Hello sweet friends!
I hope this finds you enjoying a second Saturday. I love a Sunday that’s actually a second Saturday and we have Memorial Day to thank for it. While we’re busting out the first of the watermelon and hot dogs to celebrate this fine start to summer, here’s a brief reminder why we get enjoy this Memorial Day with some thoughtfulness, you know? Have you seen that documentary about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? It’s incredible.
I’m in Los Angeles again briefly this weekend to see my dear friend Jon get married. Love love love. It’s a strong current this year.
It’s funny coming back to Los Angeles after not living here for a few good years. The sunshine feels familiar, the ocean seafoam creeps up the beach just as I remember, but my goodness the cool-factor… y’all…. I mean seriously… can we dial it back? It’s gone to far and you’ve honestly got to be kidding me. I saw a tiny dog in a denim jacket (with tiny patches on it) getting it’s photo taken in front of a Blue Bottle Coffee sign in Venice and I was like, ok I made the right move with my life because I 100% can not deal with this.
That being said… the beach is great and the coffee is fine and for about half of the morning I was convinced I needed to lose 8 pounds until I remembered that my body serves me very well and is happy and strong and enjoys fries and wine. So anyway… headed back to New Orleans soon.
Here are some Sunday thoughts. They’re not aaalll of my Sunday thoughts, for example, I don’t really want to talk about Trump or terrorism… but they are some of my Sunday thoughts and I hope they resonate.
• I felt like this is an important and beautiful piece to read if you are curious about people in the world around you. Alone on the road: truckers feel like ‘throwaway people’.
• Why it’s so hard to admit you’re wrong. Oh you know… it just threatens everything we think we are. That’s all.
• This is why class valedictorians don’t become millionaires. It’s about being disruptive. Vision ain’t about grades, ya know?
• Maybe this will resonate with you in a few ways. I’ll be honest, it did me. When self-improvement becomes self-destruction: 4 warning signs.
• Modern Love: Wanting monogamy as 1,946 men await my swipe. That’s a lot of dudes and somehow this seems really lonely and isolating and are we ok… because I think the answer is NO.
• Nature is amazing… but I mean it in the truest sense of the word AMAZING. Nature’s electricity in your body though sounds dang insane: This is what it’s like to be struck by lightning.
• Can I file this under What The Actual F*ck?: It’s too late for Fox to retract it’s Seth Rich story. Follow up: The corrosion of reality should worry every American.
• I’m working hard on my Summer Bucket list for 2017, but here are a few years past: Summer Bucket List 2015 + Summer Bucket List 2016
• A few fine summers ago, these emerged from my kitchen and I was really happy about it. To be fair, I made them… they didn’t just appear from the heavens though that would have been welcome: Black Pepper and Strawberry Jam Doughnuts
• In very unimportant news, I’m on a smoothie kick and here’s one of my smoothie boosters: Vital Proteins Collagen Powder. #thisis36
• I love these travel tips. Jessica is a ninja and her children are very sweet humans with more stamps on their passports that me: International Travel with Young Children. The how-to.
• Two documentaries I’m watching: LA 92, about the Los Angeles Riots. Venus and Serena, about two of the greatest athletes of our time.
• Every fiber of my being wants these burgers: A Cozy Kitchen’s Copy Cat Shake Shack Burgers
Let’s enjoy this beautiful day. How lucky we are; you know it, too.
More life, more everything – Joy
A
In response to your truckers link, did you see this? https://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/news/rigged-forced-into-debt-worked-past-exhaustion-left-with-nothing/ I know, it’s USA Today, but it’s actually a good investigative story that should make people angry. But I’ve seen so very little about it. Maybe you can help spread the word.
Kristiana
Really enjoyed reading the LA Times post on “When self-improvement is self destruction..” Seeing all the self care and wellness posts all over social media and online, I have wondered if there is something undergirding this for many women. So enlightening and put words into things I’ve been pondering for a long while! Great choice to post.
Also, laughed at your comment on the dog in front of Blue Bottle – would’ve had the same reaction as you ;)
J-Mom
Thank you for the links for Memorial Day. (I know it’s days late but better late then never, right?) I didn’t know it’s history and I will check out the documentary.
Emily
If you enjoyed LA 92, I recommend checking out Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/20/movies/let-it-fall-review-john-ridley.html). John Ridley (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725983/) did an incredible job putting this documentary together.
Stella
Oh Joy! You were back in Los Angeles, I knew there was a reason for the sunshine. I love your column and look forward to reading it each Sunday. Of course, it goes without saying your recipes and books are tops on my list too. As a native Angeleno, I say live and let live. Don’t worry about those picture perfect people; you’re loved just the way you are.
Donna
So interesting how you’ve inserted bits of current events into your beautiful cake post! What’s a gorgeous cake recipe without some words about lonely truckers on the road, right?
I’ll give them a read. Lovely cake!
Melissa
I look forward to your Let It Be Sunday posts every week! Thanks for making them so fun.