What is your name and where are you currently?
Coco Mellors
Venice, California
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Are you where you normally live?
I moved here from New York with my husband, Henry, about a month before the pandemic, so it's where we live but I'm not sure it feels "normal" yet!
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What are you currently reading?
The Mirror and The Light by Hilary Mantel.
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What are you currently watching?
The Sopranos. My favorite part is spotting all the actors who play minor love interests on Sex and The City show up as mafia extras.
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What are you currently listening to?
I'm writing my second novel and one of the main characters is a professional boxer, so it's a lot of "pump up" songs I imagine she'd listen to.
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What have you been eating the most? Do you have a recipe to share?
I'm not proud of this, but I've been eating a lot of BabyBel cheese. I know I'm eating it "the most" because there was a game on Instagram a few weeks ago where you combine your emotional state with the last thing you ate, and mine was always BabyBel. So I've been "hopeful BabyBel", "restless Babybel", "PMSing Babybel"...Basically, more states of BabyBel than any adult woman should reasonably ever be.
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How are you moving your body/exercising?
I do Modo Yoga and I've also started doing The Class by Taryn Toomey every weekday at 8am. I initially rolled my eyes at its intense earnestness, but I now find myself really looking forward to starting my day doing jumping jacks while "shining my inner light" or whatever.
Also, once a week I submit to doing an outdoor HIIT workout with sporty Henry using the Nike Training app. I've discovered HIIT feels a bit like having a heart attack and an orgasm at the same time, which is not entirely unpleasant.
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If you’re buying anything, what is it?
We recently bought a SodaStream and it is as life changing as everyone says. Also, I treated myself to a beautiful hand-knit cardigan from Loeffler Randall because the room I write in is mysteriously always freezing.
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What’s one new thing you started doing big or small since this all happened? (Like a new skill/a hobby or even habit)
Henry is teaching me to cook! He finally lured me into the kitchen with this heavenly flourless chocolate cake recipe from Bon Appetit.
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What’s one way big or small that you’ve been helping others?
I'm sober so staying connected to other people who don't drink and being available to anyone struggling is really important right now—especially when so many people are isolated and self-medicating.
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Do you know of any good charities or causes people could donate to?
Yes! So many good ones, but a few I'm supporting are:
North Eastern Nurses Association, which is committed to supporting nurses and other healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
LA Food Bank, which provides meals to communities in needs all over LA (just $25 provides 100 meals, so a little really can help a lot).
Pictures For Elmhurst is a print sale fundraiser featuring so many wonderful artists with all proceeds going to Elmhurst Hospital.
Poets & Writers COVID-19 Relief Fund, which provides grants of up to $1,000 to writers having difficulty meeting their basic needs.
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What keeps you sane?
Henry and I launch into very giggly impromptu wrestling matches when we're feeling antsy inside the house.
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What one thing you can’t wait to do?
Fly to London and New York and kiss/hug/caress the hands of everyone l love.
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What’s one thing you’re grateful for?
So many things but first and foremost my health and the health of my family. My mum always says "money is honey, but health is wealth".