Entertainment
Hi! Welcome to the New Year!
Happy New Year! How are you doing? Hope you had a relaxing break, if you took one.
We had a cozy time in both New York and California. Since the boys were spending Christmas week with their dad this year, we did a little gift exchange the night before they left. We ordered pineapple-and-green-pepper pizza, and their two favorite gifts were Ruth Chan’s graphic memoir and a silent basketball they haven’t stopped playing with.
After the boys departed, my boyfriend Freddie and I hung out for a few days. We were thrilled to score a lunch reservation at I Sodi, which I’d argue serves the best Italian food in New York City. (Bold statement, I know!) They’re famous for doing eight different versions of a Negroni and…
…their 20-layer lasagna, which is worth alllll the hype.
My heart. I’ve talked about Freddie a little bit on Big Salad, but I’m really excited to introduce him on Cup of Jo 🙂 He’s a high school history teacher and dad of two boys, and he loves The Sopranos, neighborhood walks, bookstores with sofas, and making cheesy eggs for breakfast.
The next day, we slept in, walked around, and then went uptown to dinner at Jenny Rosenstrach’s apartment. She and her husband, Andy, made a green salad and…lasagna! This recipe was from Smitten Kitchen and had less tomato flavor and a richer bolognese. For dessert, Freddie and I brought an Italian pandoro, a milky bread over which you shake powdered sugar — have you ever had one? It looked like a snow-capped mountain.
Another evening, Freddie and I hung out with some of his relatives, and I actually met his parents, which is a story for another day! His dad told me about his firefighting career! His mom gave me slippers! I was nervous! It seemed to go well!
Then Freddie headed off to see his kids, so I flew solo for a while. I anticipated maybe feeling a little lonely on Christmas Eve and morning, but instead friends warmly welcomed me into their gatherings, which really moved me. At a service on Christmas Eve, the carols rang through the church and gardens.
For the second half of the break, the boys and I reunited in San Francisco to visit my sister, niece, dad, and other relatives. I was giddy to have them back in my clutches — when I met them at the airport, I felt like a regular-person version of Diana running to her boys on this ship, haha. Such a universal feeling!
We saw a Warriors basketball game with the cousins…
…although it ended with a tough loss.
We also went to a sports exhibit at SF MoMA…
…which had a four-way ping-pong table you could play with, and iconic sports photos through the years, including this one of Tanya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan.
On New Year’s Eve, we cherished our family ritual of visiting my sister’s late husband Paul’s grave.
The younger kids ran around, while the adults chatted and toasted with Champagne.
Afterward, we went to my sister’s house for dinner, and I saw this print-out on her fridge. The wise words, by C.S. Lewis, reminded me of her and Paul’s time together; and now that I’m falling in love, I’ve remembered how vulnerable it can feel to hand your heart to someone. How do people do it?
Finally, to close the night, we played the game Herd Mentality…
…and realized that Toby is now taller than almost all of the grandparents. (Opa’s the last one standing.)
On our way home, I marveled at my boys slowly growing up into beautiful men (especially compared to this photo!). But, of course, I still have things to teach them. At the airport, I showed Anton how to fold his socks into a ball. “Mom,” he said, trying it himself. “Not gonna lie, that’s pretty tuff.”
Hope you had a relaxing break. Anything to report? Any surprises? Any disasters? Would love to hear it all. Sending so much love for 2025. xoxo
P.S. A surprisingly fun way to do New Year’s resolutions, and the very first CoJ post.
(Photo by Yakov Knyazev/Stocksy.)
Entertainment
How to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Bayern Munich vs. PSG would have made an amazing Champions League final, but we should be happy that we’re getting two matchups between these electric teams. The first leg finished 5-4 to PSG. We’re not expecting the same again, because that was probably one of the best games of all time. If we get half that level of entertainment in the second leg, we’ll be delighted.
Expect more of the same from the likes of Michael Olise and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as these teams battle it out for a spot in the showpiece event. The winner will meet Arsenal at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest.
If you want to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Bayern Munich vs. PSG?
Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on May 6. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Arena.
How to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG for free
Bayern Munich vs. PSG is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.
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RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock RTÉ Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland
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Visit RTÉ Player
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Watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG for free from anywhere in the world
$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPn for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ Player, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including Ireland
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds free from throttling
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
AI stocks are cooling — this ChatGPT trading tool keeps delivering
TL;DR: A ChatGPT-powered investing platform that helps you find and manage stocks with clearer signals—lifetime access for a one-time $54.97.
Credit: Sterling Stock Picker
The AI trade has seemingly had its moment — big runs, big headlines, big expectations. The AI fun is not over by any means. But now that things are settling, the real question is what comes next?
Instead of chasing whatever’s trending, Sterling Stock Picker leans into a more grounded approach: using a ChatGPT-powered assistant (Finley) to help you understand what’s actually happening inside a stock. You can ask questions about companies, sectors, or your own portfolio and get explanations that are tied to real data — not just surface-level summaries.
Mashable Deals
It also handles the heavy lifting most people avoid. The platform analyzes financials, growth metrics, and risk, then surfaces signals like whether a stock is worth buying, holding, or avoiding. There’s even a “North Star” system that simplifies that call into something actionable.
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If you’re building from scratch, there’s a done-for-you portfolio builder that aligns with your risk tolerance. If you already have positions, it can suggest adjustments based on your portfolio’s performance.
One thing that stands out is how it balances guidance with transparency. You’re not just handed picks — you can see the reasoning behind them, which matters if you’re trying to build a repeatable process.
Have a lifetime way to pressure-test your judgment — especially in a market that’s moving past hype and into something more selective.
Get lifetime access to the ChatGPT-driven Sterling Stock Picker while it’s on sale for a one-time $54.97 payment (reg. $486) through May 10.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Get 2TB encrypted cloud storage and collaboration tools for just $112.49
TL;DR: Lifetime access to 2TB of secure Drime cloud storage is on sale for a one-time $112.49 (reg. $299.99) through May 10.
$112.49
$299
Save $186.51
Cloud storage is one of those things that quickly turns into a monthly bill you forget about. That’s what makes a lifetime option like Drime worth a closer look.
You can currently get 2TB of storage for a one-time $112.49 (reg. $299.99), which means no ongoing fees just to keep your files accessible.
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But this isn’t just a place to dump files and forget about them. Drime leans more toward being a full workspace. You can upload, sync, and access files across devices, but also edit documents, leave comments, and collaborate with others without switching tools. It’s useful if you’re juggling projects, clients, or even just shared folders with family.
Security is a big part of the pitch. Files stored in the encrypted Vault are protected by end-to-end encryption, and everything is hosted in Europe in compliance with GDPR standards. This means your data isn’t floating around unsecured, and you have more control over who sees what.
There are also a lot of small quality-of-life features that make a difference over time — like version history for restoring older files, advanced link sharing with passwords and expiration dates, and even built-in e-signature tools.
It’s a simple way to get more control over your files without adding another monthly expense.
Mashable Deals
Get lifetime access to 2TB of Drime Cloud Storage for a one-time $112.49 (reg. $299.99) through May 10.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
How to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG online for free
Manchester City look to extend win streak, take on Everton
