Entertainment
The Beautiful Jewelry Studio That’s Stolen My Heart
For the past two decades, I’ve been a huge fan of Bario Neal and their gorgeous jewelry. The Philadelphia-based studio was founded by two best friends — Anna Bario and Page Neal — and every piece they create is made with ethically sourced stones and environmentally conscious practices. So, this year, when I decided to design a ring to celebrate this new life chapter, I turned to them…
This ring, above, was my engagement ring. It’s beautiful, but since my marriage ended a couple years ago, I’m not wearing it anymore. And now that I’m settling into this next phase — full of friendship and new love — I was hoping to redesign the ring to feel personal and heartfelt and modern.
I was thrilled to chat with co-founder Page Neal (left), who was so warm and lovely. Have you created custom jewelry before? I was excited but intimidated — I mean, what did I know? — but Bario Neal makes every step fun and straightforward. To make a piece from scratch, you start with a short custom design questionnaire. You share your preferred metal, cut, gems, and price range, and then work with designers on next steps. (If you want to put your own touch on a piece, but don’t want to start from scratch, you can use Bario Neal’s online customization platform.)
Next, Page asked me to create a moodboard of general photos and vibes I liked (here are some, above)…
…and to tell her which rings I was drawn to on the website. The assignment was so much fun, and I found myself gravitating toward blues, asymmetric clusters, and modern curves.
After looking at my moodboard, Page sent a bunch of different designs for me to weigh in on. How cool are these two?
Then I visited Bario Neal’s Brooklyn studio to see their jewelry in person. The guy who helped me seemed as excited as I was, and we both ended up trying on rings together! I wanted to stay and hang out all day. I fell for their radial cluster diamond ring, which we decided to customize with sapphires and a few personal tweaks.
A few gems were going be left over from my ring, so we were able to design earrings, too. Page had shared design ideas, and in the store, we could actually move the tiny gems around to figure out the pattern we liked most. It was amazing to see the design come together in front of my eyes.
Now we were off to the races! I really loved working with Page and her team. These process photos of the earrings and ring blow my mind. Bario Neal’s mission — to create a jewelry company committed to respecting human rights and environmental sustainability — shines through in everything they do. All the metals and gems have a fully traceable supply chain, and are responsibly sourced from miners who meet ethical, social, and ecological standards.
For my ring, the diamond was a sustainably certified carbon-neutral lab-grown diamond, the aquamarines were sustainably sourced from Brazil, and the champagne diamond was recycled. How amazing is that?
So! Want to see the final ring?
Isn’t it gorgeous?! I adore it so, so much — it feels modern yet timeless, and full of the thoughtfulness and talent of women. Bario Neal’s jewelry is made out of their Philadelphia studio, and you can feel the love in all they do.
The whole Bario Neal team made the experience so meaningful, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for special jewelry.
Thank you so much, Bario Neal. This was such a joy. xoxo
Great news for Cup of Jo readers: Get a whopping 20% off your build-your-own jewelry experience with code CUPOFJO20, good through December 31st. See all the Bario Neal build-your-own styles here, if you’d like. Thank you so much.
(This post is sponsored by Bario Neal, a company we’ve loved for decades. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cup of Jo. Final photos by Veronica Olson for Cup of Jo.)
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
