My husband and I have just started Sunday Soup Night with an open invitation to our dear friends in the neighborhood. The simple rules are: house is open from 5-8 every week, contributions are welcome but not expected, RSVPs are helpful but not required. As we find our feet for hosting larger groups each week we're working to widen the invite list to neighbors we don't know well but hope to know better. While this is something we've talked about doing for years, the darkness of this political moment definitely kicked our butts into gear this winter to make this happen and I've been inspired by the wide writing on building community from folks like Rosie Spinks and Ann Helen Petersen. I agree with Jeff, weekly gatherings are helping us keep the house tidy! Doing the work to build community lightens my heart.
And Laura, thanks for the recommendation about Chop Wood, Carry Water. I'd previously come across it but now is definitely the time to subscribe!
My friends used to do this and they called it "Soup-er Sunday." One thing that I actually find hard about living in a small space is that it feels like an open-invite like this would quickly overwhelm our home, but I want to try too!
And Jess's newsletter has been a balm for me this last year! I pay for it even though all the content is free.
I really enjoyed Jeff Waldman's contribution this morning. Even when people say things I already think, individual phrasing or detail or emphasis can refresh the ideas and invigorated me. I particularly enjoyed reading about building furniture. I've been slowly helping my mom clean out my dad's home office since he died (7 yrs ago) and came across all the books he used to teach himself woodworking, furniture building, all about tools and how to use and care for them, plus electrical work and how to repair cars and more, and brought them all home to my large library (the center of my tiny house). I look forward to learning to do some of these things myself, especially with scrap lumber. Great inspiration to see how someone else has done it.
Great links, thank you! So much inspiration to explore... I've been listening to some new-to-me music after reading about 'somatic shaking' on the Pizza Fridays with Amy Bauer substack newsletter. She linked to an interesting playlist. It's very vibey and works well for me when I'm doing lots of things like taking a bath, cooking, or even working (not to mention trying out that shaking thing). Current piece on repeat: Agradezco by Xuqutopi & LovLenka. When driving, I can't stop blasting the Bad Monkey soundtrack (all amazing Tom Petty covers-- especially I Won't Back Down, Don't Come Around Here No More, and Room At The Top of the World. SO GOOD.)
THE SAUNA NIGHT, be still my sauna/community heart!!!!
Surely we could get a sauna into the sliver of yard behind Williamsburg Pizza?
Excellent idea. The only thing that could make a standing sauna night better is adding pizza!
My husband and I have just started Sunday Soup Night with an open invitation to our dear friends in the neighborhood. The simple rules are: house is open from 5-8 every week, contributions are welcome but not expected, RSVPs are helpful but not required. As we find our feet for hosting larger groups each week we're working to widen the invite list to neighbors we don't know well but hope to know better. While this is something we've talked about doing for years, the darkness of this political moment definitely kicked our butts into gear this winter to make this happen and I've been inspired by the wide writing on building community from folks like Rosie Spinks and Ann Helen Petersen. I agree with Jeff, weekly gatherings are helping us keep the house tidy! Doing the work to build community lightens my heart.
And Laura, thanks for the recommendation about Chop Wood, Carry Water. I'd previously come across it but now is definitely the time to subscribe!
My friends used to do this and they called it "Soup-er Sunday." One thing that I actually find hard about living in a small space is that it feels like an open-invite like this would quickly overwhelm our home, but I want to try too!
And Jess's newsletter has been a balm for me this last year! I pay for it even though all the content is free.
I really enjoyed Jeff Waldman's contribution this morning. Even when people say things I already think, individual phrasing or detail or emphasis can refresh the ideas and invigorated me. I particularly enjoyed reading about building furniture. I've been slowly helping my mom clean out my dad's home office since he died (7 yrs ago) and came across all the books he used to teach himself woodworking, furniture building, all about tools and how to use and care for them, plus electrical work and how to repair cars and more, and brought them all home to my large library (the center of my tiny house). I look forward to learning to do some of these things myself, especially with scrap lumber. Great inspiration to see how someone else has done it.
I’d love to learn more of those handyman-type skills too. Love the idea of you learning from your dad’s books ❤️
I love reading your stack and focusing on small and useful. In these times it helps so much. Thank you
Thanks Susan. It’s so nice to hear that.
My face immediately upon reading about the sauna ritual: "It hurts to see someone else living your dream *sob*". Jokes aside, this is inspiring stuff.
I know: I love this. And while the sauna part I can’t replicate, the standing weekly invitation is something I aspire to copy
Thanks for the links! I FINALLY subscribed to Bill McKibben. Not sure why I waited to long.
Love Bill so much
Thank you for the reading recommendations.
I loved the recognition that we are all trying to navigate through this crazy time.
I am not living small, but am trying to live smaller. Wanting and taking too much hurts everyone.
Great links, thank you! So much inspiration to explore... I've been listening to some new-to-me music after reading about 'somatic shaking' on the Pizza Fridays with Amy Bauer substack newsletter. She linked to an interesting playlist. It's very vibey and works well for me when I'm doing lots of things like taking a bath, cooking, or even working (not to mention trying out that shaking thing). Current piece on repeat: Agradezco by Xuqutopi & LovLenka. When driving, I can't stop blasting the Bad Monkey soundtrack (all amazing Tom Petty covers-- especially I Won't Back Down, Don't Come Around Here No More, and Room At The Top of the World. SO GOOD.)
I’ll check out the Petty covers! Thanks.
Similar to the repair shop in the West Village, have you heard about this mobile tailoring cart? https://emiliapetrarca.substack.com/p/meet-the-only-nyc-tailor-on-wheels