The Journal #45
May was a whirlwind and come eat with me!
There’s something about stillness that I enjoy. I find routine in it. Boredom. It feels that nowadays we run from boredom, abandoning the quiet of our mind for doomscrolling. We consume mindlessly so that our minds do not rest. Our brains are scattered forests of unmanaged emotions, unhandled tasks and fabricated worry. We distract ourselves from pain, grief and loneliness and fill the space with GRWM, funny cats, genocide, divisive politics, cute babies and weird debates on dating.
My life is often not quiet because it often is not still. On and off planes multiple times per week, packing and barely unpacking, laundry drop offs, rental car returns, missing my boarding zone, landing in familiar airports, doing familiar things, enjoying life, living out loud, but when I find quiet, I revel.
May was loud, busy. Miami, Detroit, Venice, Edinburgh, London, Detroit, Orlando, back to Detroit. I’ve been still for a week and I am devouring the slowness. One hour walks along the river in the mornings with a 20lb weighted vest, 20 minute HEAVY Peleton rides, Pilates, tennis, making juice at home, Saturday mornings at the eastern market, moving slow, chatting with farmers, running into friends, more books, cooking, falling in love with the delicious simplicity of roasted vegetables, longer evening walks and late sunsets, Food Network competition shows, naps on my comfy orange couch. Two more weeks at home to do more of nothing. How beautiful the quiet is.
I am on the precipice of launching the presale of my second book. The next 19 months will be a whirlwind. This three weeks at home is likely to be my last of this type of quiet, for this long, with no thought of a plane. Being exhausted by travel lately has me thinking about where I want to settle down, where I want to spend this quiet. Detroit is perfect for the summer. Dakar is perfect for the winter, but I realize I want a home with a garden I can tend to, a place to plant flowers, roots, herbs, a place with a studio to create art. I don’t know where that place is but it is the new thing I’m seeking.
In this season of your life, what are you seeking? What do you want next?
I just turned 42 and I’m happy with what I’ve created for myself, this beautiful life, seeing the world, AND I am slowly realizing that a new chapter is upon me, it is slower, more deliberate, more creative, quieter and I am excited to usher it in, in 2028. 🙃😊
Until then, I’m launching Supper Club that will take me to 8 cities across the U.S. and introduce YOU to 12 countries’ cuisines. I’ll be here, there and everywhere promoting my new book: Catch Me in the Kitchen: One Dish From Every Country in the World (NatGeo 2027).
I look forward to seeing you somewhere outside, in this loud world, in between the quiet moments.
Travel Tip
Road Trip!! I am about to leave out to drive to Chicago from Detroit, because the 45 minute flight, in economy, cost $799. MADNESS. So I am roadtripping to get a preview of the Obama Presidential Center. I love road trips and particularly solo road trips. The United States is such a great road trip country and you all should think about planning one this summer, with the soaring cost of flights. Some of my favorite road trip corridors are New England, South and North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming!
Also, here is me sharing with Time Magazine, for their America 250 Celebration, one of my favorite places in the US.
Where I’m Traveling
This summer I am going to be keeping it domestic! With the launch of my Supper Club, I want to take you around the world with me to 12 of my favorite food countries, all without leaving the US. We start in Detroit, visiting Lebanon on July 26th. If you are flying in let me know as I will be doing something extra special for those coming in from out of town. We will be in New Orleans (America’s best food city) August 8th and 9th, exploring American cuisine and Senegalese cuisines at the World’s 50 Best North America number 4 restaurant Dakar NOLA. It will be a weekend in New Orleans that you do not want to miss. Book your flights now to save money and tickets for the dinners start going on sale next week! Before January, the Supper Club will make stops in Austin, NYC, Houston, Omaha, Atlanta and DC so stay tuned and I hope to see you on the road.
Catch Me Around the Web
25 Ways Nature Tells America’s Story: Time Magazine - May 19
Exploring the Joys of Solo Travel: HuffPost’s Am I Doing It Wrong Podcast - May 28
What I Am Reading
Since leaving Dakar, my reading has really fallen off. It has gotten so bad that I missed my own book club last month! We are back next month and reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. If you want to join us, reply to this email. Below I am sharing the two most interesting books I have read in the last month:
Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice: This book was written my Virginia Roberts Giuffre who is one of the most well known victims of Jeffrey Epstein. The book is at times hard to listen to, but I think we all need to have a full understanding of just a piece of what is in those files. She is incredibly brave. 4/5
The Wedding People by Alison Espach: This was such a fun read. The story starts off dark and takes some twists and turns but it kept me engaged the whole time and the entire story is surprising, which is refreshing. It is a fun, charming, light read. 4/5
What I’m Eating Drinking
Father Forgive Me is a cute bar in my neighborhood that you are likely to find me at any time I am in Detroit. Hope to bump into you there this summer!
Be well. Travel well. Live well. Until next time: catch me if you can!
- Jessica
Say hi on Instagram, watch my latest video on YouTube or check out my book for more travel tips!
A Thousand Splendid Suns is beautiful in the most heartbreaking way. The power of love in horrible circumstances and the strength of those who endure it make for a top tier novel. I am biased though because I love all of his books.
Beautiful post. So great that you mentioned Native Americans and the link to the land.
I read your world travel book and loved it. Would be interested to read about your visits and insights to all the American states with your great photos ! Are there any plans in the works for that ….?