Rumi Speaks to Procrastinators

Lately, I have been craving Rumi, reading it voraciously.  I got a new book yesterday "The Book of Love" (translated by Coleman Barks, of course) and I finally got to open it today.  


It's always perfect when things arrive.  In the last few days I have spoken to not one, not two, but three people who have worn their procrastination proudly. We have a section in "The Lazy Woman's Guide to Just About Everything" about Procrastination and definitely are proponents of using it as a tool, unless it causes more stress, which in many cases it will.


When I hear people bragging about procrastinating, it's always a bit of a funny thing, as they often betray themselves, and accidentally admit the pain it causes them.  We all procrastinate at one point or another.


I just procrastinated on my taxes more than I ever have.  I always get it all handled by the beginning of February.  I just got my stuff together last night for my "Tax Lady."  So, I have a very recent experience with it, which did, indeed, cause me a bit more stress by putting it off.  


Monday through Friday, I get on a call that my friend, Mel Austin, invented, a "Power Call" where several of us say a few things that we want to accomplish that day in three or four areas of our life.  Sometimes it's 11 p.m. and I have to pull all three things out of my ass!  I have to say when I realized I haven't done even one of them and I've just gotten out of a hot bath and I'm ready to lay my weary body down to rest, I am pissed.  But, then when I do it, I am even more proud of myself.  I had it in me.  We usually have it in us.  We just don't request it.  "Dear Me, do you think we could pull this one last big effort out of this day?" And, I respond, "Well yes, thanks for asking so politely!"  LOL!


Well, Rumi says it so much more sweetly ... Here is one stanza of "The Polisher":

I swear by the one who never says tomorrow,

as the circle of the moon refuses to sell

installments of light.  It gives all it has.

So, there is the key:  imagine you are the Moon, or the Sun...imagine that undying energy. We have so much more than we think.  The Moon and Son simply don't question what they have.  They just are.  We can just be...our most powerful selves.

Leap Day Sheds Light on Death and Birth

How cool is it that I  got an extra day between me and 50.  But, the most precious gift I received on February 29th was the entry for that date in Mark Nepo's book:

The quote at the top of the page:


"Who's to say
the effort to be real
isn't the beginning of wings?"


And, then the entry begins with:


"Who's to say that the budding of wings from the ribs of small birds doesn't begin with the impulse within them to live?"  The entire entry is gorgeous.  But, I don't take it lightly that it was only a few hours after I read this entry that I heard a loud bang on the big picture window in the kitchen.  I knew what it was immediately.  It was a bird.  I prayed and prayed and prayed as I hesitatingly made my way out to the garden.  There he lay, in all his gorgeousness:  dark black, white white, a gorgeous bit of gray and one brilliantly gorgeous orange tail.  He was truly exquisite.  He looked so soft and just so perfect.  Somehow it was so hard to see.  I immediately buried him, right near way he lay under a beautiful bush, just under my kitchen window, praying that his soul would guard against other birds crashing into the window.  He is the guardian angel of birds now.


Between reading Nepo's entry and burying the sweet fallen one, I had to go into town to mail something and witnessed the sad tearing down of an equally exquisite specimen of nature...a lovely pepper tree.  Apparently it was dead inside and could fall at any time so they needed to take it down before it hurt someone.


God's plan I suppose.  Death. Life. Aging.  Our time with each other is precious.  


Every morning when I meditate and read Nepo's entry for the day I usually stop for a few minutes to listen to the birds who seem to herald the meditation with their song just outside my living room.  Now, when I listen, I realize we have no idea how long we will sing, how long we will be sung to, or how long we will stand tall.


The February 29th entry ends with "In truth, every effort that is allowed its full beat within will ripple as a birth of some kind in the world."


That is reassurance I can accept.  allowing as many moments as I possibly can to have their full beat, so as to be a birth of some kind.


Thank you, Oprah for turning me onto Mark Nepo.  


Everyone: Buy this book.  I promise you will be grateful: 
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Awakening-Having-Being-Present/dp/product-description/1573245380

Turning 50: "Ma'am We Can Either Do this the Easy Way or the Hard Way"

In my meditation today I had a thought swing through my consciousness.  I have been having mixed feelings -- well, mostly negative mixed in with a drop of enthusiasm -- about turning 50.  In my meditation those fears were revealed to me when I felt like a comic from the world of Spirit showed me the image of two cops on either side of me, one of them saying "Ma'am we can either do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way."  I had to laugh.


It's so true.  I can either fight it, or I can ease into it.  It would have been like trying to stop adolescence, or stop that wonderful time in my 30's where I started feeling more powerful in my own skin, or in my 40's when I really sort of met myself head on and said "Well, nice to meet you." 


Fighting nature, putting on the brakes, saying "no" to one chapter being over....well it really is as silly as the little image I was shown in my meditation.


I'm now going to pretend the cops were hot guys who were pretending to be cops who were about to take me on the adventure of my life:  the second half.

RIP Dr. David Simon - The Legacy of Connecting to Our Essence

A great man has left the earth in body only.  He touched so many thousands of lives.  He was a doctor, a spiritual leader, and co-founder of the Chopra Center with Deepak Chopra.  If you've never heard of him, click on this link: http://www.lovefordavid.com.


I heard about his death and wanted to immediately connect with his wisdom and found this (which you will see at the above link, among other pearls).  From Dr. David Simon:


Here are a few practices that can help you deepen your connection to your own essence and purpose:

• I cultivate inner stillness through my meditation or yoga practice, which then allows me to hear the quiet messages that emerge from the deepest level of my being.

• I connect to my life’s purpose by asking someone I know truly loves and cares about me, “What do you think is my best quality, trait or talent?”

• I ask myself, “How could I bring more creativity, passion, or joy into what I am doing?”

• I nurture a shift in my internal dialogue from “What’s in it for me?” to “How can I serve?” I notice how when I am doing what I love, I am able to bring joy and inspiration to those around me.

• I look for opportunities to do one thing for another person that brings a smile to their face.

• I consider what I would like most to hear from someone and I say these words to another person.

• I take the time to do something that I love and share my enthusiasm or creation with another person. 

The Kindness of Strangers -- A Natural State of Being

I went to help a friend yesterday.  She has had a tragic turn of events.  Her previously athletic, supremely-able-bodied 19 year old son, was in a terrible motorcycle accident in November.  Now temporarily --we are all asserting and knowing -- disabled, her son will be making his way from rehab back home, paralyzed from the waist down.   


After 3 months of my friend and her husband being at the hospital nearly 24/7, their home is in some disarray.  So, neatening and rearranging are in order.  Wheelchair access must be calculated, new apparatuses the likes of which they've never touched, let alone had in their home must be brought in.


So, a few people came to help my friend yesterday.  I arrived and three volunteers had already been there for a while.  The task at hand: clear out the garage to make room for big brother to actually live, since the bedroom the two brothers previously shared will house only the one adjustable bed, wheelchair, etc. 


It was a daunting task, since many things over the course of three months can easily find themselves shoved quickly into the garage to be dealt with later.  Eventually, you have what we discovered, a slightly knotted mess of things to be untangled, reorganized and cleared out and about.  


My friend wanted to do it right, of course, going through all the boxes, shedding pieces of the past, but that wasn't what was needed, nor was there anywhere near enough time to do that pristine a garage clearing.  When I arrived the three volunteers were so sweetly trying to organize and clean around the indecision and stops and starts.  


I wondered why no one was putting their foot down.  Why wasn't anyone saying "No, we can't look at every item in every box and decide if we are keeping it or giving it away!"  Well, that's a hard thing, especially if you've just met the person whose stuff you are organizing.

That's right, two of the three people in the garage when I arrived had recently met my friend and one had just met her less than an hour before my arrival. Even though not much was getting organized before I arrived, things were getting cleaned.  These sweet strangers were already covered with dust, already had sleeves rolled up, and energy intact for the long haul.


The volunteer who just met my friend told me today she is inspired to organize a fundraiser.  Her husband, an accomplished well-known musician -- one of the three kind hearted volunteers --- will play guitar at the fundraiser.  Overflowing kindness.


I recently read in Mark Nepo's book (previously featured on this blog) that it is our natural state to be kind.  It is certainly this couple's pure and natural state.  


When we aren't naturally kind there's just a bit of gunk on the gears that are keeping the Engine of Kindness running smoothly, that don't allow the doors to the heart to open with grace and ease. 


I am blown away and inspired by these two.  May we all keep running into these examples of The Kindness of Strangers.  May we all keep working on cleaning the gears, putting gas in the engine, and keeping the Kindness Machine going.

Einstein Genius Warms Heart -- Thank you Mark Nepo!

I can't recommend this book more highly.  (Thank you Oprah for recommending!) Starting the day with Mark Nepo is like starting the day with sunshine in your heart mind and soul!

(Easy to find on Amazon or visit http://www.marknepo.com/books/awakening.htm)

The book has a different "lesson" which starts with an inspiring quote.  I haven't read an Einstein quote I haven't loved, but today's lesson in Nepo's book has the best one ever:

There are two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.

 

 

It's truly LAZY to live as though everything is a miracle.  It's easy on the heart.  In a nutshell, it causes us to have less stress and more joy.

Here's to being Lazily Einsteinian, no matter how damn smart we are!

Trader Joe's Virgin is Virgin No More!

The most glorious news has just been received.  Peter, my glorious friend from London, who has been reading about the wonders of all things Joe, has finally arrived in the U.S. to be de-flowered.  Only he can describe this very important day in his life, as a man, as a foodie, as a chocoholic:

It's happened. After all these years of reading and swooning over your blog,



I've done the deed and lost my virginity...






Trader Joe's was n't quite what I imagined; I was expecting a boutique style


supermarket at boutique style prices. Half right: boutique style supermarket but


at very attractive prices. I was amazed and to be honest more than a little


overwhelmed by the selection, the obvious quality and the fact that everything's


so very reasonably priced.






And they don't sell food that's been grown on steroids either. The strawberries


I bought tasted like strawberries, so did the blueberries.






Chocolate? Well, I had a little wander down the aisle of cocoa cornucopia. If I


ever do that again then I'm going to have to either be wearing boxing gloves so


I can't pick anything up, or better still under some form of supervision. Eyes


out on stalks, endorphins firing like flares over a battlefield, I could not


help but buy, buy, buy.






Their dark chocolate Mint creams are the handiwork of the devil. Truly, Satan's


children. I now no longer have any will power since downing a tub of them.


Correct, an entire tub, and that on top of half a packet of ginger, cinnamon and


molasses soft cookies I effortlessly scoffed on the uptown number 6 train. To


everyone on the same carriage as me, I apologise...but once I start, there's no


stop button.






I've actually been to two of their outlets today: union square first, then the


mother ship in Chelsea. I know I'm going to be rolling back to at least one of


them tomorrow. No self control any more.






They've clearly got the edge over whole foods: much better range of foodstuffs


and groceries; spot on pricing ; quirky, compelling in store ads; along with


staff who really seem to enjoy their job.






Viva Trader Joe's !






Best wishes and regards






Peter

90 Seconds....That's It!

Rewatching an Oprah interview with Jill Bolte Taylor, the neuroscientist who had a stroke herself and wrote about it in "Stroke of Genius."

This is what she says about emotions thrilling through our brains and bodies, that we ALLOW, that we CHOOSE to experience:

"Pay attention to how things FEEL in your body.  Because you know how it feels like in your body when you get angry, and you have a choice when you get angry of either BEING angry or of PAYING ATTENTION to what it feels like in your body when you ARE angry.  Abd, when you have that kind of physiological response, when you get angry, it only takes only 90 seconds -- it takes 90 seconds from the time that you feel that trigger happen and you feel yourself starting to get angry for the chemicals to flush through your body and then completely flush out of you.  90 seconds is all."

Dr. Taylor suggests that the next time we start feeling angry, we start timing it, and within 90 seconds it will be gone.  She says "And you can say, great I just dodged that one."

If you keep running the same loop, you can keep the anger alive.  She says that people who stay angry (or whatever negative alternate emotion), they are "consciously or unconsciously CHOOSING to rerun the loops, the circuitry."

I love this.  I know that some days when I'm working out a muscle in my Bar Method class for 90 seconds, it can be forever.  This is very similar. I think 90 seconds will feel like a very long time at first, when the muscles aren't strong.  As I strengthen this muscle, though, the 90 seconds will not be very long at all.  And, definitely it is much preferable to the alternative, of minutes, days, hours, months. 

I'm excited to just watch the emotions. I have some experience doing this over the years, having been taught how to do it by many meditation teachers, gurus, etc.  But, somehow Bolte Taylor's reminder that I am CHOOSING to run the circuitry and that it is only 90 SECONDS -- well, both of those factors combined give me a little battery pack on my emotional back in my journey to master my negative emotions.

This is a very Lazy Tip from Bolte Taylor:  Watch the emotions for 90 seconds.

Here is the link to Bolte Taylor's TED Talk: http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Dr-Jill-Bolte-Taylors-Famous-Talk-on-Experiencing-a-Stroke-Video

Here is the link to Oprah's interview (Part 1 of 12) with Bolte Taylor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2KpDmRmZJw

Everything is PERFECT: How Learning Italian Told Me So!

My plan, intention, goal is to be in Italy for my 50th birthday with friends.  I'm working on the plans right now, and hoping we are getting closer and closer to reality each day.  

In line with that intention I am studying Italian every day.  I got the 24/7 Italian Tutor App on my iPad and iPhone so I have no excuse to not do at least a lesson a day.  

The other thing I've done is put my Italian dictionary from college in my bathroom.  It's hilariously old, reminding me that this is, after all, my 50th birthday, so I should stop being shocked by things aging, including my luscious body! LOL!

So, every single time I go to the bathroom (and I drink a lot of water) or take a bath, I get to open my dictionary up to a random word.  Whether I want to learn the word or not, I learn it.  Usually after learning the word, my eye wanders to words I already know.  Actually, I am desperately seeking them.  I used to speak the damn language, one would think I would remember SOME of these words!  Again, aging, lovely delicious aging.

When I take a bath I get to learn or re-learn a ton of words.  Today I got two back to back that I had to write about, two words that I was excited I already knew, but that held little gems for me:

First Page of the Bath:
Word: MOUNTAIN
Translation: MONTAGNA....
And then, the phrase "to make a mountain out of a molehill" 
TRANSLATION:  fare d'una mosca un elefante
Which translated back to English is "Make an elephant out of a fly."

Is that not the most hilarious phrase?  The Italians just do everything better.  It's so superior to our phrase.


Very next turn of page:  PINK
Translation:  ROSA...
And then, the phrase without an English equivalent, just flying out in the middle of the paragraph for no apparent "English reason"...CONDIZIONE PERFETTA!

This you can likely translate yourself:  Perfect Condition


I have been so present to the perfection of every little thing these days.  Every mishap, every loss, every death (there have been several in my world in the last month), every fuck up on my part or someone else's....it's ALL absolutely, unequivocally perfect.


Even my turning 50, dare I say it, is 
CONDIZIONE PERFETTA!


Lazy Condizione Perfetta to All!

2012 Manifesto -- Fun Way to Start the Year!

Check out this super coolio blog "Glitter is My Favorite Color" I just found!  I love it, and I love what she created in her last entry: a fantabulous "2012 Manifesto": http://www.glitterismyfavoritecolor.com/

What a BRILLIANT idea...I created one super fast...will work on this and create a painting around it later tonight or tomorrow -- but this is my first draft.  I love it.  Will post on my wall so I see it every day, hanging proudly and loudly to remind me of what I'm creating this year!

Starting the New Year with Power -- with a Jet Pack on Your Back!

My New Year's Eve was a smashing fun frolicking time.  But, there was impact on my January 1, i.e., I had no energy to do anything but slowly, over the course of the day, clean up the debris! LOL! 

Yesterday was about cleaning out the garage, the last task for vacation.  It was a huge success and it truly energized my new year.  I'd been working on getting things in better form and order for the last two weeks, but that was the icing on the cake, the piece de resistance.  Getting things into integrity always, always, always, is like a jet pack on my back.

Today, I could sit down with energy and clarity to do my lists -- "Acknowledgments + Intentions."  At the party we all wrote down on paper what we wanted to let go of for 2011.  Then after the new year hit, we wrote all the things we wanted to create for 2012.  It was so cool to let things go and create anew. 

Last night, though I read Kris Carr's blog (http://crazysexylife.com/2011/2011-the-highs-lows-what-i%E2%80%99ve-got-planned-for-2012/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Crazy%20Sexy%20Life&utm_content=NL+123011) where she acknowledged herself for all she accomplished in 2011 and wrote the intentions after that.  So, I did the same thing for myself today and I feel like I now have a jet pack firmly attached to my back to powerfully start my year.  Letting go of things is one thing, but genuinely acknowledging yourself for how you dealt with those same items perhaps -- and more -- is a really good thing to do.  We all deserve credit for something we did last year for ourselves, for someone else, in response or reaction to something, etc. 

I encourage you to write your lists.   Give yourself some kudos.  Maybe some of the things you wish you'd handled better can be intentions for this year.  For instance, 2011 seemed to be fraught with horrible dealings with Customer Service people.  Some I couldn't understand, some couldn't understand me, some just didn't want to help.  All in all, there was frustration on both ends, or just on my end.  I wish I had dealt with all of those better, and I intend to do so this year.

I also lost weight and gained some back when I got sick for 4 months.  So, I'll be losing that.  I'll also be meditating every day -- even when I travel, and don't have my meditation couch with me! LOL!

Get out your jet packs, everyone.  Let's vroom vroom vroom into 2012!

New Year's Eve Celebration is Yummalicious!

Happy New Year!

I had a New Year's Eve party.  I knew there would be 8 to 12 people coming so I wanted to make sure almost everything was done prior to the party so I could really have fun.  I decided I wanted to try two recipes I had been waiting to try, and made one of my all time favorites.  It turned out it was three different pastas, which is something I wouldn't normally do, but it worked because all the flavors were very different.

Here is the menu:

• Lemon Spaghetti (served on thin spaghetti -- not cappellini, just a nice thin spaghetti)
• Portabella Bolognese (served on egg fettucine)
• Artichoke Pesto (served on narrow penne with roasted chicken added for meat eaters) Salad - Butter Lettuce, Cucumber, Toasted Almonds, Shredded Parmesan, Vinegar (red wine + balsamic), olive oil, salt + pepper
• Hot Fudge Sundae Bar (several ice cream flavors and a table full of toppings -- nuts, cookies, cookie crumbs, strawberries, bananas, candies, Salted Caramel Sauce from Trader Joe's, and homemade hot fudge sauce)

I also made a special festive punch for 10:

• Fresh Tangerine Juice -- about 3 cups
• Pomegranate Juice-- about 3 cups
• Orange Liqueur (I used Patron Citronage) - about 1/2 cup
• Vodka -- about 1 cup
• Lambrusco - 3 bottles

I made this up for a Christmas gathering, but added the Vodka this time which really gave it some more depth and less sweet.  But, you can play with the amounts to fit your own tastebud whims.

Here are links to the best of the recipes for the night. I'm not posting the Portabella Bolognese because I had to totally manipulate it, and it never got to be the proper thickness.  Though it was great in the end, I can't tell you how I did it, because I worked on it over two days.

Lemon Spaghetti -- I doubled the recipe, but tripled the lemon zest and added an extra half cup of lemon juice because I like it super-lemony.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-spaghetti-recipe/index.html

Great Hot Fudge Sauce-- II've tried a lot of recipes over the years and this one has a lot of depth. I really liked it.  My guests did too.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hot-Fudge-Sauce-109144

This is unbelievable. I had no idea where I got this recipe until I searched for it to give you a link. It's a Weight Watchers recipe!  Wooohooo!  It is unbelievably delicious.  BUT, please note: I screwed it up. How?  I tossed it with the pasta about an hour before the party started (and covered it well with tin foil), so about 3 hours before we ate, and it turned from a lucious light minty green color to ugly dark brown, and it turned from creamy to nearly crusty and dry.  I have actually never had a sauce change texture so radically.  It is stunningly good when served fresh.   You can make the sauce the day ahead (which I did).  You just can't toss it with the pasta until you are ready to serve.  Lesson learned.  But, this is one of my favorite pastas now.  Ever.

http://www.weightwatchers.us/util/prt/RecipePage.aspx?Type=1&RecipeID=283931

As I face my new year having gained some of my weight back, I'm thrilled to know this recipe is WW friendly.  Woooooooooohooooo!!!!

Buon Anno Nuovo Appetito!

Yummy Christmassy Dinner Party

The table was beautiful, as were all the dishes before we dug into them, but oh my god I forgot to take pics so, here are the "morning after" (aka leftover) pics of the Tomato Goat Cheese Tart and the Salted Caramel Pie (with peanut and chocolate additions):

This Tomato Goat Cheese Tart is amazing.  The crust is fantastic, and I think I'll use it for other things.  Crunchy, flaky, perfectly cheesy and seasoned.  Next time, instead of Italian herbs, I'll use just rosemary to see.  Couldn't more highly recommend this recipe.  I couldn't find my mini-tartlet pans for the life of me so I made a large one.  It turned out great, but next time I will do the minis, because I think it will work better with the goat cheese filling.  Either way is great: http://www.takeamegabite.com/?p=3646


To start the meal I made this Mario Batali Pappa al Pomodoro -- Tomato & Bread Italian Soup.  It's more thick than most soups, so I gave everyone smaller portions so as not to fill them up too much: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/tomato-bread-soup-pappa-al-pomodoro-recipe/index.html.  I actually made the tomato base -- pre water and bread additions -- the night before so as to fully steep with flavors.

Then for dessert, this great Food & Wine recipe for Salted Caramel Pie.  I added peanuts (Salted Blistered from Trader Joe's) to crust and stirred in a big handful of semisweet chocolate chips into the caramel at the end also.  Then I added chopped nuts and chocolate to decorate.  I served with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Ice Cream.  Also, I hardly put any sugar in the topping because the pie is so sweet.  It offset the sweetness well.  Finally, I whipped 3 cups of cream instead of 2, as recipe states: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salted-caramel-pie

So, the full menu:

• Cocktail -- Prosecco, Orange Liqueur, Juice of one Tangerine, and Pomegranate Juice Cocktail (slices of tangerine in glass) -- all to taste
• Italian Tomato Bread Soup
• Tomato Basil Goat Cheese Tart
• Salad with Parmiggiano and Toasted Almonds (balsamic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and juice of one tangerine)
• Green Beans sauteed with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, yellow tomatoes, lemon juice
• Warm Sourdough Bread
• Salted Caramel Pie + Ice Creams

Buon Yummy Natale!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do You Know a Trader Joe's Virgin?

My lovely friend Peter lives in London and my constant postings about Trader Joe's have been driving him crazy for a long time.   But, he need suffer no more.  He is going to New York and wants some guidance on how to approach his first Trader Joe's visit.  So, this one's for Peter.... and Tara who is in Canada, too, who I think is equally frustrated with my darned Trader Joe's ingredient lists.

Peter took me for a lovely walking tour all over London a couple months ago.  When I think of embarking on the Trader Joe's tour, I find it almost as daunting as a city tour!  There are so many hidden gems, off the beaten path, and so many areas you might accidentally miss due to other bright and shiny things being right near by.   So, I'll break the store up into sections:

1.  Fresh Flowers -- Really inexpensive here. I suggest making your own flower arrangements.  For instance, they often have tulips and gerber daisies and some sort of lily.  Mixing these all up is lovely.  They also often have calalillies -- purple, white, pink and yellow...lovely.
2.  Fresh Veggies and Fruits -- Gams you might miss are Broccoli Slaw which is broccoli stems and carrots mixed together in the crunchiest, yummiest mix.   Just throw vinegar and olive oil on it, some salt and papper, and a few toasted nuts.  They also have a bijillion kinds of lettuce.  My current favorite combo (sold separately) is butter lettuce and arugula.  Also, they always have regular green beans, but you want to get the Haricot Verts in little plastic bags.  These, as well as several other veggies sold like this, have bags that can be snipped and thrown in the microwave for quick veggie treat.  Bottom line: take your time in this aisle.
3.  Cheese -- Trader Joe's Started with nuts, chees, and wine, so they know how to choose 'em.  Trust them.  Current faves are the Aged Gouda, and for the holidays, the goat cheese logs rolled in Cranberry or Blueberry -- both are amazing.  The Blueberry is a little sweeter. 

All the goat cheeses are incredible.  Another daily fave is the Whipped Goat Cheese (look for little blue and white tub).  You can't go wrong with anything that draws you...OMG like the Baked Brie they already
4.  Nuts/Dried Fruits --   My faves: dry toasted almonds (two cuts available), toasted salted Pepitas (OMG what an amazing snack or salad spicer upper), dried cranberries with orange flavoring (must try, great on salads in this season especially), and the very best peanuts on planet Earth:

Old Fashioned Blister Peanuts.   Just literally don't leave the store without them.

5.  Chips/Crackers -- Current favorite cracker is the Pita Crackers -- they are so thick and crunchy and exquisitely salted.   The Low Fat Cheese Crunchies (a cheeto rip off that is so much better than the original, much cheesier and yummier) are hard to put down.  Every chip I've ever tried was absolutely delish.  They have a bijillion potato chips and a bijillion tortilla chips to choose from.

6.  Frozen Foods -- The pastas in a bag are remarkable good.  Throw a handful of fresh spinach or other lightly sauteed veggies to just kick them up a little and they are spectacular.  New favorite the Bento Box -- gloriously spiced and balanced, a lovely light supper.  Something you will ALWAYS find in my freezer -- Jasmine Rice.  Each box has three bags.  Pop in the microwave and miraculously perfectly cooked rice is ready to bless any dish!  The frozen thin pizzas are my faves in that section. 

7.  Chocolate and Cookies -- Peter-- YOU WILL BE IN HEAVEN -- you will need a while to slowly linger down this aisle.  The chocolates and cookies, by the way are all above the frozen foods.  So, dress accordingly, as you will be here for a while.  My most favorite new thing at TJs are these unbelievably brilliant Chocolate Mint Wafers.  Imagine this: ice cream cone wafer about an inch in diameter, covered with divine dark chocolate and sprinkled with teeny tiny candy cane bits.  Two different kinds of crunch and lots of richness.  Also, I'm sorry but TJs food creators are GENIUSES:

The other aisles are Coffee/Tea, Dry Goods (pasta, canned foods, etc.), Liquor, and Dairy... all things delicious found in all of them, but I think I've hit all the "stars" of Trader Joe's that are must-visits, or must-buys if you can fit them in your suitcase!

Everyone else: free to pass this on to all the "Trader Joe's Virgins" you know.

Buon Joe Appetito!