Maja D’Aoust, a white witch and lifelong student of the mystical, wants to take you on a journey, a “metaphysical journey into history, faith and magic in the Southland.” Just hop aboard her magical bus and enjoy the ride.

A Southern California Galadriel, Maja cuts a magickal figure—tall, May queenish, with impossibly long flaxen hair and a fashion sense that evokes both Mount Olympus and glamorous bohemia. She’s studied alchemy, shamanism and the I Ching to Masters degree level; she gives astrological readings based on ancient Greek and Hermetic styles of interpretation; and she has papers on Indian alchemy and tantra published in The Alchemy Journal. In short, she’s more than qualified to be leading Maja’s Mysteries, Sunday bus tours that traverse L.A.’s colorful spiritual landscape.

Metaphysical Magnet

Los Angeles has long been a magnet for the metaphysical. Louis Sahagun, author of Master of Mysteries: The Life of Manly P. Hall, describes how Hall, who would emerge as the 20th century’s most prolific writer and speaker on ancient philosophies and magic, immediately recognized the city’s spiritual magnetism upon his arrival here in 1919, at age 18. He later founded the Philosophical Research Society in Los Feliz, where today D’Aoust is chief librarian.

The tour was born when D’Aoust teamed up with Kim Cooper and Richard Schave from Esotouric, a company specializing in off-the-beaten-path tours of the city. The three devised a bus route that encompassed some of the lesser-known, yet most impressive spiritual hubs of the city: the Star Sapphire Lodge in Glendale (an outpost of the Ordo Templi Orientis, Aleister Crowley’s esoteric fraternal organization and religion); downtown L.A.’s landmark 1927 Theosophy Hall, a center for study of “the wisdom of the ages” and gathering spot for followers of the writings of Madame Blavatksy; and the Gnostic Society in Atwater Village, a pale pink house where devotees study once-heretical Catholic teachings that espouse Mary Magdelene as a religious leader and present feminine image of God. And that was just the first trip. Tour-goers responses ranged from “shrieks of delight to puzzled upturned brows wrought with anguish” recalls D’Aoust.

We Hope You Will Enjoy the Ride

On the most recent tour, D’Aoust took a group of seekers to the Aetherius Society, a center for cosmic consciousness and healing founded in 1955 by UFO contactee Dr. George King, where tour-goers heard “actual recordings of an extraterrestrial voice conveying significant messages.”

“I can describe it mundanely in that a series of images from the Hubble telescope are played while a channeled message from George King discusses love and Jesus, but that hardly compares with the way you feel when you are in the middle of it,” says D’Aoust. “The first time I heard it I was overwhelmed with the images and specifically, the quality and sound of his voice. I just opened myself up and let it into my ears like thick honey.”

Then on to the Krotona Apartments under the Hollywood sign, a former Theosophical retreat founded in 1914, where tour-goers enjoyed a rare opportunity to visit the central courtyard and view the Rosicrucian window of this now-private residence. “This location was the result of a pilgrimage by a group of Theosophists from New York,” explains D’Aoust. “The founder, Albert Warrington, actually based his idea of the retreat on the stories of the community developed by Pythagoras, and wished to emulate that type of environment. I think what went on there can best be described by a quote from one of its members, Augustus F. Knudsen, who called the Krotona community “an answer to the demand for a more definite exposition of the work called for in the third object of the Theosophical Society—the investigation of powers latent in man.”

And what about that Rosicrucian window? “I could describe the window,” says D’Aoust, “but its kinda like telling you about a Rothko painting . . . some things are better viewed.”

The north shore of Echo Park Lake was next, where the charismatic Sister Aimee Semple McPherson built her Foursquare Church, where she and her Pentecostal congregation entered states of Jesus-inspired rapture. “Yes. indeed, the founder of the Foursquare church, Sister Aimee Semple McPherson spoke in tongues, also known as ‘glossolalia,’ which is a super L.A. sounding word,” says D’Aoust, “and so did much of her congregation. They would full on go into ecstatic states and allow the Holy Spirit to enter them while they basically lost their minds and became possessed by God. Not bad for Echo Park.”

The tour wrapped up at The Vedanta Society of Southern California in Hollywood, founded in 1930 to bring sacred Hindu philosophy and tantra to the West, and frequented by artists and intellectuals of the era, such as Christopher Isherwood and Aldous Huxley.

“A lot of folks think tantra is just about um . . . well . . . “makin’ bacon,” says D’Aoust, “but really tantric practices extend into many different areas, including celibacy. Vedanta focuses on the teachings of Vivekananda, who was a student of Sri Ramakrishna, one of the most famous tantrikas of India, who is said to have lived for a short time as a monkey and even grew an inch on his coccyx as a tail during this time—which can be found in Christopher Isherwood’s description of him.”

Spiritual Landing Pad

D’Aoust’s bus tours provide a taste of the complex mystical geography not just of Los Angeles, but all of California, which has for so long been a natural landing pad for nontraditional religions of all shapes and sizes. There are, of course, many places of interest that are not covered, such as the beautiful Lake Shrine at Self-Realization Fellowship, the Scientology “mothership” on Sunset in Los Feliz, or the Mormon Temple in Westwood, which stands 257-feet high and is second in size to only the main Mormon temple in Salt Lake City.

“I would love to go to any of those places,” sighs Maja. Likewise, the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, a massive architectural marvel that houses a congregation of 10,000. But would they love to have her? She speculates, “Getting permission from the church for a visit by a busload of spiritual seekers led by a white witch might be tricky.”

—Caroline Ryder

Too New for the Tour

It is Los Angeles’s newest spiritual building—and also one of its oldest. And as you enter the high-domed interior with its mahogany woodwork, it’s easy to see why it was placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. Nestled among several architectural treasures on historic West Adams Street, this century-old building is now the L.A. home of the Art of Living Foundation.

The building, which first opened as the Second Church of Christ, Scientist, in 1910, has always been used for spiritual purposes. And, says Art of Living executive director, Rajshree Patel, “Our programs of meditation, yoga, breathing, knowledge and service will continue that tradition.”

Patel notes that although thousands of people have participated in Art of Living self-development and leadership programs in Southern California over the past 20 years, including many inner-city high school students, university students, and corporations, this is the Foundation’s first permanent center in Southern California. During the center’s inaugural week, L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa presented a Certificate of Welcome from the city to Art of Living founder, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

“Buildings are there,” said Sri Sri. “But what happens inside the building is more important . . . This is a place where people will come and go out a beautiful human being. And that is the purpose of life, to become more beautiful.

“Beauty is not just external,” he added. “It is not just through makeup or dresses. It is the spirit, alive deep within us. A spiritual center is where you come and your spirit gets uplifted; your body becomes stronger, free from disease; the mind is more focused, energized; the intellect is free from prejudice; where you embrace people from all communities, backgrounds, colors and cultures as your own. This is a home for everyone.”

—Jeffrey Ainis

Photo courtesy Sera Timms

Photo by Living Library

What makes you afraid? What pushes your buttons? What are your biases and why do you have them? The Human Library, a global project designed to reduce prejudice and stereotypes, works like a regular library except human beings (living books) are “checked out” with the aim of breaking down social misconceptions and forging contacts between people who would never otherwise meet. A borrower gets matched up with someone whose story will challenge his or her assumptions, and the pair spend half an hour talking.

Founded in 2000 by a group of Danish teenagers in response to a violent stabbing of one of their friends, The Human Library works on the principle that aggression happens between people who don’t know or understand each other. The “books” represent social groups that are often exposed to discrimination and exclusion—for example immigrants, gay or transgendered individuals, Muslims, refugees, ex-gang members, graffiti artists, veterans, drag queens, humanists, Wiccans or even healers—and “borrowers” ask them questions, discuss personal viewpoints, or explain or debate controversial issues. The concept has caught on internationally and been adopted in more than 30 countries, as well as in 11 of the United States.

The first U.S. Human Library event took place in Santa Monica in 2008, and all events since have been sold out. The volunteer “librarians” in charge of checking out books encourage readers to talk openly about their biases while abiding by essential handle-with-care guidelines: “The reader must return the book in the same mental and physical condition as borrowed. It is forbidden to cause damage to the book, or hurt her or his dignity in any way. The reader is responsible for preserving the condition of the book.”

Understanding tends to create room for diversity, and using the Human Library to investigate an issue or stereotype can, in fact, make a difference. It is always easier to live next door to someone with whom you somehow identify, rather than people to whom you feel no connection. When people feel understood, they feel at ease with themselves and their surroundings.

Want to borrow a Buddhist or a biker? Check out the Santa Monica Library’s upcoming “book drive” at smpl.org, or visit human-library.org to start Southern California’s next community event.

—Lisa Johns

If you don’t like the style or price tag on the car lot, convert your own.

by Gavin Shoebridge

Converting a car to run on electricity is a piece of cake. It’s as easy as unbolting and removing the greasy engine and gas tank, then installing an electric motor and batteries. It’s not just for the guys either—really anyone can do it.

My first electric car was an old Mitsubishi that had seen better days. Its engine was dead and it was gathering dust on someone’s driveway. Rather than send it to a landfill, I bought it for $180.

Admittedly it was a real learning curve, as I’m not a mechanically minded person, but after watching a few other conversions I gave it a go. A few months later that old 1987 Mitsubishi was running again, but without a drop of gas. I’d converted it to electric.

There are some arguments that since an EV uses electricity, it is still polluting. However electric cars are super-clean to operate compared to gas cars, even if the electricity used to charge it comes from nonrenewable sources like coal. This is because electricity generates approximately 60 percent lower carbon emissions than gas. In addition, there’s a lot of waste with gas. Only around 30 percent of gas’s total energy is used for propelling the vehicle when it’s ignited in an engine. The rest is wasted in heat and smoke.

So how much will it cost? That all depends on how creative you are. A basic home-conversion could cost anything from $1,000 to $5,000, but to pimp it out could run as high as $20,000. It all depends on how fast you want to go, how far you want to go, and if you have friends who can make stuff for you—like a box to put your batteries in—in exchange for a few beers. I’ve found that enrolling friends into the job makes it a great social experience, kind of like all taking “engine ed.” together.

If you’re not sure where to start, I can assure you that getting off the sofa is actually the most difficult part. Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to track down a “donor” car suitable for your conversion. To keep costs down, I recommend using the smallest, lightest car you can get your hands on. This is because the lighter the car, the less you’ll need to spend on batteries.

The second part is finding all the right information. After watching hundreds of conversions I finally wrote an e-book and recorded a bunch of videos showing the best ways to do it, and as economically as possible, of course. They’re both written for beginners and have plenty of photos, and you can “test drive” the first 27 pages for free at EVsecrets.com.

A lot of people think electric cars are slow and weird looking. Don’t worry—those are all myths. Electric cars certainly aren’t slow. My own home-converted car had enough grunt to wheelspin easily, and the power (pun intended) to travel at speeds up to 85 mph. You can make your own electric car go as fast as you like. If you like zippy performance then consider using electric racing parts instead. Be warned though: speeding tickets aren’t any cheaper in an electric car.

So what parts will you need for a basic conversion? Not as many as a gas-powered car that’s for sure. You’ll find many of the parts in a conversion simply bolt onto the engine bay of your car, where you add the plus wire to the plus terminal, and the negative wire to the negative terminal.

It’s becoming so popular now that electric conversion kits are available for many different makes and models (google “electric car conversion kit”), making the whole process doable in just one weekend.

In addition to some fuses and on/off switches, there are four main parts to any electric conversion. The first of these is the electric motor. It’s about the size of a big watermelon and its job is to turn your wheels. It bolts onto your car’s existing gearbox where your engine is now.

The second big part to an electric car is—yup, you guessed it—the batteries. Depending on your distance and speed requirements, you might need to install anywhere from four to 44 of these things and join them together with simple, bolt-on cables.

The third big part to an electric car is called a “controller.” It acts like a floodgate between the motor and the batteries and is connected to your accelerator. This way you drive it just like a normal car with a normal gas pedal.

The last big item in an electric car is the battery charger. You’ve got to have a way to recharge your car and this is it. There are all kinds of chargers that connect to your car’s battery pack. Some are fast, some are slow; just choose one that suits your needs and budget.

To really cut costs, find second hand stuff. Often you’ll find real bargains online. If you’re just after a beater, then a fantastic way to slash costs is to find a dead electric forklift and rip it apart. Dead and rusted-out electric forklifts often have electric motors and components that are in great condition, even though the rest of the machine is all rusty. Just take a wrench with you and save yourself a bundle.

Another way to recover some money is to sell the things that come out of your car during the conversion process. The old engine, exhaust and gas tank are worth something to someone out there, at an online auction site or in your local recycling rag.

As you can see the list of ways to save money goes on and on. It depends a lot on how patient you are to wait for bargains, and how creative you are in cutting costs. In fact, with a bit of creativity you could find yourself driving your own electric car for the same amount you spent on gas last year.

For more help converting to an EV, contact the San Jose-based Electric Auto Association (eaaev.org). DIY electric vehicles are totally legal in the U.S., board member Marc Geller assured WLT, with “absolutely no legal restrictions whatsoever.” There are thousands of registered, insured, converted vehicles already on the road or in process, and you can get inspired by photos of 2707 of them (at press time) at EVAlbum.com.

Thanks to a new green business, some vending machines are replacing candy bars and chips with dried fruit and protein shakes

You may be surprised to learn that Sean Kelly, founder of America’s first healthy vending machine company, was once a Twinkies-and-SunnyD kind of guy.

“I freaking loved vending machines when I was a kid, because all I ate was crappy junk food,” says Kelly, who grew up in the picturesque lakeside town of Traverse City, Michigan. “Even though my parents were health nuts and my dad was a dentist—along with my sister, grandpa, great grandpa, uncle and cousins—I just loved to eat junk.”

Today, his company H.U.M.A.N., which stands for Helping Unite Man and Nutrition, builds and distributes vending machines that sell healthier fare, such as granola bars, trail mix and dried apricots—basically, the absolute opposite of the trans-fat-laden, obesity-triggering sodas and candy bars he loved to pillage from vending machines as a kid.

At around age 12, thanks to the constant nagging of his father and grandfather, Kelly finally changed his eating habits and noticed massive, positive shifts in his “attitude, happiness, performance, just about everything.” Barely into his teens, Kelly had an aha! moment. “I started to realize that many foods in America, especially refined sugars, fast food and candy, are just like drugs and should be treated as such,” he says. He never ate from a standard vending machine again, and today is adamant that school-age kids shouldn’t even have access to typical junk food vending machines. “Thank God I was saved,” he says, with the zeal of a religious convert, “but many kids don’t get that chance. Accessibility is the problem—we need to take [the junk] away.”

Embracing his newfound health and energy, Kelly became a two-time freestyle snowboarding national championship medalist. He could have become a pro snowboarder, but quit competitive snowboarding and enrolled at Johns Hopkins University instead, majoring in biomedical engineering (BME) with a concentration in biomechanics. He transferred after his freshman year to Columbia University in New York, where he continued to study BME. That’s where he had his eureka revelation, the one that would ultimately lead to the creation of H.U.M.A.N.

While at a gym on 80th and Broadway, Kelly watched a middle-aged woman buy a Coke from a vending machine (the only food or drink option in the gym), take a massive swig, and jump on the treadmill with the Coke in her cup-holder. “I was like ‘wow, if we have so-called “healthy” people drinking Coke on treadmills, how can we expect an entire population to get healthier? We can’t!’” He saw very clearly how lack of accessibility to healthy food and over-accessibility to junk food lay at the root of the problem. And he wanted to fix it.

Birth of a Green Business

In 2005, Kelly co-founded his first company, Fit Fuel, with a cousin. Then in 2007 he launched H.U.M.A.N. Core products in his vending machines include trail mix, energy bars, protein bars, dried fruit, granola bars, organic cookies, protein shakes, natural energy drinks, pita chips, kettle corn—and not a Coke in sight. “It may sound ridiculous, but we’re trying to do to healthy foods/drinks what Google did to information—make it more accessible. That, at the root, is what we’re all about.”

Health clubs were among the first to embrace the idea, followed by schools and then forward-thinking office buildings. The machines themselves were custom-built as per Kelly’s vision: they come equipped with LCD screens with remote-loading capabilities, credit card readers, remote-monitoring functionality, eco-friendly lighting and power devices, touch-screen displays and internal Pcs.

No two machines are the same— H.U.M.A.N. vending machines offer thousands of products, sourced from the largest natural food/drink and sports nutrition distributors in the country. “Basically, if you want it and it’s healthy, we can get it,” says Kelly. The company often sources products locally to minimize their carbon footprint and support local sustainability efforts.

But there’s still a long way to go before bosses, business owners, school kids and even some gym rats take the leap from traditional vending staples like soda and chocolate toward healthier fare. “So many people want to change,” says Kelly, “but they’re scared . . . scared of making someone mad that their Snickers and Doritos were removed from the vending machines.”

Caroline Ryder eats only healthy food except for the occasional loaf of Velveeta.

Eco-smart vehicles for 2010 are longer on mileage but still short on style

Buying a new vehicle is a huge decision, and not just because it’s the second largest purchase most people make. More than just transportation, your ride may also be your calling card, especially in L.A., so it could bring up all kinds of emotional issues.

There are political decisions to consider, too. For automakers GM and Chrysler, which were already teetering on the brink of failure, last year’s nearly 40 percent sales drop from a decade prior brought government bailouts and “cash for clunkers.” Thanks to the limited foresight of auto industry decision makers, each American taxpayer has now invested $12,200 in “Government Motors” and $7,600 in Chrysler, according to one report. So do we really want to up the investment in GM and Chrysler by buying one of their products?

The more restrained among us may prefer to ignore the stimulus impulse and stick with what we’ve got for a few more years. While some analysis suggests there’s a gigantic pent-up demand for vehicles that will push annual car sales back up from last year’s 10.4 million units to 16 million by 2012, the U.S. could function quite nicely without replenishing new car stock for a decade. Heck, look at Cuba. Some of their most popular models are 50-year-old Studebakers and  Edsels.

Whether your old buggy is at the end of the line or last year’s lease is up, if you’re looking for a more enviro friendly vehicle, there are options.

GM

GM’s product lineup for 2010 at the recent L.A. Auto Show didn’t exactly scream green, but you’d never know it by all the happy talk at the show kickoff from GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz (who spoke in place of GM’s CEO who had, ahem, resigned the day before). Lutz spoke of the company’s “unprecedented focus on green technology.” The company’s two green bets for the year: Chevy Cruze and Volt.

Chevy Cruze

The 2011 Chevy Cruze should be available in the third quarter of this year. The mid-size compact sedan is already sold in Europe and Asia, and marketing materials tout its vigorous testing in Europe, with all those “lessons learned” applied to the U.S. model. Pricing is not yet available, but it will be built in Ohio and supported by plants in Michigan.

Biggest selling point

In the most efficient version of Cruze, the Ecotec 1.4-liter turbo engine is expected to deliver 40 mpg highway.

Good to know

More cabin and cargo room than Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

Chevy Volt

Sharing a platform with Cruze later this year will be the 2011 Chevy Volt, described as an electric vehicle with a range extender. This means Volt is powered by electricity from a battery, but when the battery is depleted, Volt can go further on electricity created by a gas generator. Volt’s system “eliminates range anxiety,” as Lutz explained it. A Volt runs an estimated 40 miles on the electricity stored in the battery before the gas-powered generator automatically kicks in for an extended 300-mile driving range.

Between 8,000 and 10,000 Volts are planned for the first production year, with annual numbers ramping up to between 50- and 60,000. Pricing has not been announced for the Volt, which also will be built in America, but may be as high as $40,000 prior to a tax rebate of $7,500.

Biggest selling point

No more agonizing about who killed the electric car, because you can finally have one—with a fail-safe for range anxiety.

Good to know

The range would get many U.S. drivers to and from their jobs emissions-free, since the average U.S. commute is 40 miles or less.

NISSAN

Believing hybrid technology was just a bridge, Nissan has offered only one hybrid, the popular Altima, hybridized with Toyota’s tech. Meanwhile Nissan’s greener self has been working on electric vehicles, which CEO Carlos Ghosn expects will account for 10 percent of global sales by 2020.

Leaf

Ushering in Nissan’s commitment to green tech is the Leaf, an all-electric vehicle expected to have a 100-mile range, more than adequate for most

commuters. The medium-size, five-passenger hatchback will be powered by an 80-kilowatt motor and lithium-ion batteries for zero emissions. Among its interesting features are bumpers and interior trim made from recycled plastic bottles and fabrics, batteries that can be recharged remotely from a driver’s mobile phone, and a trackball that works almost like a computer mouse to put the Leaf in reverse or drive. And of course there’s no gas cap; instead, there’s a “recharge port” under the Nissan badging on the front end.

Happily, Nissan has partnerships in its key launch markets to develop an EV infrastructure, and the Department of Energy granted nearly $100 million for infrastructure to the Electric Transportation Engineering Corp.

Nissan will begin taking reservations this spring for the Leaf, making it available late in the year in Los Angeles and other select markets. The first Leafs (Leaves?) will be produced in Japan, but the company plans to begin Leaf and battery production at its Tennessee plant in late 2012, with capacity to build 150,000 vehicles. Pricing TBD.

Biggest selling point

Leaf is expected to be the first EV that will be mass marketed globally, so there’s little chance you’ll be left high and dry —there’s a major investment behind Leaf.

Good to know

It’s essentially noise free, but that has pros and cons. Engineers are researching sounds to give the Leaf, including one to alert pedestrians of its presence and one to give owners “emotional attachment.”

HONDA

Honda has the highest CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) of all major automakers and offers energy choices that are good (clean gasoline vehicles with ultra low/near-zero emissions), better (hybrids), best (natural gas) and ultimate (hydrogen fuel cell), with the last two requiring new infrastructure.

Insight Hybrid

The 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid fits in the company’s “better” category. It’s much changed from the Insight of 1999 that, despite 70 mpg highway, failed to capture buyer imagination. In fact, the new Insight more resembles the competition—comparisons to Toyota’s Prius are numerous. The 5-door compact seats five and is not just wearing hybrid clothing; it was designed and built as a hybrid.

A push of the ECON button on the dashboard starts Ecological Drive Assist and is the ticket to fuel-saving functions. Color-coded driver feedback (green when driving efficiently; blue when it’s time to lighten up) at the end of your drive gives you an “eco score.”

Biggest selling point

With an MSRP of $19,800, it’s the least expensive hybrid.

Good to know

43 mpg highway is official, but there are reports of more than 63 mpg.

FORD

Ford skipped feeding at the government trough, a position viewed favorably by consumers and reflected in the company’s stock price, which climbed from below $2 a share in early 2009 to more than $9 at year end.

Fiesta

Ford, like GM, is touting its international cred. The Fiesta racked up sales of more 500,000 units in its first year in the E.U. and Asia, making it Ford’s best-selling car in Europe. For the United States, Fiesta is Ford’s small-car solution in the company’s overall plan to deliver “vehicles with best-in class quality, fuel efficiency, safety and value,” according to Mark Fields, Ford president, the Americas.

Fiesta is expected to deliver 40 mpg highway with a 1.6 liter DOHC I-4 engine, advanced PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission. Fiesta has 15 class-exclusive premium technologies, such as keyless entry, push-button start and SYNC, a communications system that integrates the driver’s cell phone with the car’s onboard, voice-activated communications and entertainment system.

Offered as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback, pricing starts at $13,320. Available this summer.

Biggest selling point

The mpg, which Ford says bests Toyota’s Yaris and Corolla, and Honda’s Fit and Civic.

Good to know

Colors are bold: Lime Squeeze, Bright Magenta, Blue Flame and Red Candy.

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but the new lineup of eco friendly autos seems to be missing the visual wow factor. Any one of these new models would salve my conscience, but I still long for an energy-efficient EV with the eye candy of an early Porsche, Karmann Ghia or Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.

Maria Fotopoulos plans on driving her 10-year-old car on the L.A. roads a bit longer.

Elderberry

Immune boosters from your kitchen cabinet

I love the taste of ginger, but I never thought of it as medicinal until I mentioned a sore throat to a friend from mainland China. She said that for sore throats, her mother always gave her a tea made from thinly sliced ginger boiled for about ten minutes. Figuring that at least it would hydrate me, I drank the tea and went to bed. The next morning, I was amazed when I woke up without a sore throat.

My experience may have been a lucky coincidence, but it opened my mind to the world of natural medicines. Folk remedies like my friend’s ginger tea have been around for centuries, but they’ve been eclipsed by over-the-counter cold solutions. While these may be effective, they can carry unpleasant side effects and be full of undesirable ingredients. Natural immune boosters almost never have these problems—and some may even be preventive.

Of course, nearly any doctor will say that eating right, drinking lots of fluids and getting enough sleep are the best ways to strengthen your immune system. Dr. Mary Hardy is medical director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Integrative Oncology program and has studied botanical medicine on four continents. She recommended more water for everyone, saying “people don’t drink enough water. Period.” In addition, she suggested avoiding diuretics like caffeine, and using a humidifier by the bed.

The Antimicrobial Kitchen

When colds and flu circumvent a healthy lifestyle and standard vitamin C supplements, there are a multitude of options outside of the conventional medicine cabinet and handier than the drugstore. Hardy said science has, to some extent, validated the folk remedies our grandparents trusted. They include many kitchen staples, even ordinary chicken soup.

“It’s not just the warm water; the onions and garlic make a difference as well,” she explained. “[And] if you have a spicy soup . . . hot foods can empty out the nasal passages.”

Garlic and onions are both members of the allium family of plants, which scientists have found to have antimicrobial properties. In laboratory studies, garlic in particular has been shown to have strong antimicrobial effects, and spices confer benefits as well. Studies have found that many spices contain an antimicrobial, anesthetic and antiseptic chemical called “eugenol.” Eugenol is particularly abundant in cloves, oil of which is traditionally used as a painkiller in dentistry, but other good sources include bay leaves, basil, oregano, cinnamon and allspice. Studies are looking into eugenol as a COX-2 inhibitor, a class of painkilling and anti-inflammatory chemicals.

Sage, another common chicken soup ingredient, is a traditional sore throat treatment in Europe. Hardy recommended gargles and mouthwashes made with sage for acute sore throats. And the bright yellow spice turmeric gets its antibacterial effects from the chemical curcumin, which is also an anti-inflammatory.

Another home remedy backed by science is honey. Used for centuries to dress wounds, honey has been found in laboratories to have antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties. It’s also good for a sore throat, she said; one study found that it had a throat coating effect. And unlike raw garlic, it tastes pleasant.

As Hardy noted, spicy foods like chiles and horseradish are good for clearing a stuffy nose and throat. Like spices, chilies are also antimicrobial. And capsaicin, the chemical that gives them their heat, has been found effective as a topical painkiller.

Science hasn’t explained my experience with ginger—to date it’s shown only limited antimicrobial properties—but scientists have found that ginger combats nausea and vomiting in some patients, confirming its widespread use against morning sickness. Studies have also declared it effective as an anti-inflammatory for arthritis patients.

Herbal Help

American Ginseng

Hardy also recommended several herbs you’re less likely to have on hand, but that have shown promise in scientific studies. Among these are:

An Asian herb with the Latin name andrographis paniculata, which some studies have found can actually stop colds before they start. It’s available as a supplement, alone or in combinations.

Any species of elderflower and elderberry. Israeli researchers found that people taking an elder product called Sambucol recovered from Influenza B about twice as quickly as people taking placebos.

American ginseng (not panax ginseng). A study funded by a Canadian ginseng supplement manufacturer found that it significantly lowered the incidence, amount and duration of colds.

Pelargonium. Used as folk medicine in southern Africa, this is the genus of plants containing ordinary geraniums, which scientists have found have strong antibacterial effects. Pelargonium is available as a dietary supplement as well as an essential oil, or you can make a tea from fresh, well-scrubbed geranium leaves—if you don’t mind the strong taste.

Another herbal cure you may not have around the house is Thai holy basil— known in Thailand as kha phrao and in India as tulsi or tulasi. A relative of the more familiar Italian basil, it’s used in Ayurvedic medicine and as a folk remedy for colds and a variety of other ailments throughout Asia. Multiple scientific studies have found that tulsi is a good source of eugenol, the antimicrobial chemical in cloves.

Sip It

Most natural cures that aren’t sold as supplements can be consumed as part of an herbal tea. Boil them until the water changes color; add honey if you’re using it, plus lemon juice or other flavorings; and drink. Hardy said that when she has trouble kicking a cold, she makes a cup of strong ginger tea and adds a syrup of garlic and onions, with a little honey to make it more palatable. Medicinal herbs can also be eaten straight if you can tolerate the strong flavors.

Hardy said most natural immune boosters aren’t dangerous, especially since some may be too unpleasant to really go overboard.

“Most of these things have kind of a natural self-limitation,” she said. “If you take too much, you’re going to irritate your stomach. “The real trouble is thinking you don’t need to go home and rest and be sensible.”

—Lorelei Laird, a freelance writer and editor (wordofthelaird.com), still makes ginger tea whenever she feels a sore throat coming.

Although love is priceless and in any event, we’re really all spiritual beings having a physical experience, Valentine’s Day tends to be a day for showing your love with gifts for the body. You’ll find great wine and chocolate pairings in the print and digital version of WLT, but what complements those better than sexy lingerie and the classic bouquet of flowers? Here are some ideas for showing your appreciation to both your beloved and the earth.

Flowers

A bouquet of a dozen roses or your sweetheart’s favorite flower will always say “I love you,” but many conventionally grown flowers are sprayed with pesticides and insecticides and are often grown using unfair labor practices. The following shops can offer wiser choices for your floral expression of love:

• Lily Lodge carries flowers from local, small growers along with a range of pesticide-free and organic choices. Visit them at 644 North Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles 90069 or call 310.360.9400.

• California Organic Flowers has a huge online selection of organic bouquets that can be arranged for next day delivery. The site also features a seasonal flower chart to allow you to choose according the plant’s natural blooming time.

• Wisteria Lane Flowers is a local company that treats workers and the earth with respect. Organic bouquets can typically be delivered within a day, although Valentine’s Day is a hectic time for any florist so place your order as early as you can at 888.345.6101.

• L.A. Botanicals has a certified organic line called Eco Fleur, and will deliver your flowers in environmentally friendly containers, such as recycled glass, hemp fabric and hollowed out organic melons. 5939 Rodeo Rd. Unit A,
Culver City 90016. 310.836.3335.

• The farmers market is a great place to buy organic flowers and support the growers in our community. And since the flowers are so fresh, they are likely to last longer.

• Other national retailers selling organic flowers include FTD and Organic Bouquet.

Lingerie

Surprise your sweetie with something sexy and sustainable. Cotton and silk production tends to be resource intensive and slinky man-made fabrics often have their basis in petroleum products. The latest in wearable sustainability is bamboo (incredibly silky), recycled plastic, hemp, flax, or even pine trimmings that can create anything from a basic t-shirt to silky undies and negligees. Good places to look for eco-friendly fashions are:

• Patagonia – Dedicated to supplying the active individual with comfortable and sustainable fabrics, they also offer pretty camisoles and underwear made of recycled materials.  Products can be found at a select number of Los Angeles area retailers (see their web site for locations or purchase online ) or visit their stores at 47 N Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena, or 2936 Main St., Santa Monica.

• In alignment with their mission to raise awareness of “sustainable, renewable and biodegradable resources while inspiring consciousness through surfing, yoga and meditation,” Natural High Lifestyle carries hip, casual threads in bamboo, hemp, tencel, organic cotton and vegetal leather. They offer beautiful, comfy clothes that fit perfectly and fit perfectly with the SoCal lifestyle. 2400 Main St., Santa Monica 90465. 310.450.5837.

• American Apparel started its very own Fair Trade revolution and now is becoming more sustainable with a handful of organic options, including a baby rib thong and boy’s brief. There are more than a dozen retail outlets around the city.

• Faeries Dance is a California company that uses only fair trade, environmentally sensitive fabrics and low-impact dyes. 1 percent of their gross income is donated to charities that protect our natural world, and they make every effort to reduce, reuse and recycle for all paperwork and shipping materials. The offer oh so comfy undies and sleepwear in organic cotton and bamboo.

If you can’t find sustainable lingerie in your neighborhood, there are plenty of online stores with excellent choices.  A few of the more unique are:

• By Nature carries lingerie made of white pine trimmings and a wide variety of earth friendly gifts and snacks.

• At Urban Fox Eco, all undies are designed, dyed and sewn by hand.

• GreenKnickers features Fair Trade organic undies.

• The Green Loop, where you can buy sexy undies and apparel for the whole family.

• The Eco Luxe Life, a half-local company, offers lingerie and tons of othersustainable products from various manufacturers and designers.

Written by freelance writer Tammie Painter, who is always happy to get flowers, but especially when they are organically grown.

Matthew Kenney melds raw foods culinary training with classical techniques

by Jessica Taylor Tudzin

At Oklahoma City’s newly opened 105 Degrees Café and Academy, there are no ovens, no microwaves, no steaming plates, and definitely no banging pots and pans. Aside from a steady stream of jazz tunes, the ambient noise is an occasional juicer whirring or blender spinning. The atmosphere in the open kitchen seems uncustomarily calm, with a small-but-focused crew of uniformed chefs-in-training plating edible works of art. Their mis-en-place includes bowls of avocados, bottles of truffle oil and a wide array of knives. In fact, the kitchen could more easily pass for an apothecary, with its walls of shelves filled with myriad glass jars containing such delights as hemp seeds, herbs, spices, sprouted grains and nuts, kombucha and Irish moss (used to make a “soy-less” tofu).

The man behind this operation is none other than the boyishly handsome Matthew Kenney, the celebrated living foods chef who, in 2005, along with fellow chef and former partner, Sarma Melngailis, brought us Raw Food, Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow, a beautifully photographed recipe book featuring such gourmet-driven dishes as raw celeriac and green apple soup topped with black truffle, and raw tomato tartare with green mango relish and macadamia milk. In recent years, Kenney followed up with two more must-have books—Everyday Raw (2008) and Entertaining in the Raw (2009)—and is currently writing Everyday Raw Desserts, scheduled to release this summer. All of this is part of a larger plan to bring the raw food movement to a broader audience.

Figuring prominently into Kenney’s plan is 105 Degrees Café and Academy, his most ambitious venture to date. Here, smack dab in the heartland of America (aka ground zero for cattle stockyards), he is reaching out to the local citizenry through the raw dishes produced in the café. As the name suggests, nothing at the café or academy is prepared with heat exceeding 105 degrees, a fact that may or may not account for the influx of return business. But more importantly, Kenney and his teaching staff are helping to educate a new breed of chef, one who can successfully marry the principles of live-food—using raw plant-based ingredients that are organic, seasonal and local when possible—with classic culinary techniques. The result is a cuisine that is as nutritious as it is flavorful, drawing on the flavors of some of the world’s great cultures, from Asia to Mexico.

“We try to capture the feeling of fine dining,” says the 45-year-old Kenney, whose own career began in New York some 20 years ago at the esteemed French Culinary Institute. After graduation he put his skills to work in some of Manhattan’s top kitchens, eventually working up to owning a series of his own upscale restaurants in the city. By 1994 Kenney had earned two James Beard nominations and was named by Food and Wine magazine as one of the Ten Best New Chefs in America. Though extreme, Kenney’s turning point—from cooking meaty gourmet meals doused in heavy sauces to assembling nutrient-dense raw vegan cuisine—was not as razor sharp as it may appear.

“Some people say it happens overnight,” says Kenney. “But for me, over many, many years of cooking in upscale restaurants, I gradually became disillusioned with it. I recognized in the late-1990s, well before I became a vegetarian, that that kind of food is not what makes me feel my best on a day-to-day basis. I noticed that vegetables, fruits and whole grains—you know, the really clean foods without a lot of fat and so forth—made me feel better, more energetic, and I’d never get sick. So by the time I was introduced to living foods in 2003, I was ready for it.” Still, says Kenney, there was a lot of room for improvement. “Early raw food was not very refined,” he continues. “It was little more than chopped vegetables thrown in a bowl, and a whole lot of nuts—that’s not very exciting.”

Happily, Kenney has helped change that, first through his recipe books and now through the new academy, the world’s only classically structured raw food culinary school. “Awareness breeds creativity,” he says. “With the popularity of raw food recipe books, people are realizing that there’s a lot more potential and they are experimenting more. People are now using techniques that are more common in high-end restaurants. I’m seeing a lot of that lately, not just in cookbooks, but in restaurants, too.”

At 105 Degrees, students are exposed to the most modern methods in the industry, learning such skills as sous vide process, which gently warms vacuum sealed foods at very low temperatures in a tank filled with water. This winter, students are working with freshly picked Portobello mushrooms brought in by a local forager, and preparing them sous vide in a raw teriyaki ginger marinade. The savory mushrooms come served alongside a raw version of creamy mashed potatoes, made from a pulverized mixture of jicama root, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, rosemary and garlic. Paired with one of the café’s organic wines, this dish could easily entice the most ardent carnivore to go vegan for one meal—and come back for a second.

Another trendy technique Kenney and his academy director, Ladan Raissi, who is also classically trained and heralds from the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, are introducing to raw food is the “smoking gun.” The handheld gizmo is used to produce the aromas and flavors of barbeque, and works by heating wood chips, such as hickory, and pressurizing its heatless smoke, which is then infused into or on a raw product (this winter it will be shredded oyster mushrooms served with a raw barbeque sauce and creamy mashed potatoes with gravy). The technique is basically borrowed from molecular gastronomy.

In early October, the academy graduated its first class, eight students total, all of whom participated in the one-month Level I program, which focuses on basic knife skills; preparing dressings, sauces, flours and bases; fermenting and sprouting; understanding spices and aromatics; recipe writing and meal planning; the importance of balancing flavors, tastes and textures; pastry preparation; and plating, garnishing and finishing a dish. The Level I program is a prerequisite to the three-month Level II program, which delves more deeply into the workings of a professional kitchen, covering menu planning according to seasonality; food combining, textural diversity and color coordination; and includes a mentoring program where students participate in a professional capacity in the café. Overall, it’s a very specific and unique type of raw food training that the academy provides, one that is highly focused on restaurant-quality modern cuisine.

Kenney and his business partner, Oklahoma-native Dara Prentice (a local attorney who became a raw-food convert after reading one of Kenney’s books two years ago), expect to graduate up to 200 students by late 2010. With a waiting list and serious inquiries pouring in from all four corners of the country, as well as Britain, London and Saudi Arabia, the raw food movement could potentially take root in some of the world’s top kitchens.

“It will be interesting to hear about the successes of our alumni,” says Kenney. “Without naming any names, I already see some very promising raw food stars in the group.”

105 Degrees Café and Academy, 405.842.1050

Photos by Meredith Baird

The Raw Side of L.A.

L.A.’s near insatiable appetite for raw and living foods is spawning a prodigious stream of new restaurants and prep training. To learn raw and living food prep without leaving SoCal, check below. You’ll also find a state-accredited institute in Northern California with a related intern opportunity. For dining and raw food purchase, please consult the comprehensive list on our website at WholeLifemagazine.com.

Cru, Silverlake

Rachel Carr, award winning Executive Chef of Cru restaurant in Silverlake, and Kristan Andrews (private chef and cleansing specialist) teach raw vegan food prep classes every Sunday from 1-2:30 pm, translating standard fare into creative living food recipes. The current series teaches basics of raw and vegan diet. All classes are held at Cru restaurant and are demonstration format. Recipes and handouts are provided, as well as a sample of the recipes made in class. All classes are $20 at the door, no reservations required.

1521 Griffith Park Blvd, L.A. 90026, 323. 667.1551, CruSilverlake.com / MannaFoodandBeverage.com.

Raw Food Academy, Culver City

Author of Raw Food for Real People (New World Library) and founder of Leaf Cuisine in Culver City, Rod has been teaching and preparing raw foods for 15 years. A well-traveled culinary eclectic, Rod translates world cuisine into raw offerings and teaches raw food prep as part of a conscious lifestyle. Individual six-hour classes are offered once a month with specific dates announced on the website. $125 per person / $230 per couple. Rod also teaches around the country, and there is a 3-disk DVD set of his book.

11938 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City 90066. 323.843.4238, LeafOrganics.com.

Juliano, Santa Monica

Chef and ecologist Juliano, author of Raw: The Uncook Book (Regan Books), teaches classes in raw food prep and the medicinal detoxifying properties of raw foods once a month ($100). Also offered are an 18-hour certification program ($3,500) and advanced creative chef training ($5,000).

Juliano’s Raw, 609 Broadway, Santa Monica 90049. 310.587.1552.

Living on Live Food

Raw food chef Alissa Cohen has trained many people at her 5-star Boston restaurant, Grezzo, and certifies them through a three-level program. At least eight of her former students, listed below, are certified to teach level 1 and/or level 2 in Southern California. (Level 3 must be completed in Boston with Cohen.) Certifications offered are Raw Food Chef, Living on Live Food Instructor, and Living on Live Food Teacher. Cohen offers ongoing support to her graduates, and all teachers she certifies are listed on her website. 978.985.7217 or 888.900. 2529. Check with individual teachers for price.

Maria Aparis, Santa Monica, 310.497.1607, maria@spaonlocation.com

Betsy Asmus, Santa Clarita Valley, N. L.A. and Ventura counties, 661.803.6463, betsy@rawfoodbetsy.com

Patricia Autry, Stevenson Ranch, 661.260.3077, holisticsolutions@roadrunner.com

Margo Doll, Lancaster, L.A., Kern counties, 661.305.5375, cleanlivingorganic@sbcglobal.net

Diana Harrelson, SoCal, 562.493.8461, diana29@verizon.net

Holly Humphreys, SoCal, 951.514.9093, shmily95@gmail.com

Tina M., Greater L.A., 818.425.9498, tinaannerawkz@yahoo.com

Anette Wetzel-Grolle, Santa Barbara, 805.957.4700, anette@grolle.de

Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, Fort Bragg

This certified raw food culinary school founded by Cherie Soria is a state-licensed, accredited school governed by rigid regulations and offering standardized teaching with licensed and registered instructors. The comprehensive 17-day chef-training program teaches all aspects of creating raw living foods. Attendees range from Parisian executive chefs to novices, so students of every level can expect to increase their culinary competence. The full program of ongoing courses includes Gourmet Raw Food Chef and Associate Chef certification, along with such classes as Knife Skills, Spa Cuisine, Science of Raw Food Nutrition and even Aromatherapy. Prices range from $95 for some half-day classes to $2675 for 10-day certification sessions.

301-B North Main Street, Fort Bragg 95437. 800.816.2319 / 707.964.2420, RawFoodChef.com.

Que SeRaw SeRaw (intern opportunity), Burlingame

Alicia Parnell has created a “Kitchen Angel Volunteer” program at her award-winning raw food deli in Burlingame for those who want to learn more about raw food preparation using a Vitamix blender and dehydrator techniques. The work interns perform is centered around the daily kitchen production schedule. Parnell has mentored more than 40 interns, including graduates of the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute.

1160 Capuchino Ave., Burlingame  94010. 650.400.8590, QueSeRawSeRaw.com.

click here for Raw Road Trip

Raw food restaurants and markets throughout California

Leave the mat but take the awareness

By Annette O’Neil

You may not think people are really listening to you, but here’s a little secret: they are. They’re paying rapt attention, actually, to everything your voice and body are communicating—and that can sometimes be a problem. Due to a lifetime of bad habits, there can be an obvious conflict between what we’re trying to say and what others perceive. The good news? Yoga gives us the tools to change those bad habits and allow ourselves to be truly understood and to understand others.

Practicing awareness of the body is as vital in our daily interactions as it is on the mat. Most of us allow our bodies to constantly misrepresent our meanings when we communicate, and that misrepresentation leads to an abundance of misunderstandings. In the yoga studio we have a teacher to help us with adjustments and corrections; in the charged space of face-to-face conversation, we’re on our own.

The rules of body language are complicated, but the basics are very rooted in yoga. First, open your heart—don’t cave in when you’re trying to communicate, rounding your shoulders and shielding your body with your arms. Allow yourself to lean into the moment, however slightly. Mind your eyes; as in the studio, your body will follow them. If your gaze floats helplessly around the space you’re in, so will the conversation. Finally, mind your breath. Breathe into the connection you’re making. It makes a world of difference.

The Fifth Chakra

In traditional Indian medicine our powers of communication spring from the fifth chakra, located in the throat. When this energy center is balanced, we’re empowered to express ourselves and our ideas clearly and lovingly. The chakra falls out of balance when it is under- or overstimulated, muddying our capacity to connect. Symptoms of overstimulation include aggressiveness in speech, egoistic displays and a compulsion to control conversations. Insufficient stimulation manifests in withdrawal, insecurity and vagueness.

Mindful listening will help to balance an overstimulated chakra. For most people with this issue, breathing into the conversation and deeply listening to the other party—not just waiting for your turn to talk—is incredibly challenging. The best approach is to start solo. Really listen to the individual instruments of a piece of music, words of a guided meditation, or sounds of nature when outdoors. Draw the sound in with your breath, allowing the fullness of your body to receive and absorb it. With daily practice, you’ll become more at ease with the process.

Communicators with the opposite issue—under-stimulation—must become comfortable with their own voices. As with the previous group, it helps to start solo. Memorize and recite passages and poems, read aloud to your dog or sing in the shower. Over time you’ll begin to dissolve the protective shell you’ve developed. Then go deeper—start small conversations with strangers who pass through your daily life, trusting yourself to make new connections. Eventually that trust will build balance.

Both conditions will be infinitely helped with a bit of studio work. Let your mind rest in your fifth chakra while you get silly with a lion pose, for instance. Open your heart and throat by going deep into camel.

In traditional Indian medicine the throat chakra is associated with the color blue, so if you’re preparing for an important conversation or will be addressing a group, wearing or carrying something in the color blue will support your efforts.

Remember Namaste

Every yogi is familiar with the term namaste, which means that we recognize our common divine spark, that “The God within me bows to the God within you.” It has resounding implications in the act of human communication, beautifully describing the inherent equivalence between all people, making it clear that we are all linked. Remembering this can make it much easier to express yourself, almost as if you are talking to . . . yourself.

The next time you’re in a conversation with someone, particularly if it is feeling awkward, practice experiencing namaste in that moment. See the divine in yourself, in that person, and in the space between you. Our sacred connection must be acknowledged, honored and respected in order for true communication to take place.

Annette O’Neil is a freelance copywriter who practices the yoga of words in her work every day (annette@clevergingercreative.com).

Like Romeo and Juliet or Tristan and Isolde, wine and chocolate are forever entwined

“It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend; one’s present or future thirst; the excellence of the wine; or any other reason.”

—Anonymous Latin saying

Empires may fall and languages evolve, but the human need for pleasure remains constant. And while rational people from ancient Rome to current day would caution against excessive amounts, most agree that Valentine’s Day is just the right time to indulge in wine and chocolate.

It doesn’t even have to be a guilty splurge. Dark chocolate is known to contain antioxidants as well as cocoa phenols (polyphenols) that lower blood pressure. Red wine is loaded with resveratrol (a fave of the anti-aging cadre) and other antioxidants, in addition to red wine polyphenols. Plus, the movement toward natural, organically grown, handcrafted foods has improved winemaking and chocolate-making alike—putting the emphasis on carefully crafting the best product and savoring it as an expression of the moment.

WLT consulted a bevy of wine professionals who have the arduous task of evaluating wines on a daily basis to come up with our perfect pairings for any day you feel like celebrating, whether it’s being in love or being alive.

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Dan Perrelli of the Wine Hotel, L.A.

Dragonette Sauvignon Blanc, Lompoc

“The first time we tasted Dragonette, it was direct, honest, and had a depth of flavor without a heaviness of fruit, that is rare. That came from careful winemaking. Winemakers are artisans, and artisans are interpreters of the natural world. It’s not something that springs from their brain; it springs from the natural things around them. Brandon of Dragonette is an artisan.”

Dragonette philosophy: Minimalist in the vineyard and as close to dry-farmed as possible.

Notes: This boutique label sources from various vineyards, paying for grapes by the acre. Winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis holds that the next big thing in the natural winemaking evolution will be the movement toward dry farming—i.e., farming with what nature gives you, water-wise. This is for two reasons. First, the French concept of terroir: with limited irrigation, the vine sends roots deeper, which creates a heartier vine that bears fruit with more characteristics of the soil. Second, in areas that don’t get a lot of rain, it’s environmentally responsible to use as little water as possible.

Sparks-Gillis describes the sauvignon blanc as a “richer style, with pineapple notes,” as opposed to the often grassy/citrusy flavor profile of Santa Barbara sauvignon blancs. The grapes for this wine come from two different vineyards, one of which is old-vine and dry-farmed.

Chocolate pairing: Native Gardens pineapple-coconut chocolate truffles or chocolate raspberry truffles. Made with organic ingredients, this vegan chocolate is gluten-free, lactose-free and low-calorie. The company is based in L.A. and Florida, and widely available in Southern California natural food stores.

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Hilary Fuss, Estate Wines Ltd.

Beckmen Vineyards Biodynamic Grenache Rose, Santa Ynez

“Beckmen Vineyards has been on the forefront of biodynamic winemaking in this region. Many wineries have worked through this lengthy process to create biodynamic wines, but often it has resulted in diminished quality. With Beckmen’s transition to biodynamic farming, the wines have actually improved, thus proving that this is really true to how the wines should be made. Steve Beckmen is helping other wineries in the area transition to biodynamic farming.

“The fruit used for the grenache rose is designated especially for the rose; it is not a by-product of making some other wine. It is also an outstanding value and the style remains consistent.”

Beckmen philosophy: A Santa Barbara frontrunner in biodynamic winemaking.

Notes: (From the winemaker) Hand-selected grapes, 100 percent estate-grown at Beckmen’s Purisima Mountain Vineyard. Cold-soaked for 12-48 hours (a process that extracts tannins from the skins and stems, rather than from seeds, and is believed by some to increase aromatic intensity). Final product: “Zesty and crisp, with a light copper hue, strawberry and spice aromas, and racy peach and leather notes.

Chocolate pairing: Chuao Chocolatier in Carlsbad uses responsibly sourced Venezuelan cacao and natural ingredients to create “fusion chocolates” with a variety of unusual flavor profiles that will appeal to people who don’t like sweets.

In this case, to balance the crispness of the rose, a sweeter pairing made sense:  Modena ChocoPod, made with premium dark chocolate and filled with strawberry caramel with a hint of balsamic. (Side note: it’s only 50 calories and 1 Weight Watchers point!)

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Stephen Abronson, Pourtal, Santa Monica

Malibu Vineyards Estate Single Vineyard Syrah

“A rich, lush and well-balanced syrah. The high acid and integrated tannins make it so versatile. Pair it with anything from paté de canard to a chocolate soufflé, and let your senses indulge.”

Malibu Vineyards philosophy: Handcrafted single vineyard estate wines, made from sustainably grown grapes.

Notes: Owner/winemaker Jim Palmer takes the “handcrafted, artisan” approach to winemaking, and also estate-grows his fruit. The “single vineyard” designate is important to people who believe in terroir (“sense of place” or expression of the soil). He grows his estate grapes according to Central Coast Vineyard Team sustainable farming practices.

Recent releases of this syrah have won silver and bronze medals. It’s described as “fruit forward” with “bold, rich flavors.”

Chocolate pairing: Foodies, take a chance on Pourtal’s signature Grevenbroecker cheese and chocolate crostini made with ChocoVivo chocolate—beans grown organically in Mexico and stone-ground with lava rocks in Culver City.

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Chef Guillaume Burlion, Sunset Marquis Hotel, West Hollywood

Surfrider Pinot Gris, Malibu

“Surfrider pinot is elegant and can be paired with many different fruits and cheeses, as well as fish dishes, or with chocolate. It’s not overpowering at all.”

Surfrider philosophy: Working toward SIP sustainability certification

Notes: This wine is part of the Rosenthal—Malibu Estate portfolio (RosenthalEstateWines.com). It is an excellent example of community-minded business because not only is it vinted in Malibu, but a part of all proceeds goes to the locally based environmental non-profit, Surfrider Foundation.

Chocolate pairing: Chef Guillaume finds this wine “simply divine” with a chocolate soufflé. To source organic chocolate for the soufflé, he recommends Santa Barbara Chocolate Co.

One last note from Santa Barbara wine-makers and your sweet tooth: Don’t miss the artisan truffles of Jessica Foster Confections. Jessica sources fresh ingredients at the local farmers market, works with wineries to create custom pairings, and packages her handmade creations in recycled-material boxes—making her something of a Central Coast poster girl for the local/ seasonal/sustainable food movement.

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Definitions and Designates

Labels used in wine production make food labels look like child’s play. For example, wine can be made from organic grapes but not be organic wine, and in either case, it may not be noted anywhere on the label.

A brand new statewide certification category, just announced last month, will hopefully simplify things for eco-aware wine drinkers. The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) will provide third-party verification of a winery or vineyard’s voluntary adherence to a “process of continuous improvement” in the adoption and implementation of sustainable winegrowing practices. To be eligible for the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing program, applicants’ winery and/or vineyard operations will be assessed for 58 prerequisite criteria, and they’ll be required to create and implement an annual action plan and show improvement over time. This is the first statewide certification program available to both wineries and vineyards. It will take some time to implement, so in the interim, if you are sensitive to additives (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), look carefully before you sip.

Wine from organically grown grapes is the term now used to describe wines that were once considered “organic” before the USDA began regulating. These wines come from pesticide-free, non-interventional, carefully farmed vineyards. They are largely considered by connoisseurs to be among the most consistently highest-quality wines, but most producers do not specify “organically grown” on the bottle, and very few work with the USDA NOP.

Certification: USDA National Organic Program, Ecocert (France), CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) and others

Organic wine is a legal designation created by the USDA, and means the wine is made from organically grown grapes and has no SO2 (sulfur dioxide, a natural product acting as an antioxidant, antimicrobial) added. The restriction on sulfites can compromise the stability of the wine. Some wine industry professionals  feel  Certified  Organic  has come to be more of a marketing tool than anything else.

Certification: USDA National Organic Program, Ecocert (France), CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) and others

Vins naturels/vinos naturales take non-interventional winemaking practices still further. Nothing can be added within the vinification process, which leaves the wine somewhat less stable for traveling. (Usually, sulfur, fining agents, yeast for fermentation, various forms of acidulation, sugar, and enzymes are used in some combination.) Also, the vineyards must be organically grown or biodynamic. This movement is mainly in France and Spain, where there is no legal definition of organic wine. Although few non-inoculated wines (made without addition of yeast) are produced in America, a few imported vin naturel wines are available for purchase in wine shops and restaurants.

Certification: None yet

Sustainable wine is a hot-button term—as is sustainability itself—and some people feel it’s largely unquantifiable. However, the general tenets are: organic/non-interventional farming combined with socially and ecologically responsible manufacturing/business practices, and the long-term vision to stay in business, supporting yourself and your community. While sustainability has its detractors, U.C. Davis has a sustainable agriculture program, and various organizations, like the California Sustainable Winegrowers Alliance, have formed to promote and regulate sustainable winemaking practices.

Certification: SIP (Sustainability in Practice), California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance

Biodynamic winemaking is based on the philosophies of Rudolph Steiner. It is similar to organic farming (which it pre-dates by most accounts), but it employs a complex composting/fertilizing system, integrated livestock, and a strict “timing” system based on lunar rhythms.

Certification: Demeter