Today, Americans own twice the amount of stuff we did 50 years ago and bill more out-of-office hours than any other advanced economy. We online date, binge-watch, thumb through social media, and often wander around exhausted and unsure. Food journalist and Love Bites Radio host Jacqueline Raposo took note of this cultural struggle and intimately embraced a life stripped down in her recently-released book THE ME, WITHOUT: A YEAR EXPLORING HABIT, HEALING, AND HAPPINESS. Throughout the course of a year, she progressively shed her most constant habits, alternately removing social media, sugar and alcohol consumption, waste, unnecessary spending, and more in the effort to measure this abstinence against her physical health, social interactions, and sense of self-worth. The results are moving and surprising.

To celebrate the book's release, Jacqueline was joined by celebrated chef Missy Robbins, Food & Wine senior editor and Chefs with Issues founder Kat Kinsman, and food writer and The Lonely Hour host Julia Bainbridge at Strand Books on February 4th for a panel discussion on what has become a constant buzz word in recent years: self-care. Led by Kat, they discussed how they define self-care in each of their lives outside the typical wellness industry, how they work to lead in their industries by example, how their work in food and media affect their physical and mental health, and what steps they're currently taking to maintaining their self-care and wellness.

Thanks to Heritage Radio Network and the Strand Bookstore for recording this live event, and to Listen Bar and pastry chef Daniel Skurnick for providing book-themed food and beverage. Details and photos on the event can be found here.

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