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Natural Health to Optimize Brain & Body

“Health is a state of vibrant vitality, abundant energy, and positive affect. It can be cultivated, enhanced, and experienced by everyone.” Dr. Erica Oberg has refined this philosophy over 20 years practicing and researching the science of health, wellness, and nutrition. Combining a respect for the timeless wisdom of our bodies with cutting edge science, her presentations engage audiences internationally. Her patients love her for her rigorous yet accessible approach to health. This program will bring you up to date on the latest trends in health and medicine and will also give you practical strategies to bring natural medicine into your own life.

 

Hidden Triggers of Early Aging

Don’t nod in agreement as your friends blame their physical and mental declines on “getting older.” Learn about five factors you might not have considered (or treated) that affect aging and energy. Factors range from the microbes in your gut to vitamin deficiencies. Discover which ones may apply to you.

 

A Better Brain

A healthy brain and mind are essential tools for living our best lives. Whether your concerns are occasional brain fog or a family history of dementia or Alzheimer’s, you do not have to resign yourself to future cognitive decline. Learn some basic brain science and self-assess ways to improve your mental capacity. Learn self-care techniques to keep your neurons firing for optimal performance.

 

 

Erica Oberg, ND, MPH, has practiced integrative & natural medicine for 20 years. She has held leadership positions in medical schools, NIH research, public health, and clinical practice. Her approach to health and medicine combines the rigors of science with the wisdom of nature and our bodies. She is passionate about helping people experience health as a state of vibrancy and vitality. As such expertise is in preventing, reversing, and taming chronic disease, neuro-regeneration, and anti-aging. Dr. Oberg specializes in nutrition & lifestyle, IV micronutrient therapy, and identifying the underlying causes of disease using advanced testing.

Dr. Oberg received her doctorate in naturopathic medicine in 2003 from Bastyr University, where she also did her residency. She was awarded a prestigious NIH fellowship at the University of Washington where she conducted and published research on health behavior change, nutraceuticals, and health creation. She has gone on to practice in several internationally renowned integrative clinics and is currently in 2 locations in Southern California – a concierge practice in La Jolla and an wellness lounge featuring IVs, vitamin shots, regenerative aesthetic therapies.

Natural Health to Optimize Brain & Body

“Health is a state of vibrant vitality, abundant energy, and positive affect. It can be cultivated, enhanced, and experienced by everyone.” Dr. Erica Oberg has refined this philosophy over 20 years practicing and researching the science of health, wellness, and nutrition. Combining a respect for the timeless wisdom of our bodies with cutting edge science, her presentations engage audiences internationally. Her patients love her for her rigorous yet accessible approach to health. This program will bring you up to date on the latest trends in health and medicine and will also give you practical strategies to bring natural medicine into your own life.

 

Hidden Triggers of Early Aging

Don’t nod in agreement as your friends blame their physical and mental declines on “getting older.” Learn about five factors you might not have considered (or treated) that affect aging and energy. Factors range from the microbes in your gut to vitamin deficiencies. Discover which ones may apply to you.

 

The Science of Stress

The epidemic of our modern era is stress. Need we say more? Learn how it impacts you and what to do about it (other than burning your appointment calendar!). Come away with accessible lifestyle strategies to make you more stress resilient.

 

A Better Brain

A healthy brain and mind are essential tools for living our best lives. Whether your concerns are occasional brain fog or a family history of dementia or Alzheimer’s, you do not have to resign yourself to future cognitive decline. Learn some basic brain science and self-assess ways to improve your mental capacity. Learn self-care techniques to keep your neurons firing for optimal performance.

 

Is it My Hormones?

It doesn’t matter if you are male or female, young or old, hormones are the conductors of the orchestra that is our physical and emotional health. There are so many factors that can disrupt hormone balance ranging from toxins and environmental exposures to your chronological age to your level of stress. Learn how these factors influence your hormones and what to do to get them back in balance.

 

Erica Oberg, ND, MPH, has practiced integrative & natural medicine for 20 years. She has held leadership positions in medical schools, NIH research, public health, and clinical practice. Her approach to health and medicine combines the rigors of science with the wisdom of nature and our bodies. She is passionate about helping people experience health as a state of vibrancy and vitality. As such expertise is in preventing, reversing, and taming chronic disease, neuro-regeneration, and anti-aging. Dr. Oberg specializes in nutrition & lifestyle, IV micronutrient therapy, and identifying the underlying causes of disease using advanced testing.

Dr. Oberg received her doctorate in naturopathic medicine in 2003 from Bastyr University, where she also did her residency. She was awarded a prestigious NIH fellowship at the University of Washington where she conducted and published research on health behavior change, nutraceuticals, and health creation. She has gone on to practice in several internationally renowned integrative clinics and is currently in 2 locations in Southern California – a concierge practice in La Jolla and an wellness lounge featuring IVs, vitamin shots, regenerative aesthetic therapies.

Cellblocks to Mountaintops with Lydia B. Smith

Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago – Screening and Q&A
American’s fascination with the Camino is exploding; eight times more Americans walked it in 2019 than the previous decade. Walking the Camino journeys into the hearts and minds of six modern-day pilgrims, ages 3 to 73, as they each face and triumph over their doubts and fears while they attempt to cross an entire country on foot.

Camino 101
Why are a half a million people walking the Camino de Santiago each year? Lydia will give you a brief history and overview of the Camino giving you a better sense if it’s something you are called to do for your own personal transformation.   After walking more than 2000 miles on Camino trails, Lydia has plenty of tips and techniques for a successful and fulfilling pilgrimage as well.

Cellblocks to Mountaintops
I have been presenting at the Ranch for quite a few years – showing my film Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago, doing a Camino 101 talk, video workshops, and presenting on Cellblocks to Mountaintops while it was still in production. It is now finally complete!  The show is also about transformation, like the Camino (and the Ranch!)  but instead of taking place in the beautiful Spanish countryside with lots of supportive people around you (or in the exquisite landscapes of Rancho La Puerta with it’s delicious food and amazing instructors)  – it takes place in the most harsh, cold environment imaginable where violence is around every corner.

It has been almost eight years since the idea was born and almost five years since our first day of filming in 2020. The project has evolved over the years – from a documentary film to a podcast to a podcast with 14 mini-documentary companion videos. It has been a crazy, twisty, challenging road but we have finally made it! Cellblocks to Mountaintops. examines how America addresses violence, defines justice, and seeks accountability through one man’s journey. Years after committing a horrific crime, Sterling Cunio continues to confront the ripple effects of the harm he caused. Through the power of artistic expression and human connections and inspired by restorative justice principles, he forges a remarkable personal transformation while serving decades in prison.  This story is a poignant reminder that hope, healing, and redemption are never beyond reach, even in the darkest of places.

You may think this issue doesn’t really apply to you or affect you or your loved ones directly, but it does!  The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world and spends over 83 billion a year doing it.  High rates of incarceration have no demonstrable effect on violent crime nor do they help victims heal or offenders rehabilitate; 7 out of 10 people released from prison come right back within five years.   That’s a lot of your taxpayer money going to waste!!  Instead, we could divert a lot of that money to stopping the cycle of crime/violence by supporting victims, addressing poverty, and helping neglected and abused children.

Come join me as I discuss the making of the project and show several of the mini-documentary videos.

 

Lydia B. Smith – Director/Producer of Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago and Cellblocks to Mountaintops.  Lydia began her filmmaking career over 30 years ago and has worked on all kinds of projects in a variety of departments and her true love is the documentary genre.

She directed, produced, and wrote They’re Just Kids, a 26-minute educational documentary showing how children with disabilities can positively affect our lives: A Legacy Revealed, a
40-minute historical documentary, and a 20-minute biography Bill Lansing: A Tribute. Additionally, she was the senior producer on CNN’s Soldiers of Peace: A Children’s Crusade; co-producer and 2nd unit DP on the CNN documentary The Mystery of the Arctic Rose; 2nd unit DP on the PBS show, Stand Up; American producer for Chilean TV’s The Route of the Beringia; DP for Anthony Hopkins Teaches and more. In addition to her producing and directing career, Lydia has worked as a camera assistant and operator commercials, top music videos, and on major motion pictures including Ed Wood with Johnny Depp, Dangerous Minds with Michelle Pheiffer and Matilda with Danny DeVito to name just a few.

Lydia felt like she was guided to make Walking the Camino as so much of her life aligned perfectly with the project.  She lived in Barcelona for over six years and speaks flawless Spanish, in addition to Italian and Catalan. She is an avid outdoorswoman and a lover of hiking and nature, as well as a licensed spiritual practitioner, studying with Rev. Michael Beckwith from the Agape International Spiritual Center.  Depending on how you count it, Lydia has walked between 9-11 Caminos.

Walking the Camino has been both a box-office hit as well as highly acclaimed by film critics. It was the #12 documentary in theaters in the US and Canada in 2014 and #5 in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.  It aired nationally in nine different countries and had over 1.2 million viewers on PBS in 2018 and garnered a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lydia’s latest project, Cellblocks to Mountaintops. is an 8-episode podcast with 14 mini-documentary companion videos. It was released in the spring of 2024 and has touched thousands of people.  It has a 4.9/5 rating on Apple Podcasts – some excerpts include:

“Stunning Storytelling.  This podcast is gripping, enlightening and interesting” “Truly Inspiring:  A rare and exceptional find.” “Spellbinding: Perfect for a road trip because you will want to binge listen.”

Two of the short videos are featured in the traveling film festival: Inthrive and Cellblocks to Mountaintops has been selected as a finalist in the Signal Awards, a leader in the podcast awards space

 

Walking the Camino

Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago – Screening and Q&A

American’s fascination with the Camino is exploding; eight times more Americans walked it in 2019 than a decade ago. Walking the Camino journeys into the hearts and minds of six modern-day pilgrims, ages 3 to 73, as they each face and triumph over their doubts and fears while they attempt to cross an entire country on foot.

 

Camino 101

Why are a half a million people walking the Camino de Santiago each year? Lydia will give you a brief history and overview of the Camino giving you a better sense if it’s something you are called to do for your own personal transformation.   After walking more than 2000 miles on Camino trails, Lydia has plenty of tips and techniques for a successful and fulfilling pilgrimage as well.

 

 

Lydia B. Smith has been a filmmaker for more than three decades– both in the camera department on films such as Ed Wood and Matilda as well as a producer and/or director on documentaries. Her last film, Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago was a worldwide hit. This award-winning film played at over 25 film festivals, was the #12 documentary in theaters in the US and Canada and had over 1.2 million viewers on PBS garnering a 90% Rotten Tomatoes rating. www.caminodocumentary.org

Walking the Camino

Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago – Screening and Q&A

American’s fascination with the Camino is exploding; eight times more Americans walked it in 2019 than a decade ago. Walking the Camino journeys into the hearts and minds of six modern-day pilgrims, ages 3 to 73, as they each face and triumph over their doubts and fears while they attempt to cross an entire country on foot.

 

Camino 101

Why are a half a million people walking the Camino de Santiago each year? Lydia will give you a brief history and overview of the Camino giving you a better sense if it’s something you are called to do for your own personal transformation.   After walking more than 2000 miles on Camino trails, Lydia has plenty of tips and techniques for a successful and fulfilling pilgrimage as well.

 

 

Lydia B. Smith has been a filmmaker for more than three decades– both in the camera department on films such as Ed Wood and Matilda as well as a producer and/or director on documentaries. Her last film, Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago was a worldwide hit. This award-winning film played at over 25 film festivals, was the #12 documentary in theaters in the US and Canada and had over 1.2 million viewers on PBS garnering a 90% Rotten Tomatoes rating. www.caminodocumentary.org

Incorporating Fasting into Your Daily Routine to Improve Overall Health

Optimizing your Circadian Rhythm and Cardiovascular Health through Intermittent Fasting.

Dr. Taub’s presentation will review the science behind intermittent fasting including some the research studies she has conducted. She will then present practical tips on how to incorporate fasting into one’s daily routine.

 

Pam Taub, MD is a board-certified cardiologist, professor of medicine and founding director of the Step Family Foundation Cardiac Rehabilitation and Wellness Center at UC San Diego. Dr. Taub was responsible for all aspects of creating the center.  She is an internationally renowned physician/researcher and is considered one of the leading experts on intermittent fasting.  Her research has demonstrated how time restricted eating (a type of intermittent fasting) can help decrease weight, blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels.
Dr. Taub is widely published (with over 100 publications) and has authored high impact publications in top peer-reviewed journals.  Her research highlighted by the prominent news organizations including NPR, and the Wall Street Journal.

Concert

Exploring solo violin with Pei-Chun 

Works by Heinrich Biber, Fritz Kreisler and Philips Glass

 

 

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 Masters 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.

The Mission Walker

The Mission Walker: An Adventure Story and a Reflection on Confronting Our Own Mortality

Under siege from relentless stage 4 cancer and after losing her right lung, Edie Littlefield Sundby became the first person in history to walk the entire 1,600-mile El Camino Real de las Californias mission trail through the mountain wilderness of Baja California Mexico – and one of the hottest, driest deserts on earth – to Northern California.  She experienced desert heat and cold, walls of cactus, sleeplessness, hunger, both physical and spiritual exhaustion, the dangers of wild creatures, and encounters with drug smugglers – and weeks with no water other than what a pack mule could carry.  The Mission Walker is her first-hand account of the experience and struggles she endured, and the inspiration drawn from the old unmapped Spanish mission trail.  Her story is both an adventure story and a reflection on the universal experience of confronting our own mortality. It is a story of what we will do when faced with the potential end of our life. What do we do with our time left on Earth.  And how much do we still really, truly want to live.

 

Walking A Thousand Miles

… Who’s done it, Why did they do it, How did they do it?… and How can YOU do it?

 

 


Edie Littlefield Sundby is the author of The Mission Walker, published by Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins and a 2018 Audie Award Finalist for Best Inspiration Book.  Edie’s essays have appeared in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. You can connect with her at www.themissionwalker.com and Facebook: The Mission Walker.

 

The Secrets of the Healthy Cook

The Secrets of The Healthy Cook

I’m a chef on a mission: teaching people how to make healthy ingredients into the tastiest dishes.

 

The Healthy Cook at Home

Create healthy meals faster and simpler by having the right ingredients and tools on hand.

 

The Science of Good Cooking

Transform your cooking by learning what chefs know about making food delicious.

 

 

Kate Sherwood is the culinary director and executive chef of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC. She writes The Healthy Cook recipe page for CSPI’s monthly publication, Nutrition Action, and is the publication’s culinary editor. Kate has taught healthy cooking at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C. and was the keynote speaker at the Food Bank’s TedX Food event. She was also a featured speaker at their Hunger Summit, and has been featured in the Washington Post. Kate gives healthy cooking lectures and cooking demos at George Washington University Medical School and School of Public Health.

Transforming Our Food Environment

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

 


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

Meditation

Michele HébertMichele Hébert is a Raja Yoga Master Teacher, meditation guide, award-winning author, and founder of the first meditation-based stress management program at the renowned Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, CA.  Currently, Michele teaches Yoga, Meditation and Stress Management for the Cardiac Rehab Program At UC San Diego Health.

She was personally trained by Raja Yoga Master Walt Baptiste who instilled in her the philosophy ‘from a sound base upward’. She has studied extensively with Swami Veda Bharati of Rishikesh India and H.H. The Dalai Lama.

Former media representative for the American Council on Exercise in the area of Mind-Body Integration, Michele pioneered the principles of yoga and meditation within the Health and Fitness Industry. Drawing from over 35 years of international teaching experience she has developed yoga/meditation programs at Esalen Institute, Kripalu Yoga and Health Center, Marriott Hotels, University of California at San Diego, Scripps Clinic, Rancho la Puerta and The Golden Door Spa-at-Sea Program. These principles can be found in her multi-award winning book The Tenth Door: A Yoga Adventure.

Michele is a personal leadership coach providing transformational practices that set the stage for personal and spiritual growth through thought management, emotional mastery, and meditation. Her mission is to inspire others to dive deeply within and make a conscious decision to grow and to live from their highest ideals.

http://www.rajayogis.net
www.michelehebert.com

The Perfect Lifestyle: Food, Wine, Sex, and Chocolate

A Perfect Lifestyle:  Food, Wine, Sex and Chocolate:
An overview talk covering a wide range of lifestyle issues, including dietary patterns, obesity and its management, exercise, marriage, childbearing, pets, television, sleep, candy including chocolate, and success in life.  The most extensive and important part of the talk deals with diets, ranging from veganism to ketogenic, and drink.  All these areas are approached from a rigorous scientific viewpoint, with an emphasis on how each factor affects disease and longevity.  The talk concludes with a table of exactly how much life is gained or lost by simple lifestyle choices we make every day.

Shopping for Food: Label Lies and Nutritional Information
It would be best if we bought only foods in their original form, but the time constraints of current life often force people to buy packaged foods.  Unfortunately, packaged food labels frequently contain lies and misleading information.  Even nutritional labels can be misleading.  A can of spray cooking oil may say that it contains no fat, when in fact the product is 100% fat.  This talk covers the most common labeling misinformation and teaches exactly how to pick healthy packaged foods using simple approaches to the interpretation of nutritional listings.

Exercise from Move-it to Marathons
After a healthy diet, physical activity is the easiest and least expensive way to increase longevity and prevent heart disease and dementia.  Beneficial physical activity ranges from walking stairs to running marathons.  This talk discusses the myriad physical and emotional benefits of all levels of physical activity, as well as the occasional adverse effects of excessive activities, such as marathon running.  Our national guidelines on physical activity including aerobic, resistive, and balance exercises is discussed with an emphasis on just how to receive the greatest benefit.

Food for Thought: How to Stave Off Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases Dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s Disease, affects one in 14 people over 65 years of age and one in six over 80.  It is the most feared illness in older individuals.  It is also at least partly preventable.  The basic medical rule is that what is good for the heart is also good for the head.  This talk describes the most frequent types of dementia and other neurocognitive diseases and discusses how they are likely to present.  The value of a healthy diet and physical and cognitive exercise in preventing these diseases, amounting to at least a 50% reduction, is summarized in this talk.

 

Robert Vogel, M.D. is a preventive cardiologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver.  He received his B.A. from Columbia University (physics) and M.D. from Yale University.  He served on the faculties of the Universities of Colorado, Michigan, and Maryland, the latter as Director of Cardiology.  Dr. Vogel has investigated how to prevent coronary heart disease for more than 40 years.  He has authored two books and more than 250 scientific publications.  Dr. Vogel lectures frequently to physicians on lifestyle and heart disease prevention.  He has received a Good Housekeeping Magazine’s “Best Doctors in America” designation, a Federal Scientist of the Year Award, and has been President of the Association of University Cardiologists.  Dr. Vogel currently serves on the NFL Medical Committee and as a consultant to the Pritikin Longevity Institute.

The Perfect Lifestyle: Food, Wine, Sex, and Chocolate

A Perfect Lifestyle:  Food, Wine, Sex and Chocolate:
An overview talk covering a wide range of lifestyle issues, including dietary patterns, obesity and its management, exercise, marriage, childbearing, pets, television, sleep, candy including chocolate, and success in life.  The most extensive and important part of the talk deals with diets, ranging from veganism to ketogenic, and drink.  All these areas are approached from a rigorous scientific viewpoint, with an emphasis on how each factor affects disease and longevity.  The talk concludes with a table of exactly how much life is gained or lost by simple lifestyle choices we make every day.

Shopping for Food: Label Lies and Nutritional Information
It would be best if we bought only foods in their original form, but the time constraints of current life often force people to buy packaged foods.  Unfortunately, packaged food labels frequently contain lies and misleading information.  Even nutritional labels can be misleading.  A can of spray cooking oil may say that it contains no fat, when in fact the product is 100% fat.  This talk covers the most common labeling misinformation and teaches exactly how to pick healthy packaged foods using simple approaches to the interpretation of nutritional listings.

Exercise from Move-it to Marathons
After a healthy diet, physical activity is the easiest and least expensive way to increase longevity and prevent heart disease and dementia.  Beneficial physical activity ranges from walking stairs to running marathons.  This talk discusses the myriad physical and emotional benefits of all levels of physical activity, as well as the occasional adverse effects of excessive activities, such as marathon running.  Our national guidelines on physical activity including aerobic, resistive, and balance exercises is discussed with an emphasis on just how to receive the greatest benefit.

Food for Thought: How to Stave Off Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases Dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s Disease, affects one in 14 people over 65 years of age and one in six over 80.  It is the most feared illness in older individuals.  It is also at least partly preventable.  The basic medical rule is that what is good for the heart is also good for the head.  This talk describes the most frequent types of dementia and other neurocognitive diseases and discusses how they are likely to present.  The value of a healthy diet and physical and cognitive exercise in preventing these diseases, amounting to at least a 50% reduction, is summarized in this talk.

 

Robert Vogel, M.D. is a preventive cardiologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver.  He received his B.A. from Columbia University (physics) and M.D. from Yale University.  He served on the faculties of the Universities of Colorado, Michigan, and Maryland, the latter as Director of Cardiology.  Dr. Vogel has investigated how to prevent coronary heart disease for more than 40 years.  He has authored two books and more than 250 scientific publications.  Dr. Vogel lectures frequently to physicians on lifestyle and heart disease prevention.  He has received a Good Housekeeping Magazine’s “Best Doctors in America” designation, a Federal Scientist of the Year Award, and has been President of the Association of University Cardiologists.  Dr. Vogel currently serves on the NFL Medical Committee and as a consultant to the Pritikin Longevity Institute.

Cooking Classes

Chef Virginia 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.

 

Virginia Willis is a James Beard award-winning cookbook author, television personality, content creator, motivational speaker, and social media influencer. Georgia-born French-trained chef Virginia Willis has foraged for berries in the Alaskan wilderness, harvested capers in the shadow of a smoldering volcano in Sicily, and beguiled celebrities such as Jane Fonda, Bill Clinton, Morgan Freeman, and Julie Chrisley with her cooking.

Beginning in 2019 Virginia lost 65 pounds and has kept if off for over two years. In 2022, her health journey has been documented in Eating Well magazine, as a cover story for Woman’s World, and in the August issue of All Recipes magazine.

She is a chef instructor for the streaming service Food Network Kitchen as well as a James Beard award-winning cookbook author. Her books include Fresh Start, Secrets of the Southern Table, Lighten Up, Y’all, Bon Appétit, Y’all, Basic to Brilliant, Y’all, Okra, and Grits.

Virginia has embraced her new outlook on life and has become a cheerleader for those wanting to make their own life changes, “If a French-trained Southern chef can do it, you can, too!”

She is the former TV kitchen director for Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, and Nathalie Dupree; has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants; and traveled the world producing food stories – from making cheese in California to escargot farming in France. She has appeared on Food Network’s Chopped, CBS This Morning, Fox Family and Friends, Martha Stewart Living, and as a judge on Throwdown with Bobby Flay.

Virginia has also been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, People Magazine, Eater, and Food52 and has contributed to Eating Well, Garden & Gun, and Bon Appétit, and more. The Chicago Tribune praised her as one of “Seven Food Writers You Need to Know.” Her legion of fans loves her down-to-earth attitude and approachable spirit. Learn more about Virginia and follow her good and good for you recipes and traveling exploits at www.virginiawillis.com.

Social Media
Instagram @virginiawillis
Facebook: @ChefVirginiaWillis
Pinterest: @virginialwillis
Twitter: @virginiawillis
Learn more at www.virginiawillis.com

 

All-In with Lorraine and Johnny – Texas Hold‘em Poker

All levels, come try your hand at Texas Hold’em Poker as Lorraine and Johnny teach the fundamentals of this popular game. Have fun and learn how to play confidently with friends and in tournaments.

 

Fun with Poker – Basics of Texas Hold’em  The Introductory sessions will cover the rules and basic strategy, preparing Ranch guests for the open Hold’em tournament later in the week. Practice games will be included.

 

More Fun with Poker – Beyond Basics of Texas Hold’em 

The Intermediate session will explore more advanced topics that with practice can help get you ready for a seat at any poker table.  Practice games will be included.

 

Most Fun Finale – Rancho La Puerta Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament

Class participants and other Ranch guests are invited to participate in the fun and friendly poker tournament. Prizes will be given for top placements. All skill levels are welcome!

 

Lorraine Clayton: 3rd place in 2013 Rancho La Puerta Poker Tournament; founder and regular player in a long-standing monthly home poker game playing cash and tournament formats; helped organize multiple charity poker events; played in various casino poker tournaments; co-founder All-In Academy Poker LLC, running in-person and online poker training/tournaments; board member and active participant in numerous charities, career in technical project management, volunteer at Celebrity and PGA golf tournaments, recreational golfer and poker enthusiast.

Johnny Goebel: Played in Las Vegas World Series of Poker events in 2017, 2018 & 2019, including The Big 50 – the largest tournament in history (28,371 players); started hosting a monthly home game in 2011 (~18 players/month); Organizer and Tournament Director for charity poker tournaments; won casino tournaments in San Diego and Las Vegas; member of a competitive poker club sending multiple players to the WSOP $10k Main Event and the $1500 Monster Stack every year; co-founder All-In Academy Poker LLC, running in-person and online poker training/tournaments; career as a software development department head; avid golfer, Master of Ceremonies and an a cappella singer. Lorraine and Johnny have been friends for over 20 years as co-workers and poker “rivals”.

 

Functional Yoga for Vitality & Longevity of Movement with Dana Rae Paré

This week, learn the tools you need for optimum health and vitality. You’ll reset, re-energize and make a positive connection with yourself. Join longtime guest presenter, Dana Rae Paré for a synthesis of traditional yoga, the science of fitness and her 30+years experience teaching and training worldwide. Dana’s system delivers a series of techniques that bring you proven results. You’ll learn how to fine-tune your alignment, improve balance and stability and build core strength. Deeply rooted in Yoga, Dana will inspire and motivate you on a journey of self-discovery that leads to longevity and empowerment through movement. All Levels everyone welcome.

Fresh Air Fitness
Get outside for a special par course around the Ranch. Focus on bodyweight strength and stability while getting fresh air and learning how to stay fit anywhere.

Reset & Restore
Therapeutic stretches, mind-calming breathing techniques and restorative Yoga. Learn the benefits of rest and recovery for better physical results and mental wellness.

Dana Rae Paré began training in dance, theater and voice at an early age and performed professionally throughout the world for a decade. When not on the road, she taught popular dance-cardio/fitness classes in Los Angeles, Japan and Germany. She retired from the nightlife of performing and made a natural transition into Yoga. Studying Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Forrest and Yoga Therapy. Dana traveled to India multiple times to deepen her knowledge and became certified at the highest level in Yoga, E-RYT-500. She soon found herself teaching specialty yoga weeks at exclusive resorts known for their celebrity clientele.Dana’s desire to make yoga accessible to all led her to create Infinite Yoga in San Diego, California. Infinite Yoga offered dynamic vinyasa classes, worldwide yoga retreats and was known for Dana’s innovative workshops and certified teacher trainings.

In 2016, Dana opened her second studio CycleOM. Blending her love for heart-thumping indoor cycling with flowing Vinyasa Yoga creating her own niche in San Diego’s trendy downtown Little Italy neighborhood. Along with classes and workshops, CycleOM gained popularity through its monthly community events, local collabs and the rockstar “OM Team” Dana built. In response to the pandemic, Dana designed an online program for CycleOM members to provide a positive daily connection during a time of crisis.

Former students living elsewhere in the world found an online sanctuary through the new virtual connection, “it felt like going home.”

With proven results and the vision of a healthy and positive worldwide community Dana launched her first online business OM Body. The OM Body Method  provides motivation and inspiration for optimum health and vitality at-home offering live and on-demand classes and workshops. For more information visit https://ombody.com/

Dana currently lives in the idyllic Pisgah Forest just outside Asheville, North Carolina with her husband and their dog Louis.

 

Empowerment Through Movement: The OM Body Method

Dana Rae Paré gives you the tools to create a healthy and fit lifestyle that leads to a positive connection with yourself. Her OM Body Method is an intelligent, strategic plan for complete body/mind wellness. A synthesis of traditional yoga, the science of fitness and 20+ years of teaching worldwide. Dana’s system delivers a series of techniques that bring proven results.

 

Dana Rae Paré began training in dance, voice & theater at an early age and performed professionally throughout the world for a decade. During that time, when not on the road, she taught popular dance-cardio/fitness classes in Los Angeles, Japan and Germany.

When she retired from performing, she made a natural transition into Yoga. Studying Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Forrest and Yoga Therapy, she traveled to India multiple times to deepen her knowledge. Dana soon found herself teaching specialty weeks at Rancho la Puerta and other exclusive resorts known for their celebrity clientele.

Dana’s desire to make yoga accessible to all led her to create Infinite Yoga, a San Diego based yoga studio providing classes, workshops, yoga retreats and teacher trainings. Feeling the need for more music and cardio, she opened an indoor cycling studio adjacent to Infinite Yoga – eventually merging the two businesses into one brand – CycleOM.

In response to the pandemic, Dana immediately designed an online program for her members to provide a positive daily connection during a time of crisis. The goal was to offer at-home classes that would maintain physical strength and help with their mental wellbeing. The results were phenomenal: “more strength”, “more energy”, “happier”, “staying sane” and “in my best shape ever!”. Plus former students & clients who lived throughout the world found an online sanctuary through the new virtual connection: ”It felt like coming home”.

Proven results, renewed connections, and the vision of a healthy and positive worldwide community became Dana’s inspiration for launching OM Body. Join her for a special week of Empowerment Through Movement at Rancho la Puerta.

Health

Diet and Nutraceuticals

Learn powerful evidence-based ways to reduce anxiety and depression by 50% in a matter of weeks!

 

Why is Sleep Crucial

Explore the importance of the fluids of the brain and how to enhance their circulation.

 

Jacqueline S. Chan, DO, MIM graduated from Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is board certified in Integrative Holistic Medicine and Neuromusculokeletal Medicine. In 2012 she collaborated on a research study on chronic disease with Beverly Rubik, PhD at the Institute of Frontier Science. In 2013, she graduated from the Academy of Intuition Medicine® trained as a Medical Intuitive and remote healer. In 2014 she completed a Transformative Leadership Training; and created a Chakra Doctor Series and Energetic Boundaries Course within a yoga teacher-training program. Dr. Chan’s goal is to connect the patient to their truth, wisdom and own innate healing force within their body.   

Web: marinnaturalmedicine.com/jacqueline-chan-do/

Weight and Health

Weight Loss Lessons from Two Decades of Clinical Work

A practical and efficient synopsis of common weight loss strategies drawing from two case studies of patients who successfully lost weight and kept it off. We will look at their before and after diets and discuss what worked for them and how one can replicate their success, starting with how one’s week at Rancho La Puerta can redefine healthy eating.

 

Mindful Eating: A Forkful of Meditation

Do you know that how we eat is almost as important as what we eat? Join us for a fun dive into the “how” of eating, we will learn how to increase our sensual awareness of our food and enhance our eating and digestive experience. The workshop includes a short meditative eating exercise, be prepared to relax deeply and re-experience how you enjoy food.

 

Dan Fenyvesi, MS, RD, is a Registered Dietitian and a Fulbright Scholar. He has a Master’s Degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University and has worked as a weight loss specialist. In addition to weight loss work, he also teaches college health and nutrition courses, works as renal nutritionist for DaVita Dialysis, and has extensive experience in Latin America. Dan recently published Food Sobriety, a book that blends nutrition guidance with stories from his time as a Fulbright Scholar working on the emerging obesity epidemic in Nicaragua.  www.foodsobriety.net

Pilates

Pilates Mat: Fundamentals Level 1 (Progressive)
Sunday – Friday, 9 AM
Am introductory 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 a novice or need a brush up of the fundamental basics.

Pilates Mat: Level 2 (Intermediate)
Sunday – Friday 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!

 

Lisa Hubbard is a graduate (2000) and affiliate faculty member for BASI Pilates® since 2007. She is creator of Rhythm Pilates® and offers a continuing education training to all movement practitioners.

Lisa is internationally recognized as a Pilates figure in the industry, and has been featured in many award winning projects, including DVD’s, textbooks and is a second-time cover model and contributor for Pilates Style Magazine®.

She has dedicated over two-decades practicing the method and increasing her knowledge through various modalities and continuing education programs.

Lisa is a visiting instructor for Pilates Anytime since 2010, a PMA-CPT,  licensed GYROTONIC® instructor since 2011, and she earned her yoga teaching certificate in 2009. She owns a successful private studio in Newport Beach, California.

To learn more about Lisa, please visit her website at: rhythmpilates.com

Concerts with Mimi Fox

Internationally renowned guitarist / composer / recording artist Mimi Fox has been named a winner in six consecutive Downbeat Magazine international critic’s polls and has been recognized by writers and colleagues alike as one of the most eloquent guitarists on today’s scene. In one of many feature stories, Guitar Player Magazine hailed Mimi as “a prodigious talent who has not only mastered the traditional forms but has managed to reinvigorate them.” In a further nod to Mimi’s guitar artistry, and in conjunction with Heritage Guitars’ 30th anniversary, the historic Kalamazoo guitar company has rolled out the Mimi Fox Artist Signature model.  Mimi has performed/recorded with some of the music world’s most commanding players, including fellow guitarists Charlie Byrd, Stanley Jordan, and Charlie Hunter, Grammy-nominated saxophonists Branford Marsalis, David Sanchez, Houston Person, and the late Don Lanphere, vocalists Abbey Lincoln, Diana Krall, Kevin Mahogany, and Janis Siegel (Manhattan Transfer), B3 organ masters Joey DeFrancesco, Barbara Denerlein and Dr. Lonnie Smith, and powerhouse drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. She has also shared the stage with numerous legends such as Stevie Wonder and John Sebastian. Her YouTube videos have received hundreds of thousands of views.

Concerts with Mimi Fox

Performances with guitar virtuosa, Mimi Fox, and bassist, vocalist, composer, and educator, Jeff Denson.

 

Internationally renowned guitarist / composer / recording artist Mimi Fox has been named a winner in six consecutive Downbeat Magazine international critic’s polls and has been recognized by writers and colleagues alike as one of the most eloquent guitarists on today’s scene. In one of many feature stories, Guitar Player Magazine hailed Mimi as “a prodigious talent who has not only mastered the traditional forms but has managed to reinvigorate them.” In a further nod to Mimi’s guitar artistry, and in conjunction with Heritage Guitars’ 30th anniversary, the historic Kalamazoo guitar company has rolled out the Mimi Fox Artist Signature model.  Mimi has performed/recorded with some of the music world’s most commanding players, including fellow guitarists Charlie Byrd, Stanley Jordan, and Charlie Hunter, Grammy-nominated saxophonists Branford Marsalis, David Sanchez, Houston Person, and the late Don Lanphere, vocalists Abbey Lincoln, Diana Krall, Kevin Mahogany, and Janis Siegel (Manhattan Transfer), B3 organ masters Joey DeFrancesco, Barbara Denerlein and Dr. Lonnie Smith, and powerhouse drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. She has also shared the stage with numerous legends such as Stevie Wonder and John Sebastian. Her YouTube videos have received hundreds of thousands of views.

 

Jeff Denson has balanced a full career as both an acclaimed performing musician and a highly respected educator. Jeff has recorded 16 albums as a leader or co-leader and has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe with both his own groups, worked with some of jazz’s finest artists such as Brian Blade, Jane Ira Bloom, Dave Douglas, Cuong Vu, Ralph Alessi, Walter Smith III, Dayna Stephens, Mimi Fox, Florian Weber, Paul Hanson, Romain Pilon, Edward Simon and had an ongoing relationship with the legendary Lee Konitz for over a decade. Jeff is the Dean of Instruction of the California Jazz Conservatory and Chair of the Bass Department.

For more information, visit www.jeffdenson.com

 

Concerts

Jazz standards, originals, and choice gems from the Great American songbook and beyond! Guitarist extraordinaire Mimi Fox and swinging bassist Cindy Browne will deliver two memorable evenings of music! This wonderful duo will play two completely different sets of music each night ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to the Beatles!

 

Internationally renowned guitarist/composer/recording artist Mimi Fox has been named a winner in six consecutive Downbeat Magazine international critic’s polls and has been recognized by writers and colleagues alike as one of the most eloquent guitarists on today’s scene. In one of many feature stories, Guitar Player Magazine hailed Mimi as “a prodigious talent who has not only mastered the traditional forms but has managed to reinvigorate them.” In a further nod to Mimi’s guitar artistry, and in conjunction with Heritage Guitars’ 30th anniversary, the historic Kalamazoo guitar company has rolled out the Mimi Fox Artist Signature model.  Mimi has performed/recorded with some of the music world’s most commanding players, including fellow guitarists Charlie Byrd, Stanley Jordan, and Charlie Hunter, Grammy-nominated saxophonists Branford Marsalis, David Sanchez, Houston Person, and the late Don Lanphere, vocalists Abbey Lincoln, Diana Krall, Kevin Mahogany, and Janis Siegel (Manhattan Transfer), B3 organ masters Joey DeFrancesco, Barbara Denerlein and Dr. Lonnie Smith, and powerhouse drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. She has also shared the stage with numerous legends such as Stevie Wonder and John Sebastian. Her YouTube videos have received hundreds of thousands of views.

 

In addition to her academic pursuits, Cindy Browne Rosefield has been an active freelance performer, touring musician, and recording artist with over 35 years of experience. She continues to perform and record a variety of styles with various groups, from jazz to bluegrass, the blues to folk. This year she is celebrating 20 years as the bassist for Wake the Dead (The worlds’ only Celtic-Grateful Dead Jam Band – a creative blending of Grateful Dead and Celtic music) She has toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, Canada and the United States performing at festivals and concerts as well as working as a clinician and adjudicator. She has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Concord Jazz Festival, SF Jazz Festival, Yoshi’s, the California Jazz Conservatory and many other jazz and folk music festivals around the world. A noted jazz instructor and clinician, Cindy holds a MA in Music Performance from Washington State University, and a BA in Music Performance and Music Education from California State University Hayward. She is currently the Director of Instrumental Studies and the Coordinator of the Music Business Certificate at Las Positas College in Livermore CA where she also directs the Jazz Ensemble, teaches Music Theory, American Cultures in Jazz and History of Rock & Roll.

Cooking Classes

Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-exclusive diet for over 43 years. She is the host of the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ airing on Foody TV. A chef, culinary instructor and professional speaker, she is author of the popular book Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight and the bestselling books The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss:  A Revolutionary Approach to Conquer Cravings, Overcome Food Addiction and Lose Weight Without Going Hungry and Own Your Health, which have received glowing endorsement by many luminaries in the plant based movement.

Chef AJ was the Executive Pastry Chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles where she was famous for her sugar, oil, salt and gluten free desserts which use the fruit, the whole fruit and nothing but the whole fruit.  These recipes can be found in her upcoming book A Date With Dessert. She is the host of YouTube show, CHEF AJ LIVE! which broadcasts live daily at 11:00am PACIFIC time. She is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol.  In 2018 she was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame.

 

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 8.

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 8.