Today I’m offering a sneak peak of what it looks like to be a twenty-something living in the city interning at the Food Network. There’s a very good chance this run-down is 100% unique to me, but I thought it would provide a fun insight into what my summer weekdays look like. I have to step back every day and remind myself not to get too used to this routine because I only have 2 and 1/2 weeks left. New York City has stolen my heart and I cannot wait to return after graduation. But until then, here’s a day in the life of Gabriela. Want to read how I got the internship? Here’s how!
Me and my favorite C Wonder Monogram Mug at the office on a sunny morning.
7:30-8:00 am
Time to rise and shine! Let’s be honest, I snooze until 8:00, which gives me around 30 minutes to get ready, pack up my lunch and get out the door.
8:30 am
Leave for work and enter the madness (aka: the sidewalks full of rushing New Yorkers).The minute I leave the lobby I have to merge into the sea of walking traffic and get to the subway. Subway ride usually consists of reading on my Kindle (just started Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential), listening to music/the weekly Joy the Baker podcast.
9:00 am
Arrive at Chelsea Market and head up to the Food Network offices. I’m always surprised by the quietness of the market in the morning, but enjoy the closeness to serenity because during lunch and after work it is bustling with chaos. Once I make it to my desk, I immediately grab my mug and head to the break room to get coffee. I always get excited walking past the edit bays in the hallway on my way to get coffee because I get a momentary peek of Food Network shows they are editing for television.
9:15 – Noon
Work, work, work! This typically involves answering emails, writing captions for photo galleries, fact checking, meetings and catching up on new FN Dish and Healthy Eats posts. Around 12:00 is when the combatting of hunger for lunch begins and I try and stretch it out as long as I can so I don’t get hungry again at 5:00.
12:30 – 1:00 pm
30 minutes of fighting against the desire to eat lunch and I finally give in. Lunch typically consists of Honey Roasted Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, summer produce salads or leftovers (my favorite).
1:00 – 6:00 pm
This time frame is typically fueled by hours of Beyonce and Justin Timberlake Pandora music. Is that inappropriate for the office? I will admit I often have to quench the desire to bust out moves in my office chair when one of my favorite songs comes on. How awkward would that be one of my editors came over as I was shimmying to Crazy in Love? A second round of coffee usually comes around 2:00pm when the afternoon sleepiness hits. I can’t forget to mention the snacking on samples (yesterday there were Levain Bakery cookies up for grabs, but some other favorites have been Raleigh Cake Pops, Perugina Chocolate and Sanders Fine Chocolates).
6:00 pm
When the work day is wrapping up, I quickly browse FoodNetwork.com for dinner inspiration. I love how New Yorkers only grocery shop for what they need, when they need it. I have adapted to this type of meal planning and after work I typically grab the things I need to whip up whatever I’m in the mood for. The Manhattan Fruit Exchange is my favorite place to shop. Since it’s right in Chelsea Market it’s the most convenient and means less intimidating lines than Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
6:30 pm
Time to get cooking in our tiny apartment kitchen. Lately I’ve been loving Couscous and Feta-Stuffed Peppers, Pasta with Marinara and Veggies, Stir Fry, and Roasted Veggies with Brown Rice. While eating I usually catch up on an episode of the Newsroom (my new favorite series) or Food Network Star.
8:00 – 10:30 pm
Relax, read, blog, answer regular-life emails and get ready to repeat the day over again tomorrow!
Hope you enjoyed a sneak peek into my humble life in the Big Apple. Looking forward to sharing more adventures that take place in the next few weeks before I head back to reality.
Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela
Want to know how I got the dream job interning at Food Network? Read my post here!
[…] years ago, I talked about a day in the life of a Food Network intern in a blog post. I receive emails every month from college students who are looking into Food Network internships. […]