Eating Joyfully with Friends

OK, I am back from my wonderful weekend (except for the passing of my dear friend Wendy's doggie Ahbbahdoo, who was and will always be a part of our Tribe) and I missed writing to you so much! After some non-raw integration and lots of revelring with dear friends, I am so looking forward to eating simply and vibrantly tomorrow. Read on and watch the weekend's progression...

Saturday's Food:
Breakfast:
Raw mango smoothie with frozen mango, fresh banana, psyllium seed powder, flax seeds and water

Lunch:
1 banana

Snack:
raw cashews

Dinner at Blossom vegan restaurant on 9th Avenue and 21st Street, NYC:
Shared appetizers:
Seitan empanandas
ravioli with a cashew cream sauce (this dish is beyond the beyond)
cigars (forget what they were filled with); all yummy

Entree:
Rigatoni with a porcini mushroom cream sauce with broccoli rabe

Shared desserts:
Lavender creme brulee
apple fritters
Cocoa V Plate tasting of chocolates
We really wanted their chocolate ganache, but they were out of it
Hours of great conversation with six fabulous women

Today's Food:
large glass of lemon water (thank you, Idele!)

Brunch with friends at Le Pain Quotidien: (bread like you can only get in Paris and Belgium)
Shared bread basket filled with organic breads (nutted, flutes, bagettes) with strawberry and raspberry jams and olive oil
avocado nori Tartan (open sandwich; very delicate) of litely smeared avocado on organic wheat bread with 4 slices of avocado
slices of radish
slices of nori seaweed
small bowl of hummus

Snack:
2 amazing pieces of vegan chocolate at Cocoa V; a praline and a raisin caramel cluster; WOW!!! (9th Avenue and 20th Street, NYC); a vegan chocolate shop with organic wine and chocolate cafe next door; I found out they are open until 10:30 Friday and Saturday nights and serve an aged nut cheese and vegan fondue

Dinner for my dear friend Pat's birthday at Tlaquepaque restaurant on North Avenue in New Rochelle, NY:
1 Mexican beer! at her home
shared guacamole with homemade chips
created for me vegetarian burrito filled with sauteed cactus, mushrooms, pepper and Spanish rice with a melted Spanish cheese similar to Mozzarella; surrounded by tomato sauce
Dessert (while wearing sombrero and cowboy hat):
homemade flan (the real Mexican kind; not Americanized)
Drink of blended cactus, lime and pineapple; created for me by the owner, Victor, when we got to talking about food. He drinks this every day, and it tasted just like a green drink I would make.
Victor and his wife come from the town of Tlaquepaque, right next to Guadalahara, Mexico. His wife does all the cooking and infuses her own personal style. Victor loved creating a vege extravaganza for me, and had I asked him just to give me marinated raw cactus, I know he would have done that, too! Everything is fresh, and when I commented on the dessert, Victor said, "It's made with alot of love."

I look forward to a good night's sleep, a good run in the morning, and lots of water tomorrow!

Please write in and share what foods you had a loving relationship with this weekend...