Friends!
I hope there’s a lightness to your Spring weekend. Lightness and rest, and at least one wood-fired pizza.
My friend Jon and I shot a new batch of recipes for the site this week so there’s some good stuff coming up! We celebrated our hard work with pizza, at a new place called Echo’s in New Orleans. It’s easily on my list of perfect Spring-time meals in the city. I’ll have a longer list of my New Orleans favorites soon. I’m trying to get you to come visit, wontcha!?
Here are some of the things that resonated this week:
โข Here’s what’s going on: How Syria Came to This. (The Atlantic)
โข From the Harvard Business Review: What Most Companies Get Wrong About Men and Women. We aren’t a problem to be ‘fixed’, let’s just switch up the narrative that we’re soft negotiators and lack confidence because well, it’s SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
โข Fierce: Barbara’s Backlash. (Vanity Fair)
โข We owe Beyonce a debt of gratitude for all of the important things she says in every performance choice she makes. How Beyonce’s Coachella Performance Changed The Game Forever. (Elle)
โข I remember one Christmas I didn’t get a present because I had neglected to write a timely thank-you-note. Goodbye to the Tyranny of Thank-You Notes. Maybe this means we can ease up. (Slate)
โข Clap-hands: How The Pulitzers Chose Kendrick Lamar, According To A Juror. (The Atlantic)
โข Why restaurants became so loud. Welp, Mario Batalli is loud (and a slew of other less than graceful adjectives), and good acoustics are ‘spensive. (Vox)
โข Have you watched Wild Wild Country on Netflix yet? I’m far enough into it to feel like this opera-saga is stranger than fiction because humans are odd, loving, fighting, territorial, bullheaded, colorful creatures. BUT here’s this: 9 Rajneeshpuram Residents On What Wild Wild Country Got Wrong. (The Cut)
โข It feels like these words are for our souls to eat: A Community For Asking Big Questions. (On Being)
โข This week I made a fresh strawberry version of these, Ina’s Apple Pie Bars. I’ll share the recipe with you as soon as we’re all fairly and squarely within strawberry season. (Joy the Baker)
โข Fig Newton’s were the main cookie in our house growing up (to my great dismay) but now they hold a soft spot in my heart. Deb made Homemade Fig Newton’s this week! (Smitten Kitchen)
โข How can I justify another KitchenAid mixer? Their new Bird of Paradise color is a thing of (my) dreams! (KitchenAid)
โข Classic wardrobe, working on it. Occasional trendy earring, easy. (Target)
Big love and more soon.
xo Joy
26 Responses
I’ve always considered writing thank you notes a sign that I wasn’t raised by wolves, and I stand by the belief that writing them is just part of being a thoughtful human. That said, years ago, my son wrote the following priceless epistle to my best friend: “Dear Aunt Julie: Thank you for the Legos. Mom is making me write this. I think you should hate her. Love, Lyle.” That may be my favorite thank you note EVER.
I really appreciate that you put what site the link is to in parenthesis after them. Thanks for being so considerate.
We’re doing our best around here. :)
Thanks for sharing the links. Also, I must add: that photo looks just so great!
I’ve been to Echo’s twice and I love it! My boyfriend (also a Jon) and I had that same pizza, so delish! I can’t wait to see more of your faves.
I’ve been subtly sending hints to my husband that I want to go to NO for our 11 year anniversary (sending your roundup of places to go and flight itineraries is subtle, right?). We are going next weekend!!! Would LOVE. To see an updated list. There is SO much to do! I can’t wait to stuff myself silly.
I always like reading your Sunday News. I like the links and thoughts that you give us. Always interesting. When you talk about New Orleans, sure we want to come visit. I will finally come at the end of September to visit. I will go try this pizza, it looks great! I hope I will be able to attend one of your workshop. Nicole
I think a thank you should be given, either in person or by note. When the kids were little I would make them call their out of town grandparents before they could play with their toys. It just seems polite to me to say thank you in some way.
And I agree with Sandra, an unexpected thank you is a gift in itself. I can do without the “thank you for the (fill in the blank)” style notes I receive from people after weddings or showers. It doesn’t feel genuine.
Curious about your Barbara article when even her strongest of foes are turning out in her honor. I look forward to Sundays from you but this link made me sad.
https://newrepublic.com/article/147657/outside-limits-human-imagination
For a whole lot more info about the rajneeshi cult, read the above. It was A LOT worse than the documentary shows.
I really appreciated this time capsule and reflection without the hazy rose colored glasses. I find it irritating when people are cannonized the minute they die, it’s not about”respect” or tearing down but accurate memory and historical facts.
Thank you for this!
Really liked the thank you note article, and was really annoyed by the sheer volume of people in the comments that obviously didn’t even read the whole thing. She very clearly stated that she thanked each person that was at the baby shower as she opened each gift, and if something came in in the mail that she wrote to let them know and thank them. I not only think this is fair, but it is what I did. To me, a thank you in person means so much more than a letter and I’ve never once thought twice that what I did was considered “wrong” by anyone.
Thank you notes are one of the last and best ways to show you have some manners. I’ll fight to the death on this one. Not only is our time not so precious that we don’t have five minutes to write a little note, but the happiness that getting a real, hand-written note can bring is the best ROI on a postage stamp. And by all means, keep it simple โ postcard thank you notes are just as wonderful. Sign me Writing Thank You Notes in PDX
Just returned home from a long weekend in New Orleans and referenced your N.O. favorites post from December 2015 SO MANY times. Made it to Spitfire, Cochon, Peche, Commander’s, District Donuts, Atchafalaya, Patois, Satsuma and Bacchanal all because of you :) Thanks for all of the great recs!
The thank-you note article was so, so, so good. Some of the customs surrounding the etiquette of thank-you letters still make me squirm. For example, the idea that one must send thank-yous after a funeral. If I send a letter of condolence, I sure don’t expect anything (much less a letter or card) on top of your grief.
I would rather take the time to send a thank you when it is unexpected- after a thoughtful phone call, recalling a past memory, or a really well prepared meal.
And quite honestly, I would rather receive thank-you notes for these little moments, too. My gifts don’t come with string attached!
It is a privilege to say thank you, not a tyranny.
Ah!!
I just picked up a Kitchenaid Mini Mixer this week…I splurged on the brushed copper. I have been wanting one…specifically the copper one…for months but had a hard time justifying paying extra for the finish. I finnaly just gave in and purchased it when it was on sale for 20% off. I honestly was tempted by the new coral color but it is not available in the mini.
That said, go for it Joy…I imagne you could make a good case for an additional mixer given you have workshops in your kitchen.
In response to all things woman, feminist, and food; I have been thinking about what it means to bring feminism into the kitchen. Thanks for helping create that space!
My husband and I were in NOLA over the Easter weekend for the first time…thanks to your recommentions we hit Herbsaint, Cochon, and Carousel Piano Bar… otherwise we’d have been completely paralyzed by all the options. So thanks so much for that! Also, jazz brunch at the Court of Two Sisters is a must!!!
I was really curious about that thank you note article. Personally, yes, I do like to write notes, but if someone opens a present in front of you and thanks you shouldn’t that be enough? And then I thought
“Wait – how big are baby showers these days? Like, as big as weddings?” I don’t think I’ve been to a baby showere where there were more than 20 people attending. But I’ve not been to a baby shower in quite some time. As for weddings….well, if I’m going to the wedding I now skip all the pre-wedding engagement party/wedding showers (plural)/bachelorette parties/etc….
I’m coming to NO in May! I can’t wait for your recommendations ?
But I need the strawberry recipe now, please! Iโve just picked my second batch here in GA! :)
That HBR article is really great. The differences between men and women in my experience has been what the bosses have chosen to make of the same situations.
Thank you notes in Germany are not that common…
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
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