♥ !!! ♥

VEGAN WAFFLE PARTY – Three words, all excellent by themselves, together at last in delicious, cruelty-free, fun loving unison!

Add to this that the waffles at this particular party are FREE and you’ve got yourself a sure fire winner of an idea for something to do on Sunday the 16th May! 🙂

Just what is a Vegan Waffle party?

A waffle party is a festive and stomach-filling social event where waffles are served, preferably hot off the iron, with delicious toppings. It can be a relatively simple gathering with just a few friends, or it can be an extravagant production with dozens of guests.

(For more info check out the Waffle Party Site!)

Cruelty Free WA, the gracious hosts of the Perth event

(Following taken from the Perth Global Vegan Waffle Party Facebook Event Page)

We want to show everybody that being vegan is not about sacrifice and denial and there is no need to miss out on the things you enjoy.

Help us celebrate all things vegan by coming along to our vegan waffle party for free waffles hot off the iron and complete with yummy toppings. Everybody is invited, so why not bring along your steadfast meat eating friends and show them how delicious cruelty free food can be.

Not vegan? It doesn’t matter, come along anyway we would love to see you. The Global Vegan Waffle Party is a worldwide event so help us put Australia on the map. This is one time WA won’t be behind the rest of the country when it comes to good veg*n food.

When: Sunday May 16th 11:00am – 3:00pm
Where: Cruelty Free WA
Shop 28A Queen Street, Fremantle
(opposite Myer)

Contact: info@crueltyfreewa.com.au
or phone the store on 9335 7039
Cost: FREE! (So awesome!)

Be well,

Annette

xo

♥

Manna Wholefoods & Cafe is an absolute gem for those of us who are into organic, fair-trade, raw, vegetarian / vegan, healthy or just plain tasty food & groceries.

I was surprised to be informed of the existence of Manna by Conor from Perth food blog Hold The Beef, as it’s the kind of place you’d expect to find in Melbourne, 150% the type of place I’ve been wishing and hoping for and apparently it’s been right under my nose for quite some time!

Tucked down South Terrace, you’d be forgiven for missing it, however the unassuming shop front and few scattered chairs and tables give way to a wonderland of treats once you step through the door.

I spent ages trying to decide what to eat, but finally settled on a scrumptious looking (& tasting) large slice of vegetable pizza ($6) & this lovely drink below…

DELICIOUS – CoCo Coconut Juice w/Blood Orange ($4.34)

Other offerings were raw smoothies, raw salads, spelt vegetarian lasagne, tasty looking sandwiches, organic beef pies & sausage rolls, healthy desserts and a wide range of coffees & juices.

I didn’t have much chance to look around the rest of the shop as my friend wanted to leave, but I did see quite a range of fresh and frozen produce, all labeled organic / conventional which is handy and I will most certainly be back VERY soon to check out their wares and no doubt try some more food & drink!

If you live anywhere in the vicinity of Freo / South of the River I highly, highly recommend checking it out and supporting little businesses who are looking out for your health & wellbeing.

Manna Wholefoods & Cafe

274 South Tce
South Fremantle
WA 6162

Ph: (08) 9335 7995
Fax: (08) 9335 7795
manna@mannawholefoods.com.au

Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm, Sat: 8.30am-5pm, Sun: 10am-4pm

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥ – not the actual smoothie I had, but pretty close!

Having originally started operating on Saturdays at the Subiaco Markets, The Raw Food & Smoothie Bar has now found itself among possibly more like-minded friends in the heart of the Fremantle Markets!

After my original article on The Raw Kitchen, I’d been meaning to pop down to meet the owners Emma & Heath and also slurp up some delicious smoothies & check out their raw foodie treats.

Well let me tell you, I am SO glad I did!

I’ve been having dilemmas & issues regarding chain brand juice & smoothie stores that rhyme with “spruced” due to their yoghurt, which contains gelatine (a no-no for vegetarians). Plus they are generally high in sugar and ice, so while I know they are tasty, I’ve been on the lookout for something a little more beneficial to my body and our animal friends.

The Raw Food & Smoothie Bar ticks all my health, eco and animal friendly boxes! But most importantly, TASTE! Hooray!

I chose the ‘Strawberry Sip’ which comprised simply of frozen bananas, strawberries & almond milk. Simple. Absolutely delicious. It didn’t need a single thing more!

The price for a smoothie is now $7… for that price you get:

♥ A huge, very filling and totally delicious, thirst quenching drink that simultaneously nourishes your body and makes you feel great because there are no nasties, preservatives or things your body doesn’t want. Plus it’s not hurting our animal pals. Win.
♥ A cup that is made completely from corn (!?! I don’t know how this works, but I like it) and is 100% bio-degradable.
♥ Huge props from me!

They also have other raw goodies for sale, I saw chocolate & vanilla macaroons (drool), RAW PIZZA – this actually looked fantastic and I can’t wait to try it, RAW CHEESECAKE – again, I didn’t get to try this as I’d just eaten a huge crepe (tsk tsk!) but it looked fabulous and it’s a high priority for me, I’ll definitely be reporting back on that one!

A completely healthy junk food feast? Count me in ;)!

I really can’t recommend this business highly enough for those who are interested in wellbeing and delicious eating, which should be all of us really!

Please check them out!

Website: The Raw Kitchen / Raw Food & Smoothie Bar

Also have a gander at Em’s Beauty & Wellbeing Routine!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥

For those of you who don’t know, Body Balance is a light-medium intensity workout that combines yoga, pilates & tai-chi style movements.

In my personal experience, Body Balance (BB) is more of a workout than a standard yoga or pilates class. All the movements are done in quick succession and there is less time to rest between poses, or ‘tracks’ as they are called in BB, due to each sequence of moves being performed to music.

I’d previously read that BB is pretty easy, however as I was quite unfit I found myself huffing, puffing and generally being very worn out after my first session! It is definitely suitable for beginners, but you’re not going to just breeze through it and even as your fitness and flexibility develop, you can work harder in the poses, so it’s still challenging.

The lovely Beth usually takes the Tuesday evening (6.30pm) & Saturday afternoon (3.00pm) classes that I frequent, she is very approachable and encouraging, which is exactly what you want in a fitness instructor.

There are various ‘releases’ throughout the year, meaning that the sequence and music of the class changes, which keeps things fresh and new!

Classes generally run a little like this:

♥ A tai-chi style track to warm up
♥ Core strengthening work
♥ A track to work on balance
♥ A track to improve flexibility
♥ Some floor work that targets abs, legs & back
♥ Another tai-chi style track to settle down
♥ Meditation (MY FAVOURITE PART!)

All up the class goes for an hour and I have seen benefits from going such as a tighter tummy, more defined calves, a great feeling of relaxation for the rest of the day and consistently being in a super-cheery mood the day after I attend!

The only negative would be that because the classes have so many attendees and only one teacher, there is no time for personal attention to make sure that you are performing the poses correctly. This leaves room for the possibility of injuries, unlike most yoga classes where the teachers come around and correct you if they notice you’re not aligning yourself right.

If you have any known injuries, you can let the teacher know and they will give you alternative options.

Body Balance @ Riverton Leisureplex costs $10 for an hour and is a worthwhile addition to my exercise routine!

Riverton Leisureplex

Address: Corner of Riley and High Roads, Riverton

Fax: 9231 0910

Email: leisureplex@canning.wa.gov.au

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Virtual Reality Therapy (photo supplied by Vision Counselling)

Always up for something new in the quest for stress reduction and wellbeing, a few weeks ago I decided to take part in some Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT). It sounded pretty “space age” and my initial thoughts drifted to popping on some goggles and talking to a robot therapist who would then magically remove all stress from my life.

While only half of my dream bubble came true (I’ll have to find a robot therapist ELSEWHERE!), I was quite delighted by my VRT experience and will explain my findings to you below, cos that’s what I’m here for!

I chose the Stress Reduction VRT, they also have one to assist with quitting smoking.

♥ The therapist, Katie Larkin, explained the whole process thoroughly, I signed some forms to indicate I didn’t have any conditions that may make VRT inappropriate, for example, it is not recommended for severely claustrophobic individuals, although I have to note that I am slightly claustrophobic, however was completely fine during the session.

♥ Seated in a very comfy chair with my legs up and cushions to snuggle into, I put on the VR goggles & headphones. The video started and I was transported to a world where there are gardens, monks, flowing rivers, birds and a tale being narrated about all of the above…

♥ After a while, some hypnotic spirals start integrating into the visual track, after this it gets a little hazy but I’ll do my best to remember!

♥ I’m asked to imagine leaving my body, and am now without the constraints of time & distance (so says my narrator!), so I travel to Northern China to meet with the monks in their garden & monastery.

♥ Travelling across space & time was my favourite part of the whole experience, I was really in the moment and it just felt really ‘right’ and possible, as peculiar as that may sound. In my semi-hypnotised state, I spent some time with the monks reflecting, breathing and being.

♥ I don’t really remember the point where I had to come back to full consciousness, but I definitely didn’t want to go to work afterwards! I felt very calm, relaxed and like I could possibly go to sleep again right then and there!

Overall it was a very positive experience that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend, however at $100 for an hour session it is expensive. That said it is a therapy generally used in conjunction with counseling to address issues on a conscious level as well as subconscious (VRT), so I would suggest it to be suitable for those who are struggling with issues such as stress management, depression & anxiety, or trying to break habits, such as smoking.

Alternatively, if you have money to spare & are keen to try different forms of relaxation then definitely give this a whirl! A course of 4-6 is recommended to see longer lasting benefits.

Therapist: Katie Larkin
Location: Vision Counselling

Vivacious Living Centre
Upper Floor
9 Riseley Square
Applecross WA 6153
Perth, Western Australia

Phone: 0424 298 005
Email: visioncounselling@live.com.au
Website: http://www.visioncounselling.com.au

Be well,

xoxo