Or what they don't eat!

I was recently sent out to do a shoot with the talented singer Brandy and her infamous brother Ray J... (who was a no show due to a flight cancellation) and was royally pissed do to the lack of food! If you want me to show up for a 6 hour shoot there better be some food arrangements made.. No one likes bitchy women and hungry women are bitchy women... WTF!

Detox

Now that the weather is warm and the nastiest of winter is behind us, I decided it's time to clean up shop and what better way than a two day juice cleanse.

I trekked up to Norwalk, CT to get my daily juices from a wonderful place called The Stand. They have amazing salads, smoothies, and sandwiches and I was instantly greeted by a bubbly hippy chick named Amy. I had already discussed my two day plan with the owner the day before which included a raw breakfast to start, followed by 4 juices for Saturday, and 6 for Sunday. When I walked in Saturday I was starving to say the least. They promptly hooked me up with a yummy mustard green wrap filled with alfalfa sprouts, tomato, and an almond pate they was infused with red peppers and cayenne pepper. It was so refreshing and energizing I almost said screw the juices I'll take 10 of these. However the juices had already been made and were ready to go. They whisked me on my way with 10 juices in tote and wished me well on my two day journey.

For the next two hours I felt amazing, no really amazing. I hadn't even had the juices yet, I was still riding on the mustard green high. Then I had the first drink, which was an all green drink with kale, collards, celery, cucumber. It was the nastiest thing I have ever had. But lovin my body and modeling I forced myself to finish it. My mood went from 100 percent happy to about 70 percent depression. I couldn't believe that I had 4 more of these to drink! Running into an old boyfriend I chewed him out for no reason, and then decided my moody ass needy to go to sleep. Needless to say if you are starting a fast of any sort I would recommend that you have nothing to do the first day, you are liable to hurt someone. After my nap I finished my meals that included a watermelon medley, another green juice and a cashew nut milk. I was pretty light headed and keep going in and out of good moods.

Sunday proved to be more productive and peaceful day. I woke up feeling good and started the morning with a hot water with lemon. About and hour later I had a cucumber celery juice and took a trip to the beach. After getting a little vitamin D and drinking another nasty green drink I was feeling pretty fantastic. I took a small cat nap, and then headed over to the bikram studio near my house. Since the room is heated to 90 degrees and I had no solid food in me I was sweating like crazy. I took it nice and slow and managed to make it through the entire class. I headed home where another bottle of watermelon was calling me and decided to increase my water intake. The rest of the night was lazy and I finished my last cashew nut and went to sleep.

All and all the juice detox was fabulous. My skin broke out in hives which in this case is a good thing, my eyes are clearer than they've been since I was 10, and I absolutely lost weight.

Juice now think later!!

Brazilian booty workout

Hi kiddies,

I've been off the no wheat diet for awhile now, but haven't given up my search for the perfect diet that keeps me healthy and skinny. Alas, another day trying to figure it out is upon us and this time around I'm high jacking my work out to combat my caloric intake.

Rule number one: Never do the same work out consecutively.
You will never lose weight by being boring. You have to change it up to work different muscles and mentally/physically challenge yourself. I have acquired a new Brazilian booty work out video that is great for your bum bum and has a couple different cd's so I can always change it up. However, I do modify the moves for model standards, meaning I really don't do the arm movements... Having fitness arms is a no-no, I also don't do all the squats full out, having bulky thighs is also a big no-no. Even with these modifications, it still tones down my bum bum and elevates my heart-rate.

Rule two: Stretch.
Nothing beats elongating those tired over used muscles. If you think of babies and how they move... floppy, happy, effortlessly,they don't have a tight muscle in their bodies, this is my motivation. Long lean muscles help with posture, better circulation, and overall better moods (tightness makes you cranky no?) with that said I've added a gentle yoga class, to help keep the length in my body and zen in my mind.

Rule three: Hot yoga.
I know it stinks. I know that there are a ton of guys who think they are hot shit who come in and take off there shirts and sweat profusely. I know that you leave feeling a bit disoriented and faint like you smoked too much, but for me this is great once a week. I get to do all the asanas I like full out with the help of the 90degree heat pumpin and get a full on steam bath for my skin, sweating out nasty toxins that need to get lost anyway. The trick to this class is to not give 100 percent. I'm sure your thinking then why even go? But let's think logically here, it's almost 100 degrees your muscles are so lose you feel like you could become the next champion contortionist but the reality is your really not that fly. Give the class 80% of your effort and you will feel like a real winner the next day and not an ass that tried to be a yoga superstar.

Rule four: Keep it green with lots of protein.
Eats lots of spinach, kale, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, asparagus, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, dried fruit, egg whites, grilled chicken, soups, and drink a ton of water.

So when you put it all together last week looked something like this:
Brazilian workout, hatha, Brazilian workout part 2, hot yoga, running intervals, rock climbing... and yes I made time for lots of red wine and champagne parties with my friends..

You can do it! Good Luck

I'm Back Bitches!!

Yes, I'm still on this no wheat diet, and it has extended to no alcohol, no dairy, and NO FUN. However, like most models/bad girls cause most of us are... I broke the rules today, I had a tikka masala that had cream in it.... oh....yea that's right, I went all out. On another note, I just wanted to talk a little about Naomi's show on Friday. It was fun and obviously a benefit show, but the clothes were a big fat zero. I found one dress that I liked out of the entire show. It had no theme, no story, just a runway full of different styles, colors, and mediocre clothes. The end did include a tribute to Alexander McQueen that showcased 6 of his designs which are to die for.... RIP Mr. McQueen. His designs make you want to fly to the ends of the earth just so you can sport those dresses on Jupiter... Hopefully her next show will include an artistic director. More food blurbs are on the way.... when I actually start eating again..lol.

xoxo

No Wheat Hell

The saga continues of my wonderful fantastic diet. Hello panna cotta, butterscotch pudding with chocolate shavings, pizza, and french fries. I would love to dine with you but my agency/career choice won't allow it. Could you please stop calling. I would compare this relationship to the one I have with men... Ohhhh how I want you so bad I can taste it but must deny you and myself of any pleasure so that you know I'm worth every penny, hour, delay and outburst. Damn my rules, contracts, obligations, and neurotic thinking... But wait there's Fashion Week on the other line, fittings and castings for tomorrow, okay... and bookings for some of next weeks shows, alright let me grab a pen. Somehow these phone calls make it all worth it. Goodbye, pasta, cookies, anything with wheat, dairy, and pretty much anything that wasn't grown in the ground. Hello water, water, water, cab to next fitting, fun parties, interesting people, and the best city in the world.

ciao

Lupa Lupa's

It's been said home is where the heart is and I have to believe that my heart lies in Italy. As a child I couldn't get enough pasta, as a teen I was deprived of it to keep my weight down, and on my travels through Italy I devoured it like a starving orphan. There's just something about farfalle, and penne, and orzo, and bavette, no matter how you slice it my heart goes out to Italy. So tromping my way through NYC has become a game, of how many dinner invites, and Italian pizzeria's I can shun. Who has the best red sauce? Where does the tastiest lemoncello reside, how many bowls of this can I really eat before I'm officially weighing in 10 lbs over weight? (Yes people, we are weighed in at the agency) I have my tricks for combating these weight issues, but I also have dreams and those fantasy's include eggplant parm, and tatufo.

Away we go to Lupa's Osteria Roma. The coolest damn Italian restaurant in Soho. The interior is warm, inviting, and chill. The servers are knowledgeable and have pizazz. We started off with a mixed dish of speck and prosciutto. I have had better prosciutto but the speck was purrfect, sliced evenly and thin at room temperature just the way it should be. Then came the pasta.. I could go on and on about this simple dish but I won't. The bavette cacio and pepe... What a winner. This dish had just enough butter, the right amount of pasta and extremely fresh pepe. Couldn't have been better. How could I follow this dish...

After my al dente to perfection pasta, I decided to indulge in one of my favorite flatfishs, the fluke. This fish was light, crispy and served with spinach and fried shallots. Another great dish with a portion size that was right on the money. I don't know about you but I don't like wimpy portions but I also don't like to feel overwhelmed or obligated to eat everything on my plate. Another model rule, taste everything, eat nothing.

I broke my rule of no sweets for this dinner, tartufo was calling. I had just seen "It's Complicated" and there were so many references to chocolate I had to give in. The chocolate infused with hazelnut and vanilla ice cream was just what I was looking for, absolutely delish!

Meal well done! As a heads up..... fashion week is approaching so my entries will be less and possibly non-existent. The diet has begun. No more bavette, or ice cream for awhile. The pasta will have to remain in my dreams probably until March, who knows what Miami will bring...

xoxo

I Love Duck!

Last night I embarked on the wonderful world of Bouley. David Bouley has been giving New Yorkers the art of fine cuisine for over 30 years, with his fresh selections and exquisite presentation, there's no wonder his restaurants are always thriving with returning customers. I am no exception. Since I usually frequent Bouley, I decided to take it down a notch and visit Bouley Upstairs for a late night snack.

I chose to sit at the sushi bar... I love watching all the action that goes on behind the bar, and sitting just a tad bit higher than everyone else doesn't hurt. My meal began with a few fresh pieces of sake(salmon), I was impressed to say the least. The salmon was top notch and the freshest I've had in awhile, it was so delicate and light it practically melted in my mouth. For those of you who have never tried sushi at Bouley it's absolutely worth the trip. Make sure that you don't get overwhelmed by the French dishes and miss out on it, it's so yummy. For my main course I chose the Long Island duckling and quietly patted myself on the back. I have a rule that I strictly follow... only order duck from the French, they are the only one's who know how to cook it and boy when they do it's mouth watering. Last night's ducklings were amazing, served with caramelized onions, sweet olives, fennel and a citrus glaze that was to die for. I made sure I had a bold pinot noir to match the outstanding medium rare ducklings. Although the desert menu was calling my name I opted out. Macaroons are my absolute favorite cookies in the whole world, but beauty calls, and macaroons don't fit in a model's menu. Overall my meal was great, the atmoshpere was lively, and I would highly recommend this place for a date or if your flying solo.

And don't forget about the sushi!!!!

xoxo

Can't a girl get some love!

I know that this blog is supposed to be about food, but I keep having strange massage/doctor experiences and I think those are relative to health which is connected to food. Since all those things are closely tied together you all get to hear about my funny stories whether they are food oriented or not.

Yesterday was Massage Day! I decided to go to Downtime Massage in Midtown, why I don't know... Someone recommended it... As you all know models are usually pampered to the T. I have been to some of the best spas in the country and know exactly what I like and what would be considered a "5 star spa." While Downtime is no Canyon Ranch it also isn't a "happy ending's" kind of place either... However, I did get a strange "feeling" from my experience at Downtime. The masseur seemed nice enough except that he was very standoffish and meek. The massage was wimpy and it almost seemed as though he didn't want to touch my body, not exactly what I was expecting. The hour came and went and I felt as if I had never been touched. No muscles seemed relieved no tension seemed released, I might as well have just gotten on the table. As I was getting dressed to leave I noticed a picture on the dresser of two men very close and laughing. I'm not one to judge but I felt as if I were a guy I may have gotten a better massage, this place may be better for male clients. I don't know if they get better treatment but I'm not taking any chances. From now on I'll be going to see my girl Jen up in Greenwich, CT. She was trained in Singapore and has the highest quality oils on the market, no photos and she means business. Send me an email if you want her info. She's the bestest!

ciao

An apple a day

I know you guys are all wondering how exactly do models stay so fit and healthy and still manage to have so much damn fun? Well I can tell you it's not easy and yes we have lots of help.

Yesterday I trotted down to my friendly family doctor who ran a ton of muscles test also know as kinesiology. These test are used to find vitamin deficiencies or excess of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, etc. Since I have been hanging out at SL and Tengune I had a feeling this visit wasn't going to go so well. Even I know that drinking 12 glasses of Champagne cant be good for my body, but I had such a good time I wasn't thinking about.... well let's just say I wasn't thinking. So after about half an hour of pressing on my organs, manipulating my arms, and pulling my hair ( I know this sounds like I'm having very kinky sex but I swear this is what they do!) I was told that my liver wasn't as bad as I thought, and that I needed to drink a lot more water than I had previously been drinking. Also, the hair pulling indicated that I was deficient in the protein department, and could use a higher daily dose.

I left feeling balanced and well informed, and ready for my castings which are today. I am making a vow to drink more water and reduce my nightly escapades in NYC, hopefully I can stick to one of those resolutions!

tata

Burger Town Brooklyn

Welcome to What Models Eat! Lauren Joye writes about being a model in NYC, while still trying to indulge in all the culinary marvels of the Big Apple!

This weekend I took my out of shape ass to Brooklyn. I may be a model, but I'm human and when I'm feeling down I usually run to my friend's house; who happens to be a cake designer. I know your probably thinking this is the last place a model needs be when feeling blue but I couldn't resist. After small chit chat and warm embraces we headed over to Johnny Mack's in Park Slope. This place has great bar food and is known for hearty American cuisine and a family friendly environment.......

However the food is mediocre and the waitstaff should be re-trained. I'm not a big bar food person, obviously that doesn't fit with my profession, so I asked the waitress to recommend the best dishes on the menu. The first thing that came out of her mouth was " You have to try the burgers. They are the best." Taking heed, I ordered a standard Angus burger with Swiss cheese and sweet potato fries ( yes, you read right I was eating the unhealthiest thing imaginable). The burger was bland, it had no flavor and should have been doused with seasoning, and the fries were less than spectacular. When the waitress returned to asked how the burger was, I sincerely replied "It's okay." She retorted with "Just okay?" Since she obviously didn't hear me the first time I replied "Yes, just okay." Apparently I was not allowed to dislike the food! I finished a third of the meal and needed to clean my palate immediately. The funniest/most absurd part of the dinner came next.

I decided to wash the meal down with a double shot of espresso with cream on the side, which seemed pretty normal to me, until the waitress brought out my espresso accompanied by a child's lime green thermos filled with cream. I was wondering if I should check to see if there were cookie crumbs floating in the milk. I was shocked and confused to say the least. Instead of making a fuss I tried using the "sippy cup" and the lid fell in my espresso! I was then given a proper stainless steel pitcher with a fresh espresso. Now why would the waitress give me a "sippy cup" when she knew she had something more suitable?

After the bizarre experience we headed back to the labyrinth of sweets where I was given pink velvet cake (minus the frosting) to melt away my blues. In short, I will not be returning to Johnny Mack's unless I want to reconnect with my inner child, too bad considering I eat burgers once every eon. I guess it's back to fresh juices and salads!

xoxo