mountain view – Sensual Foodist

The sequel sensual music video

Happy Holidays!

How do you feel right now? I’m feeling really peaceful. The hustle and bustle energy that Christmas seems to bring each year has died down, and I’m so relieved. Even though we have chosen not to carry on this tradition for at least five years now, I still feel the intense energy of this time of year. My husband Joe and I don’t buy “presents” for each other, and buy only one for Joey, our 14 year old. This year, we actually didn’t buy him one at all. It’s one of the best decisions we’ve made. The uncomfortable, unnecessary pressure of Christmas consumerism has dissolved almost completely.

I know that New Year’s Eve has yet to come, and I really encourage you to to let this tradition live on.…

If you can do it in the kitchen…

Then you can do it all over!

It may be a bit of a pun, but it’s not a joke at all. Today, I was on a conference call with a group of incredible authors (or authors to be). We’re collaborating on a book, with the focus as relationships. I can’t share much more, but I will say that I’ll be a published author next year, 2016!

This article isn’t about the book, it’s about the process, and what’s unfolding as I write the book. On the call today, one of the co-authors mentioned how I am conveying how the microcosm in the kitchen is the macrocosm of the whole relationship. In other words, what happens in the kitchen is a smaller picture of what happens in the relationship as a whole or on a daily basis.…

Coming out of the Closet

In “coming out of the closet,” I am referring to the psychedelic closet, as legendary Rick Doblin has put it. Sometimes I wonder if we’re all in the closet in one way or another. Is there anything that I keep to myself? Yes, there are a few things, but then again, there are always a few people who know. I never keep anything completely to myself. I’ve found it to be a great practice for me-just being open, even if it’s only with one person. I am so grateful for my relationship with my husband Joe, because I feel comfortable and happy to share with him, so many of my experiences and secrets.

One thing that connected Joe and I the day we met was our experiences with LSD.…

When health sends a wake up call

Last week I didn’t post an article. This week will be brief and very personal. My head is spinning with all of the external overwhelm. Of course, I’ve labeled it overwhelm, in all honesty, it’s just life doing what it does. My 55 year old father moved from Wisconsin to Washington last year, and now he’s moved down to Northern California, just a few hours north of us.

After only a few days in California, my father ended up in the hospital. He was diagnosed with COPD a few years ago, but for the past 10, I’ve listened to him cough day in and day out. He’s been a smoker for as long as I can remember and it’s really caught up with him.…

Leave the dirt outside

Do you take your shoes off before you walk into your house? My mother and grandmother always did so I think I just picked up the habit. The habit became a must after my first international travel experience in Thailand, almost a decade ago. Even before walking into retail stores, I had to remove my shoes. Almost always, the floor was so clean, I was elated to step in with my bare soles.

This is the same feeling I like to have when I walk into my kitchen at home. It’s like my sacred temple. I want to walk into my kitchen and get that squeaky clean, shiny feeling. For some reason french fries, oreos and things like slim-jims just don’t get me in that space.…

Freaky Friday the 13th Arctic Apple®

Are you superstitious? Does Friday the 13th make you wake up with your tail between your legs? I’ve always loved it because I was born on the 13th. It’s a great number, and who doesn’t love Friday? Don’t worry I know that it’s not Friday the 13th today, but the last was only a few months ago.

The first Friday the 13th for 2015 was in March, and it was freaky, no doubt. It was the day the GMO apple was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Why is the GMO apple freaky? It has nothing to do with Friday the 13th of course, despite the fitting approval date. GMO foods are freaky for many reasons. There are thousands of studies to read as to why.…

Fireworks in your mouth

For a while when I was in high school, and in my early college years, I was an activist obsessive. I wanted to take a stand on, well, everything. I wasn’t happy about fireworks and their effect on the environment. I’ve matured now and have learned that appreciation is a better emotion than anger. I’ll just appreciate the beauty of this spectacular day than be angry and fight against it. I’ve found even more ways to love Independance Day, which means that I am incorporating the holiday spirit into my meals. I truly believe that everyday should include a an explosion of tasty fireworks on the palette, but in honor of the fourth of July-we have a recipe to share with a little red, white and blue (and of course green too)!…

Tongue scraping and 2 tools for sensuality

I used to wake up in the morning with bad breath. It’s embarrassing, actually. Because now, I realize that this is easily remedied. My dad has a very ridiculous sense of humor that not everyone understands. Keep in mind while you read on, that I share this bizarre sense of humor. When I was in high school, I lived with my dad, and he’d be up singing and being the bubbliest person alive at 5am. I’d wake up to get ready for school around 6am to him belting out Mary J. Blige or Seal (he loved soulful tunes). I was always entertained to say the least. Even though, at 16 years old everything pissed me off in the morning. I’d go into the bathroom, where I spent an hour before school, putting my hair in some elaborate up-do.…

Relationship advice from Grandma

What did your grandma tell you about the opposite sex? What about relationships and marriage? My grandma taught me a lot of things that I need to unlearn to be quite honest. Yet, there’s so many things that my parents, and grandparents taught me that I believe was so important. There’s always a deeper meaning if you care to dive deeper into their words. As humans, we continue to evolve, grow and expand, but I know one thing for sure made sense; and my husband’s grandmother told him on the phone when he spoke to her on this past mother’s day.

[Tweet “Grandma said: healthy relationships are built around the kitchen”]

For me, this has held true. Maybe it’s my connection to the Italian traditions and the emphasis on family.…

Werewolves and Chocolate Sauce

When was the last time you were invited over to a friend’s place for dinner? Did they cook?

For a few years, I was really missing breaking bread with friends. Yes, Joe and I are invited to friend’s home a few times each month for dinner. I’m not complaining (and thank you to the friends who are reading this now). We truly love it so much, we decided we want ALL of our friends to join us. Of course we couldn’t host-everyone, but just the right number happened to accept the invite. It was perfect. I was in awe of how much good energy was flowing in our little humble abode-and the incredible dynamic between all of us.

For such a long time-4 years to be exact-I’ve had total kitchen shame.…