An early wake up meant for another long day but at least it was to be mellow.  At noon we would head to the suburbs of Dublin to Dun Laoghaire  where I would be giving another food demo at The Heaven and and Earth Day Spa.  This beautiful establishment is a state of the art facility that is as Green as it gets!  An added bonus was the large picture windows looking out to sea.

Although the attendance wasn’t as great as Saturday’s it was a chance to get a bit more personal and dive a little deeper into the lifestyle of raw/living foods.  I was able to show them 3 beautiful dishes and also have plenty of time to help answer and questions or concerns they may be having regarding transitional foods and the how to’s of raw food.

About halfway thru the presentation, the owner joined in and seemed to be quite impressed with my skills.  It might have just been the chocolate dessert that did it but anyways, she invited me back to the spa to discuss possibilities in staying an extra month to help facilitate the opening of her living foods cafe.  This is a great opportunity that I will simply leave up to the universe to decide which is best for me.

Next stop, Sligo…..

Making Chocolate Bark

Well its 9:30pm here in Wicklow and I have finally been able to take a load off.  It has been a long but amazing day today.  This my my first full on workshop for me.  A total of 36 came out to Wicklow from as far away as a 5 hour drive to take part in todays workshop.  From 10:30-4:30 I was able to share some tips and show the Irish some beautiful raw food preparations.  Big thanks to the whole family here for hosting the event, but lots of love to Paul, whom set up a beautiful kitchen in the studio.  Also I must thank Veronica for putting long days to help out with prep for not only my event, but the Healthy Habits Cafe. She is a rockstar!

For some, this was already a lifestyle, but were interested in learning more.  Other are dealing with diabetes and other illnesses and wanted to hear of my experiences at the Tree of Life Center.  Some gals came with their moms, and other with their partners.  I feel confident to say that each person left with a little nugget of info to take with them and share out in the real world.  

Putting together lunch for the crowd

The term may be used often, but many stated the meal was simply “Brilliant”!

I think it is part of my dharma to teach.  The joy and satisfaction I get from spreading the knowledge I have gained over the years is priceless.  What may seem like a basic little tip that I have known for years can suddenly change a persons life.  It is quite beautiful to see.  

Tomorrow I head out to Dublin with Gabrielle, Veronica and Paul.  A lighter prep day and menu will allow me to converse more with the guests.  So far we are up to 25 people.  Lets see if we can manifest a few more!.

Some even wanted autographs??

Cheers!

Well I am just a few days into my Ireland trip and already feeling so much joy.  A long overnight flight had me feeling a bit dull, but a good bight sleep has found me rejuvenated and ready for action.  After taking the bus into Wicklow, I was greeted by Gabrielle.  After a brief tour of town, we made our way to her home where a beautiful meal was waiting for my belly.

Gabrielle belongs to a community of 8 men and women, called, The Servants of Love.  Based in Ireland for over 30 years, the SOL, has been dedicated to bringing healing, balance, spirituality and love out to the world.  They are committed to the Roman Catholic Church and serve in the name of God, day in and day out.  

About 10 years ago, a community members took a liking to the raw food lifestyle.  After healing certain ailments, they quickly shared this lifestyle with the other community members.  They now on and run the Healthy Habits Cafe.  There you can find, organic smoothies, juices, soups, and salads.  

Besides the food, they have a great retail shop that provides books, kitchen equipment, and various tapes and cd’s.  Although they do make a decent income with the cafe, their main purpose is to hold space for the surrounding community.  

Through the years, the SOL community has hosted many great chefs including Chad Sarno.  Chad is one of the top raw chefs in the country and currently travels the world creating raw gourmet restaurant.  So I must say that I feel quite honored to have been asked to teach here in Wicklow.  

Today I have been putting together the final touches on the menu, and changing recipes from American weights and measures, to the UK version.  Cups now get weighed, zucchini now become courgettes, and quarts become liters.  The following is the finalized menu for Saturday and Sundays workshops:

Saturday

Orange-Mint Elixers

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Chunky Pears Topped with Spiced Raisin Puree

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Apple Turnovers with Ginger Currant Chutney

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Corn “Chowda”

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Beet Pesto Over Pumpkin Seed Crackers

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“Crab” Cakes with Romesco Sauce

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Fruit+Spice Bars

Sunday

Green Smoothies

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Asian Stir Fry Over Cauliflower Rice

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Chocolate Pudding w/ Chocolate Wafers

Saturday will be the big event.  The workshop will take place at Healthy Habits from 10:30-4:30pm.  Today we decided to cut anymore additional guests since we have already hit close to 50.  There is room for more, but visibility may become an issue with more and more guests filling the room.  50 people will certainly become my largest crowd so far, so I am sure to become a bit nervous, once all those guests arrive.  Sunday will be a bit more mellow.  We will head up to Dublin to host a class for about 15-20 in a small cafe.  I really look forward to meeting the Irish and hopefully inspire them to make healthy choices in their food consumption.

Today I was able to get out of town and visit the one of the national parks of Ireland.  Glendalough park has 2 beautiful lakes, which make up the meaning of the name.  The trail takes you about 650 meters to the summit where 360 views offer a breath taking view of the surrounding area.  Fromt eh top you can hear stag deer off in the distance making its calls to the the does.  Rut season, means happy and horny deer!!  

Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to hit up the loop trail.  At roughly 9km I knew I could run it pretty quickly but I didn’t want to keep my ride waiting too long.  So I choose to reach the top of the view point then meander my way back down via a dirt road.  

The one thing that really stuck out to me was the air.  Slightly cool, the air felt so fresh and pure.  Its like I could taste the oxygen entering my cells.  I really felt alive!  If only I had more time, I would have continued my trek though the mountains.

Tomorrow brings a day of preparation and focus.  I really need to get things dialed in for Saturday and make sure I have all the proper tools and ingredients to create the Best Workshop Ever!!

Ahhhhh…..the half marathon. A whole other beast in the racing world. Despite 2 1/2 years of running, a few ultras here and there and a marathon to boot, I guess it was time to take on the half. Yesterday was my first day back on the trails in close to 2 weeks and I don’t think I have done any roads over 10 miles in a year or more. With that I was excited to push myself.

The morning was far short from dull, since Iggy met at a different meeting point then she had originally posted on the BS. I found my was to exit 57, which she posted. Glen meandered off to exit 59, not to sure why, and Iggy patiently waited at exit 58. After a few phone calls, the crew of Donni, Suresh, Glen, and I piled up in Iggy’s car and made our way up to the race.

Pre race was your typical day on the roads. Runners stretched, tightened laces and tried hard to figure out how to use the new plastic strip disposable chip timer. After a little instruction we were all ready to roll.

At the start was many BS runners including:
Mayor, Iggy, Suresh, Steve(flash), Sarah V, Donni, Glen, Quiet Man, John Steele, Downhill, and Ultra. Did forget anybody???? Ultra really doesn’t count cause he pirated the race. Maybe he was smarted than us, but we won’t get into that.

The race started and all runners quickly tried to make their way into the thin tunnel that lead out of the parking lot. With a 10am start, the sun would warm things up a bit, but decent amount of shade and water were found throughout the course. 2 laps would make up the course that wound its way through the park roads, along some beach and into a small residential area.

Like always I hit the start quicker than I needed to but was able to get myself into a smooth comfortable pace. It was nice to see the other runners along the course and lots of fans cheered me on. On a sour note, I was hit in the chest by a group of bandit children with pellet guns. At first I was ready to go smash the gun over the stone wall but thought things over and realized it was best to keep going.

I came into the half way mark at around 50 minutes. A knot in my hamstring kept me from picking up the pace, so I tried to just ride out the course and enjoy the moment. Suresh would tell me he tried to quit 5 times, but after some beating from other runners, he kept moving forward.

I found my way past the finish line at 1:39:15ish
QM followed, J Steele, and not too sure how the rest finished because I was busy getting a massage from a cute red head. Life is good!!

After downing a few bananas we headed over to Iggy’s car to celebrate the 29th birthday of Donni. The Mimosas flowed like the mighty Branford River and we gave thanks to a beautiful day on the race course. Of course I had to pick out a beautiful vixen to join us for a drink. Turns out she live in Hawaii for a few years, so I was trying to get her to join me. Her super 1:35 finish was a bit of a disappointment to her, but I think the BS crew was quite impressed. Suresh really enjoyed her unique piercing on the bridge of her nose and she even took it out for him!

After downing about 10 bottles of champagne, we once again loaded up Iggy’s car and headed home. All in all, great day with great friends! I love this life!

Pictures and official race results to follow!

With lack of sleep over the last week and a horrible plane ride home, I have ended up a bit under the weather.  Besides decreasing my overall food intake and resting a bit more than normal, I have been enjoying a wonderful warming tea.  

Sniffle Tea-

Make Nettle Tea

1T nettle leaf per cup of water.  Bring water to a boil, turn off heat and add nettles.  Allow to infuse for 10-15 minutes.

Strain Tea and add

1 drop peppermint essential oil per cup of water

2t fresh grated ginger

honey or sweetener of choice, to taste

Sip and enjoy.  

I can’t say it is an instant cure for the cold, but the peppermint gives a fresh feeling when inhaled and the warming of the ginger treats the body well on a cool fall day in New England!!

I am pleased to announce that my recipe book entitled Raw For All is now available for purchase.  Raw For All is a collection of close to 100 recipes that I have been developing over the last 3 years.  inside, you will find a variety of raw vegan recipes.  Some more detailed then others, but it is my goal to make the recipes and ingredients accessible to everybody.  

Raw For ALl is selling for $20 dollars plus shipping.  If you are interested in a copy,please contact me at franksfinest@gmail.com

Blessings

The sophomore record from Echo Park’s, The Broken West, is in stores now!!  Check it out!!

For details, click here

The Broken West just hit the road on a national tour and are scheduled to play in New Haven this coming Tuesday at Cafe 9.  

Back in Connecticut…

Although physically,  I am far removed from the light of Sedona, spiritually, I remained completely tuned in to the lessons learned over the last 10 days in Arizona.  The Raw Spirit festival proved to be more than just a celebration of a way of eating.  For 3 days, strangers from all over the world gathered to become family and spread light upon each other in a way I very seldom get to witness.

I made a point to not spend as much time in the kitchen this year. With that being said, I found it hard to get out of the kitchen. There is so much joy that comes with preparing food in a conscious and loving way.  Chef’s Bruce, Melissa, and Cosmo did a great job of streamlining the menu to make for a smooth service to upwards of 3000 people.  This was my 2nd year now working with these 3 chef’s and I once again learned so much while in their presence.  Bruce, Melissa, and Cosmo have all shared in ex chef duties at Eden Hot springs.  I am so blessed to have been asked to join Melissa at this years Rocktober’s HallowEden Retreat at the Eden Hot Springs in Arizona.  Check out the events page for more details.

Sunday brought an opportunity to do a food demo at the festival. I find that I am best on stage and sharing my experiences with food.  Despite the fact that I was 2000 miles away,  I really wanted to focus on foods available in my garden.  So with that in mind, I decided to create Watermelon Gazpacho. I would prepare the dish without the use of any electrical devises and wanted to share that food is best fresh and local.  

Recipe:

1 watermelon

1 cucumber

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 bell pepper

1 peach

1 nectarine

Remove rind from water melon.  Chunk up half and place in a bowl.  With your hands, mash the melon until it becomes extremely watery.  You can also use a Blender for this step but enjoy the use of my hands for this step.

-Dice remaining ingredients and place into bowl with melon “water”

 Optional additions

-1 ripe jalepeno, chopped

-fresh chopped basil, mint, or cilantro

-fresh squeezed orange juice

Pour gazpacho over shredded romaine leaves and enjoy.

So where do I go from here?  With a few events taking place in Hawaii this winter, I came to realize that my winter will be a warm one in the land of the Noni fruit! In early December I will drive back out west, leave my car in AZ, and drive out to the Big Island of Hawaii.  

It is hard for me to sum up the last 10 days in Arizona.  From the full moon shining light overhead, to the connection of so many brothers and sisters, I feel I have become so much more aware and in tune with life.  This weekend really allowed me to follow my heart and to follow my dharma.  

Thank you to all the people I connected with this weekend.  Thank you happy for your vision of the Raw Spirit Festival, and thank you to all the light activators!

Blessings

I awoke this morning, outside and deep in Oak Creek Canyon.  My achy body instantly took over my emotions.  

“What am I doing to my body?”  I have been asking myself this question for a few weeks now.  I am in complete imbalance with myself.  Reaching down towards the earth finds my hamstrings in agony.  A gentle run sends my calves into a panic.  Low back pains, etc…

This feeling to run and run, without taking care of my body has been taking its toll on me.  I can add that it may be an accumulation of emotional stuff that has been coming up lately, but whatever it is, I need a change.  I have to start taking care of this body full on and until I do, I need to put my running aside.  This is tough to think about.  I love to run and be exposed to the environment and being out in nature.  But I need to balance things out.

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”

-Thomas Merton

I begin with a quote from Desert Solitaire, 
“How difficult to imagine this place without a human presence; how necessary. I am almost prepared to believe that this sweet virginal primitive land will be grateful for my departure and the absence of the tourists, will breathe metaphorically a collective sigh of relief—like a whisper of wind—when we are all and finally gone and the place and its creations can return to their ancient procedures unobserved and undisturbed by the busy, anxious, brooding consciousness of man………Grateful for our departure? One more expression of human vanity. The finest quality of this stone, these plants and animals, this desert landscape is the indifference manifest to our presence, our absence, our coming, our staying or our going. Whether we live or die is a matter of absolutely no concern whatsoever to the desert.”

Edward Abbey’s love for the harsh climates of the desert seep thru my veins as I turn the pages of Desert Solitaire.  For the last 6 months, I have been far removed from the southwest.  On Friday I arrived back to a place that is so dear to me.  Unsure how my reconnection with the desert would fair, I simply opened my arms and took what it had to offer.  

I have spent the last three days down in Patagonia.  I was very happy to visit old friends and make new ones along the way.  The Tree of Life is special in that way.  The community is so loving and caring.  A few hours spent with a stranger and you feel like you have been friends forever.  

Once again, I enjoyed tightening up the laces and hitting the trail.  My adjustment to the extreme heat took time, but just to be out in the desert was good enough.  

Today I am in Tucson, an amazing city.  The surrounding mountains embrace thee city and offer solitude to those who seek it.  The city bustles and grows daily, but the surrounding forces of nature offer little to no comfort to us humans.  The desert makes us wary.  It teaches me to be prepared.  Water crossings are seldom, and shade is simply a theory.  Once amongst the cacti, we must learn to adapt to the environment, or be willing to deal with the consequences.  

This morning I ventured up to Sentential Park.  A tight, achy calf muscle slowed my run into a walk, but thee enjoyment of being out here pleased me.  An ocassional stop to nibble on a prickly pear fruit slowed the pace but offered refreshment in the heat of the day.  

In a few hours Ashley and I will continue north up to Sedona.  There we will not find an abundance of cactus but will be greeted with the glow and energized red rocks!!

Blessings