Sunday, September 07, 2008

The Simply Raw and Green Lifestyle Film Festival Weekend


You might have thought that I would have taken more pictures while I was at the Simply Raw Festival this past weekend in Ottawa - It was definitely picture worthy!! There was lots going on, lots of wonderful, bright, vibrant people, so many great vendors and exhibitors and speakers, the pie contest! it was full of activity.. and umbrellas, amazing how many people came out despite the cold rainy weather.. that was great to see.

We got in Friday early evening and headed straight to the film festival, but I just couldn't get into watching films, so went for Raw Pizza at the Wild Oat, Yay!! which we ate late at the hotel room.. Oh & I met up with Matt Monarch, Angela Stokes, Philip McClusky, Paul Nison and others ..

But I was up and at the park at 7 am to help set up tents for the festival - I got saved from the pouring rain and driven back to the hotel (where I went to Marie's room and curled into her warm bed and got a footrub and fed an incredible superdrink of E3Live, Stem Enhance (phenylethylamine), some special cherry mineral supplement and organic apple juice - Nice!
I was quite refreshed, although still a bit sleepy, and spent most of the day at The Film Festival table (we were helping Dorit).. the pic below is from the Crudessance table just a couple booths away..this is a raw cafe in Montreal who was making incredible food - There were so much amazing, and delicious raw foods here - I definitely ate well!

Sat evening I sat and watched all of the films at the festival - the ones I enjoyed the most were Money Talks: Profits before Patient Safety (mostly about the pharmaceutical companies and very interesting, and the last film, in 2 parts (2 hours long) Healing Cancer from the Inside out - It was so well done, so disturbing and so educational - many things I had assumed, but it was just shocking to hear the facts, the history, how they can easily mislead ie. by using relative (rather than absolute) numbers and hearing the actual figures, how the FDA, AMA, the Cancer Society and more all work together and with the pharmaceutical companies, about the Cancer Industry, which I was made well aware of when my sister in law had her battle and did extensive research into it - the money always goes right back into the pharmaceutical industry, never into any innovative, alternative or other research. It is an industry unto itself and a thriving and booming one. It's one of those films I want to have and to share with people I know who have cancer and going through it and at the same time, not, because it is so shocking and sad and disturbing.
And after the films downstairs there was a party hosted by Wild Oat with lots of beautiful raw desserts, absolutely incredible.. and so much! I ended up leaving with a plate of desserts which we enjoyed on the drive home. Lemon macadamia something delicious, Raspberry cheesecake, amazing chocolate brownies, blueberry desserts and more .. Mmmm.. but I ate so much so late, so hard to resist!! I will get better at my late night eating - I know it's not a good thing! But it was so yummy and I don't really regret it!!!

Hmm.. Sunday, today.. more tables and tables and tables of food, and amazing people.. it was a clearer day, the sun actually came out for awhile and I was walking barefoot in the grass and mud which was awesome and I bought a special rock - Dravite, which I can't let go of.. and great books, my fav things, and I ate a Stevia leaf, which was absolutely incredible, so sweet and well, much better than the powdered or liquid stevia which I have but barely use and seems so strong.. its when you come across plants like this (and ayahuasca, (Banisteriopsis caapi), etc; ) that you realize how wonderful and fascinating nature can be. I spent some time today thinking about nature and how humbling it can be - it is so strong, much stronger than us individually..

I am into an Osho book and he talks about an Oak tree, which is such an individual and gets torn down in a storm, it uproots this huge tree ..and the grass which all grows together and is low and humble just sways down with the wind and then comes right back up again. ... Nature is incredibly powerful!!! All bow down to Mother Nature, and celebrate her!

So yes, I forgot to take a lot of pictures ..but I did get a pic taken of this incredible plate of food which I brought in the car to eat on the way home - it was sooo delicious!!

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