#067 : SUMMER IN THE CITY / MY ROUTINE
Original publication date: May 23, 2023
Hi from downtown Manhattan, everyone! It's 10:12 AM on Tuesday and I have agreed to do a reading today. Like on a stage. I am dying.
Anyway, summer is here and I thrive in the summer. Here's a day in my life (last Friday, to be exact) right now:
9:40 AM
I usually wake up exactly at 8:42 every single morning, so I was thrilled on Friday to wake up at 9:40 AM. And I think I’d gone to bed just before midnight! It was a gift from the party gods. That meant I’d have energy to actually be social on a Friday night, instead of showing up to the event and feeling tortured.
9:50 AM
I did a gentle 15-minute Boho Beautiful yoga video just to get it over with (and because my calves were mad tight). I’d stopped doing morning wake-up movement for a month while I travelled and recovered from traveling, but I’m back on it. It’s really to stretch and focus real quick.
I do these videos before coffee, so ten minutes—like the BB Pilates video I did the previous day at 8:50 AM—feels like ten bloody hours. But I’m always glad I get it done.
10:20 AM
Then: coffee and breakfast! I cooked up tomatoes, kale and mushrooms (all Trader Joe’s produce) in one pan.
I eat the same thing every morning: two eggs scrambled with a bunch of veg, and then fruit on the side.
10:45 AM
During the fall, winter, and spring, 'after breakfast' would be the time that I’d zone out on the sofa checking the news, Instagram, and erasing whatever dumb Tweets I’d posted the night before when I was tired and cranky at 11:30 PM.
But it’s summer now, which means all wasting my time on my phone has to be done outdoors.
I put on my Vitamin C serum, some (surely useless) $4 Trader Joe’s eye cream, and the moisturiser I’m loving—Weleda Iris Hydrating Day Cream, a recent Courtney Love rec that smells and feels so luxurious, despite being only $17.
Then: La Roche Posay SPF 50 that I—unfortunately for my readers—buy in Europe and Mexico. (I don’t like the La Roche-Posay you buy in the United States at all.)
11 AM
I grabbed my yoga blanket and a baseball cap, and left my apartment wearing a string bikini. This of course meant that I immediately ran into my super and a bunch of maintenance guys on my elevator on the way up to the roof.
Then I laid out in my skimpy Calzedonia bathing suit…
…with a baseball protecting my face. Always.
Tanning is the center of my morning. I usually do 20 minutes front of body, 20 minutes back of body. I don’t stay out too-too long because I definitely notice that too much Vitamin D effects my writing.
This was when—like I said—I really let myself go hard on my phone. I called my best friend; she was at work and couldn’t talk. I checked email. I texted my house cleaner and booked her for Monday. I responded to a stranger’s DMs about how to get liquid prescription drugs past TSA. (No idea, BTW.)
12:20 PM
Usually working on my 500-words-a-day book goal is next on the schedule. But Friday’s routine was different because I slept in: I had an hour less time to work between breakfast and lunch.
I sat on my sofa and worked on the art for this column on Pixlr.
Then I did quickie makeup.
12:50 PM
I darted out of the house wearing an old sundress and the same baseball cap. (I do not recommend this look—which no, I do not wear indoors; the cap comes off. I am crazy-looking as I protect my face on the street.)
1 PM
I usually go to a 12-step “collective” in my neighborhood at this time. It is a gentle, mellow meeting full of old-timers…unlike some of the evening meetings, which are hip and full of hot people, a.k.a. very downtown New York City. I like and attend both kinds of groups.
2 PM
I walked home and ate lunch.
3 PM
Writing time! It didn’t go well. It’s definitely so much harder writing in the afternoon after the sun and the meeting. I really struggled to hit my 500 word goal, which is totally not a lot (these columns are, for example, 1000 words) and usually takes me, like, 40 minutes.
I always repeat myself, but if you're new: I’m working on a rough draft of my chick lit noir novel, which so far is completely autobiographical and full of embarrassing scenes from my romantic life.
4:45 PM
I finally finished the work.
4:50 PM
I didn’t have time to waste, so I had to start working out right away. It was The Limit day in my home exercise rotation. These are the hardest videos in my routine by far, with endless-feeling jumping, dance cardio, devastating reps of light weights, and more.
I really like the positive energy of the trainers and the effects these workouts have on my body—particularly the leg-slimming.
5:40 PM
I finished the 48-minute workout after stopping it three times. I felt sick and wanted to sprawl out and rest, but I immediately hopped in the shower.
6 PM
I drank tea to perk up while I got dressed for my event. I chose an old Diane Von Furstenberg mini dress that has been in my closet for years; I’d never worn it. I paired it with silver Oscar de la Renta pumps and a denim Fendi baguette I’ve been rocking since Conde Nast days.
The makeup gods were with me that night. My lashes glued on perfectly; my liner didn’t smear.
6:40 PM
I Ubered to the event.
6:55 PM
I arrived at Richie Shazam’s book party!
Richie is a highly fashionable downtown legend who has been in the mainstream media a ton in the past few years for being one of Julia Fox’s best friends. I met Richie through MINT and SERF, my graffiti writer BFFs.
Richie has a new book with Idea full of wild and fab photography.
I paged through it alongside SERF (of the aforementioned MIRF) and greeted all the cool girls: Niki Takesh (Julia’s Forbidden Fruits podcast partner and a bad bitch!), model Paloma Elsesser, stylist and creative director Briana Andalore, and—of course—Ms. Fox herself.
Julia and I hugged. I told her I was almost six months sober; she told me I’d always look like I was on drugs, even when I’m clean. She has a weird brain and I assure you she meant this as a compliment: like, I always look lit up. Glow-y.
“It’s because I don’t have a baby,” I said. “I get to do dance workouts, sleep nine hours, and write from a chaise lounge every day.” Sad but true; LOL.
8:20 PM
The after-party was at The Mulberry but I didn’t want to go. MINT drove me home to the East Village in his mom’s car like old times, and I was happy and laughed the whole ride.
8:30 PM
I sat on my sofa and live-Tweeted as I watched my favorite NBA player, Jimmy Butler, crush the Celtics in one of the most exciting performances of all time.
I ate some microwaved chicken breast and vegetables followed by junk food as I did this.
11:30 PM
Bed!
*****
Okay, there we have it! What’s in your summer routine? Comment on anything to win a signed copy of HOW TO MURDER YOUR LIFE. Jesus, I really have to bite the bullet, pick those winners, and send them out!
As always, I will write every single one of you bitches back. XO CAT