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.

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 >

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)

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."

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)

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 >

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)

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)

Three great NYC bike rides

Ten years ago, when I got my first bike in New York City, I was definitely nervous to ride it around town. Would I spend the whole time dodging cabs and pedestrians? But I was surprised to discovered beautiful routes that feel breezy and bucolic—where you can soar over bridges, pedal under magnolia trees or visit a little red lighthouse. Here's a guide to three amazing rides, sponsored by Poland Spring...Read More >

Summer's here!

After a never-ending winter, New York has finally enjoyed a stretch of balmy weather. Aren't you excited for summer? We went to Washington Square Park the other day and waded in the fountain. The water was sparkling clean (officially) and Toby was in heaven splashing around.
And to top it off, we saw a rainbow:)

Hope you're having a good day. Stay dry in all this rain!

P.S. The full Cup of Jo Guide to NYC.

Summer vacation rentals

Are you going on a summer vacation? New York Magazine just featured a round-up of amazing rental properties, including a tiny lakeside cabin, working lighthouse and private island. Which would you choose?

P.S. Five weekend getaways from NYC, and my own travel fantasy.

How to Piss Off Every New Yorker in 36 Seconds

Made me laugh.

P.S. How not to look like a tourist in NYC.

(Via Swissmiss)

Eiffel Tower scissors

My mom is visiting this weekend! It's so nice to have her here. Last night, we celebrated her arrival by ordering Mediterranean food and watching three episodes of House Hunters International, naturally. Two episodes were set in Paris, and it was cool to see inside some beautiful apartments, many with insane wallpaper. On that note, here's a lovely pair of Eiffel Tower scissors, which would be so pretty on a desk. Hope you're having a good morning. xo

P.S. Pregnancy in Paris, and why French kids eat everything.

Vacation photos: San Francisco

We just got back from our week-long family vacation to San Francisco. We wanted to take Toby on his own babymoon trip, so he could enjoy tons of center-of-attention time before the new baby turns his world upside down. San Francisco is truly amazing, and we had the best time. Here are a few photos, if you'd like to see...Read More >

Rain room

This week, the new interactive exhibit Rain Room opened at the Museum of Modern Art. Heavy rain pours down in an enormous room, but when you step into the rain, the area directly over your head dries up. So you can walk, dance and kiss in the rain without getting wet!

"The overall effect is mesmerizing," reported Gothamist. "A semi-blinding white klieg light at the back of the room disorients your field of vision while highlighting the millions of individual raindrops showering down around you on all sides. The motion sensors are so sensitive that you can sweep your arm through the deluge and still keep your shirt dry. Move too quickly, however, and you can get good and soaked if want."

The lines are going to be insane, especially since only 10 people are admitted at a time, but it would be worth waiting. Since MoMA members get priority access and exclusive viewing hours, it might even be worth joining.

How cool is that?!

P.S. Cool art exhibits: Swings, slides and marrying Prince William.

(Photos by Random International, MoMA and Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

Babymoon trip for the older child

This Friday, Alex, Toby and I are taking a much-anticipated trip to San Francisco! We'll be visiting my sister for a week, and we're thinking of it as a babymoon trip for Toby. Since his world will be turned upside down when the baby arrives this summer, we decided to front-load all our vacations this year and take one last trip as a family of three, during which we'll dote on him, have tons of mommy-daddy-Toby time, and do everything he loves most: planes, trains, playgrounds, a million tacos for lunch:)

I'd love to ask: Do you have any family-friendly advice for San Francisco? Any yummy restaurants, ice-cream shops, playgrounds, museums, toy stores, or overall kid-friendly activities? We want to make it really special for Toby and would be grateful for any insider tips. Thank you so much!
P.S. Toby's first trip to San Francisco, and grown-up San Francisco advice.

(Illustration by Kevin Dart; photo by Alan Levine)

Weekend getaway

We did something kind of funny last weekend...
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