Spirulina in Da House!

Back in the day, I was lucky enough to work at what was, at the time, one of the hottest juice bars in New York City: Lucky's Juice Joint, which later became known as Liquiteria.

Before it got bigger and more corporate, it was hip-hop hippie heaven.

The owner, Sheldon Stein, and his family created an oasis for misfits, artists, musicians, and people who were simply trying to live a little healthier. The music was always loud. Reggae. Tribe Called Quest. De La Soul. Sometimes hip hop, sometimes rock and roll, always something with soul.

And if Sheldon happened to be in the shop, there was a good chance you'd walk away with a free banana.

Looking back, there were a lot of perks to that job. But the biggest one wasn't the paycheck—it was being surrounded by health.

Fresh fruits and vegetables were just part of everyday life. We drank fresh juice constantly. We learned about Vitamin C, bee pollen, ginseng, wheatgrass... and, of course, spirulina.

Every morning we'd throw on A Tribe Called Quest, take a spoonful of spirulina straight to the head, and head out for yoga at Jivamukti or a fifty-mile bike ride from SoHo up to the George Washington Bridge.

We swore spirulina gave us superpowers.

Maybe it did.

If you've never heard of it, spirulina is a blue-green algae that's packed with plant protein, iron, antioxidants, and other nutrients. It's been consumed for centuries, including by the Aztecs, and communities around Lake Chad in Africa have harvested it for generations.

Whether it was actually worth more than gold... I honestly don't know.

But to us, it might as well have been.

Fast-forward a couple of decades, and here I am still taking spirulina.

That's why you'll see it popping up at Muse by UVK—in our lemonades, in special drinks, and anywhere else it makes sense.

Not because it's trendy.

Because some things stick with you.

Because some things remind me of a better time.

For me, spirulina isn't just another ingredient. It's a reminder of a time when food wasn't just fuel. It was a community. It was music. It was a movement. It was believing that maybe—just maybe—a spoonful of green powder could help you become a better version of yourself.

And honestly...I still believe it.... which is why we will be featuring The Blue Magic on our new drink menu,  a simple and delicious house made fresh lemonade with Spirulina added.