Mindy's Big Day Off
The world's sweetest baker takes us on a little journey through Austin
Howdy! I’m Rachel and I write a short weekly email about the small delights I find in my hometown of Austin, TX. Come shoot the breeze with us!
This week I’ve got a real tasty treat for you—my good pal Mindy of Mindy’s Bakeshop is taking over Boy Howdy and she has some excellent Austin tidbits! Mindy is a long-time Austinite and the world’s kindest soul. She has kitchen wisdom but also life wisdom. Recently she said to me over breakfast “Cheese is very important to me.” and I think that needs to be sewn on a throw pillow.
Here she is! Enjoy!
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Hi friend!
I'm Mindy - gal pal to our beloved Rachel and a local Austin baker in desperate need of some time out of the kitchen. I've been on a quest this year (we really should all be partaking in more quests, in my humble opinion) to find joy in everyday moments and it's honestly been such a fun way to live. Wanna go joy hunting with me on my day off??
My favorite way to start a day (working or not!) is in a body of water, and I recently discovered a new city pool not far from me so we're trying it out for the first time today. BONUS: admission is currently the low low price of $FREE.99! A GIFT! There's nothing better for my brain than a solid 45 minutes of swimming. No access to a phone or social media or work emails- just me and my kickboard. Peace on Earth!
Next: Home to shower and change and then some errands. Filled my joy tank all the way up at Trader Joe's with several $4 bunches of flowers that made me want to go frolic in a meadow, and then spent money like I'm not a self-employed-baker-on-a-budget at Whole Foods on what are possibly the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes I have ever seen. They're worth every single penny during tomato sandwich season!
Anytime I'm in the Arboretum I try to sneak over and see the ducks at the pond because why wouldn't I?! They're a delight and they let you get closer than you'd think they would. I exhibited the maximum amount of self-control possible to not reach out and pet them. The urge was strong but, as a baker who makes a living with my hands, I value my fingers too much. Look how beautiful they are! One of them kept making direct eye contact with me so I named her Gladys and declared us new bosom buds.
Obviously I need a little treat while I'm out and about, so off to one of my favorite Austin gems we go! San Francisco Bakery on Anderson Lane has been around for 30 years and I used to come eat quiche here back in the early 2000's while I was at UT. Their apricot croissant (apricot is so underrated!) tastes like happiness and nostalgia and I will always love it.
The rest of the day looks like piddling around in my kitchen and backyard. I'll be prepping my favorite weekly lunch of roasted tomatoes and white beans (adding in some yellow squash from my little garden for extra flavor and joy and eating it on toasted buttered sourdough, obvi) and hanging out with my husband and favorite/only co-worker Kenny. We're listening to a ton of Bee Gees lately and this is our current fave earworm. What can I say - I'm a sucker for falsetto!
This was fun! Thanks for tagging along. Sending you wishes for the best week, friend. May your tomatoes be ripe, your ducks friendly, and your joy tank overflowing!
xo,
Mindy
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If you need more Mindy in your life, you’ll love her Instagram! You can also order custom baked goods or sign up for one of her excellent classes on her website. And—I recommend keeping an eye out for when Mindy and Kenny do a farmer’s market. You haven’t lived until you’ve had one of their cinnamon rolls.