In the early 2000s, Monica Lewinsky retreated into private life — at least to the extent it was possible. In the decade-ish since re-entering the public eye, she’s been active as an anti-bullying advocate and public speaker as a means of exerting agency over the narrative that defined part of her life. Reclaiming With Monica Lewinsky, her new podcast from Wondery Media, explores public shame, with early guests like Olivia Munn and her close friend of over two decades, Alan Cumming. After two weeks in New York, Lewinsky spent last week back home in L.A., juggling a handful of TV projects, whipping up her signature Weird Salad, comfort-eating Girl Scout cookies, and sneaking bites of potato gratin in between glamming up for the Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Wednesday, February 26
I was lucky that my maternal grandma lived in our guest house for many of my formative years. I could pop over to her place for an extra hug — or an extra snack — whenever I wanted. Two things she always had at the ready for me and my brother: Starbursts and mini-bagels. Whenever I eat a mini-bagel (always toasted dark), I think of her. Today, that’s breakfast — a mini-bagel with whipped cream cheese. What’s even the point of regular non-whipped cream cheese?
I got home late the night before, back from a flurry of TV interviews and podcast recordings over in New York. Coffee is needed intravenously.
I’m fussy about my coffee, but not in a bougie way. I like to mix two different Starbucks VIAs: the special Christmas blend and decaf. (Yes, this means I must stock up on the following year’s coffee during the holidays.) I add heavy cream and, sometimes, a sprinkle of pumpkin spice or, if I’m needing a little cheering up, some canned whipped cream — and sprinkles.
I need to ground myself a bit from all the travel and attention — that’s hard for me to handle sometimes — so I go for a walk around my neighborhood. While out, I get an oat-milk chai latte from a little café down the street. I stop by my corner market for my favorite ice cream: Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter ’N Chocolate. I have loved this ice cream since at least the fifth grade. It has big chunks of frozen peanut butter and a perfect salty-to-sweet ratio.
I go out for lunch with a friend at Pizzana, one of my favorite pizza places in L.A. I down some salad, heavy on the dressing, and a slice of pepperoni pizza. Pepperoni pizza has been my favorite ever since I was a child. In fact, I wrote a stupid poem about it in first grade and it found its way to the internet in 1998 or soon after. Mary Oliver I am not.
To help me get through my Zooms prepping for the next day’s podcast interview, I have some chili-lime chips and Thin Mints. Putting that into words, I can’t imagine a more disgusting combination, but here we are.
I’m thrilled to stay in for the night. I whip up a fancy dinner for myself, consisting of Trader Joe’s pad see ew. (I have mad microwave skills.) And obviously, for dessert, I have some peanut-butter-and-chocolate ice cream.
Thursday, February 27
I have an early start, both from jet lag and nerves about the day’s interview. I’ve only been conducting podcast interviews for a few months, and trust me when I say it’s harder than it looks! It’s been very rewarding, but it has also challenged me a good amount.
I have my usual coffee, and then, for some reason, decide that even more caffeine will help my nerves. Luckily, I have a Cosmic Crisp apple — my very favorite kind of apple — leftover in the fridge from before I left for New York, which I have with a little peanut butter.
I’ve been going to Amazon Studios in Culver City to tape all of the interviews. The green rooms have a fabulous snack selection, so I bookend the recordings with strawberries and pineapple, and salt-and-vinegar kettle chips. Sadly, they don’t have Butterfingers today.
By the time I leave the studio, I am starving. Sometimes, after doing an interview or giving a talk, I experience an energy surge that makes going home and being on my own feel weird. So, instead, I park myself at San Vicente Bungalows and work on notes for a TV project I’m developing, along with some housekeeping for the podcast. I order the Bungalows’ delicious buffalo cauliflower and an Asian chicken salad. (I am once again realizing I tend to go for some very strange food combinations.) On my way out, I steal some Starbursts from the candy section.
I run calls and errands for the rest of the day before popping into Zinqué for their broccoli green-curry soup. It’s a hair too spicy for me, but I like it anyway. And, of course, many spoonfuls of peanut-butter-and-chocolate ice cream when I get home.
Friday, February 28
I make myself an omelet with tomatoes and avocado. Egg dishes, lemon pasta, wok-sautéed chicken and broccoli, and Rice Krispy treats are about the extent of my cooking repertoire. I also have some coffee, and basically work from home for most of the day. Alongside Reclaiming, I’m working on a limited series for Hulu about Amanda Knox, so I’ve been balancing projects and time zones as we wrap up shooting in Europe.
The first treat of the day comes at midday, during lunch with my 9-year-old nephew. I have a green-goddess salad with avocado and green apple, which is delicious. I also have an oat-milk chai latte and try to not snack further as I know I have a yummy dinner in store for me at a private social club in Los Angeles with my friends Jane Buckingham and Lindsay Sloane.
Between the three of us, we share sushi, chicken littles, Caesar salad (chopped, with extra dressing and croutons on the side), brick chicken, and a yummy sweet-potato thing. For dessert, we have warm, gluten-free chocolate-chip cookies and milk. The bonus: In my candy bag, I take home Swedish Fish, sour rainbows, and Sour Patch Kids.
Saturday, March 1
How is it March? I start my Saturday late for an appointment with my sound resonance healer, who I’ve been working with for over a decade and a half. Running out the door, I make my coffee and grab four breakfast Tagalongs. Hey, it’s Girl Scout cookie season.
I forgot to add to my above cooking repertoire: Weird Salad. It’s grilled asparagus with oil and soy sauce, and a thick balsamic-vinegar drizzle on cut-up strawberries. I started making this salad in 2018. One day, when a friend was hosting me for lunch, she made a big salad and accidentally drizzled soy sauce on it instead of balsamic … So then she also added the balsamic. After that, I go out and get my mani-pedi for Oscars night.
For dinner, I stay in and have leftover broccoli green-curry soup, along with potatoes au gratin. (And peanut-butter-and-chocolate ice cream.)
Sunday, March 2
I ask my brother to come over to try to fix something that happened to the under-sink drawer early that morning. I’m usually pretty handy, but today I am at a loss. My niece comes with him, and we have mini-bagels and whipped cream cheese.
I’m normally a total bitch the half hour before I leave for a big event. I make sure to apologize to everyone in advance — I just get nervous from the social anxiety. I have a couple of cups of my special coffee concoction, and pretty soon after that, I have lunch. The Oscars-party invite calls for a 3:30 p.m. arrival, so I am trying to strategize when and what to eat. Ultimately, I land on leftover potatoes au gratin at around 11 a.m., in part because my glam starts at 11:30. Not wanting to be a rude host to the lovely people coming to doll me up, I set out some crudités and guacamole. Also not wanting to be a rude host, I try a little to make sure it tastes okay.
After lunch, I stick my Crest white strips on and, once I’m in my dress (and Spanx), I have a few bites of a banana. Ever since I was kid, I would often have a banana before going to a party, because my mom told me that they make you glow. Because of the, er, potassium, I assume?
My tummy starts to hurt from nerves on my drive over to the party. I don’t drink, and I realized last year that it was much easier to just drive myself and valet than Uber. (I’m a little wary of getting in an Uber all dolled up, since my account is under a different name.)
I finally make it past the most difficult part of the night: the red carpet. My anxiety amped up before doing the carpet and dropped once I walked into the party. I’m lucky that I’ve now been attending this event for many years, and that there are friends I get to catch up with here. I feel like I really know people now.
At the party, I have a couple of hors d’oeuvres: a little artichoke thingy and a squash blossom. Evan Funke is catering the dinner and it’s all delicious. After schmoozing and watching the show for a little over an hour, we go into dinner. We feast on salad with lasagna and steak. The latter is a mistake for me, because it means I’m still full when the In-N-Out burgers start making the rounds.
I sip on a Coke the whole night. I try not to drink too much soda — I personally do not count ginger ale as a soda (no one ruin this for me!) — but at parties if there aren’t froufrou mocktails, Coke is a little more fun. (Not that kind.)
More Grub Street Diets
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- Author Torrey Peters Always Spatchcocks Her Chicken
- Kyle Chayka Is Eating Through His Jet Lag