Tarajia Morrell’s days span several roles: she is a food writer, author and communications consultant, as well as the single mother of five-year-old Viva. In a day-in-the-life account, she described a Thursday filled with school routines, events for her new memoir, Desire Feeds the Feast, and an evening out in Manhattan.
The morning began before sunrise in the apartment where Morrell grew up, which she now shares with her daughter. After coffee and music, she helped Viva get ready for kindergarten and rushed with her to the school bus stop. Morrell said that small acts of support from other parents are especially valuable as a solo parent.
She then went to Claudette for a breakfast celebrating the memoir, joined by friends from different periods of her life. Later, after realizing she had forgotten to pack a shirt, she bought one before meeting creative director Anna Polonsky at Santo Taco. The two discussed branding work connected to the hotels where Morrell works.
The day also included a visit to The Strand, where Morrell was preparing for her book launch, and a recording with podcast host Angela Ledgerwood. She went on to meet Troutbeck and Belden owner Charlie Champalimaud at Thompson Street Studio to discuss an artwork commission for Belden.
After collecting Viva, Morrell served a quick dinner of chicken, broccoli and avocado. She credited her mother, a babysitter and fellow mothers for helping her manage the demands of the book’s launch and tour. With the sitter looking after Viva, she attended a cocktail party at Le Monde Beryl’s new shop before joining friends from the food world at the Russian Tea Room, which was marking its 100th anniversary.
The memoir draws on Morrell’s childhood in a Manhattan wine-selling family, her time in New York’s club scene in the late 1990s, and her experiences in culinary studies, acting auditions and restaurant work. At the end of the long day, she returned home to her daughter and reflected on the apartment they share, a place that helped inspire the book.
Sources: Vogue.