California is the state where personal well-being first came to light in America. The Chicago Tribune used to fly me to the West Coast to report back on all the cool stuff going on there, most of it legal: the mind-body connection, yoga, acupuncture, farmers markets, somatic awareness, artisanal everything, plant medicine and so much more I ended up moving there in 2016. In 1976, in Chicago, when I first started writing my Energy Express column, yoga and yogurt were interchangeable terms.
Esalen—transformation + magic along the Big Sur coast
The Human Potential movement took root at the Esalen retreat center more than 50 years ago, and so did my curiosity about personal well-being. This, from All Is Well: “Sitting still. Paying attention. Going slow. All that is part of the Esalen experience, plus wild waves, passing dolphins and community dinners that have the look, feel and feathers of a Federico Fellini film.” Where’s your favorite spot to sit still, pay attention, transform?
All Is Well toasts the Wine Country, more than once
Who said wine can’t be part of a healthy lifestyle? Not the Greeks, who cleverly spoke of moderation, and certainly not me. Cork Dork is a book I loved, and Napa and Sonoma in California are still two wonderful places to enjoy the fruit of the vine, along with whatever yummy local veggies are in season.
Thank you Book Passage in Corte Madera
We were tickled to be given a slot at this iconic book store in Marin County, Cal. It celebrates the written word, the spoken word and in a word, it was nothing but fun to answer questions about how to live your happiest, healthiest life. . .and die trying.
Harbor Point in Mill Valley: Swimming, tennis, fitness, frolic
On the road, talking about the book, I always prefer a conversation to a monologue. It’s more fun for everyone, including me. At this happy event, I paired with Russell Munsell, a master of many things, including swimming, tai chi, behavior change and the captaining of big ships. Our audience at Harbor Point already knew a lot about well-being and asked the kind of smart questions every author loves.