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I was in NYC a couple weeks ago hanging out with my good friend Jenny aka Wyldegirl.  We had discussed me visiting Maine for a mini getaway for a while now, and as we were both together in the city, with her needing to get home, and open schedules, the situation presented itself for me to visit.  So we drove back to Maine together.

I was so excited to visit.  I had been to Maine before, but this time I would get to explore Jenny’s workshop and garden, organic markets, and the beautiful landscapes that have inspired her creative writing, that of which I have been drinking up for the past year or so.    

A Woman named Wyldegirl
Jenny is one of the most remarkable women I have ever met.  She is as gifted and talented as they come.  She can pick up her laptop and write words that will simply dance in your head, inspire growth, stimulate your imagination, and help you feel at peace in the world.  Here is an except from one of her latest blogs:

“on the cobblestone part of Fore Street there is a tiny hole in the wall treasure trove of nautical antiques- smelling of salt and dust and watched over by the most amazing Maine gentleman and his 50 year old parrot Singapore.  When he opens up, you feel as if you’re suddenly part of what he’s seen in dark corners of the world as well as the nooks and crannies of our own country.  I’ll be a bit sad when the sea calls him again and one day I visit and the store is empty, but wish him adventure wherever he goes.” 

Jenny’s primary profession is being a jeweler and metalsmith-ess.  She makes the most amazing pieces – and they are all unique, sustainable, organic, and salvaged.  Each piece is handcrafted from recycled materials and in a low impact fashion.  She designs everything from bracelets and pendants, to earrings and vintage leather pieces.  Her work is already being carried in some exclusive galleries in Maine and New Zealand, as well as through her online website, and her etsy site.  For those Pure Food and Wine fans, check out owner Sarma Melngailis’s wrist the next time you are there and you will find a custom One Lucky Duck piece complete with the duck logo and cacao nibs that Jenny made for her.  It won’t be long before Jenny’s work will be adorning the necks and wrists of Marc Jacob’s runway models, so you might want to place your order now.  My custom designed talisman is already in the works. 

And to top off my visit – Jenny taught me how to knit.  Organic homespun yarn in one hand, and bamboo knitting needles in the other, I am ready to roll.  Now if I could just find the time…

Know Fear
For years I did nothing.  Weighing 400 lbs and literally living a life of walking back and forth from my car, work, and home.  No adventures, no exploring, none of the things I loved to do as a kid.  It was really heartbreaking, but the fact of the matter was that I forgot the joy of simple pleasures, and those that I did remember I was too heavy to enjoy.  When I was a kid one of my favorite things to do was to run and climb across rocks and boulders alongside the ocean.  I would hide in little nooks and mini-caves, poke and play with crabs and other unidentifiable ocean life, and basically view life through innocent eyes. 

Well… I got a chance to remember again, and not just remember, but live it.  Jenny brought me to a secluded beach not too far from her house that was covered with rocks, caves, and plenty to discover.  I immediately started climbing, as if I had never stopped.  I had a quick flash of fear come over me as I was jumping from rock to rock.  Fear tried to speak to me and say, “You are too big to be doing this,” and “you will hurt your knees and fall.”  I have been putting fear it its place lately, and did so in this case as I just laughed at its prompts.  Besides if I manifest my own reality, what could really happen that wasn’t supposed to, or that I didn’t create anyway.  Everything is perfect. Always.

Wings on my feet

So I jumped to my hearts content.  Flying through to air, with the wind brushing against my face like an old friend.  Climbing and scaling mini-rock walls, leaning my body against the stone with just my heels on a tiny ledge, imagining pirates and ninjas all around.  The smell of salt in the air, the sun energizing my body… it was one of my most joyful experiences to date.  Even sitting here in Canada preparing to speak at the Simply Raw Festival, I can’t help but get a little teary-eyed thinking about my adventures as a child – and now reliving them as an adult. 

Btw… now that I have started, I won’t be stopping. 
Divine innocence is still available to all of us.

For more Maine pics click here.

Summer, with the Winters.
People comment all the time on the amount of synchronicities that they start to experience as a raw foodist.  I have been enjoying them all the time now, almost daily, along with dejavu more frequently than ever.  I believe synchronicities are always there, but many on the SAD diet are so weighed down and chemically altered from the food that they eat that it can be hard to see them, or follow our conscious which often leads us in their direction. 

That being said, as I was driving to Maine with Jenny I decided to check my email via my trusty iPhone.  It said I had a new message on my Give It To Me Raw page.  So I checked the page and found a message from Layla Winters saying that her son Andre was having a birthday on Thursday, and how he really enjoyed listening to my talks and reading my blogs and wondered if there was any way I could call her son to wish him a happy birthday.  I checked her profile and found that she lived in Maine.  I dug a little further and found out from Jenny that the city she lives is was only 15 minutes away from her.  An act of serendipity, I think not.  No luck here, just pure synchronicities in full effect.

I called up Layla and asked if instead of just calling, how she would like it if I showed up instead, and celebrated Andre’s birthday together with her family.  She said yes and was so excited.  Fast forward to Thursday.  I did my research and found out that the Winters are famous.  TLC did a show on their family of 13, all who wear simple homemade clothing, are home schooled, run a family store, and share their life with an emu, goats, sheep, a peacock, 7 dogs, and a whole school of chickens. 

When I got there the whole family was waiting outside for me.  I received hugs and was welcomed with love.  I explored their property, lovely home, and just really got an opportunity to get to know them.  Upon entering the kitchen I found 7 cases of young coconuts and giant boxes of fruit.  At first I was shocked, but then realized that is what is needed when feeding 11 growing children.  We had fun talking about the raw lifestyle, cracking open coconuts and making smoothies, and laughing while watching our favorite YouTube videos together.  Five hours later, after much fun was had and I was getting ready to head out, I was treated to some acapella singing by Destiny and Tzietel, and then finally a song sung by the whole family.  It really felt like I was on the set of The Sound of Music (which I adore).  I felt surrounded my love. 

Thank you for making me feel warm and welcomed.  Much love to: James, Layla, Destiny, Nadia, Andre, Tzietel, Chavaleh, Zimra, Zoya, Zhenya, Tzipporah, Zahavah, Julian… and all the dogs, emu, peacock, sheeps, goats, and chickens.

So whether you’re overcoming a fear, exploring new lands, or meeting new people, keep your eyes peeled for synchronicities, signs, and magical expressions of life… and always remember to keep smiling.

We are creating heaven on earth.

All my love,
Philip

Today’s profile on the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute comes to us via guest contributor Laura Bruno. Laura is an author, Intuitive Life Coach and Reiki Master Teacher. She visited Living Light for her 35th birthday. VegNews Magazine has cited Living Light Café as one of the top twenty vegan restaurants in the entire world.

Laura Bruno Profiles Living Light

It all started with Jessica Fletcher.  Well, more precisely, with Cabot Cove.  You know, that old TV series:  Murder, She Wrote.  I’m an eccentric author who doesn’t drive, so my husband sometimes calls me Jessica.  We both love the ocean and have long joked that we should buy a house in Cabot Cove so I can walk everywhere—except we could never figure out where Cabot Cove was.  In the show, they live in Maine, but we could scarce imagine Angela Lansbury filming so long in frigid conditions.  We laid our bets on somewhere in California but hadn’t managed to determine where.

Fast forward to May 2008.  We had just moved to Southern Sonoma County from Sedona, and my husband wanted to take me somewhere romantic for my birthday.  We’d already visited San Francisco that week, so we thought north.  On a lark, we looked up Mendocino, and guess what?  Mendocino is Cabot Cove.  That settled it!  Well, almost.  As someone who loves to eat, who only eats raw food, and who sorely missed Sedona’s two raw/vegan restaurants within walking distance of our home, I wanted some seriously gourmet food on my birthday.  In fact, I needed it.  A few dehydrated snacks and some salads just wouldn’t cut it.  I was already in withdrawal, and I wanted a feast.  Multiple feasts!  We couldn’t go just anywhere.

Mendocino Coast by Stephen Bruno

As synchronicity would have it, though, Northern California’s Mendocino Coast provided the perfect solution.  Fort Bragg—about 10 minutes north of J. B. Fletcher’s hometown and surrounded by redwood forests—houses the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and Living Light Inn.  Cherie Soria, the founder of Living Light, began her career 38 years ago teaching vegetarian cooking classes.  A 16-year raw vegan, she has trained many of today’s most famous raw chefs, including Chad Sarno, Roxanne Klein, and Jennifer Cornbleet.  The Inn composts their garbage, uses only organic bath products, and filters all tap water.  VegNews Magazine cited Living Light Café as one of the top twenty vegan restaurants in the entire world.  For my 35th birthday, my husband was about to take me to raw vegan heaven!

I called ahead.  Hey, I’m a writer, and I get curious!  Plus, I coach a lot of artists, writers, chefs and visionaries—many of whom happen to follow raw vegan diets.  What, besides eating insane amounts of gourmet food, might the Living Light experience entail?  In a word, lots:  much more than I imagined!  We stayed in the eco-friendly Inn, and I arranged to interview the director (Dan Ladermann) and founder (Cherie Soria).  I received a full tour of the facilities—kitchen, school, café, and store.  I also talked to employees, customers, students of various levels, and yes, sampled some awesome raw food.  The trip grew so comprehensive that Dhrumil invited me to share some highlights here:

Meeting Cherie and Dan

I encourage you to read the interview, because these are two of the most dynamic, light-hearted, hard-working and manifesting people around.  I enjoyed their sense of humor, passion for healthy living, and their love, which spreads itself throughout Living Light.  Along with their high level of energy and high culinary standards, Cherie and Dan bring a refreshing quality of non-judgment to everything they do.  They realize not everyone wants to go raw, and they want everyone to feel comfortable at Living Light.  Instead of dogma, they focus on “making healthy living delicious.”  They don’t count percentages of raw or cooked diets; they just aim to make raw cuisine tastier than its cooked counterparts!   They emphasize abundance, flavor, vibrancy … and professionalism. 

Yes, Cherie and Dan are fun and friendly, but they also really know their stuff.  Prior to joining Living Light, Dan spent years in the high-tech industry, and he still puts those skills to use.  The classroom offers wide-screen TV and camera equipment capable of splitting the screen and zooming to a demonstrator’s hands.  This allows students to hear and watch lectures but also to get close-ups of exactly how to perform each technique.  Living Light records teaching DVD’s, lectures and special events, amplifying the learning experience.  This professionalism extends into courses as well.  Cherie emphasizes that Living Light is a “Culinary Arts Institute.”  They offer more than just recipes and how-to-use a dehydrator.  They train their students on things like teamwork, hygiene, proper knife cuts, ordering, timing, delivery, presentation, catering, how to teach nutrition classes, and all the details of running a commercial kitchen.  Graduates of the weekend FUNdamentals class can go home and prepare their own raw food basics; graduates of their Professional Chef Certification Program learn everything they need to know to open and run their own successful living foods restaurant.

Kitchen and Classroom

With purple linoleum floors, ten Excalibur dehydrators (plus a commercial one), a special “fruit ripening room,” and a commercial lettuce spinner that looks like R2D2, the Living Light kitchen was designed to offer exactly what they wanted.  Deliveries occur on Mondays and Thursdays and require “all hands on deck.”  Team effort allows this kitchen to stay organized while serving both the downstairs café and the adjacent culinary school.  The classroom offers individual stations designed as mini kitchens—underscoring that a raw chef can house all the equipment s/he needs in a small environment.  For traditionally trained chefs looking to offer a few raw meals at non-raw restaurants, this fact alone helps mainstream raw cuisine! 

The school provides everything except knives and chef attire—both of which they require for anything beyond the FUNdamentals class.  I peeked into a Spa Fusion class ripe with tantalizing smells and beautiful presentation.  The students had worked in teams to create masterpieces within a set period of time and using specific ingredients.  Their joy, surprise and pride spilled over as they described each dish to the entire class.  Next on their agenda?  Eating and critiquing those delectable creations!   

The Students and Employees

Living Light has graduates in 35 countries, but many participants choose to stay in Northern CA—some as employees or adjunct professors.  Three years ago, they only had 5 fulltime employees, but the operation has grown to 31 fulltime employees, including Dan and Cherie.  I met many friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable employees on my visit, along with several current students.  In addition to the casual hellos in the Inn’s kitchen, I got to speak with Martine, a Canadian who has completed all of the Professional Chef course work and is now a management training intern—learning how to manage and direct this type of school through hands-on experience.  I love Cherie’s willingness to share all of what she knows!

On the whole, I found everyone associated with Living Light very positive and excited about raw foods, sustainable living, and helping people heal from the inside out.  Amy in the café was a particular delight—eager to recommend different dishes and very connected with each patron.  Kari Bernardi-Ibsen attended Cherie’s first raw food class 10 years ago and has been a pastry chef instructor since August 2007.  I enjoyed her passion for the Farm to School program, which teaches kids about raw foods and helps schools serve healthier options to children.  Recognizing that many staples of this diet come from Mexico—papayas, coconuts, mangos, guacamole—both Kari and Amy feel called to raise awareness about living foods in the Hispanic community.  In talking with impoverished mothers, Kari learned that many feel they cannot afford a raw diet, so she’s also working on ways to make fresh, whole foods affordable for lower income families.  I found her conversation both refreshing and inspirational.

The Inn

Constructed in 1912 from beautiful old growth redwood, the historic Living Light Inn is the oldest hotel and highest building in Fort Bragg.  Huge redwood beams form the walls, floors and ceilings, lending a cozy feel—especially when the Northern CA winds start howling!  We stayed in the Adventure Room, on the first floor next to the kitchen.  Organic bedding and bath supplies welcomed us.  The Inn also serves as a dormitory for out of town students, so the first floor rooms make good choices for people hoping to interact with budding raw food chefs.  (For a more secluded stay, people would want to request the upper levels, with the Serenity Room offering the quietest rest.)

Situated about 8 blocks from the school, the Inn sparkles with the same special touches as the rest of the Living Light operation.  Unlike most hotels with their chlorine-scented sheets and petroleum-based soaps, this Inn feels clean.  You can drink the tap water and taste its freshness, and the non-toxic bed offers firm support.  In the morning, you can walk to the café to pick up a fresh green juice and raw goodies for your day’s adventures.  Not everyone considers such things when they travel, but if you do, you will find this Inn a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Café

Ah, the food!  Cherie and Dan talk about “the final finesse of balancing taste and textures,” and that’s exactly what I felt the food achieved.  I’ve eaten at many raw food restaurants and a number of potlucks, and there really is an art to creating phenomenal raw food.  As much as I love the idea of raw restaurants, I find some gourmet raw food tough to eat day in and day out.  Fortunately, Living Light’s food lives up to its name:  light.  Don’t get me wrong, I felt full after each meal!  I just felt light and clear as well.

The café offers a variety of juices and salads, along with some prepared take-away items like enchiladas and decadent desserts.  Amy fixed me a sampler platter, so I tried Marinated Kale Salad, Vegetable Antipasto, Marinated Bok Choy with Asian Greens, a Green Giant Juice, Carrot Soup, Lemon Bar, and lots of other tasty bits like chips and guacamole and a daily Green Soup for dinner.  For lunch the following day, I tried the enchiladas and coconut water:  heavenly!  For an afternoon snack?  Ice cream with chocolate sauce!  (It was, after all, my birthday.)  My non-raw husband even loved the Pumpkin Pie.

At no time did I feel overstuffed with nuts, fats, or oils—perhaps partly because many of the café’s recipes come from Cherie’s new weight loss book, The Raw Revolution Diet.  Co-written by two highly respected registered dieticians, Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, this un-cookbook keeps both fat and glycemic loads down while still offering potent flavors.  I felt like a butterfly flitting from entrée to entrée, sampling the tastiest treats imaginable.  When our stay ended, I bought some Dill Sauerkraut and Fudge Bites for the road, along with a Taco Salad for the next day.  Holy wow!  That Taco Salad seriously tasted and looked like it had black beans and all the usual vegan fixin’s, but raw.

My birthday feast spread itself across several days of fun travels supported by delicious food.  Big thanks and an enthusiastic hoorah for all they’re doing at Living Light. … And thanks to my wonderful husband for indulging me, and to that curious little author, J.B. Fletcher, for initiating our journey.

Author of “The Lazy Raw Foodist’s Guide,” Laura Bruno is an Intuitive Life Coach and Reiki Master Teacher who specializes in working with artists, writers, natural healers, chefs, and other visionaries who feel called to offer their gifts in dramatic ways:  www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com. 

Laura also wrote the book, If I Only Had a Brain Injury, available through select retailers, including Amazon.