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Advances in Health, Vitality and Longevity

Laughter (and Chocolate) Is the Best Medicine!
The importance of humor and laughter in daily life has been underestimated. The health consequences of humor can now be measured, and the true value recognized. While humor and laughter can be of great benefit to the one enjoying it, it can be a double-edged sword and also cause pain and suffering if the humor is at the expense of another. Particularly in a community, workplace, or family, the encouragement and use of humor requires sensitivity and guidance. This program offers insight into optimizing the benefits of humor and laughter, and as a tasteful bonus, the health benefits and joy of chocolate.

Food for Thought: Fasting vs. Fasting Mimicking (To Fast or Not to Fast)
This talk discusses the wide variety of time restricted and popular feeding and fasting programs, ranging from mild that are tolerable and acceptable, to extremes that have risks and should be avoided.

Gut Feelings:  Genes, Microbes & Brain
Prepare to be astounded by the revolutionary advances in the life sciences. New scientific discoveries have brought what had been considered science fiction to today’s reality. Our brain, gut, microbiome (the microbes that live in and on our body), diet, and genes are all intimately intertwined. They influence each other with profound effects on mood, energy, mental health, and overall wellness. The gut is a ‘second brain’ and has a vital role in our physical and mental health. This program will open your eyes to the dawning of a new era in medicine and health.

Joe Weiss wrote an article about the health benefits of gratitude. Read it here.

 

Joseph B. Weiss, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF is Clinical Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology) at the University of California, San Diego. He graduated from the Wayne State University School of Medicine, completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California at Irvine, and did his  clinical and research fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of California, San Diego. He is Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. Under the auspices of the World Health Organization and others he has pursued interests in Tropical and International Medicine and Public Health with stays in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Dr. Weiss is also an accomplished humorist, professional speaker and the author of many acclaimed books on the topics of health, wellness, digestion and nutrition ( To Air is Human; Got Guts: A Guide to Prevent and Beat Colon Cancer;  Artsy Fartsy; A Digest on Digestion; The Scoop on Poop;  and more at www.smartaskbooks.com) . He has presented at international conferences, universities, medical centers, Fortune 500 companies, YPO/WPO, Bohemian Grove, Esalen, Aspen Brain Forum and international spas and resorts. He has co-hosted a popular health radio talk show, “Health News and Views” and truly enjoys educating and entertaining his audiences!

 

Cardio Dance with Kymberly Williams-Evans

Focus on fitness and fun in these themed cardio dance classes. While the priority is on low-impact joint-friendly, easy-to-follow workouts, you will shake your groove thing to the sounds and moves of each style. PLUS you’ll experience a delightful, memorable surprise at the end of each class arranged just for you, this week only. While you don’t need any dance background, you will want to bring your best facial expressions and attitude.

Double your dancing fun by also attending each afternoon’s additional cardio classes presented by Rancho la Puerta’s fitness staff. Latin, Hip Hop, Funk and Groove anyone? The Ranch is going all-out this week to unleash the dancer in you. Think you can’t dance? Who cares?! Your heart won’t know if your feet match the teacher’s. The combos are designed for those who want to move comfortably and happily to motivating, energizing music.

Friday Dance Party – Remember reading about a surprise at the end of each class? You also get a surprise to wrap up your dancing week. Enjoy a medley of styles, moves, and teachers as we party together, strut our stuff, and leave sweaty. Just show up and let go!

 

 

Kymberly Williams-Evans, PhD (ABD) has taught fitness to more than 40,000 participants on 4 continents in 4 languages. Her teaching career spans land, sea, and airwaves and started in the first aerobics studio in Europe.

Former faculty at University of California Santa Barbara in both the Dept of Exercise and Sports Studies and English, she specializes in baby boomer and older adult group exercise. Kymberly holds two indoor cycling certifications, group instruction and Senior Specialty certification through ACE,  earned the Functional Aging Specialist certification, and is a charter member of the 2020 AgeWell Collective.

When not guest instructing at Rancho la Puerta, you can find her in Santa Barbara where she leads cycling classes, writes on fitness topics, and walks her beloved dogs daily.

Bone Up!

Our bones are dynamic and whether you are 8 or 80, a female or male, nutrition has a powerful influence on our bone health and vitality.  During Bone Up! we get personal…I’ll share with you my own bone-building success story.  And, you will have the opportunity to assess your nutrition intake and create an integrated, personalized plan to optimize your bone-nutrition and your fitness.  Susan will translate the science into the ingredients for long-term bone health with ideas that you will want to put on your plate right away!

 

Session 1: Discover 7 Surefire Ways to Power Up Your Bones
Let’s get personal…I’m sharing a nutritionist’s perspective on lessons-learned over the last decade and you will go home with recipes and tools for you to assess your bone-supportive nutrition and personalize your plan.

  1. Be strategic with a 2-pronged approach
  2. Make it an integrated plan
  3. Know your numbers
  4. Keep your eye on the prize, preventing a fracture
  5. When it comes to nutrition, bones don’t rely on one nutrient or food alone!
  6. Your unique gene blueprint can deeply impact your bone structure
  7. You need a healthy gut to absorb nutrients

  

Session 2: The Calcium Conundrum
Where do cows get their calcium, and other conundrums about calcium, minerals and our bone health!

  1. Overview of the biology calcium in the body
  2. How to optimize calcium intake and absorption
  3. Best sources of calcium
  4. Directing calcium into the bone and away from soft tissue/arteries
  5. Beyond calcium; other key minerals

 

Session 3: The Protein Paradox
Optimal protein status improves bone health but how much is optimal? Discover how to create a delicate metabolic balance!

  1. Eating patterns and bone health
  2. Populations studies and osteoporosis risk
  3. Sarcopenia and relationship with protein intake, bone health and fracture risk
  4. How to assess and optimize intake
  5. Protein requirement and dietary sources
  6. Alkalinity, protein, and bone health

 

Session 4: The Gut-Bone Connection
You are not what you eat, but what you absorb!  The connection may seem surprising, but ultimately optimal bone health is dependent on a good healthy gut.

  1. How the gut microbiome affects bone health
  2. Assessing your gut health – What’s normal?
  3. What to add and what to remove:  Key nutrients
  4. Consider healing foods and favorite herbals to stimulate digestion and nourish the gut

 

 

 

Susan McCandless, RDN, CLT, IFNCP
Susan, a Functional Dietitian Nutritionist, is a sought-after speaker known for her expertise in delivering engaging educational workshops. She is an effective health coach with a distinct ability to translate the science right to the plate and inspire powerful diet and lifestyle habits. Board Certified in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Susan understands how body systems work together. She focuses on improving client function by treating the root cause of disease and dis-ease. In her private practice with MINT Nutrition, Susan is delivers clients proven results through in-depth assessment, food-first solutions and a personalized nutrition toolbox.  Susan holds advanced certifications in integrative and functional nutrition, lifestyle medicine, nutrigenetics, food sensitivities and intuitive eating.

 

Hands-On Cooking Classes with Natasha Feldman

Natasha offers three 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.

 

 

Natasha Feldman is a self-described 35-year-old Jewish grandmother. She is a webby-nominated cooking show host, cooking instructor, private chef, recipe developer, and author. She is a frequent guest chef on TV shows such as Home and Family, KTLA and Fox 5 San Diego, and private chef to several prominent clients in L.A. Her first show, Cinema and Spice, was picked up by Yahoo! in 2014 and aired over 70 episodes. Since then, Tash has produced, hosted, and styled over 150 pieces of food content, ranging from prepping fancy meals for wild animals on Super Deluxe to revamping holiday cookie classics for Huffington Post. Most recently, you can watch Tash co-host Snackable’s popular YouTube series Top Down Challenge, host Craving Healthy on Food Network’s Genius Kitchen, and Season 2 of her Nexstar series Nosh with Tash. She is also currently writing her first cookbook with Harper Collins, The Dinner Party Project set to release Spring 2023.

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.

Inner Fitness: Healthy Deviance

Intro to Healthy Deviance: From Chronic Depletion to Empowered Flow
The nature of the Unhealthy Default Reality (our real-life version of “The Matrix”); the vicious cycle it creates for health seekers; our “unseen problem” and the renegade solution offered by Healthy Deviance; scientific findings on the phenomena of “Ego-Depletion” and “Learned Helplessness” and where they might be showing up in your life.
Tool/Exercise: Weird Symptom Checklist: Are You Breaking Yourself?

 

Nonconformist Competency 1: Amplified Awareness
The health-and-sanity-preserving importance (and challenge) of paying attention to what is going on in and around you in the midst of nonstop distraction; noticing the signals your body is giving you; the value of cultivating awareness and willingness rather than focusing on what we commonly think of “willpower.”
Tool/Exercise: Renegade Ritual: Morning-Minutes Practice

 

Nonconformist Competency 2: Pre-emptive Repair
The power of getting ahead of accumulating damage that is done to your bodymind just by virtue of living in the midst of a pro-inflammatory culture; avoiding states of reactivity and vulnerability; building vitality, resilience, and autonomy in micro-doses.
Tool/Exercise: Renegade Ritual: Ultradian Rhythm Breaks(URBs)

 

Nonconformist Competency 3: Continuous Growth and Learning
The necessity and reward of embracing a “Growth Mindset” around health and self-improvement; getting comfortable with the natural tension between where you want to be and where you are, between what you want to know and do, and what you are capable of right now; building on existing strengths and areas of success and identifying areas of opportunity (as observed from abbreviated Life Wheel exercise).
Tool/Exercise: Renegade Ritual: Nighttime Wind-Down

 

Healthy Deviant Know-How: The Survival Skills of the New Era
An overview of the broad base of key skills and literacies (beyond “diet and exercise”) that one needs to be healthy in an unhealthy world, and how to move beyond information-overload toward selective experimentation and practice; Healthy Deviance as a Flow experience.
Tool/Exercise: Your Hierarchy of (Healthy Deviant Skill) Needs

 

 

 

Pilar Gerasimo is an award-winning health journalist, pioneering social explorer, and author of The Healthy Deviant: A Rule-Breaker’s Guide to Being Healthy in an Unhealthy World (North Atlantic Books, 2020). Best known for her visionary work as founding editor of Experience Life magazine, which today reaches more than three million people with each issue, Pilar has also served as top health editor for The Huffington Post, and as visiting faculty for the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
Today, Pilar co-hosts a top-rated podcast called The Living Experiment and teaches online courses through her digital learning platform, Healthy Deviant Academy. She guest lectures at universities, leads workshops at top retreat centers, and consults for organizations committing to transforming health and happiness at work and around the globe. When she’s not traveling, Pilar hangs out on her family’s organic, communal farm in Wisconsin with her pit bull pal, Calvin.
Learn more at https://avanan.url-protection.com/v1/url?o=www.healthydeviant.com&g=NGI1YjYzZGE4YzQ5NDkyNA==&h=YzgxMTU3YjI5YTBhOGViYzhlNjFkNDViZjliOGYyMjk1ZTJmMzMwNDA3YmFmNDE1NzM3OWFhZWFmMGZhZjhjMw==&p=YXAzOnJhbmNob2xhcHVlcnRhOmE6bzoxY2NhNjJkZmQ5MGE2ZTBlODQ0MTg0MzZlNTA0NjFiMzp2MTp0OlQ=(where you can also take the “Are You a Healthy Deviant?” quiz). Join Pilar’s private Healthy Deviant Facebook Group or follow her on Instagram at @pgerasimo.

GYROKINESIS

Sunday – Friday, 11AM, 75 minutes

 

Chantal Deeble is a GYROTONIC®, GYROKINESIS® and Pilates Master Trainer. Chantal is the owner/studio-director of Kinespirit GYROTONIC® and Pilates Studios, with locations in NYC and Portland, Oregon.

After an exciting and fulfilling dance career performing and teaching internationally for over 15 years, Chantal founded Chantalko LLC, GYROTONIC®, Pilates & Personal Training in 2003. Soon after, Kinespirit Studios, was inaugurated in 2006.

Chantal is a Specialized Master Trainer for all aspects of the GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Level 1&2 Foundation and Specialized Equipment courses.

She co-authored the GYROTONIC® Applications for Runners continuing education course and is one of a very select group of SMT’s (worldwide authorized) to conduct GYROKINESIS® Final Certification Courses.

Additionally, Chantal is fully and comprehensively certified in Pilates Matwork and all Apparatus, and is honored to be a Teacher Trainer on faculty at the Kane School of Core Integration, at Kinected Studio, NYC.

She has been a business owner in New York City (and now Portland, OR) for over 19 years.

Pilates with Gia Calhoun

Gia Calhoun is a Pilates teacher based in Los Angeles, California, who has been teaching Pilates since 2007. She has been working for Pilates Anytime since 2013 and is the Vice President.

Growing up as a dancer in southern California, Gia started Pilates in 2001 after a recommendation from one of her teachers to help with a recurring hip injury. She studied Pilates throughout high school while she was training to become a professional ballet dancer. After graduating, she enrolled at the University of California, Irvine as a dance major. After her first year, she took a leave of absence to join Columbia City and later later returned to school to complete her B.A. in dance while in addition to a Pilates teacher training with Diane Diefenderfer at Studio du Corps.

Upon graduation, Gia moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to dance with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and to teach Pilates at their school. When she moved back to Los Angeles, she taught at various gyms, studios, and physical therapy offices before transitioning to a full-time employee of Pilates Anytime.

Synchronized Swimming with Katie Killebrew

Join Katie in the pool for a week of learning how to float, kick and make formations in the pool set to music Ester Williams style. This class will meet everyday for 1hr and will perform a routine  on the last day of class. If you have dreamed of being a mermaid and wanting to learn all the beginning and basic skills of synchronized swimming this class is for you. Fancy caps will be provided for our show day. Make a grand splash in the pool this summer.

 

 

Katie Killebrew was born with movement like a mermaid. Katie began in the pool at age 6 synchronizing swimming and training for what would be her platform for teaching.

Katie’s athletic prowess led her to national and world titles in synchronized swimming and shows like Splash, Sea World and other performances around the world. Katie is nationally recognized instructor in aquatics and leads yoga/aquatic retreats around the glob! Katie loves to share her passion for the water and how therapeutic it can be for your whole body.

Katie’s bubbly personality and compassionate gentle caring heart clearly comes through in her teachings. Katie is committed to helping her students create balance, joy and fun.

 

 

Unleash Your Inner Athlete for Brain Health and Longevity

We all want to live a long and (more importantly) vibrant life. What if I told you the key to unlocking this through the exercise door is by training like an athlete? Think you’re too old for this? Think again! The revelation of neuroplasticity tells us that our brains are always changing and adapting. If we feed the brain the right information and test it through movement, we can fight off cognitive decline. In this 4 session series, we will have 2 fitness training sessions and 2 hybrid lecture with movement classes. Our fitness sessions focus on using movement and exercise to challenge our brain and nervous system to keep us sharp and mobile as we age. This class can be modified for all fitness levels. Our hybrid lecture sessions will dive into the constantly emerging research that shows us how we can preserve and optimize our brain health while teaching some easy but powerful techniques to maximize brain function and while improving mobility and joint health.

 

Eric Cruz started his journey in health and fitness at the age of 13. After growing up as an overweight youth, he found exercise and nutrition as an empowering path for changing his life. Through reading and watching anything he could get my hands on related to health, he became his own experiment and first client. As he started to see results, he found that this lifestyle not only made him better physically, but mentally as well. He gained self-confidence and a stronger drive for achievement and knew this was what he would spend the rest of his life practicing.

Eager to get out into the field, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Missouri State University and later moved to California. There, he attended California State University at Long Beach and received a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. While his conventional education is foundational, he believes that continuing education is where health professionals really evolve and make a difference.

To solidify his knowledge and expertise as a fitness professional he received credentials such as:

Certified Exercise Physiologist (EP-C) through the American College of Sports Medicine
Level II Exercise is Medicine Practitioner (EIM2) through the American College of Sports Medicine
Multiple Sclerosis Fitness and Wellness Specialist (MSFW) through American Fitness Professionals and Associates
Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine
Functional Movement Techniques (FMT) through Rocktape

ARNI Institute (AAI)
He then took his nutrition education and practice to the next level by becoming a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P). It is this area that really sets his practice apart as a health and wellness professional as he enjoys incorporating the full picture of fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle together.

MY MISSION AND PRACTICE: “While exercise or nutrition can be beneficial in different aspects, it is the two combined that truly allows the client to obtain optimal results. Every individual is unique in genetic build and current lifestyle. Therefore, each individual responds differently and may require different changes in behavior to reach their respective goals. No mode of exercise is perfect for everyone just as no single diet is perfect for everyone. The time of one size fits all in nutrition and fitness is gone. We must analyze people inside and out to provide truly optimal recommendations and results.”

The Journey to a Cleaner Energy Future

Climate Change: The Multi-faceted Challenge of a Just Transition to a Cleaner Energy Future
This first discussion will provide you a global perspective on the key facts and drivers for lowering emissions and to move the world to a cleaner energy future.

 

The Hitchhikers Guide to New Energy Solutions
An exploration of the key solutions needed to achieve the shift to a cleaner energy future – this session will be full of surprises and will be in non tech speak!

 

The Energy Future and Social Inequality
There are unintended consequences as we drive towards a cleaner energy future – paradoxically energy is both the basis for growing prosperity and if done badly exacerbates social inequality.

 

 

Peter Bryant is a recognized thought leader on innovation and digital transformation, sustainability (ESG) including the energy transition across multiple sectors including mining and energy. He lives in Southern California, having immigrated to the US in 1996, from New Zealand by way of Australia, and has two daughters, one a junior at SMU and the youngest a sophomore in high school

He is widely published on these themes, including appearing on CNBC and being quoted by the Wall St. Journal, and sits on the Board of Advisors for two leading VC Funds, Chrysalix and Foundamental, that have a focus on multiple heavy industries including mining, O&G, and utilities, and also various emerging tech companies including Lilac Solutions, Symboticware and Safe.AI. In addition, he has served on the Innovation Councils for multiple mining and energy companies.

He is an active speaker, most recently at COP26 on the Mining Value Chain for electrification/decarbonization; CERAWeek 2022; The Future Minerals Summitt 2022 in Saudi Arabia; the Baker Hughes 2020 Annual Energy Forward Meeting in Italy with 1750 global O&G leaders plus a keynote at the New Zealand Prime Ministers 2019 Just Transition to Net Zero Emissions Summit. Peter has advised many leading companies including Anglo American, BHP, Rio Tinto, Teck Resources, JCI, BP, GE O&G, Baker Hughes, Castrol, Edison International and Goldcorp.

Peter is Co-Founder and Board Chair of the Development Partner Institute www.dpimining.org , a nonprofit focused on improved social, economic and environmental outcomes for communities from resource development projects. He is also an invited participant in the joint Rockefeller Foundation and Brookings Institute 17 Rooms program, that is focused on accelerating the 17 UN established Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and regular participant the WEF’s annual Mine Minsters Summit. He also co-authored The Growth Champions –The Battle for Sustained Innovation Leadership published in 2012.

Mr. Bryant holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. He holds a CA from the NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a co-founder of The World Innovation Network (formerly The Kellogg Innovation Network) www.twinglobal.org.
Board Chair & Managing Partner Clareo www.clareo.com

 

Dance with Anna

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. Anna is mother to 10 yr old daughter Anyango and currently lives in Seattle,Wa.

Pickleball

George Silvas has a lifetime of credentials in Physical Education, with over 40 years of teaching, coaching and inspiring people through their experiences in sports. He is a lifelong athlete and competitor, including playing college football, and competing in baseball, basketball, softball, golf, fishing and free diving for abalone. George was an avid golfer until his wife Maria suggested they try playing pickleball as an activity they could enjoy as a couple. He dug through some old PE equipment to find paddles and off they went to play the game. Before he knew it they were hooked on playing pickleball. He become Pickleball Ambassador and dedicated his time as volunteer, teaching and promoting pickleball for 3 years throughout Marin County.

He was honored as a recipient of the 2018 Volunteer of the Year award by the Parks and Recreation Departments. George was also featured in Marin Magazine (In a Pickleball) in September of 2017. https://marinmagazine.com/feature-story/in-a-pickle In the last four years George has been hired by multiple Marin County Recreation Departments to teach, promote and open pickleball Venues throughout Marin County. He has traveled throughout United States and the world playing pickleball and competing in tournaments. He played in the first US Pickleball Open as well as Nationals.

His number one goal in teaching Pickleball is to give the gifts of health, happiness, friends, and memories for a lifetime. He tells people that playing pickleball is a rebirth to childhood playing and having fun at any age!

Songs of the Heart

Partners in music and life, vocalist Clairdee and pianist Ken French share a mutual passion for life and music making, alternating between touring, recording, and as music professors at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Over 24 years together, the husband-and-wife’s performances are a harmonious blend of intimacy, emotional subtlety, and joy in a repertoire embracing jazz standards, pop, blues, and original compositions.

The couple’s discography includes five highly regarded albums on their Declare Music label. The most recent album, “A Love Letter to Lena” (inspired by Lena Horne, the legendary singer, actor, activist), garnered wide-spread international press and recognized in three categories in the 2020 Grammy® first round nominations.

 

 

“A whole lot of interpretive brilliance” is how JazzTimes describes Clairdee’s soulfully alluring style and rich timbre. She swings, has an intimate, vulnerable way with a ballad, and can shout at will, revealing roots in the gospel church. Her masterly interpretation of lyrics is a gift aptly described by the inimitable Nancy Wilson who said, “In the tradition of all great vocalists, Clairdee infuses each song with her own unique style while always remaining true to the song itself.”

In addition to her work with Ken, Clairdee sings in night clubs, concert halls, and festivals in Edinburgh, Tokyo, Bangkok, Toronto, Moscow and St Petersburg Russia, New York, San Francisco, Monterey, and points in between with pops orchestras, big bands, with some of America’s most notable jazz instrumentalists.

2018 recipient of the Bay Area Jazz & Blues Artist Lifetime Achievement Award, Clairdee is a passionate advocate for music education: Professor of Jazz Voice, San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Teaching Artist for SFJAZZ and San Francisco Symphony; and Artist Advisory member and mentor for Bay Area-based non-profit, Jazz in the Neighborhood.

 

A pianist, composer and arranger, Ken French is passionate about jazz, blues, and the rich tradition of the American Song Book. With early training in classical piano, and university studies in philosophy and music composition, Ken has honed his craft for over three decades on world class stages from New York to Tokyo, including the Monterey Jazz Festival and SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco. He is inspired by performing with such celebrated artists as Mary Stallings, John Handy, and Wynton Marsalis. As an educator, Ken shares his musical passion as Professor, Jazz Piano, San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Teaching Artist, San Francisco Symphony “Adventures in Music” concerts for children; private teaching; and his creative arrangements and musical direction while touring with international jazz vocalist Clairdee.

Rhythmic Sounds

The Beatles: Listen and Talk
In 1963 the Beatles were a promising band just beginning to make a name for themselves.
By 1970 they had changed the face of popular music forever. Their metamorphosis is a story of musical genius and the uneasy dreams of an entire generation. Fifty years after “Please Please Me,” they still please us. Let’s listen together and talk about why.

 

Rhythmic Sounds
The rhythms of nature. The beating of your heart, the rise and fall of the surf, the promise of a child drawing her first breath. The world is full of meaningful, beautiful…and rhythmic…sounds. Join Steven Schick—percussionist, conductor and author—as he explores the world of percussion rhythms and mindful listening. Don’t worry! This is still your vacation. The performance will be gentle, evocative and will draw you into a world of pulses, sonic textures and musical gestures. If you think you’ve heard everything there is to hear on a concert stage, then come take a listen to the percussionist that Alex Ross of “the New Yorker” called, “one of our supreme living virtuosos, not just of percussion, but of any instrument.” It will music for both the ears and the heart.

 

 

 

Percussionist, conductor, and author Steven Schick, hailed by Alex Ross in the New Yorker as, “one of our supreme living virtuosos, not just of percussion but of any instrument,” has championed contemporary percussion music by commissioning or premiering more than one hundred-fifty new works. Steven Schick is artistic director of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. As a conductor, he has appeared with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony, Ensemble Modern, the International Contemporary Ensemble, and the Asko/Schönberg Ensemble. He is the curator of, and was most recently conductor and percussion soloist in, “It’s About Time,” a festival of the San Diego Symphony held in January of 2018. Schick’s publications include a book, The Percussionist’s Art: Same Bed, Different Dreams, and many articles. He has released numerous recordings including the 2010 “Percussion Works of Iannis Xenakis,” and its companion, “The Complete Early Percussion Works of Karlheinz Stockhausen” in 2014. He received the “Diapason d’Or” as conductor (Xenakis Ensemble Music with ICE) and the Deutscheschallplattenkritikpreis, as percussionist (Stockhausen), each for the best new music release of 2015.  He was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 2014. Steven Schick is Distinguished Professor of Music and holds the Reed Family Presidential Chair at the University of California, San Diego. He was music director of the 2015 Ojai Festival, and in 2017, the co-artistic director, with Claire Chase, of the Summer Music Program at the Banff Centre. In 2018 Schick became the Artistic Director of the Breckenridge Music Festival.

Concerts

LOOK UP
ORIGINAL SONGS, Star Light & the SINGING DRUM
Music and Light are healing forces and you will be greeted with both as you enter. This is a potent heart-felt evening in an atmosphere of breathtaking and beautiful colorful starlight laser visuals. Singer-Songwriter Karl Anthony shares insightful original songs directly inspired by his international touring, work in the Healing ARTS program at Children’s Hospital, and many inspired years visiting Rancho la Puerta. Karl will also introduce you to the Handpan Singing Drum, a soothing new instrument blending rhythm and harmonics. It expresses a mellow and beautiful sound sculpture that will nourish your heart. For a nurturing and engaging evening, treat yourself to more than a concert — this is a vibration of connection and community.

 

HOLD THE SKY
Songwriter, Karl Anthony shares powerful stories with uplifting original music inspired by a career of international touring and service. Hold The Sky is one of his original songs he will perform. The Handpan Singing Drum will make another appearance setting the perfect tone for a beautiful day at the Ranch. Starlight laser visuals will greet you to create an atmosphere of welcome which transport your body and mind to a nurturing and peaceful fireside setting. This is an evening for connecting, relaxing, sitting back and revitalizing your spirit.

 

 

Karl Anthony is a songwriter and singer; and a facilitator and advocate for the healing potential with music.  Karl leads international service trips to Thailand and has received several Gandhi/King Season for Nonviolence Peace Hero awards for his humanitarian efforts and innovative music performances. He creates anthems of hope and believes music can be a catalyst for positive change.  When Karl is not on the road touring, his music is influenced by his unique experiences working with the Healing Arts Department at Children’s Hospital in San Diego. Karl’s music and his career cross countless boundaries and is truly an international language of service and joy. On the Web: karlanthony.com

 

Concerts

Singing Drum – Karl Anthony, with Jennifer Brandt, artist-in-residence at Bazar del Sol
The Singing Drum (or HANG) is a soothing sound sculpture of rhythm and harmonics.
Karl Anthony is on staff in a Healing Arts program for a children’s hospital and he plays this unique and beautiful instrument for recovering patients. You will experience how it expresses a deep and profound calming element which is guaranteed to revitalize and nurture your whole body and spirit. The HANG or Singing Drum is a relatively new instrument inspired by the steel pans of Trinidad; the first prototype crafted in Bern, Switzerland.  Jennifer Brandt will start a painting project while we listen to the singing pan.

 

Hold the Sky Concert– Thursday 8 pm Oaktree Pavilion
Music and Light are healing forces and you will be greeted with both as you enter. This is a potent heart-felt concert presentation in an atmosphere of calming, brilliantly colorful laser star light.  Singer-Songwriter Karl Anthony shares insightful songs directly inspired by his years of world touring, community service and unique program with Children’s Hospital. For a nurturing and engaging evening, treat yourself to more than a concert — it is a vibration of pure joy and connection.

 

 

Karl Anthony is a songwriter and singer; and a facilitator and advocate for the healing potential with music.  Karl leads international service trips to Thailand and has received several Gandhi/King Season for Nonviolence Peace Hero awards for his humanitarian efforts and innovative music performances. He creates anthems of hope and believes music can be a catalyst for positive change.  When Karl is not on the road touring, his music is influenced by his unique experiences working with the Healing Arts Department at Children’s Hospital in San Diego. Karl’s music and his career cross countless boundaries and is truly an international language of service and joy. On the Web: On the Web: karlanthony.com

 

Blood, Biotechnology and Well-Being – Overviews of Genetics, Cellular Therapies and Aging

Discover the provoking and revolutionary technologies that will not only treat each of us more precisely but will drive longevity and healthier communities.

Blood, Biotechnology and Well-Being – Overviews of Genetics, Cellular Therapies and Aging.
Over the past 20 years, biological discoveries and healthcare technologies have evolved at breakneck speed.  It is now possible to read your entire genetic blueprint in a few hours, reprogram your immune cells to kill cancer, and mine amounts of data never before imagined, all to more effectively treat us more precisely as individuals.  Individuals and communities will live longer and healthier lives, and it all starts with our blood!

 

Blood, Biotechnology and Well-Being – DNA and Genetics.
The discovery of the molecular structure of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1952 has cracked wide open the understanding of our genetic blueprint, how single molecular changes in our DNA can cause disease, how our DNA directs how we respond to therapies, and how we can now edit our DNA to eradicate disease, with technologies such as CRISPR.  DNA sequencing and editing technologies applied to agriculture and microorganisms, bacteria and viruses, will enable us to realize both precision medicine and more importantly precision health.

 

Blood, Biotechnology and Well-Being – Cellular Therapies.
Pharmaceutical development is at an amazing inflection point, using cells to replace damaged and diseased tissues.  Cellular therapies are just now being applied clinically, after the earlier waves of chemical drugs, such as aspirin, and biologics, such as antibodies (i.e., Humira).  The treatment of cancer has followed drug development and now it is possible to leverage and even reprogram your own immune system to fight cancer.

 

Blood, Biotechnology and Well-Being – Aging.
While cancer involves the aberrant growth of cells, cell senescence, or aging, occurs through similar genetic changes.  Scientists now believe our bodies were designed to live longer than we actually do, and it’s the inhibition of disease that will enhance longevity.  Will genetically manipulating individual cells allow us to live both disease-free and longer?  In this program we will also briefly review the biology of skincare and wound repair.

 

 

David Wellis PhD is a nationally known cell biologist, innovator and entrepreneur with over 30 years of engagement in the life science industry.  David currently serves as the CEO of Excellos, a company focused on supplying cellular products and services, together with process development and manufacturing expertise to scientists and clinicians working with cell and gene therapies.  Prior to Excellos, he served as the CEO of the San Diego Blood Bank (SDBB) for nearly 9 years.  At SDBB, David’s vision was to connect altruistic blood donors with basic research and clinical study opportunities, furthering SDBB’s mission of ensuring the health of the community.  David joined SDBB following his tenure at a variety of companies that developed antibody therapeutics and tools for biomedical research, diagnostic and applied markets. David received his B.S. from UC Irvine, an M.S. and Ph.D. from Emory University, postdoctoral training at Tufts University and UC Berkeley, and business training at Santa Clara University and UC Berkeley.  David serves on the Executive Committee of the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute at UC San Diego, and has held board and committee roles in several national blood bank organizations, the National Institutes of Health and biotechnology companies.  He has presented to local and national audiences, Young Presidents Organization and has been invited to the White House twice.  For the past two years, he was named to the SD500 list of Most Influential People in San Diego.

Mah Jongg

Mah Jongg  • The Beauty and Soul of Mah Jongg

Come hear Toby Salk’s lively lecture about the history of how Mah Jongg became so popular in the United States, how Mah Jongg has seeped into popular culture, and so much more. Toby’s mother and aunts played Mah Jongg before she was born. So, you might say she first heard the clicking and clacking of Mah Jongg tiles in the womb! Don’t miss this wonderful and wacky Toby Salk talk! You do not need to be a player to attend!

Beginners Mah Jongg–American Style (60 mins) – 4 sessions – require sign up at the Ranch

This class will teach you the basics of playing American Mah Jongg according to the National Mah Jongg League Guidelines. The focus will be on tile recognition, rules, strategy and lots of fun! This is also a great class to take if you are rusty and want to go back to the basics.

You must be present for the Monday class if you really want to learn.

 

Toby Salk:
After the end of a long-term corporate job, I knew it was time for reinvention. I tried on all of the hats I’d worn throughout my life, seeing if one might fit again.  One night, I was sitting at a dinner party with a successful bakery owner. She looked at me squarely in the eye and said, “You should be teaching Mah Jongg.”   Before I could protest, she offered me her bakery in the evenings for my first class.  Experimenting on friends first, I then organized my first class at Sweet Adeline Bakery and had to turn people away. It was a huge success. Now I am teaching all over the Bay Area, including two exclusive women’s clubs on Union Square, Berkeley Adult School, Orinda Park and Rec, and private homes.  Every month I host a Mah Jongg Brunch for all of my students and players. “Mah Jongg for Everyone” is truly that. It has connected all kinds of people and brought more fun and more joy to so many.

Pickleball

Kim Evans has been a life-long tennis player and enthusiast, and completed her certification as a Professional Tennis Instructor (PTR) in 2003, teaching at a large, highly-rated tennis facility in the Chicago area. Kim competed in college, playing Division III tennis, and continues to play competitively on her 4.5 USTA team.

While in college in the 1980‘s, Kim was introduced to the sport of Pickleball. Three years ago, she was reintroduced to the sport, and fell in love. Kim completed her Professional Pickleball Instructor (PPR) certification in 2018, and started competing in tournaments as well. She still plays both sports equally, but is falling more in love with Pickleball by the day.

Kim also brings to her coaching a knowledge of sports’ psychology. Kim is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, licensed in the state of Illinois, where she has been in private practice for the past 25 years.

Cooking Classes

David offers three 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.

 

David Cohen was born in Philadelphia and learned to cook on the kitchen counter at a young age. After graduating from Cornell University, he moved to the Island of Santorini to work at the Michelin stared restaurant Selene. Upon returning to the US David assumed the responsibilities of Executive Chef at Kansas City Prime Steak House where he was awarded 3 ½ stars from the Philadelphia Inquirer. After receiving his culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, he moved to San Francisco and assisted in the opening of Gourmet magazine´s best new-comer restaurant, and SF magazine’s Best New Restaurant, Azie.  He spent numerous years as both the Executive Sous Chef at Auberge Du Soleil in Napa Valley & Executive Chef of Scala’s bistro in San Francisco. He has been awarded 3 stars from both the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News; and was named one of the Bay Area’s Top 100 Chefs two years in a row. In 2008 David joined Oren Dobronsky to open Oren’s Hummus Shop in Palo Alto. Today Oren’s Hummus has 5 restaurants throughout the Bay Area. David also owns a hospitality consulting firm that assists individuals in bringing their restaurant visions to life and achieving their highest potential as operators. He lives in San Jose with his son.

 

 

Live Your Great Story!

  • Live Your Great Story!
  • Healthy Inner Dialogue – Discover Your Joyous Adult
  • Emotional Fluency – Permission to Feel
  • Powerful You – Ownership and Responsibility
  • Create Your Best Life – How to Manifest Your Dreams

 

Jeanine Mancusi, CPCC, LMCC is a Certified Professional and Personal Life coach based in the mountains of Northern California. She has been coaching clients and training coaches since 1997.  She supports her clients to come into deep self-acceptance with self-love and live rich, satisfying lives that are the best expression of their true gifts and their unique Soul’s calling.  Jeanine has been a guest at Rancho La Puerta many times and is delighted to return and serve others in navigating the internal dialogue that comes with making a commitment to physical well-being and change.

Live Your Great Story!

  • Live Your Great Story!
  • Healthy Inner Dialogue – Discover Your Joyous Adult
  • Emotional Fluency – Permission to Feel
  • Powerful You – Ownership and Responsibility
  • Create Your Best Life – How to Manifest Your Dreams

 

Jeanine Mancusi, CPCC, LMCC is a Certified Professional and Personal Life coach based in the mountains of Northern California. She has been coaching clients and training coaches since 1997.  She supports her clients to come into deep self-acceptance with self- love and live rich, satisfying lives that are the best expression of their true gifts and their unique Soul’s calling.  Jeanine has been a guest at Rancho La Puerta many times and is delighted to return and serve others in navigating the internal dialogue that comes with making a commitment to physical well- being and change.

Meditation with Alexandra McIntyre and Andrew Oser

Living as Meditation: Relax, Release, and Renew
Our time at Rancho La Puerta offers a precious opportunity for each of us to deeply reconnect with ourselves, enjoy a profound reset, and transform our lives. Our objective this week is to support everyone in making the most of this precious time.

Our sessions this week, will give each of us the opportunity to explore and experience:
* Learn to easily and consistently connect with the peace inside
* Release limiting beliefs and fears that have held us back
* Receive clear vision and accurate, specific guidance for life
* Learn effective tools for living more fully in the Present.

Living Meditation Handouts for Oct 29 – Nov 6

 

Andrew Oser and Alex McIntyre-Klein are your co-leaders for this course. Both began meditating regularly in their teens and teaching meditation in their early 20s. Alex and Andrew have devoted their adult lives to awakening spiritually and helping others to do the same.

Andrew and Alex guide retreats together on sacred Mount Shasta and also offer spiritual life coaching and guided meditations. A summa cum laude graduate of Princeton, Andrew is the author of several books, including How Alternation Can Change Your Life. For more information, see www.mountshastaretreat.net. Alex is a certified teacher-trainer of Transcendental Meditation, a certified trainer of Happy for No Reason, a certified Co-active Life Coach, whose sessions blend a deep spiritual focus with practical, highly effective tools for transformation. For more information, see www.heartoftheworld.com

Alex and Andrew have a broad-based, non-religious approach to meditation and spiritual growth. Both have had the blessing of studying closely with living Masters: Alex with Maharishi Mahsesh Yogi, Jean Klein, and Anandamayi Ma; and Andrew with Bill Bauman, and Adyashanti. Other major influences include Ramana Maharshi, Papaji, and Mooji.