Welcome to The Receipt, a series documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Each food diary follows one anonymous reader’s week of expenses related to groceries, restaurant meals, coffee runs, and every bite in between. In this time of rising food costs, The Receipt reveals how folks—from different cities, with different incomes, on different schedules—are figuring out their food budgets.
In today’s Receipt, a 36-year-old attorney making $300K a year in Brooklyn, makes cozy pesto pasta and dines out most days a week at restaurants and bars throughout New York. Keep reading for her receipts.
The finances
What are your pronouns? She/her
What is your occupation? I’m a nonpracticing attorney who works in house at a bank providing strategy and advice for entrepreneurs. I’m also in a part-time master’s program at an art school.
How old are you? 36
What city and state do you live in? Brooklyn, New York (Best place on Earth!)
What is your annual salary, if you have one? $300K including base and bonus
How much is one paycheck, after taxes? After 401K, HSA, and health insurance contributions, I take home approximately $4,700. My salary is broken up by base, bonus, and additional discretionary bonus (paid out in Q1 of each year). I live day-to-day off my base salary and do not include my bonus in my regular spending.
How often are you paid? (e.g., weekly) Biweekly
How much money do you have in savings? $187,000
What are your approximate fixed monthly expenses beyond food? (i.e., rent, subscriptions, bills)
- Total: $5,824 to $5,854
- Mortgage: $4,500
- Condo fees: $815
- Cell phone: $100
- Wi-Fi: $60
- Utilities: $100
- ClassPass: $199
- Additional ClassPass credits: $50 to $80 depending on my monthly activity
The diet
Do you follow a certain diet or have dietary restrictions? I do! I am a lifelong pescatarian. I do not eat shellfish, though. I am also allergic to stone fruit (think peaches, plums, cherries), melons, pineapple, apples, pears, and all nuts, including peanuts. A true joy to cook for.
What are the grocery staples you always buy, if any? I always have iced coffee, half-and-half, oat milk, Greek yogurt, greens, shallots, avocado, chickpeas, eggs, berries, fresh figs, and bananas on hand. I try to rotate which veggies I purchase, seasonally.
How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home? It really depends! I network a lot for work and that does often include dining out for lunch or dinner or attending events where there’s food and alcohol. I also like to meet up with friends a couple of times per week, which usually includes dining out. I enjoy cooking and hosting at home too. It’s really a matter of how much time I have throughout the week to commit to cooking.
How often in a week did you dine out while growing up? Dining out was a treat as a kid. We ate most meals at home. Both of my parents are good cooks. I always loved dining out though and would hype myself up during the school day about going to Friendly’s for dinner (which was usually shot down by my parents).
We didn’t have money for many extras when I was a kid, but my mom always told me it was worth spending extra money on healthy, high-quality foods. She really prioritized eating organic foods and lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, and I’ve carried that philosophy with me into adulthood.
How often in a week did your parents or guardians cook at home? Most meals were prepared at home by my parents. Some staples were my dad’s blueberry pancakes, challah French toast, salmon, pesto pasta, artichokes, and, of course, a ’90s staple: cinnamon toast. My mom always had frozen chocolate croissants on hand.
My dad’s family is Sephardic and food is a huge part of our culture. Almost all of my favorite childhood memories involve my grandma’s or my aunt’s cooking. There’s something about eating your grandma’s favorite food or a snack she’d have ready for you that transports you back to a moment in time. I can hear her laugh when I think about enjoying a meal with her. For me, it’s bourekas, rugelach, potato knish, cheesecake (baked in a water bath), bialys, and Mallomars. Mallomars belong in the freezer and you can’t tell me otherwise.
The expenses
- Week’s total: $443.81
- Restaurants and café’s total: $311.22
- Groceries total: $132.59
- Most-expensive meal or purchase: $71, dinner at Oxomoco
- Least-expensive meal or purchase: $4.77, penne alla vodka slice from Rosa’s Pizza
- Number of restaurant and café meals: 11
- Number of grocery trips: 4
The diary
8:45 a.m. After getting ready for the day and walking and feeding my two pups, I make myself a bowl of Greek yogurt (previously bought at Trader Joe’s for $5.49) with some fresh figs, strawberries (also from Trader Joe’s), and Early Bird’s Kiss My Oats granola (previously bought at Dépanneur for $11) and a cup of English Breakfast tea. It’s hard to find granola that is nut-free. Early Bird, which is made in Brooklyn, is a local favorite of mine. It also reminds me of a little French cheese shop I worked at in law school. It carried a lot of Brooklyn brands and Early Bird was one of them. I do an hour or so of work on my computer before heading out to run some errands.
Normally, I’d have class on Monday but because of Yom Kippur I have the day off from school, so I try to take advantage of the extra time. I stop for a coffee at my neighborhood coffee shop, 7 Grain Army. I have enough points for a free coffee so I cash them in ($0). I joke with the barista that I can only drink half a cup because the coffee is so strong. I love 7 Grain Army because its previous location, Scratch Bread, was around the corner from where I used to live. When I moved, it felt serendipitous. Its avocado toast on corn bread is another favorite of mine.
I walk to my 10 a.m. nail appointment. I sip my coffee and chat with my nail tech, who has decorated my nails with all sorts of textured baubles. Of all the ’90s fashion that has made a comeback, nail art is my favorite. I have calls until noon and I’m able to take them on the go. A post-pandemic blessing.
After my nails are finished, I go across the street to Dépanneur, a local coffee and sandwich shop that also carries some groceries, and I pick up a bag of Partners coffee beans ($15.25) and a Liquid Death mango seltzer ($2) to motivate me to go grocery shopping. I’m in my fun-drinks era.
I walk two blocks to Trader Joe’s to do some shopping for the week. I leave with the essentials (Little Gem lettuce, avocados, green beans, bananas, brussel sprouts, asparagus, garlic, shallots, multigrain bread, shishito peppers, dried pasta, and black beans) and some extras that I wanted to try (sunflower butter cups, pumpkin-spiced pretzels, movie theater popcorn and pumpkin oat milk) for a total of $72.55. ’Tis the season for pumpkin spice, so I have to embrace it. A lot of “pumpkin flavor” coffees and snacks taste more like “pumpkin chemical” to me. I’m not a flavored-coffee gal to begin with, but I absolutely refuse to drink a neon-orange coffee. Still, I’m a glutton for punishment, so I pick up some pumpkin-flavored treats in hopes of them tasting like the squash and not the genetically modified version. Trader Joe’s rarely disappoints.
On my walk home, I stop at Whole Foods to grab some La Colombe cold-brew coffee, Bear Pond pesto (my favorite nut-free pesto), and tzatziki for a total of $20.55. Don’t sleep on Loi tzatziki. I could eat it straight from the jar. I used to be a make-everything-from-scratch kind of person, but as life has gotten busier, I’ve experimented with some prepared foods and I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
12:45 p.m. I’m home and back on my computer. Today is a busy day with back-to-back meetings. I typically work from home so the majority of my meetings are virtual, but I do go into the office or meet with clients in person from time to time. I love having the flexibility of making myself lunch when I’m working remote. It’s rarely anything fancy, but it’s nice to take a break and grab something from the kitchen. I will sometimes indulge in a Blue Ribbon poke bowl when I am in the office, but it’s so far and few between that I don’t feel guilty about the splurge.
I make a BLT, but sub the B for sriracha tofu (just purchased at Trader Joe’s for $3.99) and the T for avocado. I also add microgreens and Kewpie mayonnaise that I already have in the fridge.
3:30 p.m. I’m going to go to a strength and conditioning class at 4:30 p.m., so I make myself a smoothie with oat milk, a banana, Kos vegan protein powder (previously purchased for $33.98), and a teaspoon or two of Golden Milk (previously purchased for $11.99). I’ve really been loving Kos’s flavor-free protein powder. It’s made from pea protein and it really doesn’t have much of a texture or flavor.
6:30 p.m. I finish up with work for the day and take my dogs for a walk. These two know everyone in the neighborhood. They have to stop and say hello to all the dogs and humans they pass. They also always make a pit stop at Best Pizza to see if they can snag a piece of crust from a customer enjoying their slice outside. You’d be surprised how lucky they’ve been. When we get home, I feed them dinner and then decide what to make for myself. I end up making a Greek salad with Trader Joe’s falafel (previously purchased for $4.49) and dress it with Graza “Drizzle” EVOO (previously purchased for $18.99) and Acid League’s Meyer Lemon Honey Living Vinegar (previously purchased for $14.98). I add a few spoonfuls of the Loi tzatziki (if you know, you know). After dinner I do some reading for school and start on a paper to try to get ahead of my busy work/school schedule that is coming up in the next couple of weeks.
9 p.m. I’m finally done with work and readings for school so I decide to watch some TV before bed and make popcorn ($2.79) with nutritional yeast ($3.49). This snack is always nostalgic for me and reminds me of my mom and my childhood. (I bought the popcorn and nutritional yeast at Trader Joe’s today.)
8:30 a.m. My mornings are generally the same. Wake up, get ready, walk my dogs, feed them, make an iced coffee, and hop on my computer to answer emails. This morning I do all of my usual and decide to make a smoothie with oat milk, a banana, a spoonful of tahini, Kos protein powder, a couple dates, cinnamon, and a handful of spinach. (All items were previously purchased.)
10:30 a.m. I have a break from Zoom calls so I cut up some fruit for a snack. I had family in town this past weekend and hosted a brunch so I have lots of strawberries and figs left over that I want to use up. I also slice up some fresh mango. Slicing mango is an art form and I am no artist. I am never not amazed at the mangos on a stick that you can purchase from a vendor at Coney Island, perfectly peeled and sliced to look like a flower. Going to the beach is not complete without one.
12:45 p.m. I have class today from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., so I make egg salad with Kewpie mayonnaise and Grey Poupon mustard and toast two pieces of bread before heading out (all previously purchased). I top it with some shallots and microgreens and chili oil, the last of which was gifted to me by a friend.
5 p.m. For Tuesday classes, we meet at a museum instead of on campus, and today we are getting a tour from one of the curators for the “Ed Ruscha” exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art! One of the first paintings we look at is his Actual Size, which shows a can of spam, true to size. As we walk through the retrospective, we end up in the Chocolate Room, which is an installation made of real chocolate and which smells like one big chocolate bar. I am so fortunate to live in a city where some of the best art lives and visits and this is not lost on me. Our tour ends and I run downstairs to the MOMA café in hopes of grabbing a decaf cappuccino, but it closed two minutes earlier. All I wanted to do was browse the café’s book store with a hot beverage. It just doesn’t feel the same without the coffee in hand so I head out instead.
5:30 p.m. I was invited by Zio and Sons to an interior design event taking place tonight at Nine Orchard. I had every intention of heading downtown after class, but I am feeling really low energy today between the rain and my busy work/school schedule, so I go home instead to relax for the evening. I am still thinking about that cappuccino and want to stop at a coffee shop on my walk to the train but all of the coffee shops I pass are either closed or have long lines. It’s not in the cards for me today. At home I try some of the pumpkin-spiced pretzels I bought yesterday at Trader Joe’s ($3.49). They lean closer on the scale to pumpkin pie than pumpkin cleaning supplies, so I’m satisfied.
6:30 p.m. I’m already in my pajamas. The last thing I want to do is cook and I’m not sure if I made the right decision to forgo my favorite umami negroni at Swan Room (Nine Orchard’s cocktail lounge) but here we are. I make a lazy dinner with items I have in the fridge: pasta with pesto and some sautéed green beans, asparagus, and shishito peppers. I also make a side salad with Little Gem lettuce, cucumbers, shallots, and microgreens topped with that Graza EVOO and some balsamic vinegar gifted to me by a friend. I’m now realizing that specialty food items are my love language.
8:30 a.m. I normally have class at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays but I have two important meetings today for work, so unfortunately I have to skip class. I very rarely do this, but working full-time and going to school part-time is a balancing act, and sometimes I have to choose between the two. Because I don’t have to rush to class this morning, I take advantage of it by making an iced coffee and heating up a leftover vegan carrot, quinoa, and ginger muffin that I bought for brunch from the past weekend. They’re delicious, high in protein, and locally made at 7 Grain Army. I had purchased a pack of four frozen muffins for $18.
12 p.m. I put together a quick bowl for lunch with quinoa, sriracha tofu, roasted brussel sprouts, half an avocado, microgreens, and some hot honey drizzled on top (all previously purchased from Trader Joe’s). I also have a San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa sparkling drink left over from this past weekend. I have to rush out the door for my meetings so I don’t have time to clean up my kitchen.
When I get to my client’s office, they offer me a coffee but I know it’s too late in the day for me if I want to go to sleep at a decent hour. Caffeine has such an effect on me. My dad can have espresso right before bed and it never impacts his ability to sleep. I’m envious. This issue has contributed to my failure to ever try an espresso martini. When is the appropriate time to drink one? A friend told me she found a decaf espresso martini, and I’ve been holding out. I also don’t really like vodka, so I’m on an ongoing hunt for a decaf gin espresso martini. There is nothing I don’t love about Brooklyn, but we need to work on our decaf options.
5 p.m. For the few people who are still reading and have not canceled me for my espresso martini internal dialogue, I’m now back home. I grab a Fiberful granola bar as a snack that I purchased earlier this week at Trader Joe’s ($2.99 for five bars). I still have some emails to send so I’m trying to rush so I can make it to my 5:45 p.m. hot yoga class.
7 p.m. I know I should cook at home because I just went grocery shopping but I’m feeling very uninspired. I stop at Glaze, a fast-casual spot that makes teriyaki bowls, on my walk home from yoga and pick up vegetable gyoza, cold soba noodle salad, and cucumber salad. I also grab a lychee Sanzo to continue my fun-drinks kick. Dinner costs $21.78 total. I head home to eat and work on a paper for school. I’m writing a visual analysis on a Bisa Butler quilt and I am so inspired by her work. My school has a food and fashion show at its museum. I walk past it almost every day but I haven’t checked it out yet. Writing my paper reminds me of the show and I make a mental note to check it out before my next class.
8:30 a.m. You guessed it: I’ve gotten ready for the day, walked and fed my dogs, and made an iced coffee with half-and-half. It has taken me 35 years but I finally appreciate the value in a morning routine. I toast two pieces of multigrain bread and put Earth Balance vegan butter and blueberry jam on them along with a mini Babybel. The blueberry jam is a gift from a friend who visited Maine. I’m starting to feel really predictable. Existential crisis incoming thanks to Bon Appétit.
12 p.m. I generally like to work out at night but because I’m meeting a friend for drinks after work, I opt for a daytime hot yoga class. After yoga, I make another bowl with quinoa, black beans, avocado, microgreens, sweet and spicy jalapeños, and Jalapa Jar salsa (all previously purchased). I eat at home while I work the rest of the day.
5 p.m. I head into Manhattan to Bar Goto, a sake bar where I order the Far East Side ($18), which consists of sake, tequila, shisho, elderflower, lemon, and yuzu bitters. My friend orders the Earl Grey Marteani ($17), which looks delicious and is made with gin, Earl Grey tea, lemon, and egg white. We also share the konbini veggies with dashi miso mayo dip ($8), shime saba (torched pickled mackerel and ginger for $13) and the veggie okonomiyaki (cabbage pancakes with shiitake, shimeji, bamboo shoot, chili, pickled mustard greens, konnyaku, and scallion for $15). Everything is a 10/10. I pay for our drinks and bites on my corporate card because my friend is also a professional contact and business owner and I want to pick her brain about working with investors ($71 total, $0 for me).
7 p.m. I head to a gallery in Tribeca to meet up with a classmate whose friend is having an opening for her work. I stay for about an hour and have two glasses of complimentary white wine.
8:30 p.m. My neighbor walks my dogs for me when needed, and so my dogs are walked and fed already, which is the best feeling after schlepping home on the subway. I’m definitely feeling the effects from my three drinks and I’m kind of hungry and don’t feel like cooking. I call my dad to say hi and give up on the idea of making myself something to eat. I walk a couple blocks over to Rosa’s Pizza and grab a penne alla vodka slice ($4.77). If you haven’t indulged in pasta on pizza, it’s never too late to start.
9 a.m. TGIF! I’m taking the day off because I have a friend visiting for the weekend. I make an iced coffee with half-and-half and scramble two eggs that I eat with a slice of toast. Then I walk to Whole Foods to pick up fig and olive crackers ($7.99), Effi’s corncake biscuits ($7.39), dark chocolate-covered marshmallows ($6.49), organic blueberries ($5.99), half a dozen eggs ($6.69), and a basket of cherry tomatoes ($4.94). ($39.49 total)
2 p.m. I go to the gym for a HIIT class and realize after class that I’m running out of time to tidy up my apartment and get ready for my visitor. I decide to stop at Just Salad and order a wrap with buffalo cauliflower, romaine, pickled onions, broccoli, pickles, and buttermilk ranch dressing. The entire time I’m having an inner dialogue with myself about how I have groceries at home and don’t need to buy a wrap, but the idea of cooking and creating more of a mess to clean under a time crunch just doesn’t feel right. I also grab a Brooklyn Best Lemonade. Need a fun drink, obviously. I eat half the wrap when I get home and give the other half to my friend when they arrive.
4:30 p.m. There are flash flood warnings all day and Brooklyn is underwater. It’s only drizzling in my neighborhood even though The New York Times and social media are all showing insane videos of cars underwater and subway stations flooding. Because it’s not raining heavily and there’s no flooding in my sight, my friend and I decide to take a walk in the neighborhood and grab a drink at Hotel Delmano for dinner. You guys—my time has arrived. I order my first espresso martini and it is perfect. It has cinnamon and no cream, and even though I’ve only had one espresso martini in my lifetime, I am declaring this one the best. I buy both of our drinks ($16 each, $32 total).
We then walk over to Oxomoco for dinner. When I used to live in Clinton Hill in Brooklyn, Speedy Romeo was a neighborhood favorite. Back at the fancy cheese shop that I worked at, where a watermelon cost more than my hourly wage, I remember Speedy Romeo’s owner coming in during its first few days of being open and having to last-minute buy tomatoes or fresh mozz. New York is full of so many micro communities and you really get to know your neighbors. It’s so comforting. Anyway, Oxomoco has the same owner and it offers Mexican food with Middle Eastern influences. I hate to admit that I am now feeling lightheaded and hopped up on caffeine.
The server at Oxomoco validates me by sharing that your first experience with an espresso martini is always chaotic. We order everything on the menu but steer away from more alcohol. Who knew that all you need is an espresso martini to make you feel like you’re living in an alternate universe. We each order a black sesame horchata ($18 each) that is creamy, nutty, and not too sweet. We start with the guacamole ($19), which has smoked cherry tomatoes, queso fresco, and handmade fried tortillas with lots of herbs. We also order ayocote habanero tonnato ($24), which is giving us “white fish salad” energy and memories of visiting Jewish delis as a kid. It’s delicious and unique. Our final appetizer is the wood-fired punta verde Caesar salad ($18). It’s crunchy and warm and the flavors are balanced and not overpowering. I love it.
For our main course, we share beet “chorizo” tacos ($17) with crispy potatoes, avocado, and salsa a las brasas and the swordfish tacos ($28) with labneh, marinated onions, and salsa arabe. This restaurant transports you straight to Mexico City. Everything is delicious and we’re full but not overstuffed. ($142 total) We split the bill, walk home in the rain, and proclaim this to be a perfect night. When we get home, we snack on some of the chocolate-covered marshmallows I purchased earlier at Whole Foods and watch reruns of Sex and the City. All these years later and the show still feels relatable.
9 a.m. We’re having a slow morning. I walk and feed the dogs and make us both coffee (iced for me and hot for my friend). I also make us scrambled eggs with fresh herbs and chili oil, toast some bread, and put out a cheese board with sliced avocado, goat cheese, apricot cheddar, grapes and Nervous Nellie’s hot tomato jam (all previously purchased) for snacking. The jam was a gift, and so the specialty food trend continues...
11:30 a.m. We decide to walk around the neighborhood and do some shopping. A Hermès store just opened down the block from me so we stop in just to peek around and balk at the prices of scarves. We walk to Domino Park, which is right on the water and has great views of Manhattan. Right up the block from the park is Misipasta, the newest aperitivo bar from Missy Robbins. We stop in and are greeted by Missy herself. We walk past the pasta counter—which has an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs preparing fresh pasta dishes—and are seated in the backyard. We are no longer in Brooklyn. It feels like we are in a modern Tuscan garden. Only one small hiccup: There’s apple trees and one rogue apple decided to fall directly on the head of the person sitting next to us. The servers are super kind and apologetic and also mention that the apple trees have recently been trimmed to avoid this sort of fun surprise. We each order a Misi Spritz ($17 each) that is tart and flavored with Misi bitters, Nino Franco Rustico prosecco, and club soda, and share the mozzarella in carrozza ($16), which is fresh mozzarella battered in a homemade breadcrumb with lemon and anchovy. I’m ready to live here. There’s fresh pastas, homemade sauces, oils, tinned fish, meatballs, and breads to purchase for takeaway. I am tempted but slide by the front counter without buying anything on my way out. ($50 total)
5:30 p.m. Dinner isn’t until 8 p.m. but we’re heading to SoHo now to meet up with two other friends and grab drinks at Champers Social Club, a sparkling wine bar. One friend brings me a bottle of Dona’s Masala Chai Concentrate and I’m excited to try it! The server brings out Ruffles potato chips on the house and I have forgotten how salty these chips are.
I order the Solid Wiggles flight for the table ($25). If you’ve never tried a negroni sbagliato in Jell-O form, you are missing out. They’re made in Brooklyn but ship nationwide. (Not a plug; I just feel like as many people as possible should experience this joy.) I also order The Tom Hanks ($19), which sounds questionable at best, but I’m too curious not to try it. Turns out Diet Coke and Crémant hits. My friends get a red wine ($20), a champagne flight ($30) that ends up being three full glasses of champagne, and a glass of white wine ($18). We also order deviled eggs ($13), a small cheese and charcuterie board ($25), and artichoke dip ($25) for the table. I’m never going to be hungry for dinner at this point. We debate whether the tinned fish moment has passed and we’re split on the issue. My personal opinion is, why order something at a restaurant that tastes exactly the same at home? We split the bill four ways and I decide I am definitely coming back. The menu was so fun. ($175 total)
7:30 p.m. I’m a li’l drunk from my boozy jellies and Diet Coke cocktail. One friend heads to Chinatown to meet up with her family for dinner. Meanwhile, a classmate of mine who works at Sartiano’s got us a reservation there. We head over 30 minutes early and stop at the restaurant’s café to order a drink. The limoncello spicy margarita ($20) for me, and the paloma spritz ($24) and espresso martini ($24) for my friends. I love all things citrus and bitter and I don’t think I’ve ever had a margarita with limoncello in it. It doesn’t disappoint—it’s fresh and strong but not overpowering. The makings of a wild Saturday night in my opinion. My friend picks up the tab ($0 for me).
8 p.m. We head downstairs for our reservation. It’s only for two, but I’ve convinced my friend to come along with us and we hope the host can squeeze her in. He does and we’re grateful. We are seated at a communal table, which is my personal favorite way to eat a meal. I will always pick the bar if I have a choice. We start with the Caesar salad ($21), house-made focaccia ($12), and vineyard artichokes ($24). The Caesar salad is made with a tahini dressing, which adds an interesting flavor to an otherwise familiar dish. The artichoke hearts and Romano beans is such a nice and fresh appetizer to start with. We’ve definitely ordered too much food but it’s too hard to choose. For our main meal we share the pappardelle truffle pasta special ($55), the branzino ($38), and the agnolotti ($29) with sweet corn and chanterelle mushrooms. The server mentions the amount of truffle on the pasta in ounces. I have no idea what that translates to on a plate, but her emphasis made it sound important. Everything is delicious and plated beautifully, but nothing tops the amount of sequins and filler that is surrounding us. We’re way too full for dessert so we decide to head out. We split the bill three ways and when we leave it has finally stopped raining. ($179 total)
9 a.m. It’s Sunday so I refuse to cook, even though I’ve barely cooked all week. Still, a rule is a rule. I make us each a cup of coffee and put out some of the cheeses, crackers, and fruits from yesterday for snacking. I only have a couple bites because I still feel full from last night.
11 a.m. We walk about a mile to Rule of Thirds for brunch and the sun is finally shining. It feels so nice not to be walking in the rain for the first time all week. The restaurant is known for its Japanese soufflé pancakes so we have to try some ($20). We also each order a matcha latte with oat milk ($8 each), smashed potatoes ($19), and a hot honey gem salad ($17). ($72 total) The pancakes are light and fluffy and so fun to try, but we can barely finish half the dish. I’m not a big salad-for-brunch person, but there’s something so satisfying about having a big bowl full of bright greens to round out your meal. The potatoes taste lightly fried and are smothered in Hatcho miso and mushrooms with a poached egg on top. I think I may be tapping out, not just for brunch but for the rest of the day. I am so full.
1 p.m. After brunch we stop at Cibone, a beautifully curated Japanese market full of ceramics, interesting kitchen utensils, vessels, specialty Japanese foods, and other things. I always love walking around this space. I don’t buy any food products—frankly, I can’t even think about food at this point—but I do buy a teeny, tiny fork and spoon that I’ll use for olives and other little snacks when hosting. I fall in love with this super fun and unique lamp but, alas, $1,800 is out of my price range. A girl can dream. We stop in a few vintage shops on the walk home but it’s getting later than I had hoped and I need to head home to pack. I am traveling for work this week and need to get a head start today.
6:30 p.m. It’s now dinnertime and I’m still full from the weekend. I have no desire to eat but I know the salad from earlier will go bad if I don’t eat it tonight. The salad is still crispy with radish and buckwheat. The dressing is light and delicious. It’s some sort of yuzu vinaigrette. Back to the real world tomorrow, so I get a head start by logging into my work computer to check my emails and do some work in anticipation of Monday’s meetings. Later, I start work on another paper due for class next week.