French café charges extra for rudeness

A café in Nice, France, has a sign charging brusque customers five times more for a cup of coffee than customers who say hello and please. How funny is that? "Most of my customers are regulars and they just see the funny side and exaggerate their politeness,” says the manager. "They started calling me 'your greatness' when they saw the sign."

I worked at a coffee shop for four years in college, and this would have been awesome! My pet peeve is when people say, "Gimme a..." instead of "Please may I have"!

P.S. French waiters are trying to be more polite, too.

(Photo by @tokai06, via Kottke)

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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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Kid & Coe: Vacation rental website for families

Kid & Coe is a brilliant new site that curates family-friendly vacation rentals—with cribs, toys, books, high chairs, everything you might need when traveling with little ones. You wouldn't have to tiptoe around worried that your child would mess up a fancy sofa or get into the bookcases, and your kiddo would have bunch of cool new toys to play with!

Here are three beautiful places, below...Read More >

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Vacation rentals with a twist

We really like renting houses on vacation (they're typically more spacious and less expensive than hotels, and you feel like a local). But some people—my mother-in-law, for example—get freaked out by the idea of renting someone else's place. What if it's gross? Dirty? A scam?

Well! OneFineStay sounds amazing. The company curates apartment rentals but run them like hotels. You get fluffy towels and high-thread-count sheets. They make the beds with hospital corners. They even put fancy mini shampoos in the bathrooms.

You can find apartments in New York and London—and this month they're launching in Paris and L.A. The apartments are gorgeous!
Isn't that a smart idea? Wouldn't you like to try it? (My mother-in-law will be psyched:)

P.S. 10 ways not to look like a tourist, and the weird thing we do on vacations.

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11 untranslatable words from other countries

Ella Frances Sanders illustrated untranslatable words from other languages, and they're so lovely...
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NYC City Hall weddings

When Alex and I stopped by City Hall four years ago to pick up our marriage license, we saw a bunch of couples tying the knot. Some wore tuxedos and puffy white dresses, some were in casual clothes and one entire family was wearing Mets jerseys. It's a giddy scene over there. I always thought it would be a fun tourist destination; you could spend an hour on the steps outside and people-watch. Or throw confetti!

Refinery29 recently stopped by City Hall and snapped photos of 21 happy couples; see the full slideshow here.

Would you get married at City Hall? Did you? xo

P.S. Wedding with a pink dress, and my friend's City Hall wedding.

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Vacation photos: Woodstock, NY

Last week, we escaped to Woodstock, a charming town two hours north of New York City. And we realized that the secret to a great family vacation is...Read More >

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A puppy room

How awesome is this: Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia has set up a puppy room for stressed-out students. During exam week, students can swing by to play with different affectionate breeds, says Therapeutic Paws of Canada, and cuddling with dogs will hopefully help the students chill out and lower their blood pressure.
P.S. Drunk puppy buying, and behind the scenes with an animal photographer.

(Photos by Sharon Montrose)

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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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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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10 Surprising Things About Parenting in Norway

For our Motherhood Around the World series, our first interview is with American photographer Rebecca Zeller, who lives in Oslo with her husband and three children. Here, she shares 10 things that have surprised her about raising kids in Norway...
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Manhattanhenge

Twice a year, the sunset aligns perfectly with the east-west grid of New York City, and the golden rays shoot down the streets. This beautiful phenomenon has been nicknamed Manhattanhenge. Head's up: it happens this Friday and Saturday around 8:20pm, and you can see it from any crosstown street. xoxo

(Photo by Ashley)

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Family vacation idea: Positano

Courtney Adamo of Babyccino lives in London with her husband and four children—ages 8, 6, 4 and 6 months. She and her husband first visited Positano ten years ago, and they loved it so much, they vowed to return every year. The locals now joke that Courtney and her husband show up with a new baby every summer! Here are her insider tips...Read More >

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What British people say vs. what they really mean

This translation chart made me laugh out loud...
My dad is English, and when we were in high school, my sister asked him if she could drive into Detroit with her boyfriend to see a band. He said, "I'd rather you not." She went anyway. When he got mad later, she was confused: "But you never said I couldn't go; you said you'd rather I not, while I decided I'd rather."

P.S. British words that Americans use, and what English sounds like to foreigners.

(Via Today I Learned)

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Cup of Jo Guide to NYC

Today is officially the first day of summer! Whoot whoot! We made it!!! For summer fun, I wanted to link back to the complete Cup of Jo Guide to NYC featuring where to eat, sleep, shop and play, as well as a very romantic date idea, a secret playground and how not to look like a tourist. Hope you enjoy it! xo

(Photos by Smith & Ratliff and the New York Times)

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