I cannot rave enough about my experience at Fred Segal Salon with the owner Matthew Preece and the Formula LA shampoo and conditioner I was gifted! I had my hair cut and colored on February 23rd, yes February 23rd, and it still looks amazing 14 weeks later – incredible!

When I walked into Fred Segal Salon in Santa Monica, I was immediately taken in by the zen energy and ambiance. They actually have a yoga studio there, so you can take a yoga class, get a blowout after and be on with the rest of your day looking fab – pretty incredible right? As a Los Angeles native for the past eight years I’m all about making one stop, getting a lot done and avoiding that little thing we call traffic.

Mr. Preece is a yogi himself, so when I asked why he decided to put a yoga studio in his salon he responded, “Yoga and hair just go together” – well said sir! Then he proceeded to give me the most beautiful caramel colored highlights that brightened up my whole face and a killer cut that I’ve been rockin ever since.

A huge part of the longevity of my color and health of my hair is thanks to Formula LA’s shampoo and conditioner! Formula LA is a shampoo specifically made for Angelenos living and dealing with the harsh Los Angeles climate. Between the sun, dry air, smog and hard water – we can get some seriously stressed out, unhappy hair.

“Yoga and hair just go together”

Luckily both the shampoo and conditioner contain extra moisturizers and even sunscreen to fight back against LA, so that your hair can stay soft and shiny despite the weather. They even contain ingredients that prevent the minerals found in Los Angeles’ water from binding to your hair, so your hair is cleaner than ever! And did I mention it smells great? Light and citrusy!

I highly recommend getting your hair “did’ at Fred Segal Salon Santa Monica: www.fredsegalbeauty.com/spa and keeping your hair looking fabulous with Formula LA: www.formulacosmetics.com

Review by Stuart Brazell

We discovered vegan chef Christy Morgan on Twitter and instantly fell in love with her philosophy and her food. The Green Dove asked the LA-based veganista, who has whipped up dishes for the likes of Alicia Silverstone, to share her journey, insights and one of her fave recipes…

How did you become the Blissful Chef?

I’ve been studying plant-based nutrition for about eight years and teaching for four. I came up with the name “The Blissful Chef” as a way to brand myself and create an image that people will remember. The name fits me well, because to feel bliss is to experience true happiness and spiritual joy. My life, business, teachings, blog, and whole existence is all about spreading happiness and joy to others through food, and helping them access their bliss.

What inspires you?

In live, I’m inspired by all of my amazing friends that do what they are passionate about everyday and those who have dedicated their lives to saving animals. With cooking, I’m inspired by the changing seasons and the different produce that is available throughout the year. I love gardening, and find growing my own food to be a fascinating process. I’m also inspired by different cultures. Often times I just open the fridge, see what’s in there and whip something up.

Your fave raw vegan treats?

I love raw vegan desserts because they are made with wholesome ingredients and they are so rich that I only need a little to be satisfied. If I eat baked desserts, like Uncle Eddies cookies for instance, I can literally eat the whole bag in one sitting. I love raw chocolate, Earth Cafe pies, and my Heavenly Raw Chocolate Mousse.

If you could recommend one thing about veganism to someone who’s not, what would it be?

Eating a healthy, balanced, plant-based diet I feel is the best thing for our minds, bodies, spirits and for the planet. But if you can’t go whole hog overnight, then start by having two plant-based meals a day (or as much as you can). Slowly start transitioning the “good” things into your diet, like whole grains and dark leafy greens, then start taking away the not-so-good things (meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, processed foods). I have some great tips on my blog for making the transition that are extremely helpful and realistic.

The 80/20 Rule
This is the only thing that keeps me sane and not OCD about my diet. If you can eat super healthy 80% of the time, you can let yourself be a little naughty 20% of the time. Hold on now, Im not talking about having hamburger and fries for that 20%, but if you are at a party or want to go out to dinner with your friends you can have something fried or a piece of cake with frosting. I dont compromise as far as eating only vegan foods, but sometimes I do eat sugar or have more oil than Id like to when I eat out. Im human too! I just have a rule that at home Im making the healthiest food possible, with wholesome organic ingredients, no oil and no sugar. That way I can relax when I go out with friends.

It doesn’t serve you or your health to be fanatical about your diet. But it is the most important tool that you have for creating optimal health free of physical pain and mental suffering. Your food choices will affect everything in your life, so choose them well.

Check out The Blissful Chef blog for more ramblings from Christy Morgan, natural food chef and educator, who continues to study plant-based nutrition with the best in the field, has cooked for Alicia Silverstone, and continues to be sought out for her accessible approach to nutrition and holistic living.

Follow Christy on Twitter @TheBlissfulChef.

Avocado, Strawberry, & Grape Tomato Salad

Strawberries are the most popular berry in the world. They go great in salads and as a compliment to a savory dressing like Balsamic Vinaigrette like in this recipe.

1 head butter lettuce, leaves torn or chiffonade
2 avocados
1 medium carrot, thin julienne
10 grape tomatoes, quartered
6 strawberries, ends cut off and sliced
1 cup yellow pepper, thinly sliced
Pinch of pepper and sea salt

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon olive oil

Olympic volleyball gold medalist and “haute” mamma-to-be (for the second time) Kerri Walsh, actress and holistic lifestyle expert Anna Getty, and Tastybaby founders Shannan Swanson and Liane Weintraub gathered at the W Los Angeles in Westwood last night to host the launch of celebrated author Amy Tara Kochs new book, Bump It Up: Transform Your Pregnancy into the Ultimate Style Statement.

Koch, who is a renowned style expert and journalist, showed off her new book at the swanky hotel as guests received exclusive styling tips on how to be a fashion forward, conscious “pregnantista” without breaking the bank. With silhouette-based line drawings by several of todays top fashion designers such as Nicole Miller, Isaac Mizrahi, Diane Von Furstenberg and Milly, along with advice culled from editors at Vogue, Lucky, and W; Bump It Up is being touted as the modern pregnancy style bible. We headed poolside to chat to Amy (above) about her new book.

Anna Getty (above) also shared tips on how to be green and glam as well as the lowdown on Pregnancy Awareness Month, an empowerment campaign to help women feel comfortable as they move into motherhood.

Hypnotherapist and regular The Green Dove contributor, Cynthia Morgan, will be sharing powerful healing techniques at an upcoming workshop: Healing Through Hypnosis, to be held at the Mondrian Hotel, Sunset Boulevard on Saturday, May 22.

The Green Dove caught up with Cynthia to get the inside goss on what life-affirming tips people can expect to gain from the workshop experience and how the technique can change lives.

TGD: What can participants expect to learn at the workshop?

CM: The premise of the workshop is based on the idea that we really are our own worst enemy. No one holds us back, trips us up, or stops us from achieving a happier, healthier and more successful life than ourselves. And more specifically, its our thinking that limits us.

Most people attempt to use the power of will or positive thinking to overcome their limitations and improve their lives, and although those are worthy tools, they are limited because they are generated from the conscious mind. Whatever your problem is, its not in your conscious mind. If it were, you would have resolved it by now. The problem-relationship issues, finances, addiction, insomnia, illness-is tied to a deeper part of your mind, your subconscious.

The subconscious mind is like a hard drive. You cant have a different picture on the computer screen of your life without changing the hard drive. And this particular hard drive is programmed by thoughts. Our subconscious thoughts are running us.

So, based on that premise, using hypnosis techniques, which bypass the conscious mind and get to the core of the matter, you can discover the deleterious self-thoughts programmed in your mind and undo them. Freud basically said that the only way to heal was to make the unconscious conscious. Once you expose the negative beliefs that are holding you back, you can them heal them. In fact, just looking at them often heals them.

Through the techniques that I will teach them, participants will begin to uncover their “bad programming,” learn how those thoughts have been holding them back until now, and they will learn how to heal them. I expect miracles to happen in this workshop. Thats my goal with each participant-real internal transformation. Of course, well have lots of fun too.

It doesnt matter whether you know what those thoughts are, or if youve been working on healing them for years, or if you dont have a clue as to what those thoughts are. Wherever you are on your journey of self-discovery, my hope is to take you to that next level of healing.

TGD: What are some of the most common beliefs that hold people back from realizing their true potential?

CM: Having looked into the subsconscious mind of over a thousand people, I can assure you that we are all more alike than different (although that might not be reassuring to some!). A few of the more common beliefs are that we are not good enough, we are bad, we are unworthy, we are alone, we will never get what we want, and we are unlovable.

TGD: Are most of our beliefs cemented in childhood?

CM: This is a fascinating topic that I will discuss in more detail at the workshop, but generally, most of our beliefs are very, very old. I do not believe that we come into this world a tabula rasa. We come in already programmed with fears, ideas, and thoughts from the womb and beyond. And we continue to get programmed with specific ideas once we are here, particularly up until the ages of 9-11 years old. Before that age, we are an open subconscious mind. Thats why you can tell a child about the tooth fairy and he or she will believe you. You can also tell him that hes a loser and he will believe you. Or that she will always be fat, and she will believe you. Whoever we looked to as an authority figure had the potential to program our mind.

Its worthy of a more lengthy discussion, but there is no concept of time in the subconscious mind, everything occurs at once. So, though you accepted these ideas at six years old, theyre still affecting you at 35. The body ages, but the mind doesnt. It constantly projects out what is in it. Thats why changing the hard drive is necessary for a different result

We will be doing some childhood regression work in the workshop-looking at those events in which you accepted false ideas about yourself.

TGD: What advice would you offer to parents who are conscious of helping to shape positive beliefs in their kids?

CM: Well, the first thing I would say is that bad programming by authority figures is part of the deal here. We have all been programmed badly and we will program others badly. We are not healed human beings, and until then, theres going to be an awful lot of bad ideas passed around and down. As a parent, be gentle with yourself when you fall into that, but also know that one positive thought outweighs a hundred negative thoughts. Speak to children of their potential not their limitation.

Whatever your childs issue, you can come up with a couple of positive reprogramming statements for him or her to repeat to themselves (conscious mind repetition programs the subconscious). Also, get your child to visualize himself in the situation accomplishing their goal. If hes afraid of swimming, you could have him say, “I love to swim. Swimming is fun.” And tell him to shut his eyes and see himself swimming in a pool with other children, jumping off the diving board, and having a good time. Make a game out of it.

TGD: Who is your typical client?

CM: I have a very specific client base. I feel like I could be a great friend with any of my clients. They are all referrals so theyre all closely connected though theyd never know it. Generally, its pretty evenly divided between men and women. Theyre usually in their 30s and 40s-open, learned, interesting, cool people. But I also have a 6-year old client right now and 77-year old too.

TGD: Your upcoming book is titled “You’re Already Hypnotized: A Guide to Waking Up”. Are most of us asleep?

CM: The book title comes from something I say to each new client on a first session. Often they come in excited to do hypnotherapy but perhaps with a bit of trepidation lurking from all the myths surrounding hypnosis. So I tell them that I am a really a de-hypnotherapist. Because its true. Theyre already hypnotized. Meaning, by the time they walk into my office their minds are already filled with false beliefs. Its my job to help them identify what those thoughts are and relinquish them. The way I see it, we are all asleep to our true nature, to our potential, to love, to meaning, and to the truth that all minds are joined and theres really only one of us here. My mission is help people wake-up to reality. Once you glimpse your true nature, you become happier, healthier, more peaceful and more successful in the world.

TGD: What are the typical characteristics of a) someone who is awake and b) someone who is asleep?

CM: Very simply, someone who is awake is not run by fear. He or she no longer buys what the world is selling. Awakened ones have undone their old programming and taken back control of their minds. Ultimately, with every hypnosis session I perform, whether its a regression session of a past trauma or a reprogramming session for smoking, my goal is help people wake-up. Sometimes the best place to begin to awaken is by stopping smoking, or losing ten pounds, or forgiving your father. Awakening can begin anywhere, anytime, with any issue. In fact, every issue is just trying to get you to wake-up. I dont believe in hierarchies of healing.

TGD: The greatest misconceptions about hypnotherapy?

CM: Oh, how much time do we have? There are so many! Keeping it short, I think the greatest misconception is that I have control over a client. I dont. The client is always in control. I can only guide him or her. Along with that is the idea that I have the power to adversely program someones subconscious. The truth is, the subsconscious mind will not accept any thought that the conscious mind would be in disagreement with. So, I cant program you to rob a bank unless you think thats a really good idea.

TGD: How do you see the future of hypnotherapy?

CM: I get excited when I think of the future of hypnotherapy. As more people begin to recognize that the problem, whatever it is, individually in our own lives and collectively on this planet, is ultimately a problem in our mind and that subsequently the solution is there too, hypnotherapy will flourish. Ive been doing this work almost every day for the last eight years, and Ive watched hypnotherapy become more mainstream. Its now frequently in newspapers, magazines and on television. I can hardly keep up with the demand, which is one reason I wanted to do this workshop.

The potential use of hypnosis is limitless. As Ive mentioned, its beneficial for resolving personal issues and healing illnesses and addictions and phobias, but beyond that it can be used as a means to achieve enlightenment and even for exploring the nature of reality. The more you do this work, the more you awaken to the truth that everything begins in the mind.

Traditional talk therapy is antiquated. Interestingly, the use of hypnosis predates not only chemical anesthesia but psychotherapy as well. Hypnosis was hugely popular at the turn of the 20^th century, and even though it has taken a quiet back seat to traditional therapy since then, there have been tremendous advancements and discoveries in the art of hypnotherapy, making it, in my opinion, not only the future of therapy, but the future of healing. Whats old is new again.

To find out more and sign up for Cynthia’s Healing Through Hypnosis workshop click here.

ABOUT CYNTHIA MORGAN

Cynthia Morgan is a board certified hypnotherapist, but her extensive clientele consider her to be much more than that. Her unique approach to the art of hypnotherapy has redefined its practice as a powerful form of spiritual teaching, emotional healing, and behavior modification. Incorporating her highly creative hypnosis techniques Cynthia provides an experience for her clientele that continues to transcend expectations.

Cynthia is an on-going contributing writer to The Green Dove and her articles have been published in a variety of online magazines. She has been interviewed for magazines as well as numerous newspapers.

Cynthia’s spiritual journey began very early when she was initiated into Transcendental Meditation at the age of seven. Her formative years were spent learning from some of the most celebrated spiritual teachers of our time. In 2002, Cynthia graduated from the prestigious Hypnotherapy Academy of America, and earned her professional certification into the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners.

Since that time, Cynthia has practiced hypnotherapy full-time, incorporating her considerable background in hypnosis, meditation, spirituality, healing, mind/body exploration, and 25 years of experience working with A Course in Miracles.

Her philosophy that we don’t need to do anything to heal ourselves, but rather we must undo the thoughts that stand in the way of healing applies to addictions, illness, phobias, pain, depression, and any other issues faced by her clients. Cynthia’s techniques have proven to be highly successful in transforming the lives of thousands, establishing her as one of the most innovative and respected practitioners in her field.

She lives in Los Angeles.

Living green can be overwhelming. Where to start? From eco cars and planet-friendly cleaning products to organic wines and veganism, its little wonder many opt to do nothing for fear of not being able to do it all.

Yet its the little steps that add up to mean something big.

A great way to test the eco waters is at this years Go Green Expo, to be held at the LA Convention Center from January 22 to 24. Get the goss on natural personal care products, green gadgets, eco-celebrities, yoga classes, green industry and activists including Ed Begley Jr., Mariel Hemingway, John Picard and Eric Corey Freed.

With more than 300 exhibitors, the Go Green Expo is a favorite for those who are eco-curious or full immersed in all things environmental.

Food and wine lovers also mark the event on their calendars thanks to the local restaurant and wine tasting pavilion. Pet lovers can also help fido go green at the Pet Expo.

For 50 per cent off the online ticket price, check out the Go Green banner on The Green Dove home page for the exclusive code.

Find out more about the 2010 Go Green Expo at www.gogreenexpo.com

Go Green Expo Los Angeles is proudly sponsored by The Green Dove, CBS Television, The Los Angeles Business Journal, Natural Health Magazine, Natural Home Magazine, Spirituality & Health Magazine, Mother Earth News, Kiwi Magazine, Green Lifestyles Magazine, Whole Life Times, The Sierra Club and more.

The Los Angeles Film Festival opens tomorrow (June 18) in Westwood Village, and is set to screen five green and environmentally-themed films, No Impact Man, The Cove, Big River Man, The Last Beekeeper; and Bananas!

No Impact Man documents environmentalist Colin Beavan who embarks on a green living experiment by attempting to have as little negative environmental impact as possible for a year-including: no takeout, no taxis, and no toilet paper.

The Cove centers around Richard OBarry, dolphin trainer for televisions beloved Flipper, and photographer turned filmmaker Louie Psihoyos. The pair lead the audience on a suspenseful voyage of discovery in this activist documentary. OBarry has long been convinced of the cruelty of domesticating these highly intelligent animals and feels responsibility for the growth of an economy of sea parks and swim-along programs.

Big River Man, tells the story of an out-of-shape-beer-drinking Slovenian man and his journey swimming the Amazon River.

The Last Beekeeper takes a close look at the struggles of three American beekeepers as they deal with the devastating effects of economic and ecological change when a mysterious illness among bees threatens insects and businesses.

Bananas! is a documentary revealing the human cost of banana cultivation by chronicling the case of Nicaraguan laborers, represented by L.A. attorney Juan Dominguez, against the companies who they believe poisoned them. Between the films completion and its screening at this years Festival, critical new elements of the case have come to light. What happens when a story continues to evolve after the shooting stops? This case study and screening will explore the relationship between documentary filmmaking, objective and subjective point of view, as well as the rights and responsibilities of activist filmmaking.

For further information on these films and to purchase tickets, head to the Los Angeles Film Festival website.

Stay tuned for reviews on The Green Dove.

Friday (June 5) marked the 37th annual World Environment Day, a day originally established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. This years theme was “Your Planet Needs You–UNite to Combat Climate Change,” and emphasized the urgency for nations to unite.

To commemorate the event in Los Angeles, Environment Furniture (www.environment-furniture.com) and Goodwill Industries (www.goodwill.org) partnered to launch the Exchange for Change Project (EFC). With recycling as a core business principle for both companies, the project encourages consumers to donate their old sofa to Goodwill and in return receive a 25% discount on a new, sustainable Environment sofa made with reclaimed canvas or natural linen. Normal tax-deductions also apply.

Upon its success in Los Angeles, the EFC project may roll out nationwide in the near future. Find out more at Environment Furniture, 8126 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048. Tel: 323-782-0296, Mon-Sat 10-7; Sun 11-6.

They say one good deed leads to another. The Dove Project is a series of questions, passed on, by each interviewee, to the person they believe is doing their part to ensure a greener, healthier future, through action and inspiration. Join us as we share earth-loving information courtesy of those who have taken it upon themselves to believe, through action and leading by example, that one person can truly make a difference. Tree by Nick Radford

Name: Patti Penn
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Profession: Reiki Master
Website: www.reiki-eft.com

THE GREEN DOVE: Who passed The Dove Project on to you?

PATTI PENN: Shannon Dunn is a Reiki student of mine. She inspires me as she has become the change she wants to see in the world by leading by example and setting her own standards.

TGD: What is your (health/wellbeing/green) mission?

PP: My well-being mission is to keep people being the best version of themselves through conscious action in every moment. Rather than “fix-ing” people; as if they were all broken I believe everyone needs to be empowered to trust themselves consciously choose right action for themselves with no monitoring or trying and reflect that into the world but start with yourself.

TGD: What (health/wellbeing/green) action, big or small, do you take every day and why?

PP: I recycle, I buy from the farmers market as fresh means very little wastage, I choose conscious retailers who support projects I am invested in, my dog and I drive a Vespa and I turn off the water when I am brushing my teeth to conserve water as we are in California. I only turn it back on to rinse my brush….:))

TGD: What, in your opinion, are the most helpful things the average person can do to make a positive impact on the planet?

PP: To be aware of their own actions and choose the right action how ever little it is for them. I feel in Los Angeles that the fuel consumption has dropped with more and more people being aware of the fossil fuel being burnt and turning to more fuel efficient cars. I personally loved when the fuel prices became higher as it heightened awareness as carpooling became common and a sense of community was born.

TGD: What books and/or websites should everyone should know about and why?

PP: Don Tolman (www.dontolmaninternational.com) to learn about natural benefits of food, Ted.com to understand our mind, community and inspiration ideas worth spreading, www.realrawlive.com for the best detox in LA and amazing raw juices. Books: The Way of the Peaceful Warrior; and Eat, Pray, Love.

TGD: How can just one person make a difference?

PP: By leading by example. Its contagious to humans. A story I always tell my Reiki students is of a little girl on the beach. She has been there for hours; as all these starfish have washed up on the shore. One by one she picks up the star fish and throws it back into the ocean … then she picks up another starfish and throws it back into the ocean, another starfish and throws it back into the ocean, another starfish and throws it back into the ocean … over and over again.

A man walking his dog watches the little girl as he comes along the beach; as he gets nearer to the little girl, he tells her that they are all dying in the sun and she is never going to make a difference. As she pick up a starfish; looks at the man and tells him “maybe so, but I made a difference to this one” she bends down and picks up another starfish and says “and I made a difference to this one”. The man joins the little girl picking and throwing starfish back into the ocean as others join in from along the beach.

TGD: Your biggest hope for the worlds future?

PP: That we consume only what we need and give back more…

TGD: Who are you asking to join The Dove Project and why?

PP: Tricia Mazure because she works with the soil and the land. I feel she would have some amazing and thoughtful answers.

TGD: What one question would you most like to have Tricia answer?

PP: Why does she care so much?
________________________________
Log into The Dove Project on May 30 to meet Tricia Mazure

Partying need not be bad for you or the environment. The Dove is heading to ECCO Ultra Lounge in Hollywood tonight to see exactly why this eco-friendly club is the talk of Tinseltown.

Using energy from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s Green Power-a resource that provides wind, sun and water power-the nightspot is all about green, from free valet parking for hybrid vehicles to insulation of 100 per cent organic cotton. Then there’s the LED lighting system and Turbosound speakers and Powersoft amplifiers that reduce energy by a whopping 70 per cent (compared to the standard varieties). Ecco Lounge’s organic cocktails are also served on a bar made from non-toxic materials, while the restrooms feature waterless urinals.

A favorite of celebrities (think Nicole Richie, Joel Madden, Tommy Lee) and every day locals alike, Ecco Lounge is giving everyone a good (and healthy) reason to celebrate.

1640 N Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, CA, US 90028
www.eccohollywood.com

Ocean and Vine, Loews Santa Monica Hotel, Santa Monica

A COMPLETE EXPERIENCE Its undeniable the postcard view from this must-visit restaurant is a major draw card for hotel guests and locals alike. Sunset, surf and sand aside, its whats inside Ocean and Vine that truly makes dining here so special. Arrive early to cozy up on the plush donut-shaped lounge that encircles a roaring fire pit-but not without a signature raspberry mojito in hand.

FRESH, FABULOUS FARE Service here is impeccable, as are the meals that boast farmers market-fresh ingredients-and fabulous flavors that linger long after dinner is over. Start your culinary journey with the roasted garlic chipotle hummus with herb and Parmesan encrusted flat bread; followed by the tender roasted eggplant with Israeli couscous and tofu, a dish prepared especially for vegans. Sides of broccoli rabe with roasted garlic and risotto, asparagus tips and shaved Parmesan is a vegetarian favorite. Feast on fresh berries for dessert before retreating back to where it all began: fireside overlooking the lights of Santa Monicas famous pier.

TIP Ocean and Vine is the perfect spot for a romance-infused double date, or to celebrate special events with the entire family.
1700 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, 90401.
Phone (310) 576-3180 santamonicaloewshotel.com