The May Edit

What we wore, ate, read, and loved this month. Plus, a delicious spring dinner.

Hi! Welcome to The May Edit! We love having you here, and we’ve sent some fun issues this month, including:

• our first Big Salad swimsuit issue, with 18 women’s personal recommendations

• comedian/actor Ilana Glazer talks about her new movie, Babes, female friendships, and how to kick off steamy sex

• poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil on her backyard pizza recipe and the coolest hotel

• and Erin Boyle’s apartment tour, including the #1 product she swears by for small space living

Tomorrow, I’m also sharing a personal issue about how I’ve learned to deepen friendships (with both men and women) and how mine have shifted since my divorce.

And earlier this month I went to a spring dinner co-hosted by

Greta Caruso

and

Fanny Singer

of

The Green Spoon

newsletter and chef

Clare de Boer

, who writes

The Best Bit

. The room was packed with women, and I loved it so much. Here are a few photos, if you’d like to see…

It was magical to gather with so many wonderful women and newsletter writers, like

Bess Kalb

, Hunter Harris, and Natasha Pickowicz. The menu focused on seasonal produce — including a giant bowl of fava beans, which people scooped up with warm country bread. Also, I love seeing inside people’s homes, don’t you? I even pretended to need to wash my hands just so I could see the bathroom (it was gorgeous).

One of my favorite parts of the evening was its theme: food memories. There were notecards scattered on the table with guests’ sweet and funny stories. Here’s mine:

Two years ago, I flew to England to visit my grandmother, who was suffering from dementia. I crossed my fingers that she’d recognize me — the oldest of her nine grandchildren — but she didn't. Still, she seemed to enjoy my company, which meant so much. Since she didn't know we were related, she didn't HAVE to like me, but she DID. One morning before lunch, I sat in her garden scooping ripe avocados out of their peels, and she couldn’t believe my skills. ‘However are you doing that?’ she asked me, across the wooden table. ‘Darling, aren’t you clever? Everyone, come look! Isn’t she good at this?’ And although she didn’t know my name, or that she had created the bustling family around her, I felt deeply loved. Nothing felt or tasted better than that last lunch with her."

What’s a food memory you cherish? I’d love to hear.

Also,

Clare de Boer

made a green lasagna that was soooo good. “The purpose of a spring lasagna is to show off the season’s produce, like peas and asparagus,” she told us. “And don’t forget to leave some pasta sheets dangling over the edge of your dish for extra crispy bits.” How good does that look?!

The night was so much fun and made me feel buzzy with female energy. Thank you so much Greta, Fanny, and Clare! xo

(Opening sheep photo by Helene Cyr/Stocksy. Event photos by Anna Maria Lopez.)

---

We asked our Big Salad editors and friends what they’ve enjoyed recently…

1. “Now that the weather’s warming up, I’ve been wearing dresses (like this Gap x Doen number), but the funny thing that gets the most compliments? Track shorts. I have a Kule version, but you can find a bunch on Poshmark and eBay.” — Joanna Goddard, Big Salad founder

2. “Trader Joe’s has the best chipwich: vanilla ice cream between two cookies and rolled in mini chocolate chips. It’s the perfect dessert.” — Mehreen Karim, chef

3. “The Italian grocery around the corner from me sells Sanbittèr, a bitter Italian soda made by San Pellegrino — and it’s a great non-alcoholic aperitif for anyone wanting to feel fancy. (Also, it comes in cute, teeny bottles!)” — Erin Boyle, writer

4. “A baby carrier is a lifesaver when you have an infant and toddler. After lots of research, I decided on the Ergobaby Omni 360, and I found one on Facebook marketplace for $35! Now, I can’t get through the day without it. It’s easy to strap on by myself (major points!), and it feels secure enough for long walks and hikes.“ — Jannelle Sanchez, Cup of Jo editor

5. “I ordered two pairs of Madewell’s petite crop jeans — in white and black — and kept both! This is unheard of for me. With my short legs and short torso, I’ve always relied on in-store try-ons, no matter the brand. But these jeans are stretchy and comfortable, and they fit like a glove.” — Jenny Rosenstrach, Cup of Jo food columnist

6. “Mother Tongue magazine is just the thing to tuck into your weekender or beach tote. The spring/summer issue includes a rousing essay by Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts and a sizzling Miranda July profile (have you read her buzzy new novel?).” — Kaitlyn Teer, Big Salad editor

---

Here are the links that Big Salad readers clicked on most in this month’s issues:

1. The (now sold-out!) shorts that Erin Boyle wears all summer. (Similar here.)

2. Anton’s funny pool trick in our swimsuit issue.

3. Poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s fantastic pink banana jumpsuit.

4. The trailer for Ilana Glazer’s hilarious new movie Babes, which we recommend watching with friends.

---

---

“I recently went on a date with a cute guy, and as we began to make out, he made talking about consent so incredibly sexy. He would whisper what he wanted to do, then wait a beat until I said yes or no. As it progressed, he ran his hand up and down my skin and assured me he was content right where we were if I needed a break — which was even more of a turn on. It was the hottest make-out session I’ve ever had,” a reader named AVB wrote after reading Ilana Glazer’s best sex tip.

We daydreamed about travel in our swimsuit issue, then Aja Barber commented: “Last autumn, while recovering from surgery, I bought a photo book called Sea Pools. After, I was lucky enough to visit Australia, and half the pools we visited were in that book — including THAT ONE SEA POOL on Bondi Beach. I chickened out on swimming because I worried I’d be too slow, but I still stood and happily watched from above!”

---

1. Exciting News! My best friend Gemma’s new TV series is astonishing.

2. The Shoes I’m Seeing All Over NYC. Seven pretty versions.

3. Four Fun Things. Including a funny show and sexy song.

4. Toby and Anton in Conversation. “Happy mom, happy life.”

5. Five Pick-Me-Ups. This egg sandwich was a shot in the arm.

6. Let’s Find This Reader Sandals for a Trip! I always pack three...

(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 so much for reading Big Salad. Soon, we’ll be sharing details about our upcoming Seattle event on August 21st! We’re looking for a couple Seattle-area musicians to perform solo pieces, so please send your bio and audio/video links to newsletter@cupofjo.com, if you’re interested! Lots of love. xoxo