What a job description! The State of the Union address by the President requires the entire big brass of government to be in attendance in a joint session of the United States Congress. The Vice President, the Speaker, the Secretary of State, the Chief Justice, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff are all part of the annual protocol. But just in case an unexpected catastrophe occurs and the whole gang is rubbed out, a non-attending designated survivor is pre-appointed so that individual can continue the line of government. No stress! When the minister for agriculture pulled the short straw last year, he apparently chose to spend the evening dining in a fast-food joint thinking his temporary status would not be suspected there. The volume of secret service agents may have suggested otherwise, but it does raise the question of where you might be when you get the call.

Dough on west 19th street has possibilities. The street cred of these Brooklyn born doughnuts means  you could probably hang out all day without being noticed. And the sugar rush would be an excellent advantage for your next job assignment. When I asked the manager what was so special about the doughnuts he said they were artisanal…. they were made by artists. While this might be a stretch, the workers in the background were clearly having fun and their lightness of being  translated to exactly that in these handmade treats. It is as though all the aromas of the baking kitchen have somehow been gently wrapped in chocolate, hibiscus, or mocha crunch to produced a feather light feast. Who would have thought donuts could be this good?

Until the next State of the Union I shall be on the lookout. I could scarcely be in line to the throne, but just in case I will know all the best places to be. We all have a job to do, and if it’s a designated – or even a voluntary survivor, the next four years are looking good…