Have an inspiring weekend.

What are your plans for this weekend? We're flying to Chicago tonight (Toby is out of his mind excited for the plane) and are looking forward to hot dogs and ferris wheels. (And wouldn't these be cool at the beach?)

Next week, I'm thrilled to be featuring a second work/baby/life balance series. The first series was about mothers who work freelance, but now we'll focus on mothers who work full time in office jobs. The amazing women will share how they try to juggle everything, from babysitters and bedtimes to meetings and marriage. The interviews were fascinating, and I can't wait to discuss them with you.

Finally, this week's round-up is all about Nora Ephron (1941-2012), who was such a talent and inspiration. In her books and movies, she really captured the voice of a certain type of young woman--neurotic, imperfect, complex, loving. Everyone sees themselves in Nora, and she's the kind of person that you want as a best friend (and mentor). She will be missed...

"I have a theory that children remember two things—when you weren't there and when they threw up." –Nora Ephron.

What she will and won't miss.

Her most recent book, which I ordered immediately. (I loved her other books--Heartburn, I Feel Bad About My Neck...)

14 photos.

Funny wisdom.

Why you shouldn't be a lady.

“And then the dreams break into a million tiny pieces. The dream dies. Which leaves you with a choice: you can settle for reality, or you can go off, like a fool, and dream another dream.” –Nora Ephron.

Tom Hanks remembers Nora. (Love the last paragraph.)

Nora writes about her love affair with her Upper West Side apartment.

10 great movie lines.

How to live life to the fullest.

"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim." –Nora Ephron.

(Photograph by Linda Nylind for the Guardian)

My new summer uniform

We were packing for Chicago this morning, and I was thinking about summer uniforms. What's yours this summer? I keep spotting beautiful women around town wearing white jeans with grey T-shirts. Fresh, clean, classic. Perfect for day or night. Here's how to get the look...
Grey tee: Get this one. People usually think of tees as basics that you can find anywhere—Gap, Old Navy—but not all T-shirts are created equal. Certain tees can be wildly unflattering. You want to stay away from fluttery sleeves (like this), high necks (like this) and any thick fabrics. Instead, find a thin tee with a lower crew neck or V-neck, which are soooooo much prettier.

White jeans: My favorite pair, hands down. The cut is fantastic. I bought these before a trip to Paris three years ago and have loved wearing them ever since.

(Photos by the Sartorialist and Boden)

Thursday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from 20 Best Twenty, a wonderful website that curates twenty independent shops every month. The site brings together everything from jewelry to baby onesies to stationery. (Above are ribbon-wrapped bangles, for example, and below is a Swoop toy bag.) Today, they're giving one lucky reader a $200 gift certificate to pick out anything on the site.

For a chance to win, please visit 20 Best Twenty and leave a comment below with your favorite items from the site. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! xo Update: Alicia F. is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

Have you ever done the "slow fade"?

Back in my dating days...
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Wedding ring

My friend Abbey went to a wedding recently and couldn't stop staring at the bride's ring. Don't you love this cluster ring?

How to do a top knot

When you're traveling or running to dinner, there's nothing sexier than twisting your hair into a top knot. It gives you the ease and nonchalance of a classic French starlet. Lucky for us, my hair-genius friend Caroline shares the steps below, and the fabulous Jamie Beck took photos...
Steps and "after" photos below...
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Words to remember

"No one looks stupid when they're having fun." -- Amy Poehler

P.S. Also, Tina Fey.

(Quote via LOMM)

The Best Avocado Toast You'll Ever Have

In my old age, I've learned a few things: how to trapeze, how to argue fairly and the genius of avocado toast. Avocado toast is delicious, healthy and takes like three seconds to make. It's the perfect breakfast or lunch, and we've even had it for dinner along with tomato soup or scrambled eggs. Lucky for us, the fabulous Jessica from How Sweet It Is agreed to share the perfect recipe...
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How to break a habit

In his new book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains that just by recognizing them, you can change your habits.

Personally, I have a nightly habit of a glass (or two) of wine. At first I was like, it's cool, it's European! But I've realized that as soon as Toby goes to bed—ding, that's my cue—I immediately expect that crisp glass of wine. Duhigg shows how to snap out of your routine (and this week, I've just had water).

Do you have a habit you want to break? Doesn't everyone?

(Via Swissmiss)

Midwest tee

Thumbs up for this rad Midwest T-shirt, which I've been wearing every weekend this summer. I'd like to bring it on our trip to Chicago, but can't decide if that's like wearing the concert T-shirt to the concert.

P.S. Midwestern dog.

Chicago advice?

We couldn't afford a family vacation to Europe this year, so instead, we're going to Chicago next week! We wanted to go somewhere in the United States where we could explore, eat well and also swim in a lake or ocean. And after my friend visited Chicago and showed me these snapshots of her daughter wrapped in a beach towel walking among skyscrapers, we were sold.

So, I'd love to ask: Any Chicago advice? We'd love to do it right, but we're pretty clueless. So far, we're planning to eat deep-dish pizza and hot dogs, and I've heard great things about this architectural boat tour. Thank you so much for any tips!
P.S. Past family vacations, and 10 tips for traveling with a baby.

(Jumping photo from ChicagoGuide08, via Apartment Therapy)

Motherhood Mondays: Nursery in a closet

Our friends Ashley and Aron live in a 500-square-foot studio apartment in the East Village. When they found out they were expecting a baby boy, they rolled up their sleeves and transformed their walk-in closet into a six-square-foot nursery...
I interviewed Ashley on Martha Stewart Living's new blog, if you'd like to hear how she once army-crawled past his crib to get to the bathroom. And isn't the wallpaper a great touch?

P.S. More nursery inspiration...

(Photos by Ashley and Aron of Hither and Thither)

Are you a city mouse or country mouse?

Toby is a born-and-bred city kid (who knows how to hail a cab and wear tattoos), but this Saturday, we decided to escape to the country...
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Motherhood Mondays: 5 tips for taking great photos of kids

My friend Alyson from Unruly Things posts family photos on Instagram, and every shot she takes of her son Wolf is utterly adorable. Luckily for us, Alyson agreed to share five tips to taking great family photos...
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Have a relaxing weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Alex's mom and sister are coming to visit, and we're planning a little daytrip up to Blue Hill Stone Barns, where we can pet lambs and Toby can collect chicken eggs! Hope you have a great weekend (stay cool), and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

Great argument for wearing sunscreen.

Beautiful kitchen shop.

Ripped jeans.

Life in a tiny apartment.

My friend was wearing this dress this week, and it was so, so flattering. #Wishlisted.

Mozzarella and mango?

I LOVE this idea for new parents (especially after my own bout with depression).

This new book looks fascinating.

Bike-friendly hairstyles.

Made me laugh.

New Yorkers, this cheese contest looks fun.

Have a good one. xoxo

(Photo of Wes Anderson on the set of Moonrise Kingdom)

Pinterest love

Like everyone else in the world, I've gotten totally into Pinterest (or, as my mom calls it, "Pin-interest":), so I thought I'd share a few favorite pins from this week. Above: Ombre serving spoons from etsy...
Leather pockets.
Cat nail polish.
Anchor tattoos.
Nautical bathroom.

Find me here on Pinterest, if you'd like.

(Striped dress photo by Stockholm Street Style; bathroom photo by Seth)

Leaving On a Jet Plane!

Or actually, in a packed Hyundai Sonata.

Brett and I have left New Haven and are officially en route to our new home in the ATL!

Everything has been crazy the past few days with wrapping things up at work, saying goodbyes, final packing preparations, and a slight mishap with our moving truck, but we waved goodbye to New Haven this morning.

For the next few days, we'll be driving through Amish country, visiting Gettysburg, and driving down the Shenandoah Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway.

I'll be back on the internet by Monday when I arrive at my new address. Have a great week everyone!

Source: Blue Ridge Parkway.org

Spotted!

I am so excited that one of my favorite blogs, Religion in American History, had a nice little shout out for The Feminist Mystique yesterday! RiAH is a group blog that offers really amazing commentary about religion in America. If it isn't already one of your favorites, I highly recommend it!

Thursday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Alexis Russell, a New-York-based designer who makes handcrafted jewelry that feels raw yet elegant. Aren't her rings beautiful? Today she's giving one reader this beautiful black-and-white diamond cuff ($345). Wouldn't you love to slip it on your wrist and wear it all summer?

For a chance to win, please visit Alexis Russell's shop (and feel free to visit her Facebook page) and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! xo Update: Lea F. is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

Do or Don't: A house registry

Hatch My House lets you create a wedding registry to save up for your dream home. Your guests give you parts of the house--two bedroom windows or a front door, for example. Thoughts? Kind of brilliant, but would you do it? Now we've seen everything!

P.S. More dos and don'ts...

(Thanks, Karaugh. Boots photo by Stephanie)

Would you wait to kiss until your wedding day?

When Andrew and Carissa fell in love, they decided to wait to have their first kiss until their wedding ceremony...
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Citra Sipper

Have you ever seen a Citra Sipper? You just stick it into an orange or grapefruit and drink! What a rad idea. Do you think it really works? (And the company is old-school: It was launched at the 1933 World's Fair by the current owner's grandfather.)

First day of summer

Yahoo! Today is the first day of summer. Actually, the season officially starts at 7:09pm, if you want to be exact. (And here are a few photos we took last summer in Fire Island.)

Once I read in Oprah that a secret to happiness is keeping a gratitude journal every night--or even just telling yourself as you falling asleep--three things that you were grateful for that day and three things you're looking forward to the next day. Anything you're especially looking forward to this summer? Even something little!

P.S. Seven summer essentials...

The Best French Vinaigrette You'll Ever Have

My parents spent a few years in Paris in their twenties, and even though they've been back in the States for decades, my mom still waxes nostalgic about the French salads. It's not the greens she cares about. It's the perfectly peppery, garlic-y, lemon-y dressing that coats each leaf and brings the salade to a whole new level. So, I was thrilled when Amanda Hesser from Food52 agreed to reveal her ideal vinaigrette recipe...
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High dive

How breathtaking is this framed triptych photograph of U.S. diver Patricia McCormick doing a springboard high dive at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics? (She won the gold.) Can you imagine this hanging in a home? Beautiful.

(Via Lonny)

Summer Essentials #7: Peach beauty

Peach makeup looks fresh and dewy for the summer, and I keep noticing pretty girls with peach blush, lipstick and toes. Toby and I stopped by the NARS store the other day, and I tried on a peach lipstick. Their Barbarella color was lovely and natural, and I've worn it almost everyday since! (I'd highly recommend it if you're looking for a flattering neutral.) Here are six peachy cosmetics to give you that sun-kissed glow...
1. Peach nectar lip gloss, 2. Barbarella lipstick, 3. Peach eyeshadow, 4. Nectar shimmer brick, 5. A Crewed Interest nail polish, 6. Peach blush.

(Graphic design by Rachel from Elephantine, a new Cup of Jo contributor. Top photo of model Magdalena Frackowiak)

Great news

I rarely post about sales, but this is awesome: The rad British store ASOS has agreed to give Cup of Jo readers a whopping 20% off all full-priced items from today until next Monday, with the code ACUPOFJO20.

ASOS has such pretty outfits for summer vacations and honeymoons. I'm especially loving this striped skater dress and these uber-flattering jeans. And this white Chloe dress would make a beautiful daytime wedding dress. Thanks so much, ASOS. xoxo

(See all my picks here.)

(20% off full-price merchandise; U.S. orders only; single use per customer; code valid until midnight on Monday, June 25th)

Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring

Though there are many options available for the couples, but diamond solitaire engagement rings are still the preferred choices of a lot of couples due to the elegance and simplicity linked with the rings. 

There is only one diamond placed on the top of the ring, so that the stone is clearly visible. While there are no other stones studded on the surface of the ring, the solitaire diamond gets all the concentration of the onlookers.

It is desirable to select a larger diamond so that it dominates over the ring even more. As far as shape of solitaires is concerned, round is the popular shape for the diamond. 

Other designs like marquise, emerald, pear and oval are also preferred and can appear larger on the diamond engagement rings.

Prong setting is usually the choice of the couples when they go shopping for the solitaires. But other settings such as bezel, flush and tension are also the choices that the couples can make.

The diamond must be purchased only after ensuring its good quality of color, cut, clarity and carat weight must also be known to the buyers. The overall cost of these rings remains reasonable for most of the couples because there is one diamond to be purchased.

Motherhood Mondays: Wallpaper

Now that we're (vaguely) househunting, we're also daydreaming about decorating. Wouldn't Ferm Living's graphic wallpaper look fantastic in a small space, like a bathroom or foyer? xo

Motherhood Mondays: Brooklyn househunting

The other day, Alex and I saw the raddest apartment in Brooklyn...
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