Beautiful buildings, a big fish and the recipe everyone's asking for

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Beautiful buildings, a big fish and the recipe everyone's asking for

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October 23, 2021

Houseplants have definitely had a moment during the pandemic. While it takes a special someone to keep finicky foliage alive, the plants themselves are often pretty special, too. A friend recently gifted me a beautiful peace lily grown from a plant given to her after the death of a beloved family member. Not too long after, another friend who's moving gave me a plant to care for that she says she "raised from a baby." (The responsibility!!!) I also know a woman with a tall, dramatic climber that was originally maintained by her grandmother decades ago. Its name is Phil. It all certainly brings new meaning to the phrase "grown with love," don't you think?

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Our favorites this week

Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week

Rock and roll (and paint) all nite
Did you know Gene Simmons -- yes, THE Gene Simmons -- is also a really talented painter? That's his work, above. He told CNN he started painting during quarantine in the early days of the pandemic, and found it to be a great way to decompress. "I've always doodled all my life since I was a kid, and I never painted before, and I wanted to see what would happen," he said. "So without qualification, resume or experience, I ordered paints, canvases, huge ones ... and just went to town, never thinking anybody would like it or or even care." Surprise: They did! Simmons held his first art show at the Animazing Gallery at the Venetian in Las Vegas this month, and will likely be showing off his art even more in the future.

We're gonna need a bigger boat
Before we go any further, don't worry! This gargantuan, 4,000-pound sunfish (and the kind crew who helped it) is safe and sound. But things were a little dicey when this absolute unit was first found in the nets of a tuna-fishing boat off the coast of Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish port city in north Africa. Luckily, the fishermen were familiar with a nearby research team from the University of Seville's Marine Biology Lab and were able to call them over to see to the animal. The teams had to use a giant crane to lift the sunfish and examine it before safely returning it to the sea. While there are records of sunfish this large in other parts of the world, the fishermen and the researchers knew what they had seen -- and been able to save -- was something special. One marine biologist who weighed in on the moment said they were thrilled the fish was once again free to "eat jellies, ply the waters, (and) live its wondrous life and spark wonder and awe in more people."

Never forgotten
Now and then, when he drives by, Indianapolis Police Officer Jeff Stagg stops to clean off a roadside memorial for a young woman who was killed by a drunk driver. He's been doing it for 22 years, ever since Shelby Smith's loved ones put it up after her death. A little dusting of the wooden cross, some straightening of small figurines, new plastic flowers -- it never seemed like a big deal to Stagg. That is, until a video of him tending to the memorial went viral and reached the girl's parents. For Smith's mother, it was a very big deal. Sherry Smith also used to keep an eye on the memorial until she moved away 12 years ago. When Smith saw the video of Stagg, she was floored. "It was overwhelming and I was just so grateful because I had no idea that, you know, anyone had had been doing that." Smith and Stagg were recently able to meet while she was in town, sharing an embrace at the spot where they have so lovingly kept Shelby's memory alive.

Raise a glass to...

The inaugural winners of the Earthshot Prize, a Nobel-like award founded by Prince William and renowned British naturalist David Attenborough. The five winners were honored for their innovative solutions for environmental challenges. They include:

The country of Costa Rica, which won for its scheme to pay citizens to protect and restore rainforests and local eco-systems.
Indian organization Takachar, which created technology that attaches to tractors and reduces smoke emissions while converting the residue into new products.
Coral Vita in the Bahamas, which developed a method of accelerating coral regrowth to replant in depleted underwater reefs.
The city of Milan, which operates a city-wide plan to distribute food to the needy that would otherwise end up as food waste in restaurants and supermarkets.
A Thai, German and Italian group, which created an AEM Electrolyser, a "plug and play" module that turns water into emissions-free green hydrogen.

You gotta see this

Photo credit: Francisco Nogueira/APA21

This photo of the ME Dubai hotel in Dubai feels almost like an optical illusion. How tall is that balcony? How tall is that person? What's the scale here?! It's one of the stunning finalists for this year's Architectural Photography Awards. The winners will be announced at the annual World Architecture Festival, which is being hosted virtually in early December. Head over to CNN Style to see more of the 12 final-round images, from mind-bending skyscrapers to lush garden structures.

Wanna get away?

Photo credit: Ricardo Funari/Brazil Photos/LightRocket/Getty Images

One of the most exciting moments of any trip is when, after a long flight, you catch that first glimpse of your final, hotly anticipated destination. Of course, it helps when said destination is utterly gorgeous. CNN Travel has rounded up 15 of the most spectacular airport landings in the world -- the kind you remember long after the souvenirs are bought and the photo albums are shared. It's hard to get a bad bird's-eye view of a place as naturally beautiful as Rio de Janeiro, but the best approach is actually reserved for the local airport of Santos Dumont, outside the city center. Flying in, you can see the full expanse of Guanabara Bay, and prime views of Rio's other natural gems like Sugarloaf Mountain.

Hear, hear!

When you've seen beyond yourself, then you may find peace of mind is waiting there.

- George Harrison, as written in the Beatles song "Within You Without You." Lyrics and quotes from all four members of the Fab Four were included on NASA's Lucy spacecraft, which just embarked on a 12-year mission to explore ancient asteroids. The craft carries messages of wisdom and inspiration from all kinds of Earthlings, including a poem by inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and quotes from Albert Einstein, Carl Sagan and Martin Luther King, Jr.

For your health

If you were enchanted by my colleague Scottie Andrew's mouthwatering description of her butternut squash mac and cheese last weekend, you weren't alone! Lots of people wrote in requesting the recipe, so I made her give it to me. Bake away!

Scottie's Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Adapted from Taste of Home

1 pound cavatappi
1 medium butternut squash, seeded & diced (you can also sub in frozen puree here)
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup milk (I typically use almond, but fat-free works, too)
Salt and pepper
Dash nutmeg*
1 ½ cups sharp cheddar, freshly grated
½ cup parmesan, freshly grated
½ cup your cheese of choice (gruyere tastes particularly scrumptious here)
½ cup breadcrumbs (I tend to use panko)

*The spices in this recipe are a real "choose-your-own adventure," depending on whether you want a hint of sweet, spicy or herby. I've sometimes replaced nutmeg with oregano and thyme or onion and garlic powder. I sprinkle in cayenne and red pepper sometimes, too, when I want a kick.

Cook the cavatappi according to package directions for al dente and set aside. (Rinse it if you like. I won't tell you what to do with your pasta!)
To make your butternut puree, add squash to a large saucepan and fill with water until all the squash are submerged. Boil and cook the squash, covered, about 8-10 minutes.
In a blender, mix yogurt, milk, salt and pepper and nutmeg (or other spices). Drain your squash and then blend that, too.
Return your blended mixture to the saucepan and heat through.
Stir in the copious amounts of cheese until melted.
Add the pasta to the squash mixture and toss to coat.
Transfer it all into a greased baking dish (I usually use a 9x13) and sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs of your choosing.
Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until the top crisps, and enjoy!

Rec of the week

Brought to you by CNN Underscored

49 of the most thoughtful gifts for every woman in your life

To help you take holiday shopping off your to-do list, we've rounded up some lovely gifts for every woman in your life. While you're shopping, you can also find our favorite gifts for men here.

Shameless animal video

There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.

I know for a fact I have used this video of a seal getting weighed before, but YouTube recommended it to me again and it packs so much joy into 41 seconds. I couldn't resist! (Click here to view)