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May 23, 2026 
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Good morning. It’s a holiday weekend, three days to ease from one seasonal mind-set into the next, even if it feels too soon.
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| María Jesús Contreras |
Track changes
If Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer and Labor Day the unofficial end, then I am pleased to inform you that we are embarking on the longest unofficial summer: From Monday, May 25 to Monday, Sept. 7, this year delivers the earliest and latest possible dates for both holidays. For those of us still reeling from the cold shower of last year’s Sept. 1 Labor Day, this is very welcome news. For others who would prefer to take refuge in the air-conditioning until the first frost, I’ll remind you that astronomical summer is still nearly a month away, and the solstice-equinox span only ever vacillates by a few days.
So here we go — ready or not, Northern Hemisphere — into the brightness. Will we wear this longest summer loosely, letting the extra days billow, open and unscheduled? Or perhaps the days are already packed tight with vacation or camp or class reunions, longest summer be damned, busyness knows no season?
Does it feel too soon to be asking these questions? As much as I yearn all year long for summer, I always feel dragged, as if on a leash, into this weekend. The shift that Memorial Day weekend incites — from spring brain to summer brain, from “It’s too early to pack away the sweaters” to “How do you like your burger?” — feels abrupt.
I’m forever clocking those tiny variations from one week to the next, sensitive to how a particular span of days feels. I wrote a few months ago about the brutal but accurate “12 actual seasons” meme, a comical effort to add texture to the weather’s fluctuations. I’m drawn to the specificity of the traditional Japanese calendar’s 72 microseasons, each about five days in duration, each charting a tiny event in the natural world. (May 21-25: “Silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaves.”) In my Brooklyn neighborhood, it’s “Tulips are still showing off.” Or is it “The birds are back in town”?
I’ve never tracked those little transitions against the calendar, but I’d like to do it this year, a one-line journal, whenever it feels as if there’s been a shift. Year after year, my neighbors and I make the same remarks about the brief window when the dogwoods open up, and the briefer one when the magnolias bloom. The four days in July when it feels like the air is the exact same temperature as your skin and you just stand there, unsure where the humidity ends and you begin. The internal microseasons recur as well: Right now, I’m in the hyper-optimism of the summer’s launch, fresh from the flash of grief for spring’s brevity. A journal this year becomes a calendar next, a way to anticipate and follow along with the microscopic variations, inside and out.
Immigration
Trump Administration
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| Kenny Holston/The New York Times |
- Tulsi Gabbard resigned as national intelligence director, saying she was stepping aside to support her husband, who has bone cancer. Her standing and influence within the White House had eroded in recent months.
- Donald Trump Jr. married Bettina Anderson, a Palm Beach socialite and influencer. President Trump said he could not attend the ceremony, writing on social media, “Circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so.”
- Kevin Warsh was sworn in as the chair of the Federal Reserve. Trump has repeatedly criticized the central bank for not cutting interest rates.
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Other Big Stories
Film and TV
- Martin Scorsese’s character makes a mean sandwich in “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” Jon Favreau, the director, breaks down that scene.
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- The comedian Billy Eichner needed time to process the poor turnout for his gay rom-com, “Bros.” His vulnerable new memoir has him soul-searching.
- The Cannes Film Festival this year was disappointing, our critic writes, but there were still standouts. James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” was among her favorites.
- Alissa Wilkinson reviews the new film from Boots Riley, “I Love Boosters,” in the video below. Click to play.
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| The New York Times |
Music
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| Bobbi Lin for The New York Times |
Green Feta Dip
Does your Memorial Day weekend itinerary include being somewhere surrounded by good friends and plenty of snacks? If you’re on snack duty and love the pungent saltiness of feta, give Andy Baraghani’s green feta dip a try. This verdant mix is filled with herbs (any kinds you like), lemon and just enough garlic to feel the bite. You can whirl it up in the blender just before serving or even a couple of days in advance. Then serve it to hungry friends with all the requisite dippers — cut-up vegetables, crackers and chips. It will disappear even faster than your day off.
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| Shelby Dibs and Liam Kirker. Philip Cheung for The New York Times |
The Hunt: A young couple ventured to the northern reaches of the San Fernando Valley in search of a house with two or three bedrooms and a yard for their dogs. What did they find? Play our game.
What you get for $825,000: A midcentury modern house in Las Vegas. A home with river views in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. A 1950s cottage in Charlotte, N.C.
19th-century houses with turrets. These homes in California, Florida, New Hampshire and New York feature conical roofs, stained-glass windows and curved walls.
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| The drag queen Queera Nightly performing at “Aphrodite’s Hothouse.” Aaron Chown/Press Association, via Associated Press |
Birds and bees: The Chelsea Flower Show is the Super Bowl for the rarefied world of elite British gardening. This year, a sexy garden is ruffling some attendees’ petals.
Shocking treatment: Influencers are promoting stimulation of the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to most major organ systems. Does it really improve your health?
Seeking relief: Some women are trying allergy drugs to ease period and perimenopause symptoms.
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| Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter |
Clean your grill, please
If your grill is overdue for a deep clean, it might be time to get in there and scrub — especially if you’re cracking it open for the first time this weekend. We’re talking gloves and hot, soapy water, maybe even some degreaser. After that, you’ll just need 10 minutes of maintenance every time you cook (yes, every time). Simple tasks, like scraping the grates, cleaning the grease trap or emptying the ash, can ensure your grill stays in good shape through the rest of your summer cookouts. Here’s exactly how to do it — whether you’ve got a charcoal, gas or pellet grill. And if you’re in need of some inspiration for what to throw on it, might we suggest one of our newly crowned best hot dog picks? — Lesley Stockton
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| The Spurs’ Dylan Harper, left, and the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images, via Reuters Connect |
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs, N.B.A. Western Conference finals: This is the matchup basketball fans have been waiting for. The Thunder won the title last season, and they’ve looked inevitable again this year. Their star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was just awarded his second M.V.P. trophy. And yet it was the Spurs who grabbed the sports world’s attention in Game 1. Their 7-foot-4 center, Victor Wembanyama, is unlike any other basketball player on the planet, and he hit the conference finals like a meteor, scoring 41 points in a double-overtime win. His masterful performance
