Have a lovely weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? I'm catching up with a long-lost friend tonight, and tomorrow we're hoping to take Toby to see children's book author Mo Willems read at the MoMA store! What about you? If you're in a blog-reading mood, here are a few fun posts from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

Colorblock dress for the spring.

A furry friend.

Did you know about this street on the Upper West Side?

10 bizarre professions you didn't know existed.

Who wants to whip up a batch of these?

Ahoy tattoos.

A virtual tour of the Grand Canyon.

Is this art?

Lamb sliders.

Hair crush: the middle part.

Made me laugh.

Food valentines.

Johnny Cash gets his own postage stamp.

This wedding book looks good.

FYI, The Honest Company, which makes our favorite natural diapers, wipes, lotion, shampoo, soap, etc., is offering free shipping with the code JoFreeShip3, until February 11th. xoxo

(Photo taken at Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood, Oregon, by Ralph Morse, January 1942; via Vintage Ski, via Snippet & Ink. Grand Canyon tour via SwissMiss; Mo Willems reading via StrollerTraffic; stamp via Snippet & Ink)

16 high school yearbook photos of celebrities

New York Magazine recently featured high-school yearbook photos of celebrities, and they're awesome. Can you guess the four people above? And here are 12 more...
Read More >

Have a beautiful weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We're excited to drive up to our friends' cabin in Connecticut...and are just praying that Toby's potty training will stick. Their daughter is Toby's exact age, so it's going to be a noisy one! They're making mussels (yay), so maybe we'll bring these. Have a relaxing weekend, stay warm, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

Alex and I saw Argo this week and loved it. Have you seen it?

The secret to perfectly cooked eggs.

Bridesmaids can now rent dresses!

A house in the forest.

Apparently some Italians fake their vacations.

The documentary Brooklyn Castle looks great.

A pretty top for dates.

If Dr. Seuss books were titled according to their subtexts.

This Valentine's Day card made me laugh.

Love these Valentine-y earrings.

What 13 people wore to an interview with Anna Wintour.

Who wants to play Downton Abbey bingo?

Constellation bracelet.

Last but not least, Google's female employees get 5 months maternity leave at full pay, and they can split up that time however they'd like. Bravo.

(Photo by Michael Graydon)

Have a magical (long) weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? After a day of potty training, Alex and I are hoping to sneak out for lasagna in the neighborhood. And will you be watching Girls on Sunday? Have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

A recipe for just two chocolate chip cookies? Perfect.

IKEA bookshelves get an awesome makeover.

Well said, Tina Fey.

Six toddler games for lazy parents.

Wow, a neon gown!

Damaged hardwood floors? Just paint stripes.

Winter sun cocktail.

This packing list makes me want to take a trip.

Queen Elizabeth with 12 presidents.

Remember the controversial Vogue mom who put her daughter on a diet? Her book is out.

...And here's a Q&A with her.

Good parenting question.

Cute cups for picnics.

What a beautiful photo.

(Photo of the northern lights in Alaska by NASA)

Have a wonderful weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? First off, thank you again for the sweet response to our baby news. We're so excited. I can't wait to talk about pregnancy and babies, and, funnily enough, I feel like I have a surprising number of questions the second time around! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Mini deep dish pizzas would be cute for a party.

The NYTimes gives the second season of Girls a thumbs up.

LOVE this peek of neon.

Cooking for one.

Will you be watching the Golden Globes? Tina Fey and Amy Poehler wrote a drinking game.

Good to remember.

How hot dogs are made. (Oh. My. God.)

What a lovely nursery.

Sweetest short wedding dress.

We've talked about vibrators, and this new one looks cool.

Breast pumps covered by insurance? Bravo.

Good news: Shopbop is having a huge sale.

And I'm excited to shop for maternity clothes:)

(Image by John Doe Worldwide)

Have a lovely weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? I'm excited to take Alex to this swing art installation, and other than that, we'll be straight-up chilling. Next week, I'm looking forward to sharing our California photos. Have a great weekend, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

Would you ever do a juice fast? This documentary looks compelling.

If only all clothing stores could be like this!

This book looks adorable.

The neuroscience of pickpockets.

Holy smokes! This bed is awesome.

What would you do if money were no object?

A bike bell that sounds like a car horn.

Cool way to get the look of wallpaper.

Apple cake looks delicious.

I've been eyeing these rad sunglasses for winter.

And I did a round-up of favorites at Darling Clementine. Thanks for having me!

(Beautiful winter style from Citizen Couture)

Have a good weekend.

Where are you heading for the holidays? We're flying out this afternoon to Palm Springs and LA, where we'll be visiting Alex's family. And this year, my dad, brother and sister are also joining, so it will be a fun, noisy group! Please wish us luck on the flight (gulp), and have a wonderful weekend. Here are a few great links from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

For people who love words.

Two appetizers for the holidays: Crispy goat cheese and brussel sprouts crostini.

Beautiful state necklaces.

Now that's a brave woman!

What a cool treehouse wedding.

Is this banana slicer for real?

Origami for beginners.

Seven pretty outfits.

A dad's pancake upgrade.

Chris Rock's hilarious stand-up is actually right on.

The Polar Bear Club is insane.

In case you've forgotten: how to eat dinner & how to drink wine.

Pete Souza has taken thousands of powerful photos of Obama, but here are some sweet and funny ones: one, two, three, four, five.

A reader also emailed me this etiquette question: "For the past two years, my boss has handed me an envelope (with a generous gift card inside). Not sure what to do, I've waited until afterward to open it. Is this appropriate or sketchy? I felt so awkward last year!" Thoughts?

Who do you look like?

For his series I'm Not a Look-Alike, Canadian photographer François Brunelle took 200 photos of people who look like identical twins—but actually aren't even related. How crazy is that?!

Do you look like anyone? Throughout the years, people have said I look like Amanda Peet, Hilary Swank and (back in the day) figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. Alex has ranged from Seth Rogan to a young Warren Beatty. And Toby has gotten Agyness Deyn!

See more jaw-dropping "twin" photos below...Read More >

Have a great weekend.

What are your plans for the weekend? I'm going on a girl's night out tomorrow (whoot whoot!). They're pretty rare for me, so I'm really looking forward to it. We're also psyched about the new math museum opening in Manhattan; it looks incredible. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

What a gorgeous wedding dress.

A gingerbread house? Nope, a gingerbread brownstone.

Smoking cocktail.

Would you wear a union suit?

Just a baby on the table. No biggie.

This tote made me laugh.

First snow in Berlin.

What a rad idea for a gift.

My friend wrote a book!

Who wants to stay in an igloo?

15 incredible photos of Hollywood heroines.

A guy's dream shop.

And the full Cup of Jo gift guide, if you need any final ideas.

Update: I just heard the news about the Connecticut school. Our hearts go out to the families and children affected. What heartbreak. xoxo

(Photos of skateboarding in NYC in the 1960s, via A Conversation on Cool, via Shoko)

Self portraits

Do you ever take vacation or party photos with one arm awkwardly extended? Well, a Cape Town ad agency tweaked iconic photos (in Photoshop) to make them look like self-portraits. Made me laugh.

(Photo montages by Lowe Cape Town, via It's Nice That)

Have a wonderful weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? I'm excited to just CHILL. Also, we're going to a Christmas party and I'm looking forward to wearing this little black dress (and these, haha). Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Head's up: 25% off at J.Crew this weekend.

This New Yorker poem made me laugh out loud. (Busted.)

Chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-oatmeal cookies.

10 commonly misunderstood words.

Bravo!!!! Women are officially funny.

A ball of Christmas lights.

Pet peeves in a marriage.

Want a balcony? Add one.

Mathematics of elevators. (P.S. Freaks me out.)

Urban camping.

Interesting take on the Bachelor. Seriously.

Foldable Me made me laugh.

Slam-dunk cheap gift for guys, if you're still looking.

A coloring book I secretly want myself.

Awwww, teeny bow ties.

Cool photos of Will and Kate. And congrats to them!

And, of course, here's the complete Cup of Jo 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. Thank you so much for reading! xoxo

(Photo of Mick, inspired by 50 years of Rolling Stones style)

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: Don't forget the inside!

What a pretty skirt.

Blueberry breakfast cake.

An airplane school? Toby would flip.

Let's bring back the dinner party.

Would you wear reflexology sandals?

10 blog posts every new mom should read. (Thank you, Stroller Traffic.)

This guy's a cutie.

An inspiring 103-year-old grandmother.

A cute snowflake diaper for the holidays.

After I wrote about being happy to see your children, one reader pointed out that your eyes should light up for everyone you love, which was a great point. Sometimes when Alex gets home, I'm harried and toss a quick hello over my shoulder. I'm going to change that asap!

Also, after the enthusiastic response to COATT morse code jewelry, the designer is offering 20% off to Cup of Jo readers until December 7th. Just email her at info@coattonline.com with CUP OF JO in the subject line.

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 Anthropologie)

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? But that's impossible!

David Letterman kissed Amy Poehler (on the lips).

Five tiny NYC apartments.

This moving gift guide is insane!

I'll be wearing these guys all weekend.

Ira Glass, I love you.

Red suede shoes.

This new book looks intriguing.

And thank you again for all the heartfelt comments on the post about people deciding not to have kids. It was a fascinating discussion.

(Photos of us from last summer)

Have a cozy weekend.

What are your plans for the weekend? We're going to our friends' annual fall party (complete with mulled cider) and also taking Toby to visit our neighborhood firetrucks. For New Yorkers, the Renegade holiday market looks great. (Can you believe the holidays kick off next week?!) Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

An awesome buffalo!

Goodnight moon...the app.

Who's going to see Les Miserables?

Love that Lena Dunham took off her uncomfy heels in the middle of a speech.

Creme brulee cheesecake.

This bacon scarf is not kidding around.

If Wes Anderson had directed Star Wars.

A Swedish school tries to take away gender lines. A little too far?

Obama hugs.

Perfect hostess gift.

The most flattering jeans.

Ouch, what a restaurant review!

A pencil skirt for bike-riders.

Made me laugh.

A beautiful calendar to raise funds for Hurricane Sandy relief.

And a little note: I have more sponsored posts than usual this holiday season because of some inadvertent overbooking (read more here about my blog and career, if you'd like), so I truly apologize for any overload and thank you for hanging in there. I'm still getting the hang of all this! The good news is, I like the brands I'm working with and am glad to recommend them. Thank you again for supporting the sponsors who make my blog possible.

(Top photo by Luisa Brimble)

Venice under water

Flooding in Venice is pretty common, but the most recent flood left 70% of central Venice under water. I'm amazed by how people seem to be taking it in stride—ordering espresso, having pizza for lunch and even swimming in Piazza San Marco!

P.S. Remember these photos from four years ago?

(Photos by AP Photo/Getty/Reuters, via The Atlantic)

Have a beautiful weekend.

What are your plans for this weekend? We're excited to go to a magic show tomorrow (more on that later:), and then we'll be hosting the big bake sale on Sunday, so please come say hello! It would be great to see you. Samantha also made gorgeous prints to support the effort. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few great posts from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

Winter's coming.

A restaurant in an old classroom! (You even sit at desks.)

Now that's a before-and-after.

Beautiful bride.

The best signs from the Simpsons.

Wow, dark red lipstick looks good on...everyone. (This crimson is a good one to try.)

My favorite picture of Obama thus far.

Make a reading nook with an old crib mattress.

Marion, what a dress!

Ideal shelf for booklovers.

Delicious cookbook.

10 travel websites worth bookmarking.

Update: Louis CK just added two shows in Staten Island on November 17th to benefit the hurricane relief efforts. Whoot whoot!

Have a good one! xoxo

(Photograph by Dane Shitagi for the Ballerina Project)

Have a great weekend.

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? We're going to our friends' house for dinner, and I'm psyched to see the hilarious Louis C.K. on Saturday Night Live. Hope you have a good one, and here's a short list of fun posts from around the web...

Rainbows.

Put an egg on it.

Before-and-after bedroom.

What a stunning wedding dress.

Marvelous cookies.

Fascinating post on toddler discipline.

Cool business card stamp.

Meet the candidates.

City Hall wedding style.

My brother took this photo last night from the Empire State Building. Wow!

Here are some great ways to help people affected by the hurricane.

Plus, three posts you may have missed:
* Hot toddies.
* Missing phone.
* Tiny dancer.

This is a shorter list than usual this week, so find more on Pinterest, if you'd like! Also, I just found out that J.Crew is giving 25% off and free shipping until Thursday, if you're doing any winter shopping. Have a good one, everyone. xoxo

(Photo from Moonrise Kingdom)

Have a great weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Alex's birthday is TODAY (whoot whoot!), so Toby and I took him out to a yummy breakfast, and late tonight we're driving to Maryland to visit our cousins. We're all crashing at their house, so I see some sleeping bags in our future! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few great links from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

Art-inspired wedding cakes.

What a gorgeous nursery!!!

Sneak peek at Mad Men.

Survival dinner.

Holiday glitter.

Famous NYC apartments.

Are you smart enough for gifted kindergarten?

Beautiful print for charity.

No more snacking in Rome!

What pretty blue glasses.

How to blow up photos.

LOVE these children's clothes.

And I had an idea: If you'd like, post your photos of eating something new to my Facebook page and I'll feature a bunch on the blog next week. Would be fun to see everyone in action! Thank you so much, and have a great weekend! xoxo

Have a wonderful weekend.

What are your plans for this fall weekend? Our friend Rob recently directed a movie (a movie!), and we're going to see the rough cut tonight! We're supposed to give constructive feedback, although I'm sure we'll love it. Also, on the suggestion of a reader, I've been reading this funny, heartwarming memoir, and I'd highly recommend it, if you're looking for a new book. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

A moment of calm.

Unfinished portraits.

Hilarious opinions on the first lady debate (which never actually happened).

Perks of fall.

Goodnight kisses.

Twinkle curtain.

Oh, Mick, what a doll you are.

Holy chocolate pots!

As a woman in my thirties, I have to stop saying dude.

17 things Tina Fey and Amy Poehler should be in charge of.

Liz Lemon in a box.

The balance of being a mama.

Larry David (inadvertently) saves the day.

What an incredible website design.

Take photos WITH your kids.

Human communication.

And another amazing friends & family sale: Loeffler Randall is giving 20% off their gorgeous boots and shoes with the code LRFRIEND20, until Sunday night. Have a good one! xoxo