On Top of the World in LA

Or When in Rome LA do as they do – Juice Cleanse, Hike and be fabulous!

Before I wrote this post I spent too long sitting at my desk debating if it’s a good idea. Will this be evidence that I have been in LA for too long? I have finally crossed a line from English rose to LA crazy? I can see my sisters rolling their eyes to heaven and muttering “She’s just so LA these days.”  But let’s just stop for a moment, back it up, rewind and breath – this post is a celebration of the best of LA – the fabulous outdoor life we get to lead, the delicious fresh organic produce that is plentiful (for making juice!) and the sunshine – all year round.

I love love love LA!  No, really, I do.

I am so proud to call it home and so amazed that I was ever in any doubt about moving out here from New York. What’s not to like? This is the city of dreams, of endless possibility, and where doing a juice cleanse is seen as normal every day life – something everyone does, just because.
Have you noticed how many juice bars have been opening around town? But not all juice bars are created equal I was quick to learn. I was incredulous that certain juices weren’t organic – potentially carrying pesticides and goodness knows what else up through that plastic straw into your body when you are intending it to clean you up not add more toxic elements.

Just look at the beauty of Lake Hollywood – at the weekend we rode our bikes around the reservoir – they have finally opened the west half after years of reconstruction of the hillsides post landslides.

To get us all in shape for the excesses of Made in America 3 in Hawaii the chefs and I did a juice cleanse. We were lucky enough to have Blue Print Cleanse sponsor the cleanse with the juice for 3 days. I chose Blue Print for the simple fact that they are certified organic, the process is extremely simple and the juice tastes delicious. The juice for the 3 day cleanse arrived in a big blue box.

The bottles of juice are clearly numbered 1 through to 6. It really couldn’t be simpler – no messy juicing machine to wash up and no endless trips to the market to stock up on produce. The tough part for me was squeezing all the bottles into my tiny refrigerator – and also remembering that I had to shop and cook for the kids.

I was fearful of this experience – no food for 3 days was going to be tough – or so I thought. It actually turned out to be really amazing – so amazing that I extended my cleanse to 6 days. I combined the cleanse with lots of fresh air and walks – they say it’s good to sweat a little during the cleanse. This picture was taken looking across to Griffith Park with the backside of the letters of the Hollywood Sign poking up above the hillside.

I felt alive, clean, sharp and full of energy. I woke up every morning at 5.30am raring to go – now this had never happened before! I filled the gap that having no food in my life created with walking, reading, knitting and relaxing.

Since breaking the cleanse for a few months now I still wake up early and I still feel good and I’m still hiking as much as I can. I found ‘meadows’ of wild flowers in Baldwin Hills:

Bright orange California Poppies on hillsides in Sherman Oaks:

Next week we are going back to the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, this time for a family holiday – in celebration of our 15 year wedding anniversary – yes 15 years!  So in an attempt to drop a couple of lbs, regain that feeling of vitality and get myself ready for the beach I have decided to do it all over again. The juice cleanse that is. This time I have purchased the Blue Print Cleanse juices from Wholefoods – 3 green, 1 pineapple mint, 1 lemonade cayenne ginger and one cashew milk. Mummy arrived this morning, on her way from Australia to England, and I’m thrilled that she has decided to join me on the cleanse – she’s going to be in LA for 5 days and just drink juice and maybe I can even get her to hike to the tree with me?

… next up surfing, updating my earthquake kit and then perhaps I might dabble with some Botox!?!