Hello my friends!
Welcome to the weekend!
I spent a few days in Philadelphia last week (it’s been a minute since my last visit) and the city has exploded in overgrown green and off the shoulder dresses and just some very fine summer living. Good on ya, Philly. I thought seriously about bringing home some long hots (these are peppers) so I could make my own roast pork sandwiches in New Orleans. What stopped me was feeling self-conscious with a bunch of peppers on a plane, but as I sit here, back in New Orleans distinctly without long hots, I see the error of my ways.
This coming week I’m off to Los Angeles and Denver for some solid work and play times. If you know a thing or two about Denver, I’d love your suggestions!
Here’s some of the links that resonated with me this week. I hope this finds you well and rested and ready to enjoy this beautiful day.
• This week’s long read is really worth the time and I’ll just leave it here for you. How The Death of a Muslim Recruit Revealed A Culture of Brutality in the Marines. Life is a lot of grays.
• A life; a home. This is a beautiful read: The Joy of Reading About Cooking. Also, have you ever had the language in your dreams change when you’re learning a new? Trippy.
• Begin anew: Chef Sean Brock puts down the bourbon.
• Do you listen to Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast? It’s very thoughtful, investigative stories you didn’t know you needed to know.
• Let us remember the neurotic hilarity that was Elaine Benes: 90’s Icon, amen.
• News that does not surprise us: Women In Tech Speak Frankly About Culture of Harassment
• The Chocolate Chip Cookies That Rewards Laziness by using cold butter. High proportion of salt and flour and a curiously small amount of brown sugar but I’d give this a try! Twist our arms, right? Cookies!
• A very satisfying recipe for Homemade Franks and Beans which, strangely enough, might be my favorite food.
• We’ve entered a strange place. It’s overly rainbowed, or full of sprinkles, or somehow a doughnut and sushi, combined. Photographed and filtered. It’s Instagram Food and really, let’s all just know that we don’t have to do this. Real food is actually exciting enough (and tastes better).
• My maj Tracy is creating healthy eating habits (and likely it’s Instagram-worthy because vegetables are beautiful.)
• Not necessarily summer vibes but, here’s what I want to listen to on audiobook: No Country For Old Men.
• I’ll tell you now that I’m a sucker for a summer night sweater dress.
• I either love this romper or hate this romper. It’s really hard to tell and it’s really not the most important thing in the world.
• Two things in my summer travel bag: this insulated Klean Kanteen because it keeps my water at the perfect chill-ish temperature and this loose cotton cocoon dress for breezy summer comfort.
That’s all for today, yea? Enjoy the rest.
xo Joy
The Queen Of Dreaming
Great reads!
https://justsem.wordpress.com/
Amy
I highly recommend The Source in Denver – it’s an artisan food market just north of downtown, about the same size as St. Roch in NOLA. We only stopped for coffee and pastries (both ????), and I regret that we didn’t have time to spend the entire day eating and drinking there! Both Comida and Acorn are here too, which several people have mentioned.
Alese
Hi Joy! 100% do not miss Blue Pan Pizza. I don’t think anyone had mentioned yet. Also Golden is lovely and a quick drive from downtown and GCB (Golden City Brewery) is the freakin best! I also second Linger and Root
Down. I’m sure you will enjoy Denver wherever you go. :) what are you up to while you’re here?
Ronel Kappes
Habit donut and whiskey dispensary, rootdown, linger, denver biscuit company, rioja…infintite monkey theorem winery..all great places to enjoy in denver….
Janie
Welcome to Denver! A few recommendations…
I third the suggestions above – Stowaway for breakfast.
Huckleberry for coffee. Fort Greene is my favorite bar and they serve pie. Pearl Street Farmers Market on Sunday morning. Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe for a great local butcher. Work & Class for food. Or Cart Driver. Or The Populist. Enjoy!!
Danielle
I’ve always wanted to comment and always felt shy. (Which I really am not.) I’m so excited you’re coming to Denver! Is is for Slow Food Nations? Please say yes. There’s so much good here. So. Much. Although we’re getting too trendy for our own good. I would figure out how to visit Red Rocks – so peaceful and beautiful in the morning. Then I’d hit up the Farmer’s Market at South Pearl Street (the one in Denver) on Sunday AM. Watch out for the guy with the szechuan button flowers… or embrace him. It’s an experience.
Katelyn
I am native English speaking but when I lived, ever-too-briefly, in France, I dreamed in French. It was, as you say, trippy. I also used to have a hard time speaking to my parents on the phone for the first few minutes because I would have gone a week without speaking any English (this was back in 1999 when international calling was like $2 a minute. Add that to the list of things the whippersnappers won’t ever know). It’s both deeply unsettling and a great reassurance that you actually ARE becoming fluent. Lots of brain confusion when you live abroad, but it’s worth it.
Lauren
I love all these wonderful Denver recs! We Denverites know what’s up with food, drink and sites in our fair city. Gonna second (third? fourth?) all of the following: Hop Alley, Cart Driver, Linger (or El Five or Root Down — all sister restaurants and you can’t go wrong at any of them) followed by ice cream at the iconic Little Man milk can. Also gonna add one that I can’t believe no one’s mentioned yet: Work & Class! Basically, anything in the RiNo is the best :) Have so much fun — can’t wait to see where you end up!
Emily
Salt Lake City is practically on the way to Denver if you want to stop here first. We’d love to have you!