Luggage scooter

Ha, this luggage scooter is awesome.

Do or Don't: Honeymoon registry

After Alex and I got hitched almost three years ago, we went on a two-week honeymoon to Italy and Greece. To help afford our splurgy trip, we skipped the regular household registry and instead created a honeymoon registry. We signed up with buy-our-honeymoon.com (don't worry, guests never see the tacky name!). Then Alex and I spent a fun evening listing our trip plans, restaurants, hotels, even sun hats. Happily, our guests seemed to be into it, and it made our honeymoon possible.

Thoughts? Do or don't? You can see our actual registry below...
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Packing your suitcase

Picture this: You're going on vacation to Italy. You want to relax and feel chic and timeless, a la Grace Kelly. These mix-and-match pieces would do the trick...(Of course, I'd also love to wear them in New York, too!)

1. Maxi dress. The perfect sexy dress for relaxing at the beach, then heading to dinner.
2. Eyelet dress. Fresh and sweet.
3. Cashmere cardigan. Because red looks amazing in photos.
4. Denim jacket. Nothing looks cuter than a sunkissed girl in a denim jacket.
5. Gold bangle set.
6. Oversized straw tote.
7. Red bikini. (A cheaper one here.)
8. Sandals. I've spent months searching for summer sandals that are pretty and comfy. These, finally, are both. (And only $36!)
9. Negroni. A rich and bitter cocktail, best served in a little Italian fishing village.

What do you always pack for vacation? I'd love to hear any tips!

P.S. My friend Susan's genius honeymoon tip.

(Post by Joanna; photo by John Cullen; graphic design by Rachel from Elephantine)

The weird thing we do on vacations (I swear by it)

When Alex and I were first dating, we went on vacation together, and something surprising happened...
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Because dogs need vacations, too.

Our friends have a dog, and every time they go on vacation, they're bummed to him in a kennel. So this new-ish site looks awesome...

Dog Vacay lets you find a real home where your dog can stay while you're away. Experienced dog lovers can sign up to host dogs for a small fee (starting at $15 per night); often, the hosts have other dogs and big yards, and some are even retired vets or pet trainers. One couple said that your dog can sleep in their bed, if that's what your dog is used to at home. And the cutest part: You'll get photos of your dog's vacation! :)

If you have a dog, would you do this?

(Photo by KalyxCornucopia)

The Best Scrambled Eggs You'll Ever Have

This week is all about travel, so let's talk about scrambled eggs. When you're staying with friends or family, it's such a nice gesture to get up early and whip up a delicious breakfast for everyone, and scrambled eggs are always a crowd-pleaser. Happily, the lovely Helene from Tartelette has agreed to share her favorite recipe...
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Rope bun

Today I'm excited to share a hair tutorial that's perfect for traveling! When your hair is messy and sea-salty, twist it back into this nautical-inspired rope bun. Perfect for the beach, exploring around town or heading to dinner. My hair-genius friend Caroline shares the steps below, and the fabulous Jamie Beck took photos...
"I love this style when I want to keep my hair off my neck, but don't want to do the regular ol' topknot that I usually wear. It's great for summer weddings, too!" -- Caroline

1-2. Gather hair into a low ponytail on one side of your head.

3. Divide the ponytail into two equal sections.

4. Twist both sections of hair AWAY from your face (in a counter-clockwise direction).

5-6. Take the back section and bring it IN FRONT of the other section and repeat. Keep bringing the section that is in the back over and in front of the other section. This is how you make a rope braid. (You basically want to twist the sections in one direction, then wrap them around each other in the opposite direction.)

7. Tie the end of the rope braid with a rubber band. (You can stop here if you want, and just have a cute side rope ponytail!)

8. Wrap the braid in a circle around the top elastic until it becomes a bun, and pin the bun with bobby pins to secure. Don't forget to tuck the tail of the rope braid behind the bun to hide it.
Gorgeous! Thanks again, Caroline and Jamie. xoxo

Thoughts? Would you wear this? Will you be wearing it on summer adventures?

P.S. Ten more hair tutorials, and the secret to pretty hair when traveling.

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the how-to photos, Caroline is wearing vintage jeans (similar ones here) and a polka-dot sweater from Cardigan--Cardigan is having a huge sample sale right now, and Cup of Jo readers get an extra 10% off with the code CUPOFJO. (Thanks, Cardigan!) In the outdoor shots, Caroline is wearing a striped top that's also from Cardigan, a men's jacket (similar one here) and shiny black loafers. Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and will be available soon.)

7 Hostess Gifts That People Will Love

Fancy soaps sit on the bathroom shelf, and potpourri sachets get lost in a drawer. So, instead of bringing traditional hostess gifts when you visit a friend, bust out one of these slam-dunk gifts that people will love (and want to use!) right away.

1. Adorable watchdog doorstop to make them smile, $24.
2. Spanish lavender to make their kitchen smell like summer, $58.
3. Indoor s'more maker, for obvious reasons, $25.
4. Summery rosé wine, with a tree wine stopper, $8.
5. Cheeky dish towel, since we've all been there, $16.50.
6. Big Sur room spray to inspire wanderlust, $20.
7. Guilty-pleasure gossip magazines to flip through together.

Thoughts? What do you normally bring as a hostess gift?

P.S. More round-ups, and the first travel week...

(Post by Joanna. Graphic design by Rachel from Elephantine for Cup of Jo.)

Motherhood Mondays: Native shoes

We were hanging out with friends this weekend, and every single child we saw was wearing Native shoes. Apparently they're the new "it" shoe for kids. It makes sense: They're waterproof, comfy and way cooler than Crocs. Until now, Toby has worn only sneakers, but we're going to order him a pair of these right now for summer vacations.

P.S. They also have them in grown-up sizes!

(Photos by Vincent Kwok and House of Hype)

Travel-themed week

Are you going on any summer vacations? Back in January, I did a travel-themed week, and I'd love to do another one this week! First up: When you're traveling with kids, bring along a soccer ball. Our friends, who have two young boys, bought a soccer ball during a trip to London, and they'd take spontaneous breaks from sight-seeing to kick the ball around. They even made friends with local kids. What a great idea!
P.S. 10 tips for traveling with a baby, and travel fantasies.

How to make travel WAY easier

Can you imagine boarding a flight with just a wallet and your favorite book? Before you leave for vacation, LugLess will pick up your suitcases from your house and deliver them right to your destination.

A small suitcase costs $39 and a large suitcase costs $59, which are amazing prices considering that most airlines charge twenty-five bones to check a bag. Traveling without luggage would make a trip so much easier, especially when you have a wriggly baby in tow.

Having bags sent ahead is something I always assumed was reserved for the Rich & Famous, but this seems totally doable! Thumbs up, LugLess.

A genius tip for packing for your honeymoon

My friend Susan Cernek (who also happens to be the Fashion Development Director at Glamour) shared the best tip with me the other day: Pack in a single color scheme. "For my two-week honeymoon around Italy, I packed all blue and white pieces," she told me. "That way, I could pack more efficiently, and mix and match."
A bonus tip? "Pack a red dress," she says. "Red always looks dramatic in photos, even if you're lost, like I was here."

(Via Conde Nast Traveler; and here's another romantic post)

5 weekend getaways near NYC

New York is an awesome place to live, but sometimes you want to escape the crowds. Luckily, there are five amazing destinations less than 2 1/2 hours from the city, so you can treat yourself to a weekend getaway...
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Wedding in Italy

This pitch-perfect Italian wedding has made the blog rounds this past week, but, in honor of this travel-themed week, I wanted to share my favorite photos...
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Five best shoes for traveling

What shoes do you bring when you travel? I used to get stumped, but over the past few years, I've thankfully come across five options that work really well.
For walking around big cities, like Paris, tan ballet flats are chic, comfy and won't make you look like a tourist.
For swimming at the beach, red-and-white striped espadrilles are fresh and pretty (and more grown-up than rubber flip flops).
For canoeing, camping and drinking beers with friends, Bensimon sneakers are adorable, tomboyish and last forever.
For exploring rainy towns and eating your weight in fish and chips, Hunter boots are the obvious classic. Your jeans will stay clean, and you'll look lanky and beautiful. Even the Queen wears them! (P.S. These short boots are cute, too, and might be easier to pack.)
For road trips with your crush, Minnetonka moccasins are my favorite. They're effortlessly cool (I spot them all over downtown NYC) and sturdy enough for whatever the day brings--and you feel like you're wearing bedroom slippers. I'll admit, I wear these everyday. :)

Which of these five shoes would you wear? What are your go-to travel shoes?

(Photos via Pinterest; top photo by Real Simple, beer girls photo by Brian Ferry)

Pretty hair while traveling

Have you guys ever tried dry shampoo? It's a lifesaver when traveling. You just spray the shampoo on, and it instantly makes your hair look clean and full of volume. So, if you have an overnight flight, or can't check into your hotel right away, or explore a big city all day, you can still look fresh and gorgeous.

My friend Caroline (of hair tutorial fame) first told me about it. "I swear by it," says Caroline, who travels all the time for work. "After being touristy all day, I hit my hair with the dry shampoo, and it looks clean and pretty at night."

Caroline's favorite is Klorane. "Every magazine editor and stylist uses this one," she says. "You'll see it on all their tables." Bonus: It's very gentle with natural, non-toxic ingredients.

Have you used dry shampoo? Any favorite beauty products when traveling? I'd love to hear!

(Thanks, Caroline)

Travel fantasy: Haven in Paris

Have you seen the beautiful Parisian apartments from Haven in Paris? On vacation, I love staying in apartments versus hotels, since you feel like an insider (and can pretend that you live there:). You could have adventures around town, eat stinky cheeses on your balcony, have dinner at a neighborhood restaurant, then read books and curl up in your own comfy bed. Who's in?!

P.S. Look at the views from the windows, yowza!
Bonus for Cup of Jo readers: Get 20% off most Haven in Paris rentals if you visit this January or February by mentioning CUP OF JO.