"I had venison carpaccio. I’m going to a fiery raw-vegan hell."Photo: Melissa Hom
Thursday, February 15
I woke up way too late, shared a fuji apple with my boyfriend before he ran out the door. Drank some fresh coconut water, which is amazing for hangovers, then had chocolate ice “cream” and raw cocoa beans. I took a few big bites to create space for the small handful of raw cacao pieces that I poured in. I ate them slowly while drinking a huge glass of water. This is my favorite breakfast caffeine-rush.
I rushed across the street to a corporate lunchtime event we hosted at the restaurant, at which I was required to speak about grapefruits. I won’t name the company since they’re not known for being organic, and pasteurize their juice, so I felt like a whore doing the event. All the food and hors d’oeuvre included pink grapefruit. It wasn’t even noon yet and I was having pink-grapefruit sake mojitos.
Wednesday, February 14
I ran across to the juice bar, threw some frozen blueberries, fresh pineapple, fresh coconut water, some goji berries, half a banana, blue-green algae, vanilla, and a pinch of salt into a blender.
I drank green juice while getting my hair blown dry and typing on my laptop.
In the kitchen I tasted the special Valentine’s Day menu full of foods meant to be aphrodisiacs rose petals in mache salad with candied pine nuts; shaved pineapple with mint, ginseng, and ginger; asparagus, winter truffle, and wild mushrooms en Papillote with creamed celeriac, endive, and wine-soaked black figs. I felt like a proud Mom.
My yummy boyfriend came by. We drank sake mojitos and went to a late dinner at Mamlouk. We drank red wine and ate what they brought us — no menus, which I like. Lots of salads, hummus, really good rice dishes, then some kind of roasted fish. Then I ate a lamb meatball. It was small! Dessert was fresh berries and flan.
Tuesday, February 13
I ran across the street to the restaurant to grab a pint of our chocolate ice “cream.
Midday, green juice with lots of lemon; it’s my comfort food.
Later I stopped over at the House, a new wine bar across the street from my own place. My friend Sean is the chef; he once had me savoring slow-roasted duck, and then sucking on the bones — a complete horror show, since my company is named One Lucky Duck. Here’s how I rationalize occasionally not eating raw-vegan: I always want to try good food. It was very worthwhile in this case: Branzino with red and gold beets, white beans and parsley oil; roasted pattypan squash with olives and cherry tomatoes. Then I had a bit of venison carpaccio, too. I’m going to a fiery raw-vegan hell, no doubt.
Monday, February 12
Sunday, I stayed up til 5 a.m. working on my computer. I got up at 8 a.m. I had water with a lemon squeezed in it, and some fresh pineapple, then later gave in and made some (organic!) coffee, which I never drink.
Green juice at lunchtime, and then a salad of various seaweeds, lettuces, shredded cucumber, capers — I worship capers – I have a salt fetish — some of our Caesar dressing, hemp seeds, and pignoli cheese. It looked a mess but tasted so good. I rudely ate it throughout a meeting with a prospective employee.
Later, around 5 p.m., I tasted sauces and components of our dishes for seasoning in the kitchen, then for dinner sat in the corner for a meeting, not paying enough attention to the person I was meeting with, and instead watching Howard Stern eat with his daughters at the next table while I drank virgin mojito cocktails and ate some spicy Thai lettuce wraps. They’re all crunchy, spicy, citrusy, full of basil, cilantro, and mint, with sweet tamarind dipping sauce.
Sunday, February 11
A bit hungover from too many Master Cleanse 'tinis the night before. I shared an organic Fuji apple with my lovely boyfriend for breakfast. Then I had some green tea.
Later, I made my favorite weirdo shake: two pink grapefruits, a big peeled cucumber, some blue-green algae, an entire big bunch of cilantro, stems and all, some pineapple, a lime, vanilla, cinnamon, pinch of Himalayan crystal salt, sweetened with Stevia, a natural herbal sweetener. I drank that while working at my colossally messy home office desk. I love cilantro!


