Rope bun

Today I'm excited to share a hair tutorial that's perfect for traveling! When your hair is messy and sea-salty, twist it back into this nautical-inspired rope bun. Perfect for the beach, exploring around town or heading to dinner. My hair-genius friend Caroline shares the steps below, and the fabulous Jamie Beck took photos...
"I love this style when I want to keep my hair off my neck, but don't want to do the regular ol' topknot that I usually wear. It's great for summer weddings, too!" -- Caroline

1-2. Gather hair into a low ponytail on one side of your head.

3. Divide the ponytail into two equal sections.

4. Twist both sections of hair AWAY from your face (in a counter-clockwise direction).

5-6. Take the back section and bring it IN FRONT of the other section and repeat. Keep bringing the section that is in the back over and in front of the other section. This is how you make a rope braid. (You basically want to twist the sections in one direction, then wrap them around each other in the opposite direction.)

7. Tie the end of the rope braid with a rubber band. (You can stop here if you want, and just have a cute side rope ponytail!)

8. Wrap the braid in a circle around the top elastic until it becomes a bun, and pin the bun with bobby pins to secure. Don't forget to tuck the tail of the rope braid behind the bun to hide it.
Gorgeous! Thanks again, Caroline and Jamie. xoxo

Thoughts? Would you wear this? Will you be wearing it on summer adventures?

P.S. Ten more hair tutorials, and the secret to pretty hair when traveling.

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the how-to photos, Caroline is wearing vintage jeans (similar ones here) and a polka-dot sweater from Cardigan--Cardigan is having a huge sample sale right now, and Cup of Jo readers get an extra 10% off with the code CUPOFJO. (Thanks, Cardigan!) In the outdoor shots, Caroline is wearing a striped top that's also from Cardigan, a men's jacket (similar one here) and shiny black loafers. Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and will be available soon.)

Sleek parted ponytail

Summer is approaching, and we're in for some hot, humid days. What do you do with your hair on those sticky afternoons? A sleek ponytail with a sexy side part, naturally. My friend Caroline revealed how to get the look, and Jamie Beck took photos. Here goes...
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Mermaid tail braid

We haven't done a hair tutorial in ages! So, my friend (and hair genius) Caroline, photographer Jamie Beck and I decided to come together to whip up this gorgeous mermaid tail. It's perfect for those lazy summer day (or date nights) when you want to surprise and awe people with your hair. I absolutely love it--in fact, it might be my favorite hair tutorial yet. How gorgeous is that braid, above?!

Here are Caroline's steps, if you'd like to try it out...
1. Divide your hair into two equal sections.

2-4. Braid each section, and tie the end with an elastic band. You'll want to do what's called a "Dutch braid." For a normal braid, you take the outside section and cross it IN FRONT of the middle section. A Dutch braid is the opposite: the outside section goes BEHIND the middle section. It's important to do the braids this way so that they'll look seamless when when you connect the two sections later.

5-6. Fatten out the two braids by pulling apart the outer edges. I like to "smush" the braid back and forth in my fingers, too—whatever makes them fuller and fatter and not so sleek.

7. Line up the two separate braids so they begin to look like one big fat braid. It's important to make sure the middle section of the mermaid tail lines up--don't worry if the ends of your braids (the hair that is sticking out underneath the elastic) are uneven, it won't matter. It's more important to line up the braid correctly, so the center of the tail matches.

8. Pin the center of the two braided sections together. I tend to use mini bobby pins since they are easier to hide, and I like to pin them in and up (you start with the pin facing horizontally, then as you push it into the hair, you direct it vertically). Use as many bobby pins as it takes, until you feel the braid is secure. I used about five little pins, and pinned about 1 1/2 inches apart, wherever I could best hide them.

(Optional step: You can remove the two separate rubber bands at the end, and just use one to combine the two tails together. I didn't do this because I used smaller rubber bands to begin with.)
"That's it!" says Caroline, "Such an easy fun way to wear something other than a plain ol' braid!" Would be great to wear this braid all summer, don't you think? :) (And here are our eight previous hair tutorials, if you'd like more summer hair ideas.) Thank you again, Caroline and Jamie!

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the outdoor photos, Caroline is wearing this chambray top. Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and her lipstick is So Chaud by MAC. In the how-to photos, she is wearing a vintage striped tee--similar one here--and vintage jeans--similar ones here.)

Dinner etiquette

I've always been fascinated by etiquette, including which fork to use and where to put your napkin when you leave the table. It's like a little game, and it can make you feel more confident and empowered. So, for dinner parties, work events, weddings and first dates, here's a handy guide to eating dinner, illustrated by the fantastic Gemma Correll. See how many you already know! Here goes...

If you're a guest at a dinner party (pictured above), wait to start eating until the host or hostess takes his or her first bite (unless they absolutely insist that you start).
A funny tip that my grandparents used to tell us: The way to sit in your chair is to pretend a cat is in front of you, a mouse is behind.
Your wine and water glasses are to the RIGHT of your plate. Your bread plate is to the LEFT of your plate. If you remember that, you'll never drink someone's water or eat their bread again! (A genius tip from readers: To remember the order of the placesetting, think "BMW" -- for bread, then meal, then water.)
Surprisingly, salt and pepper should be passed together, even if someone asks only for one. They're considered "married!"
Never intercept a pass. For example, don't snag a roll out of the bread basket when it's on the way to someone else. (You'll just have to ask them to pass the basket right back!)
Scoop your soup with your spoon tilted *away* from you. And surprise! It’s fine to tilt the bowl slightly away from you to get the last drop of soup. But never blow on your soup or food. Even if it’s piping hot!
Always taste your food before putting on salt and pepper. It's considered rude to assume the food is under-seasoned before tasting it.
Once you've picked up a utensil, it should never touch the table again. You want your utensils to rest fully on the edge of your plate. ("No oars!" gasp the experts.)
When you are finished with your meal, your knife and fork should be placed on your plate diagonally from upper left to lower right (11 to 5 if you imagine your plate as a clock face). This is a secret code to the waiter (or host) that you’re finished.
If you have to go to the bathroom—or if you’re getting up at the end of the meal—just put your napkin to the left of your plate, loosely folded.

Yay, that's it! Bon appetit!

P.S. And 8 etiquette tips for drinking wine...

(Illustrations by the amazing Gemma Correll for Cup of Jo)

Wine etiquette

Today I'd love to share 8 fun tips for drinking wine! It's nerdy, but I like learning etiquette tips (do you?) and thought you might like to hear these fascinating wine dos and don'ts before heading out to holiday parties and romantic dinners. Below, I wrote out the tips, and the genius Gemma Correll illustrated them. Here goes...
1. Fill red wine glasses 1/3 full, white wine glasses 1/2 full, and sparkling wine 3/4 full.
2. Twist the bottle at the end of pouring a glass of wine, to prevent drips (and to give it a flourish!).
3. Cheers! When clinking glasses, make eye contact with the other person. Otherwise, according to French superstition, you'll risk seven years of bad luck (read: bad sex). You also should clink glasses individually with each person at the table without crossing anyone's arms.
4. If someone is toasting you (your wedding, your birthday, your general awesomeness), don't take a sip. Just smile and look humble.
5. Always hold your wine glass by the stem. Many people mistakenly think you only need to hold white wine by the stem (so you don't warm up the wine), but experts say you should hold red wine by the stem, too, so you can see its color and clarity, as well as to avoid smudging the glass with your fingerprints. Otherwise, wine snobs might call you a "bowl grabber"! :)
6. On the table, your wine glass goes to the right of your water glass.
7. While taking a sip, you should politely look into your glass. (And not at another person, if you're in the middle of a conversation.)
8. The host's duty is to make sure glasses stay filled. "My eyes go to empty glasses immediately," wine expert John Thoreen says. "It's a real radar thing for me."
9. Or happily forget all the tips above, and just eat, drink and be merry!

Hope you enjoyed these! Thanks again to Gemma for the awesome illustrations. xoxo

P.S. A lipstick trick with wine, and the #1 etiquette tip to remember for the holidays.

(Illustrations by Gemma Correll for A Cup of Jo. Thanks to Shoko for research help. Tips via Primer, SFGate and years of drinking experience:)

How to look (extra) pretty on a first date

The absolutely positively most nerve-wracking moment of a date? Right before you see each other. Answering the front door or walking into the restaurant...eeks! Just writing this paragraph gives me butterflies.

So how do you look extra gorgeous for the big moment? My #1 random trick from my single days: Pinch your cheeks. Honestly, whenever I'd walk into a date, I'd pinch the apples of my cheeks, then gently rub them to "even" it out. Your rosy cheeks will make it look like you just walked in from the cold, and the color will suit your face perfectly since it's your natural color. (Or you can just cheat and wear blush; here are my two absolute favorites:)

What beauty routines do you have for dates? I'd love to hear your secrets! xoxo

NYC Guide: 10 ways to not look like a tourist

Just for fun, here are 10 handy tips on how not look like a tourist (since my mom always asks:)...
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NYC Guide: How to flag a cab

My sweets, for anyone who doesn't know, here are five easy steps to flagging a taxi...
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Galaxy nails

My darlings, have you ever tried galaxy nails? They're brainy, nerdy, playful and cool all at the same time--yet still elegant enough to wear to work. I keep spotting them on pretty ladies around our neighborhood. Here's how to get the cosmic look...

1. Get a dark blue nail polish for the base, plus a few lighter sparkly polishes (for stars and comets!). We went for Navy Baby, Laser, Spectrum and Diamonds.
2. Paint the dark blue on all your nails as the base layer.
3. Now layer the glittery colors over the dark blue, but over only parts of each nail. A swipe here, a dab there. Mix things up with each nail, since you want them all to look different.
4. Layer a lot, since, instead of your nails looking flat, you want to get that 3-dimensional look of a far-away galaxy, like you're gazing up at the night sky.

(My friend Caroline modeled, since she has prettier nails than I do. Her rings are from her collection Brvtvs. Photos by the wonderful Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo)

How to buy houseplants (once and for all)

I've always loved the idea of a house filled with greenery. But whenever we've brought home a brave little plant, it has shriveled up and died within a couple weeks. Eeps! What gives?! Maybe it wasn't meant to be, I thought.

Well, luckily, my friend and floral designer Amy Merrick promised me that houseplants are easy if you know two simple tricks...

Amy's advice: "I live in Brooklyn, so filling my apartment with plants is my connection to nature. And my dad is a houseplant genius. Some of his plants are more than 40 years old! The two key tricks are: Choose plants that work with the light in your home, and water them the right amount. People often don't realize that they're overing-watering their plants, causing the plants to turn brown."
8 easy houseplants that Amy swears by:

1. Air Plant
No soil required! They thrive in direct sunlight with a once a week misting. (Here's where to buy them.)

2. Rabbit's Foot Fern
A rabbit's foot fern is one of the easiest ferns to keep inside. They need indirect light and twice weekly waterings.

3. Strawberry Begonia
Pretty plant -- it also sends out the most darling little baby plants! Likes medium to bright light and the top of the soil should dry out slightly between waterings, so keep an eye on it.

4. Split Leaf Philodendron
This tried-and-true houseplant sometimes gets maligned as boring. I love the huge ones, though; if you cut off an extra leaf, it'll keep in a vase for a month! They like indirect light and once a week waterings.

5. Prayer Plant
With really pretty patterned foliage, a prayer plant does well with indirect sunlight and twice a week watering.

6. Rex Begonia
They take a little more care and dedication, but they're so gorgeous you have to try. They thrive in indirect light and the top of the soil should dry out slightly between waterings. (Repeated overwaterings is just as bad as underwaterings with these guys.)

7. Ponytail Palm
The Dr. Seuss of houseplants, Ponytail Palms are virtually indestructible. Happiest in a sunny spot with once a week watering.

8. Succulents
Low maintenance, if you have a very sunny spot inside. Water once a week and ignore.

Thank you SO much, Amy! I'm excited to create a green home! (I'm going to take this list to the flower shop.) What do you think, my darlings? Do you have houseplants? Any other tips from those who garden? xoxo
(Plant layout by Em from HipHipGinGin for Cup of Jo. Home photos by SFGirlbyBay, Bologet and Lonny.)