The April Edit

Colorful tulips! Double hammocks! Pretty shorts!

Welcome to The April Edit! How’s your week going? The weather’s been so gorgeous here, we’ve been trying to eat dinner on the stoop every night.

This month, we’ve sent four issues:

• 13 beauty products we always finish (including a lotion for “bouncy, glowing skin”)

• Nicki Sebastian tells us about her cancer journey and shares her therapist’s life-changing advice, plus four ways to take amazing photos this summer

• I shared 10 things I’ve noticed around Brooklyn, including “free mugging,” a tiny dog, and my new hairstyle.

• Erica Chidi talks pretty pajamas, career advice, and what it means to be touch-starved, plus photos of her romantic marriage proposal

We’ll send our next issue on Friday — a personal one! — and here are some fun recs…

We asked the Big Salad team and friends what they’ve enjoyed recently (and please share your recs in the comments)…

1. “Are you enjoying the spring tulips? Freddie and I went to dinner in Manhattan last weekend, and neighborhood parks were exploding with red and yellow blooms.” — Joanna Goddard, Big Salad founder

2. “I’m a sucker for piping, so I’m into this polo shirt with shorts. Perfect for running errands and long walks — and, hopefully, summer pool hangs.” — Joanna

3. “Lately, I’ve gotten really into a glossy lip. I swipe on Tarte’s Maracuja lip balm for a juicy, glam look. Every time I post a photo wearing it, I get so many DMs saying ‘YOUR LIPS.’” — Jannelle Sanchez, Cup of Jo editor

4. “I’m always trying to get my boys to cook with me, and one reliable way is to make dessert. This Nutella pudding cake requires only three ingredients, takes one minute in the microwave, and tastes so special.” — Joanna

5. “After muscling through bedtime with the kids, I’ve been flopping down on the couch and turning on Hacks. Jean Smart is hilarious.” — Maureen Heffernan, Cup of Jo partnerships director

6. “I wear these U-shaped earrings every day. I love how delicate and pretty they look, even with a T-shirt.” — Kaitlyn Teer, Big Salad editor

7. “Our double hammock is a big hit this time of year. We originally bought it for camping but our kids love swinging in it. Plus, when the cherry trees are blooming, it’s a dreamy spot to steal away with a book.” — Kaitlyn

I have a gazillion photos of our family on my phone, but rarely have time to order prints. My aunt Lulu has an Aura digital frame at her house in England, and it’s been such a lovely way to stay connected. So, we decided to add an Aura digital picture frame to our bookshelves in Brooklyn — and now we’re hooked.

The boys are constantly pointing at the ever-changing carousel of photos. It’s a delight to spot a sweet family memory while I’m walking down the hallway for a glass of water or setting the table. The best part? Through the app, you can invite friends and relatives to add to your photos. So, new snapshots — of siblings, babies, past trips — will pop up and surprise us.

Now I’m daydreaming of getting one for my mom for Mother’s Day and my dad for his next birthday and my sister…just because. xo

Great news: Aura is offering Big Salad readers an additional $10 discount on the Carver frame shown here, when you use this link (valid through May 30th).

(This post is sponsored by Aura Frames, a brand our family loves. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cup of Jo and Big Salad.)

1. The blurring primer that my bff Gemma swears by

2. Erica Chidi’s favorite sweatpants, which drape beautifully

3. A pearl necklace, which photographer Nicki Sebastian wears with everything

4. This fun exhibition poster from a Danish museum

Says Zoe on 13 Beauty Products We Always Finish: “The past two nights, I followed Gemma’s advice to wash my face for a full 60 seconds. Not only does my face feel cleaner, but spending more than 10 seconds massaging my own skin, giving it the attention and care I give my toddler in the bath, felt like a revolution.“ Says Kash: “Your friend Gemma is literally my #1 beauty influencer. Every time she shows up on your blog, I buy what she recommends and love it.”

Says Evakins on 10 Fun Things I’ve Noticed in Brooklyn: I just finished the new Michelle Williams's show Dying for Sex, and, guys, it was so, so good. You go in thinking it's about one thing, then another, and suddenly you get walloped with the beautiful realization of what it was about all along. Subversive women-centered storytelling in all the best ways — moving, sensual, and explosively hilarious. Cannot recommend enough.”

Says Betsy on 10 Fun Things I’ve Noticed in Brooklyn: “There's something about walking and LOOKING. During a walk around Boston, I saw a playground with all the lost toddler mittens mounted on the fence. A statue of a dog, with his head well polished from the pats people gave him. A teenage boy teaching a teenage girl to ride a skateboard.” Replies Madeleine: “Agree! I went on a walk in my suburban neighborhood and found out my neighbors have a goat that occasionally just chills in the front yard?!?”

Says Jena on 10 Fun Things I’ve Noticed in Brooklyn: “I love all the Big Salad issues — obviously — but this one felt so distinctly like the days of Cup of Jo when Toby had just been born and I consider the good ol’ days of blogs. So simple and authentic. Probably my favorite so far and what a moment of joy — thank you for sharing!”

1. Watch: Kate Baer's Poem on Female Friendship Made Us Cry. Our video chat about saggy boobs, turning 40, and writing honestly about motherhood.

2. How Do You Know If It's Time to Get Divorced? 11 women share how they realized that divorce was the right path.

3. The Soup Strategy for Making Friends. “I’d pick up a dinner guest on my way home from the subway were it not for my husband," jokes Pilar Guzmán.

reductress

A post shared by @reductress

1. Guess Who Was on Jeopardy Last Night? Last night, my phone started buzzing...

2. My Paris Packing List. Here’s what I'm bringing in my carry-on.

3. Why We Like Bobbie Formula (Plus, a Discount Code). As a Cup of Jo reader once said, “Bless you, new moms. If you’re trying, you're doing a great job.”

4. How to Be a Neighborhood Aunt for Teens. “I envision this friendship for life.”

5. What Do You Like About the Way You Look? The comments made me cry.

6. Funny Sex Education for Boys. Ever since my boys were little, I’ve tried...

(Opening photo by Raymond Forbes/Stocksy. Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission or have a sponsored relationship with the brand, at no cost to you. We recommend only products we genuinely like and use ourselves. Thank you so much.)

Thank you for being here! Can’t wait to chat again on Friday, so much to talk about! xoxoxo