Have a Cozy Weekend. | Cup of Jo

What are you up to this weekend? We’re going to visit our long-time friends in Connecticut and I’m looking forward to the two-hour drive. The boys and I listen to music and chat, and they sometimes open up their little hearts to me, in the same way that they do while playing with Play-Doh. Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web…

Love this jumpsuit styling.

A Midwesterner’s secret to loving winter: “Our attitude toward the cold months is pretty similar to our attitude toward most things: accept reality, then decide to appreciate it… Wonderful things happen because of the freezing temperatures and the precipitation and the wind, not in spite of them. Snow days require snow. Cute gloves need cold hands. My midwestern advice? Think of this time as its own rich, wonderful destination — instead of that season you just have to fly over on your way to spring.” (The Atlantic)

A movie scene of pure joy. (Via Haley)

How cute is this artwork?

A bingo board for new American restaurants. “We do things a little differently.”

“Genuine connection is ease. It is peace. When you find it you will know… it feels as if you are standing at a door you finally have the keys for. You enter it with ease. There is no fumbling through your jacket pocket trying to find the right way in. There is no desperately reaching into your bag trying to uncover the point of access. You are no longer banging your fists against the door, asking to be invited in. You walk through. Soundlessly. Softly. Relief washes over you. You take off your shoes. You hang your coat in the closet. You put on a pot of coffee. You’re home. You’re home.”

Three great interviews with non-monogamous couples.

This holy-grail skincare product is 20% off this weekend.

Gillian Branstetter’s conversation with Ezra Klein was a moving explainer on what’s at stake for transgender folks: “I’ve met trans people who’ve come out into their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, right? And I think it’s a bit like if you had lived your entire life next to a waterfall and you heard the roaring, crushing sound of the water your entire life, and the moment you realized that you could up and walk away, that you didn’t have to shout over this, suddenly you realize that your entire life you’ve been screaming, and you’ve been begging to be heard. And when a trans person comes out at whatever point in their life that they do, it’s fundamentally about a demand to be heard.” (NYTimes gift link)

This headline made me laugh.

Female friends opening bookstores together. Into it!

Plus, two reader comments:

Says Katy on what’s your dream vacation: “A friend and I had planned a cookbook vacation. We’re both Ina Garten fans, so we booked an Airbnb with a great kitchen and planned to bring our Ina cookbooks, make delicious recipes and drink wine while watching her show. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, it got canceled. We both now have young children so I don’t see it happening anytime soon, but I still dream about it!”

Says Emily on what’s your dream vacation: “My husband and I planned an anniversary getaway on coastal Maine, but our flights got messed up and we had to drive. We downloaded a mystery audiobook and it was the highlight of our trip. Partway in, we took turns picking the killer and had stakes for whose pick won. At night, on the beach, we shared headphones and sat in lawn chairs, while the dark ocean added to the suspense. We paused often to discuss and saved the conclusion for our drive home.”

(Photo by Melanie DeFazio/Stocksy.)