Events Archive - Page 52 of 117 - Rancho La Puerta
Events Calendar
Types of Events:
Spa Services

Amp Up Your Interpersonal Effectiveness!

It All Starts with YOU—and How You Come Across to Others
How do you look and sound? We’ll examine the seven essential communication components that create your unique “you-ness,” and you’ll learn some easy (and instant) tweaks to project yourself with accuracy and self-assurance.

 

Personal Response Styles: Passive, Aggressive and Assertive
Are you passive, aggressive or assertive—or perhaps all three? We’ll take a look at the response styles of ourselves and others, discuss how your style affects your life (and your relationships), and how you can make simple changes that create big results!

 

Speaking & Listening: The “Give and Take” of Successful Communication
Speaking and listening—they go together! We’ll discuss how to accurately share your thoughts and feelings, avoid distractions, stay focused, pay attention, and honor others through your mindful presence.

 

When Relationship Difficulties Arise: Assertive Problem Solving
Conflicts, quarrels, disputes, misunderstandings…try as we might, they sometimes happen. We’ll discuss how to untangle miscommunications, disarm anger, quell hurt feelings, and we’ll explore some tips for how to create peace and understanding in your personal and professional relationships.

 

 

 

Denise M. Dudley is a professional trainer and keynote speaker, author, business consultant, and founder of Skill Path Seminars, the largest public training company in the world, which provides 18,000 seminars per year, and has trained over 12.5 million people in the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Denise holds a Ph.D. in behavioral psychology, a hospital administrator’s license, a preceptor for administrators-in-training license, and is licensed to provide training to medical professionals in the United States and Canada. She’s also a certified AIDS educator, a licensed field therapist for individuals with agoraphobia, and a regularly featured speaker on the campuses of many universities across the US, and the author of Simon and Schuster’s best-selling audio series, Making Relationships Last.  Denise’s latest book, Work it! Get in, Get noticed, Get promoted, which she wrote for graduating high school and college students, is currently available on Amazon.com, and is receiving all 5-star customer reviews. http://denisemdudley.com

 

Concert with Miles Graber, Alex Greenbaum, Martha Aarons, and Lev Polyakin

Miles Graber received his musical training at the Juilliard School, where he studied with Anne Hull, Phyllis Kreuter, and Hugh Aitken. He has lived in the Bay Area since 1971, where he has developed a wide reputation as an accompanist and collaborative pianist for instrumentalists and singers. He has been associated with numerous solo artists, as well as with such ensembles as the San Francisco Chamber Soloists, Midsummer Mozart, the Oakland-East Bay Symphony, Oakland Lyric Opera, and the San Francisco Camerata. He is a member of the chamber groups MusicAEterna, GGR Trio, Alcyone Ensemble, the Sor Ensemble, Mira Trio, and the new music group Sounds New.  He has accompanied master classes of Midori, Joseph Silverstein, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Pamela Frank, Alexander Barantchik, James Galway, Lynn Harrell, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Lipsett, Ronald Leonard, Leon Fleisher, Alisa Weilerstein, Jeanne Baxtresser, Paula Robison, and Kim Kashkashian. He has been a frequent performer with members of San Francisco Symphony, San Jose Symphony, Berkeley Symphony, California Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, Oakland Symphony, Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra, UC Berkeley Symphony, and members of the faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.   Mr. Graber is a staff accompanist at the San Domenico Conservatory in San Anselmo, California, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Northern California Flute Camp in Carmel Valley. Other accompanying posts include the Mondavi Center for the Arts Young Artist Competition, the Irving M. Klein International String Competition, and the Summer Brass Institute.

 

Cellist Alex Greenbaum enjoys a diverse and adventurous musical life. As a member of the Hausmann Quartet he is an Artist-in-Residence at San Diego State University.  As a long-time member of The Knights he has performed throughout the U.S. and Europe and appeared at various festivals.  He has recorded for Ancalagon, Bridge, Canary Classics, Cantaloupe, In a Circle, Koch, Naxos, Warner Classics and Sony records.  His varied interests have led to collaborations with dance companies, recordings for film, television and commercials, studies of early music and performances throughout Mexico. Alex is a founding member of San Diego Baroque, a mainstay on the Art of Élan series, an affiliated artist with San Diego New Music and appears regularly with Bach Collegium San Diego.

 

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.

Get Your Nature Groove On!

Whose Scat is That? And Other Signs of Wildlife
Many animals make their home here at Rancho La Puerta, which provides important habitat to live, breed and thrive. We will explore trails, bushes, trees and surrounding areas as we look at scat (poop), animal tracks and other signs of wildlife. OUTDOOR FIELD EXPERIENCE

Bird and Nature Walk

  

 

Judie Lincer, M.S. Ed.  is  a Naturalist Educator with San Diego Audubon, who has over 30 years of teaching experience and guides hikes educating people about ecosystems, adaptations, ethnobotany (the study of a region’s plants and their uses through the traditional knowledge of a local culture).   She is an enthusiastic speaker who inspires others to develop an appreciation of the environment.  Judie is a Workshop and Tour Director for the California Native Plant Society-San Diego.

 

Concert

Tuna Real de Tecate
This group of friends from Tecate met in high school as part of a special singing group –  La Estudiantina. To commemorate the 65th anniversary of the founding of La  Estudiantina at their school, they formed La Tuna Real de Tecate in May 2015. They joyfully perform in the clothing that evokes the colonial cities of Mexico  singing the beautiful Castilian Spanish language. They are proud to have been invited to sing at special anniversaries in other cities and enjoy participating in local regional events.

Hands-on Cooking Classes with Chef AJ

Chef AJ 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 $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.

 

In addition to her three cooking classes, chef AJ will offer two lectures:
How I Lost 60 Pounds Giving Up Processed Foods
Eat Up, Slim Down and Get Healthy

 

 

 

Chef AJ was the Executive Pastry Chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles where she was famous for her vegan, sugar, oil, salt, and gluten-free desserts which use the fruit, the whole fruit, and nothing but the whole fruit. She broadcasts CHEF AJ LIVE! on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter daily.  She is the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, which has helped hundreds of people achieve the health and the body that they deserve, and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol.  In 2018 she was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame. www.ChefAJ.com

 

Health Topics

Inflammation, Stress and Disease

Menopause and Weight Gain: Is It Inevitable?

 

 

 

Dr. Shannon Cheffet joined the Lifewellness team in 2020 and has been practicing in San Diego County since 2006.  A graduate of Western University of Health Sciences, D. O. program in 2002 , she completed a dual residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Loma Linda University Medical Center.  Dr. Cheffet has worked as a medical director of a local Federally Qualified Health Center, as well as a hospitalist for Sharp Memorial Hospital.  Dr. Cheffet’s experience as both a practitioner and a mother of four have reinforced her passion to treat the entire person, not just their illness. Her special interest in wellness and obesity medicine, inspired her to became board certified in Obesity Medicine in 2021 and she recently completed a humanitarian trip to deliver much needed medical care to villages throughout Zambia. Dr. Cheffet is honored to be the wife of a Navy helicopter pilot who also believes in having an active lifestyle.  When they are not on the sidelines of a soccer, little league, or lacrosse game, they will often hop on a paddleboard or head to the mountains to hike with their dogs, Bear & Kona.

Finding the Actor in You

Finding the Actor in You
(two 90 mins workshops, please sign up at the Ranch in the lounge)
Are you thrilled by the acting chops of Meryl Streep? And always excited to watch Bradley Cooper? Come spend an enjoyable hour with Director Sheldon Larry (who discovered Bradley!) in a workshop that will unleash your own acting talents. Are you ready for your closeup? Come find out.

 

Flying Daggers:  Making Movies in China
Sheldon Larry has spent the last three years making Festival-worthy, award-winning short films in China. He has guided filmmakers there to navigate their way through censorship and self-expression. Come see the intriguing best of the films made on his fascinating journey!

 

 

 

Sheldon Larry has had a distinguished 40-year career in film, television and theatre, directing and/or producing more than fifteen plays, twenty-five films and 500 hours of television. He learned his craft in Britain where he accumulated more than 300 credits with the British Broadcasting Corporation. He won a National Endowment Award and moved to New York City where for the next 10 years, he worked off-Broadway as a theater director and won an Obie for his production of Forty-Deuce, worked with Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy on ManyFaces of Love, and directed Blythe Danner and David Hyde Pierce in Candida. Among his

favorite films are An American Daughter with Christine Lahti (Golden Globe nomination); Split

Images, based on the Elmore Leonard novel; the Bradley Cooper rom-com, I Want to Marry Ryan Banks and The First Circle starring Christopher Plummer. His indie film musical, Leave It on the Floor was selected as best film at more than eighty film festivals. He taught at USC in their School of Cinematic Arts for the last twelve years, has run Masterclasses in directing all over the world. And he teaches at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute in Los Angeles.  He has loved raising his twin daughters who are now 28, one a doctor, the other an Emergency room nurse. Neither has followed him into the film business.

Finding Your Personal Equilibrium

A thoughtful experience that presents take-away skills to achieve personal equilibrium, overcome inertia, achieve focus and direction

Workshop #1
Understand the personal equilibrium process, the concepts of alignment and integrity of commitment.

Workshop #2
Identify core values and medium-term life vision; developing your Guiding Principles.

Workshop #3
Making goals actionable: Tasking and Time-Adjusting; Strategies and tactics for task accomplishment.

Workshop #4
Deadly sins of task avoidance and powerful antidotes to committing those sins; finding equilibrium and contentment; setting medium-term goals to accomplish.

 

 

 

Brian Peter Brinig, JD, CPA, is a highly-regarded speaker and the author of Mastering Self-Discipline: A Thoughtful Approach Gets Better Results and three other books directed to the legal and accounting professions. He is both a lawyer and CPA, managing director of the San Diego office of a national financial services firm, and an Adjunct Professor at the University Of San Diego School Of Law. His current professional focus is the art of self-discipline, including strategies and tactics designed to address this seemingly difficult challenge. Brian’s insight and techniques can’t make self-equilibrium and self-discipline effortless, but they sure can make it easier. He is a nationally recognized speaker to universities and professional organizations, and he has qualified as an economic expert witness in more than 100 jury trials in federal and state courts across the United States.

Violin and Piano Concert

Pei-Chun Tsai, from Tainan, Taiwan, is two-time first-prize winner of the Taiwan National Violin Competition. She has performed in Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and the National Concert Hall in Taiwan. Pei-Chun has participated in many music festivals in the United States and Europe. After receiving Bachelor and Master’s degrees in violin performance from The Juilliard School, she completed her Doctorate in Musical Arts from the City University of New York. Pei-Chun is the founder and director of the Campanile Music Festival at San Diego State University where she curates innovative residencies of visiting artists from across the country. Recent guests include the Formosa Quartet and Brooklyn Rider. Pei-Chun has been a member of the San Diego Symphony since 2006. As a violin lecturer at San Diego State University, Pei-Chun performs with the San Diego State University Chamber orchestra regularly. She has recently released her solo violin album “Chaconnes” which you can find on Apple Music or Spotify.

 

Pianist Tina Chong is a sought-after recitalist and chamber musician in North America. Since her orchestral debut at the age of nine, Tina has appeared as a guest soloist with orchestras throughout the world including the Calgary Philharmonic, Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, and Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Her recital career has also brought her to the Kennedy Center, the Sala Chopin, and the National Arts Centre. Tina is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and a recipient of multiple artistic grants from the Canada Council for the Arts. A native of Banff, Canada, Tina currently serves on faculty at San Diego State University and plays regularly with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.

 

Water: Your Life, Health and Environment

Learn how water affects daily life, health and environment. Get the facts on tap, bottled, alkaline and water in food.

 

Water: More or Less – An Overview of Issues that Affect You
This overview presentation contains reflections about our changing water landscape in stories, art and policy. Water has been in conflict all through American history with books and movies showcasing historic water fights involving the lives of real people. We now face drastic policy choices. Droughts, floods, water quality, climate change and the pandemic cast a harsh light on water use.  Learn how water affects your daily life and how to make healthy lifestyle changes to be part of the solutions.  Should you drink tap, bottled or alkaline water?  How much water does it take to grow and process our food?

 

Drinking water – Tap versus Bottled Water and what about Alkaline water?
Drinking water is key to good health – the river of nutrients to our cells. Every year Americans choose to drink more water – bottled water – assuming it is safer and purer than tap water. But is it?  What are the regulations that govern tap, bottled and alkaline waters? How often are these waters tested? Who is in charge? What is the carbon footprint to deliver bottled water from as far as Fiji.  And what about the plastic bottle proliferation and pollution?  Which companies are making positive changes so you can choose best products? You may be surprised at the answers.

 

Water in Food: Your Water Footprint
What is your water footprint?  Americans consume about 2,000 gallons a day, including the water for food, products and clothes. Take a fun quiz to learn how much water is in various foods. Get lifestyle ideas for eating lower on the food chain. Learn about those green irrigation circles seen out your plane window from South Dakota to Texas. This diminishing groundwater is used for extensive farming – mostly growing corn to feed cattle for fast food. Likewise, California’s Central Valley produces half the nation’s fruits, vegetables and wines using vanishing groundwater. How will loss of water affect your food supply?

 

The Pandemic and the Human Right to Water
Does the virus live in water? The Pandemic exposed serious inequities in society’s ability to deliver clean, fair priced water for all Americans. Tribal communities were hurt due to lack of water. In rural communities, wells can be contaminated by fertilizers and pesticides. Lead water pipes need to be replaced so episodes like Flint, Michigan never happen again. Infrastructure investments in public systems are necessary.  Learn how organizations in border communities like Tecate are working to educate and preserve water resources. Beyond America, there are international problems that impact world peace as water becomes the new oil in this century.

 

 

 

Rita Schmidt Sudman is a respected water journalist concerned about the crisis in Western water and how Americans are affected. She is an advisor to the nonprofit Water Education Foundation where she was executive director for 35 years creating widely distributed publications and television documentaries (three regional Emmys) on California and Colorado River issues. She is co-author of the 2018 book Water: More or Less. A former Radio/TV producer, she has served on numerous boards including the University of California’s President’s Water Commission and the international charity, Water for People. Currently she is a founding member of California Water Forward, a leadership mentoring program. She now lives in San Diego where she covers border (U.S. and Mexico) water issues.

Concerts

Live Acoustic Music w/ Rob DeFriese @ Bazar del Sol
Rob plays a variety of hits — Rock, Pop, Alternative, and a little R & B and “old school” Country — from the 60’s to today, and some of his own original music, too!

 

Live, Acoustic Music by Rob DeFriese at Oaktree Pavilion
Rob sings and plays guitar, performing a selection of his own, original music from throughout his career — sometimes thought provoking, sometimes spiritual, and almost always “toe-tapping!”  He’ll perform a few special cover songs as well!

 

 

 

Rob DeFriese is a professional singer/songwriter and an Arizona native, based in Phoenix where he returned in 2015 after 12 years on the East Coast of the U.S.  For the last two decades or so, he’s been teaching private lessons in voice, guitar, bass guitar and trumpet, and has been a member of several bands.  Rob currently continues to teach private lessons, and performs both solo and band shows at venues across Arizona.  As a solo, acoustic act, he plays his own, original songs as well as a wide variety of hits – Rock, Pop, Alternative, and a few R & B and “old school” Country – from the 60’s to today.  He’s also the vocalist and bassist for two bands:  Ant Farm, a Phoenix-based, original-music, Alternative Rock trio, recently reunited, and; JC & The Rockers, a blues & classic rock cover and original music band.  Rob’s original music is what he calls, “mellow, Alternative Rock” that ranges from introspective, to inspirational, to “toe tapping,” and just last year released an album with his band, Ant Farm, of his and the band’s material.

Here’s more info for Rob online:
ALBUM, “Back To Shore” by Ant Farm available purchase, streaming or download:  antfarm1.bandcamp.com, Amazon, Apple Music, Napster, Pandora, and Spotify

YouTube channel (original & cover songs): www.youtube.com/channel/UCAg0BjpfwZJL-WOwFedNZ-g

www.reverbnation.com/robdefriese (calendar, music, & more)

www.reverbnation.com/antfarm3 (calendar, music, & more)

www.reverbnation.com/jcthejukerockers (calendar, music, & more)
FACEBOOK:  Rob DeFriese Music, Ant Farm Redux
TWITTER:  @robdefriese

 

Hands On Cooking Classes with Jean Courtney

Come learn easy and delicious ways we’ve adapted recipes to help you minimize inflammation and keep your brain happy.

Join Jean Courtney for three 3.5-hour Hands-on Cooking Classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at La Cocina que Canta.  Register at any Health Center or at extensions 626, 631 & 640 / Fee / Meet at the Administration Building.

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.

 

 

Jean Courtney is a researcher, writer, entrepreneur, and perpetual learner on a mission to make everyday wellness easy and efficient. A decade ago, after retiring as a legal investigator, Jean shifted her focus to learning everything possible to try and avoid the dementia that found her mom.  She has put together easy, efficient and delicious ways to cook using neuroprotective ingredients, with an emphasis on minimizing inflammation and maximizing brain function. She has done extensive research and will help you understand the why behind making healthy choices for your brain and body. Jean recently completed a Soil to Table certification program living at Tres Estrellas organic farm and learning and practicing regenerative farming and food preservation techniques.  She is a firm believer that your DNA is not always your destiny – your dinner plate can be your destiny.

 

Hands On Cooking Classes with Jean Courtney

Come learn easy and delicious ways we’ve adapted recipes to help you minimize inflammation and keep your brain happy.

Join Jean Courtney for three 3.5-hour Hands-on Cooking Classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at La Cocina que Canta.  Register at any Health Center or at extensions 626, 631 & 640 / Fee / Meet at the Administration Building.

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.

 

 

Jean Courtney is a researcher, writer, entrepreneur, and perpetual learner on a mission to make everyday wellness easy and efficient. A decade ago, after retiring as a legal investigator, Jean shifted her focus to learning everything possible to try and avoid the dementia that found her mom.  She has put together easy, efficient and delicious ways to cook using neuroprotective ingredients, with an emphasis on minimizing inflammation and maximizing brain function. She has done extensive research and will help you understand the why behind making healthy choices for your brain and body. Jean recently completed a Soil to Table certification program living at Tres Estrellas organic farm and learning and practicing regenerative farming and food preservation techniques.  She is a firm believer that your DNA is not always your destiny – your dinner plate can be your destiny.

 

Trio Jazz Magic

Trio Jazz Magic with Kristen Strom and Scott Sorkin at Bazar del Sol

 

 

 

Kristen Strom (Saxophone/Flute/Vocals) has played alongside many well-known artists, including Manhattan Transfer, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Pamela Rose, and the touring company of Blues is a Woman. She also performs in a celebrated duo with husband/guitarist Scott Sorkin. In addition to her albums, Intention, Sojourn and Moving Day: The Music of John Shifflett, she has recorded more than 40 CDs with various jazz and pop artists. Her latest album, Moving Day, was listed as one of Best Jazz Albums of 2018 by The Mercury News and has gotten national and international airplay.

                                                        

Scott Sorkin (Guitar) is a Bay Area guitarist, composer, producer, teacher and recording engineer who performs and records in styles ranging from jazz to Brazilian and Latin styles. His solo CD “Laika” was released in 2017. Performance credits include the Count Basie Orchestra, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Nneenna Freelon, Paula West, Louie Bellson, Vince Giordano, Tammy Hall, Pamela Rose, Kristen Strom, touring shows “Dream Girls” and Disney’s “Newsies”, Symphony Silicon Valley, Great Performances, PBS Television and SFJAZZ. Sorkin has extensive recording credits as well as film scores (including composer credits). Scott co-leads the international jazz group “Crossing Borders”, featuring Kristen Strom, Jennifer Scott, and Rene Worst. He’s been a featured artist at many festivals.

 

Ruth Davies (bass) is an Oakland resident who has lent her fluid, expressive upright bass stylings to many internationally touring artists. Jazz and blues stars such as Charles Brown, Bonnie Raitt, Clark Terry, Elvin Bishop, and Van Morrison are among her long list of tour and recording credentials. Her impressive discography includes many platinum and Grammy-winning recordings. Ruth has toured with Pamela Rose for many years, with her Blues is a Woman and Wild Women of Song shows.

 

Concerts

Wild Women of Song – Women Hitmakers

 

Great Women of the Blues
Hear songs by Alberta Hunter, Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Aretha, Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt — all fierce, funny, gorgeous trailblazers in American music

 

 

 

Pamela Rose (vocals) is a San Francisco jazz and blues vocalist and educator who has thrilled audiences locally and internationally with her swinging, soulful style. Rose is that rare breed of entertainer who connects solidly with her audience by always delivering a personal and unforgettable musical experience. Her rich, bold, warm voice and easy rapport with musicians thrills audiences of all ages.  Rose is also best known for her touring concerts celebrating remarkable women in blues and jazz. Her “Wild Women of Song” and “Blues is a Woman” shows resulted in a book and concert series which has toured nationally. Rose recently teamed up with guitarist Terrence Brewer in a jazz duo project at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

 

Ruth Davies (bass) is an Oakland resident who has lent her fluid, expressive upright bass stylings to many internationally touring artists. Jazz and blues stars such as Charles Brown, Bonnie Raitt, Clark Terry, Elvin Bishop, and Van Morrison are among her long list of tour and recording credentials. Her impressive discography includes many platinum and Grammy-winning recordings. Ruth has toured with Pamela Rose for many years, with her Blues is a Woman and Wild Women of Song shows.

 

 

Daria “Shani”Johnson (Drums/Vocals) is a San Francisco-based drummer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist with a smooth, sensual style and dynamic spirit on stage. She has become one of the most sought-after drummers in the Bay Area. After graduating from the Berklee College of Music, Daria toured with her band London Street in the US and Europe, opening for major acts India Airie, Erykah Bada, Brandi Carlisle, and John Legend. Daria also debuted and starred in the Blues is a Woman show, bringing the audience to their feet night after night.

 

Kristen Strom (Saxophone/Flute/Vocals) has played alongside many well-known artists, including Manhattan Transfer, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Pamela Rose, and the touring company of Blues is a Woman. She also performs in a celebrated duo with husband/guitarist Scott Sorkin. In addition to her albums, Intention, Sojourn and Moving Day: The Music of John Shifflett, she has recorded more than 40 CDs with various jazz and pop artists. Her latest album, Moving Day, was listed as one of Best Jazz Albums of 2018 by The Mercury News and has gotten national and international airplay.

                                                        

Scott Sorkin (Guitar) is a Bay Area guitarist, composer, producer, teacher and recording engineer who performs and records in styles ranging from jazz to Brazilian and Latin styles. His solo CD “Laika” was released in 2017. Performance credits include the Count Basie Orchestra, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Nneenna Freelon, Paula West, Louie Bellson, Vince Giordano, Tammy Hall, Pamela Rose, Kristen Strom, touring shows “Dream Girls” and Disney’s “Newsies”, Symphony Silicon Valley, Great Performances, PBS Television and SFJAZZ. Sorkin has extensive recording credits as well as film scores (including composer credits). Scott co-leads the international jazz group “Crossing Borders”, featuring Kristen Strom, Jennifer Scott, and Rene Worst. He’s been a featured artist at many festivals.

 

Building Your Longevity Toolkit: Intermittent Fasting, The Power of Food and Other Simple Habits that Promote Healthy Aging

Do you struggle with nagging health issues such as inflammation, pesky weight gain, poor sleep or declining energy? Come learn about a variety of free lifestyle tools and habits that can help you optimize your health through your diet and lifestyle choices.

In this workshop, you will learn about the importance of what, when and how you eat. Learn about intermittent fasting, which is not a diet but a simple lifestyle that offers many health benefits. When intermittent fasting, you are not “starving”, you are healing! By eating less often throughout the day (think fewer snacks, for example) you allow your body time to heal and repair. There is no need to buy special supplements, pills or foods. Discover which foods can age you, and which foods can prevent disease and encourage better health. Finally, learn about easy lifestyle practices you can adopt for more vibrant health.

We will cover the latest scientific studies, tips for success and just how easy it can be to build a longevity lifestyle. You will leave this program with a variety of action steps, tips, tools and resources tailored to your needs and health goals.

Session 1: Intermittent fasting: a lifestyle for optimal health 

  • Overview of intermittent fasting
  • The benefits, how and why intermittent fasting works
  • Traditional eating patterns versus intermittent fasting
  • Intermittent fasting and longevity: what the science shows

Session 2: The power of your fork: eating for longevity and health

  • How to make intermittent fasting work for you
  • Intermittent fasting for weight loss
  • Inflammatory foods to avoid
  • Health-promoting foods: when and how to eat them

Session 3: Longevity lifestyle habits

  • Hot and cold therapy
  • Movement and exercise
  • Stress reduction
  • Sleep
  • Connection with others

Session 4: Tools for Optimal health

  • Recap and review
  • Putting it all together
  • Creating your personal longevity plan
  • Resources and support for long-term success

 

Lucy Buckner is a professionally trained life coach, certified health and wellness coach and yoga instructor. Her career includes more than 35 years as a corporate executive, leader, speaker, educator and trainer. Throughout her career she has successfully motivated individuals and teams to achieve and sustain short and long term goals for personal and professional peak performance.   Lucy is passionate about helping others create optimal health through long lasting lifestyle changes. An avid Ironman triathlete with multiple podium finishes and an enthusiastic yoga practitioner, Lucy specializes in nutrition, weight loss, stress reduction, movement and mindfulness activities that are uniquely tailored to the needs of each client. Through individual and group coaching programs as well as a variety of health-related seminars and workshops for organizations nationally, she has successfully assisted a wide variety of clients in meeting their health and wellness goals. Lucy holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

Inner Fitness: Retrain the Brain for Greater Joy, Connection and Purpose

Strengthen Your Mindset: The Foundation
The right mindset along with learning a few tools and strategies has everything to do with igniting our experience of joy, connection and purpose.

 

Build Your Capacity to ‘Take in the Good’
Gratitude is an emotion that relates to the ability to feel and express thankfulness and appreciation. Research shows that expressing gratitude improves mental, physical and relational health, happiness and well-being. Gratitude unlocks the door to forgiveness—which is often key to expanding the experience of inner freedom. Learn how to strengthen your capacity for gratitude and forgiveness.

 

How to Grow Your Self-Compassion
Loving Kindness or metta is about developing peace, harmony and mutual well-being within ourselves and with others. Through metta one learns to abandon bitterness and animosity and embrace goodwill. Metta, when practiced regularly, teaches unconditional self-love and love for others.

 

Strengthen Your Relationships Now
Learn to communicate more effectively with your partner, friends, family and everyone else in your life. Build the ability to listen generously and speak clearly from the heart— paving the way for true connection with others.

 

Discover Your Life Vision
Every day we have hundreds of choices to make about how we are going to show up in our lives. Without knowing where you are heading it is impossible to navigate life well or wisely. When clear about your personal vision, you are able to create an inner compass that informs your choices and actions going forward.

 

 

 

Randy Kamen, EdD, is a psychologist, life-coach, and author of the bestseller Behind the Therapy Door: Simple Strategies to Transform Your Life. Dr. Kamen pioneered new territory in mind-body medicine and positive psychology at Harvard’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Boston University’s School of Medicine. She leads global, live online courses and workshops and runs women’s empowerment retreats on Martha’s Vineyard. Dr. Kamen is part-time faculty at Harvard Medical School where she has taught women’s leadership and writing, publishing, promoting your book. She appears on radio, television, print and online media outlets. Her blog can be found at DrRandyKamen.com and her regular FacebookLive Show, “Simple Strategies to Create Your Extraordinary Life” is Dr. Randy Kamen on Thursdays at noon ET.

Intro to Running

Dimity and Sarah will share the fundamentals of running to foster an injury-free dedication to the sport once you return home. The duo will demonstrate and explain the value of a few simple-yet-effective pre- and post-run routines, as well as the importance of gradually building up the time (and distance) spent running. Whether you are eyeing your first 5K or wanting to step to a half-marathon, Dimity and Sarah will help you define and lay out the steps toward your goal. Additionally, the duo will lead several group run/walks during the week.

 

 

 

Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea are the founders of Another Mother Runner, an online community that inspires, informs, and entertains women runners through training programs, a popular podcast, website, and much more. Frequent headline speakers at running races, the duo likes to say they lead from the middle of the pack. Sarah and Dimity are the authors of three books, including Run Like a Mother, written in a witty, candid voice.

Gatherings with Purpose: How to Design, Lead, and Engage Together

Join foundation and nonprofit strategy consultant Melinda Fine, Ed.D., to explore how to design and engage in gatherings rich in meaning and value.

What Facilitating a Wedding, a Funeral, a Bat Mitzvah, and a Board Meeting Have in Common
We spend much of our lives gathering with others, but too often these experiences make poor use of our time.  Sometimes we meet professionally, with staff, boards, or others in our fields of interest; at other times we meet with family and friends to mark rituals of passage and celebration.  Whatever their setting, crafting gatherings rich in purpose takes intention and skill. Engaging in them fully takes similar intention.  Join foundation and nonprofit strategy consultant Melinda Fine, Ed.D., to explore five ingredients essential to designing and engaging in gatherings that are powerful and meaningful for participants, setting the stage for more fulfilling experiences in the future.
Reflection Work Sheet, Fine Consulting, RLP Sept 2022
Success Ingredients Work Sheet, Fine Consulting, RLP Sept 2022
Resources, What Facilitating a Wedding, a Funeral, a Bat Mitzvah, and a Board Meeting Have in Common (Fine Consulting, Rancho La Puerta, September 2022)
What Facilitating a Wedding, a Funeral, a Bat Mitzvah, and a Board Meeting Have in Common (Fine Consulting, Rancho La Puerta, September 2022)

   

The Art of Bringing People Together for Shared Purpose
Accessible and useful for those who design, lead, or simply participate in gatherings in a professional or volunteer context, this session will explore how to participate in forums that challenge both the head and the heart. We will cover strategies to foster goal definition, framing work expectations, and collective sense-making. We will also problem-solve common challenges, such as people moving at different paces, holding different perspectives, and gravitating toward challenges rather than assets.  Through individual reflection, group dialogue, and work sheets, participants will identify characteristics that have contributed to successful as well as unsuccessful gathering experiences in the past, and what they might plan to execute in the future.
Hand Out Resource, Fine Consulting, RLP Sept 2022

     

The Pragmatics of Bringing People Together for Shared Purpose
This session focuses on what lies beneath the surface in gathering design and execution – including the strengths (and potential inhibitions) we bring with us into spaces where we gather.  We will consider planning for submerged dynamics (such as power differentials and hot button issues) and unpack the “choreography” of a meeting’s arc, mindful of the ebb and flow of participants’ energy and the time it takes to build community and foster candor.  Through individual reflection, group dialogue, and work sheets, we will also explore how participants can build on their personal strengths when facilitating or simply joining in collective forums.
Post Session Work Sheet, Fine Consulting, RLP Sept 2022
Post Session Work Sheet, Fine Consulting, RLP Sept 2022

 

The Dance of Bringing People Together for Shared Purpose
This final session explores what it takes to ensure productive and inclusive engagement among diverse gatherers.  We will problem-solve when events go off the rails, identifying common disrupters — the back seater, the nay sayer, the interrupter, the middle schooler, and more.  To foster skills in building consensus in the conference room (and around the family dinner table), we will name dragons to slay, questions to consider, and tools to tap. Through individual reflection, group dialogue, and work sheets, participants will leave having committed to one concept, approach, or tool they will try out in a future gathering after their time at the Ranch.
Priority-Setting Exercise Hand Out, Fine Consulting, RLP 9-2022
What Facilitating a Wedding, a Funeral, a Bat Mitzvah, and a Board Meeting Have in Common (Fine Consulting, Rancho La Puerta, September 2022)
Resources Hand Out, Fine Consulting, RLP, Sept 2022

 

 

Melinda Fine, Ed.D. of FINE Consulting, is a seasoned strategy consultant and coach who has partnered with leaders, nonprofits, and foundations of all shapes and sizes for over three decades. A skilled facilitator known for listening deeply, asking probing questions, and crafting meaningful gatherings that foster collaboration and effectiveness, Melinda’s local, national, and global clients advance progressive social change through grantmaking, community organizing, advocacy, policy, and more.  An avid potter, swimmer, mother, daughter, and friend, Melinda draws on insights gleaned through personal and professional experience, believing that successful collaboration requires embracing different ways of knowing and a hefty dose of emotional smarts.

http://www.fineconsultingllc.org  (includes Resources)

 

Natural and Cultural History of Our Region

Join Mike Wilken for an Interpretive Nature Walk (1.5 hs) on Saturday.

Where Am I?  The Fascinating Natural and Cultural History of Tecate, Baja California and Mexico
Have you ever been curious to know more about Tecate, Baja California, Mexico? Michael Wilken takes us on a whirlwind journey from ancient times to the present, including the formation of the peninsula of Baja California millions of years ago, the indigenous ancestors who thrived in local landscapes, the prehistoric civilizations of mainland Mexico, the history of European conquest and colonization, struggles for independence and revolution, the wild frontier of Tecate and Baja California, and the emergence of the modern republic of Mexico.

 

Native Plants and Native Peoples of this Land
For thousands of years, native peoples have made their homes in the coasts, valleys, mountains and deserts of northern Baja California and southern California. Through lifetimes of interactions with native plants in the diverse landscapes of the region, they have continuously refined their botanical knowledge, passing it on from generation to generation. Today, many Kumeyaay Indians in the far-flung ranches of northern Baja California still regularly practice the skills necessary to transform native plants into food, medicine, arts, tools, regalia, construction materials, and ceremonial items, among others. Native Plants and Native Peoples of this Land explores the remarkable interdependence between peoples and plants of the Californias through vivid photographs and lively narratives. Wilken provides in-depth descriptions of many native plants growing around Rancho La Puerta and their uses, along with fascinating archaeological and historical background, descriptions from early explorers, and stories from living Kumeyaay plant specialists. Out of this comprehensive perspective emerges a fascinating portrait of the region’s ancestral peoples, their cultures, and the native plant specialists who have enthusiastically shared their ever-relevant wisdom for future generations.

 

 

 

Anthropologist and author Michael Wilken’s research and advocacy work with Native Baja Californians has explored traditional arts (pottery, basketry, oral narratives and song), ethnobotany, history, languages and cultural landscapes of the indigenous peoples of the northern Baja California region.  He has developed lifelong collaborative relationships with native artists and traditional authorities to foster cultural revitalization and sustainable community development. Wilken’s fascination with native plants and the natural landscapes of the Californias has inspired him to explore the many ways that humans have interacted with their environments, from the ancient past, into the present. His book, Kumeyaay Ethnobotany was published in 2017 and is available at the Mercado.

Health Topics

Got Free Flowing Qi?
Once the umbilical cord is cut, we are responsible to make and maintain our energy and prevent it from stagnating. Let’s chat strategies for optimizing our Qi.

Be a good Sherlock Holmes in the lab of you!
Everything is information/instruction to our body/mind field. And then there is the biofeedback from our body/mind with various symptoms and signs giving us clues that what we are doing is working or asking us to make changes. Let’s make sense of the instructions and the feedback.

Then and Now…wisdom from all the ages.
One size does not fit all. Ancient wisdom traditions knew this and so do modern-day biohackers. Wisdom is everywhere, both old and new, and often they’re saying the same things. Lifestyle tips from Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and modern medicine.

 

 

 

Erin E. RaskinErin E. Raskin, DACM, L.Ac. has been involved in various aspects of Ayurveda, yoga, meditation, nutrition, lifestyle and Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM) for over 40 years.

Erin’s eco-friendly office is in San Diego where she has been in private practice since 1992. In 1993, she piloted acupuncture for pain management at Kaiser Permanente. She joined the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine faculty in 1995 and was a clinical supervisor at San Diego Hospice and the Institute for Palliative Medicine, Seniors Clinic and Veterans Clinic.

In 2014 Erin joined UCSD’s Center for Integrative Medicine creating inpatient acupuncture and massage for hospitalized patients. She also provided TEAM at UCSD Student Health Services. She recently was part of a national research study providing acupuncture in the Emergency Department.

For decades she has been a health and wellness educator to her patients, students and the public on various topics; a host for the Death Café and during Covid led many online Self Care with Self Massage workshops.

Erin is a lifelong student of ancient Eastern healing arts and modern science, blending wisdom from different healing traditions. Erin cultivates her own Qi with many self-care activities including yoga, meditation, cooking, ceramics, singing, art, reading, solitude, nature, walking, time with hubby, family and friends.

Hands On Cooking Classes with Angie Brenner

Angie 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.

 

 

 

Angie Brenner is a freelance writer and illustrator, Angie Brenner has authored two books (with Joy E. Stocke): Tree of Life: Turkish Home Cooking, published in 2017, and Anatolian Days & Nights: A Love Affair with Turkey, Land of Dervishes, Goddesses & Saintspublished in 2012. Her recently (2022) published book: Seeking Beauty, Jim’s Gift, About James Hubbell, chronicles the life of the renowned artist and Rancho La Puerta contributor (who created the Ranch’s Kuchumaa Passage). Brenner is currently recipe testing for a Tree of Life sequel: Baja Home Cooking. When not in the kitchen, she teaches yoga classes, creates watercolors, and designs and makes chakra-inspired necklaces. She hikes the local mountains and travels the four corners of the world whenever possible.

Brenner, is a former travel bookstore owner (Word Journey’s in Del Mar, CA), Business Manager with IVAC (division of Eli Lilly) medical manufacturing, and Financial Manager for Spencer Valley Elementary School District.

Learning to Live with Less and Why it Matters

What are the financial and psychological costs that clutter can have on your personal and professional life?  Leave this session with solutions to help you declutter and be motivated to discard unneeded ‘stuff.’  Presentation will include group discussion related to struggles with letting go of items in your home.

Workshop#1
5 Mistakes in Organizing
What are the internal and external impediments to organizing? Learn about the technical errors/mistakes that people face when trying to get or stay organized. Learn strategies to avoid these mistakes in the future.

Workshop #2
Too Much Clutter?  How Do I “Let It Go?”
Feeling overwhelmed, too many clothes, piles of paper, photos, bags, spices, magazines, craft projects, antique furniture? Participants will learn the 5-step method of organizing items in your home and office. You will also learn about Brain Organizing to help you declutter your brain so you can declutter your life.

 

 

 

Amy Carstensen, a San Diego-based Professional Organizer, started her business “Organizing with Amy” in 2013.  Previously, she taught high school Spanish, worked for the International Community Foundation, and was the Founder and Executive Director of Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center. While Amy holds a Master’s degree from UCSD in International Relations, her true passion is helping people declutter their brains and their lives.  When she’s not donating kitchen items to Salvation Army or putting labels on bins, she’s home torturing her husband and two teenage boys reminding them that, “if you can’t find something… just start cleaning up!”

Pilates

Pilates Mat: Fundamentals (Progressive).
A great progressive class is for those who have never experienced the benefits of this core strengthening, posture aligning methodology. Clear, concise and simplified for those who are novice or need a brush up of the fundamental basics.

 

Pilates Mat: Level 2.
S, M, T, W, Th & F, 10:00am.
A moderately quicker-paced Pilates mat class for those individuals who regularly practice Pilates mat at home. Many classic exercises with a twist, occasional use of props, and moving at a slightly faster pace – this Pilates class will leave you invigorated, stretched, and strengthened!

 

 

 

Erika Quest, PMA-CPT, Owner of Studio Q Pilates Conditioning in Laguna Beach, CA is part of the Balanced Body® Faculty, and BOSU® Development Team providing international continuing education. She is also a Body Arts & Science International® graduate. Erika is also honored to be a regular instructor for the prestigious Pilates Anytime, Inc. a one of a kind website with all access to Pilates classes of all levels.

She is a premier presenter at a number of fitness/wellness conventions such as IDEA World, SCW Mania, Balanced Body Pilates on Tour, Pilates in Asia and RIMINI Wellness. In addition, Erika is a passionate freelance writer with articles published in Pilates Style Magazine, IDEA Pilates Today, IDEA Fitness Journal & Pilates-Pro.com.