It’s been almost a month since I returned from the West Coast and I just realized that I hadn’t shared all the beautiful moments I had experienced, with you. I will pick up after the whole CBS adventure, and then travels to LA and San Francisco. During that period I also visited San Luis Obispo, Eden Hot Springs, The Tree of Life, Scottsdale, and finally Florida.
San Luis Obispo
I was blessed over a year ago to meet a new friend AmyRuth on MySpace. We chatted for a while, and then little did I know at the time I also met her roommate Brandie. We all met this year in person at Raw Spirit Festival and they invited me to hang out with them for a few days at their place in San Luis Obispo.
Brandie owns Smiling Dog Café, and works there along with AmyRuth. Smiling Dog Café is a branch off of Smiling Dog Yoga Studio, and did I mention it’s raw! How cool is that? You can get your stretch-on during your yoga class, and then get to head out with a green juice or yummy dish in-hand.
One of the reasons I wanted to spotlight them was because they are a shining examples of raw foodists that really walk the talk. From the moment I walked into their house I immediately felt at home. Brandie offered me her bed (cacao colored organic sheets) while she slept in the living room. I tried to protest, but they don’t play games. As I strolled through the house I saw the following:
• Every spice and superfood in giant mason jars taking up multiple shelves on an entire wall of its own.
• Five jars of kombucha fermenting on top of the refrigerator.
• Six jars sprouting upside down in multiple sink strainers
• Refrigerator full of greens, dips, and even a strawberry sauce, yum!
• Every appliance imaginable including 3 dehydrators
• Organic bathroom products
• Outdoor garden
• Mini outdoor greenhouse with sprouts growing
• Clothes drying on a clothes line
Tree of Life
I swung through Patagonia for a day to celebrate our birthdays with my good friend Savrah. When scorpios unite, beware! Savrah leases a home in Patagonia that she opens up for raw roommates. Most of the people that live there work for The Tree of Life or Vivapura, both companies that hold it down in Patagonia. You may also be able to rent a room or couch for the day if needed, so contact her ahead of time if you’re in the area.
I had chatted with my friend Courtney Pool during the day and decided that I needed to visit the Tree of Life at least once before heading out. So I drove on over to enjoy a special lunch that they had put together and synchronistically caught my friend Dart (check out his pics and tell me raw doesn't give you muscle) just heading out for his lunch break. He hoped in the car as we drove in, filled our plates, and hung out with Courtney and crew. I didn’t really get a chance to explore the compound this time around, but I did get to enjoy the wonderful scenery and beautiful people. The food was amazing, even the shot glass full of sauerkraut juice I was dared to drink was pretty good.
Scottsdale
As I was finishing my tour, before heading back to the East Coast, I stopped off at the Mandala Tea Room. They offered some yummy raw food snacks but more importantly a nice variety of delicious and soul satisfying selection of teas. The cool thing about it was I got to sit near the window, on the floor, Indian-style. I loved i
New Streamlined Operating Model to Reflect New Portfolio and Current Economic Realities
MIDLAND, Mich., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) today announced a series of aggressive actions to accelerate its transformational strategy in light of current economic realities.
Dow's transformation to a lean Corporate Center, a shared Business Services group and three business operating models, effective January of 2009, will accelerate the Company's ability to shed high-cost assets and centralized functional structures. As part of the actions announced today, Dow will eliminate approximately 5,000 full-time jobs, close 20 facilities in high-cost locations and divest several non-strategic businesses. The job reductions represent a reduction of roughly 11 percent of Dow's global workforce. Once fully implemented, these actions are expected to result in $700 million in annual operating cost savings by 2010 and are additional to the previously announced cost synergies of $800 million in the same timeframe for the anticipated Rohm and Haas acquisition.
In addition, reflecting poor current market conditions, Dow will temporarily idle approximately 180 plants and significantly reduce its contractor workforce worldwide by approximately 6,000 as predicated by reduced operations.
"Transformation, by definition, requires a commitment to working differently. We are moving from a highly centralized and standardized approach, to operating three very different business models with a lean and efficient Corporate Center. Today's restructuring is designed to support the Dow of Tomorrow," said Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew N. Liveris. "However, we are accelerating the implementation of these measures as the current world economy has deteriorated sharply, and we must adjust ourselves to the severity of this downturn."
The new Dow will comprise three different business operating models: Joint Ventures/Asset Light; Performance Products; and Health & Agriculture, Advanced Materials and other Market Facing Businesses. Specific details on these business structures will be outlined early next year.
Webcast and Conference Call Information
Dow will host a call with investors and securities analysts today at 9:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time. The call will last 30 minutes.
Connection information is as follows:
Listen-only dial-in information: +1 (719) 325-4746
Webcast Link: http://tinyurl.com/5utms5
About Dow
With annual sales of $54 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide, Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to customers in around 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.
Note: The forward-looking statements contained in this document involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, legal, governmental and technological factors. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the Company's expectations will be realized. The Company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.
(R)(TM) Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow
SOURCE The Dow Chemical Company
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