Subway reading

On her brilliant blog, photographer Ourit Ben-Haim takes photos of New Yorkers reading on the subway—everything from the Bible to Lolita to Star Wars. There's something vulnerable and intimate about these shots, don't you think? It feels like witnessing a private moment.

What are you reading this summer? I'd love to hear your recommendations... (I just started this book.)

P.S. This woman has a six-and-a-half-hour commute!

(Photos by Ourit Ben-Haim for her blog Underground New York Public Library. Via Shoko)

How to break a habit

In his new book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains that just by recognizing them, you can change your habits.

Personally, I have a nightly habit of a glass (or two) of wine. At first I was like, it's cool, it's European! But I've realized that as soon as Toby goes to bed—ding, that's my cue—I immediately expect that crisp glass of wine. Duhigg shows how to snap out of your routine (and this week, I've just had water).

Do you have a habit you want to break? Doesn't everyone?

(Via Swissmiss)

Motherhood Mondays: French Kids Eat Everything

When we were on on vacation last month, I read an eye-opening book that completely changed the way we feed Toby...
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The Best Chicken Cutlets You'll Ever Have (with Corn Flakes!)

Jenny Rosenstrach writes the fantastic food blog Dinner: A Love Story and has a brilliant cookbook memoir of the same name coming out next week (yay!). She and her husband Andy are passionate about nightly family dinners with their two daughters--and swear it's possible, if you keep things simple and fun. (Fun fact: Jenny has a diary listing every single dinner she's made since 1998!) Here, she reveals her secret family recipe for the best chicken cutlets ever...
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Mindy Kaling's new sitcom

Have you guys heard that Mindy Kaling will star in a new sitcom this fall? "The Mindy Project" is all about a quirky OB/GYN who's trying to figure out her messy dating life. As Salon points out, the premise sounds pretty typical, but Kaling is so awesome and funny (and Emmy-nominated) that the show sounds promising. Here's the trailer. Will you be watching the show?

Motherhood Mondays: The Great Toy Experiment

When pregnant, I barely read any books (they freaked me out!), but happily I've stumbled upon some parenting books for toddlers that seem to have wise and down-to-earth advice. Simplicity Parenting is one of those books. Here are four enlightening tips about toddlers and toys...
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About a Little Mole Who Wants to Know Who It Was that Pooped on its Head. (Seriously.)

The funniest thing we discovered in Amsterdam was definitely this classic children's book. The title? "About a Little Mole Who Wants to Know Who It Was that Pooped on its Head." Look inside...Read more »

What are you good at?

Andy Selsberg's new book, You Are Good at Things, celebrates our secret talents that are typically taken for granted. For example, maybe you have the uncanny ability to always notice when someone gets a new haircut, or make the last drop of toothpaste last for a month.

So, what's your secret talent? I'm weirdly good at knowing exactly what time it is, even if I haven't looked at a clock in hours. (Whattup.) And my little brother can ride a unicycle!

Motherhood Mondays: Letter from Roald Dahl

Back in 1989, on a rainy afternoon, seven-year-old Amy wrote a letter to Roald Dahl. Using oil, coloured water and glitter, Amy sent the author a personal gift: one of her dreams, contained in a bottle.

Here's Roald Dahl's wonderful response:
P.S. Roald Dahl stamps.

(Photo by Palayo Lacazette; letter from Amy herself, who is on twitter; via LettersofNote)

Motherhood Mondays: Baby Names & Faces Book

Pinhole Press has a brilliant new baby photo product: Big Book of Names & Faces. You make one with photos of your child's favorite people. My mom made us one as a gift, and it has become Toby's favorite bedtime story. Since our relatives live around the country, this book helps Toby remember them between visits (and happily recognize them when he sees them again), and I love that the book helps him learn words and names, and show him that he's part of a family that cares about him. Bravo, Pinhole Press!

(Thanks to my friend Laura Ratliff for taking these photos. You might recognize Sharon Beesley's kids in a photo. Pinhole Press is my friends' company and one of my beloved sponsors. )

How to raise kids like a French woman

Have you heard these rules of French parenting? I'm dying to discuss...
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Roald Dahl stamps

British author Roald Dahl wrote the nuttiest, wackiest, most magical children's stories, and The Royal Mail just released this rad set of stamps to celebrate him. What's your favorite Roald Dahl book? (Mine's The BFG.)

Paris vs. New York

Graphic designer Vahram Muratyan founded the rad website Paris vs. New York, where he compares the two cities in a cheeky way. Well, this week he came out with a book! I'd love to see all 100 illustrations.

Whose side are you on--Paris or New York? :)

Motherhood Mondays: 5-minute game to make your child feel loved

Last night, I was reading the book Playful Parenting, when I came across an anecdote about a mother, who had just had a third child. Her older kids had gotten clingy because they felt that the new baby was taking away from their time with her. So, she made up a genius game...
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Do you ever worry about your partner dying?

So, as you may know, I'm a worrier, but here's the worry always in the back of my mind...
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How did your parents first tell you about sex?

My twin sister and I first heard the gory truth about sex when...
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Motherhood Mondays: The best book for mothers-to-be

When I was pregnant, I noticed a funny phenomenon...
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Mindy Kaling's new book

Mindy Kaling's new memoir came out today! The Office writer and actress is smart, cheeky and laugh-out-loud funny; the New York Times describes her as "Tina Fey's cool little sister."

Mindy's description of her book:
"Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!"

P.S. Look at her as a little kid. "People think I'm exaggerating when I say that I was a happy child who you could not tell was male or female," she says.

Haiku for the Single Girl

The genius new book Haiku for the Single Girl made me laugh out loud. Each page features a haiku and illustration about real life when you're single.

"A woman never forgets what it's like to be single," says the author Beth Griffinhagen, who is a single New Yorker. "In different moments she may feel joyful and free, desperate and without options, amused, and frequently hopeful." Yes, don't you agree?

(Illustrations by Cynthia Vehslage Meyers; animation by Dan Meth)

Articles club

Confession: I hate winter. I always get the winter blues when it's cold, dreary and gets dark at 4:30. So, in an effort to come up with fun wintertime activities, I had a lightbulb idea...

Let's start an articles club this winter! An articles club would be just like a book club, but we'll read articles. We'd all read the same story--from, say, The New Yorker or Elle--and chat over wine and snacks. It would be fascinating, timely and a much easier commitment than a book club (because, honestly, who ever finishes the book on time?:). And it would make the winter feel fun.

What do you think? Would you want to start one with your friends? I could post the articles, and we could chat about them online, too. Let me know!

P.S. I'm thinking this one for the first?

(Layout by Jennifer Hagler for Cup of Jo. Photo by Shannen Norman for Cup of Jo)