It’s so funny how I always plan to start this blog off by telling you what’s new with Inner City Kitchen but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t share a little bit of my life as well. So… I have been struggling these last few weeks with a back injury and low and behold I woke up Saturday with no pain. I give credit to my amazing Chiropractor but mostly to the support I have gotten from my friends and family. My girls at the Brighter Future Program sent me a beautiful card and everyone at my job has helped out so much with taking on some of the work load. Now I am thankful to say, I am good and ready to start my training for the Los Angeles Mud Run!! For those of you that don’t know, I love to workout but hate to workout at the same time. You know that feeling after you have exercised is the BEST but lets not forget what happens before exercising. You know that feeling of wanting to crawl into bed with a delicious Ben and Jerry’s Jumpy Monkey Sundae while watching reruns of Fraiser.

The Los Angeles Mud Run ( http://www.active.com/running/pasadena-ca/los-angeles-mud-run-2010 ) is one of the many activities I like to do to stay healthy. I figure, if I give myself a workout routine that is helping me prepare for an event such as this I tend to stay focused and dedicated to eating right. Okay, so that’s a little life with Crystal, now for what’s going on with Inner City Kitchen.

Yay for all of the events we have coming up next month!! June is crazy busy for us as it is when our interviews begin for the cookbook. The classes we have set up for the women are going to be so much fun and if you feel you have a story/recipe to tell that would be a great fit, please share with me on the blog. Your comments, ideas, and stories are highly appreciated.

June 4th Inner City Kitchen will be at Joseph LeConte Middle School for career day with an amazing line up. I want to tell you so bad but I must wait until it gets closer…that way you keep reading the blog!! I really wanted to talk about Inner City Kitchen but today I just have some other things to get off my mind…if that’s okay?

I went to the YMCA today in Hollywood but not for my class. Today’s class was taught by Elizabeth (Brighter Future Program Director) and Miriam Negri, who is a fabulous Architect working with me on our community garden project at Selma Elementary. Anywho, the class is about life and tonight I realized how different my life could have been if my mother made different choices in hers. I don’t want to go to much into detail about what we talk about because it’s confidential but I really am humbled by some of these women. I see them and I see what life must of been like for my mother when she became a single mother. I owe my life to her, I thank her for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself and I thank her for showing me love. Today I was in a class with several single mothers, single ladies with no children, and mothers/women with significant others but what I got out of it was that confidence to continue to do anything I set my mind to. I am grateful to be teaching some of these women about worldly cuisine but more thankful that they’re teaching me about LIFE!! I know that blessings do exist because of these women. They’re smart, beautiful, and headed for success!!

Until next time,

Crystal