Feel Good Guru

With the excitement of the Olympics still fresh on hearts and minds across the planet, along with the spectacular images of snow-capped peaks, lush urban parks, sparkling ocean and a cosmopolitan urban core, Vancouver is the place everyone wants to be right now.

Named the world’s most “livable” city by The Economist, Vancouver is also working hard at being one of the greenest and most sustainable with a detailed roadmap for getting there by 2020.

A leader in green building design, planning and technology, Vancouver is actively implementing ways to improve the quality of life of its citizens while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (more…)

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“You never change something by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” Buckminster Fuller

British banking heir and “environmental daredevil” David de Rothschild, otherwise known as “Eco Bruce Wayne” is challenging us to consider our waste as a resource. With 12,000 plastic bottles and some cashew glue, he’s built a catamaran he hopes to sail from San Francisco to Sydney, an 11,000 mile journey inspired by the 1947 journey of the primitive raft, Kon-Tiki. It’s a publicity stunt of gigantic proportions to attract attention to an enormous and growing problem out in the middle of our oceans. (more…)

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These easy-shmeasy Banana Almond Cocoa Coconut Gooey Crunchy Delicious Oat-free Oil-free Raw Date Squares are the perfect food to grab either before or after a workout or a hike or just about any time you need an energy boost and a powerful pick-me-up between meals.

They’re simple to whip up in a food processor in five minutes and ready to eat immediately. They won’t last long once they’re sitting out on the counter, but if you’re able to ration, they’ll improve with a little rest in the fridge or an overnight, counter-top. (more…)

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The list of health benefits that chocolate provides is long, but the reason we associate it with V-day is that it contains a natural substance which triggers the same reaction in the body as falling in love.

Raw cacao is particularly good for us because in its purest, whole food form it contains no added sugar, emulsifiers or dairy. Cacao is noted to have very high levels of magnesium, which perhaps explains why women crave chocolate during their menstrual cycles, as magnesium balances brain chemistry and combats depression. Raw cacao is also purported to contain 28 times more heart-protecting, cancer-fighting antioxidants than black tea. (more…)

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This is a perfect breakfast to have on a cold winter day. Toasted buckwheat porridge, or kasha as it’s called in Eastern Europe, is actually a seed, though it looks and tastes like a grain. It’s high in iron, is full of B vitamins, calcium and fiber, and contains all 8 essential amino acids.

Because it’s not a grain, it contains no gluten, so people with wheat sensitivities or allergies can usually eat buckwheat. Read all about its incredible health benefits, including how it can lower blood pressure and help prevent diabetes, here. Dig in! Kasha’s cleansing! (more…)

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February is *love* month. Chances are good we’ll be hosting a L.O.V.E. Cafe in the Venice garden right around V-day - drop us an email if you’d like an invite. We keep ‘em intimate, so V-day is a perfect day to bring your lover or friend to the Local. Organic. Vegan. Evolutionary. Cafe Underground where sweet jasmine, quenched by the days of rain and emboldened by a full one of sun, breathed into being her fullest expression, all pink blossoms and perfume and nectar for the bees. Yes, it’s a heavenly affair best shared with kindred spirits.

If you can’t make it to the L.O.V.E. Cafe for V-day but you want an eco-sexy gift idea, here are our top 10, from hand crafted natural fiber stockings to soaking au naturel in a hotspring: (more…)

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“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” Buddha

Is there someone in your life who simply glows with an aura of radiant good health? Do you have a friend or acquaintance who flows with boundless energy, great physical presence and an endlessly positive attitude?

Perhaps this description fits you? Perhaps you’re the one who wakes up every morning fresh and enthused to tackle the challenges of the day. You laugh often, accept what the day brings with a smile, react to events with positivity and a can-do attitude, and have the endurance and stamina to stay present until bedtime. You sleep like a baby and dream sweet dreams, then awake with renewed inspiration for another glorious day on the planet… (more…)

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This family in suburban Pasadena has its own homegrown revolution going on. They’ve turned every square foot of their front yard, driveway and back yard into food growing farmland. They have citified farm animals, a truck that runs on vegetable oil and an outdoor solar shower. They have no jobs other than the growing of food. They are totally groovin’ with the woowoo.

Formerly social misfits, they now sell their “local” produce to high end restaurants, host children’s educational programs and throw happenin hippy neighborhood potlucks, complete with free entertainment and good vibes.

Though they talk about it being a “frugal” way of life, it is also obvious that it’s a healthy one. Check’em: (more…)

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