So there’s this huge pothole in front of my house… and no this isn’t the start to a dad-joke or dirty-joke… there’s actually a pothole. I’ve reported it to the city, they’ve smiled and nodded, and now it’s my turn to decide if I maybe somehow fill the pothole myself (someway somehow) before my car sinks into it never to be seen again, or… not? If you’ve ever seen a New Orleans pothole you know that I’m talking about a hole in the street the size of the Grand Canyon and not just a bump in the road.
In other very important and very pressing news, I’ve learned this week that if people find you annoying or bossy on a deserted island, they will do anything they can to be away from you…. namely, vote you off the island… and yes, I’m talking about Survivor because I still can’t stop watching it.
I hope you’re looking forward to a focused and productive week. The best way to do that is to let Sunday be easy and breezy, and to ease into Monday with an extra cup of coffee and a give-a-crap, but-not-too-much-of-a-crap attitude + doughnut.
Here’s some things to think about:
• Why Luck Matters More Than You Might Think: when people see themselves as ‘self-made’ they tend to be less generous. Pure luck and good fortune takes away that extra sparkle from the success story, but good grief it’s in there! May the fortunes smile down upon us all.
• How our politicians and media are helping terrorists win. Creating power where there is none. This is an interesting read.
• If you don’t pay attention to basketball, you still might be interested to know that Steph Curry is a unicorn and the best thing since Michael Jordan.
• The branded fashion of the ‘farm to table’ restaurant and some truths about what we’re eating. Farm to Fable. See that pun? It’s a longread and worth it.
• Your Healthy Lifestyle Won’t Necessarily Make You Healthier which is precisely why I’m stuffing my face with candy right now.
• I’ve ordered my pair of flattering lady chef pants and I want you to know about them too. Polka Pants!
• Old but worth a revisit: The Moral Bucket List. What are we working towards? Resume virtues or eulogy virtues?
• Weekend Read: Renting hell in New York City, how my hoarder landlord ruined my life. A two-part deal with the devil. Would you rent a 2400 sq ft Brooklyn apartment for $1000? It’s the stuff of legends and horror stories.
• Do you get Sift Magazine by King Arthur Flour? It’s fantastic.
• Related / not related: Ruth from King Arthur Flour told me about this article about the people who blur out the naked bits in our reality television. The Lord’s work. For Staff on ‘Naked and Afraid’ Work Is Just a Blur
• I’m tremendously excited about this upcoming kitchen book by Julia Turshen. Small Victories is worth a pre-order.
• I do love a good pencil. Lucky for me they’re coming back in to style. (Wait… what?) Turning a Profit Selling Pencils. Right on with it.
• Brown Butter Baked Pistachio Donuts because they’re absolutely delicious and very pretty and I’m sorry to make you buy another baking pan.
• Knowing nothing about fashion, it seems like things this Spring are very off-the-shoulder. I’m still wearing shirts like this.
I hope your Sunday is fine and good. I’ve got Strawberry Crumble in our future!
xo Joy
Judy
Joy, I’m a longtime reader. I love your wit, sensitivity and brilliance. Always waiting for your Sunday blog. Be well. Be happy! You’re grand. ????????????
Alyssa
haha whenever i think of fixing potholes, i think about rob swanson a la parks and recreation taking it upon himself to fix those damn things https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r1srQ6RC7w
great articles! that naked and afraid one had me rolling with laughter
dessertfortwo
OMG where did I see those pants? You must have snapped them. But basically, I saw these last week and spent a ridiculous amount of time staring at that woman’s butt and then decided if mine would look like that in those pants. Are the pants magical? They must be, right?!
Chris
I bet if you put on your Polka Pants and sashayed (love that word) down to city hall, they would definitely take notice of you with the pot hole complaint! :) Or you could throw some mud on your pants and tell them you Fell in the pot hole and where is the city attorneys office! :))
If you ever tire of Survivor and or the Naked and Afraid…there is always the Outlander Series on tv now. If nothing else you will be watching it just to see Jamie! :)
Love your Sunday posts!
joythebaker
I really do need to get on this Outlander train.
Monica
Also, if something happens to your car because of said pothole, it should be the city’s responsibility to fix your car. That would get them to fix the pothole quickly, although would make you out of a car for a bit. I hope it gets fixed soon!
The Capable Student
I’m new to Sift magazine and the King Arthur weekly email, and I love them both!
Rebeca
My ex’s sister got me a pair of Polka Pants, which I thought was a bit weird since I’m not a chef… But they’re fantastic! So comfy and even stylish, if you ask me.
Thank you for your Sunday lists! I’ve got some reading to do.
Diane Leach
I love Julia Turshen….the Buvette Cookbook! She so deserves her turn in the sun!
Bridget
regarding potholes…here is link to a group in Hamtramack(Detroit) who have been filling their own…https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjh_8nurZbMAhVGyYMKHWa3ATYQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freep.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fmichigan%2Fwayne%2F2015%2F07%2F27%2Fhamtramck-residents-decide-fill-potholes-themselves%2F30758405%2F&usg=AFQjCNE-b011_MoMWCxNCcUdPVQhhh8CgA Good Luck!
PJ Coffey
I look forward every Sunday to your post, the WSJ and something made with cinnamon.
Whitney
Thanks for the articles! Read a few already with a squirmy toddler in my lap while skipping church :) I think the personal responsibility vs. systemic problems for health issues could be a good analogy to help people understand racism, sexism, etc. Being a “good” person just isn’t enough.
Betty
Hi Joy, I just joined your newsletter and was expecting it to be lots of recipes, then I read it, and thought??? I LOVE it, so many interesting facts and places to look. I know I will enjoy reading this every Sunday, and other days, but I gather your Sunday newsletter is different? I’m excited. :-)
Sarah Katherine Moore
Farm to fable – maybe for city folks who don’t make the effort to drill down past the obvious profit motive and find out the truth.
I’m a left coast denizen and fortunate to live mostly in the country with access to the city, perfect combo for the arts addict I admit to being. Lucky me – no fable here because I actually KNOW the farmers where I buy fresh organic seasonal produce and yes they do keep the best bits for their customers to make the road trip out in the countryside to visit their farm stand. (That having been said, all their produce is phenomenal.). I personally know the three meat growers I patronize for my dogs’ food, as I home cook a canine nutritionist-designed diet for them (I’m vegetarian though not vegan). I personally know the owners/operators of the two conventional fruit orchards I visit as well as the heirloom organic orchard I patronize during their all-too-short season, a season that includes farm-table dinners with no mileage in between as the al fresco dining tables are set up within sight of the orchard and the fields. Within walking distance for me (or, running distance with dog loping alongside) is an old fashioned “truck patch” with not only fruits and veggies in the ramshackle shed serving as the “farm store” but also flowers – iris and sweet peas and roses and best of all peonies.
My Kansas-raised mother and grandmother taught me about the real farmers markets when we were living in Seattle with the amazing resource known as the Pike Place Market which is still in existence. I never forgot those lessons – buy what you know from whom you know, in person, and cook it for yourself.
My stepdaughter lives in Brooklyn (NYC) and she along with many of her neighbors don’t bother with the farm stands or the uber-expensive “farm to table” branded restaurants. They are too busy with their own rooftop, balcony and even fire-escape urban gardens.
JD
You’ve provided a unique group of articles for our perusal this Sunday.
A quick scan of the articles indicate that they will require a more thorough reading through the week.
I am most interested in following up on Simon Jenkins” article on terrorism and the media and Laura Reiley’s “Farm
to Fable”
I enjoyed the story on pencils and am looking forward to reading “Small Victories” and trying some of the recipes.
Through the week I’ll work on getting the rest of the articles read.
I will say from a purely male point of view, I think the ‘Polka Pants” are definetely going to be a hit.
Have a great Sunday
joythebaker
hahahahha. Right on JD.
Martha in KS
I look forward to your Sunday posts – yours is the only blog that I read regularly who posts on Sunday. Please share a photo of your pothole. I’d love to see it! Maybe we can come up with a creative solution.
joythebaker
It’s not glamorous… just car destroying. Picture soon!