All’s Wells

SARAH OBRAITIS, M. Wells

WORK • Tuesday Routine

SARAH OBRAITIS • co-owner • M. Wells
Neighborhood you work/live in: Long Island City

It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
At our restaurant, the monthly inventories get done by hand and it's always best when it lands on a Tuesday. Doing the wine counts are fun and helpful for me actually — I get to take in all the wonderful labels and practice pronunciations, so I don't screw up tableside and ruin the user experience. Hugue, my French-Canadian husband and the chef of M. Wells, helps with my French. 

What’s on the agenda for today?
We’re calling and introducing ourselves to a new list of USDA-certified co-packers and food incubators, and looking to build the right business relationships to start offering M. Wells meat pies around the country. Save the date and check in with us in fall 2024.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
We'll stay local and go to Rosario's — a little Italian eatery and grocer on 31st in Astoria. Great sandwiches and brick oven stuff, and items for the pantry at home.

How about a little leisure or culture this week?
We’re out to Montauk to hang with family and friends who we’re working with to relaunch Dock to Dish, a wholesale business that deals in super fresh, traceable, and biodiverse local catch, and getting it into the hands of chefs in NYC. When we get back, we may dip into Carreau Club, a social hub in Industry City where folks play pétanque, both indoors and outdoors, in spring and summer. Around them, there are a string of bays, with unique shopping and activations, that are always interesting.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
The Lomi, an electrical composter. It helps keep peace in the house, but I do hope we fall out of love with it and can pass it on once we get into a better habit of bringing our organics elsewhere. One community farm, Smiling Hogshead Ranch, does a lovely job of providing that service, and a host of garden events.

What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
Oh my, so many — but three that come to mind immediately are Evolution, Kinokuniya, and Kalustyans. All three work well for life's routine needs, and are excellent gift shops too!