New Orleans is its own world, especially during Mardi Gras. There’s a whole language spoken here most I’ve never encountered in my living and breathing across the country.
It light look like I have a very sassy, very high pink heel just sitting on my living room shelf. A shoe, absent it’s pair. It’s more than a shoe. That pink, doughnut-decorated gem is a Muses Shoe. The Muses Parade is one of the best parades of Mardi Gras. All ladies, huge floats, lots of music and dancing in the street, and the coveted throw (or prize) from a float… the thing that everyone wants… is an intricately decorated shoe. Each Muse on a float only decorates a limited number of shoes to throw, so they’re coveted. This shoe feels extra special to be me because it was the first Muses shoe made by my friend Jessica, it has doughnuts on it, and it’s mine.
I think the rest of yous are doing Super Bowl things. That makes sense. We’re catching beads and eating crawfish and acting live we live on another planet because we do.
Other things are happening besides shoes and plastic beads. I’m sure of it.
The Internet according to what I think is interesting:
• What to Expect When You’re Expecting The Collapse of Society As We Know It. You know. No biggie. This article is not meant to scare you. It is meant to inspire you to buy more toilet paper at Costco.
• This interview with news anchor Rachel Maddow is fantastic. On politics, succinct with opinions.
• Trees Have a Social Network Too. Yea but do they have that cool little Facebook video that debuted this week showing photos of all your friends and the exciting things you did together? I didn’t think so. We win, trees. One point for humans.
• Six Degrees of Separation? No longer. Thanks to Facebook we’re down to 3.57 degrees of separation. That has such a nice ring to it.
• Louis CK and an exercise in ‘Don’t talk about it; be about it’ released a new show without telling anyone. Horace and Pete can be found here.
• I barely know what’s going on with the Super Bowl except that it’s happening today and there are bound to be a lot of whistle blows and crash sounds because that’s really all football is anyway. Football, expensive commercials, over the top halftime shows aside, there is one important Super Bowl moment to remember and it has everything to do with Whitney Houston. Thank you Whitney. Also, watch the video and remember how George Bush Sr pronounced Saddam (as in Hussein). Yup. Remember that?
• Could there ever be another OJ Simpson? Please no. Please no. Please no.
• This week I was introduced to the disgusting world of the ‘manosphere’. You should see the snarl on my face as I type that word. Inside the ‘manosphere’ you’ll find douche canoes like Roosh V (recently defending himself against claims that he tried to organize ‘pro rape rallies’ because YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME), and these two Asheville coffee shop dudes who ran a secret twitter and podcast (a PODCAST!) about their misogynistic atrocities and sexual exploits with so much garbage and judgement that I am honestly…. I don’t even know. Is this what’s real?
• Either this Venice Beach Juice Bar owner is moving to Mars, or I am. I’m just not sure we can exist on the same planet. I’ve got my bags packed (especially in light of the men mentioned above). How Hollywood’s Favorite Juice Bar Owner Eats Every Day. I want to roll my eyes, but I feel like they won’t even go back into my head far enough.
• Similarly: For Millennial Men, Gray Hair Is Welcome. I mean… Ladies. No more hair color or stupid Botox. If men get to welcome signs of aging, so do we. My eyes hurt from so much rolling and rage. Is this normal?
• Thank goodness for new BEY. Thank you Beyonce. We need you. Never let us go.
• I Let my Grandma Pick Out My Outfits For A Week. My grandma would have me in coral lipstick and big pearl earrings, I just know it.
• How to make homemade conversation hearts. Thank you Food52! How are we going to get Drake lyrics on conversation hearts. We’re gonna need a bigger heart.
• Dinner this week: Turkey and Bacon Meatloaf.
• I don’t wear very much makeup, so when it comes time to actually put makeup on my face I need a lot of proverbial hand holding. I like this Real Life to Red Carpet Eye Tutorial Kit, although it’s more Real Life to Real Life With A Little Makeup (aka dinner out with other humans).
• A book I was generously gifted this week: Brene Brown’s Rising Strong. Which has me thinking, are you going to read Elizabeth Gilbert’s new book Big Magic?
I wish you well this Sunday!
xo Joy
(I’m still mad about the manosphere.) (Still.) (I had to read this to help.)
Laura
Officially obsessed with the term “douche canoe”…. Thank you. Thank you very much .
robinterry1
I just started reading “Big Magic” last night! Will let you know how it goes!
Beth C.
I don’t even know what that Moon Juice lady said. Seriously. I recognized, like, maybe 3 of those ingredients (Were they ingredients?). I suppose I could eat better, but that is just…depressing.
Tawni
All of the “manosphere” stuff made me feel sick. I can’t believe there are people like that in the world. It just makes me sad.
And that Moon Juice lady! I wonder if she actually enjoys eating those things? Along the same lines, I read an interesting article about how being obsessive about eating “clean” food might actually be turning into another eating disorder. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/orthorexia-nervosa
Thanks for making unapologetically delicious, real food Joy.
Becca
Big Magic has snuck its way into every conversation I’ve had for the past two weeks. I listened to it on Audible, but I have to go out and buy a copy just so I can attack it with a highlighter. Seriously inspiring and well-worth the read!
Mary B
Moon Juice lady is killing. me. When I saw the cashews I thought “finally – real food!” and then I read that they are activated cashews… WTF is that?!?! What’s wrong with regular cashews? I also don’t know why I want to be mineralized, and I think perhaps she and I have different ideas about what is “insanely delicious” (her: cultured sea vegetables; me: bacon and things with butter in them.) I don’t even want to know how much all the heart tonic and vanilla mushroom protein powder and bee pollen she eats in one day costs because I’ve already given all the eye rolls that I have to spare for her.
And I wish I never knew the manosphere existed, but thank you for using the term douche canoes. I can’t think of anything more appropriate.
Marlena
I wanted to thank you for always putting a smile on my face with your LITS posts. I am now polling everyone I know about whether to prep or not.
Beth
I often save your Let it Be Sunday series until Monday, a treat before I start the work week. So many wonderful things to catch up on this morning, now I’m running late!! Only time for a 2 minute shower. Thanks for the good reads, Joy!
Pepper Dasnee
Thank you, I enjoyed reading this post!
Gail
Happy Mardi Gras Joy?????????????????
Jess Carey
What I wouldn’t give to live in New Orleans right now… happy Mardi Gras!
dessertfortwo
I read what the Juice Bar’s chick’s diet was like and I about died. I fought the urge to go back through and add up calories because surely she’s not getting enough. She eats like 1 meal. That spiralized salad doesn’t have any calories. Ugh. But I’m still endlessly fascinated with her.
Have a great week! <3
Sarah
Bey. Goddess. That video is everything.
Adrienne
On a happier note, relating to the gross Asheville coffee shop dudes… some of their former employees have started their own coffee shop with a goal of supporting the local community: https://www.tradeandlore.com/
joythebaker
That’s so excellent! Thank you for this!