Hi friends! Goodmorninghellohowareyou? Welcome to the Middle of January.
A few years ago, at the suggestion of friend (and incredible JtB food photographer) Karlee Flores, I took on the life-affirming concept of Gentle January. Rather than smashing my soul into crushing goals and expectations at the tail end of the holiday season, Karlee suggests we take January all the way easy – be GENTLE with ourselves. It is, afterall, the middle of winter or, what editor Abby referred to as “if a month was a hangover” and what other creatures on this earth are trying to Tony Robbins their lives right now? Can we have a minute? Can we have a month? The answer is yes.
This Gentle January I’ve caught up on The Real Housewives of Potomac. It’s messy. It’s a balm. I’ve ordered coat hangers for my new closet in Houston but haven’t yet hung a thing. I’ve taken early morning walks and discovered that there is a whole class of people willing to walk in the dark before the sun comes up. I bought myself flowers at Trader Joe’s. I’ve spent some time to just think about how I want to feel this year and what little steps I can take towards that feeling.
If you smashed yourself into this month and you want to pull back a bit – let this be your call. Chill. It’ll all unfold with time. It’s Sunday afterall.
Speaking of Sunday. Can you believe this is the 400th (!!!) Let It Be Sunday post? The first Let It Be Sunday post dates back to 2014 with a selfie in my friend Whitney’s house in Los Angeles during the going away party she threw for me before I moved to New Orleans. What a time it’s all been. We have all been digging around in this life together for a lot of years, haven’t we? I’m thankful for you. Today’s Sunday post is a soft pillow. As always, take only what you need.
• This week’s long read is a feline led deep dive into interspecies friendship and it had me reaching for Tron who remains unimpressed by my existence and honestly, I respect that. Ugly Cats and the Loneliness of Man (LARB)
• This week I had the distinct honor of chatting with my friend Deb before her book signing of Smitten Kitchen Keepers here in Houston. Our chat was in front of a room of 100 people which is oddly par for the course for us? We had our last great chat at my book signing a few years back. We’ve been on the internet together for so long that we realize, catching up and gushing about food in front of everyone is just what we do. If you don’t have Keepers, you’re missing out on an epic collection of Deb’s best recipes. It’s a must for any cookbook collection. (Blue Willow Bookshop)
• I am not a cryer. Are you a cryer? Sometimes I wish I had more tears to offer but that would require me to spend more time with my feelings and…. nah. BUT – a sad song while I’m in the car by myself has me reaching for the tissue in the glovebox. Crying: my radical plan to get rid of my worst tendency in 2023. (Slate)
• This is the first Mardi Gras season I’ve been away from New Orleans in years which means I’m carrying on with a January mostly free of glitter and plastic beads. I’m actually getting my taxes sorted and… ok, I’m remembering how the rest of the country does the start of a new year. What I will not forsake is the season of King Cake. It’s the best way for those of us missing New Orleans to honor this festive time, even if we’re celebrating by reconciling business bank accounts. The most accessible Mardi Gras bake is this Easy One Dish King Cake though my favorite is a show stopping Pull-Apart Mardi Gras King Cake that bubbles up over a cast iron skillet. (Joy the Baker)
• Let this month’s cozy manifest as a pot of Homemade Hamburger Helper. It makes a big pot and I promise you’ll miss it when it’s gone. (Joy the Baker)
• It’s not that I neeeeeded another fleece. It’s that I neeeeeeded this Everlane fleece for it’s statement collar and long backside. Also pockets. This fleece paired with bike shorts and tennis shoes is my brand of Houston winter attire and I’m deeply sorry for those of you buried in snow. (Everlane)
• Branding soup as a blender soup for two perks my ears and feels like something I’m willing to accomplish on a Wednesday at 6pm, maybe. (Instagram)
• I hope you have twelve people you’d like to make birthday cakes for this year because these are my 12 Best Birthday Cake Recipes. I refuse to pick a favorite and insist you make them all. (Joy the Baker)
• A new outrage: You Don’t Know How Bad the Pizza Box Is. Ok but like… how much worse is it than the Boboli “pizza crust” that had a chokehold on Wilson family Friday nights through the 90’s? I would argue this makes a case for my secret love of frozen pizza. (The Atlantic)
• Ranking Every Celebrity Bathroom in Architectural Digest. I don’t want to be this way but I couldn’t not scross through alll 133 of these and I’m sorry in advance if your brain functions in the same way. (Buzzfeed)
Enjoy your Sunday friends. Be gentle.
My love to you.
xo Joy
Halley
Is no one going to mention the dog in the backseat (ie: elephant in the room?)?? I want pics of Tron in Houston! I think the doginthebackseat ate him :/
Denise in Austin
I don’t cry (well hardly ever) either Joy. When I do cry over some song on the radio or during a movie, I think I am crying about all the things I should be crying about but don’t. I used to think it was my meds but now I think it is just part of who I am. I have yet to grieve my father’s passing last summer. I afraid that if I actually deal with it I will not be able to stop crying, so I just don’t start. I don’t cry because I don’t want to start and not be able to stop. I have things to do and places to go – crying would only get in the way.
P.S. – I too remember your first ‘Let It Be Sunday’. It’s been a joy (pun intended) to watch you grow and change over the years in your little corner of the internet.
Jen S
Congratulations on 400 “Let it be Sundays!” I’m here for a gentle January as well.
I too am not much of a crier; more of a hot temper. Yet when I do cry (Often after being exhausted or triggered emotionally) it can get into ‘ugly cry’ territory. Can be very cathartic but not on demand. *shrug*
The Smitten Kitchen Keepers cookbook is amazing! I’m already cooking my way through it: up next a Winter squash coconut soup.
Current favorite frozen pizza is Amy’s spinach and cheese. It’s easy to add whatever other toppings from the frig that I want.
Caitlin
I’ve been meaning to try your king cake recipe for ages so thank you for sharing your favorite version (I’ve made so many that have turned out kinda dry). Having said that, have you considered making king cake danishes? I just saw one at a chain cafe – didn’t try it, but the idea sounds amazing (and I love the idea of individually sized versions).
Abby Mallett
Oh my gosh that’s what I want King Cake to be! A cream cheese danish! ohhhh maaaan that would be amazing
mj
The boboli crust also had a chokehold on my family in the 90s and we thought it was so good. I tried one again a few years ago and they’re terrible!
Joy the Baker
Hahahha – good on you for trying it again! I pass by those things with a side eye in the grocery store.
Katharina
I remember the first Sunday post so we’ll, my goodness so much happened since then. So happy you/ this space is still here!
Joy the Baker
You remember the first!? That’s taking it way back. :) I appreciate you!
Tania Kleiner
Joy, where is Tron?
Joy the Baker
He’s here in Houston with me. Sitting on his favorite pillow.
Toby
You know I’m gonna scroll through each one of those ridiculous bathrooms, thank you.
Joy the Baker
I did too friend. I did too.
Kristy Page
Which frozen pizza is your favorite???
Joy the Baker
I don’t know why I’m embarrassed to tell you that a Tombstone frozen pizza has my heart. But also I usually have a random caulifower crusts pizza in the freezer.
Lisa M
Am I the only one that remembers Bravissimo frozen pizza from the 1990s? It had a flaky crust, ricotta, mozzarella, and spinach. It was SO good for being a frozen pizza. Still mad it went off the market. Sam’s Choice has a spinach pizza that is decent, but it’s no Bravissimo.
MaggieToo
Are you never going back to New Orleans? It will make me so sad if that’s true.
Joy the Baker
I’m absolutely going back and forth to New Orleans. I still have my house there!
Lu
Joy- I thought I was the only one. I don’t cry. I thought it was a DNA thing. I think it’s a childhood thing. Being raised by my grandmother, I was not allowed to cry. Ever. Keep your wits about you and don’t be distracted. I rarely engage in conversation at our gatherings. I am constantly scanning the room- keeping my wits about me. My grandmother was a stern person. She didn’t mean cry later- she meant not at all! So I didn’t. I don’t. I’m 65. Will it ever happen? Doubt it. The big joke was I didn’t cry when they took Dumbo away from his mom. I didn’t cry! Sometimes there is a part of us we can’t let go. Happy New Year to you. Blessings.
Joy the Baker
Oh Lu thanks for sharing this! I definitely think part of it is how we were raised. I did cry when Bambi’s mom died. That got me.
akbright
I love and welcome your suggestion of a “Gentle January”, Because, truly, who needs to begin the year with stress?
Pat
That Everlane fleece is wonderful. It’s just right. Love the pockets.
Dani H
May 2023 bring you many blessings and much love, Joy.
Joy the Baker
You too, Dani! Love to you!
Mariama
Truly, life around you changes so much when you start treating yourself gently.
We should live like all days are the last Sunday.
Joy the Baker
Life changes! You’re so right about that!