Table for One, intro
My very first Substack.
Dearest Reader!
Thank you for joining me here on my very first Substack. It means so much. This is something I’ve wanted to make for a long time, and I’m just happy you’re here with me.
In this newsletter, I’ll use the joy of dining solo as a way of talking about reigning in the creativity we all have swirling around us that can sometimes feel just out of reach. At times, eating out alone can be a soothing balm on a gloomy day; at times it can be the cheer at the finish line of a big achievement.
I use dining alone as a tool in an arsenal of many that bring me out of funks and into realms of creative flow, and we will get into all of the ways food, spaces, clothing, other people, and every other stimuli can affect our creativity. I’m a big believer in having the power to change our emotional states to move forth in the way we wish, not the way the tides of our moods carry us.
Dining alone is something I’ve always coveted. I remember breaking up with a boyfriend in my early 20’s and telling a friend, “God I’m so glad I can go out to eat alone again!” Although now I am lucky enough to be engaged to my wonderful sweetie, I’ve learned to nurture this part of myself and give in to the call to enjoy dining out often with only myself as company. It’s one of my life’s biggest pleasures.
When I dine out alone I almost always bring my sketchbook and some drawing materials and capture the scene around me. I love to eavesdrop, (which is completely legal if you’re sitting there minding your own beeswax and someone is talking loudly enough for you to hear!) take keepsakes (just napkins and matches - free ephemera only!) put on some lipstick, and capture the scene.
I hope to encourage you, reader, to get out there and enjoy dining out on your own. Because who is more fun than you?!
At the end of the day, dining solo feels like FREEDOM, and HAPPINESS, and INDEPENDENCE! But it can also come with bits of vulnerability, awkwardness, and wishing you had another person to share a mousse with. We’ll explore all of these emotions, because I think the advantage of this seemingly straightforward activity is learning more about ourselves, which boosts every aspect of our lives.
Thanks for coming on this journey with me - we’re going to eat well and nourish ourselves from now on!
xoxo,
Maxine
