There’s an ad that’s been driving me crazy lately, haunting me from the pages of the New Yorker, and elsewhere.

A cute young woman proudly shows off her kitchen, in which all of the cabinets that usually hold pots and pans and well, food, are replaced with closet space, making room for all of her clothing, shoes and trendy handbags. Citibank made this possible, giving her the freedom to transform wasted space into premium closet space.

It could be seen as funny, but I just saw it as sad. This woman couldn’t even make a cup of coffee if she wanted to; I think her appliances were gone, too. And I’ve been thinking about it more since I got to New York yesterday, and have been seeing every other person walking down the street with their take-out (when not getting it delivered).

When I lived here less than a decade ago, things weren’t any different, I was the one who was different. We hardly had Shabbat dinners or cooked much simply because no one had the space in their apartments to do so. (I say hardly, because every once in awhile, someone did have an occasional Shabbat dinner or dinner party in general).

I also remember when my parents moved back to New York after 30 years of living in California. My mom began inviting all of their friends for dinner. One couldn’t believe that she had gone through the trouble to cook, rather than serve take-out. My mom kept waiting for people to reciprocate, but hardly anyone did.

I know from having the friends that I do, and reading this blog, that not all New Yorkers are like this. Especially since the Union Square farmer’s market is one of the best in the country. It is so because people shop there, and one can’t shop at a farmer’s market if one isn’t going to cook. But witnessing it anew as not exactly an outsider, but as someone who no longer lives here is a bit startling, especially when my eating habits have changed so much.

I’m sure that Citibank ad really resonates with quite a few people. I’m just glad I’m not one of them.