Superfood Smoothie Upgrade v. 2.1

(Hemp Butter, Wild Honey, Maca, Mesquite, Cat's Claw, Astragalus Powder,
Hawthorn Berry Powder, Barberry Root Bark Powder)

Most of us are now familiar with the term "Superfood Smoothie".
Its become quite a common term in the raw food world, and for good reason.
You get a substantial amount of high energy superfoods, packed with vitamins,
minerals, and amino acids...all broken down to a smooth consistency for
easy absorption. Pretty nice, right?

Usually we have our base liquid, whether it be coconut water, an herbal tea,
straight H20, or even coffee for those who still partake.

We add in our nuts and oils...usually whatever you happen to fancy at the time.
I'm a strong proponent of hemp oil and hemp butter,
yet sometimes I'll simply do coconut butter all by its glorious self.

Perhaps a sweetener? Raw Honey (Raw Beegans Unite!), Agave Nectar,
Yacon Root syrup, or maybe stevia if thats what your feeling great on right now...

Then...SUPERFOOD TIME.

I've been doing the standard for quite a while now.
Maca, Cacao, Goji, Mesquite, Vitamineral Green, and Cinnamon.

It fills me up, and I can go for well over half a day without even thinking about
consuming anything else...thats how nourished your body feels because of this.

After listening to Daniel Vitalis and David Wolfe about herbs lately,
I decided that it was time to take another step forward.

I want to throw in powerful herbs and dried wild greens into my smoothie.
I started with Ho Shou Wu which I bought in Hong Kong. Here is what it looks like:


Otherwise known as Fo-Ti (TEE).


I then did a massive order from Mountain Rose Herbs and picked up items like:



Astragalus Root Powder, Sorrel Sheep Powder, Barberry Root Bark Powder,
Irish Moss, Icelandic Moss, Pau D'Arco, Cat's Claw, Horsetail Powder,
Hawthorn Berry Powder, Cedar Tips and Berries (read Anastasia!),
Dried Nettle Leaves, Dried Birch Leaves, Kelp Powder,
and a few others.

Most of these items are wildharvested and all are organic.



What do you think? Why not UPGRADE??? I cant pick wild greens
yet because of the season, so why not at least get the
dried form and just throw them into the smoothie?


And with my vita-mix, it all turns into a very smooth
liquid or pudding...depending on how much liquid base I use.



Raw Food is personal Anarchy in the kitchen.
You get to choose what works for YOU.
There are so many options available to you, that to take the advice
of just one person and stick to that idea blindly, would be such a
disservice to yourself. You get to choose! The Guru lies within you.

Throw in some of this...add a little of that...whatever works!
My smoothie this morning was pretty bitter though (ROOT BARK....ewwww)
but a little honey or a date fixes that in no time.
Whatever youre groovin' on right now is GOLDEN. That's all there is to it.

When you know this...you will know how to make my superfood fudge.
Here's a hint though...1/2 part nuts and seeds, 1/2 part dates...maybe a little oil.
Then? ANARCHY. Don't you see? You are the creator!

My superfood recipe may soon pale in comparison to yours.
The answer lies within your heart...you already know how to make it.
You just have to remember what works for you.

You'll likely need a food processor though...can't help you with that.
Besides a high-powered blender, a food processor would be my other
essential choice for getting started with this lifestyle.

One more tip though...after making your base for the fudge,
add in everything else by hand and massage it into your base...
constantly thanking the Universe (God, Life, Energy, Love)
for everything in your life...for it all makes you stronger and wiser.
Place those feelings directly into the superfood fudge.
You simply cannot buy that in a store, EVER.

Remember...you are a perfect piece of the divine,
living this particular life in a temporary human shell.
Why not get the most out of it? You deserve nothing but the best!
The best food, the best air, the best water, the best lovers and friends.
If you believe this deep down in your heart, eating junk again
simply becomes impossible. Its about LOVE everybody.
Maybe a little junk here and there doesn't seem like a big deal...
if not, thats totally cool. It's just where Im at on my path right now.
It's all good.

Here is a quote from A Course in Miracles...the lovely Alexandra was wise
enough to put it on her Give it to Me Raw page:

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all of the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

Never forget this.

Anthony

Questions and Answers

Lots of great stuff coming down the line lately...so I thought Id share some (paraphrased) questions.

1. RAW SUGARCANE.

What about pure raw cane sugar? I'm not even talking about the brown stuff that comes in packets. I'm talking about the raw sugarcanes that you sometimes see kids from other countries sucking on. Have you had any experience with that kind of sugar? What's your opinion on it?

-RBD

I have chewed on these canes before in HK, and even had them make a juice of one when I was there last year. I realized though that it wasnt really a big deal to me. They boil the canes usually anyways, and Ive heard that the commercial varieties are highly bred to be the sweetest and fattest...nothing like the original archetype. I don't really give it much thought...so many better things out there in my opinion. I suppose little shavings would be nice in a salad or something? No clue really...

I would just go with agave or honey. Really though...WILD agave if you can get it. Someone thought I was dissing agave...but its more like I prefer honey over agave, and I dont even do the honey all that much either. Its more about green smoothies and superfood smoothies for me right now. Ill explain that later. Agave is really amazing compared to almost anything out there. I have had yacon root syrup, and I think its great, but because I use so little sweeteners in my daily food intake, I just keep it to honey...maybe agave if Im making a dessert with someone.
And if some sweeteners seem a bit expensive...ask yourself this:
Why am I trashing my body with an inferior sweetener to save a few dollars?
Why don't I care about my well-being more than that?
Thats why most dark chocolate is still so cheap, they use processed cane sugar.
You really do get what you pay for, or at least work for.
Wild greens, for instance, are free...but you have to work for them.
Labor of love...

2. BEES REPLACING NATIVE INSECTS

When you introduce these bees into a non-native habitat, do they displace native insects?

-Anon

That is a really high quality question...something that I totally didnt consider. We all just assume that bees are good, but are they replacing native creatures? I would surely say so.

Check this article out: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/opinion/nyregionopinions/11WEalexander.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Seems that "native" wild bees still do a great job of pollinating. But with 44 trees, should I risk it? I want a really thorough job to be done. And anyone criticizing beekeeping obviously hasnt participated in an organic bee operation which completely respected the bees. Some tofu-eating vegan who might even still eat white sugar wants to feel morally superior by not eating honey,
but they completely forget that its our most natural sweetener besides fruit itself,
and we have been eating it the longest here on earth.
If we can provide food and shelter for them, can we be entitled to 10% of their take?
We need to create a symbiotic relationship with bees for the well-being of our planet.
Raw honey gathered from organic pollen is amazing, and I will disagree
with any vegan who wants to dish a little soy milk in my face.

3. MY FACE WASHING ROUTINE

What do you do for washing your face?

-Anon

Hmmm...a lot less than the average person. When your body is so clean on the inside, and your not doing tons of physical activity like in the winter or even anytime,
you can easily get by with washing your face every other day.

I use Dr Bronner's, every other day. Otherwise I will just rinse with some water. Then I might put on some coconut oil...but not usually. Every time I work, the hair and makeup people tell me that my skin is basically flawless. They ask me what I use...I say...
GREEN JUICE, SMOOTHIES, AND CUCUMBERS. They dont believe me.


I guess some topical products are really great,
but as long as you are trashing your insides, it matters not what you put on your skin.
TRUE beauty must come from within, both literally and figuratively.

I dont know the premise of the Natural Hygiene lifestyle, but I think what I just wrote fits into that. If your insides are clean by consuming a fresh and clean diet, then your outside just radiates and you have little use for crazy soaps and lotions. I use basically nothing. But when I was drinking milk and eating cooked oils & processed foods, I'd wash my face every day...
...crying about how I couldnt get the acne away...
all the while i was fueling that acne with my unconscious eating habits.

4. PUSHING PRODUCTS

Do you get paid for talking about other people's books or websites? It seems that
you are really passionate about some companies and Im just
wondering if you are compensated for it.

-JM

NO. NO. NO.
Call me unopportunistic but I havent really delved into that whole area.
I push books and websites and useful products because I use them myself
and have had great results from them..results that I want all of you to experience
as well. Im in this for the love...I am here to help.
Knowing that I am positively affecting lives is worth
so much more than any mad-made currency.

Perhaps down the road I will turn
my career path towards living foods and away from modeling,
but please know that I recommend things because I feel that they
have a strong ability to help you on your path.
This is not to take ANYTHING away from those who are lucky enough
to actually make the raw food lifestyle a part of their career.
PLEASE SUPPORT THEM. They are making it easier for all of us,
and until we live in a world where money no longer exists, (soon?)
most of us still have to pay the bills and feed the kids.

Hold them to a high standard of course, but always try to support them
however possible. They bring living foods to our lives, and they have to
pay the bills. We should all be so lucky to have such a "job".

Where's my royalty check? Daddy needs to by some fruit trees!


-Anthony

On game shows, some people will take the trip to France,
but most people will take the washer dryer pair.

-Chuck Palahniuk - Invisible Monsters

Friday Afternoon

When you think of vegetarians and vegans, do you view
someone who is frail and pale and weak?

I know for a fact that this very common and justified view
is because most of these adherents are seriously lacking
vital nutrients and protein, because they dont know about
other options that does not include dead animals.

And forget about that whey concentrate factory-farmed JUNK.
COOKED, RADIATED, HIGHLY PROCESSED SPACE FOOD.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was factory farmed...we are free range.


When I went vegan it was for ethical reasons.
I could no longer participate in the death of all those animals
and the horribly wasteful use of resources used to produce meat and dairy.

But as a model, there was no way I could afford to be pasty, frail, and weak.
I had to have the look of total health...but how?

The universe provided me the answer. I was strolling around a thrift shop
and discovered a very old raw food book called "Raw Energy" by Leslie Kenton.
Published in 1982. I read it, and it made complete logical sense.
Read about living foods and you just cant deny the plain logic of it all.

Living Foods and especially muscle-building leafy greens and superfoods were the answer.
I tried it...what did I have to lose? That last 10lbs and a puffy face?

And lo and behold...SUCCESS.

But at first I was doing mostly green smoothies...I needed to learn more.
I got into hemp seeds, different nuts,
green superfood powders, goji, maca, and cacao.

Thank you David Wolfe for bringing your knowledge into my life.

He was the one that showed me the answers that worked for me.

I consume around 2lbs of greens a day, and the superfoods listed above.

Im not some wimpy vegan eating soy burgers and rice milk...
I would never touch tofu-dogs or rice dream ice cream ever again.

CANE SUGAR AND FACTORY MADE PROCESSED "FOOD".
ALL OF IT.

Follow the laws of nature, and she will show you love
like you never experienced before. This is MY truth.

Maybe its your truth too. From what Ive learned, it probably is.

People go raw...no more need to take insulin.
People go raw...their tumors become benign or dissapear.
People go raw...they lose 140 lbs, even without much exercise.

HELLO????

Add it up kids! This is where its at.

Make this weekend your best yet. Its up to you.


Anthony

But...Where do you get your PROTEIN???

I recently attended a membership drive for the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
No offense, but if someone were to tell me that they were not impressed,
I might have to agree with them. I might be opening myself up to a beating
via the keyboard from some angry members, but hear me out.

I feel that its way more of a business than a place for learning.
20 Classes...for almost $10,000.

Here's an idea:

Instead...Purchase:

1. - David Wolfe's Sunfood Diet Success System
2. - Victoria Boutenko's Greens for Life
3. - Gabriel Cousen's Spiritual Nutrition
4. - David Jubb's Secret of an Alkaline Body

Watch as many raw food videos on youtube as you can...

Eat lots of greens, superfoods, and fresh fruit...go light on the fat.
And with the extra $9,900...go on more than a few raw retreats with David Wolfe,
spend a month down at the Ann Wigmore Institute in Puerto Rico,
get a vita-mix, a food processor, and a wheatgrass juicer.

You will be 1000 times more advanced than most of the
alumni of IIN (with the exception of Chocolate Girl )...she's on top of her game.

I could be totally wrong though, but based on the people I talked to,
most were still swimming in SAD territory.
"Where do you get your protein?" "Dont you get cold in the Winter?"
"If you ever feel yourself craving meat, dont feel bad about giving in."

I get my protein from SUPERFOODS like hemp seed
(only from Manitoba Harvest...the best organic hemp promoter out there),
bee pollen, and algaes like chlorella, spirulina, and blue green algae.

Why dont they know about this?

I use the Vita-mix to make warm soups if I need to...but no,
I dont get cold. Thats where the superfood smoothies come in.

And thanks, but no thanks...no dead animals are passing by these lips.
No fire, pain, fear, and death will EVER enter this temple again.

I seriously apologize if I sound abusive. I dont want to promote
an environment of negative thoughts, but come on...

Im not going to pay that much money to hear about other "diets" anymore when its so
blatantly obvious that raw plant food (maybe with a few ants here and there)
is the diet to reach super-human levels again. The diet of uncooked food that every wild animal on the planet eats. The diet that our bodies evolved on. Isnt it so logical at this point?
Who can really argue with these points? MILLIONS OF YEARS eating raw plants,
compared to a sliver of time eating and cooking meat and eating processed foods.

When looking for advice, look for someone who has achieved the results
that you hope to achieve. Do you want to be at the level of health
that they have reached? Find those people when looking for health advice.

Andrew Weil looks like Santa Claus.



Think about that.

Its all about credibility.

Look for RESULTS.



All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring.

-Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters

My Stance on Honey + Bees

Miin, who is a good friend of mine, (check her blog) recently asked me
about my view on bees and honey.

I know in the vegan circles there is a big debate about the exploitation of bees.
One thing they should all remember though...almost every single fruit you eat
was pollinated by a domesticated "exploited" bee.
We simplywouldnt have fruit here in the states otherwise,
or reallyanywhere else for that matter.

I am definitely incorporating bees into my permaculture project in Minnesota,
but mostly for their pollinating powers. The small percentage of honey and pollen
that I would take from them would be only a bonus, and as far
as Im concerned, a little gift from the bees to me.

Think about it...I'm providing them organic pollen from all of the fruit trees,
building their homes, and keeping them warm in the winter.
I certainly dont believe in non-organic or cruelty-based beekeeping.

The fact that non-organic beekeepers spray those
poor creatures with pesticides and smoke,
steal their honey and pollen and feed them sugar water is a disgrace.
And its pure KARMA that all non-organic bees are suffering because
of varroa mites and weakened immune systems.

My bees would be a part of my family. I would take care of them.
I love honey, but its not my reason for having bees. Its more about
a symbiotic relationship, where I take care of them, and they take care of
me through pollination and a little honey. Fair?

We NEED bees. No doubt. Every home gardener should have a hive.
Read the Anastasia books and it becomes so clear.

Instead of USING and working against nature,
we must work with it. Honey is a magical food of
the highest vibration, and I feel that adding some into our
diet provides something special that we just cant get
with factory agave nectar and boiled maple syrup.

And also...we have to look at the sweetener most natural in our diet
in the past million years. HONEY. Not boiled tree sap or agave.
When you want to look real deep into our history, honey is the winner by far.
Is it a coincidence that we all win when
we add bees and bee products into our lives?
Bee Pollen, Honey, Royal Jelly...MAGIC.
And the bees pollinate the world like no other creature can.
They keep the cycle of life going.


What do you think?


Oh...and as far as winter goes, they all clump up in a ball inside the hive,
moving very little, and simply feast on honey until spring. WOW.
A northern beekeeper covers and insulates the hive, and I was even thinking about
putting one inside my dome greenhouse so I could compare the difference
in activity, and so they could pollinate the guava trees in January. Cool right?

I love honey, but I love bees even more.


-Anthony

Borneo Malaysia 01...

I think I might be eating too many wild foods....


I can't rave enough about Borneo. And I only visited one small part of one small area of the country. The area of Sabah is on the northern tip of Borneo, just south of the Philippines.

Very warm and quite humid, because January falls into the rainy season there. The best time to go seems to be Sept-Nov. Otherwise it is unbearably hot and humid, or its raining in the evening.

Our days were always sunny, but the night brought light showers. Nothing to stop a determined raw foodie from scouring the local markets for all the goodies to be discovered.


This market was right across from our hotel...luck? I keep saying thank you...


Papayas and some lovely Salak fruits...


Is this not perfection? Simply amazing.


Not a huge fan of the green mangoes, mostly because I cant eat them right away.
But if you had a food processor, you could make shredded mangoes with some chilis, olive oil, lime juice and a little nama shoyu. Thats hard to beat, and so easy!


Not a huge fan of bananas, but this is how they are supposed to look.
Sorry Miss Chiquita...youre as fake as it gets.


Did someone say coconuts? 50 cents each and MASSIVE.
I couldn't finish them sometimes.

A bundle of fresh mangosteens...50 cents a lb!
($8/lb for frozen ones in Chinatown NYC)
Someone is getting very rich importing mangosteens...


And of course...the meat. So for all your relatives that still partake in the flesh,
they will be loving it. Freshly charred meat, and very reasonable prices.


Poor little fishes...just swimming in the ocean this morning.


She knows whats up...the greens are where its at.

Gigantic bundles of cinnamon. What are we settling for in the states?


And yes...after asking around, we found the durian stall. Only two varieties are available
this time of year, and not many people are selling them right now.

These are called "Village Durians" which means that local people from the
villages will get them from the jungle and bring them in every night.
These were so small, but really packed a wonderful flavor.
I was loving it.


I even started eating the seeds. Not the brown coating, but the inside white part.
They were crisp like an almond that has been soaked overnight.
Not bitter at all.


Hmmm...what more could I ask for?

They weigh out your durian, place it on your table already split open for you,
place a box of tissues on your table as well, and thats it.
You dig in, leave the seeds on the table, and
when you're finished, they wipe it down and put all
the scraps in a big plastic bucket. Genius.

This was our first evening there. We arrived around 8pm, so it was just the market.
This was so good already, as I said before...I'll be coming back here asap.

Day two coming up soon...

To travel is to grow. And its so fun...you just cant lose.

Los Angeles Day Two

Im all over the place lately...I was out of the city this weekend attending a lecture of Philip from Lovingraw.com, and then spent time with him and Dhru from We Like it Raw on Sunday. I've been like a madman designing my permaculture site and talking to bee-keepers and watching more instructional videos. Its time to catch up with some posts, yes?

YES.

My second day of LA was GREAT.
Again...just keep saying thank you for all the good things in your life,
and somehow good things will keep coming.
I now take at least5 times a day to just stop and say thanks.
Even if its only 1-2 minutes...
Doing this throughout the day is a constant reminder that life is so good,
and that we have so much to be thankful for, and nothing to regret.

I had a shoot with Kohl's. I knew the photographer from before, so that was nice.
Everyone was really cool. During jobs, I always head for the breakfast fruit plate...
(making sure to get my fair share of berries) and then lots of salad for lunch.
Nearly everyone goes for the chicken and cow flesh...
I get the fresh greens and sprouts with tomatoes and cucumbers....works for me!

After the shoot was over, a friend of Dhru's and a new friend of mine, picked me up for dinner before my flight. We were going to go to Matt Amsden's Euphoria, but Gabe said that he
had enough time to bring me to Orange Country for a little-known gem.

Au Lac.



Walking in, I had no idea what to expect. Its in the middle of a strip mall in Fountain Valley,
and I was reading the sign on the door looking for the word "raw". Sure enough, there it was.

Its very unassuming as you walk in. Nothing like Pure.
More like a chinese restaurant.
Lots of light, booths and very modest decor.
Gabe was going crazy about this place though,
so of course I put all of my faith in him.

The owner and chef, Ito (sp?) has been on a vow of silence for 8 years.
Think about this. 8 years.
When someone on that level is preparing your food,
you know that youre in for something extraordinary.

We ordered a monster salad called Da' Bowl,
some pistachio bread, and raw paella. RAW PAELLA!?!?



Everything was simply astonishing. I was so impressed.
I couldnt stop smiling as I was eating my food.
We were laughing at how good it tasted. Is it the extra love in the food?


I now make it a point to massage my salads for 5 minutes before I eat them,
and while doing so, I say thanks for all the wonderful people Ive been blessed
to cross paths with. I think about synchronicities , and how I love to
experience each one of them...how excited I get to see little signposts pop up in life.

By doing this, I feel that Im putting positive energy and love into my food.
Maybe this sounds goofy, but let me assure you, its the best way to make a salad.
Try it.

Chopped greens. Add Nama Shoyu, Lemon Juice, and your favorite oil
(or your favorite dressing...whatever it may be)
and just grab it and squeeze it for 5 minutes. It may get a bit messy, but
I assure you that its worth it. Then add in your toppings after that.

Something about it...just like Au Lac. Just something about it.

Ito stopped by our table frequently to have us try new experiemental items on the new menu.
PORK FRIED RICE? He made it with mushrooms and sprouted grains,
but I swear, I was eating pork fried rice that night. It was unreal.


And their desserts? STELLAR.





They chill their pies for over two days because they have it at the warmest setting that will
still allow it to cool and solidify. Simply genius.
Go for the Chocolate X-tacy everytime. No joke.

Make your food with love. Think about everyone wonderful in your life, and
let it be transferred into the food that nourishes both your body, mind, and soul.

My flight was unfortunately very uncomfortable, but it gave me time to
sit in my chair and just be still with my thoughts for a while.
So much noise in our current world...
a little still silence only helps us.

I could have tossed and turned and bitched about the seat,
or I could have accepted it and used that awake time to be still
and say thanks and make plans for the week. Its all about how
YOU view the situation. You are the observer and the creator.

Go visit Au Lac's. Im making it a point to go there every time Im in LA.
The chef could open up a franchise with this, but he prefers to keep it local
and simple for now. Support him if you can, he really makes magic in the kitchen.

Make magic in the kitchen every time you make something...its up to you.

Anthony

Life Begets Life

Downloading Ancient Information...

These trees in Borneo are called the King of Trees. Eating the leaves of these
and eating the leaves of a newly sprouted weed is going to give you very different results.
Think of the deep minerals these trees (120 ft tall) have pulled out of the ground...


Anyone ever wonder whatever happened to my terrace garden here in NY?



I left it to the care of my friend...hoping that he would feel the same
bond with the plants that I felt. I believe that he did...
possibly so much that he never ate them!

What is amazing and simply beautiful in a way only nature can be,
is that this little oasis of life high above 2nd Avenue has provided
a home for some mating pigeons.



They are days away from having chicks, and its just wonderful.
My friend sent me these pictures minutes ago, and had to show all of you.
I hope it touches you at least 10% as much as it did me.
This terrace was my space of love because of those plants,
and to see it again nourishing new life gives me
some pretty warm feelings inside.



Sure, pigeons may be deemed ugly and disease ridden, but is it their fault?
They are LIFE...trying to survive and create more LIFE. What can we say?

At least they are doing what they are meant to do, unlike most of us.

Life begets life.
Eat death, fear, stress, fire, and pain...
And you become them.

Eat life, love, high vibrations, joy, radiance...
And you become them.

I cant stress this enough.
It may sound very esoteric, but if you actually try one, then the other...you will know.

Think of all the stress, fear, and pain going through an animal's tissues before it is killed.
Do you want to consume that? Do you want to transfer all of that into your temple?
Do you want your loved ones to keep consuming that?
No more pain, fear, fire, and death. Do it for yourself, and all of us.

As living foods enthusiasts, it is vital that we remember this idea.
It goes much deeper than clogged arteries or extra fat on our stomach.
When we consume love and peace, our minds work on a completely different
wavelength than those that choose to eat the cooked flesh of
stressed, tortured, and horribly frightened sentient beings.

Eat love and peace, become love and peace.


-Anthony

Thai Coconut Replacements

I've been getting a good amount of feedback about my decision to leave behind thai coconuts.

Id like to provide some alternatives for smoothies, some that I think are actually much more beneficial and actually more affordable.

I would suggest a nut or seed milk (Macadamia or Hempseed or Pumpkinseed) and raw honey.

These can be priced around $12-15 a pound for the first two (BUY IN BULK ONLINE)
and the pumpkinseeds are way cheaper as most of us know.
Anything more than $4 a pound and I would say you are paying WAY too much.
Add as much water as you need, and throw in coconut oil if you want to include the
essence and beneficial properties of coconuts.

You only need one ounce of seeds or nuts and 8oz of water, and youre set. Breaking down the price it is definitely not higher than $1 a serving. Compare that to $1.50-4 for a coconut.

Most Thai coconuts that you are finding in the US are:
1. shipped across the globe (think of the magic and vitality that fades away after all that time)
2. they are dipped in fungicides, and I would think that anyone reading this is on a mental level where they would consciously avoid all "cides" if you know what I mean.
3. and they are then irradiated to prevent more fungus upon entry into the US.

Im surprised that I didnt come to this conclusion MUCH earlier.


Luckily we can order high quality pure coconut oil, but I would usually save
the coconut water for when you CHOOSE to travel.
You wouldnt want to eat tomatoes in December if they tasted like cardboard, right?

Create a budget so you WILL have enough funds to travel to a great
fresh/exotic fruit) producing country in the tropics.
Look for deals, travel in the slower and cheaper seasons...
Whatever it takes. You can do it.

No Life Force, Fungicide, and Radiation. Come on!

Now...

Rambutan...this is my good friend coconut.

Oh Rambutan...you are just so fresh..behave yourself!


I guess some things you just cant fight. Who wants bubble teas when you can have THIS?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

Im going back in late October I think.

-Anthony

BACK...and constantly thanking the Universe

Ah...entering the real world again. It actually feels pretty good (despite having to be on the concrete sheet covering the earth), because I feel like I am starting fresh and beginning to make real progress. Such a great time to start the New Year.

LA was GREAT. Actually better than great. My Hong Kong to NYC flight was overbooked, so Cathay Pacific offered me a direct flight to Los Angeles. Shaving off 11 hours of flying and sitting around in the airport was a GREAT bonus. Instead of getting in at 830 pm, I arrived at 930 AM. I keep remembering to feel really grateful for all of the good things that occur,
and lately more and more good things keep occuring. Hmmm...

I went through the VERY long wait for my bags, snuck my smuggled Malaysian fruits past customs (Kidding! wink* wink* "entertainment purposes only!") and took an
overpriced cab-ride to the (in)famous Roosevelt Hotel,
which is across Hollywood Blvd from Mann's Chinese Theatre.
I can only wonder what sick and perverted acts went on in my hotel room.

I visited the wonderful people at my LA agency,
then walked over to the "Farmer's Market" on 3rd and Fairfax.
I know that there are better farmer's markets in LA on certain days of the week,
but I didnt know the schedule and didnt have a car, so I tried what was within walking distance. When I finally reached it though, it seemed like I discovered that the term "Farmer's Market" has become a marketing tool to convey some sort of authenticity or homegrown feeling. It was more of an open-air food court. What a joke. Maybe on certain days of the week they have something in the parking lot, but that day I struck out.
I miss Borneo...and Phnom Penh.

However I did happen to find a fruit vendor and I bought a couple of prickly pear cactus fruits,




and one coconut.

I wont buy young thai coconuts anymore, and these seemed more real. Those white spots are not powder I assure you. It looked pretty natural. I cracked it open on the side of the rock bench I was sitting on, and drank the juice right there. It tasted great. Im sure I got a few stares.

I think I scared some kids walking by.
"Sorry kids. Your parents should be doing this too. You would have more fun as well."


I walked over to Whole Foods after that to see all the raw junk food that is blanketing the marketplace. Welcome back Anthony...crackers, cookies, fudges and who knows what else now. Who is still buying Goji's for $20 a pound? GO ONLINE PEOPLE...USE the internet.
Save your time too.

Over in SE Asia, its about fresh exotic fruit, coconuts, and fresh greens. Im SOOOO done with all that transitional food. Its just so overpriced and gimmicky.

So for any readers out there who are stuck in dehydrated purgatory:
(IF you want to reach the real raw living-foods high)

I have gone through the dehydrated food stage , sometimes in large amounts, and please,
I ask that you take what I say seriously. Keep this stuff out of the house.
Save it for special occasions. We may need it for the transition, but sooner
rather than later, we should get past all the raw junk
food and start giving ourselves nothing but the best.
Wildcrafted fruits and greens and superfoods (including and of course CACAO
is really the magic key to reaching the next level.
The quicker we can let go of all the kiddie stuff the better off we will be.

And WILD honey for sweetener.

Im not saying DONT EAT THAT. But when you are ready to set down that eating habit, you will know what I mean. I am really getting into eating the wild greens and finding random fruits as I explore. After buying those domesticated prickly pear fruits, I found these next to the sidewalk.


I had to partake...I doubt anyone will miss them.
They were great. Much more seedy than the domestic ones. I would recommend wiping them off in a nearby gas station bathroom before eating them.
I had little ones in my thumbs for way too long.

I also found some date trees growing on the side of the street with some even on the ground. I ate some of those too. REALLY fibrous, but still edible.

People are just letting these foods goes to waste.
Am I the only one who doesnt see a wild food buffet in front of me?

Really...you could live in LA without buying food if you were able to reach all the food that
was available and the greens weren't covered in fumes.
Lemons, Olives, Wild Greens, Prickly Pear Cactus, Wild Dates....
Pretty much has it covered, no? A person could surely live in Central Park in NY foraging during the summer, but LA seems much more possible for the whole year.

I walked back to the hotel...I was outside walking around for about 3 hours, then met up with a friend for for dinner. She is a doing a very low sugar living-foods diet and is experiencing the rare problem of too much energy and hours awake during the day.
We went to Juliano's which I thought was REALLY good and fun and its just an amazing place.
I was shocked by the value.



TRY THE CHEESECAKE THERE.

Im just saying try not to make your own at home and eat it all in two days.

Day two of LA coming next...

Im going to start doing the Borneo -Sabah posts but Ive gotta upload the pics and have been really occupied cleaning up and organizing since I just got back. Feeling overwhelmed but exciting and just chipping away at the big to-do list.

-LOT COMING UP SOON, and new vids as well.

-Anthony

Back to NY...Almost

Here are a few teaser pics from the Sabah (Borneo, Malaysia) trip.

S-A-B-A-H is where its at.

If I were a raw foodist, this would be the place if I were heading to SE Asia.
(As far as I've seen up to this point)

I've never been in a rainforest habitat like this...the smell is unreal. That fresh air changed my brain chemistry, I could feel it.

Beautiful flora and fauna...this guy was sitting around waiting for lunch to fly by.


And yes....although the Durian Merah (Durian Red) wasnt in season anymore,
we had the chance to eat wild jungle durians and one other variety.

On top of that, many new fruits were discovered, one being a total superstar.

I bought a good hard drive camcorder as well, so we made good videos as we went along.

Ill post in detail when I get back to NY...which isnt going to be quite as soon as I thought because I just found out that Im shooting a job with Kohl's Department Store in LA on Tuesday. So when I land at JFK at noon on Monday, (I leave for the HK airport in 90 min) I have to sit and wait for three hours, THEN fly over to LA and shoot the job.

Im going to miss the Gabriel Cousens Event in NY which Ive been planning to attend for 2 months, so Im pretty bummed about that. But I cant turn work down. Especially since this spring is my time to work and save up for the summer project.

Maybe I can head up to Santa Monica and visit Juliano's! That would be a great alternative actually. Its going to be a hectic 48 hours, but it will be great.

TONS more to come..seriously, Borneo is the place. WILD jungle fruit everywhere and absolutely beautiful landscapes. Highly recommended.

Ive got a 16 hour flight ahead of me...ouch.


-Anthony