Trusty rain boots

For the past few days, everyone in Manhattan has been walking around in rain boots. My trusty pair, above, are these Loeffler Randall booties. The great thing about Loeffler Randall boots is that they look like cool shoes, not clunky rainboots, so you can wear them to work or dinner. And they're small enough to take on trips. I'd highly recommend them. xoxo
P.S. These tall boots are also super cute.

Smitten Kitchen cookbook

Smitten Kitchen, the warm and wonderful food blog, just came out with a cookbook! Deb Perelman cooks fearlessly in her tiny kitchen in New York City and creates delicious and approachable recipes. (She's a firm believer that "there are no bad cooks, just bad recipes.") The book has 105 recipes (almost all are brand new), funny personal stories and a lay-flat binding so the cookbook will stay open on your kitchen counter.

Bravo, Deb! Cannot wait to get my hands on it. I have a feeling that it'll be one of those beloved cookbooks we'll not only use in the kitchen but also read in bed before falling asleep:)

P.S. Her lazy egg sandwich...

(Photos by Smitten Kitchen)

The Best Pumpkin Crème Brûlée You'll Ever Have

Happy Halloween! I have a treat for you today. Have you ever made creme brûlée? My mom recently had the great idea to serve the rich custard at dinner parties and then pass around a little torch so everyone can burn the hard caramel on top of their dish. It's a spectacle! Both grown-ups and kids adore it. Well, lucky for us, Karen Mordechai of Sunday Suppers has agreed to share her pumpkin-flavored recipe...
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Four-strand braid

On a much lighter note, I'm excited to share another hair tutorial today...
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Downtown Manhattan

Last night, after the power went out, this was the view from our window in downtown Manhattan. Eerie! You can barely see the buildings against the sky. The other odd thing is that our neighborhood was silent. Normally our street is very busy, and we can always hear cars driving by, honking, people chatting—all the normal sounds of a big city. But last night, it felt like we were sleeping in the middle of the woods; totally silent. How are you guys doing today? Sending our thoughts to you and your loved ones. xoxo

Monday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from SoYoung, a small company (owned by a mom) that makes amazing diaper bags and kids backpacks. (How cute are their lunch boxes?) Today they're letting TWO lucky winners each choose a favorite toddler backpack or kid backpack, which feature the sweetest illustrations, including robots, giraffes and scooters.

On a personal note: When Toby was nervous to start summer school, his own fun backpack actually got him excited to head out the door; and now he takes it to friends' houses and on trips, as well.

For a chance to win, please visit SoYoung and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! Update: Our two winners have been emailed. Thanks for playing.

Motherhood Mondays: 20 surprising parenting tips

Hope everyone is staying safe and dry! Over the past few years, I've heard some amazing (and surprising) parenting tips from friends that I've found really valuable, so I'd love to share them here (and hear yours!)...
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Simply Bows Real Life Bride Jennifer marries in Harrogate

What are your first names?

David and Jennifer

Where and when did you get engaged?

On a bridge in Brugges October 2010

What was your wedding date?

18th August 2012

Where did you get married?

Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Why did you choose your venue?

We wanted somewhere with a relaxed feel about it, where guests could relax feel at home. The Bridge is a privately owned hotel so it has a very personal feeling to it, plus the staff were really accommodating and friendly every time we visited.

Did you have a “theme”?

Not really, although the tables were all named after our favourite chocolates, Malteasers, Rolos etc and we used boxes of the chocolates as favours. We went through about 40 Chocolate Oranges before the day- it was so hard having them in the house!

What was your wedding colour scheme?

Blush pink, silver, and cornflower blue

Why did you choose Simply Bows and Chair Covers and what were they like to work with?

Alex really listened to what we wanted and worked with us to make sure the colours were an exact match, and she also came up with loads of new ideas we hadn’t thought of to decorate the tables. The chair covers looked amazing on the day, making the room look very elegant, and we received lots of compliments.

What sort of dress did you choose and where from?

It was a fitted lace dress with a very vintage feel to it and a fairly long train- the complete opposite of the dress I had in mind when I set out.

What did your bridesmaids wear?

Knee length cornflower blue dresses by debut at Debenhams, we went for something quite simple to suit their three very different shapes and personalities.

Who was your photographer?

Charlotte Hedgecock of Baroque photography and her partner, they were excellent- we hardly knew they were there but they managed to get loads of natural shots of us and our guests.

What “special touches” did you add to your day?

A family friend provided flowers for the church and did a great job, while another decorated the decking at the venue- it was so touching to have people we knew helping out in those ways.

What was your favourite part of the day?

Walking out following the ceremony and seeing all our guests for the first time (I was in a daze on the way in!)

Where did you go on honeymoon?

We had 2 weeks in Vancouver, Canada, a lifelong dream destination

What would be your top tip for another bride to be?

 Make sure you have some alone time with your new husband on the day- it’s so easy to let it all fly by and hardly see each other!

Have a great weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Alex's birthday is TODAY (whoot whoot!), so Toby and I took him out to a yummy breakfast, and late tonight we're driving to Maryland to visit our cousins. We're all crashing at their house, so I see some sleeping bags in our future! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few great links from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

Art-inspired wedding cakes.

What a gorgeous nursery!!!

Sneak peek at Mad Men.

Survival dinner.

Holiday glitter.

Famous NYC apartments.

Are you smart enough for gifted kindergarten?

Beautiful print for charity.

No more snacking in Rome!

What pretty blue glasses.

How to blow up photos.

LOVE these children's clothes.

And I had an idea: If you'd like, post your photos of eating something new to my Facebook page and I'll feature a bunch on the blog next week. Would be fun to see everyone in action! Thank you so much, and have a great weekend! xoxo

Pumpkin carving

Toby goes to his friend's house every Monday, and recently they carved pumpkins. They scooped out the seeds and guts and helped hold the knife very carefully while the pumpkin was carved. But then suddenly Toby realized it looked like a face and shook his head and said, "Wee-odd" (=weird). Oh, Toby, I love you, you little nut!

Fall Challenge #3

The third weekly fall challenge is to eat something you've never tried before. For example...
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Fall Challenge #2: Memorize a poem (how'd you do?)

Last week, I suggested memorizing a poem, and you guys were so into it! I was thrilled. How did you do? Here's my recap....
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The Loneliest Planet

The Loneliest Planet is a new movie featuring an engaged couple—played by Gael Garcia Bernal and Hani Furstenberg—backpacking through Georgia's Caucasus Mountains. The synopsis: "The couple hires a local guide...Walking for hours, they trade anecdotes, play games to pass the time of moving through space. And then, a momentary misstep, a gesture that takes only two or three seconds, a gesture that’s over almost as soon as it begins...Once it is done, it threatens to undo everything the couple believed about each other and about themselves."

Fascinating, right? Will you see it? It's the first movie I've been really excited about for ages; it opens tomorrow and will be on demand on October 30th.

(Via MUG)

Wednesday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Terrain, the beautiful home and garden lifestyle shop based in Pennsylvania. Their store is all about simple pleasures, from decorating to cooking to gardening—plus, they have a fabulous holiday collection. They're an amazing source for gifts and entertaining. Today, Terrain is offering one lucky reader a whopping $250 gift certificate. What would you pick? (I'd go for this chalkboard map!)

For a chance to win, please visit Terrain and leave a comment telling us your favorite things from the store. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! Update: Sandy Y. is our lucky winner.

Bonus for all readers: Get 15% off and free shipping with the code CUPOFJO through October 31st.

Fall trend: Animal sweaters

I keep spotting pretty women around New York with animals peeking out from underneath their jackets—sheep, foxes, more foxes, owls, birds.. My favorite is this adorable dog sweater, which would be great to wear on fall days with jeans and moccasins.

Thoughts? Would you wear an animal sweater?

P.S. 5 other fall trends.

The Best (Buttermilk) Birthday Cake You'll Ever Have

What do you like to eat on your birthday? When we were little, my sister and I always begged for pumpkin pie (of all things) for our January birthday. But as an adult, I see the beauty of a classic cake with tall candles. Well, Nicole from Making It Lovely has agreed to share her recipe for the gooiest, richest buttermilk birthday cake...
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Cat Bounce

If you're feeling stressed, Cat Bounce is a good place to go. Seriously, try it out!

(Via Swiss)

10 favorite wallpapers

Our Brooklyn apartment hunt is slowing down (since apparently most people don't list their apartments before the holidays), but I've still been daydreaming about decorating! Wouldn't it be lovely to wallpaper just one wall in a bedroom or living room? Here are ten beautiful ones...

1. Paris. 2. Forest3. Blue feathers4. London gents5. Grey waves6. Sailboats7. Bookcase8. Owls9. Morning in Manhattan10. Animals

Aren't these pretty? Which do you like best?

P.S. Remember Hudson's tiny nursery?

(Top photo features wallpaper by Josef Frank from Lisa Grue's home. Graphic design elements by Rachel for Cup of Jo)

Simply Supported By Theo Paphitis!

Simply Bows and Chair Covers has this week received yet another accolade after being chosen as one of Theo Paphitis’s top small businesses in his ‘Small Business Sunday’ challenge.

Each Sunday between 5pm and 7.30pm Theo, best known for appearing on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den series and being Chairman of Ryman Stationary, asks his quarter of a million followers on Twitter to send him details of their small businesses and why they deserve to be named as one of his top six of the week.

Using the hash-tag #SBS (Small Business Sunday) thousands of businesses contact Theo each week which he then reviews and chooses who he deems to be the best. Winners are then named via his Twitter account on Monday evening and added to his successful website, http://theopaphitissbs.com/ . This week (commencing 22.10.12,) Simply Bows and Chair Covers is one of the six chosen businesses.

Simply Bows and Chair Covers was established four years ago by North East-based entrepreneur, Sarah Pittendrigh, with the franchise operation launching in 2010. In just under two years, the company has set up 11 franchises in areas including Harrogate, Aberdeen, Cumbria, Dundee,Berkshireand around the North East.

Speaking about Theo Paphitis’s endorsement, Sarah said: “I was thrilled that Theo chose our company- what a fabulous seal of approval! I’ve had hundreds of messages from people all over the UK congratulating me and it really does provide a business boost- not only in the number of Twitter followers, but it has already also resulted in new enquiries.”

Next month (November), Sarah will represent the North East region in the finals of the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) Chamber Awards 2012 in the Most Promising New Business category thanks to her ongoing success and growth over a short period of time. Good luck!! To see how Sarah and the Simply Bows team get on keep an eye on our blog for more information :)

Husband moment

Alex just asked me—totally seriously—if he would "jinx" the game if he put on his SF Giants baseball hat.

#sportsmakepeopleweird

Motherhood Mondays: Paying for your parents

My Thai friend Joy, who lives in L.A., recently told me that in many Asian cultures, it's typical to honor your parents by giving them money and buying them nice gifts (even a car!) once you start working yourself. "Many of our American friends are shocked by this," says Joy, "but lots of my first-generation Asian friends continue the tradition." Here, I asked her about it...
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Personalized memory game

Pinhole Press, my friends' company which makes beautiful photo gifts, just came out with a personalized memory game! It's really easy to make: You just choose 12 favorite photos (of friends, family, pets, vacations, whatever you'd like), and Pinhole puts them on thick cards with graphic backgrounds. I'm looking forward to playing it with our family over the holidays. Wouldn't it make a wonderful gift?

(Photos above by Alpha Smoot, styling by Kendra Smoot. Pinhole Press is one of my beloved long-term sponsors)

Simply on trend for 2013: Vera Wang Bridal Collection

Just last week we gave you an insight into Anne Hathaway's top secret Valentino wedding gown (blog here if you missed it) and it appears Anne and her dress were bang on trend as the uber talented Vera Wang reveals her latest bridal collection....

Last year her wedding gowns were black and crimson but this year Vera Wang took us back to basics with white tight bodices and voluminous skirts decorated with delicate lacework, intimate bead-work and romantic ruffles just like our new range (another chance to see it here).

See some of Vera Wang's beautiful new designs for her Spring 2013 collection below... 

Have a wonderful weekend.

What are your plans for this fall weekend? Our friend Rob recently directed a movie (a movie!), and we're going to see the rough cut tonight! We're supposed to give constructive feedback, although I'm sure we'll love it. Also, on the suggestion of a reader, I've been reading this funny, heartwarming memoir, and I'd highly recommend it, if you're looking for a new book. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

A moment of calm.

Unfinished portraits.

Hilarious opinions on the first lady debate (which never actually happened).

Perks of fall.

Goodnight kisses.

Twinkle curtain.

Oh, Mick, what a doll you are.

Holy chocolate pots!

As a woman in my thirties, I have to stop saying dude.

17 things Tina Fey and Amy Poehler should be in charge of.

Liz Lemon in a box.

The balance of being a mama.

Larry David (inadvertently) saves the day.

What an incredible website design.

Take photos WITH your kids.

Human communication.

And another amazing friends & family sale: Loeffler Randall is giving 20% off their gorgeous boots and shoes with the code LRFRIEND20, until Sunday night. Have a good one! xoxo

Pretty cardholder

This beautiful leather cardholder caught my eye this morning. Would be perfect for those times when you don't want to lug your whole bag with you; just pick a couple cards and you're good to go. (I also like how they describe it as "supremely cushy.")