love letter to the universe

Incredible illustration by Maria Björnbom-Öberg.

The snow makes life feel kind of slow. We have essentially been snowed in for the last three weekends. We’ve been watching America’s Next Top Model & Invader Zim, having post-midnight smize-offs (holler TyTy) & laughing until we couldn’t breathe, cleaning the house & cuddling with the dogs. Good stuff. But I am looking forward to Spring!

I’m halfway through the Clean Program–21 days of a limited diet. It’s not as limited as I thought it would be, though! (I’m allowed to eat fish, rotisserie chicken, spinach, fruits & veggies, raw cacao [HELLO], garlic, cashews, coconut & all my other favourite things!) Unfortunately, no tomato, which is kind of heart-breaking–I really love tomato now (after years of eating around it). I almost talked Mike into doing it, but not quite. He lay on the bed & read about the things to exclude: “Dairy & eggs, milk, cheese, ice-cream, pork, beef, sausage, hot dogs… Those are all my favourite things!” Anyway, definitely not as difficult as I initially thought it might be; it just requires a little organisation. You can’t just run down the road & grab a sandwich on a whim, but that’s okay. Good things take time, & all that. Thank god for FreshDirect.  & in case you were wondering, I don’t miss burgers, pizza, or anything of that ilk IN THE SLIGHTEST.  It has been such a good experience, a major reminder that what I eat actually matters & makes a difference to my life.  Even once this cleanse is over, I am definitely going to keep to the plan as much as possible.

I just ordered some really cool matte postcards which say “From the desk of Gala Darling” on the back, so I can reply to people’s letters & write thank you notes! Excited! (I ordered from overnightprints.com, I almost always do, & if you want to use them, check retailmenot.com for discount coupons!) I hope they arrive soooooon.  SOON!  IMPATIENT!!!

Yesterday included working out (almost died), juice & salad at One Lucky Duck, & a trip to Sephora. It is so frigging cold & it’s meant to snow about a bazillion more times before February, so I decided the only real answer was to buy shocking pink lipstick. I ended up with Make Up Forever Rouge Artist Intense in #36 (trust me, IT IS BRIGHT!!!). It shouldn’t be called “#36″, it should be called “!!!!!! with a side of &%$#@!”. (I should name lipsticks for a living, clearly.) It made me feel a bit uncomfortable for the first five minutes I had it on, & then I embraced it & now I’m 100% in love with it. I am going to be all about the bright pink lip from now on. It is sassy as fuck.

So, I was on the cover of the weekend magazine (Canvas) in New Zealand’s biggest newspaper (New Zealand Herald)! This is a picture of my friend Nadine holding it up! Honestly, that was more exciting to me than being in the New York Times. “New York doll Gala Darling”? I can live with that.

Things they never teach you: when you are meeting a journalist for an interview, dress up, because they WILL mention it in the article! (It happens every time!)

I am currently getting amped up for the first Radical Self Love Workshop (it’s on Tuesday!).  I have been meaning to do one for the longest time, but one great thing about eating (almost) raw is the amount of creative energy you have.  & I’m not just talking about ideas; I’m talking about the ability to push through & actually achieve something.  I credit this workshop to baby spinach!!!  It’s going to be amazing, & I am really excited about it.  (I would like to do one in person next.)

This is one of my favourite ever photos of Nubby & I. Hahahaha!!!  We are like different people in that shot.  LOOK AT THAT GUY!  Amazing.  I don’t know who he is, he interviewed us on the street in the Meatpacking District one night.  I have been looking through all our old photos & blog posts from when we visited Vegas, Disneyland, etc., you see.  We leave for Paris in 21 days (!!!) & it is going to be the greatest trip ever! Nubbles actually gets into town a couple of days beforehand, & leaves a few days after, so we have time in NYC together too. Can’t wait! I think my phone will probably not work in Paris, so as much as I would like to be all tweety-tweety, “Oh, we’re just at Laduree, NBD”, I don’t think I will be able to. I’m choosing to see it as a good thing though, almost like enforced present-momentness. You know?!

I am so psyched for February! I have such amazing things to share with you!  I hope your February is bootylicious, bombastic & breathtaking!