Yesterday was one of those ideal days at work. I was so slammed the entire day that I literally could not think of anything BUT work, and I was shocked when 5:00 arrived because I felt like I had just walked in the door. I get stressed with busy days like this, but I also love them because they make me feel useful š
My usefulness really got a chance to shine at lunchtime when we had an agency barbecue on the back patio in honor of Sam’s upcoming wedding (and just to encourage inter-department bonding in general).
Though he was the guest of honor, Sam was also in charge of the grilling, as usual:
Congratulations, Sam!
Look at all that green! You’d never know we were really on a narrow slab of concrete in East Harlem š
The food selection was superb. Lucia made this green salad with arugula, lettuce, and spinach from her CSA and dressed it with a refreshing mix of sherry vinaigrette and Greek yogurt:
Lucia also informed me that the food pantry produce donations we get at the agency come right from a farm, too! I can’t believe I didn’t know about this. She invited me to come down and observe delivery on Friday, so I will go and document if I have time.
My plate:
Clockwise from top center: Lucia’s green salad, peanuts and brazil nuts, raw carrots and broccoli, apple slices, grapes, a chicken wing, spicy Italian sausage and chorizo, chips and salsa. Ohhhhhhhh yummmmmmmmmmm.
I had more sausages:
(Sam really knows how to work the char!)
And lots more chips and salsa:
And more nuts, por supuesto:
I thought it was all over at this point, but then I saw something from across the patio that made my jaw drop and one hand fly to my mouth:
I may have actually climbed over dozens of chairs, tables, and employees to get closer. I don’t think I even knew I was doing it. I see carrot cake and instantly disappear into some sort of hypnosis state.
Didn’t Pura do an excellent job of accessorizing that cake?!! Those little bottles are darling.
I had a slice with more apples, nuts, and grapes:
And just because I’m into torturing you all:
I grabbed another little half slice-ish sliver as I left to run up to my next meeting:
This cake was so moist and light and textured, and I could have eaten the cream cheese icing from a tub. It was perfect and just the right amount of sweet. Siiiiiiiiiiiiigh, I love my job š (And I promise I don’t only love it for the food.)
Before I left the office for the day, Jessica brought me a couple of caramel kisses:
They were excellent fuel for the hot yoga class last night, where I was sweating and sweating and sweating the Nile River. The Wednesday night class is so much more intense than the Saturday morning class! It feels excellent, though. And no one laughed and pointed at my embarrassingly short shorts, phew.
I got home at 8, pulled some things together for tomorrow, enjoyed a cup of Olivia’s cauliflower-sweet potato soup with honeyed truffle crostini, and then got myself into bed by 9 … finally!
What needs to happen for you to consider a work day “ideal”?
Tales of Expansion: Baby Butternut Edition 
at the moment i’m not entirely happy with my job so I am finding the work a bit dull and uninspiring but I do the good employee thing and make sure I do everything expected of me.
I ahve to say that getting in my runs is helping me to focus at work. I love feeling like i’ve acheived something in my day even if it is exercise related.
p.s. that is one awesome cake *drooooooooooool*
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Looks great! Anything involving carrot cake and cream cheese frosting = awesome!
I am not working right now, but temped in NY last summer and had a job I LOVED covering when someone was on vacation for a couple of weeks- they had a roof deck (it was in Soho) which meant BBQs and parties after hours so ‘work’ meant ‘fun’ a lot of the time! (and a fully stocked kitchen, fridge full of soda and…beer? and arcade games? and bowls full of company-branded candy all over the place for clients? awesome)
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I call it a good day if the kiddies are all happy and smiling and nothing (major) goes wrong! Cake and bbq’s also make it a GReat day! At the camp i work at we have a bbq every Friday I am SO excited!
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Seriously, did you have to taunt me with 50 photos of carrot cake at 10 AM?
It looks wonderful!!!! Glad you had a good day, I like those busy ones too. It’s so much better than having time drag.
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oh my goodness!! All of that wonderful food & cake!! Lucky lady! 9am bedtime is awesome! good for you!
Ideally, I wish just to feel an inner happiness for my day to be considered good.
check out my giveaway bloggiefriend š
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That cake looks sooo good! A good day at work to me is just that nothing goes seriously wrong!
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My job is thae same over and over again so I never really have an “ideal” workday per se.
Love the BBQ food!
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This is going to sound really bad, but my ideal day is when my boss is not here. I can get so much more done! When he is here, he is constantly flinging projects and emails my way…I feel like I don’t get anything accomplished except make a mess of my desk!
I guess the next two weeks will be ideal….he will be on vacation!
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ah that carrot cake looks SO GOOD! I love the mini champagne set decorations!
I have a good day at work when the time seems to fly by š
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OMG WAAAAAY too much deliciousness in one day, and the carrot cake…don’t get me started. Maybe we need a Brooklyn Blogger dinner at Candle Cafe…just for the carrot cake? I’m just sayin…
CHORIZO!!
For my work day to be ideal there needs to be no work involved. š Actually sometimes I come pretty close to achieving that. š¦ And actually it’s not such a great feeling! I take it all back!
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I’m the same way around carrot cake. Hand down, my favourite cake. I’m pretty sure I can smell the cream cheese frosting from miles away š
I work as a reporter, so any day that doesn’t involve too much doom and gloom is a good day for me, I like the happy stories š
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I’m not sure I’ve ever had an ideal day at work. I think my ideal day would be I’m the only one here so I could get all my work done without any interruptions. Wow grumpy much?
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that is the cutest carrot cake! how is that for alliteration? and it looks delish as well. the bbq looked like fun!
i love those days where you are so busy that time flies. although it can be hectic and stressful, it is better than being bored!
my ideal work day is when my boss takes me shopping and to lunch. haha.. every few months.
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ugh, you and your food š i need your job! that carrot cake looks amazing.
an ideal day? a day in a new job.
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What a fun day – that carrot cake looks awesome and I’m usually not a fan. An ideal day at work is one that goes by quickly and I am accomplishing what I need to!
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I love days when work just flys by – as long as I’m enjoying the work.
And that carrot cake looks great.
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i wouldn’t blame you if you did love your job JUSt for the food š thanks for torturing us with all those carrot cake pics!
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Yes, that WAS torture!!! Carrot cake is my all time favorite cake. The italian sausage was also a nice teaser, as it’s my favorite summer time grill food!
For work to be ideal, it has to go by fast (like your day). The day can’t be filled with stress and annoying people, but instead I love days when people are in good moods and I end up making at least one client/patient smile!
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I was a happy participant of said agency bbq, and it was super DELISH, no doubt about it!!!
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“por supuesto!” I love it!! hahah, so my brother and I always add “por supuesto” to anything and everything….it’s a wierd inside joke! Like, i’ll ask: “jordan (my brother), did you go surfing today??”….jordan: “POR SUPUESTO yessica!” hahaha…good story, i know.
But ahhh, carrot cake!!!
You are KILLING me! Every time I see it on here I get a major craving for it! š Hope you’re having a good day Sarah!
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I frickin love carrot cake. Belgians are like uhhh what? when I explain carrot cake to them. I see what they mean, vegetables in cake and all, but once I taught a kid’s cooking class in Belgium and we made carrot cake, and they ALL loved it.
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That barbeque looks like so much fun! The food looks amazing, and I love carrot cake! That one is so pretty, too. Mmmm cream cheese icing. Your work is awesome!
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I wish I had work BBQ’s! I feel like I’ve been out of touch forever…just getting back to your blog after well over a week!
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The green looks delish.
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Your plate looks absolutely filled with deliciousness. Those charred sausages look particularly awesome.
That cake looks so pretty too – I agree, what an amazing decorating job! The icing looks divine. I bet it tasted awesome.
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I need to cross things off a list. But I stay home with boys on a very small farm in Alaska so my list is really just my manic get stuff done list. Works for me. I enjoy your blog so much.
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Ideal work day is the one you had…productive and fun! š I’m looking forward to have one soon! š
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how cool! i love how your work seems to be made up of such a fun and tight knit group. that really can make all the difference.
no worries about the cake trance. i probably would have done the same thing š
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