When my husband and I moved from New York City to Virginia, we knew absolutely no one in our new town. And, to make matters worse, we both work from home as freelance writers, so there was no office camaraderie to rely on for after-work bonding over drinks. We had to take matters into our own hands. Here are three ways we tried (and sometimes succeeded) to meet new friends.

You read the headline right: No. Cook. As in you don’t have to cook -- at all! And there’s a bonus: No-cook meals tend to be healthy(ish), and you can pretend you’re being trendy or “Mediterranean” (as opposed to just not up for the task). Here are a few faves from Long Island-based personal chef Emilie Raffa.

Antipasti Platter: Get a few good cheeses (like fresh mozzarella, provolone and manchego) and roasted red peppers, plus some marinated artichokes and proscuitto. Put them all on a pretty plate and you’re set. Voila!

Gazpacho:
Toss 2 cups of chopped tomatoes (fresh, vine-ripened ones are best) and a cup of watermelon in the blender. Slowly stream in olive oil, and process until combined but not too thick. Pour into a pot or large bowl. Next, dice half of a hot house cucumber, quarter of a Vidalia onion, and a yellow bell pepper. Add them to the mix. Finally, splash in a tablespoon of sherry vinegar and taste the soup. Emilie says it should taste “bright and clean.” Add more vinegar if you think it needs it, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in one bunch of chopped chives, and sprinkle a little goat cheese on top (adds a subtle tang). Yummy. Serves four.

Salad: Emilie loves salads because they’re “a great way of using what’s left in the fridge.” A yummy one: Try mixing romaine with butter lettuce so you’ll have a couple of different textures. Add garbanzo beans, heirloom tomatoes and toss with a buttermilk ranch dressing.

Avocado and Sweet Corn Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette:
Start with the vinaigrette -- juice two limes, slowly streaming in olive oil until thick and emulsified. Fold in ¼ cup cilantro and ¼ cup chives, and season with salt and pepper. Next, chop a couple of avocados and toss with a little of the vinaigrette (keeps the avo from turning brown). Hold two ears of corn (well, one at a time) straight up in a high-sided bowl and cut off the kernels with a serrated bread knife. Add the corn to the avo, and then add in a cup of halved grape tomatoes, a can of black beans, and a cup of Monterey Jack cheese cubes. Toss it all with what’s left of your dressing, add more salt and pepper, and serve with pita chips. Serves four.

And For Dessert…: Layer sweetened crème fraiche with fresh seasonal berries, and sprinkle crushed meringue cookies on top. (Or you could just dive into a pint of Haagen-Dazs.)

My guy eats like crap.

I knew this before we moved in together, but I thought I’d be fine. I'd just make him his creamy, greasy dinners and then cook myself something healthy. But five pounds on my hips later, I realized that plan had backfired. Making two meals a night was too tiring, and in my constant effort to please, I ended up serving myself a small portion of his fatty dinners.

Not much beats hearing a live band on a hot summer’s night. Well, assuming they’re good. Here’s how to sniff out summer music that’s worth a schlep across town (or across country!).

Check Your Local Digs. For starters, check the racks at the entrance of local restaurants and shops for free papers covering local arts. These are usually chock full of concert listings, helping you find who’s playing at random dive bars, wine bars, restaurant bars, tiki bars, and wherever else alcohol is served. (Let’s face it -- all bands sound better with booze.) You may catch some fun up-and-comers on tour too -- like some locals that can seriously rock out.

Scan The Park. Your local parks may have some grooves up their sleeves. (Yes, really.) Check for summer symphony performances, open mic nights, outdoor concerts, and other fun local festivals.

Summer Festivals -- Road Trip, Baby! Speaking of festivals, check www.festivalfinder.com to find out where your favorite bands are playing this year.

Enter Contests. And now for a bit of shameless self-promotion: Every year TheNest.com gives away the hottest summer concert tickets for tour stops all across the country. Enter for tickets every Wednesday, when a new artist is revealed.

And The Obvious... Oh, come on. If Lady Gaga or Katy Perry is coming to town, you know it already. But if you’re just plain clueless, read the listings in any newspaper. And glance at that billboard on your way to work. Or there’s always Ticketmaster.com. Now rock on!

Just about any burger is good on a hot summer day (provided it is paired with a good brewski). But a really good, plump juicy burger? Now that’s heaven. Use these 10 tips from Barbecue Bible author Steven Raichlen to make it happen:

• Use beef chuck (preferably from grass-fed beef) with a lean to fat ratio of 80/20. Any leaner and your burger will be dry.
• Chill the meat thoroughly and wet your hands with cold water before forming the meat into patties.
• Mix grated or crumbled cheese into the meat for added moistness and flavor, or enclose it in the center of the patty.
• When forming the burger patties, work quickly using a light touch. Pack the meat as loosely as possible.
• Make a slight depression in the center of each patty; once cooked, it will have a more uniform thickness.
• The diameter of your formed burger should be about one inch larger than the bun; it will shrink as it cooks.
• Season the burgers with salt and pepper after you put them on the hot grill grate; season the other side when you turn the burgers. Turn only once.
• Use a spatula for turning the burgers, but never, ever press the tops -- unless you want all those great juices to be lost to the fire.
• Let the burgers rest on a warm plate for two minutes before serving or transferring to buns.
• For variety, consider using other ground proteins for your burgers -- lamb, turkey, chicken, pork, veal, or even tuna or salmon.

Nestpert: Steven Raichlen is the host of Primal Grill™ and Barbecue University™ on American Public Television, and a multi-award-winning author. Raichlen wrote the best-selling Barbecue Bible cookbook series (Workman Publishing -- more than four million copies in print), including his authoritative new book, the 638-page Planet Barbecue documenting two million years of grilling in 60 countries on six continents. www.BarbecueBible.com

Get other grilling recipes at TheNest.com.