Hello friends! Welcome to your Sunday! I went on a procrastibaking journey this Friday knowing full well I’d only play myself and stay up late getting the week’s work done. WORTH IT. I made a version of Claire Saffitz’s Glazed Apple Tart with store-bought puff pastry and rum instead of sherry. It’s the sort of recipe you can read through and then make up your own rules about. I’ll leave my version of the recipe here for you though I wholly suggest you read it through once and do your own thing. There’s no way this isn’t delicious.
Our friend Kim is here with our links this week, huzzah! But before we hear from Kim, let this serve as your reminder that you should totally come bake pie with me and dad this Wednesday over the Internet. Let’s make our holiday pies together!
Enjoy your day, friends. And now, KIM!
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Hello from a person who admittedly does not have 500K Instagram followers. Congrats on the huge milestone, Joy! I am nervous on your behalf. It’s fall in Nashville, which means the ground is covered in leaves and our cars are covered in sex-crazed female cardinals trying to mate with their reflections. Too niche? Let’s get to the links!
• Joy mentioned recently that famed author and Judge Mathis enthusiast, Samantha Irby, commented on one of her Instagram posts. Please allow me this opportunity to tell you 2 things: 1) ICYMI Sam wrote on the Sex and the City reboot, airing on HBO Max December 9; and 2) I chatted with Sam last year for my podcast, Ladyland. Viva la Irby! (Substack, Ladyland)
• Instagram is my drug of choice. I am constantly muting, hiding, and then unmuting accounts. I feel so guilty! But also, it has to be done. Good news, it’s not just me. Saeed Jones on The Friends You Make Online.
• One of my favorite independent bookstores outside of Nashville is Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, NY, owned by author Emma Straub. In Emma’s latest newsletter she’s giving book recommendations, and trust me, you want to know Emma’s Top Twenty Books of 2021. (Substack)
• “If the people you love have their sights set on something specific, God go with you as you make your way into the heart of supply-chain darkness,” Margaret Renkl on forgetting Amazon and buying your gifts closer to home this year. New York Times
• Have you watched any nineties movies lately? If you do, you’ll notice that the women in these movies have lines, wrinkles and non-whitened teeth. It’s an alarming contrast to what we see now, which is why I immediately clicked on this article by Glynnis MacNicol about turning 47 and looking it. (The Riveter)
• As someone who has spent the past 3 years recovering from chronic dieting and obsessive exercise, let me tell you, Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes are doing the lord’s work with their wellness-debunking podcast, Maintenance Phase. Do me a favor and listen to this episode, Is Being Fat Bad For You?. (Maintenance Phase)
• Speaking of podcasts, I love Adam J. Kurtz and he has a new book out, You Are Here (For Now). To promote his book, he made a lil podcast with a bunch of his friends and the episodes are FANTASTIC. Give it a listen here. (AdamJK.com)
• You may have already decided what you’re bringing to Friendsgiving, but if not, may I recommend Joy’s easy pumpkin pie bars with toasted meringue? Um, yum! It’s what I’m bringing to the table (and to my stomach) this week. (Joy the Baker)
• My husband and I recently celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We decided to drive to a new city and stay in a nice hotel for the weekend. Reader, we went to Ohio and I… love the midwest now? Read more here: Columbus, Ohio Wrap-Up. (The Blonde Mule)
• Let me slap this dead horse one more time on my way out. Not everyone knows how to buy books online without buying them from Amazon. The answer? Bookshop dot org. You can make, save, and share wishlists on their site. Also? Audiobooks. If you think people love podcasts, wait until you hear how much people love audiobooks. A subscription to Libro.fm makes a great gift for the millennials in your life.
See you next month!
Kim Baldwin is a writer and social media strategist living in Nashville, TN. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @theblondemule and at theblondemule.com.
Nikki
I lived in Cbus and there’s a lot that I missed.
The Book Loft is so dreamy if you’re a bibliophile but yeah, not really accessible to all. I’m midfat and was able to be everywhere although there werek spaces that I couldn’t linger for claustrophobia reasons.
Please tell me you went to Jeni’s and it just didn’t make the post. I know she’s venturing out with her ice creams but Cbus is the OG.
Thanks for the reminder of how much I love that city. Happy Thanksgivnig!
Kim Baldwin
Trish – yes! And same. I’m 45 and I constantly have folks in their mid to late thirties pretend they’re shocked I’m 45. But the thing is, I look 45. I think it’s true, none of us know what age looks like anymore.
Laura McGaughey
Don’t see YOUR recipe attached for the apple tart??
joythebaker
I’m so sorry I fussed that up! I’ve included it in the post but also here ya go! https://joythebaker.com/glazed-apple-tart/
Becca
I wanted to thank you for the Glynnis MacNicol article! This is so important to realize. I HAVE been watching a few nineties movies, and the way in which–over just 25 years or so–we have CRIMINALLY edited women’s appearances is astounding. See also: social media.
There is a lot of easy talk about “doing things for you!” and “doing what makes you happy!” Usually, this is given as a reason for Botox or filler or teeth whitening or face lifts or some other thing that is culturally written onto our psyches. To understand the deeply misogynistic culture that is responsible for our feelings of inadequacy–particularly as we age–is much more important than keeping up with them, I think!
Trish
I agree that MacNicol’s article is important.
On my recent visit to LA (which I loved) a shop owner was surprised to see I had a college aged daughter. She told me I looked so young. But then she said, “It’s so refreshing to see someone who has CLEARLY decided not to have work done. We don’t see many women like that, and uh, with a roundish face.”
I didn’t even know how to respond. I may have been speechless but her statement spoke volumes.
Kim
Hi Becca! I’m so glad to hear that Glynnis’ article resonated. I’m a big fan of hers. If you haven’t read her memoir from a few years, definitely check it out. She’s also a great follow on Twitter in you’re on that dumpster fire site.
samantha campanini
Thank you girls for this post!!
Kim
Hi Samantha – thank YOU for reading! Happy Thanksgiving!
Mary Ann Murray
Happy Turkey+ Day!
I can’t get to your link for your version of the apple tart. Help, please!
Thanks for everything else. :)
Nichole
Love this, Kim. Wasn’t expecting to cry over The Friends You Make Online, but there you go.
Kim
Hi Nichole! I don’t want to say I’m excited you cried, ha ha, but I’m glad Saeed’s piece hit home with you, too. Being online is such a weird experience. I’m glad someone is trying to make sense of it.
Cass
sorry if I am being dense, but where is Joy’s version of the apple tart recipe??
Ess
Loooove Columbus! How could you go wrong with Jenn’s ice cream everyday?!
Kim
Hi Ess! I’m so glad to meet another Columbus fan! I really did love it. And of course, Jeni’s – yes. The absolute best ice cream.
M
Sign up for BookBub you receive an email daily with ebooks at a discount deals recent books on new books you can buy them from various folks other than Amazon (I’m Apple person I like all my books one place). You pick your areas of interest can change easily & they are associated with Chirp if you are into audio books. They have an app but you don’t need it. It’s free and I’ve found a easily 7-10 authors I wasn’t familiar with. Cookbooks too and it’s free. Yes free & I haven’t had an issue with my info being sold
Joy I really miss your Sundayposts just not the same when someone else sits in.
joythebaker
You’ll hear from me for the next few weeks! Thanks for holding space for Toby and Kim. I really appreciate the perspective they bring. Their contributions delight me and that’s what goes down in this space.
Jaclyn D Levy
Thank you Kim and Joy! Happy Friendsgiving! ???
Kim
Hi Jaclyn! Thank you for reading! Happy Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Turkey Week, Vegetarian Sides Only Plate, etc week – ha ha ha!
Amanda
My indie bookseller heart grew three sizes reading this post. Thank you, Kim!!
joythebaker
Three whole sizes!
Kim
Amanda, that makes me so happy! I used to be an indie bookseller, too. We’ve got to stick together, ha ha. Thanks for reading!