The August Edit

What we watched, ate, and read this month. Plus, the prettiest fall sweater.

Welcome to the August Edit! How is your week going? The weather feels crisp and fall-like, and I’m loving every second.

This month, we sent six issues:

• The brilliant advice my therapist gave me when my marriage ended

• Comedy writer Aisha Muharrar takes us behind the scenes of Parks & Rec and tells us the funny thing about grief

• Designer Jen Mankins revealed what it’s like to live in Sweden and, as a bonus issue, a Brooklyn home she designed with lots of patterns

• Chef Samin Nosrat shares five ingredients for a joyful life and shows us around her gorgeous garden. Side note: how adorable is her dog Fava?

• Finally, 12 favorite Etsy finds, like this cool bag (plus five amazing shops!)

Plus, here are a few fun things we enjoyed this month…

1. “Our local markets are exploding with peaches and plums, so the boys and I just made this easy galette.” — Joanna Goddard, Big Salad founder

2. “My doctor sister is always reminding me to wear sunglasses (protect those eyes!), and I’ve gotten really into Warby Parker’s colorful styles. My favorites right now are these blue ones, which look bright and cute with everything.” — Joanna

3. “Our daughter, Ella, just started kindergarten, and this protein pancake mix has saved our mornings. I’ll make a large stack on Sundays and then pop them in the toaster for breakfast the rest of the week. They’re filling, tasty, and cut out any morning cooking and cleaning. A huge win.” — Jannelle Sanchez, Cup of Jo editor

4. “The second season of Platonic is so good. Every Wednesday, my husband and I turn to each other like, ‘Omg new Platonic tonight!’ Bonus: All of Rose Byrne's outfits are so cute.” [Above, she’s wearing this Alex Mill sweater.] — Maureen Heffernan, Cup of Jo partnerships director

5. “To keep our kids entertained on a trip, I picked up a few single-player travel puzzles like Jumpin’ and Kanoodle. Plot twist: even the adults loved playing them. Now, we keep them on our table and reach for them whenever we’re in the mood for a brain teaser.” — Kaitlyn Teer, Big Salad editor

6. “I tore through Wild Dark Shore, Charlotte McConaghy’s novel about a family living on a remote Antarctic research base. Once I’d finished it, I immediately wished for the experience of reading it all over again.” — Kaitlyn

“I made Jenny’s tagliatelle with corn, tomatoes, and onions, using produce from my garden. I also added in white beans, which were delicious.” — Kaitlyn

For a decade, I’ve turned to French clothing brand Sézane for timeless pieces, like perfectly fitting jeans and my trusty chore coat. I reach for their clothes more than anything else in my closet. Here are five pieces I’m loving right now…

Above: The new Gary bucket bag is perfect for fall adventures. It’s roomy enough for a book and wallet and comes in a bunch of gorgeous colors. And how pretty is the cotton cardigan? Those crocheted buttons! Plus, it has a drawstring waist so you can adjust the fit however you’d like.

Above: Loafers are everywhere in NYC, which makes sense since they’re so comfy and look great with jeans, skirts, everything. These Caroline loafers come in three colors, and I plan to slip into them all season. Finally, this baseball-style sweater would be cozy for evening walks and movie dates. I love the green, and it also comes in cherry red.

See Sézane’s whole fall collection here, if you’d like. (How pretty is this dress?)

(This post is sponsored by Sézane, a brand we’ve worn and loved for many years. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cup of Jo and Big Salad.)

1. A sweatshirt that Samin Nosrat says is too cute to wear for cooking

2. The swimsuits that hold up to years of cold swimming

3. A British throw pillow that’s one of 12 favorite Etsy finds

4. The Swedish tea cups that designer Jen Mankins collects

5. The COJ inspired sneakers that TV writer Aisha Muharrar wore to the Emmys!

Says KKC on Chef Samin Nosrat Shares Five Ingredients for a Joyful Life: “Can you imagine moving into a new rental and finding out you share a garden with Samin?!? Like that she so lovingly cares for? This issue was so beautiful — her garden, the mourning scarab beetle locket, that Mary Oliver poem.” Adds Emmelie: “Imagine running into Samin at Costco!”

Says Abby on Chef Samin Nosrat Shares Five Ingredients for a Joyful Life: “I identify as an enthusiastic eater but not a cook, and I'll never forget Samin Nosrat saying that if you know how to add things to a burrito to make it taste exactly how you like it (like, if you need more acidic lime or spicy salsa or pillowy rice), then you already know so much about cooking, which — at its core — is just trying to make something taste delicious.”

Says Rachel on The Funny Thing About Grief, According to Parks and Rec Writer Aisha Muharrar: “Aisha gave us the Galentine’s Day episode?! We owe her so much!”

1. Our 13 Favorite Swimsuits.

2. My Boyfriend Freddie Wants to Say Hi to You.

3. I Want to Dress Exactly Like Youngna Park.

1. A Tip for Talking to Teenagers. A reader left an eye-opening comment...

2. What Books Have Made You Cry? Here’s our list, and please add yours.

3. Four Fun Things. Including pretty nail polish and my hyper-fixation work lunch.

4. Which Dress Would You Wear? Freddie and I are going to a fall wedding…

5. Five Pick-Me-Ups. Like, a comfort TV show and dinner recipe with potato chips.

6. How Do You Mother Yourself? I’ve been tearing through a new book...

(Opening photo by by Renáta Török-Bognár/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.)

Coming up next, we’ll be talking about marital infidelity and my 13 favorite things. Thank you so much for reading, we are so grateful for you!