Feed This Community Spotlight: Lakehouse Music Academy

Lakehouse Music Academy In The Spotlight



Hello again everyone! Today I wanted to share with you a bit about one of the organizations who will benefit from sales of my cookbook, Feed This Community (You can pick up your copy here ) Lakehouse Music Academy in Asbury Park is more than a place to take music lessons, it truly is a music movement in Asbury. It’s helmed by the incomparable Jon Leidersdorff and I’m so grateful to be able to share a bit about Lakehouse and all that they do in the community.

Lakehouse Music Academy And Asbury Park

In starting Lakehouse Music Academy, Jon Leidersdorff took a leap of faith and started a movement. There is no doubt that Asbury Park New Jersey has a music connection unlike any other. At the same time, when Jon launched Lakehouse there was nothing in town that did for music what I was working to do with food: transform community from inside out.

Of course, there were so many musicians who were either from Asbury and coming to the city to see or play concerts and shows. The people were there and so the question was, “How do you connect these musicians and music lovers to the community and attract musically passionate people of all kinds, of all ages and interests?”  That’s the question that Jon answered in creating and helming Lakehouse.

Lakehouse does more than offer a place to play around musically, to sing or to go to shows. It certainly makes those things possible but it also created a center for talent and passion, a magnet for those who felt pulled toward creativity, music, and community.

Fire Jam Hockey Rocks!

Full disclosure, two of the adorably talented tikes in Lakehouse’s Fire Jam Hockey are my daughters (And yes, they and their two bandmates picked the band’s name themselves!).  I’ve seen the confidence building, fear facing, and creative discipline that my daughters continue to learn from being students at Lakehouse and so I know first-hand the impact of the work that Jon and his team do. My girls play the Big Gig, which is a concert put on by groups of students who become bands. They study together and perform 2x a year at real music venues in Asbury Park. The young students get the experience of the big gig and it’s an awesome teachable moment for parents and guardians to share with their kids. I remember a really poignant conversation with my daughter Hari before the most recent Big Gig. She was having a hard time and didn’t want to go back to the stage. I got to connect with her and let her know, “You’re going to feel empowered each time you go up there.” I smiled at her and reminded her, “The first time is only the first time.” She and the rest of Fire Jam Hockey rocked that show, of course. 

The Lakehouse Effect

Lakehouse allows its students to fill themselves with the energy of others, to feed off of the energy of bandmates and the audience, to face and feel the butterflies, to confront the feeling of “less than”, and to rise and grow in new ways. Jon and his team provide opportunities for challenge, for growth, for feelings and nerves. But afterward, it is a high and it is pretty darn amazing. The Lakehouse captures that same energy in how they curate and run the school itself and the building which the studio calls home.

LakeHouse And The Asbury Park Music Foundation

Aside from the adrenaline and growth fostered in lessons, band practice, and Big Gig experiences, Lakehouse’s non-profit, partners with Asbury Park Music Foundation and is active in the community. Lakehouse has a Hip-Hop Bus fitted-out with the latest technology. This bus goes to the local Boys and Girls Club, for example, and teaches kids there things like concert lighting, sound, and tech. This is an awesome opportunity for people different abilities and the same love of music to be involved in the music creation and performance process.

Behind The Scenes And In The Spotlight

We may know that there are many people involved in the orchestration of the music, from producers to lighting techs. What sets Lakehouse apart is that Jon and his team give young people in the community, who may not have exposure to these sorts of things, the chance to explore these things in a very real, very powerful way. Young people in Asbury Park are no longer on the sidelines of the music in their town because of a lack of confidence, exposure, or financial resources: They are an active and meaningful group of contributors to that music culture. The music comes to them and they, in turn, become a part of the music.

Music Culture And The Future of Asbury Park

Jon and his team have truly become stewards of music culture and creativity in Asbury Park and have brought about meaningful change in regard to how members of the community interact with and access music and music education. One of the big reasons I selected Lakehouse as one of my organizations to donate to through the cookbook is because I draw distinct parallels between what I do for food and what Jon does for music. In each of our approaches to our passions we choose to act in a social conscious, community-focused manner.

Jon’s brought music education to the people of Asbury Park and has knocked down barriers of all kinds in order to ensure more equitable access to a key facet of the city’s culture. When I reflect on my own work with Food For Thought By The Sea, I note that I’ve worked to do the same thing for food and hospitality. In my blog about Kula Café (read it here) I also explore how that venture has given Interfaith Neighbors and I the opportunity to address a need in our community as well. What I’ work to do for food, I believe Lakehouse works to do for music and that is a beautiful, powerful passion that Jon and I share for the people, culture, and future of Asbury Park.

Looking For Your Next Set List?

• To learn more about Lakehouse, click here .

• To pick up your copy of my new cookbook and contribute to amazing organizations like Lakehouse, click here .

Feed This Community Spotlight: Kula Cafe And Kula Urban Farm

Kula, Ideas, And Community Transformation

Have you ever had a thought, idea or dream, that just would not cease to pull at your heart, drawing you in? It’s filling you with passion, determination, creativity, and fulfillment, even if it doesn’t even exist yet? That’s how I felt about the Kula Café and I can’t wait to describe the Café and its work to you today.

Several years ago, I went to my friends at Interfaith Neighbors and I told them that I had the idea to do training café for front of house work. I’d seen that young adults in our community didn’t have opportunities to work in restaurants. At that time a lot of restaurants were opening and this meant great job opportunity, if young people had the confidence and training in hospitality.

The Empowering Experience Of Training And Working In Hospitality

I am a firm believer in the power of training people in the work of hospitality because it can build confidence, communication skills, and leadership skills. It’s been my experience that if you can communicate in a way to makes people feel good you’re going to find success in what you do. Training in hospitality offers access to a great skill set where people learn to manage themselves in a business, acting a sort of independent contractor in the moment. You have your section, your tasks, and you’re running that part of the business in that moment. I feel that if young people learn these skills they will learn to feel good about themselves and they will then take that into whatever career they pursue. Whether they work in retail, in an office, in a warehouse, in a school, they can take those skills, those abilities, and that confident communication, into that job and create success.

Coffee, Hot Chocolate, And The Common Good

When I had the idea for Kula Café, I found that there was not much of that front-of-house training, at least not in my neighborhood. I also knew that, while I loved cooking, not everyone wants be a cook and that is a different skillset all together.

When we began, Interfaith Neighbors and I went out into the community to give coffee and hot chocolate to people and businesses in town. The next step was to want to have people in community give to community.  There was a good deal of gang activity in Asbury but when the hot chocolate and coffee came by, people of every walk of life would come together to share a cup.

 This became a time where we realized we all wanted the same things, we just went about them in different ways. Someone might not want to interact with different gangs but both parties want a cup of coffee. So, for a time they’re willing and able to share that space with people whose experience is different than their own. This kind of community effort brings different people together. After the coffee and hot chocolate experience, Interfaith loved the as-yet-unnamed-idea and took it on. 

Asking “What’s Next?” And Answering In A Big Way

I had just left politics, and my husband Scott and I discussed the next chapter of our personal lives (Do we want kids? Do we want to move? What’s next?)

For me, travel has always been something I love and I’d always wanted to go on a women’s surf meditation trip. It just so happened that one was available and affordable at that time and so I went to Maui on a retreat that was sponsored by the surf brand Carve.

I was there. I was soaking in the Maui sun and so I headed to our first meditation. The topic of that first meditation was on the idea of Kula. Kula is the Hawaiian concept of a community of the heart (We wrap around our community with a passion for that community.) I loved my surf retreat experience (To read more about it, click here ) and returned to Asbury Park with a revitalized spirit, and a name for this place for Interfaith Neighbors: We decided to call it Kula Café.

Kula And Community Impact

 I know it’s not a Jersey word, but it is a beautiful word and a beautiful representation of what Kula offers the community and its people. Kula Café empowers the community grow, to strengthen itself, and to believe in itself.

The Kula Café has since been joined by Kula Urban Farm (right beside The Kula Cafe) where greens, microgreens, and edible flowers are grown. They’re then sold and delivered to local restaurants. Kula Urban Farm offers access to locally grown organic produce. The Farm’s work means that more people in the community are involved in knowing where their produce comes from, how it feels, and perhaps even what it means to want to pursue a career in some form related to that sort of work.  

This work may mean that people, who may not otherwise be exposed to such things, might explore careers in urban farming, horticulture, landscaping, and other related areas. The Café and The Farm are giving the people of Asbury Park the opportunity to discover passion they may not have been Intune with otherwise.

Igniting Passion Through Experience

Thinking about Kula Café And Kula Urban Farm brings me back to the first time I ever cooked at Oshin. It’s an understatement to say that something was just ignited in me. I know that it was a transformative moment and yet, I am also aware that we don’t always know where that passion will come from. Exposing community youth to new things will be of benefit to them because they will have the opportunity to explore things, all sorts of things:  From the beach, to business, to the chance to find desire in ways that were not always full available to the prior generation. When we find ways to provide these opportunities we give everyone in our community a way to look forward to what lies ahead.

A Leap Of Faith And The Kula Movement

Kula Café brings in a youthful demographic to explore something that excites and inspires them. The Café is a new, stable, and grounding place for the west side of Asbury.

This area is also experiencing the development of new gardens, parks, and affordable housing. It’s a transformation that has just begun with Interfaith Neighbors taking on this project and taking on this corner of the community.  Interfaith’s work, and my own, has convinced me that it only takes one person or group to take that leap of faith and hope that others follow.

That leap of faith, when made with amazing partners like Interfaith Neighbors, creates a movement.

Kula is The Café.
Kula is The Movement.

What’s Next? 

• To learn more about Kula Café and Kula Urban Farm, click here

• To learn more about Interfaith Neighbors, click here

• To pick up your copy of my new cookbook and support amazing organizations like Interfaith Neighbor’s Kula Café And Kula Urban Farm, click here

Feed This Community

Feed This Community: My Life Immersed in Food & Community With a Dash of Fun!

Marilyn And The Many, Many Hats

I tend to wear a lot of hats. I’m a chef, mom, community builder, entrepreneur, surfer, world traveller... and the list goes on. I've run restaurants, helped to organize community members to visit disaster-impacted areas in other countries, and created a non-profit. I've traveled the world, cooked across several continents, and taught people around the world about elevated hospitality. Like I said, I've worn many hats. But the craziest thing about writing to you all today is I can now add author to that list of hats.

I struggled a bit with this "writer" moniker at first.  "I'm not a writer." I'd argue to myself. But it's getting harder and harder to make that argument now that the book is in my hands.

One of my hats, as I mentioned, is that I'm a mother. I have two silly, sassy, awesome daughters. And it's always been important to me that I not set limits on their potential. So, I'm learning that I also need not limit my own potential either.  And I'm growing. I'm learning.I'm breaking down my own preconceptions of my "limits" each day and I hope we all learn to do the same. This book, as it rests beside me on the table, is evidence of my potential and I am so excited to share it with you!

Today I'll give you a glimpse into Feed This Community. I'll share where you can pick up your copy and share how doing so will make an impact in the community.

Feed This Community: The Cookbook For People Who Crave Something More Than A Cookbook

Writing this book was, as many authors tritely (and rightly) say, "a labor of love". I was driven to create a new way to give back to the communities I love, including my own (more on that in a bit...). I knew a cookbook could help me do that, but I've never thought of myself as a writer in the formal sense. And, as a self-taught chef who favors flavor over formality, a predictable recipe book seemed out of alignment with who I am. Even so, there is a certain magic in doing the impossible. I knew how to make a cookbook. I had read recipes in hundreds. But I found the challenge and the magic, not in making "a cookbook", but in creating MY cookbook.

The process of creating my cookbook was one of learning the rules and breaking them. Much like my experience as a chef and entrepreneur, I learned the formulas and the boundaries. I knew that I could make one of those  "family style" large serving cookbooks. I could make a cookbook focused on a specific meal, like dinner. I could even make a cookbook driven by a particular type of food, like seafood. We've all seen those formulas used by some amazing chefs. There is nothing wrong with those formulas nor the people who use them. But I knew those kinds of cookbooks worked. I knew that I might one day create something like that. Heck, I was even pretty sure that, if I made one like that, it might really sell!  But I also knew, deep down, that this was not my path. Not for my first cookbook. I knew that this book was different. I knew that it must be different. And I could not wait!

In Feed This Community I cover everything from the perfect tools to use in your kitchen, to how to create some lovely lavender truffles. I'll teach you to pour that perfect Sazerac, how you can craft a mouth-watering lobster enchilada with mole that is to-die-for,  and I'll explain what Australians call breakfast (and how I feel about it.). By the time you finish Chapter 7 you'll have a pile delectable restaurant recipes in your back pocket. (And you'll know what it means when patrons and friends call one of my restaurants "the mothership".) Needless to say, when you pick up my cookbook, you get a hearty helping of Marilyn along with it.

With all of its stories insights and thoughtful tips, you're sure to find your reason to keep on reading. So, while it is a cookbook in the legal sense, (There are recipes you'll adore and you'll learn to make them!) this one is unlike any other recipe book that may line your shelves at home.

Another Reason To Pick Up The Book: Feed This Community Gives Back To The Community

One of the first things I thought about when I decided to create a cook book was, "Who can I help by doing this?"  It's just how my mind works. And I don't just want to raise money. Money's great, of course. But I want make an impact, create change, and raise awareness. So, whether you're gifted with time, with money, or with both,  I invite you to pick up a copy of Feed This Community. When you do, you'll be supporting twelve amazing organizations. You can learn more about them here (LINK).

These organizations and the people who work in and with them each day are helping to create strong, thriving, creative, and connected communities. These organizations have dedicated themselves, in many different ways, to this connection and it is a true privilege to use the sales of my book to support each of their missions and visions.

Charity comes from a selfless place and we can foster good in our communities with small, selfless, and charitable acts. I know this is true because I've been lucky enough to live it. And today I invite you to grab your cookbook and put your charitable kindness into action too!

Where To Get Your Copy

You can pick up your copy of Feed This Community in person at:

Words! Book Store

623 Cookman Ave

Asbury Park, NJ 07712

Or

Langosta Lounge

1000 Ocean Ave

Asbury Park, NJ 07712

You can order your copy online at:  https://www.marilynschlossbach.com/cookbook

The Story Continues...

I’m stoked that you can now grab your copy of my cookbook!

Be sure to check out the second part of this post here and learn more about the organizations who will receive the proceeds from the sale of my book.

Oh, and don't forget to pick up your copy of the cookbook here!

Frogs And Fishes,

Marilyn

Feed This Community: The Organizations Receiving Book Sale Donations

Feed This Community: The Organizations Receiving Book Sale Donations

Today I’d like you to meet the organizations with which the sales price of my book will be shared. These organizations offer so much time, attention, service, kindness, and support to their local communities and supporting them is a small way to give back a piece of what they’ve offered their communities and the world. It's an awesome honor to give back and I invite you to do the same.

When you purchase my book you are providing support to these awesome organizations and to the communities they serve. You are making an effort to Feed This Community!

If you’re interested in getting your copy now click here.
To read my recent post about the cookbook itself, click here.

Now on to our amazing organizations!

Kula Café

Kula Cafe is a social enterprise addressing high unemployment and mismatched training and employment market needs in the Asbury Park area. Encompassing a workplace skills training program, the cafe operates as a business and community gathering place for the West Side neighborhood. Every meal purchased by patrons generates revenue which supports the Kula Cafe’s ongoing mission.
I mentioned the genesis of Kula Cafe in my blog about my Maui surfing retreat. You can check that out here:
You can also learn more about Kula Cafe and plan your visit here:

Mary’s Place By The Sea

Mary’s Place By The Sea has a beautiful mission. Mary’s place seeks to provide a place for women to heal from cancer: mind, body, and soul. It was created in 2009 to give women a place to go during and after treatment to quiet themselves, breathe easier, listen to their bodies, nourish their souls, and gain a new perspective on their Dis-Ease. They weave carefully thought-out services such as oncology massage, reiki therapy, nutritional counseling, journaling and one-on-one counseling into a 1-3 day free program individualized for each guest. They are embraced and supported by our community and have now served over 4,000 women from the tri-state region! Each day is a gift to be surrounded by so many courageous people.

You can learn more about Mary’s Place By The Sea by visiting their site here.

The Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties (Fulfill NJ)

The Food Bank of Monmouth And Ocean Counties is the primary provider of food and services to a network of over 300 partner agencies. together, we support more than 10 million meals annually including 1.8 million pounds of fresh produce. We serve individuals and families in need and reach 1 in 10 people in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The  Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to alleviate hunger and build food security in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. We receive the highest ranking of 4 stars from Charity Navigator and are a member of Feeding America. Ninety-six cents out of every dollar raised supports food and programs. A $1 donation can provide up to 3 meals. The goal is to feed the food lines and shorten them.
You can learn more about the Food Bank here.

Community Affairs And Resource Center

The CARCNJ mission makes mention of the organization’s desire to empower their community and grow strong youth and families by promoting self-sufficiency. This mission is pursued through education, advocacy, and collaboration.  This mission is accomplished by the implementation of a variety of approaches including domestic violence victims assistance, health services, homelessness prevention programs, youth programs, and more. For example, we offer resources to domestic violence victims by providing advocacy, assistance and various support services. Our education and class-related resources are still growing and we also offer a youth program through Red Bank Regional High School. We offer a number of homelessness prevention programs including utility assistance, grants, and food stamp assistance.
Check out all the amazing information and resources that CARCNJ offers here .

The Surfrider Foundation

The Surfrider Foundation dedicates itself to protecting and enjoying the world’s waves, oceans, and beaches. The mission is driven and pursued through a powerful activist network. The Surfrider mission involves engaging environmental experts to develop solutions, engaging local and national resources, protecting the coals, and using local Surfrider chapters understanding with a national perspective. Surfrider uses 84 cents of every dollar donated directly in its programs and campaigns. In addition, 13 cents becomes invested in generating future donations. Three cents is provided to cover administrative and operating costs. Every cent is truly used to move toward the Surfrider vision of fully protected coasts.

To learn more about Surfrider visit them here.  

The Center in Asbury Park, Inc.

The Center in Asbury Park, Inc. is a not-for-profit service organization made up of volunteers who proved support services for people who are living with HIV/Aids and their caregivers. The Center offers its clients and volunteers a safe haven in order to instill a sense of community and stability in their lives.  The center offers housing, nutrition, and education services along with referrals, transportation, and other relevant services. Housing programs include a residence for 25 individuals living with HIV/Aids, emergency housing for people without permanent housing, and rental and utility subsidies to prevent people from becoming homeless. Nutrition-related services include meals to go, a food pantry, Sunday dinners each month, and daily lunch programs. The center provides empowering referral services and transportation for relevant medical needs. The Center offers all of these things in order to provide care, respect, and stability to all who make use of their resources.

You can learn more about The Center here.

Purr’n Pooch Foundation For Animals

The Purr’n Pooch Foundation For Animals offers grants to, no-kill animal and marine mammal rescue and welfare organizations and non-profits. The grants awarded are to be used for the day-to-day operations of those resources. They offer emergency relief, spay/neuter efforts, and veterinary care. The Foundation also provides veterinary care, construction vehicle purchases, construction services, educational programs, and other project resources. The Foundation raises funds through fun special events for all ages, people, and pets. Events like a run/walk, a dog-friendly gala, and collection drives help to provide funds for grantmaking work for the Foundation. One of it’s most beloved events is the Foundation Grantee Breakfast. There, the unsung heroes of charities spend time in friendship and celebration and are presented with their grants.

To find out more about Purr’n Pooch Foundation For Animals visit the site here.

Clean Ocean Action

Clean Ocean Action’s goal is to improve the water quality in waters off of the New Jersey/New York coast. The goal is pursued using research, education, and action by citizens to empower others and to convince elected officials to clean and protect the oceans. This strong coalition of one-hundred-and-twenty environmental, student, women, business, and other groups works to identify pollution sources and address these sources. Whether it be through research, public action, or political action, Clean Ocean Action works to clean and protect the coast an oceans every day.
To find out more about Clean Ocean action check them out here.

Lakehouse Music Academy

Lakehouse Music Academy is a progressive music school that offers group performances and individual student lessons. Lakehouse's programs are committed to the development of comprehensive musicianship for every student at each level, regardless of age. Lakehouse Music Academy desires to engage and enrich student’s experience with the promotion of composition, collaboration, scholarship, and performance.  Lakehouse values their community and the ability of music to improve the human condition. The team teaches around the needs and strengths of each student and aims to build a community where any musician can feel at home.

Lakehouse Music Academy is active in our local community supporting live music and live music venues as well and encouraging its students to be dedicated and creative in their musical endeavors. Lakehouse’ offsite programming includes a Hip Hop Institute at the  Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County in Asbury Park where students can explore three programs that explore record label basics, audio engineering, and hip hop dance. Offsite programming in conjunction with The Asbury Park Music Heritage Foundation provides underprivileged youth in our area access to wonderful music instruction where there had not been a program The after-school component also serves to ensure the safety and engagement of at-risk youth.  

To review all of Lakehouse’s off-site resources you can click here .

The Boys And Girls Clubs of Monmouth County

The Boys And Girls Clubs of Monmouth County offer safe places for youth in Monmouth County to receive programs and services that support them in reaching their full potential.  The Boys And Girls Clubs offer safe environments, hope, opportunity, personal and character-development programs, and offer supportive and on-going relationships with caring and dependable adults. Young people who need it most receive engaging programs and supportive interactions in order to develop their sense of themselves as productive, caring, and responsible people.  

To learn more about the  Boys And Girls Clubs of Monmouth County click here.

Waves For Water

Waves For Water works to provide clean drinking water to communities in need around the world. The organization has also coordinated disaster relief efforts in Indonesia and Haiti. Post-tsunami relief has been offered in Japan, Pakistan, Brazil, and here in the US(including after Hurricane Sandy). Waves For Water works with world leaders and their strategic partners to make global change a reality. Waves For Water was founded by Jon Rose.  I mention Waves For Water in my Nicaragua blog which you can find here.
To learn more about the work that Waves For Water Accomplishes you can click here.

Food For Thought By The Sea

Food For Thought By The Sea develops creative outlets, social awareness, and positive learning environments for today’s youth. The organization’s philanthropic endeavors are achieved through programs that foster healthy relationships and learning opportunities that aid in life-long development.

If you’re ready to learn more visit Food For Thought By The Sea here.

Wave of Balance

Snow in March and Dinner In Nicaragua

I woke up this morning thinking about balance. I found myself thinking about how much I will appreciate warm summer days after icy and bitingly-cold ones like today. There's a certain joy that comes when the weather breaks because a cycle is ending, another is beginning, and new joys are coming. Even as I sit here with snow coming down in March, I couldn’t be more excited for the spring. There’s an electricity in me that can’t wait to share something awesome with you!

The “Not So Well” Wellness Cycle

I guess I should see if you’re going to be as excited as I am, right? Only seems fair. So, let me ask you: Have you ever wished to be calmer? Less stressed? Have you ever wished to feel more energized or more focused?

If you’re anything like me, you have. And maybe you tried things like caffeine or energy drinks. Maybe you got into the cycle of taking something to help you sleep and in the morning something to wake you up and get your energy or mood in check.

Maybe this cycle works for a few weeks but then you skip a coffee, get a migraine, spend an unproductive afternoon on the couch, and try again the next day.

Or maybe you’re a Rockstar at keeping this cycle. You grab a coffee on your way to work, pop a melatonin in the evening and repeat the next day. Sure, you could keep this going, but it’s not got you feeling all that healthy. You just don’t feel like it’s adding to your wellness routine at all.

You may find yourself in a “keep it going” cycle. The thing about that cycle is that it’s often giving you a sort of “take A for this symptom and B for this symptom” approach. It’s not giving you what we need to have healthy and sustainable mood, energy, and focus. It doesn’t have you feeling balanced. It doesn’t have you riding the waves of life and it doesn’t have to be that way anymore.

You can choose to feel more balanced in your energy, focus, and mood each day.

I know, because I had a dinner in Nicaragua once. And that dinner and it changed my life.

About That Dinner In Nicaragua

So, I found myself at dinner in Nicaragua one evening discussing food, of course, with some friends ( To read more about this amazing trip click here).

I had been to an awesome little smoothie bar earlier that day and had grabbed myself something new to try. I asked my friends what they knew about the stuff they put in my smoothie. It was this “new-to-me” food called Moringa.

An Impromptu Moringa Lesson

I was expecting the usual “It’s the newest fad for the tourists,” or “It’s glorified kale,” . I was expecting something to let me know that I had fallen into a tourist trap of sorts. But what I found was my friends telling me about the superfood that landed in my smoothie. They mentioned how growing it gives work to the farming community. They described how it was full of antioxidants and loaded with nutrients.

At dinner I learned that Moringa helps battle malnutrition in other countries. It offers sustainable farming opportunities in Nicaragua. And it's also a daily tool for energy, focus, and mood elevation.

I learned that those who grow Moringa (and those who use it daily) call it the “Tree of Life”. It definitely earned that name. It’s this superfood tree that grows fast, is super leafy, resists drought and loves warm climates. So, Moringa is often a tool for addressing malnutrition in the developing world.

Moringa is full of bioactive plant compounds and current research explores Moringa's application to antibiotic and cancer treatment, its impact on blood pressure, its impact on immune response, and how it addresses blood sugar response.

Current research aside, there are some things I do know:

Moringa is overflowing with antioxidants, energy-boosting power, an ability to help with GI balance.

The Birth of Wave of Balance

That was enough to have this community-conscious chef excited, but it got even better. My friends knew a local Moringa farmer and I began to get the feeling that this was meant to be. I met with this farmer one afternoon in Nicaragua and also met a man by the name of Mr. Soon that day too. Mr. Soon and I hit it off so well that he and I began a business relationship. We were ready to bring Moringa back to our home countries.

It was then that I created Wave of Balance, a Moringa supplement company with a conscience.

When I first decided to bring Wave of Balance to my little corner of the world, I gave out samples to friends and loved ones. I thought I’d have to check in with them in a few months to see how they were doing. But what happened instead is that they began to tell me what was going on with them.

Some felt a little pep in their step and others said they were sleeping better. Some reported their skin felt smoother and others had made it through the winter without a bout of the flu. Moringa (with its antioxidants and nutrients) was helping them. It was addressing their greatest areas of imbalance. While that’s awesome for them, now it’s your turn.

Wave of Balance: Cutting Through The Noise On Your Way To Wellness

You have so many choices when it comes to your daily routine. And there can be a lot of noise out in the world telling you what you need to live a life full of wellness.

Wave of Balance is here to cut through that noise and offer you a simple way to care for your body every day.

If you’re ready to give Wave of Balance’s Moringa Line a try click here.

Looking for a delicious way to use your Wave of Balance Moringa Powder? Click here to grab the recipe for a magical Moringa smoothie.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua: Beautiful Memories, Wildlife Conservation Adventures, And A Clear Clean Water Community Mission

Nicaragua is a place that continues to hold a revered place in my heart and in the hearts of my family.

I fell in love with Nicaragua after connecting with a friend who had family there. My family and I have grown closer to these friends and our memories with them are some of my favorites. As our families became closer, their niece who has traveled with us each time we are in Nicaragua, would watch the girls for us when needed. Needless to say, our twin daughters have been going to Nicaragua with us, of course, since they were very young and we know they’ve grown to love our trips there as much as we have.

As with any place that holds your heart, I’ve become truly committed to the people of Nicaragua. We bought land there and my non-profits have worked to enhance the lives of the people there as well. Food For Thought By The Sea worked with Waves For Water to supply water filters to the people of Nicaragua. There is a Section of Waves For Water called Restaurants For Water on their site and this organization serves to deliver these filters. There are projects going on all along the Pacific coast there. From Chancletas in the north to Tola in the south and along the Caribbean coast, in the jungle outside of Blue Fields.

I’ve traveled there to connect with the indigenous people of Nicaragua that speak forgotten languages, live in places with no automobiles, and have forged self-sustaining cultures complete with shopping and all manners of daily living.

I’ve traveled to a research center where they are studying the tapir, an animal that looks to me like wild boar with a horse head. They’re almost extinct, and I was lucky enough to see the project to get them to reproduce and grow their population. These intriguing animals are almost prehistoric looking and without this project, they’d be completely gone.

Chris Jordan was one of the people who work on the project and he traveled with me. I was soon grateful for his company because it was an adventure just to get there: We took a boat through the pearl river, and the boat engine died. We found ourselves nowhere near anything, truly terrified, with no cell service. We overcame our fear and got the engine going. Moving again we went to Pearl Lagoon for lunch (a delicious and well-earned fish meal) and then took another boat to the jungle. From there we took a horseback ride for 45 minutes and hiked from there another 45 minutes to the research center. After the research center we too another 45-minute horseback ride and 45-minute hike to where they were bringing the water-filters to a school.

The excursions were quite exciting but there were other joys on the trips I took to Nicaragua, including the exposure to a completely new culture. I loved going to surf and enjoy the beautiful beaches, watching volcanoes at night erupting in the distance. Climbing those volcanoes on the lake during the day was also nearly indescribable.

Lake Nicaragua is the only fresh water lake with oceanic animal life, sharks, swordfish and the like and it is one of the most breathtaking places to which I’ve ever been.

 Whether we spent the day sailing, hiking, or slack-lining between palm trees outside a local bar, we often found ourselves enjoying huge fresh-caught fish at lunch and dinner. While I enjoyed my fair share of fish and other fare, no trip of mine is ever truly complete without exploring and learning to make a local specialty or two. Nicaragua has so much to offer in this department and so much of it will be new to an American palate.  On my trips I love to learn to make a local dish and in Nicaragua that meant Nacatamales and Pili’s cheese cake. I learned to make them from Antonia, the woman who cares for the house that I rent there.  Pili taught me to make her passionfruit cheesecake/panna cotta hybrid in the kitchen of her own restaurant I brought that recipe and memory back and you can find it served at Langosta Lounge in the summer.

Nicaragua is an infinitely beautiful and memorable place for my family and I. It is a place where we go to explore and enjoy and to be of service and we would encourage you to make your own journey there. Should you take my advice, I promise you’ll never look at palm trees, volcanoes, clean drinking water or cheesecake the same way again.

New Year And New Wine

Welcoming Change and Some Vinho Verde

The New Year Is Upon Us….

I hope to bring you a sense of adventure and exploration with this blog so that you can get out there and explore!

Welcome to the beginning of change at Langosta Lounge. Though the seasonal shift pulls us like the tides outside our windows, here on Ocean Ave, most of my inspiration for change comes from my travels.

I recently returned from a visit to Portugal. One of the biggest takeaways from my trip was that I can slow down and savor the moment. When we take the time to slow down and savor the moment, we open up the opportunity to take in new experiences. Two of my favorite experiences to savor are good food and good wine. Both of which were found in abundance in Portugal.

In Portugal, the dairy is unpasteurized and GMO free. This gave the cheese an amazing flavor - even the milk in our coffee seemed to bring our morning cuppa to this heightened sense of umami. Unfortunately, we can’t replicate this delicious experience here in the U.S. But we can bring back some of the wine!

While in Portugal we attended the Wine in Azores festival where over 25 Azorean wines were showcased. There, I had some of the best vinho verde I’ve ever had and you can now come on in and sample my latest find at Langosta Lounge!

The popular misconception about vinho verde is that it’s a grape. But it’s actually a region in Portugal. The Vinho Verde wine region starts just below the Portuguese-Spanish border, and extends all the way to the coastal city of Porto in northwest Portugal.

Vinho Verde is created mostly by a blend of grapes found in the region. The wines can be red or white. In the states, white vinho verdes are most popular. White vinho verdes are light, crisp, and most widely known for their effervescence.

The way vinho verde opens your palette and leaves your mouth watering makes it a perfect accompaniment to the holidays - as it will keep you gobbling up all your delicious turkey and stuffing and other winter meal treats!

Now that I’ve got you craving something new, delicious, and delightful: Come in to Langosta Lounge to try my favorite  Vinho Verde and share in my memory of the wonder of Portugal! You may even find yourself setting off on an adventure to the wine’s native land so you can make a vinho verde memory of your own!

Virginia Food Adventures

Do you know how many times I have wandered upon a restaurant that my initial thought is "remember Marilyn, it's not about the food, the decor, the music, the ambience - it's about the company"?

Honestly, I enter the space knowing I am not here to be wowed and then surprise! Something on the menu changes my mind, even if it is only that one dish... Now I am not a mollusk lover by any means and though I wholeheartedly support my local clam and oyster fisherman, I dare to slurp on one.

We recently took a 2-day journey down to the Rappahannock in Virginia to see our favorite aunt and uncle and relax on the river with family. We took the boat out for some lunch with our girls and oysters are the way to go. I ordered some land lubber safety net dish and a delicious cold Sculpin Grapefruit for a sunny day but there was something on the menu luring me in. I asked if Aunt Marie and Uncle Frank enjoy oysters and of course they did! They live on a sail boat for Pete’s sake... “Great!” I thought, “I will order these and you’ll eat them and tell me what you think… because boy do they sound awesome!”. The delicacy in question really did sound divine: Grilled oysters with bourbon and chipotle BBQ. Now, not only did I try one but we had a second plate... I know. I know. Sure, they were grilled and covered in gooey sauce. But at least I am now stepping into uncharted oyster territory.

Baby steps!