à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Anxiety
Stuck Locally, Eating Globally: Quarantacos
Before COVID-19, I somehow got it into my head that if I wanted decent fish tacos I would need to get them at a restaurant or taco stand. Even though I enjoy cooking, it never occurred to me to try to make them myself. Until now. Since grocery shopping, once a pleasure, has become more … Continue reading
What it Really Means to “Eat Like a Rabbit”
To tell someone they are eating like a rabbit is more of a put down than high praise. Rabbits, at least domesticated ones, gnaw on carrots and lettuce thrown in their cages. People who consume lots of salad have been likened to these furry critters, as if eating greens is a form of deprivation. As … Continue reading
We Are All Each Other
A few weeks ago, which seems like another lifetime, my local food co-op removed the cafe seating in the store. While watching an employee take the interior chairs and tables away as I sat at a counter by the window, a deep fear churned in my gut, as if a rug were being pulled out … Continue reading
Lessons from a Pilgrimage for a Pandemic
When life throws a curve ball, or I find myself in disappointing circumstances, I attempt to reset my expectations for whatever is happening NOW by recalling my experience walking El Camino de Santiago. What did I do then, when faced with all kinds of unexpected situations? I don’t always remember this exercise, or succeed when … Continue reading
When a Transit Annoyance Morphs Into Adventure
When I think about Boston’s MBTA, my soul shrivels. Having enjoyed far more efficient and pleasant transit in other countries, its squeaky trains, delayed buses and cumbersome kiosks grate on me. Yet, in avoiding it I’ve constrained myself. Driving into the city and finding parking is stressful and costly. Using Uber adds up. Since I … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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