Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is here, the shortest day of the year, and now the Sun begins its journey north, increasing the amount of light in every day for the next six months, filling us up with unlimited energy and inspiration.  Choose your goals, set your intention, and tap into the omnipresent energy of the universe to manifest your dreams!  Happy Solstice everyone!

Hawai'i Banana Harvest

Back to the property to help clean up the zone, and collect some thick bunches of bananas.  Hawai'i has the best bananas, the sweet apple banana variety and not the chalky ones everyone is used to on the mainland.  They are a little smaller in size but have such a great flavor, perfect for smoothies and dehydrated in slices, and especially just solo right out of the peel.  When the bunches ripen the bananas are literally falling off the stalk ready to be enjoyed, so stoked!

Banana tree going big

Banana harvest with plumeria flower guardian

Guacamole Tacos

I went to my friend's family's farm and got to search around the property for some ripe organic fruit to bring home with me, and was so psyched to see the avocado varieties all going off!  The avocado graveyard had shells of so many avos that had fed the chickens and the earth, and a couple freshly fallen ones ready to feed me!  

One of my favorite recipes, and one that is super simple when I'm on trips where fresh produce is available, is a raw guacamole taco meal.  I usually mix up the fresh ripe avocados with diced garlic, tomatoes, and a little onion, sprinkle on some cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper, and hero guac is ready in minutes.  There are a variety of raw options for shells, like collard greens, kale, and romaine, but I really enjoy the crunch of a green cabbage leaf.  Simply cut the leaf at the base, peel it off nice and easy, and scoop in a solid serving of guacamole for your instant guac tacos.  Enjoy!

Avocado harvest

Guacamole tacos in green cabbage shells :)

The Best Life Ever

Right after one of the most amazing days of my life, I doubled up straight into another incredibly phenomenal day, so thankful for the abundance of love energy!  While basking in the glow from the waves a day ago, the next day I went to meet up with David "Avocado" Wolfe, considered by many to be the foremost authority on raw food nutrition and organic superfoods, at his NoniLand Agricultural Research Center. I was absolutely blown away at the beauty of the landscape and variety of fruit trees covering the grounds, and in awe at the bee sanctuary they have created, showcasing a thriving ecosystem in perfect harmony with nature.  I met some amazing individuals there from the NoniLand team and was treated to a tour of the grounds, with a day full of the best food ever!  Along with NoniLand, Wolfe is the author of several best-selling books on superfoods, gives public seminars on nutrition and personal success, and has established numerous other programs including starting Sunfood Nutrition, the best source for organic superfoods, as Co-Founder of TheBestDayEver.com online health magazine, and as President of the non-profit Fruit Tree Planting Foundation.  Truly an enigmatic personality, his passion to inspire everyone to "Have The Best Day Ever" is visible in his actions, his words, and the environment he has created.  His comment during the day regarding the success with which our group was an embodiment of "Living The Best Life Ever" couldn't have been more on point.

Avocado and his angel trumpet crown

Welcome to NoniLand :)

Ra "The Beekeeper" Weisman offering me some fresh coconut water

Mixing up the elixir and straining the seeds, the most amazingly vital juice blend ever!  Fresh noni, fermented noni juice, lilikoi (passion fruit), coconut water, honey, and nutmeg, so good!

Kohta gave me a sample of his raw mocha caramel ice cream, the best I have ever had!

After a trip to harvest some lilikoi (passion fruit) vine root, we came back to clean and remove the bark to add into the tincture, containing Kalalau kava, noni leaf, tumeric, and the lilikoi root.

View from the NoniLand deck overlooking the grounds with the lake and ocean in the distance

Noni, the fruit that gave this place its name

Durian fruits resting on top of one of the bee hives

Baby cacao (raw chocolate) pods

Aloe field

Tulsi, Holy Basil leading up to the house

Kava kava

Chacruna berries

Mangosteen in the nursery

Durian tree, produces my favorite food ever, The King of Fruits!

Starfruit tree

Coconut plam

Sunrise papaya tree

Avocado tree

Lilikoi (passion fruit)

Beauty Is Everywhere

The Best Surf Ever

I have had some absolutely amazing surf sessions in my life, but I am pretty sure I just witnessed the most incredibly perfect waves I have ever seen with my own eyes!  So thankful to have been here today to enjoy the magnificent display nature provided.  I am utterly amazed and in complete awe at the beauty of nature, seeing my dreams manifested into liquid reality, so ridiculously glorious it cannot be put into words.  So happy to have caught a couple myself and to see my friends catch some amazing waves as well, pure bliss! :)

Aloha :)

Perfect day for a trip :)

Hawai'i Swell

Checking out the surf forecast for Hawai'i it looks like one of the biggest swells in recent years is due to arrive the same day I do.   I definitely have not been getting in much big wave practice here in California but I have to say I am really looking forward to getting back into some solid surf, so it might as well be straight off the plane right into the mix. Psyching!

The Greenery Raw Food Cafe

I have been a fan of The Greenery Raw Food Cafe ever since they opened their doors here in Encinitas.  Head Chef Chris and his lovely wife Melissa do an amazing job of providing delicious food for individuals on a raw vegan diet, those interested in healthy alternative options, and anyone looking for something new and exciting to incorporate into their diet.  The cafe provides a beautiful atmosphere and serene environment in which to savor the variety of delicious selections on offer, from appetizers and salads, to drinks and entrees, and snacks and desserts.  I love that they have been incorporating nightly specials into their menu as well, with so many incredible recipes it is hard to choose favorites!  Some of my favorites include the house salad, the pineapple/coconut/ginger drink, pad thai, vegetable curry, pizza, lasagna, tacos, carob/maca pie, and all of the ice cream flavors!  So much amazing food!  I highly recommend everyone stopping by the cafe to sample the delicious selections available, located right off Coast Highway 101 in coastal Encinitas, North County San Diego.  Enjoy!

Raw tacos, absolutely amazing!

Del Mar Housing Projects

I have been working this week out at the Del Mar Housing Projects factory building some new mounts for the different camera housings I have built in the past.  Creating the new mounts will allow me to capture some new angles and fresh perspectives of the surfing experience when used with the different cameras in my arsenal.  It has been a really busy week as I have been running all over town to gather all of the items I will want for my trip to Hawai'i that is coming up quickly, and at night I have been out at the factory.  A lot of work goes into the camera housing and mount production including sanding, prepping, laying up carbon fiber with epoxy resins, measuring, setting angles, more sanding, heckling, trimming, more lay-ups, dremmelling, drilling, and even more sanding.  Good thing there is an awesome crew of friends out there to keep me smiling and inspired, while they put in some long hours creating the best underwater camera housings in the world.  Check them out!

Erik Hjermstad, the mad scientist at the controls

Pineapple guavas, pomegranates, persimmons, and avocados, Dinner of Champions!

Sanding workstation

The workshop, where the magic happens