You are invited to Charlies Monthly Rawfood Potlucks in Phoenix/East Valley, Arizona

Are you curious about how to lose weight, stay beautiful, prevent or reverse dis-ease? Or maybe you are new to the area, and would like to network and connect to a raw food or healthy living community.

I first relocated to the Valley in 2001, and really delved into raw food around 2002-2003 after a botched up dental procedure kept causing health problems that traditional medical treatments failed to deal with. I have been attending these two raw food potlucks on and off since then. I have learned alot about eating healthy without depriving taste buds. Also I learned about superfoods, tasty foods that rejuvenate your body, such as blueberries, gogi berries, bee pollen, maca, cacao, etc. Also met many great people, and was invited to phenomenal healthy living/conscious eating events.

There are two main gatherings that have been held for years, in this article I will Cover Charlie's held on 2nd Saturday of the month:

Charlie's Rawahtukee RawSome! gatherings in Awhatukee, Phoenix area, off I-10 and Warner. This is held the 2nd Saturdays of every month. It starts around 7:00PM, and people come and go before and after that. It usually runs till 8:30 or 9PM. Occasionally there is a speaker or announcements are made around 7.

20-40 people usually attend. The event is casual, hippie-ish. and held in Charlie Mort's home. Charlie formerly ran the Rawsome! Cafe in Gentle Strength co-op in Ash/University in Tempe. It is requested that you bring a raw, vegan, organic food dish or some sort. If you are not prepared, come as you are. Or you can even bring a fresh organic blueberry or strawberry plate, etc.

For more information, you can contact 480.496.4577, and to double check the event is being held, etc.

Spiritual solace at Hare Krishna Temple, Chandler AZ

Chandler, Arizona. Sunday evenings starting at around 5:00-5:30PM devotees gather at this temple for chanting, rituals, and festivities. Around 8:00 PM is when Prasaddam is served. This is vegan food lovingly prepared by the staff who chant "Hare Krishna" over 108 times. The intent of this is to sublimate and transform the food into spiritual nourishment, Prasaddam.

I can say from personal experiences that this food is exceptionally delicious, and my heart swells with a sense of love and adoration from eating this Prasaddam. To me it truly tastes like divine nectar.

The public is welcome, those who respectfully wish to join the ceremonies, are encouraged to contact the building and inform them of your arrival and confirm the events, etc.

Friends and special people in my life have joined me for these events and we found them to be very nourishing. Mostly Hare Krishna devotees, many from India, attend. Kids are welcome and it is a family environment. Probably 50-100 show up.

Directions from Phoenix: I-10 east to Chandler Blvd exit (make a right onto the exit ramp) and then make a left onto Chandler Blvd. Make a first right onto Southgate, pass around a circle, continue straight and then make your first right onto Boston. The building will be on your right, address 100 S. Weber.

The address is 100 S. Weber Dr., Chandler, aZ. Tel: 480.330.4646, Fax: 480.705.4900. For more information you can also visit iskconphoenix.com

"VIP" Treatment at True Foods: Easter Resurrection

For Easter Sunday, I picked up "BigDaddy" my 107 year old friend and took him to Sunday service at Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). 9:00AM meditation and then 10:00AM service. This is one of my favorite services in the Valley because I experience it so deeply and vibrantly, its as if the saints and sages are right there in the room with us; the devotion of the attendees is so palpable you can cut it with a butter knife. This is one of only 4 centers personally started by Paramahansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi. Yogananda was arguably the first to introduce yoga to the West. Kriya yoga, the specific branch of yoga he introduced, was intended to offer Westerners a specific series of practices to provide a direct experience of God.

Following the beautiful service, Bigdaddy offered to treat me to Sunday brunch. I was touched, and gratefully accepted. I drove us to True Foods, a newer, sheek, contemporary natural food eatery located at the Biltmore he never attended before. He was impressed by the clean contemporary decor, the professional efficient staff, and the healthy tasty selection. This restaurant is half owned by natural foods proponent Dr. Andrew Weil and the same restaurant chain that manages Bloom and Olive & Ivy.

I figured this restaurant visit would also inspire BigDaddy, who dreams of actually starting his own restaurant to realize fully his life's work integrating nutrition, healthy living, etc. after he completes several of the projects we are working on.

After ordering some healthy lemonade and pina colada-type drinks and Kale-avocado salad plus sashimi tuna salads, I discreetly gave one of Bernando's cards to the wait staff. She looked at his card, and could not believe his age - typical response.

After our delicious meal, the head chef personally came up to our table and introduced himself to Bernando. He also obliged Bernando's request to take a menu home for his personal inspiration.

When we requested the check we were both pleasantly surprised that they zeroed out the bill: their treat, compliments of their staff.

An Easter Blessing. We left a generous tip. Today I mailed them a complimentary book written by Bernando with a gracious thank you note.

On another note, Bernando and I also celebrated this Easter some more good news: his wife is now regaining her speech abilities. This was after several weeks of aphasia following brain surgery to remove a blood clot in her brain. This blood clot was caused by her fall, in which she hit the back of her head at a doctor's office when staff had placed her on a scale and then walked away.

Hope springs eternal. Give thanks for what you have and benefits shall come to you from unexpected sources.