Wednesday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from ShoeMint, a free, members-only website with an amazing selection of shoes, each for just $79.98. It's a collaboration between Rachel Bilson and stylist Nicole Chavez, and they're manufactured by Steve Madden. New styles are added every month, and everything is made with real leather and suede. Bonus: You get free shipping and returns.

FIVE lucky winners will get to choose a pair of ShoeMint shoes. Which would you choose? (I'd go for the Kali loafers.) For a chance to win, please visit ShoeMint, sign up, and leave a comment below telling us your favorite pair of shoes. Five winners will be chosen at random on Monday (so you have the weekend to enter). Good luck! Update: The winners have been emailed. Thanks for playing.

For all readers: Click here to get 20% off your first pair.

(Giveaway is open to US and Canada only)

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The Best Caesar Salad (with a new dressing)

Caesar salad is always delicious, but raw egg and anchovies can turn people off—and the dressing can feel too rich. Well, Megan of Passports & Pancakes was raving to us about her mom's light and tangy dressing that changes the whole dish. Here's her secret recipe...
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Famous cars

These etsy posters feature iconic cars from classic movies. Double thumbs up.

P.S. The Shining still gives me chills.

(Via Fast Company)

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Beautiful bags

Have you seen Baggu's soft leather tote bags? They've been blowing up on the internet! It's surprisingly hard to find lovely simple bags, but these are the kind of bags you'd reach for every day and carry everywhere, from work to farmer's markets to picnics. (I love the gold color.)

P.S. These are also great.

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13 Surprising Things About Parenting in Congo

For our Motherhood Around the World series, our third interview features Sarah (top) and Jill (bottom), two American friends who live in the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa with their husbands and kids. Here are 13 things that have surprised them about motherhood in Congo...
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Have a cool weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We are hitting up some playgrounds like the parents we are:) Also! Alex and I just started watching the show Extras, and Ricky Gervais is hilarious. Have you seen it? We have even had to pause the show because we're laughing so hysterically. Anyway, have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

The official Royal baby cheese!

The downside to your sleeping style.

Why Steven King spends months, even years, writing opening sentences.

This perfume sounds fantastic.

How California looks like other places.

Paris insider tips.

Subway tattoos.

Tomato sandwiches are a great part of summer.

Summer beauty.

Lauren Hutton, style icon.

Norway gets some fake sun.

Salad musings.

A guide to interacting with introverts.

Thumbs up, Volvo!

An alternative to Alfredo sauce.

(Photo of Eleonora Carisi)

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Little Anton!

Late one night, I took these photos of Anton chilling on my legs. His little expressions kill me! It has been a pleasure getting to know him over the past three weeks. The other day, Alex and I were half-jokingly trying to spot personality traits, and I said that he seems like a hard worker. It sounds weird, but he really does seem to be concentrating so earnestly on figuring out how how to eat, sleep and generally be alive.

Oh, Anton. You have stolen my heart a million times over.

P.S. If you'd like to see more photos, I post them now and again on Instagram. xo

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The Royal Baby

Last night, I was breastfeeding Anton and reading articles on my iPhone, when I came across this fascinating post about the dress Kate wore when the couple presented their baby to the world. "Kate’s unabashed baby belly busts the last taboo of pregnancy," wrote the Daily Beast.
When I saw the photo of her beautiful high-waisted dress, which unapologetically highlighted her postpartum belly, I was actually surprised to find myself flooded with relief. As a new mom, I found it enormously refreshing that she wasn't trying to hide her shape. You definitely still look pregnant for the first couple weeks after having a baby, and that's normal and healthy. Obviously, this shouldn't really be a big deal, but these days so many celebrities try to show how quickly they bounce back, and, here, Kate was more honest. The dress was definitely a thoughtful choice she made (versus wearing baggy clothes or holding the baby in front of her), since she's so careful about what she wears, and she knows how much scrutiny she's under, and I love her for that. What do you think?
P.S. On a lighter note, George Costanza's response to the baby's name... :)

(Photos by Scott Heavey and Peter Macdiarmid for Getty)

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What does your birthday say about you?

My not-so-little brother turned 31 this week (Happy Birthday, Nick!), so we were playing around with the funny website, The Secret Language of Birthdays. Based on your birthday, the site reveals your personality traits and gives you advice for the future. Does yours ring true?

P.S. Another spot-on personality test.

(Photo by Smitten Kitchen)

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Fab favorites

Fab is a fantastic modern design marketplace with great prices, and it's fun to spend a while discovering all their pretty, colorful things. Also, good news: Kate Spade Saturday has an exclusive collection on Fab right now. They have playful dresses, colorful bags and cute accessories. Here are a few favorites for summer entertaining...

1. Wireless speaker. 2. Flask. 3. Kite. 4. Kate Spade Saturday dress. 5. Vases. 6. Kate Spade Saturday sandals. 7. Glacier ice balls. 8. Green Moss candle. 9. Chocolate figs.

Sign up for Fab's newsletter to find out about their incredible sales.

P.S. I also love this poster!

(This post is in partnership with Fab. Thanks so much for being supportive of the sponsors that help make Cup of Jo possible.)

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The Best Chocolate-Chip Banana Muffins

Which foods do you find impossible to resist? Homemade banana bread might be at the top of my list. My mom used to bake it for us, and I remember hanging out during those childhood mornings, excitedly waiting for the bread to cool while padding around the kitchen in footie pajamas. Well, lucky for us, Cristina of The Roaming Kitchen has come up with this delicious chocolate-chip banana bread—in muffin form! Here goes...Read More >

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Let's talk about cheese...

Great idea: Place toy animals on a cheese tray to show which kind of milk was used in each cheese (goat, sheep or cow).
Cheese-rolling festival in Gloucestershire, England, where guys hurtle themselves down a hill to catch a cheese wheel.
A mouthwatering mac n' cheese slideshow.
Made me laugh.
10 cheeses and their literary counterparts. (For example, Hemingway is like a Cabot Cheddar: Straightforward, no bull.)
How to make your own cheese wedding cake.
Biggest tip: Never eat cold cheese!
My personal secret to a great grilled cheese.
And an insane twist on a grilled cheese.
United States cutting boards. (Above is Brooklyn.)

P.S. How to create a perfect cheese plate, and stinky birthday cheese.

(Child photo by Jill Greenberg; literary cheeses via Shoko)

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10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan

For our Motherhood Around the World series, our second interview features photographer Yoko Inoue, who moved from Brooklyn to the Japanese countryside with her husband and son. Here are 10 things that have surprised her about being a mom in Japan...
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Have a great weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? My dad and sister are coming to visit, and we're excited to have them play with Toby and meet Anton. We are getting settled and finding our rhythm as a family of four. (Breastfeeding is so time consuming!) Also, I'm so glad you are enjoying the Motherhood Around the World Series—Japan is up next! Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Nordstrom's anniversary sale starts today.

English moms are waiting to choose a name until after the Royal Baby is born.

Don't look if you're scared of heights!

What a beautiful bag.

Matt Damon makes Brad Pitt jealous.

Liz Lemon ice cream.

An awesome parenting approach.

This experiment made me laugh out loud.

A trick for lighting candles.

Getting drunk in Antarctica.

What a beautiful older woman.

Brilliant idea for a cookbook.

An addictive game for nerds.

Family members look similar.

Cutest blocks.

And New Yorkers: The New York Public Library's new exhibit brings books to life!

(Photo of the Beatles in Bel Air in 1964 by Larry Sharkey)

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Best friends iPhone case

Cute. That's all.

P.S. 12 more awesome iPhone cases, and how to give a high five.

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Humans of New York

When you walk around New York City, it's easy to get in a zone and barely notice the people around you. But Brandon from Humans of New York reminds you that everyone has a beautiful  story to tell. He takes photos of strangers on the street and elicits funny quotes about their marriage or kids, or asks them simple frank questions like, "What was a difficult time in your life?" or "When were you most scared?" Every time I visit the site, I get sucked down a rabbit hole.

I cannot wait for his book to come out this fall.

P.S. This was a great one:
"There’s six people in every relationship: you, the person you think you are, and the person your partner thinks you are. Then there’s your partner, the person they think they are, and the person you think they are."

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Wednesday giveaway

Today's giveaway is from Bridge & Burn, a clothing line based in Portland and inspired by life in the northwest. I love their laid-back, effortless pieces. Today they're letting one lucky reader choose her favorite item. Which would you choose? (I'd go for this or this.)

For a chance to win, please visit Bridge & Burn and leave a comment below telling us your favorite piece. Please be sure to leave a way for us to contact you. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! Update: The winner has been emailed. Thanks for playing.

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Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Have you seen Seinfeld's online comedy series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee? He invites funny people—David Letterman, Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock—to join him for a drive and cup of coffee. I've seen a few, and they've been okay—sometimes funny, but sometimes a little awkward. But! This one with Seth Meyers was great. It helps that Seth Meyers is totally adorable, and the fact that he seemed a little nervous around Seinfeld made him even cuter.

Watch it here, if you'd like (I loved the story about his parents):

P.S. Seinfeld posters and how to write a joke.

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The Best Dutch Baby Pancakes

This mouthwatering recipe, by Stephanie of Girl Versus Dough, speaks for itself (and would be perfect for your next Saturday morning)...Read More >

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Tuesday giveaway

Today's giveaway is from Vine.com, the fantastic online store that curates all natural and organic products for beauty, bath, baby, snacks and household cleaning. We shop there regularly for our family, and they deliver to your door in two days!

Today Vine is offering a $300 gift certificate, so you can stock up on everything you need for the summer. For a chance to win, please visit Vine.com and leave a comment below with a couple of your favorite items. (Here are some good ideas, and I love everything by Method and Weleda.) A winner will be selected at random tomorrow. Good luck! Update: The winner has been emails. Thanks for playing.

Bonus for all readers: Get 20% off your order with the code 20JOANNA, good through August 31st. Good for both new and return buyers. And Vine.com always offers free shipping for orders over $35.

(Products above: Toy car, lavender body oil, facial towelettes, water bottle, lip balm, shampoo, hand wash and bronzer).

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