5:50 a.m. — S. isn't working today, so I let him sleep in and make myself a Nespresso. (He usually wakes up earlier than me and takes care of coffee.) Aside from the Nespresso, I don't usually eat before noon.

5:55 a.m. — I rinse my face with warm water and use Sunday Riley C.E.O. brightening serum. While letting the serum sink in, I blowdry my hair. Then I apply Sunday Riley C.E.O. moisturizer with Sunday Riley C.E.O. Glow oil. I received a Sunday Riley gift set for the holidays and have been using it sparingly to make it last. I like it, but I'm not sure if I'll repurchase it because of the high price. I apply simple makeup for work: Charlotte Tilbury foundation, NudeStix bronzers in Bondi Bae and Sunkissed, Benefit brow pencil, and L'Oréal mascara. I'm going out tonight and won't have time to go home after work, so I throw a Pat McGrath red lipstick in my purse. It'll easily elevate my pared-down work look.

6:30 a.m. — My office is fairly formal and corporate during the week but more casual on Fridays, so I put on coated black jeans, a black turtleneck sweater, and black heel booties. Then I quickly grab my bag and leave to take public transit.

7:45 a.m. — I arrive at work with enough time to make another coffee using the office Nespresso machine and check my email before I head into back-to-back meetings.

12:15 p.m. — I was supposed to meet a friend at a nearby food court, but with meetings and last-minute deadlines, we postpone. I take a much-needed 20-minute walk to a salad counter and grab a kale, lentil, and tahini salad. $14

5 p.m. — I pack up my things and contemplate bringing my laptop home, so I can get work done on the weekend. I decide against it. I'm going out for dinner and drinks, so it would mean taking the laptop with me or leaving it in the car. I'm not particularly keen on either option.

5:30 p.m. — S. picks me up from the subway, and we drive off-island for our dinner reservation at 7 p.m. The ride takes about 45 minutes, so we're early and end up driving around aimlessly and listening to the latest episode of our favourite podcast, Reply All. We look at homes and comment here and there on the ones we'd like to live in.

7 p.m. — We meet our friends at the restaurant and enjoy dinner and drinks and a much-needed catch-up session. S. and I share appetizers and main dishes: a Caesar salad, grilled octopus, pizza, and pasta. I order an Aperol Spritz and S. gets an Old Fashioned. S. picks up the bill, which comes to $145.40, plus an 18% tip. We don't keep tabs on who pays for what when it comes to meals, but we do try to split things equitably.