When I said Working Girl Cooks would be a bi-weekly feature what I meant to say was it would be a when WG1 remembers to take pictures while she cooks and isn’t embarrassed to do so in-front of her roommates feature.

I remembered to take some photos and explained to my roommates what I was doing last week when I cooked one of my favorite meals: steak salad. Three things I love are spinach, steak and goat cheese. And that’s all I need for this dish for one. Oh and balsamic vinaigrette, salt and pepper.

First I cooked a small steak that I picked up at Whole Foods. When I buy steak I just buy the cheapest piece I can find. I don’t know if it’s skirt steak, flank steak, whatever. I like meat and I like it cheap.
I seasoned with salt and pepper.

While the steak cooked (about 10 min, 5 min on each side) I tossed the spinach salad in the balsamic dressing.

Once the steak was cooked medium rare, I sliced into thin pieces and added it to the top of the salad. I also added goat cheese. Because a Working Girl One salad isn’t a salad if it doesn’t have goat cheese.

I am so looking forward to work tomorrow for two reasons. One: tomorrow is Friday. Two: half the office will be out for a summer Friday.

I love summer Fridays. Even when I don’t have the day off. Earlier this month I took my summer Fridays and it was fantastic to have a day off to sleep-in, get things done and enjoy my day. But when I’m in the office and most of the office is out enjoying their days off, I have time to get stuff done. There are less emails, less phone calls and less people popping up at my desk.

This week has been a little crazy. It was supposed to be my week to work on all the little events we have coming. I ended up spending most of my week working on our big event. Tomorrow will be my day to get organized and take some time so focus on the things on my to-do list that have been ignored.

Unless I totally jinxed myself by writing this post. I really hope not.

On that note, I’m going to bed and praying for a productive, uninterrupted day.

Meeting Notes is a weekly feature. Here we will dish on tidbits, news, and important things we think Working Girls should know. So scroll down to hear what we think you should glean from this work week.

• Drink your way to more money! A study from 2006 shows that people who drank earned more money. People who drank socially make more contacts and had an easier time finding a new job that earned them more money. [CNN.com via Savvy Sugar]

• The He-cession. It’s being reported that men are suffering more in our current economic recession. More men are losing their jobs and families are suffering. Not only because they’ve lost their jobs but because their female counterparts are not earning as much. [via Jezebel]

• Fall clothes! Autumn is around the corner and I could not be more ready for fall apparel. Work Chic has some advice on my two fall favorites: jackets and scarves.

• I die! The Rachel Zoe Project is back in action on Bravo. My X sentence recap. Brad’s attitude has shaped up and he’s appearing to be a great Working Boy. Taylor’s more cranky than ever. Rachel is Bananas and I cannot wait for the rest of the season. [Bravo]

Lately, all I think about are apartments and money. Apartments because the boyfriend and I are moving in together in October (please don’t tell my Granny). Money because I’m saving for all the costs of moving (hiring movers, security deposit, etc.).

While I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck since I started working, I haven’t been frugal by any means. If I saw a shirt I liked, I’d buy it. If I was far away from home and lazy, I’d take a cab. If I was out to dinner, I’d have a glass of wine (or 4).

All along the way, I’ve been saving what I can. Saving is important but I also strongly believe that living is important too. Especially here in New York. I don’t pay a ridiculous amount for rent to sit in my apartment and watch TV.

These days, I’m keeping track of my money like it’s my job. I’ve been making lunches (and breakfasts and snacks) to bring to work. Renting movies On Demand instead of going to the theater. When I do go out to eat it’s for some cheap eats. I’m clipping coupons (and turning into my mother). I’m saving a lot more than I used to.

Since everything here is expensive I’ve been shopping around when it comes to where I shop. My two new favorites: Whole Foods and Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Whole Foods can be pricey. Very pricey. But not when you buy the Whole Foods brand 365 Everyday Value. For example, brand name yogurt at the average New York grocery story is $1.09. Whole Foods yogurt $0.79. Buying 365 Everyday Value cheese crackers is cheaper than buying Cheez-Its.

Bed, Bath & Beyond really does go beyond. Once my go-to for home needs, Bed, Bath & Beyond is now my go-to for all my drugstore needs. There is an entire drugstore within Bed, Bath & Beyond! Earlier this week, I went to Duane Reade to purchase a new hair brush (I’m pretty sure my little sister stole mine when I was visiting her last weekend). The brush I wanted was $10.99! For a Conair hairbrush! At Bed, Bath & Beyond a very similar and also Conair brush was $4.99.

Hopefully my savings at Whole Foods and Bed, Bath & Beyond, along with cutting back on shopping and dining out, will help me move with out going totally broke.

Today was my first day back at work after a week and half off of vacation. (Sidenote: If I could move to Europe right now, I would. My trip was fantastical. I love the Mediterranean. Everyone go there now.)

Meeting Notes is a weekly feature. Here we will dish on tidbits, news, and important things we think Working Girls should know. So scroll down to hear what we think you should glean from this work week.

• A new study conducted by ForbesWoman magazine recently reported that the best place for a woman to have both a career and children is NYC. It ranked highest among 50 cities based on earnings, access to health and day care, and cost of living. Coming in second and third were Austin, TX and Minneapolis, MN. [via Daily Mail]

• I recently happened upon this new shrinkable umbrella. The user can adjust the umbrella by pulling a handle so that it adjusts to the space you are in. So “polite”! Put that on my wish list. [via Cup of Jo]

This summer, I had fabulous interns. Well, I had one bad hire but we don’t have to go into that. I’m trying very hard to block out that memory.

Summer interns are truly the best kind of interns. Summer interns can come in three to five days a week. Summer interns can stay in the office all day. Summer interns, because they are working more often, learn quickly and can we an amazing asset.

Last week, the last of my summer interns left to go study abroad or go back to school to enjoy the college life that I miss oh so much. And I, along with the rest of my department, am left with no one to help us with our work load.

I tried my darnedest to get a head start on interview and hiring interns for the fall semester. I emailed HR weeks before the fall semester would start and ask for our internship to be posted on local college sites. I received a decent number of responses and sent applications to some.

No one has “jumped off the page,” if you will. But before even reading their full applications, many applicants turned me off. When asked when they are available to work I got some very limiting responses. One answer: I am available Monday and Tuesday after 3:00 PM. Another: Available Monday through Thursday for a total of 10 hours per week.

Students have classes and a number of universities put a limit on the number of hours students can intern during the school year. But these limits aren’t helping anyone. Companies aren’t getting the most of the interns and interns aren’t getting the most from the companies for which they intern.

As an editorial intern at a women’s magazine I worked one day a week. I loathed that internship and I believe it was because of my short schedule. Every day felt like the first day. No one knew who I was. Though, it didn’t help that my desk was in a closet. Interns who were in the office for two or three days a week learned more and learned it quickly. It took much longer for me to get the hang of the job. I wasn’t a real asset to the magazine.

When I finally got to the applications there were spelling errors and grammar error all over the place. Now, I’m not exactly one to preach. I cannot spell to save my life and my grammar could be better. My advice to applicants: proof read! Back when writing cover letters was practically my job I sent a cover letter to an editor at Teen People (RIP) only I forgot to change the name from a Cosmo Girl (RIP) editor to the Teen People editor. From then on, I had a friend, roommate, parent proof read all of my cover letters.

Tomorrow, I plan on scheduling some interviews and request more applications.

Once upon a time, Working Girl had Working Girl Contributors. Girls from Boston, LA, and Dallas (and other cities too!), who all wrote about their own experiences of just being out of college and trying to find the perfect job and dealing with college withdrawal.

The summer before our senior year, WG1 and I each put down a down payment on NYU summer housing before we had even started looking for jobs or internships. We were ballsy to say the least. The both of us just knew we’d find something, anything because we just had to live in New York City.

Have you ever slept with someone just because you thought their job was sexy?