1. Tea or coffee?

Coffee, black in the morning. Tea, mint or rooibos anytime after noon.

 

2. Favorite book?

This one’s a hard one for me. I have a lot of favorite books, it depends on my mood. My favorite children’s book is “Blueberries for Sal.” My favorite Christmas book is “The Polar Express.” The book that taught me that words on the page can mean more than the plot is “Animal Farm” by George Orwell.The first time I knew I was a nerd was when I loved reading “Henry the IV, Part I” (and Part II) and “Henry the V” in 10th grade English class.

 

3. Favorite season?

Summer, I’m a beach baby all the way around. I subscribe to the Mark Sisson tenet of “expose large patches of skin to the sunlight,” as much as possible.

 

4. Favorite flower?

Peonies and hydrangeas.

 

5. What do you sing on karaoke night?

“How Will I Know?” by Whitney Houston or anything Country.

 

6. Favorite cocktail when you’re not doing a Whole30? Favorite mocktail when you are doing a Whole 30?

Cocktail: Maidstone, which is basically a South Side made with rum, with a float of dark rum on top. Or Champagne.

Mocktail: flavored sparkling water.

 

7. Favorite restaurant?

Gramercy Tavern for a special occasion. I love the emphasis on seasonal and local ingredients. The menu is always changing and always delicious. And they’ll recommend some great wines at any price point. Any given Sunday? Bring me a salmon salad (hold basically everything) from Friedman’s Lunch in Chelsea Market and I will be one happy girl.

 

8. Did you ever have a nickname? What was it and where did it come from?

Classic. Anna Banana. Annie Bananie. In all the different varieties. I think it’s a natural nickname for someone named Anna, but each of my family members had a slightly different take on it. Like my grandma called me Anskie Bananskie, my brother still sometimes calls me Anno Banano.

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9. Favorite family vacation?

I frequently get excluded on my family vacations, like the time my whole family went to Tahiti/Hawaii/Jamaica/Helicopter Riding over Glacier National Park without me. But I guess I would say, less of a vacation, but my family has been lucky to go to the beach every summer and those are my favorite times of the year, every year. And those are my favorite childhood memories and the place I feel the happiest, and the dearest friends I have.

 

10. If you could live anywhere where would it be?

If I had the proverbial million dollars? I think I would live in Gramercy Park in New York City because it has access to the park, and the outdoors, you can get everything you need really easily. But there’s something quiet about being off of one of the big avenues, and it feels feasible to raise a family there.

 

11. Who is your hero?

My grandmother, Faith, but we call her Foodie. She taught me about all of my greatest passions in life. First it was reading, then it was art history and languages, through all of that it was teaching me how to make children feel like they’re special. She also taught me about health by smoking two packs a day and never eating vegetables.

Rachel: And Haagen Daaz for breakfast.

Anna: And Haagen Daaz for breakfast, exactly.

 

12. What’s your favorite thing about your career?

I like feeling like a civil rights activist every single day. Not only do I feel like the work that I do changes the world one tiny bit at a time, but I also feel like I’m part of a bigger fight. And I feel like by contributing my tiny piece every single day, I’m helping to create a solution and a better America. And the kids are really cute.

 

13. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?

I would eat a bone-in rib-eye seared in ghee and finished in the oven with crispy butternut squash and sweet potato fries, and I would also do heirloom tomato salad with grilled romaine and radicchio with a champagne mustard vinaigrette.

 

14. What inspires you?

The beach, the sunshine, the smell of mint, and both the anonymity of unpeopled places and the anonymity of the crowded proximity of New York inspire me in different ways.

 

15. Who would be your dream collaborator?

Ina Garten because she has some really classic recipes that always taste good, but I bet there’s a million ways to healthify them. So with her brain and skill set, and repertoire of recipes, plus my ghee and coconut cream, I bet we could create something delicious and healthy together. And she’s from East Hampton so I feel like we’ve got that going on. I aspire not to be a Barefoot Contessa but a Bikini’d Princess. Ha!

 

16. Describe your aesthetic.

One part Jackie Kennedy, one part CZ Guest, one part Jillian Michaels.

 

17. Who was your favorite teacher in school and why?

Mr. George Faison. He taught me three high school English classes once I got to boarding school. In a place where it was atypical for children to come in behind, he noticed I was lacking a skillset and devoted his personal lunch time to me and my growth. Not only did he do what was right as a teacher, but he built confidence inside of me by mixing history, art history, and culture with literature.

 

18. Who was your first crush?

My first crush that matters is Mr. Michael Robert Glennon. I’ve been in love with my husband since I was 15 years old, and he AOL instant messaged me from the dorm across the quad. We didn’t get together until after college, but he’s always been my greatest love.

 

19. What does health and wellness mean to you in one word?

Freedom.