Second Event - San Deigo

What a fantastic week!

I feel so accomplished and steadfast.

I started out the week by heading over to LA to see some good friends. Liz, a friend from Abbey's college, brought me to the beach. We ended up going swimming with the seals, dolphins and penguins. I didn't have my bathing suit, so I swam in my dress. It was wonderful! The water felt so good. It relaxed both Liz and myself. We needed it. The cool water massaged our hot skin from the 105 degree weather and the salt cleaned out our nostrils and our follicles. ;) It was lovely.

Once we were safe on land, we headed out to meet Jenn, a friend from ballet/GHAA, for dinner. We had a lovely organic meal -- veggie burger all the way, with avocado of course, did I tell you I eat half of a California avocado for lunch every day. They are SO good here, like bud-ah.

The next few days I did some Yoga at Yoga One Studio with Kerri, we had a VIP Expo Party with the Artwalk group to attend and our weekly team meeting. Jason and Lexi got back from skiing in 72 degree weather in Yosemite and Giovanna created a delicious dinner for us. She made fish kabobs, vegan burgers, fresh salad with local fruits and bulgur pilaf. It was stunning and absolutely delicious. Always nice to have a real chef on tour who wants to cook for everyone. We lit up the grill down in the common area of the hotel, chatted away about work and our past lives and ate a very fulfilling meal. I plan for our weekly bonds to continue, and I think everyone appreciates it. It's easy for us to forget that we are all we have on the road. Yes, sometimes friends visit, but most of the time it's just us. So, if we can learn to breath together and co-exist happily, the better our lives. We all appreciate our alone time in our rooms, but I think, as a group, we are a very upbeat and a happy-go-lucky bunch. We're learning to be one on the road and independents amongst the crew. It's really a nice relationship we've got going on.

On to the event:

We set up in a flash of 3 hours, yet again. Awesome crew! And great local labor. Really, all of the local staff we have used in San Diego have been fantastic.

The next 2 days were packed with constant foot traffic. We ended the super busy and rather cold, windy days with a total of 2,183 surveys taken - that's how many people visit my tent and actually follow through with the passport process in order to get the free Kashi reusable gift bag. That's twice as much as we have done in the past. As I said, we were extremely busy and having a blast talking about health and running a smooth event. Dave, a Kashi employee worked with us for the weekend. He's an awesome help. We're very grateful to have his hands and his eyes on board.

Saturday night we headed to dinner with some of the Kashi employees. We had a beautiful dinner at Kemo Sabe on 5th Avenue. Absolutely delicious, fresh fish and very creative presentation, as you can see by the pictures. I always enjoy mingling with Kashi. They are such kind people, easy to be with. We had a long dinner over drinks, appetizers, dinner, dessert and more drinks. Everyone seemed to get along. I think the crew put a spell over Kashi, because they loved us.

Derek, our boss over at Relay, came to San Diego for the weekend with his wife. He was thrilled with our work. He's always had something he thinks needs to be changed or at least worked on, but had nothing to say this time around. I was so proud of the crew.

They really did an awesome job. We finished tear down before it was dark, (in under 2 hours!) and were out of there. On to Monterey County. But, boy, was San Diego fun. I really loved this city this time around.

First Stop, first event

I made it! I'm in San Diego. The first thing I do is find the closest co-op, shop for yummy, fresh, organic foods , then head out to Sunset Cliffs. As you can see by the pictures, it was absolutely beautiful. I got there just in time for the sunset. Breath-taking.

The next day, Giovanna and I ran some errands and I headed to Ginseng Yoga to take a rejuvenating Yoga class. The class reminded me of the freedom I have to breath, and I came back to my home - back to myself. The class was Vinyasa flow: fast, challenging and brilliant. I was brought back to why I live, how I live and how I breath. I tend to go right back to my shallow breathing and forget the amount of oxygen I need to live peacefully. I couldn't wait to get back to another already.

For the rest of the week I split my time between Yoga, sunsets on the beach, Kashi-busy work and comparing mortgage loans, while loading my plate with kale, grains, tempeh and chocolate. I continue to remind myself that what I do. promote change, needs not just take place in my consumers, but in myself as well. This year, I've decided to cut desserts to 2 times a month to eat less sugar, and any shopping I do will not take place at Wal-Mart. I have vowed to myself to never shop at Wal-Mart for this event or for myself again. Wal-mart does not support anything but itself, and does not take care of it's workers.

After a Core-opening Yoga class with Giovanna at Ginseng Yoga, the rest of the crew met up with us and we headed straight to dinner with Relay, at a small little hamburger joint that I picked out called O'Brothers. I thought we needed some hard-core protein before our set-up the next day, and, of course, the food was all organic. Every single person ordered meat, even the regular vegetarians, including myself. And the burgers went down well with a nice cold organic beer on the side, especially since the meal was on Relay. ;)

It was nice having the whole group back together. Everyone had questions and answers. Their nerves were busy and their energy high for the next 2 days to come.

Of course, the cool weather we had all week evaporated, suddenly becoming hot and super. We set up in the heat, exhausting ourselves in just a few short hours, but it ran very smoothly, and everyone was happy with the work. We finished in less than 3 1/2 hours, which is a record for the tour.

And the event hit the next morning.

My goodness! It was one of the busiest events I have ever worked. We were at the Earth Day Fest in Balboa Park, and the amount of people expected was 70,000. We were not prepared as best as we could have been; one of the local staff didn't show, we didn't have nearly enough product on site and the product truck was parked far far away. Jason spent the day walking back and forth to the truck following our requests for product, Kerri spent the day fighting the lines that formed in her tent so she could teach Yoga, Lexi cut more granola bars than she thought possible in one day, Giovanna cleaned her dishes thousands of times, and I managed with 2 computers down in the morning, and both happy people and frustrated people from waiting in a long line in the sun to participate in a survey in order to get a "green" bag. But we got it done and we were stupendous.

I was so proud of my crew, and thrilled to be apart of the tour this year. This event gave us the opportunity to open our hearts to thousands of people and our minds quickly fell into the Kashi way of thinking: health, energy and happiness. We were overwhelmed with enjoyment and exhausted with constant new faces and new questions. In the end, we finished the day with 1,500 pledges to change their lives, which is three times the usual number we regularly collect. The biggest day in the four years the Kashi DOC Tour has existed at a one day event. Wow! After tearing down, we met with Relay, were given their trust and a pleasant farewell and headed back to our hotels to sleep, sleep, sleep.

*In case you didn't know, the idea of the Kashi Day of Change (DOC) Tour is for people to pick up a "passport of change," get it stamped at each Kashi tent by taking a free Yoga class with Kerri, tasting some of Kashi's yummy samples with Lexi, watching a natural foods cooking demo by Giovanna and pledging to take a "little step" toward health, whether that be laugh, take a yoga class or whatever you're interest in health. This little step/pledge then goes into 4 separate computers that I than put on a zip drive and copy onto the website that will hold all of our new Kashi members. As tour manager, I get to teach Yoga, give cooking demos, cut samples, explain Kashi and help people with their pledges. My job is such a privilege.

Training Week

Started my first week back with Kashi in good-old St Louis, the city where my paternal Grandfather founded a Theatre years ago.

I was bundled up, because snow and 30 degree weather was expected the day after I arrived and met up with my Kashi Tour '08 Yoga buddy, Brigette, for dinner.

I admit I was a bit nervous about stepping into the role of Tour Manager with a completely new crew; the last 2 years I was Kashi foods expert and chef. But as it turns out, the crew is awesome! Truly different personalities, excited about the opportunity Kashi has given us and we have given them.

After a week of training with Relay, Kashi's marketing company, for the event set up, truck driving and Kashi immersion we had already formed a tight bond. Everyone has multiple interests and full personalities, but we are all open to change and experiencing new things. Jason and Lexi are interested in spending every moment in nature outside of events, and we're all thrilled with their travel ideas. Kerri and I want to take Yoga as often as we can. And Giovanna and I want to cook and check out local co-ops and organic grocery stores in new locations. The best part is, everyone wants to know everyone and work together. I think we will have a strong team who has gobs of things to share. And we are all green! So exciting to work with people that have such similar interests as myself.

Once we were submerged into the Kashi Day of Change Tour, we had a final farewell dinner and Kerri, Lexi and Jason hopped in the truck early morning to hit the road for Utah to do some skiing and camping. Giovanna and I took it a little slower in the morning. She headed out in the Kashi mobile, hybrid Highlander. I headed to a final Anusara Yoga class with Brigette and a local foods brunch with Brige, her Mum and friend, then hit the road in the Kashi truck. It was a little strange for both myself and Brigette to leave Brigette in her car in St Louis while I jumped into the truck. I felt like she should be getting in that truck with me! A little scary and extremely exciting to think about the 4 people I just met, and that we will be spending every day together for the next 5 1/2 months and how much I will know them after this is all over. My connection with last years crew is still strong and deep.

I headed down the road, taking the southern route to San Diego. Spent the first night just past Oklahoma city driving through an enormous and stunningly beautiful thunderstorm- just breath taking. Second night in Albuquerque, New Mexico with Giovanna. Went to the southern rim of the Grand Canyon with G and spent the night in Phoenix, Arizona. My final day of driving I took I-8, which literally brought me right next to the border of Mexico and the US. I could see the black wall bordering the countries and the desert dunes reminded me of Morocco. It was very thrilling to be so far south. And HOT, my goodness. There was absolutely nothing around besides border checks. No gas stations, no stores, no anything. Just water on the side of the road for over heated radiators. I was a little freaked out, admittedly. Driving a 24-foot box truck by myself right next to Mexico with few cars passing me by and no cell phone service, boy, was that fun! But I made it to San Diego. 4 nights and a better understanding and appreciation for the country I live in under my belt headed straight in to our first event with the client,Kashi, there to scope out the Day of Change.

Paying Homage to the Past

Back on the road for a 3rd year with Kashi. I'm overwhelmed with excitement. It just keeps getting better year after year.
I've been super busy this winter, always happily. Knowing that I would be back on the road again allowed me 5 months off without the worries of finding a new job and moving into a new apartment only to lose it after a few months again.
I spent the first half of the winter in complete peace and quiet, living with my father in harmony. We enjoyed our irregular educational dinners about the US Presidents in preparation for Obama's Inauguration and our frequent movie nights while sharing a little black kitty cat that clawed at our hands, begging to be stroked with our love and care. I couldn't have asked for a more calming and gentle entrance into the winter and release from a busy year with the Kashi Tour '08. My father was sweet and the room he provided me was vibrantly glowing with all my colorful belongings in one place, even if just for a few months.
Mid-January rolled around and I headed to DC to lead a tour with EF Smithsonian for Obama's Inauguration. What a powerful and riveting event! Every single person in that vast audience was at peace, even if for just a few hours. The energy I felt during the day was so high, so peaceful and so positive. On the way out, a couple of my students and I were literally stuck in the middle of a road on foot with hundreds of people unable to move for an hour and not a single person pushed, yelled or swore (that I could hear, that is). We all patiently waited in quiet and calm. It was shocking. I've never seen people behave in such a kind and accepting way. I hope we can all remember how easy it is to just be until something or someone can help move us forward one step at a time.
The second half of the winter, I became curious and somewhat restless, as usual. With just a few clicks of my mouse, I was headed to Paris to spend some time with my big sis. We walked the streets of Paris, Pisa, Florence and Morocco. What a thrill! Spending 10 days in Morocco opened my eyes to a whole new culture and belief system and created a deeper bond between me and my sister through conversation over dates, figs and bread and our walks through the enormous labyrinth of streets in Marrakesh and Fez. The Sahara Desert was gigantic, red and superb. We rode camels into the desert with a caravan of tourists, watched a few breath-taking sunrises and sunsets over the dunes, pushed our stay back multiple times and learned a few things about the Berber way of life. The people were extremely hospitable. And my Yoga practice was stronger than ever in the desert - the combination of warm sand and utter silence. Ah, the desert...
A few days after returning to the States, I headed into a month-long 200-hour Yoga teacher training at Kripalu in Lenox, MA. It would take me far too many words to give this experience true justice; I'll just say this. "I graduated from over-achieving/over-doing and graduated into acceptance." I found my home. And the love in my home is enormous; no end in sight.
Ah hem-- speaking of my home, I have an announcement. I placed an offer on a condo in Cape Cod a few months back, and just a week ago, plus a few counter offers later, my dream became a reality. My new home is in Brewster, MA, and I feel ready for it. I'll be renting it in the summer while I am on the road, and living there in the winter while I teach Yoga and cook. How wonderful is that?
Finally, I directed one more tour with EF Smithsonian; a group of British students from Portsmouth Grammar School in the south of England. They toured DC, Williamsburg, Gettysburg and NYC. The students were thrilled to be in the States, loved Americans, and begged to learn anything and everything about the American Civil War. So exciting for me to spend some time with high school students that were incredibly enthusiastic about America and life in general. What a breath of fresh air.
The night before I headed out to St Louis for Kashi Training, I spent with my dear Grandmother and Mamacita. I truly connected with my Grandmother for the first time and felt more love for her, which defaults to my maternal family, than I've ever felt. We discussed death, religion and love, and I learned more about her than I'd ever even considered I would know. Her response to our discussion with my mother after I'd left: "I'm so glad Sunie went to that Kripalu place." The space Kripalu allowed for me to open up gave me the ability to create space for others to open up as well. I'm ever grateful to Kripalu, myself and my roots (aka. my Grandmother).
I am such a lucky individual. To live in my shoes is to live in true happiness. Even when times are "hard," I find I am content and free. I will continue my Yoga practice forever and find peace wherever I go.