Just back from a morning at the markets…Farmer’s, TJ’s, Whole Foods and the 99cent store.   I open my fridge and it makes me so happy.  Most everything is green…all of it is super fresh and gorgeous and yummy.  

I am embarking upon…

I hesitate to tell you this for fear of my mother’s reaction  - “Jennifer, nothing but juicing for a whole week!  You need a relationship with food!”  ”Mother, I have a relationship with food and it appears that the wine, cheese and bread departments at Bristol Farms have taken out a restraining order against me!” 

Well, not just juicing for a whole week, a solid meal at night and since the only flesh I eat is fish, probably Salmon or Tilapia and some brown rice. Nice, I think.  And this is not really foreign for me this juicing obsession I have.  I got hooked about a year ago - not sure where or how - I think it was cucumber and green apple a super yummy mix, tastes really clean.  

Again, not sure how or when I got hooked but I stomped around for a month saying, “I need a juicer!  I need a juicer!”  I researched online and scouted the sales and they were all intimidating and super expensive and I just stomped and whined and then one day I cleaned out the cabinet above my fridge only to discover a top of the line never been used juicer that was left behind by an old roommate.  Yup!  That’s how manifestation works apparently.  

And I have been thanking the juicer gods ever since.  

For those who worry that I won’t get enough calories if I juice 2 meals and 2 snacks a day, let me tell you what I have already consumed.

1 entire hothouse cucumber (over a foot long)

1 green apple

1/2 orange pepper

4 carrots

3 handfuls of parsley

3 giant leaves of kale

2 beefsteak tomatoes

3 stalks of celery

1/2 yellow pepper

4 broccoli florets

And I haven’t even had my afternoon snack.  That will  be a yummy juice made out of: 

1/2 cantelope

4 strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

Yummm-eee

…I’m taking bets I don’t make it to Wednesday…

Discovery this week.  I’m not Polish, as originally believed.  I’m Russian. Which may or may not make much difference to you.  Probably none.

But for me, it explains why the Russian comes rather quickly to me.  

One of the easiest phrases I have learned, from my Russian wax-ologist…you know, the cosmetologists from Russia are actually licensed nurses.  In Russia you can’t wax a bikini area (or an eyebrow for that matter) unless you are a licensed nurse.  A licensed nurse!  And so, the woman who has been waxing my “eyebrows” here in LA for the last 10 years is what I consider highly qualified.  And, over the years she, Marina (lovely woman 2 children, daughter is a photographer who loves Ray & Charles Eames, BTW…) has taught me a handful of valuable and useful phrases.  My favorite…

Please, pronounce this as written…

poss-THE-Lou-eeee  Men-YA

Then say it quickly several times to find the right emphasis.  The second phrase should feel heavy in your mouth, feel the air that you force through your teeth and cheeks and you can trip over it a bit…that will actually be correct. Marbles in your mouth.   And pretend you’re from Russia.  Play along and pretend.  It will come out right and sound correct.  Sort of. Practice it several times and then try it out on the one you really love.  

расцелуйте меня

Probably of no use what-so-ever until it lands on the one you love…

расцелуйте меня

It means, “kiss me.”

As far as I ‘m concerned the FIRST phrase you need to learn in any language…Kiss Me.

So, I’m not Polish.  I’m Russian and Irish and Scottish and English. Russian!  Explains a lot.  

I’m going to shut up for now…which just might leave an opening for someone to come along and расцелуйте меня!

“Whenever you’re near, I hear a symphony…”  been stuck in my head all day long, and I sang it out loud a couple times too.  

Today I am grateful for many things.  Amongst them…

1. That I was finally able to string the words together to write a letter I have been putting off for 3 months.  Tomorrow I will edit, print and mail and I suppose be even more grateful.  (BTW the words came very early this morning, before I even got out of bed so I had to call my home phone from my cell phone - which I had in bed next to me - to dictate the letter to my home voice mail so I wouldn’t forget. I left myself three messages. Three messages that began with my groggy voice from bed and ended with the sound of a toilet flushing.  Truthfully.  Genius comes at very inopportune times. Thank God for technology or that letter still wouldn’t be written).  

2. That my gym has the most beautiful pool ever, where I swam laps uninterrupted for almost an hour…and that my gym membership for the last 10 years for some inexplicable reason has only cost me $29.00 a year. Seriously.  Don’t ask and please don’t tell.

3.  That I spent the afternoon at the Hammer Museum where I got to see brilliant art including works by Rembrandt, Lautrec, van Gogh, Cezanne, Bonnard and Sargent.  The piece by Sargent (Dr. Pozzi at Home) being easily my favorite portrait ever.  

4. That my French is getting better even though the gritty roll of my “r’s” is a challenge.

5. That I got to see a 19th century portrait of my past life boyfriend Dr. Pozzi.  Did I mention he was a French gynecologist?  How lucky was I in my former life?

6. That the first thing I did this morning was talk to my dear friend in London (N1) who can’t wait until I visit this summer.  

7. That my mother sent me an update on the weather we should expect this summer during our Baltic cruise. BTW the weather will be fine…

8. That my past life 19th century French gynecologist boyfriend immediately recognized me when I entered the gallery even though I have a new haircut.  ”C’est tres chic”, he told me.  

9. That I had time to chat with D2 after my tour of the Hammer.  She feng shui-ed my apartment and changed my life!

10. That I realized just how lucky I am.  Finally, after years of thinking I had no luck, I realized just how lucky I am.   I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to see, to be grateful.  Forgive me and thank you.

11. That I had such a handsome gynecologist lover back in the 19th century.  Seriously have you seen Dr. Pozzi’s portrait?  Rock star, even by today’s standards.