👀 Revamping: this newsletter! Let us know what you think
🌴 OOO: Dave is away for just a few days. Regular programming resumes on Tuesday.
⚽ Watching: World Cup
🥞 Eating: Short Stack
🗞 ICYMI: ‘American Flag Blue’ is Peeling
Oh hi friends! Lauren here while Dave and his family take a few days off together. He’ll be back on Tuesday, don’t you worry.
Happy Father’s Day
While he’s away, please spend a moment or two thinking about what you like about this newsletter and what is just…missing…and you wish were here. We are revamping the look and feel, but also always open to improving what we deliver to your inbox. Send us an email at [email protected] with your newsletter improvement plan.
Housekeeping done, now I want to talk about a few things that are making me laugh lately. Because we all need a bit of that right now, and I’ve been influenced by Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang.” I listened to the Colman Domingo and Carol Burnett episodes on a long drive earlier this week, and hearing Amy laugh - genuinely, FOR REAL laugh - with her guests makes “Good Hang” my favorite thing to listen to lately.
Another tough week for the Reflecting Pool
Things don’t seem to be going so great down at the Reflecting Pool. I’m not happy about it, but we have to try to find some humor in the algae piece of it all.
Did you know this word before this week? Scenedesmus, or Skinny Dead Mouse, according to scientists that study algae, is what we call what is happening right now in the Reflecting Pool. Thank you for the reporting, Matt Viser. This new algae, which is replacing the old algae, is flourishing, just in time for American 250. The Interior Department explained what’s going on this way. Tell me if you agree…
Scientists say that the newly painted and refilled DC landmark is a highly suitable environment for growing algae. The “shallow, stagnant water, strong sunlight and no shade,” situation is darn near perfect for algae growth, according to Rosalina Stancheva Christova, a professor of aquatic ecology at George Mason University in Virginia. I feel like I’ve lived in DC long enough now that I could’ve warned somebody about this happening in these swampy conditions.
I can’t always get Dave to make videos about stuff I find interesting, but I’ll push hard for a deep-dive (lol?) video on algae this week. He does have a lab coat in the costume closet.
Dave, if you are reading this, we are making a video about algae, okay?!
As if new algae replacing the old algae just days away from July 4 wasn’t enough, the brand new coat of ‘American Flag Blue’ paint seems to be chipping already. At least we will always have this timelapse of the paint going down and the most popular video we’ve produced to date. LOL?
The USMNT is playing well… but the internet may be playing better at the moment
Has everyone been watching the World Cup? I’m finding it really joyful - yes the games- but also the way the internet is reacting to it.
There’s plenty of news to not feel great about surrounding the tournament, but I’m a sports fan, the U.S. has won twice so far and found itself in the next round, and what the heck we might play England on the 4th of July?! Get the Reflecting Pool ready!!
Elmo’s into it (even the X replies to this tweet are pretty-OK!). Visitors from Japan are trying bbq, and there’s a lot of very good internet content being made by those visiting North America from elsewhere. The Brits love Buc-ee’s! Folks are taking ranch home! Even the New York Times found it within themselves to describe The Tartan Army in a silly way. The Times is many things, but funny isn’t one of them. I needed this. Send me other great stuff you are seeing in celebration of the World Cup, please.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR
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Dave here again (remember me?) after the beehiiv graphic to let you know there’s a big Summer Release Event happening on July 16.
They haven’t told me what all the new features are going to be, but I can’t wait to find out. RSVP here.
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The right butter to syrup ratio
I’m in Virginia Beach with my family this weekend, eating breakfast at Mary’s Kitchen. The individual orders vary, but we always share the pancakes.
This is an enticing photo of the pancakes but this is a more realistic depiction of how they show up at the table with the butter and syrup on the side. My dad’s long been in charge of the butter because doing it a different way makes the pancakes soggy, he says. He’s a casual, but meticulous man. He puts a layer of butter on each pancake in the stack with a knife. Thin, spread to the edge, while his other hand/fork holds up the other pancakes in the stack. He then pours the syrup over half the stack and everyone eats from the one side until the syruped part is gone. Then the rest of the syrup goes on. Keeps the stack structure sturdy, he says. Never use up all the syrup.
He needs a little help with the butter these days, but seems satisfied enough with the way I did it after learning from the master for several decades. I let out a little nervous laugh while he stared at me through the whole process, but I got a quiet “good” from him with the first bite. Happy Father’s Day, Bo Saks.
Bo Saks, nine-year-old Lauren, and Tango the stuffed monkey
I’d love to hear any deeply detailed ways you or your friends or family butter and syrup their favorite breakfast item. Send the emails: [email protected]. Dave’s back on Tuesday.
