I am a self-described spinster, sexy, funny, and audacious.

Pre-pandemic, I lived the quintessential metropolitan life. I enjoyed endless cocktail hours, dinner dates, coffees, and brunches. I accepted invitations to attend glitzy galas, movie premieres, fashion shows, and ballets. Still single, showing up stag and making the most of every invitation.

Then 2020... I felt I had been suspended in time. New York had become the center of dread and despair, then fear gave way to togetherness. People rode bicycles in pairs to get the CDC’s daily recommended exercise, and photos of families joyfully piled together on sofas watching Netflix appeared everywhere.

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Singlehood was on display with hostile reinforcement: The bread was molding before you got through the loaf, your neighbor who you’ve never spoken to had become your emergency contact, and everyone was getting pregnant. My mother even took out an insurance policy in case I died alone, in my Manhattan apartment.

I made a choice to not tangle myself in the consternation, loneliness, and pity projected onto me. I wasn’t sad; I was single.

I learned the extraordinary feeling of having obligations only to myself. Offering myself grace and kindness, and spending days reflecting on the things great and small that gave me pleasure. In 2020 B.C. (before Covid), I’d often treated myself to fine things: dinners, pinot noir at the bar, lunch in the park, and double (there’s that word again) scooped ice cream cones outside of the Guggenheim. Why should this temporary stay be any less desirable?

It all began with a lobster bisque and a bushel of tulips. I wanted to make a dinner that I hadn’t the imagination or motivation to prepare. If we were still going out, lobster bisque would be the posh entrée I would order at lunch with friends. I devised a plan, went to the market, then “single-sized” the recipe. Success! Creamy, savory, and just the touch of swish I needed to feel satiated and accomplished.

My personal pandemic theme was “indulgent evolution,” and I was succeeding. I tapped into my curiosity by learning a new skill. Arranging fresh flowers to accompany my dinner sparked creativity. Shopping small and reducing food waste increased my consciousness and gave me a sense of community. My single-sized dinners represented a consistency and excitement I’d rarely felt when planning an activity for myself. More than ever, I was dedicated to making healthy food choices that nourished my mind, body, and soul.

In a year of cooking for myself, lobster bisque was one of my favorite dishes—it feels glamorous and it’s not too daunting for a single person not used to cooking. This recipe boasts flavor and decadence, just like me!

Click to read the full recipe

Lauren Napier is is a beauty, wellness, and lifestyle expert with nearly two decades in the beauty industry.