It's been so busy around here. And as much as I sometimes feel like I'm barely keeping up with it all, I know I thrive when things are spinning a little. I like having different projects in various stages, different facets of me stimulated. The variety is good for me; I like it. This week has been full of auditions of all sorts. I got to play a recovering addict, a mid-western mom, a former stripper, a former TV star, a fiancee to a convicted murderer, a trick-or-treating costume-wearer, and a karaoke singer. Interspersed with all those meetings, I got to play Lena's mom, a teacher to a bunch of awesome young actors, a wife, a hiker, a Pilates-doer, a meditator, a friend, a daughter, a writer, a recipe-tester, a dinner party hostess, a concert-goer*, a cleaning lady, a household manager, an accountant, and a potter. (David and I just enrolled in a pottery class to fill our spare time.)

Oh, and I made a quilt!

My dear friend Liz just had her first baby, a sweet bundle of a little girl named Spencer that I got to visit yesterday. Happy Birthday, Spencer!

This crib-size quilt was made from Alicia's awesome and easy-to-follow pattern (find it here), which I've made several times before. I used some vintage sheets mixed with some new fabrics that have a vintage-y flavor. And instead of machine quilting, I tied it with embroidery floss. There's something so sweet to me about doing it this way. It finishes a little more homey and slouchy and snugglish. Perfect for a new baby, no? And beginners take heed: this pattern is so forgiving--if you're not perfectly squared up everyplace it still comes out looking sweet. Ideal for a non-expert quilter like myself:)

True story: I actually am working on a commercial later today and won't know which role I'm playing until I show up. Ah, showbiz.

xoxo
jolie

*I was lucky enough to see Sara Bareilles in concert this past week and she was amazing. She sang this cover for her encore and I swooned..........<3

frozen chocolatey bananas

I tend to sometimes get a smidgen impatient but it's been a freaking miracle for me to stay in-the-moment lately. It's no wonder: the moment doesn't even know what it wants to be.

In my (sweaty) shopping travels this past week I've come across:

giant peaches
school supplies
big, heavy watermelons
Red Delicious apples
fluffy cashmere sweaters
heirloom tomatoes
pumpkin Everything at Starbucks
Halloween candy and sunscreen sharing the Seasonal aisle
A lady with a goatee*

(*This is not a seasonal observation but it was upsetting to me nonetheless)

Maybe that's why I found myself at Whole Foods the other day and randomly felt drawn to the homeopathic flower remedies. I picked up their little informational booklet and turned right to the page for one called IMPATIENS. The description said: "For those who act and think quickly and have no patience for what they see...teaches empathy and understanding...fast-acting in alleviating an impatient attitude and lowering stress." I laughed out loud. (Bonus: it's fast-acting so you don't have to have patience with the remedy itself!)  I stuck it in my cart. And then ten minutes later (no joke) cursed under my breath at people driving like turtles in the parking lot.

But now it's occurring to me that my agitation could very well be collective since we're all bouncing around in this in-between-seasons no man's land. We're having to look past a pumpkin-latte display to order an iced tea, having to dodge Halloween candy to find sunscreen. Those things, along with triple-digit temperatures are enough to make anyone on-edge.

My solution (aside from the flower medicine) is to keep embracing summer and not pine for Fall, to remain blind to the autumnal items that surround us and not let them nudge us into frustratingly wanting to be somewhere we're not. That way we can be nicely surprised when Fall finally graces us with its presence. So. I hereby declare this weird hot-September-transisiton-season: FROZEN BANANA SURRENDER. We will use these icy treats to soften our irritated edges and cool off our hot tempers! Plus, what better reason is there to slow down than to savor a gourmet popsicle? With extra chocolate? And also sprinkles? Who's with me?!

And who will be our new season's mascot? Goatee Lady. Think about what amazing patience she must have employed while waiting for that facial monkey to grow in. So even though at first (and second and third) glance I found her disturbing, maybe she is the wiser one among us. Thanks, Goatee Lady, and kudos. An extra frozen banana for you. And an extra napkin in case you get any chocolate in (on?) your beard.

Happy FBS!

Frozen Chocolatey Bananas
yields 10 servings

For the chocolate, I used half bittersweet and half semisweet but you can use any combo that suits your fancy. If your bananas are very ripe and sweet, you can go a little more bitter on the chocolate to balance it out. Oh, and I know it sounds like olive oil will be weird here but trust me, its fruitiness is just perfect.

5 ripe bananas
8 oz chocolate chips (I used half bittersweet, half semisweet. See note above)
3 T olive oil
assorted toppings: sprinkles, toasted coconut, toasted chopped nuts (about 1/4 cup each)
popsicle sticks (alternative: bamboo skewers or wooden chopsticks)

After peeling and halving the bananas, stick a popsicle stick in the end of each one. Place on a wax paper- or parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for an hour. Place the chocolate chips and olive oil in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, watching carefully and stirring often (should take 1-2 minutes depending on your microwave). Remove the bananas from the freezer, dip in the melted chocolate (spooning it on if necessary to get it even) and then roll in the embellishments of your choosing. You can eat these straight away but they're better if you stick them back in the freezer to set at least an hour more. Enjoy!

xoxo
jolie

P.S. If you decide to get said patience flower remedy, don't make the mistake of telling your husband. He will test you by continuing to suggest you double or triple your dosage.

banana chocolate almond kale smoothie

Things That Might Happen If You Book A Job Wearing A Bikini On National Television

1. You might get excited (because after all, you booked a job)!
2. You might celebrate with a cupcake.
3. This might cause a rude and harsh awakening that you will soon be nearly naked in public.
4. You might have a minor freak out.
5. You might have a major freak out.
6. You might become irrationally obsessed with your body image and weight. 
7. You might remember/shudder at phrases like the camera adds ten pounds.
8. You might go get a spray tan at your earliest convenience.
9. You might have juice only for one whole day to shed some water weight.
10. That might enable you to show up to your wardrobe fitting with a modicum of confidence.
11. That confidence may go out the window when you are forced to try on ill-fitting, cheaply made bikinis in front of Wardrobe Ladies.
12. Those Wardrobe Ladies might require you to stand in front of a skin-colored curtain and have your photo taken under fluorescent lighting while wearing said fugly bikinis.
13. You might panic a little.
14. You might horrifyingly notice cellulite on your cellulite.
15. You might feel a little sick when you remember lots of producers and Important Network People will be inspecting these photos.
16. You might try to politely protest when the ugliest of the suits is thrust upon you to try on. 
17. This may shock Wardrobe Ladies who aren't used to guest actors having/speaking an opinion.
18. You might try and rationally point out that the bra cups are almost touching which suggests a disconcerting eyes-too-close-together effect but with boobs.
19. You might be ignored and nudged over to the photo backdrop curtain anyway.
20. You might decide your only course of action is to pose with a sour face while sending subliminal messages through the camera lens like I WILL DROP DEAD IF YOU CHOOSE THIS SUIT or IF YOU HAVE A HEART AT ALL YOU WILL SHOW MERCY or THIS UGLY BIKINI IS FROM THE SALE RACK AT TJ MAXX AND THAT HURTS MY SOUL.
21. You might cry in your car after you leave.
22. You might wonder what you're doing with your life.
23. You might feel embarrassed that you're thinking about what you look like so much.
24. You might contemplate stress eating and instead go get another spray tan.
25. You might get a pep talk from your husband and try to believe him when he says your ass looks good from the back, even when you're "curvier than usual".
26. You might spend the next few days leading up to the shoot figuring out how to get on board since this is happening whether you like it or not.
27. You might go get another spray tan.
28. You might start saying nicer things to yourself in the mirror.
29. You might laugh at yourself a little bit at the ridiculousness of it all.
30. You might show up on your first day of work and really like the people.
31. You might focus on feeling grateful that you have a job.
32. You might notice how beautiful the sky looks at 6am.
33. You might make some friends.
34. You might get to set and have some really meaningful conversations and forget for the first time in a week that you'll have to take most of your clothes off soon.
35. You might go temporarily off the rails again when you are forced to attend a second surprise fitting. 
36. You might be thrown when this time the Wardrobe Ladies ask you to turn around so they can take direct, close-up photos of your ass.
37. You might, after they leave, have to give yourself another pep talk in your dressing room mirror. 
38. You might bounce back faster this time.
39. You might be thrilled when you return from lunch to learn The Powers That Be received your subliminal face messages and did not choose the hateful bikini option!
40. You might actually look to the heavens and say "Thank you, God!" out loud.
41. You might be touched when your new makeup friend offers to come in and administer special ass-contouring body makeup. 
42. You might be grateful when she says nice things.
43. You might decide you're gonna fake it til you make it.
44. You might get out there on set and feel not horrible.
45. You might realize no one's really thinking about you or your body all that much. 
46. You might get distracted to learn that you have to DIVE INTO A POOL and start thinking of that more than the almost-naked thing. 
47. You might try and remember the last time you dived.
48. You might try and remember the past tense of 'dive'.
49. You might honestly not remember either one.
50. You might be told that you only have one chance to do it since you'll go from dry to wet and there's no time to re-fix your hair (and ass-contouring makeup).
51. You might freak out about this momentarily and then decide it's better to get on board again.
52. You might, when it's finally time and the cameras are rolling, trick yourself into feeling a little bit sexy.
53. You might saunter over to the edge of the pool in your bikini, acting like you do this every day.
54. You might execute a pretty passable dive on your first (and only) try!
55. You might have a thrilling moment of exhilarating accomplishment before the underwater scramble to retrieve your bikini bottoms that have zoomed down around your ankles.
56. You might laugh about this.
57. You might blog about this.

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Banana Chocolate Almond Kale Smoothie
serves 1

This is a perfect I-have-to-wear-a-bikini-soon meal. Or a I-think-I'll-keep-my-clothes-on treat. Either way, it's delicious.

1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 handful chopped kale leaves (ribs removed)
1 heaping T flax meal
1 T raw cacao powder
1 T almond butter
1 frozen banana
3 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Serve immediately.

A couple optional variations:
*swap in spinach for the kale
*add 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

xoxo
jolie