Hello friends! Thank you for your patience with me. I’ve been in London for the past handful of days and my internal clock is a little screwy. I’ve been in town teaching a workshop on styling, food photography, and Instagram with some wonderfully accented, living in London ladies (@belleannee, @angrybaker, @prettycitylondon, and @hannahargyle). We’ve wandered the city taking pictures of Notting Hill, eaten as much salad as we have Thai food, and shared inspiration and as much odd knowledge about the Internet as we can. The fresh air and new friends has filled my creative bank and I’m incredibly thankful. Not I just need to sort out how many tins of tea I can fit in my suitcase. Now that I know how to make a proper pot, I’m hooked.
I hope the month is treating you gently so far, though September never really comes with ease. It’s a hold-on-tight sort of month. Below is a bit of procrastination for your Monday. Let’s ease in as best we can. admittedly, the first link is heavy but it’s a worthwhile read.
The Internet, some:
• What It Feels Like To Die. Light early week reading, but read it while your heart beats and your eyes work and maybe feel fascinated that it’s all going on at all.
• I love this series on Design Sponge: The Beauty of Self Care //eight interactive posts written and designed to examine, learn and take actionable steps towards the practice of self-care. Lesson One on patience. Lesson Two on purpose.
• Two things my London Instagram-knowing friends told me about: UNUM, an app for organizing your Instagram feed. Pretty cool if you’re looking to plan a specific feel and look to your Instagram feed. Also, the SKRWT app to adjust any wonky lens issues that come along with shooting with an iPhone.
• This week for the Notting Hill Workshop I made loads of Whipped Ricotta with Honey and Minimalist Baker’s Garlic Herb Flatbread.
• I’m ready to roast things! (Said as I’m wearing a sweater in London and actively ignoring New Orleans weather reports.) From TheKitchn: 5 Sheet Pan Miracle Meals. I’m excited by the thought of this dinner easiness.
• Plotting my future kitchen adventures. Georgian Cheese and Egg Bread aka Khachapuri.
• Currently watching: Tony Robbins: I am not your Guru. The man uses a trampoline more than you might expect. Also, you might cry more than you expect. Likely proportional to the times Tony jumps on his trampoline. I couldn’t take my eyes off this.
• Currently reading: In A Dark Dark Wood which is a very good airplane read.
• You never knew you needed a washable rose-colored paper bag until now. Gah!
• Should we all get matching aloe-green eyeglasses? I think yes, probably yes.
Have a lovely week! More from me soon!
xo Joy
CC Coleman
I’m a little afraid of the ghost pepper salt. Any other suggestions?
joythebaker
Just regular sea salt would be great. Don’t be scared!
Nicole @ The Dirty Oven
Thank you for posting the article on death and dying. It actually quoted one of my co-workers which was nice to see. Death is an experience that we all must face and really we never know how the last chapter of our life will be. A reminder to live each day to the fullest!
Mary B
Khachapuri Acharuli is so decadent, and I love that it’s becoming a thing you see in the US. Georgian cuisine has a lot of other deliciousness to offer, too (in both cheesy bread form and things like eggplant and pork and fun spices) if you’re in the mood to explore!
Suellen
I’ve so enjoyed seeing London through your eyes and what a great time to visit with NOLA being so hot and rainy. Hey…check out Romney Studios in NOLA for great yoga and spin classes. See Melanie Buffett, she’s fantastic.
Cy
Also, just finished ” In a dark, dark wood. Good. On the waiting list for ” Girl on a train, I think that’s her other book. Need a good plane novel for my flight to Mexico City. So excited! Less than two weeks! I love to travel.
Kristin
Your London Instagram posts have been simply delightful. I need you to be my stylist. Not kidding.
Andrea
Any plans to visit Shotgun BBQ — Mississippi chef, meat in your mouth brisket.
Cy
Great post as usual. I’ve been to London many times as my sister lived there for a few years. Great city! Sadly, her flats never had ovens and you need to bake in London, it’s cold, hence all the tea! ???? Deb from Smitten Kitchen has a really good chicken tikka tray bake! Also Nigella is a big fan of them. ( love both those ladies and they never steer me wrong ). Between the three of you, that is where most all my recipes come from! Yay!
Libby
Those aloe green glasses are fine but none compare with the beautiful ones that you’re sporting lately! I love following your IG stories because I get to see your glasses again. They’re dreamy. :)
Alex
Love your blog Joy, and especially love your Sunday posts. I will be in London (for fun, not work) the first week of November. Any must-eat spots? Thanks!
searedandshameless
these are my favorite posts of all the blogs I read. There is something meditative about it.
https://www.searedandshameless.com
The Kitten Abides
Soak up that London sweater weather (color me envious!) . . . it’s going to be hot here this week in New Orleans. I hope you’re having a lovely time with Jessica and safe travels back home!
Maryalene
I always love reading the links you share. So thought-provoking. The one on death sounds so reassuring, but unfortunately, not everyone gets to slip away so peacefully. My husband’s last words, six hours before he died? “It hurts.”
Victoria Sponge Pease Pudding
That Tony Robbins show on Netflix caught me totally off guard and I sobbed buckets and buckets. It’s a weird concept over all but a super powerful programme!
victoriaspongepeasepudding.com
francetaste
That article about dying was very interesting, though having been at my parents’ bedsides when they died recently, within weeks of each other, their deaths were very different.
Another great article from the Atlantic explains why U.S. economists don’t pay much attention to income inequality: blame the Chicago school! http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/09/why-so-few-american-economists-are-studying-inequality/499253/
Stacy Monaco
Dear Joy, I look for you Sunday’s…even before I open the New York Times. So when you aren’t there, I miss you.
Happy travels.
Stacy in Santa Cruz, CA
writely2015
Love England! Jealous…clotted cream on everything while you can!
purple
I’ve read that book. I had some frustration with it.
Leslie
I agree! To my mind it wasn’t as successful as others in the genre.
Kelly
I love khachapuri! It’s hard to come by in the US, thank you for sharing the recipe link!