The swag must make it official. Today I started a new role at the @nytimes overseeing our Projects and Initiatives team. This group executes ambitious cross-newsroom special projects and series, progress-oriented journalism from The Headway, and innovative technology partnerships, and works with sub-brands like Wirecutter and The Athletic. I’m so excited to start this new chapter. 🥰 (Midtown lunch recs welcome.)
Summer in review! Did a lot of Massachusetts, Maine, and summer-in-the-city, logging more hours than ideal on I-95. Plus some jaunts outside of the East Coast. Grateful to our many hosts and my forever staycation partner @pabld . 😎 Highlights:
1 - 2: The babes in Maine
3: Finding my happy place during the Cannes Lions festival
4 - 5: Celebrating Pablo’s 40th in a very on-brand way at the USTA center and The Grill
6: With the cousins in LA
7 - 9: Annisquam, MA
10: Cleaning out my work desk
11: Our annual US Open pilgrimage
This month I’m wrapping up my 16 year (!) career at Eater to try something new. Eater is where I really learned how to break news, foster sources, write in my own voice, build a narrative, investigate a challenging story, and have fun on the internet. I got to indulge in my love of restaurants and food culture and small businesses. I learned how to build a team, manage a large organization, negotiate with a union, develop talent, and navigate a growing company. I feel like I got an MBA in the business of media and ad sales I learned how TV shows are made, how book deals get done, the margins on cookware lines, and a thing or two about M&A.
And I got to learn it all alongside the most wonderfully talented, intelligent, creative, and funny people in the business. I’m so grateful for this long run and to all the people who helped me along the way, especially @lock for the early decade of mentorship and @bankoff for always having my back and throwing new challenges my way. 😭😭😭
Had so much fun completing @sanitationfoundation ‘s 8-class (+ 2 field trip) course on New York City garbage (and waste water!). I am now officially a propagandist for @nycsanitation and can lecture you about where your recycling goes, how compost + poop = energy, and the brave new world of containerization and rat control. 🤓
Turned 40 at the top of the month in the best possible way with sun and cake a food and friends and all the rest of it. Everyone (under 45) tells me this is a great decade so I’m happy to get into it 😎
Spent four days in AZ looking at the sky and staring at the earth and celebrating 11 years with @pabld . From the red rocks of Sedona to the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon, the truly special perspective on the cosmos at the @lowellobservatory , and destination-worthy chilaquiles at @martannes_flagstaff it’s such a special area. ✨
It’s pub day for @eater ’s first-ever cookbook, a compendium of recipes, advice, tips, and more from our favorite restaurants and hospitality veterans from across the U.S. Bug kudos to @brittaboutaleb@hillarydixlercanavan@natbelkov and a whole host of other team members for bringing this to life and to @ljdozier for giving it a home at @abramsbooks
Abruzzo! So enamored with the mountains, ancient towns, cute hotels, simple food, and gorgeous wine of this beautiful place. Was especially honored by the behind-the-scenes looks at the winemaking at @emidiopepe and @de_fermo , two producers dedicated to making wines that are wonderful and alive. (Big thanks to @joecampanale for the intros and recs.)
Just wrapped a transformative week of high altitude hiking, reflecting, and unplugging at @resettelluride . Can’t say I’ve been anywhere more beautiful. Ty @joliehuntpotter for organizing 🥹
