Tammy vs." Alice in-wonderland"...

Hello everyone. I am back from putting my blog on the back burner for a while. I have been busy getting our garden planted and building our new company website with Dixie (-business partner, for those of you who don’t know her), as well as prepping a new film. I have had a rough sugar month, and even though we have been eating clean and well in general, my sugar consumption has NOT been at a minimum. Now that Easter is behind me, I vow to be on the ball with this. I have to forgive myself and move forward, but I am very disappointed that I don’t have some progress to report with sugar. I will cover the next two rules next time (in a few days), but for now I need to talk about the bigger picture again, as I bring up an observation I recently had.

Last Friday, something happened that got me all fired up. I started writing this blog entry the next morning. Then I thought I would give it some time, and I would back down a little and maybe not “go there”, but then an article in the newspaper from a week prior was brought to my attention (one that brought up similar commentary). Even more so, as the week has gone on, my feelings only became stronger and I need to get this off my chest. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that what I observed is especially one of the reasons why more people are not on board with eating better, and it really upset me. I know I have been away from my blog for a while, and I am sorry to return with controversy and something that some of you may not like to hear or agree with....but here it goes.

That Friday night, the “Mother” of eating sustainable real food herself, Alice Waters was on “Real Time with Bill Maher.” What she has done and continues to do is good thing, but as Lee and I sat there and watched it, we were stunned and disappointed at how she came across, and how little she resonated with us (and I have had a similar observation before, but it didn’t “click” in my head until now). I cannot imagine that anyone other than the group of people who already know about her and already eat well (a majority of which can afford to eat at her restaurant in Berkeley) were impressed by her.

The people that really need to be moved and changed need to be moved and convinced to change! Going on shows like Bill Maher, are a chance to get the message across. Bill asked “how do you feel about microwaves, and her reply was “I don’t know how to relate to it...I need fire”, in some affected talking style that frankly, came across as condescending. I nearly came unglued. What kind of answer is that? Elaborate a little, “Alice-in-wonderland”, and explain it in a way that makes us want to listen (i.e. the high % of people who cook with microwaves that are watching)!! If she wants people to change their eating habits, which she supposedly does, we need to be able to RELATE to the “messenger” or at the very least, be MOTIVATED, and I cannot possible see how anyone who already hasn’t changed their eating ways, would want to after watching her interview. Sorry to begrudge her accomplishments, but I am even more sorry to say, “that was just too flat, uninspired and ‘out there’ of an interview at this stage of the food crisis that is upon us, especially being in the position that she is to help fix it” -And coming across as an airy-fairy snob isn’t going to help, or impress anyone. I take this very serious and personal, considering the message is IMPORTANT, and I happen to be someone who is trying to contribute to the communication about food in a way that doesn’t make people say an unenthusiastic “yeah... right...whatever.” It makes me wonder what her real M.O. actually is. I mean, someone who actually wants the food revolution to grow and to have an affect on the mindset of the country should actually communicate and INSPIRE that , wouldn’t you say? In fact, seeing interviews like that are what prevent people from caring. Ironically, I know Michael Pollan knows her and is her friend and fan, but HE actually conveys the message about our food crisis in a way that makes sense and even better, makes you want to DO something...(eh-hem, as in “that’s why I created this blog!!”)

Look, I know AW “is who she is”, “everyone plays their part”, yatta, yatta...and you cannot just become someone you are not, personality-wise. Ok, fine. I most certainly respect her and who she is for what she has done, but this country is in crisis with food, and the people that are voicing the changes that need to be made, need to be a little more dynamic and sincere, and RELATABLE for ALL people to want to step up and do it. If her interviews are going to be like that one was, then she shouldn’t bother. I’d be willing to bet an uncomfortably high number of people just forwarded through their recording of that show, to get past her and move on to the next guest. That’s just sad.

So after a necessary absence from this blog, I am BACK, and more wound up than ever...can you tell? With the bad taste Ms. Waters “left in my mouth”, I think it is appropriate for me to re-cap and clarify my intentions in order for me to get my momentum back on track.

I am actually GLAD that my attention was drawn to a lackluster message that night, and it added fuel to my cause. I started this blog to help me and my husband change our eating for the better and to be a positive participant of the the food revolution. HOWEVER, I most definitely also started this blog to BE someone REAL that people can relate to and to contribute to the food revolution by using my abundance of many friends and family as a way to get the word out and help infect others with food consciousness. I happen to make a decent living, and I work long, hard hours when the movie and television industry is busy. Let me really make this clear- I, by no means, am in a position, either financially or mentally or time-wise, to just change over to eating clean and sustainably overnight, and unless I am delirious, I am pretty sure the majority of people aren’t either. I am doing this as a regular person...not someone who makes oodles of money or someone who has a career that focuses on food. Nor do I think it is realistic to think that everyone has the ability, financial, climate and time-wise, to either grow their own vegetables, or to support local farmers, other than the states that have warm enough weather year round (which I am pretty sure is not the majority of the states). I chose to do this, because along with helping myself, I felt a responsibility to get the message across to the people I know, and I will be honest- I hope to gather 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 degrees of separation followers as well, so that this food revolution can actually happen! The regular people actually making positive changes in how they eat can be the spokespeople and pay it forward/spread the word. So I actually thank Ms. Waters’ for leaving me less than impressed the other night. She made it even more clear what my purpose is and she even kicked my goals up a few notches.

PS- Alice Waters has an idea to get the government, via taxpayers, to give every child in school free healthy breakfast lunch and an afternoon snack. I wish her the best of luck with that. Jamie Oliver is grabbing the food revolution by the “you know whats” and has his show “Food Revolution” that focusses on kids and how and what they are eating and learning about food in school. He is a rock star in this food crisis, and I pray that his efforts work. Dealing with children and their nutrition is, of course, a hugely important part of the food epidemic. While I know getting the kids on board and educating them is essential, my angle is with us grown-ups. The way I see it- unless you have little Johnny or Suzy doing the food shopping and driving the car through the drive-thru’s, it is up to us adults to set the example for not only just kids, but our fellow grown ups ! I know it's "easier said than done", but we have to start somewhere, and just chip away at it right?

The bottom line for me: I feel if more and more people jump on the band wagon and put their feet down to bad food and eat healthier, I truly believe the “real food vs. bad food” gap will narrow and bring us closer to delicious, good, healthy food being more readily available and/or affordable...and I’ll throw in having us be a country with less health problems as a result of that, while I’m at it!

PPS. - In case you are interested, here is the link to click on ( LA times article ) about Alice Waters ...it is 4 pages, so make sure you click ahead to all 4 (it mysteriously doesn’t guide you to do so). I hadn't read it when I started this blog entry, but it definitely made me realize I wasn't alone.