Have a fun weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We're going out for pasta tonight (I already decided on this) and tomorrow my friend is having a baby shower. I'm excited to share the rest of the 2012 gift guide, coming up next week! Have a good one, and if you're in a blog-reading mood, here are 15 fun links from around the web... Woody Allen answers 12 unusual questions. Why you should tell your children you're beautiful. Cool tape. New York in a nutshell. Cupboards:...

Read More

Girls Season 2: Trailer

Yes! Can't wait until January 13th. (Also, I have the biggest girl crush on Marni...

Read More

Thursday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is a big one! The jewelry studio COATT makes beautiful Morse Code necklaces and bracelets. They spell words like "friend," "mom," "love" or "kiss me," or you can get them personalized with your name. I love how they feel like secret messages.Today one lucky reader will win a 14K gold necklace or bracelet with the name of her choice (worth $400). Whose name would you get?For a chance to win, please visit COATT and leave a comment...

Read More

Gift Guide Part #1: Your Beautiful Mom Who Adopts Your Slang and Still Writes Handwritten Letters.

Ticking apron for baking chocolate-chip cookies together, $27.Finnish-style ornaments, $25. (This mobile, $67, is also beautiful.)Monogrammed pajamas! Because how chic is that? $78.Paper flowers to brighten up her desk all year long. $29 to $40.A stack of your favorite 2012 cookbooks: Smitten Kitchen, What Katie Ate and Dinner: A Love Story. $20-ish each.Freudian mug, because it all comes back to your mama, $16.Gilded stationery, $20. Wax seals for...

Read More

The Cup-of-Jo 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

Are you looking forward to the holidays this year? I can't believe they're already here! Today, I'm excited to kick off the 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. As always, I've tried to find things for every budget and personality, and really hope you enjoy it.You can look through past gift guides here: 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007.Ok, let's do this thing! (I'll post one every day or two, along with regular posts.) xoxo(Photo by Petra Warra...

Read More

Toby, 2.5 years old

Toby is now two and a half (how time flies!), and it's awesome to watch him develop his own little personality. I figured I'd share a few photos, if you'll indulge me:) Above, he's riding on Alex's shoulders to brunch... Strolling around the neighborhood with a Happy Birthday balloon (note: it was not his birthday). Cuddling with his girlfriend. No big deal. In toddler heaven at the Brooklyn Transit Museum. Painting during an art class. Feeling sheep...

Read More

How to wear a beanie

I look terrible in hats. I have a big head (always have), and hats just make it look bigger. But my friend Kendra has a simple trick for making winter hats look cool...Read More &...

Read More

The Best Salted Caramel Brownies You'll Ever Have

When exactly did the world realize that sea salt makes every dessert 1,000 better? Ever since that lightbulb moment, sweet-and-salty desserts have reached a whole new level. Lucky for us, Victoria from A Subtle Revelry has agreed to share her salted caramel brownies recipe that will blow your mind (and make you the star of the show during the holidays)...Read More &...

Read More

Homeland

Have you guys been watching Homeland? Alex and I are obsessed. The show follows a bipolar CIA agent (Claire Danes), who suspects that a rescued prisoner of war (Damian Lewis), who has just returned to the United States, has actually become a terrorist. It is SO TENSE. You're on the edge of your seat for the whole show.We got the first season on DVD and have been glued to it every night for the past week. It’s funny when you have the dvds and can...

Read More

Hair tutorials

For holiday parties and dinners (and even the flight home), feel free to look back through Caroline's hair tutorials. Wouldn't it be pretty to wear three twisted buns with a sparkly dress, or a mermaid braid with a wool sweater? You can find all fifteen tutorials here...Braids:* Mermaid tail braid* Half-up braided crown* Braided top bun* Four-strand braid* Braided crown* Pretzel braidPonytails:* Messy side ponytail* Ponytail twist* Sleek parted ponytailBuns:*...

Read More

New little darlings

My friend's son's nursery is filled with these baby animal photographs, and apparently her little boy says "good night" to each one every evening. How cute is that? Today photographer Sharon Montrose just launched two new little darlings—a baby camel and a baby zebra. What little faces...And this video broke my heart...(P.S. Here's their holiday sale.)(Animal wallpaper by Anthropolog...

Read More

Do or Don't: Kids sharing a bedroom

While househunting in Brooklyn, we've been seeing both two- and three-bedroom places. Needless to say, the two-bedroom spots are much more affordable. But since we're hoping to have two children, if we get a two-bedroom apartment, they'd have to share a room.What do you think? My sister and I shared a room for a while, and I liked it; but Alex shared a room with his much older brother for a decade and was always dying for his own space. Should each...

Read More

Motherhood Mondays: Do your eyes light up when you see your child?

Whenever I see or call my mom, she always acts ecstatic. Even though I'm usually regaling her with something super boring ("I’m ordering Mexican for dinner tonight,” "I’m kind of sleepy today,” “Did you see that it snowed?”), she’s always thrilled to hear every detail. And although I’m 33 years old, it feels reassuring to have someone who is so reliably happy that I exist.Learning from my mother, now that I have a child of my own, I try to never...

Read More

Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

What are your Thanksgiving plans? Are you traveling or staying home? We're heading to Brooklyn to have dinner with friends, and I'm psyched to sit around their fireplace. Hope you have a delicious day with lots of pumpkin pie and loose pants. Meanwhile, here are some fun posts from around the web...A song for your weekend.Can't wait for this movie.10 leftover turkey recipes.Pretty colorblock dress.How to get a North Pole postmark.A ski lodge in NYC?...

Read More

Wednesday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Jenny N. Design, a beautiful bag shop based in Pittsburgh. She mades her bags by hand with supple leather or cotton canvas, and they're the kinds of beautiful shapes that you'd wear every day for years. Jenny is letting one winner pick out her favorite bag. Which would you choose? (I'd go for this one.)For a chance to win, please visit Jenny N. Design, and leave a comment below telling us your favorite bag. A winner will...

Read More

Yada, yada, yada

Our friend Nora stopped by last night, and Toby fell madly in love with her. They both wore plastic red fire hats, naturally, and Nora also pretended to fall down, which is always a hit around here. But the piece de résistance was when Nora was telling me a story and said, "Yada, yada, yada." Toby burst into hysterical laughter. What wit! What timing! What funny sounding words! He couldn't get over it.The whole scene reminded me of this classic Seinfeld cli...

Read More

The Best Apple Crisp You'll Ever Have

In honor of Thanksgiving, we have another best recipe today—apple crisp! The lovely Monique from Ambitious Kitchen shares her incredible version, including a secret ingredient...Read More &...

Read More

The Best (Cheesy!) Mashed Potatoes You'll Ever Have

What kind of mashed potatoes do you like? My new favorite might be aligot, a traditional mashed potato dish in France, whipped up with tons of cheese and garlic. (Cheese lovers, get psyched!) Here, food blogger Mimi, who lives in the French countryside, agrees to share her recipe...Read More &...

Read More

Paris elopement

Karl and Leslie eloped to Paris, and their friend Duncan Wolfe captured it on film. Love the groom's flirty dancing at the end.P.S. Three elopements, and a Swedish wedding dre...

Read More

A very easy holiday party

When it comes to holiday parties, my theory is: the simpler, the better. Relaxed parties take two seconds to pull together and make your friends feel at ease; they're always the kind where everyone ends up hanging out late into the night.Here are my five go-to steps for a party: 1. Forget stamps; just email invitations. 2. Wear comfy flats or wear a favorite dress with cute bare feet. (The Barefoot Contessa even wears slippers to her dinner parties;...

Read More