Have a Beautiful Weekend.

I love the idea of inviting the restaurant waiter to Thanksgiving dinner, it’s such a warm gesture. It reminds me of when we play would you rather questions for adults at our gatherings, it always sparks interesting conversations about hospitality and kindness. Looking forward to the holiday gift guides.

Loved this weekend roundup! We’re planning a cozy family night playing a quick Would You Rather game, always good for laughs. If anyone wants fun prompts, here’s a link I like https://www.wyrlyapp.com/wyr-questions-for-teens-family.html — I’ll drop it below! Hope your weekend is wonderful.

That’s such a great outfit Kate Baer is wearing!

Connecticut currently has a VERY aggressive Welcome to CT sign declaring it the pizza capital of the US. LOLLLLLLL ok Connecticut, you go on and think that. ;)

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1KRYJHjZQF/ Hi friends, I’ve created a private FB group, for friends of COJ. We’re up to 51 friends! My hope for this group is: Another way to connect. We can share pics, links, recs. A way to connect in the real world to provide support and for friendship. Recipes, books, event sharing. A place to share the special things you love and make. And I’m very open to ideas for other ways this group could be helpful. Please join, then message me, Sasha Lindberg, if you’d like to help moderate the group. I would love to have a whole team.

Buckeye was a can’t put down book for me. Really liked it – and I almost exclusively read women writers (exception for Wally Lamb). I have read 100+ books this year and so far Buckeye is my favorite this year (and The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb is #2).

As a fellow “wild card” that’s been invited to a family Thanksgiving, I loved reading the story of you inviting Nick. Living across the country from most of my family, I considered myself a “Thanksgiving Orphan” for many years, but now I spend Thanksgiving with the same friends that took a chance on me a few years ago. Now my partner of 2 and a half years joins us, too :)

I love Tracee Ellis Ross. Her interview on the Emma Grede’s podcast is so life-giving and affirming. She is my favorite rich, joyful, purpose-filled auntie, and I am soo thankful for her and her light ❤️. “But specificity really matters. So you know yourself better than anybody else. If you can just listen, really, and give yourself the tool to get to those places, you will have an unbreakable, unshakable foundation for your life that is built on you.” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aspire-with-emma-grede/id1811878340?i=1000733832386

Holiday gift guides start this week?! Clearing my schedule and checking my bank balance…

Best wishes to Samantha and her upcoming arrival! My second son was born on New Year’s Eve, and I remember worrying that I would feel too isolated during a winter maternity leave. But it was so calm & peaceful & lovely. I have the most wonderful memories of that time in my life.

Brando makes SO many incredible choices in On the Waterfront. His performance is all deliberate choices and it’s phenomenal. My favorite scene to watch him in is when they’re walking through the park talking. She drops her glove. He picks it up. But no, he doesn’t just hand it to her. HE PUTS ON HER GLOVE. It’s the most human, real, beautiful, and gloriously playful thing and he chose to do that. Oooof. Brando all day.

I loved Patrick Ryan’s Buckeye. I didn’t want it to end. It has a bit of the same feel as Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful.

It’s stick season in Vermont so I’m rocking my hunter orange Noah Kahan hat and trying to lean into it.

Don’t miss out on the latest novel, Twice by Mitch Albom. Inhaled it in 48 hours and the love story inside a riddle is such fun. Joe Hill’s King Sorrow (my Halloween read) was 800+ pages of a thrilling ride. Movie worthy. Dragon-themed story lovers, a must.

Don’t miss out on the latest novel, Twice by Mitch Albom. Inhaled it in 48 hours and the love story inside a riddle is such fun.

Would highly suggest taking the boys on an unofficial tour of New Haven pizza spots. Everyone has their own favorites. I love the Honeypot from Da Legna. The mashed potato pizza at BAR also has quite a following! Also Arethusa Creamery has an AMAZING seasonal pumpkin ice cream flavor with ginger molasses cookies blended in.

This weekend the hubby and I are at a beach house, in our grandpa core sweaters and slippers , with a fire in the fireplace and strong coffee, watching the waves crash and savoring every minute!

Pam is a revelation! What a great model of being your own person.

I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on something that I don’t know where else to share it – that I am so surprised to find myself in the same place we were in last year. Simply a reflection and ideally to make someone else feel not alone. Last year I wrote here that we didn’t have any funds for Christmas and CoJ literally saved the day and made Christmas so special for us that we still talk about how grateful we are. Litetrally, it was magical and we thank everyone who helped add magic to the season last year. Just simply reflecting on how it is possible to be in the same place this year, despite job applications, starting businesses, returning to school, doing literally anything we can to garner income and nothing. It is wild! But I feel like I am in a different place this year mentally, trusting everything will work out and that we will next year be able to thoroughly enjoy the gift guides, and this year I will enjoy perusing them without the negativity that plagued me last year. Our family has had it very tight, but we always have enough for shelter and groceries. I also managed to conceive our second miracle baby this year, and maybe that seems crazy given our situation but honestly my husband and I do everything for our kids and work so insanely hard to make things work for them. Our son has no idea the situation we are in. If you’re also struggling this year, especially with the food stamps situation, you aren’t alone and here is to NEXT Christmas being more financially stable, haha. Thanks for coming to my TED talk of things to get off my chest ;) This blog has been such a glimmer for me for over a decade, truly.

I’d be lying if I said that my recent bob haircut wasn’t inspired by Pam Anderson’s Met Gala look.

An article to sing the praises of British mushy peas is all well and good, but frankly I am finding the social media commentary (dark, bitter, caustic humor + outrage) in response to the NYT headline “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?” highly gratifying. WTF, NY Times? I don’t need another recipe, but more respect, intelligence, and common sense from that editorial department would be welcome.

I’m so inspired by Melanie! I’m newish to LA and will be at Kate’s reading at Vroman’s in Pasadena on Friday, so am throwing out the same invitation to anyone who sees a woman hanging out solo. :) Would love to meet fellow COJ’ers at this spectacular event!

Recommending a book by Deborah Luskin- Reviving Artemis. I went to a reading last night, bought the book and stayed up most of the night to read it. It is about a woman in her 60’s who decided to learn about the woods and deer hunting. It is more than that . It is about relationships, it is about family.It is a memoir and a very good read.

Whenever I see pictures of your parents, especially around the holidays, I always find myself curious about how you’ve navigated family dynamics with longtime divorced parents and the distance between your siblings and them. What do you think has helped you maintain such a good relationship with everyone? You’re obviously really intentional about what you share, but your parents just seem like such genuinely good eggs, and honestly it’s kind of surprising they’re divorced!

Thank you for sharing the bench video. Our daughter is a part of https://www.sunrisemovement.org/. Besides advocating for climate and transportation issues and maintaining a food pantry, they have bench builds and they place the benches at bus stops. The city always removes them eventually, but they continue to build. I had no idea about hostile architecture until she told me about it. I love learning from my young adult children, and seeing them be positive forces in the world.

New Haven pizza stop!! I live right nearby :) if you haven’t tried zeneli yet please please put that on your list – the absolute best neopolitan style pizza this side of the world!! Also casually whats your itinerary so I can pan a non-creepy run in xD

Marlon Brando was a great actor but it’s important not to forget about what happened during the filming of Last Tango in Paris: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250402-maria-schneider-how-last-tango-in-pariss-infamous-explicit-scene-undid-its-female-star

The cottage bedroom with the spool bed and the owl painted on the wall was lovely. I wish I could have such a room for my granddaughter when she visits.

Thank you for drawing attention to hostile architecture. I live in a city with more elderly people than average and it’s enfuriating how meager the seating options are at the public bus stop versus wealthier parts of town with abundant public spaces. Some of you may remember my friend Sahar, and many of you helped her with a donation a few months ago. Her pregnancy is healthy and her due date is 7-9 days from today! We’re collecting now for new baby expenses and gas money for her ride to the hospital. https://chuffed.org/project/127248-survival-funds-for-sahar-and-her-family-in-gaza

So beyond excited for the Gift Guide. This is the first year in my life that I have a partner who has three kiddos (17, 14, 11) and I am all ears for teenage gift ideas that seem thoughtful but don’t come across as too strong.

I am reading Buckeye right now! I take the book everywhere with me, I’m completely engrossed in the story. I love it so far!

I really really love Cup of Jo and have for years, and I think it‘s something Joanna and her team would want to know — Marlon Brando was a great actor, but he also did irreparable damage to his co-star in Last Tango in Paris, Maria Schneider, who was 19 when they made they film and wasn’t told about the rape „scene“, which was basically a horrific on-camera assault: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250402-maria-schneider-how-last-tango-in-pariss-infamous-explicit-scene-undid-its-female-star So, I think the link in the list might be there without knowledge of this heartbreaking fact. Maybe you want to add or change. Xo

Where is the location of this photo?

Since you invited the waiter to Thanksgiving, he accepted and had a great time, I’d say the waiter really does like you 😀 ps. was impressed by his proper use of apostrophes, in a text message no less!

How I miss New Haven pizza! I’m a Pepe’s gal, but modern also has my heart. ❤️

That bench video!! From her mouth to Mamdani’s ears!

The analysis of benches and why the architecture changed was fascinating and infuriating. On

Since when has Into the Gloss been back??

hi from New Haven! Which pizza? My favorite is Nolo

I love to see Pam so unbothered. Living her best life with thin eyebrows too. I always felt self conscious about my thinning brows, but now I have a role model.

Pamela Anderson’s Sonsie skincare line is my winter go to. I absolutely love how gentle it is.

ooh which is your favorite New Haven pizza?

On the topic of the mom who thinks the waiter likes her, does anyone else’s mom “whisper” something about someone who is nearby but it’s actually at full volume?

Joanna, if you get a chance, take the boys to Lou’s Lunch in New Haven…..over 100 years old, they claim to have invented the hamburger…..it’s a tiny place with an amazing assembly line cooking technique, using machinery no longer made. The burgers are served on toast, not buns; and no condiments will be found here. Only cheese, tomatoes and onions for flavor. It’s an eye opener for sure……fun to watch. Have a great time.

My husband and I are going out for a fancy dinner tonight for the first time since my 15 month old was born! I just bought a new-to-me black velvet dress I’m really excited to wear (it is not nursing friendly! It has no banana or yogurt smushed into it). And something I loved: the restaurant called to confirm our reservation and specifically asked if we had any accessibility or mobility needs they could assist with?! We don’t but I was very touched and wish it were the norm. Also feeling a glimmer of political hope after Mamdani’s win (I know it feels complicated for some; I for one think he represents a breath of fresh, optimistic air that I hope the left can continue to let in). Amidst the slog of working to counteract all the awful and scary political news, it feels good to have hope.

Thank you for sharing the video by the Nerdwriter. I love his analysis of Brando’s facial expressions. Marlon Brando fascinates me because he was such a genius at inhabiting a character. I read once that when he played Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, he routinely got a 30 minute standing ovation at the end of the play. If you haven’t seen his famous “Steeeellllllaaaaaa!” scene, you must watch it! (It’s on YouTube).

Thanks for highlighting Melina’s comment. I missed it originally and really appreciate it. I’ve been thinking about the Winter Checklist post. Like, *really* thinking about it. And I think an important key to enjoying any season is finding a few outdoor activities that you enjoy. Things that you can do in a regular day or week. Not just the vacations to somewhere with different weather or a one or twice event, but something you can step outside your door and just DO. It keeps us from feeling caged. For so many people, winter is the hardest season to think of *outdoor* activities but it’s key. In the summer, I hate the heat and sun. But I like drinking my morning coffee outside. I like sleeping with the windows open. I like grazing the garden for berries and snap peas. In the winter, I live where it’s grey and wet. I enjoy putting on rain gear and taking a walk in the rain, watching the water run through ditches and streams. I love taking a new route through the neighborhood on my commute home to see new holiday lights (in my opinion, they should be on through January). I like running into neighbors on our dog walks. I like our family watching the sunrise as we have breakfast on school mornings, every so often someone announcing to look at it *now* because it’s different than it was three minutes ago.

I am that mom who thinks the waiter really likes me :)