The March Edit
What we read, made, wore, and cooked this month. How about you?
Welcome to the March Edit! How is your week going? Toby and I are visiting my sister and niece in San Francisco this week, and I’m excited to share photos next week.
We sent four issues this month:
Eleven friends reveal the best things their therapists ever told them, including brilliant advice on raising teenagers and a smart tip for tough conversations
How gorgeous are these before-and-after haircut photos?
The #1 thing I look for in a romantic partner, other than strong forearms ;)
Lindy West and I had a phone chat about polyamory, and it surprised me
Plus, a few things we enjoyed this month (and please share yours in the comments)…
Coffee table book: “We have a Guinness Book of World Records on our coffee table, and almost every kid who sits down on our sofa picks it up. It’s a great family-friendly conversation starter.” — Joanna Goddard, Big Salad founder
Design: “I recently swapped my phone case for this case from BURGA. The stripes are so great, it doubles as an outfit accessory, or a mood-boosting piece of art on my desk. (Two other picks: marble and animal print.) BURGA cases are not only pretty but also shock-absorbing, grippy, and scratch-resistant — tough enough to hold up to life around kids.” Bonus for readers: Get 15% off all BURGA products with code CUPOFJOX15. — Joanna
Recipe: “I’m always searching for weekday dinners that take less than 30 minutes and leave me with leftovers, and this Greek chicken orzo salad is my new favorite. It’s full of vegetables and very riff-able. But the best part is that it tastes even better the next day because the salad marinates in the honey-herb dressing.” — Jannelle Sanchez, Cup of Jo editor
Book: “We just passed the first anniversary of my dad’s death, and grief has been a bumpy ride for everyone, including my six-year-old. I’ve struggled with how to support her, while muddling through it myself. Then I picked up My Grief Comfort Book, which is full of crafts and activities for kids — and I can’t believe how much it’s helped! It allows her to engage with her feelings, while doing stuff she enjoys — drawing, imagining, putting stickers all over the place. And it eases my mental burden, too, because — if only for a short while — grieving is contained to this tangible activity we can both be led by. Best $19 bucks I’ve ever spent.” — Kelsey Miller, Cup of Jo editor
Kids: “This year, I’ve been trying to buy clothes made only from natural fibers (cotton, wool, etc.), which sounds simple but is shockingly hard. So, I was glad to discover these 100% cotton dresses, especially since my four-year-old Georgie is currently in her ‘only dresses, no exceptions’ phase.” — Alison Piepmeyer, partnerships director
Beverage: “My anxiety has ramped up this spring, so I’ve been taking a break from alcohol while I reset. At a friend’s house, I discovered Crodino, a non-alcoholic Italian drink that, poured over ice, tastes shockingly like an Aperol spritz. It really scratches the itch. (Also, for beer drinkers, Sapporo makes the best NA beer I’ve tried.)” — Alison
Shoes: “Happy gardening clog season to all who celebrate! My snap peas, kale, and carrots are already planted. Plus, I started a bunch of flower seeds indoors — hollyhocks, yarrow, chamomile, and cosmos — and compulsively check their progress throughout the day. Are you growing anything this spring?” — Kaitlyn Teer, Big Salad editor
Pantry: “After years on the wait list, I’ve finally claimed a coveted spot in the Rancho Gordo Bean Club. My first quarterly shipment arrived last week, along with a newsletter that includes recipes like the caramelized beans with tomato and cabbage from Alison Roman’s latest book Something from Nothing. I’m looking forward to trying so many new-to-me beans.” — Kaitlyn
I always find that there’s nothing more magical than spending an evening with women, talking about everything, from favorite books to funny parenting moments to those forty-something night sweats. This month, I was lucky enough to co-host a wonderful night with Haven Well Within, a clothing and lifestyle brand that’s all about comfort and ease.
Fellow Substack writers joined us, and I loved chatting with Tembe Denton-Hurst and Jessica Defino. (Remember their Big Salad issues about a natural face moisturizer and romantic bookstore proposal?) And how gorgeous is Virginia Sin’s silk dress, pictured above?
Ashley Napoli, aka the Focaccia Flourist, showed us how to make and decorate focaccia. Some people made flower patterns, others used only purple produce — it was fun to see everyone’s creations. Even though I’m hopelessly uncrafty, I like hanging out with friends while using our hands — decorating notes, beading bracelets, even doing the dishes after dinner — since it feels so familial and communal.
How lovely are all these faces? And how do you like to celebrate spring? Which spring pieces would you wear? We love Haven Well Within’s comfy clothes, especially their wide-leg linen pants and easy oversized shirt. And I wore these super soft joggers, which I’d gotten as a gift, on repeat this winter. xoxo
(Event photos by Caroline Fiss.)
Says Hannah on What’s the Best Advice a Therapist Ever Gave You: “When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, my therapist told me, ‘If you're going to dress rehearse tragedy, be sure to dress rehearse joy in equal measure.’ Whenever I worried about the horrible things that could happen, I also made myself imagine everything going really, really well. I still do this for everything. ‘What if I screw up my presentation?’ is always met with, ‘And what if I absolutely crush it?’”
Says Emilie on What’s the Best Advice a Therapist Ever Gave You: “I had a great therapist who told me, ‘Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.’ I learned that it’s okay to laugh, even through trauma and grief.”
Says Bethany on What’s the Best Advice a Therapist Ever Gave You: “My therapist once told me, ‘There is no right answer.’ I was going through grief, illness, and uncertainty; and as a rule-following eldest daughter, I kept looking for the ‘right’ answer and getting stuck because of uncertainty. This advice was so freeing!”
Says Katie on The #1 Thing I Look for in a Romantic Partner: “I used to like temperamental good-looking guys (think: a classic MG) and now I just want a standard issue Honda that starts every time you get in it.”
A funny reel that showcases the #1 thing I’m looking for in a romantic partner
The artist that Lindy West commissioned to make a Pippi Longstocking painting
This hair serum I swear by, along with these stunning hair before-and-afters
The most helpful advice I got during my own divorce (I still think about it all the time)
“I found a thong and condoms in my husband’s suitcase.” What should this reader do next?
I Had a Dating Realization That Changed Everything. It only took me 30 years to figure out.
Our 16 Favorite Budget Beauty Finds. “I love this moisturizer so much, I order four at a time.”
7 Spring Fashion Trends. Which would you wear?
“I Chose to Stay Home With the Kids. Now I’m Freaking Out.” “Did I make the wrong call?”
A Week of Outfits: Laura Tully. “If an outfit is a recipe, this barn jacket is a chunk of really good Parm.”
Four Fun Things. Including cool braids and a funny home trend.
The New Way My Kids Do Chores. My life has gotten so much easier!
What Are Your Favorite Under-the-Radar Movies? Here’s my pick.
(Opening photo by Stephan Widua / Unsplash. Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. Thank you so much.)
Coming up, we’ll be talking about NYC street style and making friends as an adult. Thank you so much for reading, we are so happy you’re here.
I want to gently point out that HBH has a lot of valid criticisms (cultural appropriation and recipe plagiarism feel like the tip of the iceberg) and I’d love to see other websites and blogs featured instead.
I love Big Salad but it does feel weird to pay a subscription in order to read ads. This content seems better suited for CoJ.