Sometimes, it just takes an outside opinion to figure things out.

If you need advice, let all my readers offer their two cents.

What’s your dilemma? Tell us all about it.

Just click the question mark over there > > >

or email me at: advice@jennyjones.com

We went out to dinner Tuesday night with friends and guess who was at the next table? Warren Beatty! I didn’t notice him until we were leaving and when I saw him, I knew his face but for a moment I wasn’t sure who he was. We looked at each other for a few seconds and he was probably thinking the same thing… “I’ve seen her before but where?”  Anyway, I played it very cool and walked out but as soon as I was outside: “Did you see who that was? It was Warren Beatty!” He’s definitely one of the biggest movie stars I’ve seen around town. I did see Tom Selleck at the nursery once (two words: Gor Geous!) and I saw Burt Reynolds driving on the freeway. Oh, and Elliot Gould on Ventura Boulevard, and Britney Spears at a Starbucks. I just realized there’s more…

I saw Nicollette Sheridan at the market, Tom Jones walking, Charlie Sheen driving, Nancy Reagan at the the Bel Air Hotel, Naya Rivera from Glee at the mall, Courtney Love in the Chanel store, Jay Leno driving an old Model T, Travis Barker in Benihana, and last month I saw Christian Slater at a Beverly Hills mall. Oh, oh, here’s the best one: Mohamed Ali at the Grove!

No one seems to notice me when I go shopping but if they ever do and take my picture, look for me in the horrendous “Stars Without Makeup” issue.

It was a beautiful day today (in spite of two earthquakes) so I decided to go to Franklin Canyon to take pictures of the dragonflies. As soon as I got there, I saw a squirrel going up a tree. As soon as he saw me, he stopped dead in his tracks and started looking at me. He stared for a while and even leaned in a little, as if he recognized me. Was I the one who sent him on the metal basket ride down the canyon for stealing my tomatoes? Ostracized to the Squirrel Sanctuary? I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me so I stared him down. “What are you lookin’ at?” I said, standing my ground. “You don’t scare me. You miss my tomatoes don’t you, you mangy, rat-faced, no-good, low-life, beady-eyed, scum-sucking, tomato-stealing squirrel.” He took one last look and moved up the tree but he waited there until I left, and watched me walk away as if to say, “I know where you live. See you soon, cupcake.”

As promised, here is the recipe for my Sweet 3-Hour Pickles.

I know I said the dill pickles were my favorite but now I think I like these better. They really are ready to eat in three hours but you can keep them a lot longer than that.

I’ve always loved pickles and sauerkraut and now I know they are good for you… As long as you don’t put them on a bacon burger!

Click here for the recipe.

Jenny,

I will piggyback on the last sunscreen question. I am allergic to whatever the main ingredient is all sunscreens seem to share. If I wear sunscreen for just one or two days, I’m ok. Any longer than that on a day-to-day basis and my skin becomes rough, almost like I have hives and it itches. I have the same problem with self-tanners. I’ve tried buying expensive sunscreens for sensitive skin from multiple brands, but always the same problem. Is there a natural way to make sunscreen or something I can do to keep from getting a reaction? I know it’s bad, but I’ve just taken to not wearing sunscreen now.

Hana

Dear Hana,

I’ve had a similar problem that sent me to the dermatologist last summer who told me I had a severe photoallergy. He recommended sunscreens with only zinc oxide or titanium oxide. I’ve used Neutrogena Sensitive Skin which uses only titanium oxide and Blue Lizard Sensitive which has both titanium and zinc oxides and did not have a problem. If you can find one that’s oil-free and maybe has just one of these two natural ingredients that might work. Beyond that, I don’t know of any other product you could use. I hope you’ll try every option before going without sunscreen. Good luck.

Jenny

Can you believe you can make pickles in three hours? Delicious, crisp dill pickles? Hello! Three hours. That’s why they’re so crisp! A few of you asked for my pickle recipe so here it is. I tried a few more versions over the weekend and I like this one the best.

Just so you know, all fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut, olives, even sourdough bread, provide healthy probiotics (aka friendly bacteria). Yes, even fermented yak milk from Tibet! Probiotics strengthen your immune system, aid in digestion & the absorption of nutrients, and they are great to take after antibiotics to bring back those friendly bacteria.

I also have a recipe for sweet pickles which I will post this week but the dill pickles are my favorite.  Click here for the recipe.

why am i unloveable, I am rencently devoriced my wife of 5 years was cheating on me I found out several time and I forgave her and tried to more on eventily she told me she need to sleep with other men because she did not love me that way. after i was devoriced a ex contacted and told me how much she missed  me and we went out a few times, then she told me that she loved me she did not love me what ever that means. then 2 day ago a woman i have know for 20 year invited me out to a movie, we flirted over dinner and in the movie held hands like we were teenagers. we end up back at her place and we end up making out, we arranged to meet the next night and we ended up in bed. today she told me she wishes she could love me and she tried to want to be with me but she can’t.

So i ask the question whats wrong with me. i see very little reason to get up tomorrow. it is hard to go thru this world even harder when you alone

Who can resist a free contest? Not my squirrels. The contest started this morning and we already have a winner!

Oh wait! Make that TWO winners.

Our Critter Trapper had to make two trips today. Before you get all mushy and feel sorry for these mangy, rat-faced, no-good, low-life, beady-eyed, scum-sucking, tomato-stealing squirrels, by law they just get picked up and relocated a few miles away. They get turned in to a nature preserve somewhere. I’d rather see them turned into a wallet… call it a squallet.

“I’ll just take this nice tomato and go back to m…… Wait…! What?…. What the….. Oh no she didn’t!”

(more captions needed)

I’ve taken Anonymous’s advice and we’re holding an open house for the squirrel. It’s a lovely buffet of his favorite snack: organic tomatoes. We’re thinking about playing some music and serving cocktails under the pomegranate tree. We even invited all his friends: a couple of rabbits, rats, coyotes, bobcats, and a special shout out to all the rattlesnakes in the area. I hope the squirrel appreciates the special private room we set up just for him. Once he’s inside it turns into a party bus so he can feast on tomatoes as he gets to ride down the freeway and then off to an adventure down a canyon road where he and his tomatoes will get thrown… oops I mean will be dropped off in a… sanctuary… yeah that’s it… a squirrel sanctuary. I think it’s called the I Hope You Choke On Tomatoes and Die Sanctuary. Party on.