Illustration: Margalit Cutler
Writer and political commentator Molly Jong-Quick eats a whole lot of ice cream. “I truly like cupcakes rather more than ice cream, however I really feel that ice cream is more healthy for you, as a result of it has milk in it,” she says. It additionally options in one of many few uncomplicated childhood recollections she has of her mom, the feminist author Erica Jong. “When Mother would ask me to look at TV along with her, I might run proper up the steps to her room and eat ice cream till my abdomen harm,” she writes in her conflicted new memoir, Lose Your Mom. The ebook is her first in over a decade, and its launch has prompted a “sort of gradual rolling anxiousness assault,” she says. It’s actually saved her busy; most of her meals as of late are on the go. On the peak of the insanity earlier this June, Jong-Quick spent per week consuming bagels behind taxis, downing ginger pictures, and stockpiling sweets.
Tuesday, June 3
I’m showing on Morning Joe as a political analyst, which implies 6am get up, 7am on the studio. I spend a whole lot of time worrying concerning the state of American democracy and how you can repair it, which is why I’m very annoying. I additionally drink monumental lattes most mornings — a whole lot of skim milk, no sugar. On the way in which to the studio I purchase one other latte from Starbucks.
One among my vocal cords is weak; we used to suppose it was paralyzed, however all it actually means is that I’m extra vulnerable to laryngitis, which I bought two weeks in the past for a day, and it sucked. As a result of I’m occurring a ebook tour, I’m attempting onerous to not get it once more by mainlining ginger pictures. I favor these from Pret a Manger as a result of they’re not too sturdy.
I devour 40 Throat Coat lozenges whereas I’m on air — although not truly whereas I’m on air — for a bit of over an hour. Then I head downtown to the Condé Nast places of work for a ebook discuss. Within the taxi, which takes eternally, I eat half a plain bagel with some scrambled eggs and butter. I like butter. My favourite bagels within the metropolis are from Kossar’s Bakery & Bialys, however I additionally take pleasure in Tal Bagels.
Coming again uptown, I drink extra espresso earlier than just a few pre-interviews at NBC. My cutoff needs to be 12 for caffeine, however generally it’s not. I’ve an Oura Ring that hates me for it, however I even have teenage youngsters.
I head to Deadline: White Home with Nicole Wallace. I like her. I eat some monumental black and white cookies from William Greenberg on the way in which. Are you able to guess what my ldl cholesterol is? It’s 300, which implies I win.
Every time I’m going to 30 Rock, I’m contractually obligated to cease at Van Leeuwen for ice cream. In the present day I get a waffle cone with mint chip.
Later that evening I eat some sort of salad factor that was already in the home. I don’t know what the story with that was. When you will have youngsters, meals sometimes simply seems, and the way it bought there’s a thriller. There’s meals in the home that you just’ve by no means seen earlier than, that you just’ll by no means see once more. I don’t know the way it bought there, or the place it goes. It’s like a haunted home. I eat early as a result of I’ve to do a studying on the Barnes & Noble on the Higher West Aspect. (After which spend 5 hours attempting to get all my eye make-up off.)
Wednesday, June 4
I’ve a latte, a banana, and half of a plain bagel with peanut butter, on the way in which to do CBS Mornings in Instances Sq.. CBS places a whole lot of make-up on my face, and I look wonderful. However this amazing-lookingness is offset by the data that I’m going to should get all this make-up off in some unspecified time in the future.
Afterwards I meet some TV work buddies at 30 Rock, at a type of espresso outlets they’ve within the basement. Now we have iced tea, and I desire a cookie, however I don’t have time to order, as a result of I’ve to depart for DC. I find yourself operating down seventh avenue and nearly miss my practice. As soon as seated, I choose at a bag of Swedish Fish.
I meet some buddies at Makers Union, a type of native DC chains, and have a cheeseburger. There is no such thing as a bizarre mayo sauce, so I’m completely satisfied. Mayonnaise appears gross to me. (Although I’m not a Republican, I do consider catchup is a vegetable.) And the pickles are nice, too. I’ve all of the fries and an iced tea.
Afterwards, we go to an incredible chocolate retailer known as Kilwins. I debate whether or not to get an ice cream cone, or to get a chocolate, or a number of sweets. I get a waffle cone with two scoops — they weigh roughly a pound every — of cookie dough. I get fearful that I’m not going to have the ability to end it earlier than I’ve to do a studying at Politics and Prose; I feel to myself, “You’ll by no means eat this entire factor.”
I eat the entire thing. The studying goes properly. Maureen Dowd, the emcee, says good issues about me and I feel it is perhaps the top of my profession? On the automotive trip again to New York, all I can take into consideration is that I might have had a bag crammed with chocolate with me.
Thursday June 4
My dumb Oura Ring, which hates me, desperately needs me to stand up at 7am. I’ve two lattes and, like, 55 strawberries. Often, I eat issues that aren’t crammed with ldl cholesterol. 300 child!
I cease at Starbucks for one more latte on the way in which to Good Morning America. George Stephanopoulos is extremely good to me and says his spouse Ali Wentworth listens to my podcast, which I discover tremendous transferring. Did I point out I’m in that bizarre tour state, with not sufficient sleep? I might cry at any time, although I haven’t but.
I’ve time to kill earlier than doing Terry Gross at NPR — actual bucket checklist stuff — so I sit down at one other Pret a Manger, the place I’ve a ginger shot, a lemonade, and a cookie.
I do get barely misplaced in NPR, which is humorous as a result of I used to be simply at NPR. I’m going dwelling and eat one other 500 strawberries, a banana, and a few yogurt. No matter’s within the fridge. Afterward, I stroll to my facial girl, Ildi. I like her and instantly go to sleep within the chair. I all the time do.
Tonight I keep dwelling and eat an early dinner with my children — salad and steak, medium uncommon — who haven’t seen me in what appears like a yr. However like I stated, they’re youngsters, so that they discover me a bit of annoying, which is nice and wholesome and I respect it.
Afterwards I do Ari Melber’s present, and clearly cease by the 30 Rock Van Leeuwen. I feel it’s as a result of I’m sober that I’ve such a candy tooth. I get the cake flavored ice cream, which is truthfully a revelation, in a waffle cone; it melts on me as I eat it.
Friday, June 6
It’s a Morning Joe day, so I’m up at 6. I’ve a whole lot of fruit earlier than I go away the home, and a Starbucks venti latte within the automotive; I’m nonetheless throwing again ginger pictures.
Then I run dwelling to do an interview for this fancy Canadian radio present, which additionally they document over Zoom. I look horrible, however I don’t actually care. When your Wikipedia photograph is as dangerous as mine, you sort of recover from these items.
I do podcast interviews all afternoon. Within the automotive with my household on our approach to spend the weekend on Lengthy Island, I eat extra Swedish Fish. Not less than they’re fish!
We cease at a gasoline station, and choose up a Haribo Starmix, which is a range bag of bizarre gummy candies. It’s every little thing I ever hoped for and a lot extra. I used to be planning to share with my children, however I don’t.
On Lengthy Island, we’ve got household dinner: Sandwiches with fancy cheese. And sure, I do get ice cream after and, sure, it’s in a waffle cone.
Saturday June 7
A pal visits and brings over just a few Cafe Commerce cinnamon rolls — one of the best houseguest current ever. The rolls are onerous in the precise locations outdoors, and smooth in the precise locations inside. The frosting is wonderful. I like frosting. It’s my faith.
I’m going to an early AA assembly and eat a Goldberg’s bagel with scrambled eggs and butter. Did I point out I like butter? Then I’ve three cinnamon rolls out of a tin.
We hang around and browse the paper. I do Ail Velshi’s present by way of Zoom earlier than we go to the cheese retailer, the place they promote me a sort of Swiss cheese with edible flowers. This captures my creativeness, and I eat a block of it.
I eat lunch someplace unspectacular, and order a hen Caesar salad. It’s high-quality. If I don’t ever eat one other piece of hen, it’ll even be high-quality.
Now we have steaks at dwelling, and so they’re fairly good. For no matter motive I eat two of them, then I’m going out to the ice cream store that solely takes money. One other day, one other monumental ice cream on one other waffle cone.
EAT LIKE THE EXPERTS.
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