Have a delicious weekend.

What are your plans for this weekend? My mom has been here for almost three weeks, and she's leaving this Sunday. We're so sad for her to go back to Michigan! I wish we lived closer. Anyway, hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

Am I too old to read this book?

Tomato sandwiches.

26 ingenious ideas for your home.

Commission your own painting.

What a cool apartment.

21 reasons to love IKEA.

The six years when parents are happiest.

The power of doing something meaningless.

A new airline class for the child-intolerant.

Wow, Europe and Russia aren't kidding around.

What a beautiful locket.

This woman lives in a garden.

A game about real life.

Haha, these are so weird!!!

Let kids help.

(Photo by Alexandra's Kitchen. American Dreamers link via Swissmiss)

What to say when there's an awkward silence

Fill the Silence is a tumblr of fun facts that you can bust out when you find yourself in the middle of an awkward conversational pause. Thumbs up.

P.S. Another dorky fun fact.

(Via Messy Nessy Chic)

Let's talk about books...

Awesome People Reading is an addictive tumblr.
My friend Samantha's book, Well-Read Women, comes out today! She illustrated fifty watercolor portraits of heroines from literature, including Anna Karenina, Daisy Buchanan and Wendy Darling.
Jane Austen's face is coming to British money.
11 authors who hated the movie versions of their books.
Home inspiration: Leaning artwork on bookshelves.
Mr. Boddington’s pretty book plates.
T-shirts with the text of classic books.
Sexy men reading children’s books. Made me laugh, they sound like stalkers.
A closet reading nook.
Bookworms are smarter in old age. Keep reading!

P.S. Round-ups of fashion, cheese and summer...and Roald Dahl mugs and stamps.

(Reading nook photo from Martha Stewart Living and leaning art photo by Victoria)

Have a great weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Since the weather is so breezy and refreshing, we're hoping to have a picnic with friends. (Maybe we'll bring shrimp!) We've also been playing this game lately, which Toby finds hilarious. Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Gruff French waiters get a makeover.

Beautiful ballet flats.

Relationship illustrations.

Culture shock: London to New York.

How to keep strawberries fresh.

Loving grey jeans for the fall.

Alternate brand slogans.

A beautiful post about marriage.

Paris wedding design.

Made me laugh.

Conflict Kitchen only serves cuisine from countries with which the United States is in conflict.

Andy Samberg is a cutie.

Fascinating read.

The world's best worst smartphone app.

Life lessons from kids.

(Photo by Julia Robbs for Cup of Jo)

Tina Fey is always hilarious.

Since I'm still in a newborn baby haze, I'm not sure what's old news versus new news to people. But! Have you heard that Tina Fey sold TWO new sitcoms this week?! The first will be a Cheers-like comedy set on Fire Island, and the second is about a women’s college that begins accepting men.

Above is a clip of Tina on Letterman this week describing how her two-year-old is a psychopath. And a fun fact you might not know: Liz Lemon's catchphrase "I want to go to there" was originally said by her then-three-year-old daughter Alice.

P.S. Four more hilarious Tina Fey moments.

(Via Jezebel)

Home inspiration: Pink and red rugs

How pretty are these pink and rugs? They're a great way to brighten up a room. I would never have thought of putting a pink rug in a dining room, but they look so pretty (and not too girly). Thoughts? Three more below...Read More >

Have a great weekend.

How has your week been? We've been having the best time in Woodstock this week; we never want to leave! The little dudes are so happy in the country, and it has been awesome to have my mom with us. And it's the first time I've unplugged in like 7 years! Have a good weekend, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

Would you hire a matchmaker?

50 rules of vacation.

How to keep guacamole green.

Chic jacket for the fall.

Made me laugh. (The comments are dead on!)

Painting an office chair? Jenny does it again.

Another cute pair of short boots.

Our founding fathers were basically teenagers.

This amazing singer reminded me of this amazing actress.

Cute popsicles.

What gorgeous business cards.

The power of silence.

(Photos by the gahetNA National Archives via Miss Moss)

How to do anything...

This week, we are taking our first vacation as a family of four! We're escaping our cramped apartment and heading to the Hudson Valley, where we rented a farmhouse with a pool. We haven't taken any vacations yet this summer, so we all have the let-me-outs. We're really excited (just wish us luck on the three-hour drive!). Have a wonderful week, and I look forward to sharing photos when we get back. Meanwhile, if you're in a blog-reading mood, here are a few past tutorials you might enjoy...

Fashion:
How to dress like a French girl.
How to have pretty hair.
How to look cute from, well, behind.
How to do galaxy nails.
How to feel pretty.

Food:
How to eat dinner.
How to drink wine.
How to boil an egg.
How to make a perfect cheese tray.
How to make the best chocolate chip cookies.
(And guacamole.)
(And a French omelet.)

Home decor:
How to arrange supermarket flowers.
How to decorate a tiny apartment.
How to start a movie club.

Entertaining:
How to introduce people.
How to talk to strangers at parties.
How to make guests feel comfortable.
How to sip wine without getting lipstick on your glass.
How to stay in touch with friends.

Travel:
How to hail a cab.
How to not look like a tourist.
How to plan a fun vacation.
How to pack like a fashion editor.
How to travel with a baby.

Relationships:
How to keep the sparks alive in your marriage.
How to have an orgasm.
How to register for your wedding.
How to have sex after you're married.
How to fight fair.

Motherhood:
How to be a cool mom.
How to talk to little girls.
How to get picky kids to eat.
How to teach your baby to sleep. (And a lullaby that actually works.)
How to sleep in a family bed.
How to breastfeed in public.

Life overall:
How to walk on ice.
How to stop worrying.
How to pee during a movie.
How to do a high five.
How to blog as a career.
How to write a joke.
How to feel happier in five minutes.
How to fall asleep quickly.
How to understand British people.
How to piss off a New Yorker.

Have a great weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? My mom is coming tomorrow!!! She'll be staying for three weeks and we are ecstatic. Little Anton doesn't know the cuddles he is in for! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few posts from around the web...

Woody Allen makes a good point about showers.

A couple leaves their jobs to build a glass house in the woods.

I spotted the Sartorialist! And here's his final photo. :)

What to do when you've made someone angry.

Banned for life. (I love Jenny.)

Shiny shoes.

Narrowest houses in the world.

How to grow out your bangs.

I recently got this shirt and it's really pretty in person, if you're looking for a go-to fall shirt.

The art of conversation.

Made me laugh.

Have you seen this beautiful new kitchen shop?

This cookbook looks 20 kinds of awesome.

A new bakery in NYC with rice krispie treats!

(Photo by Mark Mann)

Auditions for The Office

Wow! This old video shows a bunch of celebrities auditioning for roles in The Office back in 2003. Can you imagine Seth Rogen as Dwight?!

Also, here's an awesome interview with John Krasinski about his nerve-wracking audition for the part of Jim. He seems so sweet and humble.
P.S. The 101 best written TV series.

(Via Mashable)

Birth announcements

Once we had taken family photos, we decided to make a few photo products for our friends and family. As always, we used Pinhole Press, since we love their simple, beautiful designs. First, we made birth announcements to send to our friends across the country and my family in England. My grandmother doesn't have an email account, so this will be the first photo she'll see of Anton!
Then we made a mini panoramic photo book. It's small enough to fit into a purse (perfect for proud grandmothers), and the pages are ultrathick and hard enough to knock on, which feels really luxurious.

It's so nice to have real products we can hold in our hands, instead of having the photos stuck on the computer:) Here are a few more nursery favorites...

(Photos by Julia Robbs. This post is sponsored by Pinhole Press. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that make Cup of Jo possible)

Have a cute weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Alex's mom and sister are coming to visit, so we'll be taking them here for pasta, playing toy instruments with Toby and (I'm sure) analyzing which family members Anton looks like. (We're stumped by his aquiline nose.) Hope you have a good one, and if you're in a blog-reading mood, here are a few fun links from around the web...

What color eyes will your baby have?

A funny Starbucks quiz.

A guide to Paris with kids...written by the author of this hugely famous book.

Have you read this novel? I'm loving it.

What happy people do differently.

Holy popsicles!

Cheese is dead.

Made me laugh.

What gorgeous photos of Iceland.

Great boots for the fall.

The pros and cons of being tall.

Pretty nails.

Finding the calm.

Are baguettes over?

A weirdly wonderful Mary Poppins remix.

Engagement rings under $2500.

(Photo of Pablo Picasso at the beach with his son, by Robert Capa. Starbucks quiz via Kottke)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Best friends iPhone case

Cute. That's all.

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

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.