Travel question: Are you a planner? Or is your partner?

I have a (sweeping and wildly generalized) pet theory that every relationship has one planner and one person who flies by the seat of their pants. With almost every couple we know, one person always takes charge of planning the trip—booking flights, scouting hotels, reading about the destination—while the other person is happy to just show up and see what happens. Do you think that's true?Before we met, Alex would take trips that were virtually unplanned;...

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Zigzag cuff

This has nothing to do with travel week, but how fierce is this little zigzag cuff? It has such a big personality and would add a sexy edge to jeans and a T-shi...

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3 tips for having houseguests

We don't host as many out-of-town guests as we used to, only because they now have to sleep in Toby's room, and he gets up at the crack of dawn. But! We're hoping to have a guest room when we finally move to Brooklyn. Here are three handy tips I've heard through the years...1. Spent a night in your own guest room to try it out. We did this a few years ago (back when Toby's nursery was a guest bedroom) and were surprised by noisy garbage trucks at...

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Vacation idea: Vermont roadtrip

To cheer up the winter, I've asked a few friends to share their favorite vacation spots (and help give us ideas for summer trips). First, Liz raved about Stinson Beach, and now my friend Ashley from Hither & Thither recommends taking a Vermont road trip, below...Read More &...

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Two slamdunk hostess gifts

When I worked at a coffee shop during college, we wore half aprons like this, and they were weirdly flattering. So, you feel really pretty while making dinner (or preparing a cheese plate), and of course they're functional, too, since you always need a place to wipe off your hands and don't want to get your jeans dirty. Perfect hostess gift.This old-school salad dressing comes with a story. Crane Crest’s Real French Dressing has no website, just...

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Wartime kisses

These beautiful photos by Alfred Eisenstaedt show couples sharing a last kiss before the soldiers departed for war, at Penn Station in 1943. How stirring to wonder how many of the couples were reunited, or if this was their very last kiss. Can you imagine how hard it would be to let each other go?Here are seven more photos, below...Read More &...

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Crazy slides

The New York Times recently ran a short piece about these insane free-fall slides on a Norwegian cruise line. You stand on a platform four stories high and then the floor suddenly falls out beneath you. Would you dar...

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Renting houses on vacation

Would you rent a house on vacation? We really like to rent places, since they're typically less expensive and more spacious than hotels (which is especially great when you have a child), and staying in a real home makes you feel like a local. Here are three amazing places, just for fun...Read More &...

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Emerson Fry's spring collection

Emerson Fry's spring collection launches today. These are the kind of clothes you'd live in all summer, don't you think? The effortless style would fit in anywhere, from winding Italian streets to poolside in Palm Springs to just kicking it at home. And I always love their shoes! See the full collection here...

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Do or Don't: Naked babies at the beach

The last time we were at the beach, something surprising happened...Read More &...

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Travel-themed week

It's fun to daydream about travel—especially during the winter months—so I'd love to post all about travel this week. The big question is: If you could beam yourself anywhere right now, where would it be? The photo above is from the south of France, and for ages I've also really wanted to go to Portland, which seems like an amazing place. What about you?P.S. Past travel weeks.(Top photo by Laure Joliet of St. Jean Cap Ferrat in Fran...

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Have a relaxing weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We're going to see Alex's mom, and she wants to do that necklace-over-the-belly test to see if we're having a boy or girl. Also, we saw Silver Linings Playbook this week. Have you seen it? I used to find Bradley Cooper kind of grating, but he was really charming and likable in this. Have a good one, and here are just a few links from around the web...Another cool Swedish playspace.Lion twins!Could this insane story...

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Fab favorites

Fab is a fantastic design marketplace with great prices, and I just spent forever checking out their pretty, colorful things. Here are a few favorites...For the adventurer: 1. Travel eye mask for the plane, 2. Pink laptop sleeve, 3. Leather tote, 4. Field Notes notebooks, 5. Bonjour travel set, and 6. Paris map print featuring almost every street in the city.And for the cook: 7. Pink carafe to cheer up your table, 8. Three simple syrups for cooking...

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Amazing mascara

I secretly used to think all mascara was created equal; drugstore brands seemed fine. But recently I was walking down a street in Soho when I saw a sign for the world's best mascara. Intrigued, I stepped into the store to try it out. The mascara was Benefit's They're Real, and after a couple coats, my eyelashes looked ten times thicker and longer. Check out this before-and-after photo of British blogger Charlotte for proof of how well it works...Have...

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Have you ever said "I love you" first?

When I started dating Alex, I knew I loved him early on. I'm usually pretty guarded, but since I was so enamored, those three words lingered dangerously on the tip of my tongue. So, after just a couple weeks, as we were falling asleep, I couldn't help nervously whispering, "I think I'm falling in love with you." His reply? "I think I'm already there."HURRAY AND THANK GOD.Obviously, however, it doesn't always go so smoothly. In past relationships,...

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Grilled cheese croutons

How cute are these grilled cheese croutons? Featured in this cookbook, they simply require bread, butter and American cheese. Wouldn't they be fun to serve at a dinner party?P.S. My computer crashed this week, so posts will be a little lighter while it (hopefully) gets repaired. Wish it luck! :)(Photo by Tide & Thy...

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The Best Homemade Chips Ahoy Cookies

When we were little, my dad would grab a stack of six Chips Ahoy cookies after dinner, and lie sideways on the floor in front of the TV with us. He would eat the cookies, methodically, one at a time as we watched Family Ties or The Wonder Years, and I loved the unspoken evening ritual. (I wonder if he even remembers!) Well, food blogger and author Nicole Hunn has a great recipe for baking your own—and they're gluten free...Read More &...

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3 ways to arrange supermarket flowers

Now and again, I treat myself to a bunch of flowers from the deli, but when I put them in a vase at home, they look...blah. The flowers hang haphazardly over the vase, the stems are too long, and the whole bouquet looks messy. Happily, my friend Kendra Smoot, a prop stylist, agreed to share three beautiful ways to arrange flowers at home...Read More &...

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Old Navy kids and baby

Old Navy has really cute stuff, and right now they're having a huge kids and baby sale. Everything is up to 40% off, which (obviously) makes things super affordable. I'm looking forward to picking out sweet outfits for Toby and the baby. Check out everything here...This post is sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy’s Kidtacular Kids and Baby Sale in stores or at oldnavy.com. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that make Cup of Jo possible....

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Motherhood Mondays: A lullaby that actually works

Which lullabies do you sing to your child? We recently started singing one that works like magic...Read More &...

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Have a lovely weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Alex and I are going out to dinner, and I'm looking forward to chatting without interruptions and ruining my appetite with the bread basket. Hope you have a good, relaxing weekend, and, if you're in a blog-reading mood, here are a few fun links from around the web...Who wants to eat lunch here?Massage soap looks awesome.Heavenly peanut butter cookies.A dating experiment.100 secrets to French parenting.How this couple...

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Pink-y glasses

For the past few years, I've found great glasses from Lookmatic, the online eyewear shop. Usually I choose black or brown colors, but when they recently launched a collection of white, black and pink glasses, I was inspired to try something brighter. In the end, the New Yorker in me couldn't help choosing black glasses—but these had a fun splash of pink.Would you wear colorful glasses? Or do you stick with neutrals?P.S. My trusty tortoise pair.(Photos...

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

The tumblr Vintage Loves features schmoopy photos from past decades. I wonder how all these couples turned out! I'm sure their life stories would be fascinating. And below are my grandparents, who met on Valentine's Day back in 1945 and stayed in love all their lives. Not to be a broken record, but every Valentine's Day, I think back to my loneliest Valentine's Day six years ago, when I was feeling hopelessly single. Two weeks later, I met Alex....

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Bachelor gossip

Want to hear something hilarious? Read on...Read More &...

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How to walk on ice

Maybe you already do this instinctually, but this technique for walking on snow is rad: Instead of walking normally, place your foot straight down; that way, you won't slip, even if the ground is slick. My only question: Which is more awkward, falling down or walking like a penguin?(Infographic by Curtis Whaley, via Swissmiss/BB-Blog; photo by The Sartoriali...

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The Best Chocolate Pudding You'll Ever Have (in 15 minutes!)

If you grew up in the eighties, like me, your main memory of chocolate pudding might be those plastic cups you buy at the grocery store. Great for an eight-year-old, not so much for a grown-up. Real chocolate pudding should be rich, decadent and bursting with chocolate flavor. An incredible way to end an evening. Luckily for us, Kristin of Pastry Affair has agreed to share her best recipe (and it takes only 15 minutes!)...Read More &...

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Spring outfit

After this cold weather, aren't you daydreaming about those breezy days of spring? This feminine-yet-tomboyish outfit would be perfect to wear on bike rides, to brunches and on picnics...Red cotton dress that you could wear everyday.Mini crossbody bag to carry lipstick and a paperback.Wedge sandals for extra long legs. (Here's another similar pair; and these, too)Striped espadrilles for outdoor adventures (or TOMS, of course).French locket with snapshots...

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TV marathons

The New York Times recently wrote an interesting story about people "binge-viewing" TV shows—or watching all the episodes of a season in one burst—and how it's changing the way executives think about programming. It made me laugh to think how many times I've done that. Back in my single days, I went on crazy jags with Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Gray's Anatomy. Alex and I have done it with Mad Men and Homeland. We tried to do it...

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Motherhood Mondays: Toddlers in the kitchen

This weekend, I read two fantastic posts (by a mom whose child goes to a Montessori school) about toddlers pouring their own drinks and making their own snacks. A basic Montessori motto is "help me do it myself," and I see how by encouraging toddlers to help in the kitchen, we help them build confidence and feel a sense of accomplishment. And why not? Toby is two and a half, and I’ve always just poured his water, washed his strawberries, and peeled...

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