Good Foods To Ring In The New Year & Bring In Good Fortune

Around the world, people eat certain foods that symbolize good fortune in the new year. Here are a few different foods that you can incorporate into your New Year's Meal so that you can have the best year ever!

1. Noodles

In many Asian countries, long noodles are served to symbolize a long life.....
Try Soba Noodles in a Stir-Fry

2. Lentils

Thought to resemble coins, lentils are eaten throughout Italy for good fortune in the New Year.
Try Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup

3. Cabbage

In Ireland Green Cabbage is associated with good luck and fortune since it's green and resembles money.
Try Spiced Cabbage Wraps

4. Pomegranate

Long associated with abundance and fertility, pomegranates are eaten in many Mediterranean countries for good luck in the New Year.
Try a Pomegranate-Berry Smoothie or Pomegranate & Frozen Yogurt

5. Fish

In North America, Asia, and Europe, people eat fish to celebrate the new year.
In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the new year since fish swim forward.
Other people think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools.
Try Spiced Salmon Steaks or Baked Lemon Snapper

Happy New Year & Bon Appetit!!!

(Photos Courtesy of Delish)

Holiday Highlights :)

Here are a few holiday highlights & pix....
This is the short version, as the holiday is still in progress ;)

First, there was the tedious task of getting through all the airport traffic...

And the copious amounts of snow....there was definitely a lot of it.....


Once I made it through that, I got to the best part of any holiday, which is friends & family, holiday dinners & parties....some pix of me with the girls....


And of course there's these adorable two that I get to play with every holiday season...lol....I wish I could take them with me...so much fun.
"Baby it's cold outside" but inside we're cozy by the fireplace...:)


It's been so great to just relax with the family and catch up on everything.
Be back with more soon. :)
This wonderful gorgeous place is next...

xox

Merry Christmas or Mary X-Miss if you're a kid....

We received dozens of Christmas cards to the house this year, but our most favorite of all was this one from our friend's daughter.
She made us this card....

Yet another reminder that kids just keep it simple.....so cute :)

Thank-you Kaylin for the great card! We love it.
Especially the gold glitter on the tree & star.
You're the sweetest. :)

TO GET YOU IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT......

TO GET YOU IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT...
I BRING YOU MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS CAROL.....

CHECK OUT THIS ACOUSTIC RENDITION OF "O HOLY NIGHT "
THAT WE PERFORMED THIS PAST WEEKEND...
YOU CAN LISTEN BY CLICKING ON THE LINK TO MY MUSIC PAGE AT THE TOP....

IT WAS SO SOOTHING TO SING THIS...
I THINK IT'S THE MOST PEACEFUL HOLIDAY SONG...

THANKS TO MY BROTHER WHO CAME UP WITH THE STRING ARRANGEMENT,
AND ACCOMPANIED ME ON MANDOLIN......
THANKS TO ADAM AS WELL, OUR MASTER OF SOUND
FOR HELPING US ORGANIZE THIS :)

HOPE YOU ENJOY!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS & SEASONS GREETINGS ;)
~ JENNA ~

The Things To Remember & The Things To Forget...

Do you ever feel like you just can't get it all together?

Well you can't get everything done in one day, and sometimes life can overwhelm you, and sometimes it will feel like there is just too much to do.
But remember this....this quote is in my favorite book of quotes that my mother gave me.....
"Trying to have it all together is like trying to eat once and for all."
This is impossible.

You have to eat 3 times a day, and like it or not, one meal won't hold you for the rest of your life.
And having it all togther 100% of the time is just not going to happen.
So before you lose your mind or yell at the starbucks barista -
Watch this, and you will feel better.

Don't be so hard on yourself, try not to worry so much, don't sweat the small stuff, and for God's sake have a little fun & enjoy your life!

This is the perfect 5 minute segment made to summarize the key to life.
Wear Sunscreen.....
This is a great piece by Baz Luhrmann.
Apparently it came out years ago, but I was just introduced to it now, and I love it.
However I am warning you that you may cry.
It's truthful, real, and some of the best advice you will ever hear.



See, now don't you feel better already?

Have a good day.
J :)

Kanye West "Heartless" - Remix

As many of you know, Kanye West is back again with yet another phenomenal album: "808's & HeartBreak" -
IN STORES NOW, which includes the single "Heartless", > an ode to love lost.

And being that I'm such a huge Kanye supporter, it only made sense that I do a remix to my favorite song on the album, "Heartless".

His song tells the very personal story of losing his girl, which many people - especially guys around the world - can relate to.
And in appreciation for the song, I felt it only fair to share the ladies side.
So here it is...
(I must say it was very strange to hear my voice with the auto tune effect on it....
I definitely prefer my voice without that newly widespread auto tune effect...
but in keeping with this song's theme, I tried it out...)

There are two sides to every story, and my version goes a little something like this.......

Shoutout to Adam & DJ New Money for the remix recording & the remix plug!
We have a mixtape coming soon with much more, so be on the lookout for that :)
AND
Make sure you pick up a copy of Kanye's album:
"808's & HeartBreak" - IN STORES NOW!!!

A Day In The Life.....

"A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BEING LLOYD'S GIRL".... :)

So on Saturday I went to check out Lloyd's show.
I had a great time chatting with him about his tour, his new album, and how the song "A Day In The Life" that I wrote for him came to be.
It ended up as a bonus track on his album, because he had written so many other songs for it.
If you haven't picked up "Lessons On Love" yet, make sure you do, because it really is an amazing album.
We are going to switch roles in the new year, and let him write something for my album :) I'm excited to see what he comes up with.
It will be strange to have somebody else write a song that I perform, which is how he probably felt I'm sure, being that he also writes all his own material.
He's a great writer as well as an amazing singer/entertainer, and so sweet.
Yet another huge talent from Atlanta.
Here's to the A!

J.

ON SET - "SAY ABOUT US" VIDEO SHOOT

Things have been so busy over here, that I haven't been posting often, I'm sorry I promise I will catch up! Here are a few of the stills from the video shoot.... They will all look green, being that we filmed on green screen in order to accomodate the post production effects that will be added. Video Blog and Footage will be up 2mara...... Getting Ready... Having Makeup Done... Getting the first shots... Getting Fixed Up... Performing the chorus... Monica the hair & makeup artist... The Video Director & Crew... Taking a shot in a more casual scene... I will be back with more of the video blogs and clips 2nite.... :)

And They Thought She Was Just A Dumb Blonde...

While doing some research on
Ms.Marilyn Monroe I came upon some truly great quotes of hers,
which goes to show, that beyond the beauty and the stereotype....
She knew exactly what was going on, who she was, and what it was....







"With fame, you know, you can read about yourself, somebody else's ideas about you, but what's important is how you feel about yourself--for survival and living day to day with what comes up."




"It stirs up envy, fame does. People...feel fame gives them some kind of privilege to walk up to you and say anything to you--and it won't hurt your feelings--like it's happening to your clothing."




"Everybody is always tugging at you. They'd all like a sort of chunk out of you. I don' think they realize it, but it's like 'grrr do this, grr do that...' But you do want to stay intact--intact and on two feet."






"I don't want to play sex roles any more. I'm tired of being known as the girl with the shape."
Contrary to today....where every model or actress is urged to be waif like...
Marilyn was considered the most beautiful woman in the world....at a size 8...not a size 2.
She had curves and she was healthy, human, feminine & beautiful.






"In Hollywood a girl's virtue is much less important than her hairdo. You're judged by how you look, not by what you are."





"I used to think as I looked out on the Hollywood night, 'There must be thousands of girls sitting alone like me, dreaming of becoming a movie star. But I'm not going to worry about them. I'm dreaming the hardest."

"A Career is born in public....Talent in Privacy."



"I believe everything happens for a reason! People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so that you will eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes, good things fall apart, so better things can fall together."

~ Marilyn Monroe ~

California Love

So yes I am in fact in La La Land as they say....LA
Where the weather is warm, the trees are palms, and the Starbucks line is loooooong.
Believe that! I must say I do find it wonderful though that everyone here seems to share the same affection for it that I do. ;)
My trip to the Entertainment Mecca has been great so far.
I am loving California.
From Santa Monica to Hollywood, Beverly Hills to Studio City, through The Valley and back again....these are my adventures so far... :)



First stop was Santa Monica....


This photo looks surreal...these houses looked like they weren't real...but they definitely are....


At the Marina where they filmed the famous "Aquaman" movie scenes for
the Entourage series....






The Beach was so peaceful...It looked like it wanted to rain...but it didn't rain until the next day....



We walked along the Santa Monica boardwalk and we each picked out our future houses...
I chose the terracotta one with the spiral staircases up to the deck....it was beautiful...right next to the beach...and priced at a modest 5 million...only ;)





Then to Beverly Hills...


Cozy room....



Gorgeous Pool...



Had to take a pic of this....thought it was hilarious....I somehow imagined a Beverly Hills cab as a little more glamorous...guess not though...lol



Visiting friends in the Beverly burbs...



Then off to my sessions...



First stop - Universal Music -


On my way into their Publishing Office & Studio Building...



Which was amazing...Their studio facility was exactly what you'd expect from
the world's largest music & entertainment group.



Our Team organizing the tracks for the day...



The studio has a huge live room & this piano is literally grand.
Elton John last played on it while recording in LA.



This is where I recorded my vocals...





The sessions have been going well, and I'm back at it again 2mara, well I should say today....it's late here now. It's been crazy busy, but the songs are coming out great and I'm enjoying it. I'm blessed to be here.
I have many more pix to add, but I must get some sleep, so that is the start of my updates today, I will add more pix and video blogs this week......

Signing off for now.
Sending California Love to you, Jenna xox