A CUP OF JO

Wednesday giveaway

2013-05-22T15:55:00.000-04:00

Today's giveaway is from Of a Kind, a Brooklyn-based site run by two amazing women. Each week, they choose an emerging designer with whom they collaborate on a limited edition piece. They sell these lovely pieces (think: bracelets, shirts, stationery) exclusively on their site until they sell out. Today they're giving away this handmade Bianca Rockwell ring, which would make your finger sparkle. Don't you love it?

For a chance to win, please visit Of a Kind's online shop (and consider signing up for their newsletter here) and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck!

Bonus for all readers: Get 30% off all jewelry from Friday to Monday with the code NOSWEAT.

What's your go-to comfort food? (And a crazy story)

2013-05-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

The CRAZIEST thing happened at home yesterday...
Read More >

The Best Kale Caesar Salad You'll Ever Have

2013-05-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

Kale is a superfood. Kale is on every restaurant menu. According to a recent New York Times article, kale is hot in New York social circles. (Although this Onion headline made me laugh out loud.) Are you a fan? It's delicious and feels so healthy. Phoebe of Feed Me Phoebe has a killer recipe for a kale caesar salad. Who's in? Here's how to whip one up...Read More >

Summer denim

2013-05-21T13:13:00.000-04:00

This spring, I keep spotting beautiful women around Manhattan wearing chambray shirts and dresses. There's something so flattering about denim—it's a little tomboy, while still being feminine. Here are a few pretty pieces...
Clockwise: Shift dress, campground shirt, pinafore, mini wedges and fold-over clutch. Thoughts? Which would you wear?

P.S. These espadrilles are cute, too!

(Top photo by Stockholm Street Style)

How to Piss Off Every New Yorker in 36 Seconds

2013-05-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

Made me laugh.

P.S. How not to look like a tourist in NYC.

(Via Swissmiss)

Toby's 3rd birthday party (or, the Lazy Parent's Guide to an Awesome Party)

2013-05-20T12:14:00.000-04:00

Toby's third birthday is next weekend, but since my mom is in town this weekend, we decided to have his party early. It was such a wonderful afternoon! Here are a few photos, if you'd like to see...Read More >

Have a great weekend.

2013-05-17T12:23:00.000-04:00

What are your plans for the weekend? My mom is visiting, and we're having an early birthday picnic for Toby tomorrow, complete with a doughnut cake and spiked OJ for the grown-ups. His birthday presents include a wooden plane and this awesome book. Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

A song to kick off your weekend.

What pregnancy brain feels like.

Peanut butter and pickle sandwich. Would you eat it?

Funny interview with Morgan from The Mindy Project.

Linen sneakers.

A moving Mother's Day story.

Blackberry pie bars.

Pie with a message. Made me laugh.

Do you wear maxi skirts?

10 ways to use a muffin pan.

High fives gone wrong (and a trick for getting them right).

These sunglasses are on my wishlist.

Kids rocking out in cars.

And why Angelina's Op-Ed matters.

Have a good one! xo

Eiffel Tower scissors

2013-05-17T10:22:00.001-04:00

My mom is visiting this weekend! It's so nice to have her here. Last night, we celebrated her arrival by ordering Mediterranean food and watching three episodes of House Hunters International, naturally. Two episodes were set in Paris, and it was cool to see inside some beautiful apartments, many with insane wallpaper. On that note, here's a lovely pair of Eiffel Tower scissors, which would be so pretty on a desk. Hope you're having a good morning. xo

P.S. Pregnancy in Paris, and why French kids eat everything.

Do or don't: Making out in public

2013-05-16T13:30:00.000-04:00

When it comes to public displays of affection, how far will you go? Alex and I...Read More >

Tokyo bride

2013-05-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

Steve and Takako had a traditional Japanese wedding in Tokyo. Look at the bride's beautiful transformation...Read More >

Six tips for photographing your child

2013-05-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

My photographer friend Alpha always takes beautiful photos of her nieces (remember this?) and since our new baby will be arriving in less than two months, I thought I'd ask for her advice on photographing wriggly babies and toddlers. As part of a three-part photography series sponsored by Canon, Alpha agreed to share six handy tips...
Read More >

10 backyard ideas

2013-05-15T13:08:00.000-04:00

The weather is finally warming up! As I've mentioned eight million times on this blog, our life goal is to have a backyard, not just a rusty fire escape. So, just for fun, here are nine fun ideas for backyards...Read More >

The Best Peanut Butter Brownies You'll Ever Have

2013-05-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

It's safe to say that Averie Sunshine loves peanut butter. She comes up with recipes for homemade peanut butter, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter cake, chocolate peanut butter, peanut butter Twix bars...you name it. She even wrote a book about it. So when she agreed to share her recipe for the best peanut butter brownies, I jumped at the chance to hear it. Here goes...Read More >

Vacation photos: San Francisco

2013-05-14T14:20:00.005-04:00

We just got back from our week-long family vacation to San Francisco. We wanted to take Toby on his own babymoon trip, so he could enjoy tons of center-of-attention time before the new baby turns his world upside down. San Francisco is truly amazing, and we had the best time. Here are a few photos, if you'd like to see...Read More >

Business cards

2013-05-14T12:01:00.000-04:00

Remember the scene in American Psycho, where Patrick Bateman obsesses over business cards? Well, The Mandate Press has recreated the card, so you can order his exact design with your information. How hilarious is that?
P.S. A resume makeover, and 10 creative business cards.

Rain room

2013-05-14T09:16:00.000-04:00

This week, the new interactive exhibit Rain Room opened at the Museum of Modern Art. Heavy rain pours down in an enormous room, but when you step into the rain, the area directly over your head dries up. So you can walk, dance and kiss in the rain without getting wet!

"The overall effect is mesmerizing," reported Gothamist. "A semi-blinding white klieg light at the back of the room disorients your field of vision while highlighting the millions of individual raindrops showering down around you on all sides. The motion sensors are so sensitive that you can sweep your arm through the deluge and still keep your shirt dry. Move too quickly, however, and you can get good and soaked if want."

The lines are going to be insane, especially since only 10 people are admitted at a time, but it would be worth waiting. Since MoMA members get priority access and exclusive viewing hours, it might even be worth joining.

How cool is that?!

P.S. Cool art exhibits: Swings, slides and marrying Prince William.

(Photos by Random International, MoMA and Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

Kids trying new foods

2013-05-13T10:30:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this slow-motion video of kids trying new foods? It's hilarious. Whenever Toby doesn't like something, he'll just open his mouth and just let it fall out, which always makes me laugh since he clearly doesn't have any concern about what happens next or who (me) has to pick up the food. Toddlers!

We're traveling back from San Francisco today, so I'll see you tomorrow with photos! Have a good one. xoxo

P.S. How to eat like a French child.

(Via DALS)

Have a relaxing weekend.

2013-05-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

What are your plans for this weekend? We're having the best time in San Francisco. We've eaten our weight in fish tacos and are heading to the zoo today! I'm excited to share photos next week. Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

What historical figures might look like today. (Shakespeare is a hipster.)

Travel fantasy: Treebones.

Dancing on a treadmill made me laugh.

Mermaid nail polish.

10 best kindergarten buildings.

Where to go for pizza cravings.

Typography cake.

The scientific 7-minute workout.

Geometric party installation.

This cookbook looks dangerous!

Love this iPhone case.

Jim can (fake) sing.

Thumbs up for Saturday.

A beautiful New York art exhibit of deer beds. (I love them.)

And Happy Mother's Day! xoxo

(Photo by Jeanne Damas, via Note to Self)

Thursday giveaway

2013-05-09T16:00:00.000-04:00

Today's giveaway is from Jenny N. Design, a beautiful bag shop based in Pittsburgh. Her handmade bags are made with supple leather, and they're the kinds of classic styles that you'd wear all your life. Jenny is giving away one of her new clutches. Which color would you choose?

For a chance to win, please visit Jenny N. Design to see all her bags, and leave a comment below with your favorite one. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! Update: The winner has been emailed. Thanks for playing.

New documentary

2013-05-09T13:03:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of the new documentary Stories We Tell, by Oscar-nominated director Sarah Polley? She interviews her relatives about her late mother's affair—in fact, Sarah might not be her father's daughter—and found that everyone has different perspectives and anecdotes. She's interested in how the truth depends on who's telling the story. Critics have called the film "riveting," "genius," "remarkable," "a triumph" and "extraordinary in every way." It opens tomorrow at the Angelika and Lincoln Center Plaza.
Will you see it? Also, have you seen Polley's romantic movie Away from Her? It was heartbreaking and so, so beautiful.

P.S. 20 best documentaries.
P.P.S. My sister and I are going to see this movie in San Francisco tonight!!

Wallpaper for renters

2013-05-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

We rent our Manhattan apartment, so we've never thought of putting up wallpaper. But Hygge & West recently launched removable wallpaper tiles, so you could put them up easily. Wouldn't these look lovely in a bathroom or foyer?

P.S. 10 favorite wallpapers.

(Via Joy)

Gendered book covers

2013-05-08T17:23:00.001-04:00

Author Maureen Johnson kept hearing from male readers asking for less "girly" covers on her books, so that they could read them in public. She, too, had been frustrated by how books written by women so often got cheesy covers that made them seem less literary and of lower quality. So, she issued a challenge on Twitter: She asked people to choose a well-known book and imagine that the author was of the opposite gender. "There were hundreds of replies within 24 hours," she said. Take a look...Read More >

The Best Jello You'll Ever Have (Yes, Jello!)

2013-05-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Picture this: You meet friends for a picnic and bust out these tart lemonade squares, infused with basil. What a fun flashback to childhood, yet they're still elegant and delicious. Here, Faith from The Kitchn reveals how to make them...Read More >

Terrain giveaway

2013-05-07T15:00:00.000-04:00

Today's giveaway is from Terrain, the beautiful home and garden shop based in Pennsylvania. The store is all about simple pleasures, from cooking to gardening to entertaining. Today, Terrain is offering one lucky reader a whopping $250 gift certificate. What would you pick? (I love these silk peonies!)

You could choose something for yourself, or send a gift to your mom. Mother's Day is this Sunday, and Terrain has the prettiest gifts, including fresh blooming flowers...

For a chance to win, please visit Terrain and leave a comment below telling us your favorite things from the store. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck!

Bonus for all readers: Enter CUPOFJO for free shipping through May 14th.

Kitchen makeover

2013-05-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

I’m always impressed with home makeovers, but this before-and-after made my jaw drop...Read More >