meeting joy

There's something different about meeting a blogger in real life. When meeting actors and musicians, you have a tiny idea of what to expect-- you've seen them perform and how they move. Bloggers are more like authors, probably because I think they're one and the same.

They have a book (or in this case, a blog) that you've invested part of yourself into. They write words you could have sworn were yours first. And you get to follow them along over the period of many books, even series (or in this case, over years of posts and photographs).

I've come to know Joy the Baker for her innovative recipes and the anecdotes and photographs that come with them. The ease and honesty in her posts are something I aspire for in my own writing. Her photographs are vivid and real; they don't feel staged. And everything I've made from her blog has been out of this world.




Luckily, she's compiled even more recipes in her new cookbook and has been traveling around on her book tour. I got to meet her this weekend at Omnivore Books, a local bookstore dedicated to all things food. One thing about Omnivore is that it's tiny. And there must have been at least 100 people who came to see Joy.

The "wait" was long because Joy took the time to talk to everyone, sign their books, take photos. When it was my turn I asked her if she said she was tired. "Nope, not at all. I'm great. This is amazing" is how she responded.

I told her how I felt about her writing, that I wished we could sit down to a cup of tea, and asked her if she'd ever heard of ube. (She hadn't, but fingers crossed we see an ube recipe on her blog some day!) When I left the bookstore, her uncle asked me and some girls how we'd describe her if we could only use one word. At the time I said "radiant," but when I think more I'd say "warm." Radiance has a kind of untouchability, whereas Joy is someone you want to have over for a tea and waffle party. Every Sunday morning.

She was so happy to meet everyone, so happy to share her art and her passion. So warm.



Adoration aside, it was just nice to finally meet her.