Hello dear friends,
I’m currently in denial about what might be a cold? A cold because it better not be the flu. I’m not accepting any mail from the flu. Part of my denial this weekend involves me roasting a chicken with butter and lemons and making a variation of this lentil soup for next week. The old wive’s tale is definitely something like ‘feed a cold that you’re denying’ right?
This week I went to dinner at, inarguably, one of the most special places in New Orleans: Mosquito Supper Club. It’s an authentic Cajun restaurant, open three nights a week for one seating each night, communal tables, family style, so many biscuits and so much crab – it’s a perfect evening. I’m gathering up my other New Orleans favorites to share with you later this week. It’s an ever evolving list. You’ll come visit, won’t you?
I hope this week finds you well and healthy! The offering this week is below. As always, take what you need:
• This: How Is The Shutdown Affecting America? Let Us Count The Ways. (NPR)
• I haven’t watched the Marie Kondo Netflix show yet because I haven’t prepared my heart and schedule to purge my closet and kitchen but this is very relevant content: The Marie Kondo Effect Reaches Beacon’s Closet (The New Yorker)
• Several of you sent along this article for me to read: Bright Lights, small city. It’s about making the decision to move to New Orleans, encouraging a different life to take shape, and yes… talking to your neighbors. (Curbed)
• Stay sexy: How true crime podcasts find clues the police miss. (BBC)
• Do you listen to the podcast Ear Hustle? I like it very much. I also like this news quite a lot: Earlonne Woods Made An Amazing Podcast – and it won him his freedom. (MotherJones)
• This week’s long read is deeply real: The Weight I Carry (The Atlantic)
• I love Maggie’s perspective and appreciate how honestly and generously she talks about her relationship with food, health and dieting: The 3 Weight-Loss Proverbs That Just Didn’t Work For Me. (The Kitchn)
• Let’s commit to keep exploring new ingredients and techniques in the kitchen this year. Marisa from Food In Jars has a 12-month canning challenge for the new year and I’m super excited to experiment!
• Today is a good day to remind yourself how simple and satisfying it is to make a roasted chicken: No-Fail Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic. I added potatoes to the pan and have no regrets. (Bon Appetit)
• Citrus season comes along right when we need it: Grapefruit Cake with Grapefruit Curd. (Joy the Baker)
• Why yes, I very much want to make a PomPom Beret! (Teen Vogue)
• I am digging this collaboration between Poketo and Beyond Yoga. (Beyond Yoga)
That’s all for today my friends. Enjoy your Sunday!
My love to you.
xo Joy
Brenda
I met Jami Attenberg (Bright Lights, small city) in the most New Orleanian way. I was walking my dog and she was putting out her trash. She put two books on the street and I asked if they belonged to her. She explained that people send her books and I could have them if I wished. She began to tell me that she was an author, but then her dog came out to meet my dog and our conversation changed. It wasn’t until I got home and Googled her that I realized that I had just chatted with a New York Times bestselling author. She’s so correct: we make connections here like nowhere else.
Ann
Just wanted to comment re: the shutdown. I am a federal worker who is currently furloughed. Yes, it sucks, but this is also my fifth one since starting under the last administration. It happens, and is just a reality of public service that you prepare for. This is certainly the longest one so far, but we only missed one paycheck. We will get it back (we always do)! If anything, this whole thing has shown us a) how powerful political bases have become b) how few people are prepared for financial emergencies c) how overblown the effects of the shutdown are. My agency is pretty staffed up, and most operations are still running, just not at 100%. Yeah, I’m bored out of my mind, but this is life and the political reality that we the people have created through misinformation, willful ignorance (*looks at all my fellow millennials who did not give a crap about politics or history until 2016*), and subjectivity.
Having said that, one of Congress’s PRIMARY constitutionally-mandated functions is to appropriate funds for the government. I don’t know about you, but if I did not fulfill one of my basic job duties, I would not be employed, let alone draw a paycheck. So really, Congress should be feeling the financial heat. Not federal workers. I think we need to re-engineer our shutdown policies so that the people who do their jobs don’t suffer the consequences for those who don’t. Just my two cents. :)
Amy
II will see you April 23 for the first weekend of Jazz Fest, New Orleans is my second favorite city after Philadelphia (where I live)! I can’t wait to eat chargrilled oysters and hear music!!!!!! Is there a restaurant near the park (besides Brennans) that you would recommend? Thanks!