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calming elixir

Calming Elixir

May 25, 2017

 

By: Sima Morrison

Are you ever craving a cocktail after a long day of work, but don't want the side effects of drinking alcohol? Instead, how about a happy hour with a Jun-based mind elixir. This concoction is the perfect alternative to ease those racing thoughts and brush away stress sitting atop your shoulders. Whether you are anxious after a presentation, wound up after sitting in traffic, or simply looking for a positive mood boost, this gentle mocktail will calm down your inner fire. It is lovely for bringing down Chi and assisting your body in transitioning through your daily circadian rhythms. 

The Peaceful Easy Feeling Tincture aids digestive upset and insomnia, making it an essential ingredient for this unwinding potion. Inside, Lemon Balm assists as a gladdening herb, which helps with nervous tension, anxiety and stress. Skullcap, Lavender and Chamomile have mild sedative and anti-inflammatory properties that soothe exhaustion, excitability and anxiety. Lemon grass has similar tonic medicinal qualities as well. Ginkgo is an ancient herb that oxygenates the brain, improving memory and concentration. Similarly, Rhodiola strengthens the nervous system and enhances memory, while also fighting depression, improving energy and aiding in weight reduction. Gotu Kola rejuvenates the immune system and strengthens the adrenals. 

 

calming elixir recipe

Relaxing Mind Mocktail Elixir

  • 4 oz Jun Kombucha

  • 10 drops Poppy and Someday Peaceful Easy Feeling Tincture

  • 10 drops Herb Pharm Ginkgo Tincture

  • 5 drop Herb Pharm Gotu Kola Tincture

  • 5 drops Mountain Maus Remedies Lemon Grass Tincture

  • 5 drop Herb Pharm Rhodiola Tincture


Sima

Sima Morrison, founder of House of Citrine, is a vibrant soul with a potent zest for life and the beauty in its simple pleasures. As a holistic nutritionist, Sima has made it her life's journey to experience, to empower, and to explore the synergy between the mind and the body. She manifests her vision through her online journal, designing recipes and cultivating conversation in the sharing of health, wellness, and inspiration. Sima lives with an open heart and views being in service to others as her most important calling, practicing compassion and helping people to heal past trauma. She is a certified Kundalini yoga instructor and meditation facilitator.

In elixirs and tonics, health, May, Recipes, Tonics
1 Comment
Ojai Ca

Ojai Travel Guide

May 18, 2017

 

Ojai, a quaint arts town located about one hour north of Los Angeles, is the getaway hotspot for the holistic and conscious-living enthusiasts. This mecca boasts vivacious orange groves interwoven with solitude and spirituality amongst the unspoiled sagebrush canyons of Southern California. From exquisite local organic food to handcrafted goods and even heavenly nature destinations, this home away from home is the essence of nirvana. 

 

Meditation Mountain

 

To Do Outdoors

Meditation Mountain

With profound views, lush aromatic gardens, and essential divinity, Mediation Mountain is a beacon of compassion and beauty. Open to the community, this garden of eden is the place to meditate with the spirits and attend transformational events. Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and faeries all call this mood elevating mountain home as you close your eyes, decompress and meditate amongst the mystical wind. Our favorite place to set intentions for the full moon and let go of negative auras for the new moon.

10340 Reeves Rd. Ojai. CA 93023  |  (805) 646-5508

Ojai Farmer's Market

Every Sunday, rain or shine from 9am to 1pm, Ojai’s true sunshine emanates from its lovely Farmers’ Market. Here you will find local organic fruits and vegetables, fresh gourmet bread, sustainably caught seafood, farm raised antibiotic-free eggs, and handmade soups. A lovely place to meander the booths with your family and enjoy a relaxing morning around local artisans and community leaders. Be sure to pick up some renowned local honey and jam to savor with your artisan bread! 

300 E Matilija St. Ojai. CA 93023  |  (805) 698-5555

Ecotopia Hot Springs

These natural mineral hot springs are where we go to connect ourselves and get back in tune with nature’s rhythms. Ecotopia is an absolutely stunning property, situated on a major fault line, with its water containing a very high mineral content of sulfur. The area is also used as a pick-up for local CSA programs. Please respect the land by turning off cellphones and using hushed and whispering voices. Don’t forget to bring a towel, schedule a visit and be prepared to reconnect with nature.

2566 Matilija Canyon Rd. Ojai CA 93023  |  (805) 727-4117|  info@ojaiecotopia.com

 

Wineries 

Casa Barranca

This winery and tasting room boasts chill vibes and family values. Only organic, pesticide-free grapes are utilized to produce high quality wines. Casa Barranca’s innovation with sustainable growing practices and solar panel power is another reason why we love it. Make sure to try their divine Pink Moment Rose and Pinot Noir!

208 East Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 92023  |  (805) 640-1255

Ojai Vineyard Tasting Room

If you want to taste some of the highest caliber Southern California wines, then this is the place. Their large variety and selection of wines comes from over three decades of experience running a winery. With a distinctive European atmosphere and full body wines, this tasting room has nodes of a new and old world vineyard. 

109 S Montgomery St. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 798-3947

 

Restaurants in Ojai

 

Restaurants 

Revel - Jun Kombucha Bar

With unanimity, we love Revel’s Jun Kombucha! Jun is healthier than Kombucha, in that it is made with green tea and raw honey, rather than black tea and cane sugar. This unique brewery and tasting bar is a fantastic place to stop by for a smooth non-alcoholic fermented beverage with an array of distinctive flavors or for an acai bowl, a jar of kimchi and other fermented goodies. So relax, bring your laptop and be prepared for some friendly service at this quirky alternative “coffee shop”.

307 E Matilija St. Suite C. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 272-0028

Hip Vegan

This is one of our favorite lunch spots to bask in the sun while eating finger-licking vegan cuisine. Their lovely outdoor space is the perfect setting to enjoy that Southern California warmth and their elevated and refreshing Indo Wrap. We also are obsessed with their Spring Rolls, consisting of ginger tofu, shiso, thai basil, mint, onions, cilantro, fresh veggies, vietnamese dip and covered in an organic rice wrap. High vibrational meal! 

928 E Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 646-1750

Food Harmonics

Food Harmonics takes the prize for most innovative and highest quality ingredients. This new Ojai restaurant focuses on Ayurvedic food recipes that heal and nourish the body. It is a gluten-free, organic, paleo friendly, nutrient dense menu that supports all local farms and community values. You can grab a variety of meals from dosas, to easily digestible salads, soups and bowls. Make sure to try their sustainable buffalo bone broth (you can add a variety of toppings) and bison burger over sautéed kale! 

254 E Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 798-9253

 

 

The Ranch House

Gourmet and romantic, The Ranch House has date night dinner written all over its historic property. Owned by Ojai locals, Alan and Helen Hooker, this restaurant prides itself with high quality service, array of organic wines, grass fed antibiotic-free meat, sustainably caught seafood, and completely organic local produce. As an added bonus they promote the feat of not using any freezers, microwave ovens or fryers in their kitchen.

102 Besant Rd. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 646-2360

 

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa

Lodging  

Ojai Rancho Inn

This hip chic little getaway is an excellent choice for the more budgeted traveler. It is a solid choice that boasts reasonable rustic rooms, free bike rental, and an outdoor pool and sauna. The inn is charming and homey - a delightful choice! Pets are welcome.

615 W Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 646-1434

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa

This is the cream of the crop of renowned bohemian spa getaways. If you want to truly splurge on luxury, stay at the hacienda style Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. Nothing could be more beautiful than walking the acres of pristine property grounds or using their top of the line spa facilities. We definitely recommend getting the orange blossom and honey wrap that comes with salubrious dry brushing and a nourishing body mask. Don’t forget to visit The Spa Cafe, a nutritious new quick bite restaurant and juice bar. Or you can awaken your creativity and take a class at the Artist Cottage and Apothecary. Or even play a round of golf on the exquisite greens. Pets are welcome.

905 Country Club Rd. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (855) 697-8780

 

Barts Books

 

Stores

Bart’s Books

An obscure book store that just so happens to be the largest independently owned and operated bookstore in the US. Bart’s Books has a great outdoor and rare atmosphere, stacks of great selections of music and used books.

302 W Matilija St. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 646-3755

 

Bart's Books in Ojai

 

Fig Curated Living

This offbeat home and garden store sells unique gifts, delectable fixtures, ceramic bowls, succulents and local handcrafted goods. They also pride themselves on focusing their inventory on fair trade handmade items!

327 E Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 646-6561

Summer Camp

With an inviting modish atmosphere, this store sells custom framing and vintage home and lifestyle goods. They sell handmade cards and delicate decor while supporting local artists and community partner. Their space is available for art shows, photo shoots, and events. 

1020 W Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93203  |  (805) 861-7109 

In the Field

Think Topanga Canyon meets Abbot Kinney with a touch of Joshua Tree and you have found this Ojai shop. With boho vibes and a touch of elegance, In the Field sells luxe essentials with high end luxury living pieces.

730 E Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (310) 403-4292

 

Orange Tree in Ojai

 

Essentials 

Narayan - Beauty Alchemist

Self care while traveling is essential. That is why booking an appointment at Narayan will enliven your beauty, healing and sacredness. They also sell a completely natural high quality clean skin care line that uses a technique called faceology to bring deep healing, vitality and glow to the face and entire spiritual being.

(323) 683 - 4224 or Book on the website 

Rainbow Bridge Natural Food

We all need to hit the grocery store for those personal products or when we are just itching to make a home cooked meal. Organic, local, high quality, sustainable and earth-friendly market. 

211 E Matilija St. Ojai, CA 93023  |  (805) 646-4017

 

Local Brands

Ojai Energetics

This is the top of the line water soluble CBD company. “Where nature meets science”, this quality brand also sells 22 essential oil blends and is one of the only companies that includes ORMUS for superior energy. Grab a bottle for heightened physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Wildcare

A truly magical herbal skincare line that sells hydrosols from ethically wildcrafted plants. Each hydrosol has potent skin benefits, balances the natural pH of the skin, and can be used as an energetic atmosphere mist. We LOVE the Palo Santo and White Sage!

Raw Food World

Based in Ojai, this online raw food and superfoods store is the largest in the world. They sell a variety of raw goods from supplements to dried fruits, sweeteners, cleansing and beauty products. Truly transformational products. 


Sima

Sima Morrison, founder of House of Citrine, is a vibrant soul with a potent zest for life and the beauty in its simple pleasures. As a holistic nutritionist, Sima has made it her life's journey to experience, to empower, and to explore the synergy between the mind and the body. She manifests her vision through her online journal, designing recipes and cultivating conversation in the sharing of health, wellness, and inspiration. Sima lives with an open heart and views being in service to others as her most important calling, practicing compassion and helping people to heal past trauma. She is a certified Kundalini yoga instructor and meditation facilitator.

In Local, May, Spring, Tips, Travel
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May Organic Products

Top 10 Products We Love for May

May 15, 2017

 

1. Evan Healy Rose Face Care Kit

Simply put, your skin will thank you. This kit transforms dry, oily or combination skin into luscious silk. This rose-based line is formulated to help re-establish a healthy hydro/lipid balance with rose geranium and carrot seed. In the morning, awaken your body by cleansing with rose milk followed by toning with rose geranium hyrdosoul and rosehip serum. Don’t forget to massage in some rose vetiver day moisturizer before stepping out the door and applying on some french rose clay before snuggling into bed. 

2. Kaleidoscope Living Foods Lemon Ginger Miso Vegan Kale Chips and Fennel with Fuji Apple & Lamb Bone Broth Kale Chips

These kale chips are the new wave of healthy raw food snacking. They are so addicting, we couldn’t choose just one flavor. Kaleidoscope Living Foods has formulated gluten, nut and soy free chips that pack bold and zesty flavor into each transient bag. Our favorite vegan and Bone Broth flavors are packed with activated and nutrient dense ingredients that are the perfect pick-me-up snack to brighten your afternoon. You can truly taste the positive energy and ethical practices that go into making each single chip through their community efforts to honor and work with local farmers, wild crafters and ranchers.

3. M. Parke Studio + Parke Rituals Deep Earth Spirit Soak

We hold Melissa Rousseau’s elegant company near and dear to our hearts. With such love and devotion, Rousseau uses only the highest quality organic and wildcrafted transformational herbs, minerals and crystals to create gaia connecting bath soaks. From your root to your crown chakra, you can feel the connection of ritual and healing, as you relax and ground deeper into your infused water bath. This contains top level vibrations with each ritual jar containing a ritual guide, a muslin cloth to create your bath infusion, a rose quartz crystal to add to your bath, + palo santo for clearing your energy fields before your soak.

4. Honey Mama’s Dutch Bar

If the adorable packaging and company name haven’t wheeled you in yet, then their Dutch Bar will. Made with only five organic, direct-trade and non-GMO ingredients, single origin alkalized cocoa, raw local honey, sprouted almonds, unrefined coconut oil, Himalayan pink salt, and La Vencedora vanilla, this elegant bar will send your taste buds flying. It will melt at 75 degrees or higher, but not to worry, you will finish it before it's too late! 

5. Bee’s Wrap Sustainable Food Storage

And if you want to save the other half of that Dutch Bar before it melts, we have the solution. We are buzzing for this innovative company of the future. Founded by Vermonter and mother Sarah Kaeck, Bee’s Wrap was created as a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap. By infusing organic cotton with beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin, she has created a washable, reusable, and compostable alternative that is a step in the right direction to eliminating plastics. Families can rejoice in knowing their kids will not be exposed to chemicals or BPA through their homemade lunches. 

6. Peruvian Harvest Dried Golden Berries Covered in Chocolate with Yacon Syrup

These bewitching berries presented themselves to Sima while she was traveling through the desert wilderness of Joshua Tree. This snack is perfect for those days you are just craving sugar, however, a plain chocolate bar just wont satisfy your sweet tooth. These treats by Peruvian Harvest are gluten, dairy and, if you can believe it, sugar free! They contain no artificial ingredients and due to their high FOS content, Yacon Syrup has a low glycemic index, which won't cause your blood sugar to spike. They even claim it can help boost weight loss!

7. Urb Apothecary Lips Cheeks Tint/Blush Stick

This Santa Cruz based company’s chemical-free and organic vision comes directly from the land itself. The herbs speak for themselves by complimenting each other in this tint stick by creating a natural rosy glow. You can build your hues of pink and red to create the essential and effortless dewy look that will take you from day to night.

8. Brothee Vegan Mushroom Broth

You have probably heard about the medicinal benefits of the bone broth craze. However, if you are vegan, it can be tough to hop on the train. However, Brothee has created a potent and delicious vegan broth with wild restorative mushrooms such as Chaga, Shiitake, Morel and Porcini. Sip on the go to your next meeting or sit back, read a peaceful book and have it delivered directly to you. Available for delivery in Los Angeles.

9. Seaweed Bath Co. Unscented Body Wash

You know how we love our ethically sustainable companies. Vegan, cruelty and paraben-free in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, this versatile seaweed-based wash lathers the body in slippery smooth oils, leaving you feeling hydrated and nourished. It contains nutrient-rich and detoxifying seaweed extracts, such as bladderwrack and spirulina, and emollient oils such as neem, Hawaii Kukui, coconut and aloe vera. Don't worry, it's unscented, so you won’t smell like the ocean! 

10. Heart of Gold Rose the Beautiful Cream

As you browse this Portland based company’s site, you instantly begin to meditate on gratitude for the miraculous gifts that earth provides. Heart of Gold uniquely resonates with the beauty of color, specifically gold, as it embodies resilience and grace. Housed in high-quality glass, this buttery cream lightens and brightens the skin with superfoods and minerals such as rosewater, virgin prickly pear, squalane, sea buckthorn and calendula. With a proprietary anti-aging essential oil blend, you will combat inflammation with the elements of earth and air. 

In Artifact, health, May, Tips Tags products
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nettle.jpg

Nettle (Urtica dioica)

May 11, 2017

By: Molly Helfend

When in doubt, use nettle. This phrase is what you could call the manual for herbalists, as we all bless the earth for allowing this tonic green goddess to thrive. Perennial and represented with the element of Fire, and known as one of the Chinese “long life” herbs, nettle is a member of its own family, the Urticaceae. Its infamous sting is the juxtaposition of medicinal healing and unfriendly irritation. Nettle is a favorite for all around remedies and is an excellent safe tonic herb that is effective and reliable for almost anyone. It's also highly nutritious and can also be eaten raw or cooked, adding a mild unique tang (similar to spinach) to almost any meal. Nettles grow throughout the United States and Canada, preferring temperate climate and semi-shaded, moist environments such as around stream and river banks. They also flourish around distressed land with high nitrogen levels left in the soil, such as along rail road tracks, at the edge of woods, or in abandoned farm fields. If you wish to grow them yourself, try to mimic these conditions in the garden. Nettles are hardy growers that should be glorified for their apt abilities to adapt to landscapes and provide salubrious nutrition to us. 

Phytochemistry: Organic acids, vitamin A, C and K, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, protein, formic acid, beta-carotene, chlorophyll

Herbal Actions: Anti-inflammatory, tonic, diuretic, astringent

How to Prepare: Tea, tincture, poultice/compress, capsule, urtication*, eaten fresh, dried or infused in vinegar, olive oil and honey, brewed in beer, fabric (finer than cotton or linen)

What to Use For: anemia, debility, arthritis, allergies, eczema/psoriasis, chemical sensitivities, hair and scalp, growing pains, depleted constitutions, kidney and liver function, metabolism, reproduction 

Growing Conditions: Semi-shaded with fertile moist and rich soil. Easily propagates in Spring or Autumn.

Harvesting Methods: Leaves are best harvested in Spring - if harvesting for medicine, it is preferred to harvest before the flowers open. Flowers are best harvested in early July (depending on growing conditions). Be cautious when harvesting, as the sting can be painful if you are not used to it. Chose to wear gloves or approach the plant with strength and affirm your purpose. Find mutual respect and it should leave you be. However, the sting will disappear once it is cooked, chopped or after a few hours of drying. 

Parts of Plant Used: Leaves, seeds, roots

This information is not a replacement for a medical professional, so please consult before treating yourself or others with this or any other herbal remedy.

 

Recipes featuring Nettle

 

Nutritious Herbal Seasoning 

  • 1/2 cup of dulse flakes or powder
  • 1/2 cup of dried nettle leaves
  • 1/4 cup of dried oregano 
  • 1/8 cup of garlic granules
  • 3 tablespoons of Himalayan salt 
  • 2 tablespoon of lemon peel 

Toss all ingredients into a bowl and mix well together. Once finished, grind in a food processor or mortar until it resembles a fine salt blend. Use in place of table salt to season any dish such as popcorn, rice, salad, vegetables or on my favorite, homemade soup! Feel free to experiment with your favorite flavors or nutritive combinations with the base of dried nettle leaf and ground seaweed.

 

Wild Greens Spring Pesto

  • 1 handful of nettle
  • 1 handful of lambs quarter
  • 1 handful of chickweed or miners lettuce
  • 1 handful of arugula or spinach 
  • 1/2 handful of basil 
  • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic 
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • 1 whole lemon 
  • 1/2 cup of sprouted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
  • about 6 sprigs of sage

Throw all of these ingredients in a food processor or blender. My absolute favorite over zucchini noodles or smashed and served over a baked sweet potato.


Molly Helfend is part of the HOC team and is an herbalist and environmental activist. She graduated from University of Vermont in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and a concentration in Holistic Health. She will be attending University of Kent in Canterbury, England to receive her Masters Degree in Ethnobotany in 2017. She has worked for Urban Moonshine, Greenpeace and received her training with Spoonful Herbals. Her goal is to receive her PHD and become a professor at University of California Santa Cruz. Molly resides in Monte Nido, California.  

In elixirs and tonics, health, May, Recipes, Tonics Tags herbs
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chef-mia.jpg

Chef Mia Wasilevich : Transitional Gastronomy

May 9, 2017

 

Recently, we had the pleasure to sit down for coffee at Broome Street General Store with creative author and wild plant sage and forager Mia Wasilevich. Multitalented and vastly cultured, Mia’s inherently grounded personality with plants was a breath of fresh air. We spoke about her luminous journey, new book and resonating tips for everyone to augment their relationship with plants. Be sure to check out her wild foraging and cooking classes at Transitional Gastronomy, and be sure to pre-order her new innovative book, Ugly Little Greens, being released on May 16. Read more about Mia’s story and her partner Pascal Baudar’s classes at Urban Outdoor Skills.

Your new book Ugly Little Greens comes out soon. Can you please tell our readers what this book is about?

Over the last seven years, while teaching and cooking for students and clients, I have incorporated foraged edible plants, mainly invasive “weeds” into my cuisine. These are plants that you overlook in your yard or on trails and that most people try to force out of their garden. There’s nothing particularly new about foraging or gathering wild edible plants, but each time I taught a class or did a special dinner with these plants, I found that people were amazed that you could create something beautiful, elevated yet simple and fun with them. I started getting so many requests for my recipes and I knew it was time to do a book. For the most part, these recipes are simple, don’t use too many ingredients or intricate cooking techniques, and cooks of any skill level can execute them easily. My hope is that they’ll provide inspiration for you to take the recipe, make it your own and take the dishes to a whole other level.

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What recipes are you most proud of from ULG?

I think the recipes I’m most proud of are the ones that are the simplest. I love tackling the ingredients that people would think are the most difficult to work with like dandelions, for example. They can be bitter and many people just end up chucking them into a smoothie. They are probably at the top of the “Ugly Little Greens” list but you can pair their bitterness and feature it in a way that’s harmonious. I love the Braised Dandelions with Figs and Wine. I also love the savory Lambsquarters Rice Pudding with its warm and comforting richness, the simplicity of the Abdoogh Khiar (kefir over ice) with Cattail and Rosehips, and the Nettle Canederli with Wild Mushrooms and Nettle Butter. 

What is the take away message you would want readers to receive from ULG?

That fancy and good are not necessarily the same thing. To taste the plant and let it tell you if it’s a gentle flavor that needs very little or a strong flavor that challenges you to play with it. Taste your food. Look at food in a new way and open the possibility of trying new things. I think many of us get into a rut of eating the same five vegetables over and over and we prepare or cook them the same five ways. That simplicity is beautiful. Honor your environment.

Where did your love for foraging begin? Were you trained as a chef or herbalist?

I am completely self-taught as far as cooking goes. I have always been interested in food as a creative medium and I grew up during the time that food TV and the idea of “the foodie” came into being. Although my career moved into entertainment/marketing, cooking for people was the thing I did during my off time and the thing I enjoyed the most. It’s the thing that made me happy. Once I surrendered to that idea (and it is like surrendering because I did have to give up a few luxuries and some of the security that a corporate job provides) it opened a whole world of opportunities and ways to create venues to do what I really wanted.

As far as foraging, I studied with various teachers in the Los Angeles area including my partner, Pascal Baudar. I really do think that with this kind of work, you need the one-on-one experience of being taught by an actual person to give you the confidence and solid background to know what you are doing. Getting to know the land this way is like an oral history that gets passed from person to person. Studying online and from books is an excellent supplement but you can’t replace that personal connection.

I honestly don’t consider foraging some separate thing or cool “new” thing to do. It’s just another way of sourcing food. It’s like an addition to a farmers market to me. And because I had traveled a lot as a kid, I was aware that other cultures utilize what grows around and with them and integrate these kinds of plants into their cuisine and culture. There’s less of a line between weeds and cultivated plants in other parts of the world.

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How did you and Pascal begin your journey together?

In true 21st century fashion, we met online. Neither one of us was particularly looking for a partner at the time, but we were both intrigued at this online dating phenomena. It was both of our first experiences with online dating and we didn’t know what we were doing. Actually, Pascal didn’t meet my online criteria but it somehow matched us up anyhow, hahaha. We both decided that we didn’t care for the online dating experience and decided to connect on the phone instead. We found some extraordinary similarities, passions and approaches to life. And most importantly, of course, what we had in common was the love of food. On one of our first dates he took me out on a forage and we instinctively just made a little feast from our harvest and the rest is history.

Why settle in such a dry chaparral climate/ecosystem like Los Angeles?

I think I tend to look at the question in reverse. I didn’t necessarily choose this location. It’s where I ended up after college and where I chose to begin my early career. This is a really important question as it lays the groundwork for my overall philosophy. When you forage, you need to adapt your expectations and skillset to your immediate environment and be adaptable, flexible, and aware. It’s not a supermarket out there or a farm where there’s a certainty of finding the type of foods you want in a specific location. Your awareness of the environment and how it shifts to accommodate the climate and weather patterns and the fact that seeds and plants move around all contribute to the need to think on your feet, be extremely observant of everything around you and to be a little intuitive. So, in a roundabout way, I have become a part of this ecosystem because I live here. I have and will continue to adapt to it and be grateful for everything it provides.

How have you remained honest and down to earth while living around the superficial or perfunctory Los Angeles scene? 

Everything is a matter of perspective. You may not be able to change certain situations or surroundings, but you always have the choice of changing your perspective. I’m not focused on the “LA scene,” per se, but I am a part of it because I’m here. I think my focusing on the kind of people I do want to meet, engage with and the projects I want to work on funnel that reciprocal energy back to me. I’ve met so many wonderful and lifelong collaborators here. It’s just incredible to me how many amazingly creative people are here and how many forward thinkers and innovators there are. And because I’ve decided to follow my bliss and do what I love full time, I’m meeting people who are doing the same. It’s wonderful. I feel like my past life was another world.

How do your recipes creatively manifest? How do you create such unique dishes? Does the plant speak to you?

Yes! Sometimes the plant does speak to me in a way. When the first little shoots arrive in the spring they give off such a light and happy little vibe that you can’t help but create something light and joyous. I also think that because I was not classically trained, I don’t have the same restraints when approaching a recipe. It’s one big happy experiment to me. And the recipes are directly inspired by the plants. I can remember at one time only having acorns and cactus to harvest and I was creating a small bespoke event. You really have to pull out all your creativity to make something cohesive and beautiful with those ingredients. That’s what I love about doing this. It’s all on the fly according to what nature provides. So really, Mother Nature is my menu planner. 

You wear many hats as also a photographer, author, chef, wild forager and food stylist. Is there one aspect of your business you enjoy the most?

Hands down the creative process of conceptualizing and making a little “story,” if you will, about whatever project I am working on. I love recipe testing and development. I absolutely love creating menus but even more than that I love crafting a unique and memorable experience for people.

Five plants you feel most connected to

There is a very specific smell to the Los Angeles area but we have so many microclimates it’s hard to say! In the spring, in my area, it’s the combination of wild cucumber (not edible) and bur-chervil that create a heady perfume. In the drier and hotter months, the spiciness of the chaparral aromatics like the sagebrush and sages and further outside of Los Angeles, the creosote. In higher altitudes, the smell of pine and fir are so fresh and prominent, and no one can forget the delicate smell of elderflowers. So, that was a hard question to answer! If I must pin just five down, I guess they would be:

  • Nettles
  • Bur-chervil
  • Black sage
  • Elderflowers
  • White fir
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Five wild plants you recommend we add to our diet

Definitely nettles. Always the nettles. They can do no wrong as a cooked green, as a tea or dietary supplement.

Chickweed. My favorite delicate spring green. It’s such an important salad staple to me and can be used as a green and medicinally, as well. It’s also so abundant after it rains.

Dandelions. I love it when the entire plant is useable. The young flowers are edible (and used for making wine), as are the leaves and medicinally, the roots.

Cactus. It carries so many health benefits (pertaining to blood sugar levels and diabetes). Although a little difficult to harvest, it is easy to find even in a lot of California landscaping and a little goes a long way. Both the fruits and pads are edible. My favorite way to enjoy this is to blend the cactus pads with chia, lemon, agave and kiwi fruit and make a hydrating popsicle. Perfect for summer.

Elderberry. Besides being excellent flu and cold medicine, this plant is so versatile. The flowers and their pollen are a must for making cordial and the berries can be used fresh or dried. I like to use the dried berries in savory applications.

What has been your most unique adventure?

When Pascal and I first got together, we lived at the top of a slightly remote mountain, as in dirt roads and no street lights. We lived in a farm setting with many types of animals, bees, and critters. That was a pretty immersive introduction to nature for me. I have not worn a pair of heels since this time. We decided to use only manual powered cooking equipment or primitive equipment for a few months. All I can say is that it was both challenging and magical at the same time. Note: It’s extremely difficult to get stiff peaks with egg whites at a high altitude using a manual hand blender.

What is next for you? Any adventures planned?

We’re both moving more into teaching, writing and traveling and hopefully a combination of all of those things. We’re going to try and plan a trip to Oaxaca this year and experience another ecosystem and food journey. I’m also in the planning stages of opening my own place that will be a restaurant as well as teaching center – which is the dream.

How does your work speak to women about furthering their voice and innovative journey? 

This question goes hand in hand with the last question, BTW. It really is as simple as doing what you love. And if you are not sure what it is that you love, ask yourself what you tend to be doing when you truly have down time. What do you find yourself researching or searching for information and knowledge about the most? That will definitely give you a clue.

I can only speak for myself, but I spent a lot of time thinking about what I really wanted to do and would dream about it while going through the motions of my daily life. I can’t tell you how much energy that takes and I know why I was so tired all of the time. The hard part is, well, just doing it. Why? In my case, I had the running dialogue of “Am I good enough at what I do?” “What if I fail?” “What if people don’t get what I’m doing?”

I know I’m not unique with those thoughts. I think many people let those three questions stop them from achieving what they truly want. So, I decided to answer those questions as though I were from the future. “Yes, you are absolutely great at what you do.” “You’re not going to fail, you’re going to adapt.” “Who cares if people get what you are doing. If you are really inspired, you will be inspiring.”

Biggest tip you can give to people wanting to introduce nature into their lives

I don’t think you have to go camping to introduce nature into your life. Sometimes it can be as simple as eating dinner outside in your back yard away from your phone. Plant something…anything. A tiny little potted plant that you care for daily is a beautiful way to create a bond with nature, too. If you do go for a stroll, take a plant field guide out with you and identify and really get to know one plant really well. Repeat each time you take a walk or hike and soon you’ll have your own little mental library of plants.

Where do you choose to go decompress in nature?

We’re out in nature fairly often, to be honest, and I feel like the more often you are in nature, the less you have to decompress. The great thing about Los Angeles is that you’re not far from nature wherever you are. We have friends and clients in extraordinarily scenic and tranquil areas like Malibu and Topanga and friends with properties in the high desert, too, which is such a gorgeous landscape before it gets too hot. We were just in Palm Springs during the super bloom of desert flowers for a corporate retreat and it was breathtaking. So, I guess it’s a “hazard of the job,” that we get to spend so much time in beautiful settings already. We take road trips up the coast occasionally, but I happen to love the mountains and the cooler air that the higher altitudes have. Taking a drive through Angeles National Forest and stopping at a few of the camps for a mini-camping experience is always something I love to do. Nothing fancy, just spectacular views, an amazing picnic, and good company. That’s all you need.

 

Learn more about Chef Mia and get her book at transitionalgastronomy.com. 


Molly

Molly Helfend, herbalist and environmental activist, graduated from University of Vermont in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and a concentration in Holistic Health. She will be attending University of Kent in Canterbury, England to receive her Masters Degree in Ethnobotany in 2017. She has worked for Urban Moonshine, Greenpeace and received her training with Spoonful Herbals. Her goal is to receive her PHD and become a professor at University of California Santa Cruz. Molly resides in Monte Nido, California.  

In health, Interview, Local, May, People, Tips Tags restaurant
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It's a Grain-free, Vegan Cinco De Mayo for House of Citrine!

May 4, 2017

 

Have you ever gone out to eat, ordered something healthy off the menu, but then just felt significantly off after your meal? Maybe bloating, gas or just perplexingly lousy? The truth is, even if a restaurant claims they use all organic or wholesome ingredients, we never really know what is going on behind the kitchen doors. Recently, our team went out to eat and discovered a local Los Angeles hot spot was secretly dosing their meals with refined and parlous Canola Oil. And, sure enough, we felt the effects almost immediately. But, this event inspired a luminous idea. Many people claim that restaurant style Mexican food, negating the deletable Gracias Madre, isn’t healthy, and with our recent discovery, we were afraid to investigate further. But, we have proven that you can make flavorful and nutritious Mexican food that will enliven your senses. We have created the perfect, grain-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and guilt-free Cinco De Mayo meal recipe that is sure to impress even the pickiest eater at the table. So celebrate in style, invite friends and give your stomaches the love they deserve with truly finger-licking goodness!

 

Yam and Black Bean Tacos (Serves 2)

  • 1 large yam

  • 1 organic avocado

  • 1 oz. organic mango

  • 1 oz. microgreens

  • 1-2 teaspoons Better Bean Uncanny Refried Black Beans

  • 1-2 tablespoons Burn Fermented Serrano Hot Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Leaf Cuisine Vegan Peppery Jack Cheese

  • 3-4 Siete Cassava and Chia Tortillas

  • Pinch of Celtic Light Grey Sea Salt

  • Dollop of Garden of Life Extra Raw Virgin Coconut Oil

 

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the yam into rounds and brush with coconut oil. Then, roast or bake for 15 minutes. When finished, either slice or mash your yams for desired result. Sprinkle on black pepper and sea salt. Next, place your tortillas in the oven or on a stovetop pan for 1 minute to slightly heat up. Once warm, spread the yams in the middle of the tortilla and add the black beans alongside. Add a few slices of mango and avocado to the middle and sprinkle the microgreens on top. Then, crumble a small amount of your vegan cheese of choice. Last and certainly not least, add the fermented hot sauce to top it off. 

 

cinco de mayo

 

Cauliflower Rice and Cuban Black Beans (Serves 2-3)

  • 1-2 cups cauliflower rice

  • 1/4 cup Better Bean Cuban Black Beans

  • Celtic Light Grey Sea Salt to taste

  • Extra Raw Virgin Coconut Oil to heat

 *Optional: 2 garlic cloves and 1/2 cup onion 

 

You may use frozen cauliflower rice or use a food processor to chop fresh, organic cauliflower. Add your cauliflower rice to the stove top with a touch of coconut oil. Heat on medium for 5 minutes. Then, add your black beans to the cauliflower. Sauté in garlic and onion if needed. Leave on stove top and add your desired amount of salt to taste.

 

cinco de mayo

 

Nourishing Nachos (Serves 3 - 4) 

  • 1/2 bag of Siete Sea Salt Grain Free Tortilla Chips

  • 1/2 cup Better Bean Cuban Black Beans or Better Bean Uncanny Refried Black Beans

  • 1 organic avocado

  • 1 oz. microgreens

Add your tortilla chips to your plate. Next, dice up avocado into small cubes and sprinkle on the chips. Pour on your black beans of choice and scatter the micro greens. (We love using our Nourishing Nachos as a spoon to scoop up our delicious Cauliflower Rice and Cuban Black Bean dish!)


Sima

Sima Morrison, founder of House of Citrine, is a vibrant soul with a potent zest for life and the beauty in its simple pleasures. As a holistic nutritionist, Sima has made it her life's journey to experience, to empower, and to explore the synergy between the mind and the body. She manifests her vision through her online journal, designing recipes and cultivating conversation in the sharing of health, wellness, and inspiration. Sima lives with an open heart and views being in service to others as her most important calling, practicing compassion and helping people to heal past trauma. She is a certified Kundalini yoga instructor and meditation facilitator.

In May, Recipes Tags holidays
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AWAVEAWAKE

AWAVEAWAKE: Looking Back to Get Ahead

May 2, 2017

 

By: Karli Quinn

A conscious designer with great appreciation for a woman’s silhouette, Jaclyn Hodes, has naturally made her impact on the fashion industry (in March 2017, Jaclyn appeared in Vogue) and has brought attention to an important conversation regarding fashion and ethics. We met over matcha lattes at her favorite café near her home in Topanga, California and she shared her journey that is AWAVEAWAKE. 

Her Mission

A central tenant to AWAVEAWAKE’s philosophy is their commitment to using natural dyes in the garment production process. Though challenging, expensive and time-consuming, Jaclyn stresses that this process is well worth the extra effort and time. The consequences of using chemical dyes on our waterways are massive, and it’s safe to say those chemicals are traveling through our waterways and into our homes. In using natural dyes, this issue can be eliminated entirely — if there should be any run-off or if the skin absorbs the dyes, one can take comfort knowing that what’s used to bind the color to the material is non-toxic, plant-based and harm-free. This brings up the question we are all asking ourselves: Why aren’t all designers producing clothes this way? Well, as is in many other cases, shortcuts do exist. They work for business efficiency and against sustainability. The cost: our environment and our health. 

While the conscious fashion movement lives, it is certainly not the norm. Unless intentionally attune to a consideration for long-range impact on the environment and personal benefit, many consumers don’t contemplate how what they’re buying is made or how that process potentially affects the world. Jaclyn admits that many of her own costumers don’t understand that her garments are naturally dyed and what this means. AWAVEAWAKE is devoted to continue voicing the brand’s intention as it grows so that understanding and awareness can influence the industry at large.

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Photo Credits: AWAVEAWAKE, and top left, top right and cover: Annabel Mehran, bottom left: Annabel Mehran, bottom right: Frank de Graaf

Her Inspiration

In spite of its extra hurdles, AWAVEAWAKE’s approach to be progressive in their production process is encouraging. Jaclyn’s personal experience with mindfulness inspired her to focus on what she felt was missing in the industry by thoughtfully sourcing and treating her garment’s material. Jaclyn notes that her vision for AWAVEAWAKE matured through personal consciousness work she was doing and teachers that influenced her. She credits the ultimate push for beginning her work to the support of the community surrounding her. She vowed that her ethics had to align with her work, and AWAVEAWAKE naturally evolved.

Jaclyn notes that social context became important for her to consider when visualizing aesthetics for the brand, and so when she conceived of AWAVEAWAKE she asked herself what now looks like. For her, now was getting back to natural materials and dyes—the indigenous way. She describes her current style as ‘flowy’ with inspiration gathered from different decades, particularly the 60s and 70s.  She felt inspired wearing slip dresses and vintage pieces, and wanted to reincarnate them with her own flair. Many vintage pieces she was finding were falling apart and not made from natural materials, and it became her goal to revitalize vintage while stressing sustainability. Jaclyn drew inspiration from bias cut, (cutting on the diagonal so that the garment flows according to an individual’s body) where the structure of the garment is the body of the wearer.  Her pieces empower women to embrace their bodies, feel comfortable in their uniquely beautiful shapes, and show them off! 

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Photo credits: AWAVEAWAKE, and left: Kava Gorna, middle and right: KT Auleta

The AWAVEAWAKE Woman

The AWAVEAWAKE woman has probably planted herself in California somewhere, says Jaclyn. Ever since she started coming to California, the lifestyle and its feels left an impression and inspired her creations. She honors her time in New York and year in Paris; the cultural influence, concentrated energy, and exposure provided much to her growth. Still, the ocean and atmosphere this West Coast state offered always drew her back. She appreciates the disconnection she had from the setting and thinks that it played a part in driving her vision forward. She began to further value her authentic roots - connecting to nature. Close to nature and generally more interested in ecological and sustainable living, Californians seemed to be inherent to her vision and style. 

Fashion is a world where influence, trend, and a paved path often constrain the fledgling designer, though Jaclyn proves it’s possible to get past these things when you can see a bigger picture. AWAVEAWAKE’s birth is allowing us as consumers to think tougher about what we consume and wear, and how these choices can potentially make our environment less susceptible to harm. The more cognizant we become in selecting what we support works for the betterment of the planet and ourselves. In understanding the profits of conscious fashion, we can make a shift as a whole in the industry and the economy. Everything comes back in style, and, if it’s made real there is a good chance it will last, and in turn, help us last too. 

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Photo credits: AWAVEAWAKE and KT Auleta

AWAVEAWAKE designer Jaclyn Hodes work has been featured in a variety of progressive fashion magazines, including Dazed & Confused, Dossier, Hobo, i-D, Lula, and Nylon. In addition, she worked as fashion editor for TheBlowUp andVice. 

On September 5th, 2012, she launched AWAVEAWAKE in an effort to start a conversation about ethical fashion and conscious sourcing. As a practicing Kundalini yogi, she strives to bring change to the fashion world, and increase awareness of the industry’s impact on the environment and economy. Each AWAVEAWAKE garment is made with ethically sourced fabric and colored with all-natural plant-based dyes. AWAVEAWAKE strives to be a marriage of functionality and beauty: easy to wear but entirely elegant; modest, but embracing the feminine and the sensual; luxurious, but conscious of its footprint and considerate of its place in the world.


Karli Quinn

Karli Quinn is part of our HOC team. Motivated to connect with the increasingly prevalent health community that exists, she hopes to educate others through her own perspective on conscious consumerism and normalize the conversation about what it means to live a healthy lifestyle.  Karli earned her bachelors degree from the University of Southern California and is currently studying to be a Holistic Nutritionist. Read more about Karli.

 

In Interview, May, People Tags fashion, ethical
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mesa verde

Plant Based Artist: Greg Arnold

May 4, 2016

Chef Greg Arnold puts his artistic skills into every one of his dishes to make a masterpiece. Consistency makes us swoon over his culinary techniques.  The man known to open the hottest plant based restaurants in Southern California including, Sage, Matthew Kinney's Plant Food and Wine, and most recently, the Santa Barbara gem Mesa Verde. Clearly he is keeping up with the momentum. With his new line of activated herbs and spices created in partnership with Scott Linde and Nitsa Citrine (of Sun Potion), we now take a piece of the creation home with us and create our own culinary flare. We sat down with Chef Arnold to find out more about the past, present, and future.

1. What led you to become a chef?

I grew up drawing and painting and spent most of my life making albums and touring as a guitarist...so I’ve always been an artist...so to speak. To me, my food tastes and looks exactly as my music sounds...a sort of ethereal synesthesia. I just really loved the creation of dishes, and somewhere along the line I began to love cooking more than I loved making records... I was introduced to the cuisine of Ferran Adria and Jose Andres when they were pioneering what we now know to be modern Mediterranean cuisine. I always found kitchen work to be meditative... the chaos and the pressure somehow slows my mind down, and I can function much better in the eye of that storm.

2. What inspired you to focus on plant-based cuisine?

When I began cooking plant-based food in little vegan restaurants in LA, it was still a pretty underground, sort of punk rock thing to do. Vegan food was still a haven for weirdos! For myself, I wasn’t  really eating meat and had since childhood been into the ethics of groups like CRASS and Rudimentary Peni...who were advocating for animal rights, anti-war, etc…Now, I am completely obsessed with plants. I understand the inner workings and strengths and weaknesses of all these plants on a molecular level...I understand how they will react and function to so many different cooking techniques...the reactions and the unlocking of the flavors are an endless exploration that I get to dive into and record on a daily basis.

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3. What are your favorite ingredients to cook with?

Fresh spring produce is by far my favorite! The super green vibrance of spring vegetables is just amazing...and the balance between grilling them or scorching them with big fire and the contrast of all the raw fresh greens and delicate herbs is something I am currently obsessed with.

4. Favorite spices?

I just starting creating my own spice and Umami blends called Tournefortia, with Sun Potion tonic herbs mixed in. My favorite spices mostly come from the middle east: Za’atar, Saffron, Aleppo, Sumac...they are all so earthy and intoxicating. I also love the succinct simplicity of Japanese spice. As a chef I have been experimenting with dehydrating and grinding vegetables into their own spice powders...for example, seasoning a fresh cucumber in its own powder adds an especially deep level of cucumberness. Tournefortia embodies all of those concepts mixed with the superfoods...a very modern spice for a very modern kitchen.

Tournefortia

5. Your plates are so beautiful. What inspires your artistic touch to the plating?

It all goes back to my love for the abstract expressionists...Cy Twombly is my man! Also, Anselm Kiefer, Robert Rauschenberg, and Franz Kline. I am very inspired by Japanese photographers, like Daido Moriyama and Araki...and of course the loose experimentation and exploration of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead…I’m also very into 20th century avant garde composition like Iannis Xenakis, Steve Reich, Morton Subotnick, and the kind of mechanical, synthesized precision of Tangerine Dream and Autechre. I could listen to Tangerine Dream forever.

mesa verde

6. What inspires your food?

EVERYTHING inspires my food! My day, my life, the vegetables, the weather, the feeling in the air that day...I have, over the years, really built my own culinary vocabulary... I am not so inspired by other people’s food, but more by whatever it is that I’m thinking and feeling on that day. It’s a rather solitary process for me...more of a reflection.

mesa verde

7. What is your ultimate vision?

My vision in the kitchen is still the same every day...to bring delicious, modern, organic food to our guests. There is a whole massive wave of modern culture and thinking that happens before I present the dishes on a table at dinnertime...sustainability, locality, organics, farms, farmers...as a chef, I feel like an alchemist, transforming all that passion and energy into something tangible...something that can be delicious and beautiful, and bring someone so much pleasure. 

8. What rituals keep you in a creative state?

My whole life is a ritual. From waking up everyday and making the bed and drinking my cups of Genmai Cha tea. Going to the gym, sitting zazen, taking saunas...When I get into the kitchen, I set everything up in the same way, in the same place, at the same time, everyday...I’m like a borderline OCD guy.

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9. What is your favorite restaurant?

I’m not sure I have one favorite restaurant...I have my spot for ramen, I have my spot for tacos, I have my spot for tea, etc… but I will say that my guilty pleasure spot is Gjelina in Venice...FOR SURE!

10. When you’re not in the kitchen, where would we find you?

IN BED!!!


Photo Credit: Julia Corbett

Shop for Chef Greg's next level spice and Umami blends at Tournefortia.com. Follow him on Instagram at Ofair and Tournefortia.

In Interview, May Tags cuisine, herbs, chef, plant based, vegan
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Santa Barbara

May 23, 2015

Two hours northward on the magnificently scenic Pacific Coast Highway, a piece of paradise called Santa Barbara awaits.  

White crispy linens, local flavor, and indigenous wine create a quick getaway with a clean sustainable touch all its own.

This town is typically known for luxurious real estate, Oprah, stunning beaches, and a top-rated college in the nation — however, a whole other side of Santa Barbara has been in bloom over the past few years.  

High vibrational restaurants, healing centers, yoga studios, juice bars and other conscious businesses line the streets urging growth among all who visit.

The Central Californian agricultural dynasty known for the best farmers markets available every day (sans Mondays) has unveiled a new wave of locally sourced organic living, complete with newly awakened awareness.

In May, Travel Tags Alchemy, farm, elixir, Sun Potion, Santa Barbara
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Kippy's! Ice Cream

May 22, 2015

Kippy’s! is an all organic, raw, vegan ice cream shop in Venice, California.  The ice cream is made from organic coconuts (that they get themselves from Mexico every Thursday) which they grind down into luscious coconut cream, and is sweetened solely with raw honey.  Kippy keeps it simple, pure, and honest to achieve the most ridiculous ice cream on the planet.  They offer a range of flavors that vary from night to night — following the seasons and local produce.

Kippy, the owner, is just as delightful as you would imagine.  She has descended to this Earth with a permanent, sparkling smile and the most killer ice cream that will ever grace your lips.  We caught up with Kippy at her shop while we all enjoyed a bowl of ice cream (obviously). 

How did you conceptualize Kippy’s?

We started Kippy's because when I changed my diet and there wasnt a dessert that fit my needs!  and we all know that if you change your diet and its going to be sustainable....you must have dessert!

What does conscious business mean to you?

Conscious Business means to me, that you might not do everything perfect, but you keep trying, and improving.  Conscious Business means that you go beyond what you are told you can do, and you do what's best for you, business, and the planet...no matter what, no matter how small!  Remember butterfly wings can make hurricanes!

What inspires you?

Nature inspires me most!  It keeps going, buzzing, flowering, it takes a break, it starts off small, and then boom!  A bloom comes up, you see a tree grow a bit, and you smell all of nature around you!

Who do you admire?

I admire kids!  Kids that say everything that is on their mind.  Kids can be honest on how they feel about you, them, and everything around them!

What is your favorite flavor?

My favorite flavor is chocolate, of course...so chiché.  I also love sesame and honey together!

Other than Kippy’s, what are your spots in Venice?

My places in Venice are Venice Ale House, Organic Nails and Spa, GTA's, and the Venice Canals!  I love walking around the Venice Canals.  I love the shop called Trading Closets on Main Street!

If you could only keep three possessions, what would they be?

My Tree of Life Necklace I always wear, red lipstick, and my wooden spoon I always carry with me!

What does a perfect day look like to you?

A perfect day for me, is waking up to birds and the sunshine and bird watching, then watering my garden and doing some planting.  Going into the ocean for a bit and riding the waves then laying out in the sun.  Going for a hike....and taking a nap afterwards!  Waking up to make dinner and a fire and having all my friends over!

What is the future of Kippy’s?

The future of Kippys is that we will be the most well known spot in LA to come for the best most awesomeness ice cream experience!

What is your favorite memory from the ice cream shop?

One of my favorite moments in the ice cream shop is.... there was a little girl who came to the ice cream shop often, and she made a doll and named it Max... who usually helped her in the shop, and told me she plays Kippy's Ice Cream Shop game at home and Max is her doll!

Anything else?

This is is one of the best jobs in the world!  I make ice cream, taste ice cream, and kids love me!  We make it with a lot of love and thought, and its the healthiest ice cream out there.  Go and enjoy.   Do things with love, and change the world!

Tel: (310) 399-4871

326 Lincoln Blvd,
Venice, CA 90291

You can keep up with Kippy on Facebook, Instagram, and her Website.

In May, Local Tags food, vegan, organic
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Color Therapy

May 22, 2015

It’s easy to become immune to the repetitive things that we experience in this lifetime.  The inborn can become seemingly dissociated from our senses.  For example, when is the last time you have acknowledged color?  If you are not blind or completely color blind, then you experience color every moment of your life.  Even your dreams are in color.

Imagine that from the beginning of your existence that you never had a sense of sight at all.  Not only would you never understand what anything actually looked like, you wouldn’t even have the context for what color actually is.  How would you explain color to someone who has never, and will never, see?  

This question came whilst pondering color therapy.  

Color therapy, or chromatherapy is an alternative medicine in which color is used to equalize energy in a person’s body.  Each color corresponds to different systems in the body.

  • Red - Root
  • Orange - Sacrum
  • Yellow - Solar Plexus
  • Green - Heart
  • Blue - Throat
  • Indigo - Third Eye
  • Magenta - Crown

Color are also associated with our emotions.  Max Lüscher, a Swiss psychotherapist, has created a test in which color selections are guided in an unconscious manner.  The color selections act as a mirror to reveal your inner truth.  You can take the quiz here to find an extensive analysis of your selections.  

To further your understanding of how you interact with color — aura photography shows what colors comprises your energy field.  Spearheaded by the work of Walter John Kilner (1847-1920), a medical electrician from London, who published one of the first western medical studies on aura (or as he coined it, “The Human Atmosphere”) — aura photography is now an instantaneous process in which biofeedback imaging cameras capture your body's invisible electromagnetic field!  The results are then interpreted using the color correspondences as listed above.  

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If we always remained aware of our breathtaking senses — then it seems no one would ever have the time to experience lack, separation, or unworthiness....we would be too busy being devotees to the magic of life.  But then, maybe forgetting our nature is just as important as remembering. 

In Spirit, May Tags Creative, Consciousness
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Tasya Van Ree - Part Cowboy, Part Alien

May 20, 2015

Tasya Van Ree is a Los Angeles based photographer and artist.  Her evocative work speaks to the subtleties of human experience and transitory nature. 

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In May, People Tags Feature, art, Artist
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The Art of Salad

May 16, 2015

Meredith Baird is a cookbook author & vegan chef.  Her works include “Everyday Raw Detox”, “Raw Chocolate”, “Plant Food” and the upcoming “Coconut Kitchen”.  All of her works are laced in the most alluring aesthetic design — as she is also the ultimate creative maven.  Meredith was truly a pioneer in bridging the health movement with clean, modern visuals.  

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In May, Artifact, Interview, Recipes, health Tags recipes, Health
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Hilary Pearlson
Quarantine Journal : Hilary Pearlson, Akashic Records Reader, Healing Guide, and founder of The Dreamerie
Kjord Davis
Quarantine Journal : Kjord Davis, Transformation Coach, Kundalini Educator
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Quarantine Journal : Nitsa Citrine, Creative Director, Artist, Alchemist
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Quarantine Journal : Emily Rose Shaw, Plant-Based Holistic Health Coach
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Quarantine Journal : Dr. Christina Kousouli N.D., Naturopathic Doctor, Herbalist, Homeopath and Meditation Teacher

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Aenean eu leo Quam
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Cursus Amet
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Pellentesque Risus Ridiculus
Porta
Porta
Etiam Ultricies
Etiam Ultricies
Vulputate Commodo Ligula
Vulputate Commodo Ligula
Elit Condimentum
Elit Condimentum
Aenean eu leo Quam
Aenean eu leo Quam
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House of Citrine

A curated collection of goods to support your health and happiness with the alchemy of nature and conscious living.  In addition to our store, we personally create articles to inspire and share our insights with our audience. 

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