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Hands-On Cooking Classes with Sara Polczynski

Sara offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 4pm.

Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up

 

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

 

Sara Polczynski is the owner/Culinary Artisan for Seasoned Plates, a full service Catering company in San Diego specializing in bringing bold flavors, bright colors, local freshness and a custom culinary experience to each and every client. Sara has been a part of the San Diego culinary scene for over 25 years. Her story has many chapters. In the mid 90’s, as a Chef graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Sara left to train at the renowned Manele Bay Hotel in Lanai, HI and The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO. Upon her return to her native San Diego, Sara was hired as the Corporate Pastry Chef for the Cohn Restaurant Group, running the pastry department for multiple restaurant concepts.

Sara’s love for teaching on the job led to a part time career of teaching in the classroom. A culinary educator since 1999, Sara currently holds the position of Associate Professor for the Baking and Culinary Arts programs for San Diego Community College – Continuing Education. It is the largest vocational training program of it’s kind in the US.

Over the years Sara’s love for cooking began to expand along with her love of travel. Inspired by the family food stories of her Mexican kitchen colleagues and the early teachings of Rick Bayless on his PBS television series, an opportunity arose that changed her career path and life forever and helped shape the style and flavor profile of her cuisine. It was the beginning of an annual journey to travel and learn about regional Mexican cuisine, art and culture with influential chef mentors including Rick Bayless, Ricardo Munoz and Susana Trilling. Always trying to be connected to the rich culture and foods of Mexico has afforded her the opportunity to teach hands on cooking classes at the world renowned Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, MX, utilizing fresh produce grown on their on-site organic farm.

www.seasonedplates.com

Hands-On Cooking Classes with Kim O´Donnel

Kim offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 4pm.

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

 

For more than a decade, Seattle-based journalist and chef Kim O’Donnel has dispensed culinary advice and covered food policy at numerous publications, including the Washington Post, Civil Eats, Culinate, Mother Earth News and USA Today.  She is the author of two cookbooks, most recently “The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations,” which was among the Washington Post’s Top Cookbooks of 2012. Her work is featured in the anthology “Best Food Writing 2013.” A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, Kim sits on the James Beard Journalism Awards committee.

On the web: kimodonnel.com

“If anybody can persuade Americans to eat more tempeh, it’s Kim O’Donnel.” — The Washington Post

Hands-On Cooking Classes with Katie Morford

Katie offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 4pm.

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

 

 

Katie Sullivan Morford is a food writer and registered dietitian with more than two decades of experience  sharing her passion for food and nutrition through writing, teaching, and recipes. She is the author of three cookbooks: PREP, Rise & Shine, and Best Lunch Box Ever. Katie has written and developed recipes for dozens of magazines, including Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Oprah, Parents, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She is the voice behind the blog Mom’s Kitchen Handbook, which features recipes and free meal plans. You can also find her on Instagram sharing cooking videos and nutrition tips. Over the years Katie has taught cooking and nutrition in a variety of settings, but her biggest accomplishment might be inspiring her own three children to cook and eat well. Katie has an undergraduate degree in English literature and holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband.

Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD
Food & Nutrition Writer

Author of PREP, Rise & Shine, and Best Lunch Box Ever

www.katiemorford.com

IG @katiesmorford

 

Hands-On Cooking Classes with Annie Fenn

Annie Fenn offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday at 4pm.

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

 

Annie Fenn, MD, is a physician, chef, and leading voice in the Alzheimer’s prevention movement. As a Board-Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Menopausal Health Expert, she has helped her patients age gracefully for decades. Dr. Fenn switched gears in 2010 to practice medicine from a different angle—as a chef and culinary instructor. She attended culinary school in Italy, Mexico, and at the Culinary Institute of America. In 2015, she launched Brain Health Kitchen, the only cooking school of its kind to focus exclusively on preventing Alzheimer’s and dementia. Dr. Fenn teaches the Brain Health Kitchen method of cooking throughout the U.S. and abroad. To date, more than one thousand participants have enrolled in the hands-on cooking school. Her book, The  Brain Health Kitchen, is available through Amazon.

 

Hands-On Cooking Classes with Joe Yonan

Joe offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 4pm.

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM Sign Up
Each class $125+tax. Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

 

Joe Yonan is the James Beard award-winning Food and Dining editor of The Washington Post and author of the bestselling cookbook “Cool Beans: The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Most Versatile Plant-Based Protein” (Ten Speed Press, 2020). He was the editor of “America The Great Cookbook” (Weldon Owen, 2017) and has written two other cookbooks for Ten Speed: “Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single Cook” (2013) and “Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One” (2011).

Check out my new book! “Cool Beans: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking With the World’s Most Versatile Plant-Based Protein” is out NOW from Ten Speed Press.

Find me on social media! Read more on my website!
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Twitter
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Managing Your Weight by Utilizing Joy, Awareness, Self-Compassion and Self-Care

Meeting Your Weight Goals One Joyful Bite at a Time
Joyful eating rather than restrictive dieting is the key to long-term weight management. Come to this experiential workshop (Ideally, come hungry and bring your lunch) to learn and practice how to maximize your pleasure from each bite of food. You will begin to understand how “portion control” can come from inside of you so that you can reduce calories without reducing satisfaction. You’ll also get to practice a powerful tool for self-awareness of hunger and fullness that will help you navigate eating at The Ranch as well as back home in your life.

The Hunger Imposters and How to Manage them
We all have many urges to eat that are not true body hunger. In this skill-building workshop you will learn to detect common hunger imposters– including mouth hunger, eye hunger, habit hunger, social hunger, and avoidance hunger– and learn strategies for how to handle each type. You will have the opportunity to bring up your personal challenges and leave with practical strategies.

Using Wise-Mind and Self -Compassion to Achieve Long Term Weight Goals (and other goals!)
It is possible to be 100% committed to achieving a goal, yet still be kind to yourself when you “mess up.” In this workshop, you will learn how to get yourself into a wise state of mind to maximize your effectiveness in weight management and other goals. You’ll learn how to combine committed action with self-compassion and to manage all-or-nothing thinking. You’ll get to practice generating self-compassion using three research-based steps that you’ll be able to use during your time at the Ranch and when you return home.

Sneaky Saboteurs of Your Weight-Loss Efforts and How to Fight Back
Weight management is not all about what you eat. In this workshop you will learn how Stress, Insufficient Sleep and Aging may be sabotaging your weight-loss efforts and health. You’ll learn and get to practice simple but effective strategies to reduce the harmful effects of each of these.

 

Dr. Debra Gill is a clinical psychologist (PhD from UCLA) who has coached clients for nearly 30 years in long-term weight management. Debra utilizes a non-diet approach that combines mindfulness, self-care, joy, and self-compassion. She has been featured on television and regularly presents to professional groups and to the public. Dr. Gill runs a psychotherapy practice in addition to her weight-coaching business and her expertise in behavioral treatment for eating disorders is sought by fellow healthcare professionals. Debra lives in Southern Florida where she gets to enjoy water-aerobics, running on the beach, and playing pickleball.

Learn more about Dr. Debra Gill through her website: www.debragill.com.

Leading Your Life with Intention

Design Your Leadership Path
Based on her book Six Paths to Leadership (Palgrave Macmillan 2021), Meredith will help you explore what’s next on your leadership path. For individuals who hold leadership positions or are looking to advance in their careers, this workshop outlines the six possible paths into leadership positions to help you identify which one(s) might be best for you!

Goal Setting – How to bring Greater Intention to your Personal and Professional Life
In this workshop, Meredith will walk you through a goal-setting process to help you to identify the goals that will be both meaningful and achievable on your path to greater fulfillment. Whether you are early in your career, thinking about life post-retirement, or adjusting to a new family dynamic, you can live your life with greater intention by regularly engaging in a robust goal-setting process.

Strategic Delegation – How to Effectively Ask for Help!
Many of us feel overextended, exhausted, and overwhelmed. Yet we aren’t using a critical tool in our toolkit: delegation! Whether it’s delegating to co-workers, team members, family, or friends, we need to change our mindset about “asking for help”. In this workshop, you will take a short quiz to uncover your own resistance to delegating. We will then focus on new mindsets, tools, and behaviors around delegation.

What’s Getting in Your Way?
Based on Kegan and Lahey’s Immunity to Change Model, this workshop will help you to identify the competing commitments that might be standing in your way as you pursue your goals. We will explore underlying values, possible mindset barriers, as well as experiments you can try.

 

Meredith Persily Lamel, MBA, PCC is an executive coach, leadership professor, and co-author of Six Paths to Leadership (Palgrave Macmillan 2021). She has delivered leadership programs in 17 countries across five continents and in 38 states and the District of Columbia. Meredith also serves on the faculty American University’s Key Leadership Programs and has facilitated over 100 retreats for US Senate and Congressional offices.  She graduated with an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA with honors from Brown University. She earned a Certificate in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University and is credentialed as a Professional Certified Coach (P.C.C.) by the International Coach Federation.

Concerts by Cahill & Delene

“Love Songs for our World”

Barry Cahill and Delene St. Clair are a husband & wife, singer-songwriter, vocal-instrumental team from the San Diego, CA area. For the last 35 years, they have been inspiring audiences in the U.S., Costa Rica, Bhutan, Ireland, and England.

As songwriters, one of their songs “Time to Go Home”, from their album “Songs for Humanity”, is aired on CBS. Two of their other songs won awards in the UNISONG International Song Contest, and the International Songwriting Competition. They are members of the Positive Music Association and their music can be heard in regular rotation on many internet stations.

As performers, they have a heart to heart connection and synergistic energy onstage with each other and their audiences. Delene’s guitar stylings, and Cahill’s soulful sax and flute solos, coupled with their perfect vocal blend, provide a sonic beauty that moves, grooves, and inspires the listener. Besides their original music, Cahill & Delene perform jazz and folk-rock covers from the 60’s-80’s, so be ready to sing and clap along!

Listen to their original music:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5lT3qWOQG3MM0KUcVJXgHT
Learn more about Cahill & Delene
www.HotPursuitMusic.com

The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples

The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples: tips on how to keep your relationship at peak performance

Sexuality and Health- and live longer and better!
Sex not only feels good, but research also indicates it may actually make you mentally and physically healthier. This talk explores why we may be inhibited and offers some suggestions about how to have a more confident and pleasurable sexual self.

Behind the scenes of Reality TV: What Married at First Sight has taught me about love and marriage

 

Pepper Schwartz, PhD, is a renowned social psychologist and television personality. Well known for her 26 books on relationships, sexuality and family issues, she is also one of the three experts on the extremely popular Lifetime television show Married at First Sight, now in its 17th season. Two of her books, American Couples: Money, Work and Sex and The Normal Bar: The surprising secrets of happily married couples have been on the New York Times Best Seller lists. Among her many accomplishments she received awards from the American Sociological Association for Public Understanding of Sociology and was elected President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexualities. There is the Pepper Schwartz Professorship on sexuality and aging in the medical school of the University of Minnesota and the Pepper Schwartz Graduate Fellowship on Sexuality and Intimate Relationships at the University of Washington where she has been a professor since 1972. While she has published many academic articles and books, she is also known for writing well researched books and articles for popular consumption. She has also reached out to the public over the years as a columnist for Glamour and as the AARP Ambassador of love, sex, and relationships.  Besides her tv appearances, she conducts workshops on marriage, intimate relationships and sexuality and writes a column for Seattle magazine. Her newest book, Relationship Rx was published February 13 with co-author Psychologist Dr. Jessica Griffin, who heads the Trauma Institute at the medical school at the University of Massachusetts in Wooster, Mass. Pepper, a long-time contributor at the Ranch, is married and has two children, and four grandchildren. Pepper also has a four-legged family- three dogs and two horses and lives on a horse ranch in Snoqualmie, Washington.

www.pepperschwartz.com
Instagram @dr_pepper_schwartz
Twitter @DrPepperSchwrtz
Cameo @pepper_schwartz

Concert with Nicholas McGegan, Martha Aarons, and Lev Polyakin

Nic McGegan, renowned as a specialist in music of the baroque and classical eras, will be joined by violinist Lev Polyakin and flutist Martha Aarons for an evening featuring music by Bach (J.S. and C.P.E.), Handel, Vivaldi and more. Nic will regale us with his always sparkling repartee about the composers, styles and customs of the period.

 

Nicholas McGegan, British born conductor and performer, is now in his sixth decade on the podium. For 34 years he was Music Director of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in the Bay Area, as well as Principal Guest Conductor of the Pasadena Symphony, Artistic Director of the Göttingen International Handel Festival (1991-2011), Music Director of the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and in the 1990’s, Principal Guest conductor of Scottish Opera and the Drottningholm Court Theatre in Sweden. He has recorded over a hundred CDs specializing in music of the Baroque and Classical periods. He has directed orchestras all over the world and at such opera houses as Covent Garden. In addition to performing, he lectures regularly at the Juilliard School of Music and Yale. He has been a visiting scholar at Harvard.  In 2010 he was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for ‘services to music abroad’ 

Martha Aarons’ professional career began with her appointment as principal flute of the North Carolina Symphony. Subsequently she played with the Cleveland Orchestra for 25 years.  After becoming a freelancer she performed often with the Philadelphia Orchestra. During this time she appeared as guest principal flute with the Metropolitan Opera, Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Mostly Mozart Festival. Ms. Aarons served as Artist Faculty with the Aspen Music Festival for 19 years. Her teaching credits include the Cleveland Institute of Music, Duke University, University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill, Oberlin College, Skidmore College, Shanghai Conservatory and Eastman School of Music. She has been soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, and with the Aspen Festival Chamber and Festival orchestras. Her first solo CD, The History of the Tango, is recorded on the Azica label and additionally features pianist Frances Renzi and Grammy-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux.  Her newest release is the CD Last Silence with violinist Lev Polyakin and pianist Frances Renzi.  Martha is also an avid runner and has qualified for her third consecutive Boston Marathon in April 2023.  Congratulations!

Lev Polyakin was appointed co-concertmaster of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra at age 21. In that position he was regularly featured as soloist. In the U.S. he served as assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as concertmaster of the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen Music Festival. Lev has won several prizes in international violin competitions, including the Beethoven Prize in Carl Flesch in London, and Gold Medal and Special Prize in Brescia, Italy. In addition to solo performances with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, he has appeared as soloist with the London Mozart Players, Royal Philharmonic, and Cleveland Orchestra. Recording credits include Melodia, BBC, National Public Radio, and Decca. He is prominently featured on an album entitled Cafe Music comprising chamber music by Paul Schoenfield, which was nominated for a Grammy.  Lev has a special interest in jazz and has recorded three CDs, entitled Russian Blue, The Other Side of the Road, and Christmas Kaleidoscope.  He is also featured in the recent release by Azica Records entitled Last Silence, with flutist Martha Aarons and pianist Frances Renzi.

Nutrition Topics

Weight Loss Rumors: What Matters, What Doesn’t
Go with Your Gut: What to Know About the Microbiome and Probiotics

 

Caitlin Dow, PhD, is a nutrition scientist and science writer at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer food and health watchdog group based in Washington, DC. Caitlin received her doctorate in nutrition sciences from the University of Arizona and completed her postdoctoral training in vascular biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Caitlin writes for Nutrition Action, CSPI’s flagship publication. Her goal is to find the answers to complex questions about how what we eat affects our health. Her articles span topics ranging from weight loss and gut health to wellness and food marketing tricks to environmental sustainability. Caitlin dives deep into the scientific literature to separate the facts from the noise. The result? Clear advice on what you should do (and what you shouldn’t bother with) based on her thorough evaluation of the best available evidence.

Art as Mindfulness

Lecture: Painting the Ranch – Playing with Color – Sunday 4pm Library Lounge
Linda Hugues paints sun-drenched landscapes showing travel destinations and places she loves. When first visiting The Ranch, she was taken by the beautiful setting and surrounding mountains. She fell in love and wanted to capture The Ranch experience in her art and to share that experience with other guests. Her paintings of The Ranch and her other work can be seen at LindaHugues.com In her lecture, Painting the Ranch – Playing with Color, Linda discusses principles of color and design that help us to appreciate and create art. She shows how artists use combinations of vibrant and subtle colors to create powerful artwork, showing examples from her own work as well as that of historical and contemporary masters. Guests will practice their new skills with color pencil exercises.

Art Class: Painting the Ranch – Acrylics for Beginners. Paint a simple, colorful scene of the Ranch (Sign up required)
Monday & Tuesday 9am Art Studio and Wednesday & Thursday 2pm Art Studio
Linda is teaching four two-hour classes on painting in acrylic. Students will play with color and design while painting a beautiful memento of their trip. Other topics will include how to handle brushes, mix colors, apply paint, and build a painting from block-in to final details. If you’ve ever wanted to try painting, or want to get back into it, this class is perfect! NO DRAWING IS REQUIRED! The four classes are stand-alone; each day students will paint a different scene. Guests sign up in the lounge for their choice of design. Class is limited to 10 students.

 

 

Linda Hugues paints vivid cityscapes and tranquil scenes of beauty and relaxation. Her sun-drenched landscapes tell stories of human connection and contentment depicted in loose brushstrokes of oil or acrylic paint. In her quest for personal fulfillment–through two previous careers–Linda learned to use mindfulness and intuition to make her artistic creation process both enjoyable and productive. This approach, combined with her natural analytical nature, allows her to teach painting and composition in simple steps and concepts. Her students experience a peaceful creation process and rewarding results. Visit her website at www.LindaHugues.com.

Bach Suites and A Sheroe’s Journey – Solo Cello

Bach Suites: Celebrating 300 years since they were written! Bach Suites #1, 2, and 4 for Solo Cello

A Sheroe’s Journey: Inspired by Joseph Campbell’s writing, this concert will explore epic storytelling and emotions through the sounds of the cello.

 

Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir is an Icelandic-American cellist who has appeared as a soloist with the BBC Symphony, LA Philharmonic, Toronto, Seattle, and Iceland Symphonies. Her recitals and chamber music performances have taken her to some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, Elbphilharmonie and the Barbican Center in London. A graduate of Juilliard, Sæunn is the creator of Cello Sound Alchemy and teaches at the University of Washington in Seattle, as well as at masterclasses and workshops around the globe. Her performances have garnered numerous prizes in international competitions, including the Naumburg Competition in New York and the Antonio Janigro Competition in Zagreb. The NY Times described her work as “charismatic” and “riveting”, and the LA Times praised her performances for their “emotional intensity”.  She recently released an album of Icelandic music for solo cello, “Vernacular”, and her recording of the cello concerto “Quake” by Páll Ragnar Pálsson with the Iceland Symphony was nominated for a 2020 Grammy award. Her recording of the Six Bach Suites was released on the Sono Luminus label.

www.saeunn.com

 

Music for Solo Cello

Concert: J.S. Bach Suites
Suites #1, #3, #5

Contemporary Pieces by Women Composers for Solo Cello
Portrait by Jane Antonia Cornish
The Whale Song by Michelle Ross
Vetur by Melia Watras
48 Images of the Moon by Þuríður Jónsdóttir

Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir is an Icelandic-American cellist who has appeared as a soloist with the BBC Symphony, LA Philharmonic, Toronto, Seattle, and Iceland Symphonies. Her recitals and chamber music performances have taken her to some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, Elbphilharmonie and the Barbican Center in London. A graduate of Juilliard, Sæunn is the creator of Cello Sound Alchemy and teaches at the University of Washington in Seattle, as well as at masterclasses and workshops around the globe. Her performances have garnered numerous prizes in international competitions, including the Naumburg Competition in New York and the Antonio Janigro Competition in Zagreb. The NY Times described her work as “charismatic” and “riveting”, and the LA Times praised her performances for their “emotional intensity”. She recently released an album of Icelandic music for solo cello, “Vernacular”, and her recording of the cello concerto “Quake” by Páll Ragnar Pálsson with the Iceland Symphony was nominated for a 2020 Grammy award. Her recording of the Six Bach Suites is scheduled for release in early 2023 on the Sono Luminus label.

Dance with Anna Matuszewski 

Anna Matuszewski has been the resident choreographer and lead dancer for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis for the past 10 years. She has choreographed several world tours as well as national and international tv appearances, music videos and commercials. Anna began her dance career after her competitive figure skating journey ended due to knee surgery. Anna’s choreography work extends from the sacred space of joy, fun, acceptance and community. When not touring or performing Anna also teaches competitive figure skating and indoor cycling. Developing a relationship to her personal movement, music and self expression has fueled the creativity that Anna has been able to offer the stage and her students.

Remembering Our True Nature

Playfully discover nature’s wisdom to infuse vitality and joy into daily life.

Evening Session:  Remembering Our True Nature
When we look deeply into how we are part of nature, we discover practical wisdom for leading our lives in alignment with our deepest desires and values. Gather around a “conversational campfire” to share stories and nature-based practices that cultivate, balanced living.

Session #1: Thriving Naturally
In the way that nature creates beauty, resilience, and connection in messy imperfection, we can learn her lessons. In this experiential conversation, tap into your natural power centers to create the extraordinary in the ordinary of life.

Session #2: Partnering Powerfully
Relating effectively requires navigating complex social dynamics without losing our sense of self. Nature’s cooperative models provide hidden secrets for great ROE (return on energy). Join this reflective experience to map a pathway to peace, connection and fulfillment in your relationships that matter most.

Session #3: Living Legacy
Turn your visions, hopes and dreams into “forces of nature.” Create your life as living legacy.  In this experiential conversation apply nature’s practical templates to create a life of meaning and joy, for today and as life itself evolves.

 

After 25 years of rich business experience, MaryCay Durrant, a once serious-suit executive, reinvigorated her life.  She now guides vision keepers and seekers to new ways of living and working that mirror nature’s vitality, cooperative paradigms, and beauty. She helps people cultivate inspired, enriching relationships and futures.

A Path for Personalized Wellness

This program will explore an integrative medicine approach to health with a holistic view of mind, body and spirit. Wellness is not a one size fits all pathway. We each have our own unique ways of striving for wellness. Join us as Dr. Finley translates the science into easy-to-understand steps that you can incorporate into your own wellness journey. The highlights of the program include an overview of wellness, lifestyle approaches, sleep and spirituality.

What Does Wellness Mean to You?
A holistic approach to wellness includes mind, body and spirit. We’ll discuss the multiple components of wellness as well as the research supporting this integrative approach including the often-overlooked elements of fun and joy. Learn how you can incorporate unique strategies for wellness into your everyday life.

What’s Spirituality Got to Do with It?
Did you know that people with a higher sense of spirituality live longer? Spirituality in wellness embraces a sense of purpose as well as a connection to self and others. This is important at all stages of life. Find out about the research behind the significance of spirituality in wellness and discover ways you can augment your own sense of spirituality.

Lifestyle Approaches to Reducing Chronic Medical Conditions
The Mediterranean diet can lower the risk of chronic diseases. We’ll explore tips about not only nutrition but also about lifestyle approaches. Discover how the Mediterranean lifestyle improves health and how you can include this into your daily habits.

Pillow Talk:  A Sleep Conversation
You may know that sleep impacts wellness. Do you know why sleep is important? It’s not just the amount of sleep but it’s the quality of sleep too. What can you do to get better sleep? We’ll take a deep dive into sleep for everyone and also for specific groups like women. Come hear strategies about ways to improve sleep.

 

Nicola Finley, MD, is a clinician and an innovative educator in integrative medicine with over 20 years of experience working with clients of a luxury wellness resort environment, as well as underserved communities in Arizona. She is an international speaker known for her evidence-based, engaging seminars. Dr. Finley is a board-certified internal medicine physician, fellowship trained in integrative medicine, and an adjunct faculty member at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. Currently, she runs a boutique consulting business which focuses on a holistic view of wellness – mind, body and spirit.  www.nicolafinleymd.com

 

Retain/Re-Claim a Clear, Creative, Vibrant Mind

Retain / Reclaim a Clear Creative Mind: Cognitive Health Map
The body and mind are two sides of a coin. Identify the constellation of issues that diminish a mind that has the potential to sparkle. Discern the signs that will urge you to take big strides of action.

A Body and Mind Unburdened and The Activity of Sleep
Unburden the body and mind: The vital role of drainage and detoxification for a sparkling mind. Sleep is the “Good Medicine”. Re-establish a body/mind that nourishes your clarity and vitality.

Energy and Mental Clarity: They Have Their Roots in Food
Foods and nutrients are powerful tools to strengthen the body and clarify the mind.

The Gut-Brain Connection & Bio-Compatible Living
The “gut ecology” has profound impact on brain health, depression and mental coherence.

Just Move! The Why of Body & Brain Training

 

Leni Felton is a Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist in the San Francisco Bay Area. She specializes in individualized programs to reclaim physical and cognitive health. She is trained in the Bredesen Protocol for reversing cognitive decline. Leni has a private clientele and collaborates with doctors in an integrative approach. For six years Leni worked with Richard Gracer, MD at the Gracer Medical Group, San Ramon, an early Orthomolecular Doctor. She has designed and developed spa-friendly cleansing programs for her specialty of drainage and detoxification. A core principle of her work, for 20 years: the body and mind are inextricably linked. Any dysfunction requires an unraveling in both arenas.www.thewayofhealth.com

Retain/Re-Claim a Clear, Creative, Vibrant Mind

Retain / Reclaim a Clear Creative Mind: Cognitive Health Map
The body and mind are two sides of a coin. Identify the constellation of issues that diminish a mind that has the potential to sparkle. Discern the signs that will urge you to take big strides of action.

A Body and Mind Unburdened and The Activity of Sleep
Unburden the body and mind: The vital role of drainage and detoxification for a sparkling mind. Sleep is the “Good Medicine”. Re-establish a body/mind that nourishes your clarity and vitality.

Energy and Mental Clarity: They Have Their Roots in Food
Foods and nutrients are powerful tools to strengthen the body and clarify the mind.

The Gut-Brain Connection & Bio-Compatible Living
The “gut ecology” has profound impact on brain health, depression and mental coherence.

Just Move! The Why of Body & Brain Training

 

Leni Felton is a Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist in the San Francisco Bay Area. She specializes in individualized programs to reclaim physical and cognitive health. She is trained in the Bredesen Protocol for reversing cognitive decline. Leni has a private clientele and collaborates with doctors in an integrative approach. For six years Leni worked with Richard Gracer, MD at the Gracer Medical Group, San Ramon, an early Orthomolecular Doctor. She has designed and developed spa-friendly cleansing programs for her specialty of drainage and detoxification. A core principle of her work, for 20 years: the body and mind are inextricably linked. Any dysfunction requires an unraveling in both arenas.www.thewayofhealth.com

Transforming Our Food Environment

Join us as Hannah shares CSPI’s work and vision for a healthier, more equitable food system and takes your questions about nutrition policy, food safety, and dietary health.

 

Hannah Dallmann lives in Chicago and has been with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) for the last five years as their senior development officer. Prior to joining CSPI, Hannah’s career included roles at advocacy organizations MoveOn, Amnesty International, and CARE International. Hannah received her bachelor’s degree in Russian Studies and Political Science (University of Florida) and Master’s in Social Service Administration (University of Chicago) where she was a McCormick Tribune Urban and Community Leadership Fellow. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Estonia and Georgia and still dreams about the incredible open-air food markets in Tbilisi.

 

World Wheel Journey, One Woman’s Quest for Global Peace

Screening of World Wheel Journey, One Woman’s Quest for Global Peace
Vijali Hamilton introduces her 27 minute video followed by Q&A.

Peace Mandala
Earth Artist, Poet, Healer: We will join Vijali as she creates her Peace Mandala. These environments become sacred space for ceremony, to restore our equilibrium, release our innate wisdom and bring peace on earth. Vijali has a masters degree in fine arts. She spent 10 years as a Hindu nun in the Vedanta Convent. In 1975, Vijali had a vision of all life as one borderless ocean of energy/consciousness. She has dedicated the rest of her life to bringing this vision of peace into our world.

 

Vijali Hamilton has worked and taught around the world, for the past 50 years, as an artist peacemaker. She has collaborated in 20 countries with diversified communities and utilizes her skills as a filmmaker, poet, sculptor and musician. Vijali started her World Wheel, Global Peace Through the Arts project in 1986 to further explore the role that community-based arts can play in building a world at peace. Her award winning film, WORLD WHEEL One Woman’s Creative Journey for Global Peace is a seed of peace to be planted in our hearts and carried into the world. Vijali’s latest published book is BORDERLESS, Poems, Essays and Art for a New Mind.

Vijali’s Retreats give opportunity to flow into ceremony, music, sculpting and art with the creativity that springs from intimate contact with Earth. During these retreats our innate wisdom and beauty opens with the ability to bring back this experience to our families, communities and the world.

vijali@worldwheel.org

Wisdom Keeper Week: Embracing Wholeheartedness

We often feel pulled by two poles of responsibility, to others and to self.  As CEO and President of Rancho La Puerta, when I am feeling stressed and depleted, I recall the words of Brother David Stendl-Rost:

“You know that the antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest?
The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness. “

We invite you to join us for a week of wholehearted creativity and play; to awaken the song in your heart, to allow beauty to call you out of doors and to shed exhaustion at the foot of the mountain.

My father, Edmond Szekely, believed that we could not help but feel enlivened in the presence of mountains.

The mountains are to many of us inexhaustible sources of joy and peace, of health, and even of life. We have gone to them jaded and worn, feeling, perhaps without any external cause, anxious and out of spirits, and have returned full of health, strength, and energy. Among the mountains Nature herself seems freer and happier, brighter and purer, than elsewhere. The fresh air, the mysterious summits of the mountains, the blue haze of the distance, the morning tints and the evening glow, the beauty of the sky and the grandeur of the storm, all have refreshed and delighted us time after time, and their memories can never fade away.

We will shine our brightest when our hearts are full and our minds are allowed to empty and be receptive. Be blessed by the new life the early rains have brought to our mountains and may your heart be filled.

 

Sarah Livia Brightwood Szekely is President of Rancho La Puerta.  For forty years she has designed the gardens and cared for the wildlands around Rancho La Puerta.  As the keeper of the vision and long-range planner she has preserved the soul and culture of Rancho La Puerta while bringing new programs and reviving the earth honoring traditions that inspired the early years at Rancho La Puerta.  She is also President of Fundación La Puerta through which she guides Rancho La Puerta’s non-profit work in the region.  In 1984 Sarah established Agrícola Tres Estrellas, a diverse organic farm that provides food to Ranch La Puerta’s guests year-round and in 2007 she designed and opened La Cocina Que Canta, a culinary center and cooking school to teach commitment to healthy eating and to embrace the joy of harvesting and cooking in community.   She is the daughter of philosopher and visionary Edmond Bordeaux Szekely and community organizer and philanthropist Deborah Szekely, the founders of Rancho La Puerta.

More About Wisdom Keeper Week

My Journey as a Bookseller

My forty-year odyssey living the literary life as the owner of Books & Books. I will give guests an insight into the ups and downs of independent bookselling, peppered with anecdotes of the many writers I’ve had the opportunity to meet and befriend. The audience will come away knowing what it takes to open and sustain a bookstore, while hearing stories about some of the most iconic literary figures of our time, writers as diverse as Joan Didion, Tony Bourdain, Susan Sontag, Judy Blume, Allen Ginsberg, Isabel Allende, Salman Rushdie, Carl Hiaasen, Saul Bellow, Maya Angelou, and many others.

  

Mitchell Kaplan, a native of Miami Beach, opened the first Books & Books in 1982 in Coral Gables, Florida. Now with four South Florida locations, Books & Books hosts over 400 events per year. In addition, the original Coral Gables location is home to the well-established Café at Books & Books, and there are Books & Books affiliated stores at the Miami International Airport, and in Key West, where he collaborates with the noted author Judy Blume and her husband, George.  Among his honors, Mitchell served as president of the American Booksellers Association and he received the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation. Books & Books was also Publishers Weekly’s bookstore of the year. He recently accepted an appointment to serve on the Board of the National Coalition Against Censorship. As co-founder of the Miami Book Fair in 1985, Mitchell has served as the chairperson of its Board of Directors and continues to guide the programming team at the Fair which takes place on the campus of Miami Dade College in the heart of downtown Miami. Each year the Fair presents close to 500 authors over one week in November, along with a street festival, where bookstalls line the streets adjacent to the campus. Programs take place in Creole, Spanish and English, reflecting the diversity of Miami. Mitchell, with his partner Paula Mazur, established The Mazur Kaplan Company to bring books to the screen, both film and television. His most recent release is Let Him Go starring Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. Mitchell also hosts the podcast The Literary Life with Mitchell Kaplan, broadcast from Miami, where he lives with his wife, Rachelle. They have three children, Anya, Daniel and Jonah.

Sleep: Brain, Body, and Behavior

Sleep is essential to mind and body wellbeing. Craft your own sleep strategy to maximize your health and performance potential.

Sleep: Science and Strategy
Sleep is a key factor in our cognitive, emotional, and physical wellbeing.  Demystify the science of sleep, why we need it, and what happens if we don’t get it.  Learn the essentials of sleep disorders, how to recognize them, and what to do if you might have one.  Begin to craft your own approach to effective sleep.

Sleep Disorders: What could go wrong?
You know you need to sleep – but sometimes good sleep is hard to get. From sleep apnea to sleep walking, delve into the ways sleep can go wrong, how to recognize it, and what you can do about it. Discover the many ways to treat sleep apnea (spoiler alert – there’s more than CPAP!). Start to find balance in your sleep and wakefulness.

Chasing sleep: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Overcoming Insomnia
Trouble sleeping can interfere with life, both night and day, and is almost always treatable – without medication. Learn how to decode sleep struggles, identify your own opportunities for better sleep, and craft a plan to make your sleep work for you.

Sleep and Performance: Strategize Your Sleep to Maximize Physical and Mental Potential
Sleep is your secret weapon in maximizing your physical, mental, and emotional potential. We’ll delve into the science behind the power of sleep and strategize ways to survive and thrive when sleep is hard to come by.  Each participant will leave with a plan for optimizing sleep for their own resilience and performance.

 

Sarah Zallek, MD is a sleep neurologist who has been practicing sleep medicine with a mindfulness approach – and teaching sleep with relevance and humor to a wide range of audiences – for more than two decades. She is a professor of neurology at University of Illinois College of Medicine, Medical Director of OSF HealthCare Sleep, and has published numerous papers and book chapters. She has developed and led conferences that integrate mindfulness, art, and science to foster individual wellness and reduce burnout. In addition, she has led the development of a compassion-based communication course that connects individuals to work together toward shared goals. She is a frequent keynote speaker and has given many national and international presentations. Dr. Zallek is a sought-after adviser and presenter for media organizations, including National Public Radio, government agencies, professional societies, educational institutions, and a broad range of businesses.

Course Director Physician Communication, OSF HealthCare
Program Director, OSF Professionalism
OSF Neuroscience Physician Director of Communication, and Education
Medical Director, OSF Sleep Peoria
Clinical Professor of Neurology, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria
www.osfhealthcare.org/neuro
Twitter: @SarahZallek
LinkedIn: Sarah (Nath) Zallek