I’m convinced that the beautiful people in line at the juice bar, the ones with athleisure-wear clinging to their perfectly toned glutes, dress specifically for the occasion. It is important that one must look appropriately fit and healthful while buying the elixir that promotes said health and vitality. I’ve never been a green juice person — or felt adequate enough or flush with enough cash to comfortably visit a juice bar.
At some places around town, a glass jar of juice has become its own status symbol, the name on the cup an indication of your wealth bracket. And when was the last time that the person behind the bar throwing celery in the Robot Coupe asked you if you’d like to modify your green juice? Or made eye contact? Or treated you like you were cool enough to pay $15 for their proprietary blend of kale, celery and cucumber? On a recent visit to Kathy’s Kitchen, a small market and juice bar in Hyde Park, owner Kathy Alston emerged from the kitchen a few seconds after I placed my order. “Try it,” she said, then handed me a splash of moss green liquid in a plastic cup.
“Let me know what you think. Do you want me to bump up the ginger?” I stared at her in disbelief, then drained the cup. The juice was electric with lime and sharp with hot ginger.
Celery balanced the acid, a little salty, a little grassy. My eyes widened at its freshness. I was instantly addicted.
Alston is a juice blending master. The former engineer bought a Vitamix in the late 1980s .
