Raw, Raw, Raw by mary elizabeth

Have you ever won anything?  I’m trying to think if I have, and I’m not coming up with anything.  I’d like to say I won the Living Light employee valentine haiku contest last year but I didn’t.  Kate did.  Anyhow, guess what?  Living Light won “Best Culinary Arts Training” in the Best of Raw Awards at the Raw Living Expo last month.  This is really cool because these awards are decided by popular vote (that’s people like you and me), rather than bestowed by some mysterious board somewhere, proving that we really and truly are the best raw culinary school there is.  And we have been for fifteen years now.  That’s something to be proud of.  Cherie gave the keynote address for the weekend which is a great honor and something to be proud of, too.  What an impressive place Living Light is – and how fortunate I feel to be a part of it!

Last Friday was my four-year anniversary of working here, speaking of being a part of it.  That’s a while, for the likes of me.  What’s the difference?  Well – obviously – I’m much more grown up and settled than in the past.  But beyond that, this company has really taken the time to work with me and find a place where I fit and can continue to be an asset and all that good stuff.  And as they even continue to pay me for it; it’s a mutually beneficial relationship.  Congratulations, Living Light, for being voted the best.  And thanks for making me a part of the Living Light family for such a long time!

So Shiny by mary elizabeth

The weather is so nice here in Fort Bragg right now I can’t stand it.  It’s sunny and bright and not windy – just lovely.  It’s been like this for, like, twenty four hours and already I can’t remember what a pain it was to defrost my car window for about a million mornings in a row up until now.  Everything’s beautiful today and that’s all that matters.  Valentine’s Day was lovely, too, by the way – just as I suspected it would be.  We had yummy, heart-themed treats here in the office and my sweet boyfriend took me out to a lovely vegan dinner at the Ravens Restaurant at the Stanford Inn in Mendocino.  It’s funny how sometimes life seems rather dismal and then all of a sudden it seems shiny and full of potential.  I know, I know – it’s me, not life that fluctuates like that.  But still – I’m sure at least some of you can relate to what I mean.  And I’m proud to say that I’m getting better at moving through the dismal times as quickly as possible in hopes of getting to shinier ones.

If you are feeling a little dismal, why don’t you go ahead and make that call to Living Light and sign up for our next Associate Chef and Instructor training today.  We’re extending our deadline for all the super fabulous discounts we offer, so it’s not like it’s too late.  Sometimes, the way to making our days shine is by getting into action.  Procrastination is a sure-fire trick for prolonging the darkness.  At least I know it is for me and so often, taking the necessary step isn’t half so scary as I thought it would be and the next thing I know – all is well.  Try it!  Embrace the light!

Commitment vs. Obsession by mary elizabeth

Have you ever become caught up in a book or television program or anything, really, that consumed you?  And even though you knew it was going to end and you were going to miss it when it did, you just couldn’t stop until it was over or used up?  According to my kindle, I am 46% of the way through the last “game of thrones” book.   And seriously, on so many levels – what a relief!   I mean, I’m enjoying them wholeheartedly and am sure that this last book will leave me hanging on a cliff of excruciating torment and I know I have to wait, like, three years for the next one.  But… I feel like I’m giving a whole lot of my disposable time, which isn’t that much anyway, to this series.  What about trashy TV?  And writing? And art projects?  Not to mention my kids, my boyfriend and Amanda.   Oh well – 54% to go.   Look for a follow up piece on the separation anxiety I’m sure to experience when I’m done.

Sometimes, we have to make a choice to put the rest of our life on hold for a greater purpose.  That’s what Living Light students do.  They come here and spend all day every day for up to nine weeks in class, preparing themselves for new lives as raw food chefs.  It’s overwhelming, and I’m so inspired by all of them.  Their commitment is commendable.  And I know that most of them, at some point, wonder if it’s all worth it or if they’ll even make it through.  But – it is and they do – hundreds of them each year.   As I’ve said before, it’s a labor of love – for themselves and for the planet.  I’m proud of our students and am honored to be a part of their commitment.

Pumpkin Flavored Temptation by mary elizabeth

So – I always say that “the holidays” start at Halloween and go to Valentines Day.  At least as far as tempting foods are concerned.  But that was a bit off. The tempting foods are already here and I am not doing all that well at resisting.  First of all, everything – EVERYTHING – is pumpkin pie flavored right now and I absolutely love pumpkin pie.  And I don’t just mean out in the cold cruel world of cooked things.  We have a version of pumpkin pie right here at Living Light which is beautiful and the crust is one of my top ten favorite things to eat of all time.  So – there’s really no escape.  I’m not one to deny myself a whole lot.  I’m good at cleanses and things like that where I have to be accountable.  But normally – if I want a piece of pumpkin pie, I’m going to eat one.  I just have to be careful to pace myself and readjust to this new holiday frenzy of tempting treats.  Seriously – there’s temptation around every corner and there will be for months!

Our Living Light students are learning to make lots of healthy, happy choices right now.  They are half way through their Associate Chef and Instructor training.  Some really beautiful pictures are coming out of the culinary studio.  Many of these students will be leaving us after next week, but some of them will be with us until Thanksgiving and beyond, learning all about how to create and serve their own fabulous dishes.  I think this is a great time of year to come and study here because it gives you all kinds of support and fresh ideas and tools to get through the tempting months ahead.  How do you get through these holiday months happy but healthy?

New You by kristin

I was in a local shop today and the proprietor asked me how things were going at Living Light. “Busy, Busy” I said, and she said “That’s good – keeps you off the streets.” Never truer than this weekend, which is not only the umpteenth annual Paul Bunyan Days celebration here in Fort Bragg, but is also a weekend where we welcome our new FUNdamentals students arriving today. I peek out of the office and see them filtering in from around the world. Always an interesting, eclectic group of intrepid travelers who seek the key to health through learning how to make gourmet raw vegan food. And the Drs. Dina are in town, teaching the Science of Raw Food Nutrition this weekend. Speaking of our labor day celebrations here, there are quite a few events, including an Old Fashioned Dress Review, an ugly dog contest,  horseshoe tournament, classic car exhibit and gem and mineral show, along with traditional Paul Bunyan style competitions. One of my favorite things is the Library Book Sale – you can get some great bargains there for winter reading! So the excitement is building in town today – what a fun weekend for arriving students – many of whom have saved for years to come here and learn from Living Light. It’s always interesting to watch their progress, or as we say, Living Light students becoming Living Light chefs. It’s quite a metamorphosis!

Make it Happen by kristin

Haven’t been able to get a blog in lately, so today’s the day. Had fun seeing a friend who used to work at Living Light – Kari Bernardi was up for a visit from her hometown, sunny Carmel by the Sea. With a great tan, big blue eyes and a huge smile for everybody – she got a warm welcome from all who knew her as a teacher here. She’s doing lots of work with the farmer’s market and sustainability projects in Carmel-true to form! And Meagan Ricks, our former pastry chef has been in town lately, too. One thing about Living Light is that the family just keeps growing – and we’re always happy to see people when they come back “home” for a visit! Same with our students. Some come for a weekend, a week, three weeks or three months, and they nearly always come back to learn more, to be with incredible teachers and fellow students, and to learn how to create the lives they want to live. We’re definitely the “stuff that dreams are made of.” Why not make your dreams real? We have several upcoming certification programs this fall, including the complete gourmet chef series, our pastry arts certification program and the complete science of raw food nutrition certification series. No matter what your interest, we’ll help you get your feet firmly on the path of your choice. Come to Living Light and “make it happen!”

On the Road Again by mary elizabeth

My daughter’s time at music camp ended Sunday.  After an absolutely wonderful performance, we packed up her stuff and started heading west.  It feels good to be going in a homeward direction.  We stopped at Niagara Falls the next day – the only diversion in a day of driving.  It was powerfully beautiful, much more so than I had anticipated. It was a little more touristy than I’d anticipated as well, but did afford some excellent people watching, including an Amish family who were just as delighted by my daughter’s appearance as we were by theirs.  After that it was just more driving and more gas stations.  If I come back from this trip with nothing else (which is highly unlikely), I will come back appreciating how very big this country is and how full of people.  It is vast and we are many.

But today I’m not driving.  We’re spending two nights with a friend in Chicago.  It’s a beautiful break from driving past miles and miles of wilty corn.  It’s fabulous to be in a city, too, and wonderful to see a familiar face.  Speaking of familiar, the view from our window overlooks a park and then the lake.  When I woke up this morning, there was a farmer’s market in the park – all sorts of organic yummy food right outside the door.  Anyhow – check this out: while were walking around sampling peaches, etc., I ran into a Living Light graduate who spent last summer with us.  What are the odds?  It was weird and comforting at the same time.  I guess in spite of the vastness of the country and the many, many people who live here, we’re never too far from a friendly face. See you soon, Fort Bragg!

Ready to Fly by kristin

Daydreaming about travel and adventure was not enough – I had to take action, and so I booked a flight via British Airways to visit my brother and sister-in-law on the Cote d’Azur this October. Funny, when a dream becomes a reality how your psyche is just ready to catch up and it feels like you are already on the road. Having something wonderful to look forward to makes every day a little brighter. And although traveling isn’t as easy as it was a few years ago (with added security and long lines at the airport) still…it’s like turning a page in your life and finding something completely new there. Travel is one of those experiences that can never be taken away. It will always live in your memory, with sights, sounds, and sensations of a different time and place. I’m excited! For inspiration, I’m reading travel writer Pico Iyer’s new book The Man Within My Head, based on his psychological and spiritual connection with the writer Graham Greene. Now that my brother and his wife live part of the time in Europe, they get a lot of guests (location, location, location), so I’m glad they’ve reserved a place for me again this year. My sister Katey is going in September, and I’m sure my sister Kim and her husband will schedule a trip soon, too. They just bought a place in Mexico, and my son lives in Canada, so our family is becoming more international by the day. Speaking of international, our students come from all over the world to Living Light – and they are happy and proud of the decision they made to start a new adventure – this time as a raw food chef.

Road Food by mary elizabeth

So – I’m all the way across the country now.   My daughter is safe at music camp and Part One of our journey is done. I can’t even really begin to tell you about all the things we’ve seen and done,  but I can tell you how much I miss the food at Living Light.  To be perfectly honest with you,  we aren’t doing too well with the whole raw travel thing.  I know people do it all the time and buy stuff and bring it with them and prepare it and all that, but that requires a pretty high level of organization.   I mean, it’s all I can do to keep ice in our ice chest, which means there isn’t any in there today and there wasn’t any in there yesterday.  Oh well – we’ve been doing our best.  We had salads in Gettysburg day before yesterday.  I’d call them “chopped”.  And we ate at a buffet yesterday – more salad and a stab at tostadas which wasn’t too successful.  I consoled myself with Tres Leches cake and my daughter consoled herself by skipping cake.  Of all the many people, places and things I knew I was going to miss on this trip, I hadn’t actually factored raw food high enough on the list.

I’ll bet there are some of you out there who can’t take the kind of food we have at Living Light for granted like I can.  Maybe you can’t get a green juice everyday or even have access to an all organic salad bar.  If you don’t, one option is to learn to make delicious raw food yourself, of course, and what better place to do that than Living Light?  We can get you started on your way to a whole new way of eating or a whole new career in raw cuisine.  Maybe you could open a raw food restaurant chain along America’s highways.  I wish you would!

Perspectives by mary elizabeth

We just rearranged the Admin. Office here at Living Light.  It looks less cramped, the space is better used and we cleared out some stuff, too.  It’s a nice change of perspective.  It feels better, and best of all we moved Amanda out front with me!  I’m delighted to have her closer.  I’m actually leaving on a five week, cross country vacation this weekend and oh my stars – am I going to miss her!  Other than that (and the fact that we’re not packed at all….) I’m ready to go.  The longest I’ve been away from Fort Bragg since moving here fifteen years ago was seven days.  I’m really ready to leave home behind for a few weeks so I can change my perspective by adding some new ones.  The first part of this year has been all about changing from the inside.  Now I’m going to try some outside influences.  I’ll be blogging from the road, too, hopefully with some interesting perspectives to share.

If you want to get away from home for a month or so, why not come to Fort Bragg and study with us here at Living Light?  We have an Associate Raw Food Chef and Instructor session beginning September 1st.  You could be a certified chef by the 21st.   Or – stay until the 26^th and add a pastry chef certification to that.  What a beautiful way to change your perspective.  Nothing brings things into focus like focusing on a healthy, planet friendly diet.  Try it!  Let’s all change our perspectives this summer!