What was the first spiritual practice you fell in love with and why?
The ocean is my first love. Swimming, bodysurfing, and frolicking in the ocean simultaneously grounds me and lets me take flight. I feel wonder when I’m in the sea. I feel playful and timeless, strong, and absolutely connected to everything. It gives me loads of joy and pleasure.
Mindful rituals you’re most faithful to?
I’ve been practicing yoga since more than 20 years now, and I’ve finally developed a solid home practice that I can stick to. At the end of my practice I always take some time to center myself, set intentions for the day, and pray that I can go out into the world with kindness and patience in my interactions with others. I especially need to do this before I step into my car!
The first thing you do after waking up?
I take some deep breaths and say “Thank you for today”.
Go-to weeknight recipe?
I love eating simple foods during the week like mashed potatoes or brown rice with steamed seasonal veggies or sautéed spinach. When I’m lazy I cut up a bunch of raw veggies and devour them with homemade Hummus. In winter I make soups that last for days, and in summer big salads are always a fave.
First job?
Babysitting at 12 years old!
Won’t fly without?
My flight pillow, slippers, hand-sanitizer, lip balm, face and hand cream, breath mints and toothpicks. A good book and Vanity Fair, The Sun, or Cote Sud magazine.
What makes you feel at home?
Spending time with my loved ones – the kind of friends and family with whom I am naturally my most authentic self. I love the weekends with my boyfriend cooking food and sharing laughs and making plans together. Listening to my pug Kaya snore. Good Mexican food. The sound and smell of the sea.
When and where are you the happiest?
I’m always happiest around the beach, and that can be almost anywhere. Some of my happiest highlights are from San Diego, CA (where I grew up), Gigaro Plage in the south of France, and Bingin Beach, Bali.
How did you come to create Junie Juice?
Junie Juice was born out of my own deep desire to make organic cold-press juice, smoothies, and wellness shots available here in Biel, Switzerland where I’m based. Growing up in Southern California turned me into somewhat of a health food nut, and although I think the culture has gotten a bit out of hand in terms of trendiness, I strongly feel that good nutrition is key to our well-being, and I like to think that I can bring a little bit of that nutrition to people, in a really straight-forward and positive way. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to cultivate relationships in my community that allow me to really experience what it means to work in a circular economy. It’s a joy to know that I waste so very little, and when I see that Joanna at the distillery is using all my unused lemon peels to make a gorgeous limoncello, or when my friend Christine at Fermentable creates a wicked marinade out of some leftover pressings, it all just feels right, and I believe that’s the wave of the future, and I get to ride that wave.
Who is/was your mentor? Or to put it into other words, who or what inspires you?
I find nature truly inspiring, in every season, especially in those quiet, un-crowded and untouched places where I can actually feel the effect the quiet has on me, and yet never feel alone. It’s like a communion with nature and everything that is. There is a quote by Gordon Hempton that says “Silence is not the absence of something, but the presence of everything”. I find that so exquisitely beautiful and true. It really resonates with me.
First celebrity crush?
It’s a tie for Matt Dillon and Rob Lowe in “The Outsiders” circa 1983 – I was 10 years old and wondering why the boys I knew didn’t look like that too.
Favorite book ever and why?
I’m not sure about “favorites” but the book that has possibly had the most influence on me would have to be “Anatomy of the Spirit” by Caroline Myss. I read it in 1999 and it really shifted my understanding about how we as humans move around this life, with our energy, our power, and our own personal stories. It made me realize how truly connected we all are, and what an incredibly mysterious and wondrous, yet oftentimes difficult existence we all live. It sparked a spiritual transformation in me and a quest for seeking that hasn’t ceased.
Which is your favorite song?
Once again, I’m not keen on favorites, but there are a few which make me feel really happy and nostalgic when they play on the radio, or randomly in a store – “Everybody wants to rule the world” by Tears for Fears, “Blackbird” by the Beatles, and “The song remains the same” by Led Zeppelin.
Things you could buy in a bulk?
Fresh cut flowers, Avocados, Good virgin olive oil, dare I say champagne?
How does a perfect Sunday afternoon look like for you?
I love hanging in on Sundays. A nice mixture of staying in bed as long as I want, moving into the living room with a nice tea or coffee, and then reading a good book or flipping through a design magazine. Listening to mellow tunes, maybe watching a film with intermittent napping and snacking.
What would you put on your neon sign?
Shine on you crazy diamond!
Preferred form of exercise?
Swimming, yoga, hiking.
Favorite dish or meal?
Fish tacos and beer, preferably eaten in Mexico at the beach.
Proudest moment?
I don’t think it’s happened yet, but I’m looking forward!
What is for you personally the meaning of life?
Connection to others, personal growth, expressing creativity and figuring out how one can make the world a better place in their own unique way. Kindness is so important in little and big ways.
If you had to pick only one TGC product, what would it be?
I absolutely love The Owl of Athena Necklace – stunning!
