Have a wonderful weekend.

What are your plans for this weekend? We're going to a holiday party tomorrow night. And there are only 12 days until Christmas! Crazy, right? Cannot wait. Hope you enjoyed the 2013 gift guide this week, and have a wonderful weekend. Sending you guys a big hug through the internet. Here are a few fun posts from around the web...

These infinity rooms at an art gallery look amazing. (We went a couple weekends ago, but the lines were 4+ hours long!)

M&Ms and Lifesavers turned Seinfeld down when he was looking for a candy to use in the Junior Mint episode.

This single girl had the perfect reaction to her friends' engagement photo. Made me laugh out loud.

What are your favorite interview questions? (The comments are great.)

A little girl surprises her deaf parents with a sign-language holiday song. So, so sweet.

Note to Santa: This is at the top of my wishlist.

Who goes to work to have fun? Interesting read.

13 things that mentally strong people avoid.

Beautiful nail polish for the winter.

Has anyone read The Rules of Civility? I'm searching for a book for our trip:)

Love these blue glasses.

Want to be healthy? Eat nuts, apparently.

And if you have any last-minute holiday shopping, get 15% off and free shipping at Terrain with the code CUPOFJO, good through Sunday.

(Photo by The Sartorialist)

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Holiday idea: Making a family album

My friend Kendra's parents have a huge family album that they display on the coffeetable from Thanksgiving to New Year. "We all flip through it every day," she says, "Our childhood photos inspire conversation and great memories." So sweet, right? As part of a three-part series sponsored by Canon, we wanted to share some tips if you'd like to make one for your own family...Read More >

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Gift Guide Part #7: Your Awesome Brother Who Can Handle Any Hot Sauce, No Problem, and Never Refuses Your Toddler's Requests for Shoulder Rides.

Simon memory game, $32, the cult classic from the 1980s. We loved this growing up!
Cozy wool socks, $32, made in Maine.
Flask for hikes, picnics and rooftop parties. $24.
Tattly subscription, $60, where he'll get 8 temporary tattoos in the mail every month for six months. (Needless to say: Kids would love this, too.)
3-D space cookie cutters, $12, since he would get a kick out of them.
The Best American Infographics, $13.66. They're always such fun to read.
T-shirt describing his ideal day, $28.
Habanero Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $24, for salads and cooking. Not for the faint of heart!
A straight-razor shave at Fellow Barber Shop, $40, or a face massage with hot towels and essential oils called The Hangover Treatment, $25.
Stinky cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery, $60, plus this funny card.
Awesome patches to show off his skills, for his backpack or jacket, $5.
Man Candle that smells like New York style pizza, to remind him of home. $15.

And, always and forever, the Icelandic Beard Cap, $79.

P.S. More gifts for brothers, and the complete 2013 gift guide...

(Barber shop photo by Robert Wright for The New York Times)

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Have a sweet weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We're going to a holiday party, and the attire is "black tie optional." (Wish I could borrow this dress!) And I can't help sharing this photo of five-month-old Anton in the bath. As someone pointed out on Instagram, he has seven armpits, haha:) Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

My kid's insane wishlist. Made me laugh out loud.

This is not a photo of Morgan Freeman.

Would you eat hot dogs on the rocks?

Cheese makes everything better.

Pretty party shoes.

Jane Austin quotes about break-ups and happiness.

30 of the best ponytails in history.

Kids drawings of their grandparents are recreated in real life.

19 signs you're doing better than you think.

How great is this red door?

The best photos of 2013. Amazing.

Excited to be included in this Terrain interview.

And New Yorkers: This storytelling event looks awesome! David Cross, Mario Batali, Greta Gerwig...

Have a good one. xoxo

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Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving to all the American readers! What are you up to today? We'll be heading to our friends' house in Brooklyn, where they have a fireplace, red wine and lots of stinky cheese. Have a wonderful day, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

The trailer for the next season of Girls. Will you be watching?

Mapping how Americans talk.

Curious to try this sleep app, which wakes you up when your body is ready.

How to sound like an art genius.

Such great Jackie Kennedy photos.

A babysitter's adorable photo series. (Thanks, Julia)

Zach Braff photobombed this wedding couple!

Because grammar.

And, finally, three Thanksgiving tips from this great book:
* "Start serving drinks the minutes your guests arrive, no matter the hour. Thanksgiving is not a time to judge."
* "A salad is a perfect accompaniment to many meals, a hit of astringency that can improve some dinners hugely. Not this one. You can have your salad tomorrow."
* "Thanksgiving is a holiday that anchors itself in tradition. Which means: You should make turkey. Turkey is why you are here."
Have a good one! xoxo

(Top photo by Vanessa Rees for Saveur)

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Great idea for holiday cards

My friend Kendra, who is a prop stylist, had a fantastic idea for her family's holiday cards: They choose a holiday song lyric and take a photo inspired by it.
As part of a three-part series sponsored by Canon, we wanted to share a bunch of their past cards, as inspiration. Take a look, below...Read More >

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Have a beautiful weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We are going to a lasagna party in Brooklyn tomorrow evening. I'm also reading this book and LOVING it. And Anton has started laughing at Toby's antics! Like big adorable belly laughs. Warms my heart:) Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Thanksgiving Dinner slot machine!

10 most bike-friendly cities in the U.S.

Strangers falling asleep on the subway.

Brussels sprouts toasts.

Great boots on sale.

How to stay happy this winter. Made me laugh.

What a sexy holiday dress.

Such a pretty apartment in Brooklyn.

These twins taking a bath don't realize they're out of the womb.

Rare photos of famous people.

Thanksgiving Mad-Libs are a great idea.

Designers touching their faces.

Toddler naps with his puppy. DYING OF CUTENESS!!!!

Bonus for all readers: If you're sending holiday cards this year, Pinhole Press has great designs, and you can get 33% off with the code CUPOFJOCARDS through December 2nd. Thanks!

(Photo of PNB Summer Intensive dancer by Angela Sterling, via this addictive tumblr)

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Awesome shades

One final post about our place before you're totally sick of it! :) A few people asked about the window treatments, and they're really really awesome. The apartment had old blinds when we moved in, and we were nervous about the cords with the boys. So we got shades from Decorview, which Emily knew about–they basically come to your place, measure everything, help you pick out colors and textures, and then come back and install it all. It's so easy. And the coolest part is that they're motorized!!! You just press a button on the wall—or a remote!

Here's a video we took with the boys in the morning, where Toby is basically speaking a different language the entire time. Haha, three year olds:)

P.S. Toby talking about Indian food, and becoming a New Yorker.

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Home makeover: Master bedroom

Thanks for your comments on our apartment makeover this week! It has been really fun to share photos with you. Emily also helped us style the master bedroom, and here are the before and after pictures...
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Home makeover: The nursery

Thanks for your comments about the living room makeover yesterday! We were also really grateful to work with Emily on the boys' bedroom. Here are the before-and-after photos, if you'd like to see...
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Home makeover: Our living and dining room

Thank you so much for all your sweet notes about our home makeover! I'm really excited to share the final photos. As I've mentioned before, we were lucky enough to work with the fantastic Emily Henderson. Here are the before and afters of our living room, if you'd like to see...
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Mindblowing Volvo commercial

We'll be posting photos of our house makeover today, but meanwhile, I wanted to share this ridiculously awesome Volvo commercial. It was filmed in Spain at sunrise in one take. Have you seen it? Insane.

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Gift idea: Photo books for kids

This past Father's Day, we made Toby a board book about his adventures with Daddy. He LOVED the book and still reads it all the time.
So, for Christmas this year, we're planning to surprise him with a stack of five new photo books...Read More >

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Have a lovely weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Our friend is throwing his annual holiday party tomorrow, so we'll be dressing up and going out! I can't wait to feel like a grown-up:) Next week we'll be sharing photos of our newly decorated apartment (here are the "before" shots). Excited to see what you think. Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Google Street View goes to Venice! Employees wore 360-degree cameras while walking around and riding gondolas to capture all the secret paths and canals.

My friend Abbey told me about this awesome restaurant in New York that serves only steak, fries and salad. That's it. When the waiter comes, you simply tell him how you like your meat.

A year of parenting. Made me laugh.

Pie chart: What's in your suitcase?

The effortless fame of George Clooney.

Yesterday I went to hear a talk by George Lois—he was the real Don Draper—and he was hilarious and inspiring.

This weekend I'll be rereading this brilliant book.

Philippines typhoon relief: A good list of ways to help.

The (very different) bodies of Olympic athletes.

Whoa, these pants are sexy.

The essential Thanksgiving guide.

Colorized historical photos make the past seem incredibly real.

These braids are insane!

A cute holiday video.

And, finally, I can't stop thinking about Kate's beautiful essay. Thank you again for all your amazing and heartfelt comments. Have a good one. xoxo

(Photo of Toby with his beloved violin)

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Fog Linen

How pretty are these napkins and trays from Fog Linen? The understated Japanese home store has such lovely things. I'd love to get a few for relaxed family dinners and having people over.

P.S. Do you use cloth napkins for regular dinners? Is that a thing most people do? (We always end up using leftover Chipotle napkins!)

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Have a great weekend.

What are you doing this weekend? We just finished the home makeover with Emily and it was a thrill. I'm excited to share photos when they're ready in a couple weeks. Thank you so much for your sweet notes. And this weekend is daylight savings, yikes! Good luck to all of us! (Why does it exist?!!) Have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Apple slab pie.

Thoughts on winter. Made me laugh.

This map of births and deaths is really moving.

The Headphones Project asks random people what music they're listening to.

Four cute braids for curly hair.

The best time of day to drink coffee.

Who wants to go on this road trip?

This design book looks awesome (thanks, Jenny).

Diana's beautiful wedding in Africa.

Tiny black diamond earrings.

Mystery lollipop flavor! I was actually psyched to find this out.

Get Biked is a new email list with bikes for sale in NYC. Thumbs up.

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How to take photos at parties

Holiday parties are coming up soon, but they can be hard to photograph, don't you think? With dim lighting, moving guests and (most likely) a tipsy photographer, it's tricky to get good shots that capture the evening. Well, as part of a three-part series sponsored by Canon, here's a way to inspire fun photos...Read More >

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9 crazy things about NYC

NYC was just voted the world’s favorite city. This month was my twelve-year anniversary of living here, and I love it here, too. But NYC can be a serious drag sometimes! (Remember the popularity of this Onion article?) So, although I often point out the positives of the city, in an effort to be even-handed, here are nine things about NYC that can drive you batshit crazy...
NYC pizza tastes like cardboard. There, I said it.
Rats come out when the sun sets. Kids at playgrounds will actually say, "Ok, let's go, it's rat time!"
Summer is humid and blazing hot; winter is bone-chillingly cold.
Many people you know have been mugged at one point or another. (When I was mugged in my twenties, two guys in hoodies came up to me and told me to give them my wallet. In a moment of very uncharacteristic bravery, I actually negotiated with them to see if I could just give them my cash and keep my wallet because I had a Nordstrom gift card from my boss in there! They said yes!)
The average wait time at a West Village restaurant on a typical evening is 90 minutes. 90 minutes!
Everyone's apartment is TEENY TINY. For example, our friends share a one-bedroom apartment with their two kids—the baby sleeps in a mini crib at the foot of their bed and the toddler sleeps in the closet!
As a thirtysomething adult with a full-time job, it’s very normal to not have a car, dishwasher or washing machine (and have to trek to the laundromat).
The city is filled with models. (For example, at the playground this summer, Alex ended up casually chatting with her!) So, you find yourself walking down the street feeling pretty good about yourself, and then you pass a gaggle of these ladies and you're like....oh, well, okay then.
Random things are psychotically expensive. For example, one chocolate-chip cookie will run you $4. One drop-in children's music class is $25. And I ordered a lemonade at a cafe this summer and when the check came it was $10. $10!

But in the end, I can't help it...I'll always love you, New York City.

Anything else to add?? And if you live elsewhere, what's unglamorous about your town? :)

P.S. The Cup of Jo Guide to NYC. Plus, four posts with Gemma Correll: How to have sex, how to eat dinner, how to drink wine and how to feel pretty.

(Illustrations by Gemma Correll for Cup of Jo. Top graphic by Rachel Ball for Cup of Jo. This post was inspired by Anne's awesome series called Unglamorous Paris.)

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House makeover begins—Emily is here!

As I mentioned before, we recently moved to a new apartment, and designer Emily Henderson is helping us give it a makeover. We are so excited to have this amazing opportunity. Emily and her team arrived in New York this morning, and everything will be installed, arranged, hung and designed by Thursday. Whew!

As the first step, a few weeks ago, Emily asked us to show her photos of rooms we liked. Here's what we showed her...Read More >

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Have a sweet weekend.

What are your plans for this weekend? Alex's birthday is tomorrow, so we'll have having cake and candles...but maybe not singing Happy Birthday:) Also, thank you so much for the amazing emails about the reader makeovers; everyone who wrote was so cute and funny. It's going to be impossible to pick three people! Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

A Michigan tattoo!

Men in love walk more slowly.

Craving these fried bananas.

Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, a coffeetable book.

Why we need sleep.

Paying it forward in the drive-thru.

Would you wear tangerine lipstick?

How popcorn took over movie theaters.

Cute new bags.

This cat made me laugh.

A half-birthday cake.

Skootcase.

(Photo of little Anton!)

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