Yesterday's festival at Arnolds Way was a super duper big success!!! Images below, but first alittle about how things have been going for me.
I felt particularly good about the festival because for the entire week I did so great with my food, all raw and low fat, no salt. Zero binges.
When preparing the massive amounts of raw food for the event (to feed over 100 people!), I barely tasted a thing...just the tiniest pinprick to see if seasonings were on target...and, well, everyone raved. It just goes to show that you CAN make fantastic food, and not kill yourself overindulging in tasting...which inevitably leads to binge eating for me. A big success on that account.
Also, I felt good about my weight. Wasn't bad. Mid 260's. Not fabu, but not awful. I felt proud, not filled with regret or any whatsoever bad feelings about myself. THAT was a treat.
Getting the kitchen organized for the day's special menu worked out really well, and i was SO blessed to have phenomenol helpers to dish out the special menu. Everyone flipped particularly over the Thai Broccoli Salad and the Marinated Kale Salad. The Rosemary Chick-un was also a big hit, as were the Kelp Noodles with Coconut Curry and the Southwestern Chili.
The best part of the day was when I sang and got a standing ovation!
I was SOO nervous before singing and so stressed having to run the kitchen until it was time to sing. I felt like i honestly didn't know how well i would sing and feared i'd be awful, so stressed i was. But, well, the tension seemed to evaporate as soon as i began to sing...and i felt pretty darned good. I had woken up early and had a good vocalizing session, so the ground work had taken place.
And I received several comments from friends that my voice is sounding better than ever. That was gratifying. And i know it is due to my low fat, low salt raw diet the past week, a diet whose properties of easy digestion work towards anti-reflux laryngitis and anti-bloat, all great for the voice. Also playing a huge role in my improvement are the lessons i've been taking with my new teacher. Yay! It feels so amazing to just emote! What Dolores has been teaching me is really helping me to sing with greater ease, more relaxation and more freedom. Yay! Several people said, "She's like a Susan Boyle!" when i explained that i'm in my early 40's and possibly too old to start a professional opera career (maybe, maybe not). It's not a bad idea to go on one of those talent shows. Who knows!!!
During my program, I sang "Ave Maria" (the Schubert version) (the same one i sang at the Raw Union Wedding), "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi, Carmen's "Habanera", a prayer from Verdi's La Forza del Destino called "La Vergine degli Angeli", "Born Free", which i had also sung at the Raw Union for Angela and Matt Monarch, and I closed with "Climb Ev'ry Mountain". It is such a joy to share the GIFT that God has given me with others. They are so appreciative and I am so appreciative for their support. It's a mutual exchange of good feeling energy. I LOVE to sing and sharing it feels like....water for the thirsty.
The low fat raw seems to be the portal hole to my good vocal health, and not only my weight.
Sometimes it feels like a burden to need to have a certain diet to access God's gift (my singing), but when it comes out well, like yesterday, i feel blessed to have the gift, and if all i need to do is control my diet to control my vocal health, i'm willing and motivated to do it. Nothing feels as good as singing well. Nothing. It is my expression. And if i can express with beauty, i feel divinely blessed.
After my singing, Susan Aman and I (we have a catering company called "Mostly Raw Catering") did a food demo. Yum! Thai Veggie Rainbow Wraps and Chocolate Bliss Balls. A picture of the balls are below. I'll see if i can find one of the rainbow wraps. They are so beautiful and so yummy. Susan did a great job with her exciting version of Thai sauce, wow, yummo!
Well, enjoy some scenes from the festival! We had speakers, entertainment, a magician, singer/songwriter, Felicia Rose, testimonials, food demos, yoga demos, tons of vendors... It was a great day!
Here's me in the hallway in front of Arnolds Way! If you've never been to Arnolds Way, do come by! Arnolds Way Raw Vegetarian Cafe and Education Center, 319 W. Main Street, Lansdale, PA. http://www.arnoldsway.com/
Here's the man of the hour, my beloved boss with the biggest heart in the world and a love for mankind, health and healing that lights up Lansdale, our Arnold Kauffman of Arnolds Way! Arnold, we LOVE you! Arnold's mission is to "create an energetic vibration" that creates a total and complete transformation of society...dietetically, spiritually, socially! With hugs...love...and bananas, Arnolds goal is to change the world...and we who love him are happy to assist him in doing it...one banana whip at a time!
A hug shared between the cook...and the boss! Mmmmwah! Love you, Arnold! That was a FREE HUG...since he was offering them!!! Check out Arnolds Way and Arnold Kauffman on Twitter, Myspace, Facebook. He's everywhere!!!
My main gal, "Megoni", "Megabytes" Megan McDonnell, chief organizer of the event, wow, what a great job, and organizational wonder of MY house, yay, LOVE YOU MEGAN!!! Isn't she totally adorable? She just got off of a 5 day water fast and is looking particularly radiant. Check out her facebook page.
Lisa Montgomery gave a fantastic demo of raw chocolate pudding that was to die for, so i'm told (i didn't taste anything!!!). Lisa recently wrote her book, "Raw Inspiration," in which i am featured. My story and 5 of my recipes are in the book. Lisa said, "i just made your toona salad the other night, and, yum!!!" I have to say, it is becoming world famous!! You can purchase her book through me. LaSoprana@aol.com. Or check out Lisa's website to attend her famous potluck! http://www.livingdynamically.com/
Lisa'sbeen a raw foodist for YEARS. She drinks wheatgrass daily and really has it all as far as i'm concerned. She eats gourmet daily, but looks and feels fantastic. She's found what works for her. I think we ALL need to find our way and Lisa has definitely found hers!
Oh, how sweet, look at the LOVE!!! These are my dear friends, Tim and Leslie Arnold, raw foodists and customers from Arnolds Way, who are so brimming over with health and abundance, they are practically GLOWING! Tim and Leslie run daily, a new venture for the both of them. Tim lost 100 lbs eating raw and Leslie, 30 lbs. They eat gourmet, but burn it off so quickly, it completely works for them. Tim is particularly fond of salt and even eats himalayan rock salt as an energy boosting snack. It boggles my mind. I'd be blown up like a sausage if i did that, but it works for HIM! Everybody's bodily needs are SO different!!!
Check out Tim's before picture on his spiritual website, http://www.akatha.org/. Tim is a spiritual leader of a teaching called AKATHA. Tim and Leslie do a special meditation they refer to as "contemplation" every morning. They are totally in the zone, thriving, manifesting and all around HAPPY, good feeling, fun loving people. I adore them!
Meet my new friend, Brenda. Brenda came from Los Angeles to Philadelphia just this week to visit her parents and stayed especially for the festival. Brenda just friended me on Facebook!
Meet my coworker, Stephanie Schenible and her hubby, Scotty. Stephanie is a beam of light and a joy to be around. She's always smiling, always cheery, always laughing. She is so filled with love and good cheer. Stephanie is a long term vegan and a relatively new raw foodist. She just came off of a 3.5 month "fast" on 80-10-10 with no overt fats whatsoever. Prior to that, she was eating gourmet, but suffered toe fungus. Since 80-10-10ing, her toe fungus has improved. Scotty, her beloved hubby, is along for the raw ride and thriving in his new diet. The couple live in Arnolds home in Lansdale, with their cats. Steph is also a professional massage therapist.
One of the only decent food pictures i took. The rest look like vomit on a plate, not kidding, although i am told the food i made was fabu. All of the shots i took were after the food was 1/2 eaten up in huge buckets. Anyway, these are my world famous "Bangin' Bliss Balls." They're very yummy. They are 2 for $3 or 6 for $8. I'm shipping these out now, so if you'd like to buy some, please email me: LaSoprana@aol.com
This is my darling new coworker, Dorinda Rumbold. Dorinda is part Blackfoot Indian and such a beauty...on the outer...and the inner! Dorinda runs a company called Washtyme. She makes soaps from recycled vegetable oils, which we sell at Arnolds Way, or you can purchase from her website: http://www.washtyme.com/ Arnolds Way now only exclusively uses her soap in our washroom, it is THAT special!!!!
You know Brad of Brad's Raw Chips from previous postings. Brad and I did some work together on some new flavors for his chips. We had a really great time. Brads chips are the bomb! Light and crispy and full of goodness. Arnolds Way carries them or you can purchase them from his website: http://www.bradschips.com/!
Here's Megabytes again in the kitchen at Arnolds Way. Her little antlers make me want to sing, "Megan, the raw food reindeer!!" This cute little reindeer eats lettuce!! Notice all of the bananas at Arnolds....and our new clock...and our new chalkboard menu that Megan created! She's a mover and shaker, i tell ya!!!
Hope you enjoyed these images. Enjoy your day! Much love, Michelle Joy xoxoxoxo
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