Illustration: Margalit Cutler
If it weren’t so scorching final week, comic Alison Leiby would possibly’ve dropped into the Grill to have fun the publication of her new e-book with a martini, however the concept of going into midtown within the sweltering warmth “was a non-starter,” she says. As an alternative, she stored it native, hitting her neighborhood go-tos and retaining cool with a hefty provide of Weight loss plan Coke in her fridge. She bought hooked on it again in school, and she or he’s by no means seemed again. Within the e-book, a set of essays titled I’m a Lot, Leiby chronicles totally different variations of herself — teenage jock and present Bravoholic, to call a pair — however her love for Weight loss plan Coke is immutable. And don’t ask her to swap in a Coke Zero if that’s the one selection. “Simply give me the plain seltzer,” she says. “When you’ve been consuming as a lot Weight loss plan Coke for so long as I’ve, there simply isn’t any comp.”
Monday, June 29
Regardless of the primary 20 years of my life being devoted to early-morning sports activities observe, I’m now far more prone to see 4 a.m. from the opposite course. I’m an evening owl, so my morning routine must be very simple. I all the time begin by making an iced Americano. I’m an iced-coffee-year-round maniac, however in the summertime, nobody is aware of how deranged I’m. An iced espresso in 25 levels? Psychotic, vexing, an indication of one thing critically mistaken. An iced espresso in 95 levels? Stylish, sensible, vital.
I toast a bit of Orwashers seeded rye that I scooped up at Union Market and slather it with butter. I additionally lower up a nectarine that may for positive be higher if I wait one other day, however I can’t. I’m not a affected person particular person, so half of my fruit consumption is unripened. I eat whereas sitting on my sofa answering emails and watching my cat, Rizz, do massive stretches on the rug.
I do some work, which for me proper now’s a whole lot of Substack interviews about my e-book. At 11, my buddy Andrea and I stroll over to our closest public pool. I’m a public-pool evangelist and consider everybody in New York ought to go to their native choice no less than as soon as a summer time. Typically persons are like, “Ew, you go to the general public pool? That’s gross!” It’s not. The town runs the swimming pools and has strict cleanliness tips. You realize what is gross? The shallow baths that lodges and personal golf equipment name “swimming pools” the place everyone seems to be simply sitting in a evenly chlorinated soup of D.S. & Durga oils and sticky Hugo spritzes.
Put up-pool, I assemble a snack lunch. I chop up an heirloom tomato, some recent mozzarella, and basil and toss that with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. Then I pour the shards of Stacy’s multigrain pita chips on the backside of a bag onto a plate. I lower up cucumber spears and dip them in Little Sesame hummus after which put these onto the chip shards, since none of them are useful dippers anymore. It’s type of like rolling mushy serve in sprinkles, however the savory model. I eat this with a can of Weight loss plan Coke, which is a lunch requirement.
After doing a little writing, I head to Soho to get a bra to work with my costume for my e-book social gathering. It takes just a few stops and a few actual honesty about which quadrant of my physique my tits are actually in, however I discover what I want. After buying an merchandise that appears match extra for Residence Depot than the Bloomingdale’s intimates part, I want a reward. I pop into Fanelli for a Stella on draft. It’s exhausting to not get onion rings and shrimp cocktail, however this can be a pit cease, so I’ve my beer (okay, two) and transfer on.
My finest buddy, Natasha Pickowicz, is coming over for dinner. I put out some snacks together with a pickle plate (piparra peppers, pepperoncini, and the intense inexperienced Union Market half-sour pickles), in addition to some sharp cheddar and grapes, cashews, and spicy Bjorn Qorn alongside some Campari-sodas we drink out on my balcony. I bake some hen breasts from Winner Butcher that we then smother in its spicy aji verde sauce. With the hen, I roast some potato wedges and make a giant crunchy salad with a mustardy French dressing, all topped off with Champagne Natasha introduced over. Earlier than she leaves, we every have just a few squares of a Cadbury “Rock the Street” bar, which is milk chocolate with dehydrated marshmallows and toasted almonds. It’s one of many wildest sweet bars on the market, and I’m obsessed.
Tuesday, June 30
Regular begin to the day: iced Americano and a few mango. I do know breakfast is necessary, however I simply am not very hungry within the morning. Fruit, espresso, and sometimes toast is the place I max out. At present, I even have a ginger shot. I do know it has no actual well being advantages, nevertheless it hurts happening so I really feel prefer it’s one thing.
I spend many of the morning writing. To get a break from my laptop, I am going on considered one of my dumb little walks by Gowanus to shake some cobwebs unfastened from my mind. It’s outrageously scorching, and once I get residence, I instantly eat a lemon Popsicle standing in entrance of my air conditioner whereas complaining out loud to Rizz in regards to the warmth wave. He has nothing useful to contribute to the discourse.
My friends-and-family e-book social gathering is tonight. I’m identified to … not eat sufficient earlier than a consuming occasion, and I don’t need this evening to take a tough left into me taking a look at my Uber app within the morning to piece collectively a timeline. So for lunch, I make my signature grilled cheese: Bread Alone peasant bread, a whole lot of Kerrygold butter, and cheddar. It’s wonderful, and I eat it with a half-sour pickle, a handful of Ruffles, a facet of cut-up watermelon, and, after all, a Weight loss plan Coke.
I’m fortunate sufficient to host my e-book social gathering at considered one of my favourite locations within the metropolis and on earth, El Pingüino. My buddy (and the proprietor) Nick arrange the works: pickled peppers, bread, cheese, sardines, gildas, oysters, shrimp, aguachile, ceviche, sausages, Basque cheesecake, alllllll the cocktails. I’ve one chew of all the things, which is totally not sufficient of a base for what number of gin martinis and crisp white wines (and tequila pictures) I pour down my throat, nevertheless it’s good. Natasha made a lovely cake that appears like a swimming pool. It’s vanilla bean with passion-fruit curd, cream cheese mousse, and olive oil buttercream. My buddy Zahra Tangorra made little strawberry-rhubarb cookies known as “Imalots.” In opposition to all odds, I make it residence with all of my private belongings, although later I do must seek the advice of my telephone to determine precisely how and once I left the social gathering.
Wednesday, July 1
I knew this morning could be rougher than common, and even pulling a double espresso shot would really feel like an insurmountable process, so I deliberate forward and left a can of La Colombe black chilly brew within the fridge. Shockingly, for the way drunk I used to be, I’m not that hungover. I’ve my canned espresso with a ginger shot (can’t damage) and a few mango and watermelon. I head to the pool to leap within the freezing-cold water to shock my system into functioning. Put up-pool, I down a can of seltzer and all the things is correct on the planet once more.
For lunch, I assemble a snack plate of no matter is round: leftover chilly hen I dunk in aji verde, some pickles, sharp cheddar, just a few handfuls of potato chips, and a can of Weight loss plan Coke. I eat extra watermelon and a lemon Popsicle as a result of my evenly hungover thirst is unquenchable.
Later within the afternoon, I’ve a meet-up with a reporter who’s interviewing me. I pound a glass of water and a mini-can of Weight loss plan Coke earlier than she will get right here. We stroll across the Gowanus Canal chatting after which we pop into considered one of my favourite locations, Blueprint. I’ve a traditional margarita. Usually I get the Smoky Mary’s, which is spicy, however I’m so scorching from strolling round within the solar that I want the pure refreshment of simply lime and tequila. We order the burrata bruschetta, which is principally the very best French-bread pizza you’ve ever had. We additionally get my different favourite dish on the menu, the roasted potatoes and shishitos with crème fraîche dip. It’s like a flowery onion dip with pickled shallots in it — a deceptively easy snack. Earlier than we depart we get one other chew: toast with ricotta topped with recent cherry tomatoes, olives, pickled pearl onions, and a green-onion French dressing. I chase it with a pilsner.
We stroll the half a block over to Union Corridor for a spot I’m doing on Chilly Plunge, Kurt Braunohler’s new month-to-month present. It’s packed, the gang is nice, and associates are there. I used to be afraid all the opposite comics could be like, “Properly, I’ve bought one other spot so, see ya” after the present. As an alternative everyone seems to be like, “Soooooo … we hangin’?” I drink a mezcal on the rocks after which a Tecate as folks peel off till it’s simply me and my buddy Shane speaking about comedy. I stroll residence muttering to myself about how scorching it’s outdoors.
Thursday, July 2
As soon as once more, a daily morning of an iced Americano, some cut-up watermelon, and a bit of rye toast with butter. I needed to rise and podcast early this morning (9 a.m.), and by the point we’re performed, I’m ravenous. Whereas I determine what to really eat, I sneak just a few handfuls of popcorn that my buddy Iris made. It has every kind of fine heat spices and is really addictive. She gave me a gallon bag of it as a “popcorn bouquet” at my e-book social gathering.
I resolve on an early lunch of leftovers with a Weight loss plan Coke tall boy: chilly hen with aji verde, just a few items of cheddar, a large salad. I warmth up a hash-brown patty from the freezer till it’s super-crispy after which I coat it in Outdated Bay. Numerous meals are simply automobiles for Outdated Bay. That’s the Marylander in me. I haven’t had a salad since Monday, which is a very long time for me, and it hits the spot. I really love salad. I crave salad. It doesn’t should be difficult, nevertheless it does should be inexperienced and crunchy and in a dressing with a ton of acid and chew. I’m an acid freak. Nothing ever has sufficient acid for me. I might in all probability eat a shoe in case you coated it in vinegar.
It’s outrageously scorching once more, so within the afternoon I head to the pool to place my head below chilly water for some time. It helps. One other post-pool lemon Popsicle is a necessity. My buddy Nina can also be on the pool, and afterward, we’re each determined for a drink.
We go seeking piña coladas, however are happy with a happy-hour Paloma at Candy Polly. We’ve one there, swing by Uncle Barry’s for a chilly beer and colder tequila shot, then pop to Fourth Avenue Pub for another beer-and-shot combo earlier than heading residence. Our buddy Rachel, who’s additionally my neighbor, is making dinner. I carry over Iris’s popcorn bouquet and a few super-crunchy crimson grapes and a watermelon. Nina makes watermelon-mint margaritas and Rachel cooks up a wildly good pasta with white beans, cabbage, miso, and parmesan.
From there, all of us head out to my one real love, my residence away from residence, Canal Bar. We’ve just a few extra beers and tequila pictures and meet up with my associates Audrey and Zach. All of us bounce backwards and forwards from Canal Bar to Bar Nice Harry after which again for a beer on Zach’s roof. All of the sudden, it’s extraordinarily late. I come residence and crash into mattress whereas cuddling Rizz in my aggressively air-conditioned bed room.
Friday, July 3
As soon as once more, a typical morning of an iced Americano and the stays of some watermelon and mango. I’ve to report a podcast, so I chug two glasses of water beforehand to undo final evening and in addition put together for one more heat-wave day. We end recording, and I eat just a few handfuls of popcorn and open a Weight loss plan Coke for good measure. Between the warmth and the beer and shot combos I’m determined to dunk my head below water, so I head to the pool.
I get again ravenous, and the one reply is freezer pizza. I prefer to order a giant pizza from Norm’s, half plain, half pepperoni, and I freeze the slices individually so I all the time have good pizza readily available with out having to go anyplace. I warmth some up and throw collectively a “no matter is within the fridge” salad of child kale, crimson onion, celery, and cucumber in a simple dressing made with a wholesome quantity of dijon and red-wine vinegar. I eat this with a chilly can of Weight loss plan Coke and faux to write down all afternoon however largely simply take a look at my telephone.
I’ve a spot at Union Corridor tonight on Whiplash, so I eat an early dinner alone on the bar at Rucola. It’s the house of my favourite salad on earth, which is simply escarole, almonds, and a literal fistful of creamy, salty feta in a light-weight French dressing. Since I had a giant silly salad at lunch, I’m weirdly not within the temper for it. I begin with a 50/50 martini and a Weight loss plan Coke and take a look at to not eat the entire focaccia and olive oil they offer me inside two minutes of sitting down.
The menu at Rucola modifications always, which is thrilling, nevertheless it can also create a hellish unrequited love when you might have a pasta you may’t cease eager about after which by no means see once more — mine is a corkscrew noodle with pesto Trapanese and a mountain of Parmesan that I solely bought to get pleasure from as soon as, like, eight years in the past. Its present hen dish is considered one of my favorites, although, so I get that. It’s roasted and served with asparagus on a white-bean purée and topped with chimichurri. I additionally get the facet of the summer time squash topped with feta, which is much less a squash dish and extra a feta dish (complimentary). When the meals comes, I get a freezing-cold glass of Arneis. I would like the dark-chocolate pudding, however I must go onstage quickly and am already full. Earlier than I depart, my buddy Peter, who works there, reveals me one million photos of the 2 new kittens his roommate adopted. To me, cat photos are principally dessert.
My buddy Josh Gondelman can also be on the present and lives close by, so he meets me at Rucola. We stroll to Union Corridor within the 97-degree warmth as a result of we’re idiots, and I arrive virtually soaking moist. I’ve a chilly Narragansett (high quality, two) and once I go up I’ve a enjoyable set and solely scream into the mic in regards to the warmth twice. After the present, just a few of us swing by Littlefield for a celebration the place I drink a beer and a tequila shot. Everybody else hangs longer, however I peel off and meet my buddy Daniel at Blueprint. We’ve margaritas earlier than making a transfer over to the Commissioner, the place I’ve one other marg and he will get a Campari-soda. After a strip of blurry photobooth photos, we head to my place to scrounge round for another nightcap. We speak about Widow’s Bay till manner too late, planning for the subsequent day we all know we will’t hold. I am going to mattress across the identical time I used to rise up for rowing observe once I was youthful, and I’m already eager about the Weight loss plan Coke within the fridge I’ll drink tomorrow.
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