observe.

1

BY JOEY SKLADANY PHOTOGRAPH BY CHELSIE CRAIG

I’m gonna go ahead and 2
assume you’re familiar with 3
the beverage that makes
cold weather feel like you 4
imagined it back in August
and not like it actually is. PROP STYLIST: BETH PAKRADOONI. FOOD STYLIST: JUDY KIM.
So I can cut right to: Regular
old hot chocolate is even
better with a few tiny
tweaks. If you’re thinking,
Oh! With alcohol? you are
correct. But if you’re think-
ing, Aha! With candy! you
are also correct. Join me on
this rewarding journey.

1. MAKE IT DESSERT
Dip the rim of your mug in frosting,
crush up some Oreos, and
dunk your rim into the Oreos.

2. MAKE IT SPICY
Whisk in a square of dark
chocolate, a dash of cinnamon
powder, some vanilla extract, and
a pinch of chili powder. Top with
’mallows and a cinnamon stick.

3. MAKE IT MINTY
Stir in a handful of Junior Mints,
and garnish with a toothpick
packed with the candy and a
fresh mint leaf for health.

4. MAKE IT COLD
Place cocoa mix, milk, and ice
in a blender. Blend until smooth,
and top with whipped cream.

5. MAKE IT COMPLEX
Steep some chai in a quarter of
a mug’s worth of hot water, then
combine with your hot cocoa.

6. MAKE IT BOOZY
Add a shot of Irish cream amaretto,
peppermint vodka, coffee
liqueur, or cinnamon schnapps.

50 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1

BREW UP
SOME PASSION

Want to brew better tea? Start with TAZO Passion. This caffeine-free blend combines
crisp, delicious flavors of hibiscus, orange peel and lemongrass for a flavor so good,
just one sip will have you head over heels. (Don’t say we didn’t warn you.)

Adult Swim Scams on Grams Sober Curious? You’re Feeling Wiggly Under the
Page 54 Page 56 Page 60 Page 64 LinkedInfluence

Page 66

life stuff

Adult Spring Break JESS MEYRICK.
Is a Thing and
You Need It

Goodbye to you, breakfast tequila
and three to a queen-size hotel bed. Hello,

rejuvenating four-day trips that will
make you feel human again.

BY KRISTY ALPERT

The pink sands
and hidden grottos
of Bermuda’s South
Shore are just an
OOO away.

52 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1



IF YOU’RE THE BEACH
READS AND “DO
NOT DISTURB” SIGN
TYPE...

Departing From the Soon you can say,
Midwest: “Enjoys long walks
on the ice.”
You’ll be obsessed with
Placencia, Belize, and its 1
16 miles of sandy beaches
and Garifuna culture. Skip
Secret Beach in favor of
Placencia because, well, the
secret’s out, and get your
seclusion fix at Naia Resort
and Spa’s private beach
and wellness center.

Departing From the South:

Head to Panama City,
Panama, for some tropi-
cal beauty at the Santa
Maria Hotel & Golf Resort’s
oasis pool, or bring your
sexy page-turner on a day
trip to the quiet white-sand
beaches on the tiny island of
Isla Grande for non-boring
alone time.

Departing From the West:

You’ll love the hippie-chic
vibes of Todos Santos in
Baja California Sur,
Mexico. Spend one day in
a mud hut with a 90-min
traditional shaman-led
temazcal ceremony at the
Paradero Todos Santos
hotel and the next ordering
spicy margs from your VIP
setup on Las Palmas beach.

Departing From the East:

You’ll be in your element
on Bermuda’s South Shore
with its pink, nearly empty
beaches (yes, even in peak
season). That said, for jaw-
dropping shoreline views,
bask on the private sandy
terraces overlooking the
water at Azura, the South
Shore’s swanky clifftop
boutique hotel.

54 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1

LIFE STUFF Duffel Bag Destinations

2 IF YOU’RE MOST IF YOU ALWAYS
LIKELY TO BE PICK THE
1. Bayfield, Wisconsin LABELED RESTAURANT...
2. Eureka Springs, “OUTDOORSY”...
Departing From the
Arkansas Departing From the Midwest:
3. Todos Santos, Midwest:
Feast your way through
Mexico Bundle up for an icy adven- Indianapolis, Indiana. In
4. Heber Valley, Utah ture in Bayfield, Wisconsin. case you missed it, Naptown
This lakeside town sparkles is buzzing with more than
3 in the spring, when it’s often just steakhouses and brew-
still frozen solid. Walk the eries. Along with meals at
LEFT: WISCONSIN TRAVEL. RIGHT, FROM TOP: ANNIE JIANG; JACKIE LEE; KARA BOU. 4 ice of Lake Superior to the Bluebeard, Amelia’s, and
Apostle Islands National Kan-Kan Cinema and Bras-
Lakeshore’s ice caves to serie, brunch at Milktooth is
explore frozen waterfalls necessary. But so is Lick Ice
and icicle-draped cham- Cream’s locally loved rose-
bers. Imagine the content! water pistachio brittle.

Departing From the South: Departing From the South:

Get your sporty self to Burritos, eggs, and burgers
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, are drenched in chili sauce
for a hike along the tower- in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
ing staircases and hilly (Order yours “Christmas
sidewalks of the quirky style” if you can’t decide
Victorian town before trek- between the red and the
king the Lake Leatherwood green.) And breakfast can
Loop for a forest bath in the last until 3 p.m., including
Ozark woods. at the legendary Cafe
Pasqual’s. Also, be sure to
Departing From the West: make a reservation ASAP
for the exciting Mexican
If you’d be into skiing or tasting menu at Sazón.
ziplining down the slopes at
Sundance Mountain Resort, Departing From the West:
hiking or biking the Olympic
biathlon trails at Soldier Truffle hunting is a real
Hollow, and paddleboard- pastime in the vineyard-
ing inside a geothermal studded hills of Newberg,
crater in the same day, Oregon. But you could also
Heber Valley, Utah, is for just stock up on local white
you. Although you could truffle oil at Chapters Books
spread it out if you wanted. and Coffee before getting
your pinot on with hazelnut-
Departing From the East: finished salami at Alexana
Winery. Pro tip: The Painted
Venture through covered Lady’s seasonal tasting
bridges in New Hamp- menu is worth it.
shire’s White Mountains
for an all-encompassing Departing From the East:
outdoor-everything expe-
rience. Get in on canopy In Montreal, Canada, be
tours, Nordic skiing, fat bik- prepared to pick a side
ing, snowshoeing, or down- between rivals St-Viateur
hill skiing at the Omni Mount Bagel and Fairmount Bagel.
Washington Resort. Then plan to grab late-night
poutine at Paulo & Suzanne
or La Banquise. Oh, and
call now for a reservation
at Au Pied de Cochon or
Maison Boulud or you’ll
regret it forever, probably.

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 55

LIFE STUFF It ’s Personal

That Time I Had to I t was the early spring of 2021,
Save My Grandma From and we were just a few min-
a Romance Scammer utes into our weekly Face-
Time when my grandmother
It’s been a rough few years for octogenarians online. announced it: She had a new
beau, and that beau had met
BY NIKKI VARGAS ILLUSTRATIONS BY CELINA PEREIRA Joe Biden. In fact, here was a photo of
him shaking hands with the president.
His name, she said, was Bram.

I wanted to be happy for her, but
even then, at the start, something just
felt wrong.

Before I go any further, you should
get to know the matriarch of my family.
Her dazzling style (see: high heels, form-
fitting black leggings, silky shirts, and
gold bangles) puts mine to shame. Ditto
for her pre-COVID-19 social calendar,
marked with dinners, party invitations,
and trips. Despite all this, I’ve long sus-
pected that she, a single woman well into

56 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1

Resolve to be bold

FURNITURE | OUTDOOR | UPHOLSTERY | LIGHTING | DÉCOR | RUGS | BEDDING

LIFE STUFF It ’s Personal

her Golden Years, may feel lonely some- Losses to romance
times—and my worry only increased scammers have
during the pandemic, since she’s been reached a record
isolated at home. $304 million.

That last part made her the perfect
mark for people like “Bram,” romance
scammers who, like catfish, fabricate
online profiles with the intent of luring
someone in. And whether they’re hunting
for victims on social media or on dating
apps, they have one goal: to make money.

Once a scammer establishes a rela-
tionship with a mark—often an older
person—they might say their kid desper-
ately needs an expensive surgery or that
they need money for a plane ticket or a
visa to come visit...and could they get
a loan, just for now?

This kind of fraud is thriving harder
than your indoor plants. In 2020, reported
losses to romance scammers reached
a record $304 million, up about 50 per-
cent from 2019, per the Federal Trade
Commission. That means the average
victim loses $2,500; victims 70 and over
often lose thousands more. (In Florida
alone, where my grandma lives, an esti-
mated 6,881 people lost a total of $58.8
million in 2021, says tech research site
Comparitech.)

M y grandma and Bram’s
love story started with
an innocuous Facebook
friend request. Bram’s

close-up photo showed

a white gentleman with

gray hair in a tailored black blazer. It inexplicably under the name “James Gary.” Naturally, a Google search didn’t turn
up any results for this James Gary or Bram, so I took a closer look at the pictures he’d
seemed from his profile that he and my sent my grandma. The first was that Biden image, and the second, a suspiciously
paparazzi-esque shot, showed him in a leather jacket walking alongside a woman in
grandma shared a love of music. To her, a fur shawl. According to my grandma, that was Bram’s wife who “passed away” in a
“car crash” (aka a classic scammer story of love and loss meant to manipulate victims
he was an effortlessly fancy 50some- and gain their trust).

thing single guy living in her state. ’Twas time for a reverse Google Images search, and in less than five minutes, I dis-
covered the actual name of the man in both pics: Dragan Šutanovac. As in, the real-
What? Could? Go? Wrong? life former Serbian minister of defense, who is married to the very much alive woman
in that photo. I guess we should all pay more attention to Serbian politics.
By the time I saw his pics with the
I reached out to Šutanovac on Twitter and heard back almost immediately. “In
president, the lovebirds had been speak- November 2017, the Serbian media published that a scammer using my photos was
arrested,” he told me via email. “Only then did I fully realize what was happening, but
ing for days on Google Hangouts. Bram I had suspicions as far back as 2014, due to strange friend requests.”

had insisted on switching to the platform With enough evidence to prove Bram was a fraud, I broke the news to my grandma
before he could squeeze any money out of her. It’s a very good thing she’s always
(which many scammers prefer); he’d even lived by the motto “it is what it is.” No matter what life tosses her way, she shrugs it off
and moves on—and this was no different. If she felt embarrassed or hurt, she covered
walked her through creating an account. the disappointment with a defiant smile, like the badass she is. She flipped her hair
and said, “Honey, I’ve got other boyfriends.”
She’d been sending him our family
NIKKI VARGAS is an editor, author, and journalist based in New York City and originally from Colombia. She is the
photos and links to my work as a travel author of the women’s travel book Wanderess, out this month, and the founding editor of Unearth Women.

writer, along with other proud grandma

stuff. But when she asked me to send

her my travel videos so that she could

pass them to Bram, I started feeling even

more uncomfortable about him. Who the

hell was this guy?

Let me just say that I don’t typically run

background checks on my grandma’s

dates, but when I clicked the link to

Bram’s Facebook page, his profile was

58 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1

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Michael Kors Collection top,
briefs, and belt. Foundrae necklace.
The Euphoria Books: Season 1
Boxed Set, shop.a24films.com.



THIS PAGE: Fendi dress, pants, heels, earrings, and belt. BVLGARI watch.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Prabal Gurung top and skirt. Marlo Laz ring.

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 89

“I remember being a teenage
girl and letting my heart speak
louder than my mind.”

Does it feel strange when fans, especially on social, literally kill themselves over stuff like this. And people just don’t FOR SHOPPING INFORMATION, GO TO COSMOPOLITAN.COM.
think they have real relationships with you? give a fuck. I went on for, like, maybe 12 seconds. I did not think
anyone was going to record it. I just needed to let it out. Then it
Sometimes I feel guilty about it. I would love to share my normal just went everywhere and it became its own beast.
life so that people can see that it’s not all glamour. But I can’t
because one, I like my privacy, and two, social media is another Looking back, are you glad you talked about it?
platform for business. Sharing my life on it could go against the
integrity of the business and brand I’m trying to create. Yeah, because it’s something people deal with on a daily basis.
Am I embarrassed? Of course. I still don’t think everyone is going
So how do you decide what to share? to see what I do.

I have this formula that I try to follow. I’ll post about my work, I’ll Is all this—and the fact that most people don’t
post about fashion because when the hell else would I look that see the real you—one reason you choose to keep
good? And then I try to sprinkle in a Syd post once in a while. your romantic relationships private?

Syd is the real you. I don’t date people in the spotlight. I don’t date actors or musi-
cians or anyone in entertainment because I can just be normal
Syd is the real me. Syd that way and it’s easiest. I have a great support system.
I have people who will battle for me and allow me to be on the
Who gets to see Syd? pedestal and shine without making me feel like, Oh no, I’m shin-
ing too bright and I need to step back.
A lot of my family back home, my dog Tank, and a few close
friends. I don’t have a giant group of friends. I prefer quality over Is that what you look for in a partner?
quantity. Sometimes at work, if I feel really comfortable with the
cast and crew, different versions of Syd will come out. Sometimes I look for a best friend. I need to be able to be with someone who
I’ll go home and be like, I wish I didn’t speak as much. I can literally hang out with 24/7 and never get sick of and we
laugh every single day.
A few months ago, you went on Instagram Live and talked
about trolls and how their cruelty impacted you, through Like someone who can just hang out while you’re working
tears. It was an incredibly intimate moment that went viral. on your car? People are obsessed with your TikToks about
But it also seemed a little out of character. restoring a vintage Ford Bronco. How did all that start?

It was. But there’s more to the story. That morning, I had a cam- Anyone can go buy a brand-new car, but not everyone can have
paign shoot for a lingerie company. I started my period and I did something rare that has history. In quarantine, my creative juices
not want to put a tampon in because I didn’t want to be bloated were overflowing. I was very bored and I got addicted to going
in the photos. I googled that you could take, like, three or four pills to auction sites for cars. I wanted a Bronco so badly. But I wanted
of birth control and mix it with Advil or Tylenol and it’ll make you to build one so that when I drove it and people said “cool car,” I
stop your period. [Editor’s note: We don’t recommend this due to could be like “yeah, thanks” and know I made it.
health complications...as you’re about to see.] I did that and went
to the photo shoot an hour later and started feeling dizzy and What does it feel like to be able to indulge in these hob-
nauseous. I was like, Fuck, maybe I need to eat something. I had a bies—and all the other things that used to feel out of reach?
muffin and it did not make me feel good. All of a sudden, I threw
up in the middle of this shoot, everywhere. I was a mess. I felt so I just bought a house for the first time. It has a lot of similar
embarrassed. I was jacked on so many different hormones. And I features to the house that my family lost in Spokane. Little
was appalled at myself because I’m always so on top of it and secret doors and laundry chutes. It really feels like I’m now able
professional. I had to go home. That night, one of my friends to start the life that I wanted to give to my family. Sometimes I
really wanted me to go out with her and I texted her and said, feel really guilty talking about it because I remember myself just
“I can’t come.” I think it was the last straw, me bailing on her. She three, four years ago not wanting to park in my school lot
said that she couldn’t rely on me and didn’t want to be my friend because I didn’t have a nice car. But then at the same time, I’m
anymore. So that happens and I’m already crying, throwing up, beyond proud of myself. I get teary thinking that I’m actually
and then two seconds later, I go on Twitter and see that I’m working and achieving my dreams.
trending. I’m reading all these comments saying so much stupid
stuff about my appearance. I went on social media and cried. Hair: Florido Basallo using The Hair Shop. Makeup: Melissa Hernandez at The Wall
People were like, “Oh, she’s just looking for attention.” People Group. Manicure: Zola Ganzorigt using Dior Vernis. Fashion assistant: Kate Longarzo.
Props: Cate Geiger Kalus. Production: Crawford & Co Productions.

90 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1











GLRAOMCK

These epic new beauty
launches are worth carving
out space on your shelf for.

BY JULEE WILSON
SET DESIGN BY PARTY OF ONE STUDIO
PHOTOGRAPHS BY HENRY HARGREAVES

BOCDAYRE 3. K ATE 1
SOMERVILLE
1. MOROCCAN- E X F O L I AT O R
OIL HAND WASH This physical and
Your dry little paws chemical exfoliator
need this luxe will leave your skin
cleanser, infused ridiculously smooth.
with hydrating
argan oil and ExfoliKate Resurfac-
hyaluronic acid. ing Body Scrub, $56,
sephora.com
Hand Wash in Fra-
grance Originale, 4. EVOLVE-
$20, sephora.com TOGETHER
DEODORANT
2. TULA Finding an amaz-
SKINCARE ing (read: one that
MOISTURIZER works) natural deo
Shout-out to the is, like, really, really
vitamin C and hard. Good thing
yuzu that help this you’ve got this now!
buttery formula
improve skin tone Natural Deodorant in
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together.com
Take Care +
Nourish Advanced 5. DOVE BODY
Hydration Body WASH
Moisturizer, $38, Bacne (and buttne
ulta.com and all the other ’nes)
be—finally—gone.

Body Love Acne
Clear Body Cleanser,
$8, dove.com

92 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1

4

5
2

3

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 93

EYENSA, LILIPSS + 1 6

1. S.I.S. LUXE 2
LACQUER POLISH 4
Super-shimmery
hues created by the 5
ultimate “around 3
the way girl,” aka
LL Cool J’s wife.

Luxe Lacquer in Simone,
Pamela, and Renee, $20
each, simoneismith.com

2. SISLEY-PARIS
LIPSTICK
When you finish this
luxe bullet (and you
will), you can order a
refill. Genius!

Le Phyto-Rouge Shine in
Sheer Cranberry, $60,
sisley-paris.com

3. CLINIQUE LASH
SERUM
Dreaming of thicker,
fuller lashes? Hi,
this nightly peptide-
packed serum just
made those dreams
come true.

High Impact Lash
Amplifying Serum,
$49.50, clinique.com

4. YSL BEAUTY 6. REVLON 7
MASCARA LIPSTICK
When you want fab 7. 2 .4.1
faux-lash glamour Look! Lightweight COSMETICS
without the glue or matte lipsticks that EYESHADOW
hassle, this mascara won’t dry out your When the hues are
is the move. lips really exist! inspired by the
L.A. sunlight, you’re
Lash Clash Extreme ColorStay Matte Lite destined to shine
Volume Mascara, $29, Crayon in Ruffled Feath- like a star.
yslbeautyus.com ers, She’s Fly, and Air Kiss,
$11 each, revlon.com Eyeshadow in Sunshine
5. RMS BEAUTY and Sunset, $17 each,
EYESHADOW 241cosmetics.com
Is-cute-on-everyone
eyeshadow that
comes with a crank
so you get every
last drop.

Eyelights Cream Eye-
shadow in Blaze, $26,
rmsbeauty.com

94 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1