Victoria Boutenko in Berkeley, CA

[barose]

Great! I just sent you a response (and a caveat) so check your mail and let me know! :)

[moncha moncha]

The clock on my coputer was set 1/2 hour slow. So I got to BART too late to make it to Berkeley on time. Also too late to drive and get there on time due to traffic.

I was really looking forward to meeting you all, even more than listening to Victoria, and I'm sure she will be fantastic. I really liked her on Raw Summit.

What were your favorite parts of her talk? Did you get to try some green smoothies? Were they good?

[the_lab_rat]

Hey moncha, (by the way, what's a "moncha?" It's fun to say.. LOL :) )

Sorry you couldn't make it! I was looking forward to meeting you too. I think it was only Barose, Tali, and me there from RFT. Or if there were others, I didn't recognize them.

Victoria's talk was very interesting. If you've read her book(s) there was a bit of repeat, but also a lot of new info. She talked about how cooked food is actually a fairly recent invention and how people used to eat a lot more greens centuries ago. And about soil quality and why weeds are such good sources of nutrients (I then went out and bought some dandelions, lol!) Valya also talked for a few minutes too, which was nice to hear since she's a lot closer to my age. And yes, they gave out a small sample of green smoothie...she said it would've been bigger but they got more people than they expected! It was VERY good, dandelion and banana. Much better than when I make my own, because I can't afford a vitamix.

She talked for around 2 hours. It actually went pretty late, almost until 9:30. So no Cafe Gratitude afterward I was kinda bummed about that...maybe some of us could still meet up at CG one day like you suggested before? That'd be fun!

[Vegan Princess]

I just couldn't get it together to make it either. I'm still up for a CG get together some time though. Must have been fun to have green smoothie from the maker. How were the samples afterwards?

[rawbeliever]

I was there! Lab rat, what do you look like? I saw Carla, and I think I recognized Tali...not sure. I was wearing a red sweater. Loved hearing V.B. talk! But I found the way the samples were done kind of annoying. I'd rather have had them sitting on a table to be sampled afterward, instead of handed out during the question/answer session.

[barose]

Unfortunately, I couldn't stay the whole time. I soooo wanted to stay! My SO was having some friends from out of town and since we are leaving town today, we only had yesterday. Ironically, we went to CG.

After hearing her speak, I wont miss another day of having a GS.

With that said, I so wished they had a larger room. I mean, the original room was soooo tiny (before we moved to a slightly large one), what were they thinking. I have a bit of social anxiety in crowds, so the tight space was a bit distracting for a wile.

[rawbeliever]

I concur, Carla. It was super crowded in there. The venue left a lot to be desired.

[moncha moncha]

Hey moncha, (by the way, what's a "moncha?" It's fun to say.. LOL :) )

..maybe some of us could still meet up at CG one day like you suggested before? That'd be fun!

Although I don't know where it came from or what it is, "moncha moncha" used to go through my head when I would hike in old growth redwood forests. Something about the trees and ferns....

Yeah I'm down for CG for sure. When do you want to go?

[the_lab_rat]

I was there! Lab rat, what do you look like? I saw Carla, and I think I recognized Tali...not sure. I was wearing a red sweater. Loved hearing V.B. talk! But I found the way the samples were done kind of annoying. I'd rather have had them sitting on a table to be sampled afterward, instead of handed out during the question/answer session.

Yeah, that was really distracting with the samples! They should've just waited til she was done talking.

I was sitting to Carla's right on the big sofa. I'm kinda tall-ish, tan skin, and have short-ish dreadlocks tied back in a bandana. Hmm, I remember seeing a red sweater, but don't specifically remember you...oh well, uh, nice to almost meet you!

[the_lab_rat]

Although I don't know where it came from or what it is, "moncha moncha" used to go through my head when I would hike in old growth redwood forests. Something about the trees and ferns....

Yeah I'm down for CG for sure. When do you want to go?

Hey, that's pretty cool! I always get weird things stuck in my head while hiking/biking/running... :)

Well, I'm going to CG on Saturday either on the way to or from the Solar Living Festival... but I don't know exactly when and might not make it if I stay late at SolFest. Then I'm going out of town for a while next week... hmm, I'll have to see if I have time before I leave, otherwise, after I get back. Yeah, I'd still like to meet you and VP and anyone else I missed yesterday!

[tali]

Nice to meet you lab_rat! Barose, I think I smiled at you, so hello anyway!

I'm so new to raw that this was a great thing for me and to hear Victoria so soon was just a blessing. Hearing her and learning from her really solidified that my choice to become raw was a sound one and not out in left field.

Does anyone there recall who Victoria mentioned when she said the person was eating only green smoothies and had lost a significant amount of weight? I didn't catch the name.

Anyway, it was lovely to be there and hopefully we can all meet up and actually say hello for more than two seconds. :)

... off to go read the stash of books bought last night :)

[moncha moncha]

Well, I'm going to CG on Saturday either on the way to or from the Solar Living Festival...

I'll meet you there if I can. I'll email you my cell.

Does anyone there recall who Victoria mentioned when she said the person was eating only green smoothies and had lost a significant amount of weight? I didn't catch the name.
)

I'm not sure if this is the person you mean but she's eating only green smoothies.

[tali]

I'm not sure if this is the person you mean but she's eating only green smoothies.

Thank you! That's exactly who it was ... 120lbs since March .. that's crazy! :)

[moncha moncha]

You're welcome. Yeah she's amazing. I've been following her story. Truly inspiring.

[the_lab_rat]

I'll meet you there if I can. I'll email you my cell.

Change of plans--I'm actually going today! I emailed you back... Anyone else gonna be around the city today for a last-minute Cafe Gratitude meet-up?