Hello dear friends and Happy Holidays! Have you made it through the madness to a moment of rest? Last week was a swirl of tasks to complete before, as it would seem, EVERYONE takes a brake for the new year. I hope you’re included in that rest.
This week my friends and I pulled off the holiday dinner I’d been dreaming of for the past month – a Reveillon Dinner. We held it at my friend Sara’s floral studio. There were as many candles as there were flowers, along with decadent dishes like Rabbit Pot Pie, and oyster with champagne, and dessert boards with cream puffs. It’s a tremendous amount of work making your own dreams come true but gosh it’s so worthwhile!
I hope you have a peaceful holiday. Gift yourself and those around you with some extra patience these next few days. A little extra padding, ya know?
Here’s the offering today:
• Reflection: The Year in Pictures 2018 (NYT)
• These bodies are WILD and if you’re a person with estrogen in your body, you should read this: Listening to Estrogen. (The Cut)
• Who you tellin’? The Rise of Anxiety Baking. (The Atlantic)
• Turns out, Not Everything Is a Side Hustle. We can do things just for the sake of creating. Also I’m here for a deviled egg hobby, amen. (The Cut)
• Ann Friedman had One Lunch with (our beloved) Jonathan Gold. (Medium)
• Travel stuff and we go forward this week: Why airlines make you check your carry-on bags. (Vox)
• I’ve linked to this before but maybe you need a reminder and a little something to listen to for holiday travel: Everything Is Alive. (Everything is Alive)
• Here’s what I’m listening to while I travel next week: Becoming by Michelle Obama. She narrates and I’m so looking forward to the message! (Audible)
• Advice for these days: How To Stay Grounded When You’re Overworked & Overwhelmed. (MindBodyGreen)
• “Quit hogging the sheets, loveless void!” I LOLED. Instagram’s Favorite New Yorker Cartoons of 2018. (The New Yorker)
• The Bakehouse made it to the top of this pretty cool list: The 10 Best Cooking Classes In America. (Delish)
• Two things: I made these confetti shortbread cookies this week – they’re so easy and such a delight. Also, a recipe plugin in my site has gone sideways and that means recipes from a few years ago have gone invisible. I’m working on getting that fixed asap! So sorry!
Wishing you a restful holiday with peace and ease.
My love to you,
xo Joy
Patti M.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for mentioning the past recipe problem. I could not figure out why I couldn’t get to a recent favorite. A dear family member recently decided to try a vegan diet and you have had some hits. So glad I tried them for her. I’m looking forward to be able to print them out (originally my printer was on the fritz). I really enjoy your website.
Michelle
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you Joy! Sunday wouldn’t be Sunday without reading your blog.
Lizzie
Merry Christmas Joy! I just finished reading Becoming and I’m sure listening to Michelle Obama read the audiobook is even better. Safe and drama-free travels to you!
Terry
Merry Christmas, I don’t know about over the top deviled eggs p, but I did make two dozen of your Extra-Spécial deviled eggs for post church on Christmas Eve. They have become a family tradition!
Lin
Merry Christmas Joy! Thank you for keeping us informed every Sunday this year!!
Kathleen
Happiest of Christmases to you! The anxiety baking article was SPOT ON–it is amazing how having something to show for your labor is often missing in our modern conception of “work.” I started knitting a couple of years ago, and it’s like baking you can take on the road– plus you get sweaters/socks/shawls/etc. out of it. Making order out of chaos is good for the soul.
Brenda
When you finish listening to Becoming, you’ll want to invite Michelle Obama to the Bakehouse. Not for a fancy dinner, but to sit on your back deck with a couple of drinks and some comfort-food snacks. You’ll want to hug her and ask her tons of questions, while sharing similar stories (not about being First Lady, but of the other events that shape our lives). You’ll never want her to leave. Plan B would be to invite your friends (and perhaps your snowbird neighbor) to discuss this book. I didn’t want it to end.
Wishing you much holiday cheer.
Christiane
Joyeux Noël ??
Dani H
Merry Christmas, Joy!
Andrea
Happy holidays! I so enjoy your recipes and insights!
Karen T
Best regards for a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy new year!
Melissa
Top of the cooking class list, AWESOME! Well done Joy!
MM
Gianna Cioffi
Thank you joy for everything. Merry Christmas Happy New Year’s I’m making your short breads to bring home to my family’s nochebuena celebration!
Jessamin
I’ve been reading these Sunday posts for a while now, and just want to say that it’s become my Sunday ritual to hang out in bed and read through all the links after I wake up. It’s so nice, and I’ve come to love it. I always find something new, interesting or insightful here. Thank you.
S
Just finished up Becoming by Michelle Obama, what a beautiful book. Hope you enjoy it and have wonderful travels!