Week 15: Try a juice bar (NOT Jamba)

Every week in 2011, for 52-straight weeks, I hope to try something new and blog about it here. This is the 15th post in the series, when I tried my first veggie juice from a juice bar. Here you will find a list of all my weekly adventures thus far.

First thing's first here: I have never been to a juice bar before. I'm not talking Jamba Juice with its smoothies, etc. I mean a real, honest to God juice-making establishment.

This morning, before buying all the ingredients needed for dinner, I drove out to 24 Carrots in Chandler, Arizona. Admittedly this entire desire to frequent a juice bar spawned from Jennifer's post about a cute little spot she hit up in Portland, Maine. Seriously, when I made up my list of new things I wanted to do in 2011, I knew a juice bar had to make the cut!!

When you first walk in, you see nothing but the two juice menu blackboards (smoothies on one tablet, fruit and veggie juices on the next) on the wall.

The juice bar is a locally-owned health-conscious vegan/vegetarian shop. After speaking with the owner for a while -- she's originally from India but opened this place up after going to Arizona State -- I discovered that they first offered only five smoothies and drinks when it began. As clientele grew, so did the menu which now features vegan granola, raw Indian dishes, hummus and other appetizers and vegetarian bowls and sandwiches. Amazingly, she said they do EVERYTHING out of a freaking microwave and toaster oven, since the place merely started out as a juice bar. That's crazy and impressive! But, now explains the reasoning behind all the "raw" menu items.

I knew I didn't want to try a smoothie, because let's be honest, I can make those at home. I certainly don't have a juicer, and I don't think I've ever really had a vegetable juice. Nor am I even a fan of V8. While I knew I wanted to try a veggie juice, it was kind of hard to choose. Mainly because it still had a large amount of fruit, I chose the Voodoo Child juice. Its contents included: apple, carrot, grape, cucumber, celery, beet, lime and Dragon Sauce. Honestly, I had no idea what Dragon Sauce was, but ordered the juice anyways. 2011 is all about being adventurous and trying new things, right?!

Well, Dragon Sauce is actually a very spicy hot sauce ha. At least the cashier let me know about it before they put it in my drink. She told me they like to ask clients if they want the sauce or not. I definitely nixed it from my drink. And the juice still came out to be a beautiful red color (thank the beets, folks)!

Initially I wasn't sure what to think. It was warm and I'm used to cold juices, so that took a few sips to get into the groove. However, the more I drank, the more I enjoyed my fruit and veggie juice! It was refreshing and light and tart all at the same time. Something I will definitely come back for!

You'll also notice in the picture I pulled out a book and started reading. 24 Carrots totally gave off a non-conformist, Starbucks-y type of vibe. Couches all over the place, books, local artists' displays, newspapers for "borrow" and chalkboard paint with motivational sentences and phrases all over the walls.

It was cozy and a perfect place to read a chapter of my book... one that I've oddly been reading for months now. Chalk it up to my crazy schedule.

But I'm glad I finally got around to going here! While a little on the expensive side, I felt good about splurging on something healthy while also supporting a local eco-friendly business. And I will come back; there are so many juices I am curious to try!