Swing art installation

I'm a huge fan of interactive art exhibits (like the Grand Central secret and the New Museum playground), so my jaw dropped when I heard about the current Ann Hamilton show in Manhattan. Her installation features 42 swings, which, in turn, move an enormous billowy curtain. "When the swings are in action, the curtain, made of a lightweight silk twill, rises and dips, and the air is stirred, causing further billowing and fluttering," writes the New York Times, "Pigeons and an actress provide a soundtrack." Some people glide on the swings, some lie on the ground under the curtain and some sit on benches to take it all in. The show runs through January 6th at the Armory. I can't wait to take Toby!

(Photos by Philip Greenberg for the New York Times)

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NYC Date Idea: Magic show

So. Alex and I are usually pretty skeptical, but last weekend our minds were blown...
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Venice under water

Flooding in Venice is pretty common, but the most recent flood left 70% of central Venice under water. I'm amazed by how people seem to be taking it in stride—ordering espresso, having pizza for lunch and even swimming in Piazza San Marco!

P.S. Remember these photos from four years ago?

(Photos by AP Photo/Getty/Reuters, via The Atlantic)

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Foldable Hunter boots

Hunter boots are tomboyishly cool and make your legs look miles long, and royalty swears by them. The only catch? They're hard to pack! Well, Hunter just released their first foldable rain boot, which roll right up into a tiny package, so you can take them on vacations, store them in a drawer or even pop them into your bag on a rainy day. So far, they come in red and black, but green, navy and yellow are coming soon. Cool, right?
P.S. Five great shoes for traveling, and a sweet photo of Princess Diana.

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Paris daydreaming

Who's daydreaming of Paris this fall? The city feels extra dreamy when everyone's bundled up in wool scarves, ducking into cafes for thick hot chocolate. Well, here are seven pretty pieces to inspire some romance at home...

1. Eiffel Tower plush, $68.
2. Paris print, $30.
3. John Derian plate, $48.
4. Saint James shirt, made in Normandy since 1850, $90. (See one on a model here.)
5. Metallic flats, $125.
6. Tea candies, $14.
7. Map tote, $20.

(Graphic design by Rachel for Cup of Jo)

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24 hours in San Francisco

This past Tuesday, I flew to San Francisco for 24 hours. The reason for my trip was to give a work presentation, but luckily my twin sister also lives there, so we turned it into The World's Shortest Vacation! Here's what we did...
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Vacation photos: Capri

Last week, Alex and I took a four-day getaway to Capri, Italy. (Here's why:) Have you ever been there? What a magical place! I'd love to share a few photos, if you'd like to see...
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Pools!

Can you believe we're only one day away from September?! This summer flew by. To keep the summery mood going, here are 8 incredible pools around the world…Have you been to any? Which one would you want to dip into?

From top: Berlin, Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe (see more insane photos here), Singapore, Portugal, Chile, Sydney, Utah and Bali.

(Photos via and links on Apartment Therapy)

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Four-day trip to Italy

So Alex and I have decided to take one final short trip this summer. We've been blowing out travel this summer (Amsterdam and Chicago) because we're really hoping to get pregnant this fall (have I mentioned that already?:) and if all goes according to plan, we know next summer will be a wash. With a newborn and a toddler, we won't be traveling much! We figured we'd treat this summer like One Last Hurrah, before what (hopefully) will be a chaotic, noisy, sleepless couple of years ahead:)

We decided to go alone to Italy for the next four days, and my mom is staying with Toby. We're going for just four days to keep it more affordable and also because we didn't want to be away from Toby for too long. We chose Capri because tomorrow is our third anniversary, and we went to nearby Positano for our honeymoon, so this will be like a fun flashback. We're really, really excited, and it seems surreal. (Even while I'm writing this, it still hasn't kicked in that we're actually going.) I'll be posting every day this week and am looking forward to sharing photos next week.

Have you ever been to Capri? Any advice? We would love to hear:) Thank you so much! xoxo

(Sorry this post kept disappearing! Blogging was tricky from our hotel in Italy:) Photo by Giuseppe Greco in National Geographic)

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Travel beauty

Years ago I went on a business trip with a photographer, and she spritzed rosewater on her face during the flight. It was such a lovely (and fancy!) ritual, and after that, I was inspired to come up with my own trusty beauty arsenal when traveling. (I basically pare down my everyday makeup to the essentials.) Here's what I've packed every trip since...

1. Hair powder. Dry shampoo has changed my life, since you can skip showers and still have beautiful bedhead hair. This travel size smells like lavender and clary sage. $10.
2. Supercurl mascara. This mascara curls and thickens lashes so you'll look wide awake when you land. $20.
3. Chloe perfume is a fresh floral fragrance to keep you feeling pretty. $25.
4. Dopp kit. Unison Home has canvas toiletry bags in three different sizes to hold all those lotions and potions. $35.
5. Cucumber towelettes. I use these every night at home to wash my face (the lazy way!), but they're also perfect for traveling. The cucumber scent feels fresh and invigorating, $9.99.
6. Benetint gives your lips and cheeks a rosy glow, so it's my go-to cosmetic for a trip. (My sister actually wears this, and once I was raving about how pretty she looked, so she let me try it, and now I'm hooked:)
7. Muji Travel Pillow. This comfy pillow folds into a pouch and helps you actually sleep on a plane, $9.95.

(Plus, of course, I pack my face powder!)

What beauty products do you pack when you travel? I'd love to hear your tips...

P.S. Plane picnics (pack an orange!), and five best shoes for traveling.

(Post by Joanna. Layout design by Rachel from Elephantine for Cup of Jo. Top photo from Villa Brunella. I mentioned a couple of my travel staples on CNT, as well.)

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NYC Guide: 8 Favorite Activities for Toddlers

When I wrote my NYC guide last fall, we talked about 10 amazing things to do as a grown-up. But now I'd love to share our eight favorite kid activities (Toby approved!)...
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Spinlister = airbnb for bikes

Do you ever rent bikes on vacation? We're addicted. You can explore neighborhoods in a fun, breezy way, and you feel like a local. One of my all-time favorite memories is biking home from dinner in Paris, late at night, and passing Notre Dame, towering above us, all lit up. Magical.

But! The catch is that rental bikes can be surprisingly expensive. They can cost as much as $50/day, and for two people, that adds up very quickly.

So, I was thrilled to discover Spinlister. Basically, it's airbnb for bikes. You rent bikes from their owners for low rates, typically between $10 and $20 per day.
(For example, I put in our Manhattan zip code and found tons of options, including this cute orange vintage bike for $10/day or $50/week. Amazing!!! Way better than paying $350/week, which is what our neighborhood bike shop would charge.)

Yay, Spinlister! Will you use them?

P.S. Toby on a bike, and bike rush hour.

(Top photo by the Sartorialist)

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Which of these romantic trips would you take?

Just for fun, let's talk about fantasy vacations! Which of these four romantic getaways would you choose, if you could hop on a plane tonight? Above is San Francisco, where you could take a sail underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, hike along the coast and wear lace briefs to bed.
Or you could whisk away to Paris and spend the day strolling down the cobblestone streets and the evening drinking rosé wine along the Seine. At night, you could head to one of these beautiful apartments and slip into a sexy black chemise.
You could fly to the gorgeous seaside village of Positano (we actually went here on our honeymoon!), and swim in the Mediterranean, eat fresh fish with lemon and wear a white robe by the pool.
Or you could venture to Kenya's Giraffe Manor, with 1930's decor and friendly giraffes who will peek into your bedroom window! You could wear a boyfriend sleepshirt to stay cozy in the cool evenings.

Which suits your personality best? Happy update: Eberjey is offering 20% off with the code CUPOFJO through this Sunday.

Credits below...
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Vacation photos: Chicago and Michigan

We just got back from a week-long trip to Chicago and Michigan to visit my parents. We hadn't spent much time in Chicago before (thanks again for your advice!) so it was awesome to explore all the neighborhoods. Here's what we did...
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Genius beach idea

The Scuba Suit and LifeProof are 100% waterproof iPhone cases. Not only would they be great for taking swimming photos (underwater tea party, anyone?), but also for bringing your phone near pools, beaches, boats or anywhere it might get wet. (When I lugged our camera into the ocean last fall, Alex almost had a heart attack) Brilliant.

(Via Swissmiss)

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Weekend bags

Our Chicago vacation photos are coming right up, but in the meantime, how pretty are these travel bags from Sweden? They're covered with Josef Frank fabric, which is so bright and pretty. (We have similar fabric in our bedroom.)

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Midwest tee

Thumbs up for this rad Midwest T-shirt, which I've been wearing every weekend this summer. I'd like to bring it on our trip to Chicago, but can't decide if that's like wearing the concert T-shirt to the concert.

P.S. Midwestern dog.

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Chicago advice?

We couldn't afford a family vacation to Europe this year, so instead, we're going to Chicago next week! We wanted to go somewhere in the United States where we could explore, eat well and also swim in a lake or ocean. And after my friend visited Chicago and showed me these snapshots of her daughter wrapped in a beach towel walking among skyscrapers, we were sold.

So, I'd love to ask: Any Chicago advice? We'd love to do it right, but we're pretty clueless. So far, we're planning to eat deep-dish pizza and hot dogs, and I've heard great things about this architectural boat tour. Thank you so much for any tips!
P.S. Past family vacations, and 10 tips for traveling with a baby.

(Jumping photo from ChicagoGuide08, via Apartment Therapy)

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