Erika Bruhn: holistic lifestyle, nutrition and wellness coaching

Real advice to feel better.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 16:22:00 +0000

If you've landed here, you are searching for a way to feel better.

Many of us need a helping hand. Relationships, work, family, kids, health and nutrition are complex issues that are tough to navigate.
You might be someone who needs help figuring out how to transition to a more natural, organic diet. Or want a tour through a co-op to better understand what quinoa and spelt are. Or can't put your finger on why you're not feeling your best and need to figure out a different way.

You're in good company - we've all been there.

My goal is to help patients realize the best path to feel more joy. It's really that simple.

I specialize in holistic solutions to create better work life balance, and get to the root of pesky ailments like poor sleep and viral issues.

Contact me for a complimentary health consultation and learn more about the programs I offer: erikabruhn@gmail.com, or 530-570-2406.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 22:23:00 +0000

The Spicy Hipster

Recipe:

3 leaves Lacinto Kale (a.k.a. Dinosaur Kale)

1 lime

1 Apple (I prefer Honey Crisp or Fuji)

Handful of cilantro

Thumb-size cut of fresh ginger

Thumb-size cut of jalapeno

Juice up and enjoy!

Overdoing it?

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 22:50:00 +0000

Hi friends,

Did you overdo it this season? And as long as we're on that topic, what exactly does overdo it mean? This year was the first year that I kept the wheels on the track, and it felt great. I pretty much stayed the course of my way of eating, give or take a few extra glasses of wine. Plus I did a great road ride in 70 degree Santa Cruz. Lucky me!

With January is right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to join the groundswell and good energy that comes with 'wiping the slate clean' (whatever that means to you) and join a group 'cleanse'. I've actually done most of the heavy lifting already, but giving up coffee and wine are big changes for me, everything else I can easily keep in check. Any recommendations on substitutions? I could use the help -- would love to check out your ideas.

In other news, I am goal setting - are you? Are they SMART? Sorry to get all business on you, but they have to be measurable, realistic, and time bound. One cool idea I am trying out with a coach is setting aspirations around the feelings I want to have, with goals to get there. So for example, if you want to feel grounded and peaceful, one way to get there is yoga twice a week, and another way might be to buy a house. OR maybe both! I can hear the chuckles from homeowners now.....Anyways, the idea is that you can get to a feeling through a variety of methods, and the one you may have your heart set on may not be the only path. And that, I can appreciate.

Another nifty idea is a resolutions jar like this one. You could also use it to put in gratitude for all of the great things that happen to you in the year that comes. Either way, I love the feeling behind it, and well I love mason jars, so it's a match made in proverbial heaven.

In my 2013 jar there were amazing gifts:

1. I got a dog! I've wanted a dog forever and Daisy Mae is pretty much a total gift.
2. I met an amazing, amazing man who I love.
3. I switched jobs to one that aligns more closely with health and wellness which I am so grateful for.
4. I discovered green juice.
5. I worked out and did strength training at 6 am 3x week for a year - so fun.
6. I hired a life coach.
7. I hired a relationship coach (see #2 for results)
8. I hired a wardrobe consultant (word on the street is that it's an improvement so far...)
9. I bought a Vitamix!! (see #4)
10. I discovered Kris Carr and am loving her philosophy and wellness path.
11. I went on a fun mountain bike trip through one of the most epic trails around: Umpqua River in Southern Oregon.
12. I went brewery touring in Portland on folding bikes with my honey.
13. I hired another life coach to work with locally.
14. I rediscovered my crock pot.

There's many more......

Here's to a peaceful and happy new Year!

Day 1: Clean Program Cleanse (round 2!)

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 20:26:00 +0000

Well, it's official. It's fall, and that always drives me to clean house, get things in order, buy new clothes, make delicious home-cooked food, and generally nest up. Not sure why this still happens this late in adulthood, I'm realizing back to school had more of a long-lasting effect than I knew!

This month also marks my two-year mark in Chico, and my favorite time of year. What's more, I am moving onto a wonderful new job and company, with a whopping two weeks off in between to relax, ride my bike and just enjoy the moment.

These few months are just gorgeous - full of 70 degree days and blue skies - a welcome reprieve from 110 degree dog days of valley summer. The trees have started to hint of orange and yellow and it's finally cool enough at night that you need an extra blanket. Here's a shot of the bike ride I did right out of town yesterday - it's a gorgeous 30 mile ride up a side canyon with a covered bridge built in the late 1800s.

The change of seasons, so I've read, is a great time to do a little house cleaning on your diet. I've been doing a ton of research lately on food as natural medicine and am fascinated by the ways it's possible to make minor tweaks in diet that can make a major impact on overall wellness. I'm not talking Master Cleanse here, just the idea that for a few days or a few weeks, it's good to give your body a break and let it do what it needs to do (rather than spend all of its time digesting burritos and beer - uh, not that I have ever done that!).

A few incredible books that talk in great depth about the importance of cleansing and nutrition are Dr. Alejandro Junger, author of The Clean Program and Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet. These two books, combined with the movie "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" have made a profound impact on the way I eat and general lifestyle. Admittedly I did dive in, hoping to lose a few pounds, but what I got out of these was mad crazy good energy, levity, happiness, and a dramatic change in mood for the better. Who knew food choices could create these changes?

Honestly, the first 3 days were pretty challenging - for me, b/c I eliminated my crutch: coffee. Not that I drank a lot, but boy was I addicted. By the third day, I would come home from the gym, preparing myself for the possibility of a headache and the need to make green tea as some form of caffeine, and I didn't need it. By the fourth day, I was jumping out of bed before my 5:30am alarm and bounding off to the gym. Luckily my diet was relatively clean other than the coffee and red wine (and all the other snacks that "don't count" right?).

What was really fun was the exploration of new foods and snacks and a plethora of amazing cookbooks, blogs, and foodie websites all written by folks on the same path. It's opened up really interesting connections around mind/body wellness, nutrition, healing and more.

So, who knows why we go back to our old ways, but we just do sometimes. So today marks day #1 of my 21 day Clean Program. And good news: so far, no headache.

Today's run down looks like this:

- 5am Daisy Mae and I got up (I'd already been up with major insomnia the whole night)
-7am - made a Joe's Mean Green Juice (my go-to: http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/mean-green-juice )

-10am - brown rice cake with almond butter
- 12:30 - Green coconut curry with chicken, broccoli, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrots and brown rice

6pm: Dinner - Fall-inspired Pumpkin shake with almond milk, almond butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, Warrior Force Vanilla Protein Powder **note this is hemp and rice based so it will be interesting to see how this works relative to whey or soy**.

All in all, a good day, relaxing, on vacation with Daisy Mae - cooking great food, reading and enjoying the change in seasons.

Hope you all have a beautiful day and feel free to stay tuned for more info as I go along.

Erika

Put a bird on it!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 23:12:00 +0000

Last month, to round out the summer, I swung by the NW to pay my second favorite town a visit (Chico is my new home after all). My other half brought two folding bikes and we cruised around the city, well actually from brewery to brewery, let's be honest. It was really great (also a good way to work off the calories). We went to Basecamp Brewing, HopWorks, Gigantic Brewing, Cascade Brewing (sours, yum!) and well, the list goes on. That was just in one day. Everyone was so generous and took great care of us, with all the great community and vibe you'd come to expect from craft beer.

Since I left just two years ago, at least 12-15 new breweries have opened in Portland alone. It's pretty fun to see folks doing what they love to do, and making a living at it - like the guys at Hopworks making their taphandles out of Chris King components (also a great, local company).

The other great thing about Portland in addition to its love of great beer and local food at places like Broder in the Clinton District - where I had this lovely brunch beverage - is of course, it's love affair with bikes. I've never seen so many bikes in my life actually.The bike boulevards have reached a level where bikes definitely outnumber cars and on a commute home, there's the potential to be in a pack of 20 or more people heading home on a side street - pretty wild. Inner SE Portland is one of those areas, close to my house, that's become one of the most fun little neighborhoods to live and ride.

All in all, we rode 16 miles one Saturday, and 17 on Sunday - all within city limits - just checking out all of the fun food and drink. I highly recommend it. After all of that, my boyfriend was so fired up, he registered for a frame building class at the United Bicycle Institute. Now he can truly combine his love of beer (he's a brewer) with bikes.

If you need travel tips, send me a note. Happy Trails - and remember to "put a bird on it".

Trails and Silver Clouds

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 00:06:00 +0000

Well, this photo just about sums up what I mean when I say I found 'nectar'. Five days of mountain biking on great Oregon singletrack, no cell service, camping and as many stars as you could count before 9 pm when we all fell asleep. It was amazing. Thanks to www.westernspirit.com based in Moab, UT for taking us to the good stuff.

The trip was on the Umpqua River trail which travels downstream towards the coast, but the trail was anything but. I got my ego handed to me a few times having not been on my mountain bike for a few months, but all in all, I did pretty well. We rode about 17 miles of trail a day, up and down, up and down - all following the river.

I have to say, it's been a while since I sorted out my trunk in a parking lot. I used to do that a lot when I guided adventure travel trips in my 20's. It was pretty fun to reconnect with my inner dirt bag.

The first day, we camped by this beautiful lake. What a great place to swim (it had been at least 2 years since I'd swum in a river or a lake - that just seems somehow wrong).

But the day I was mostly concerned about was the 2nd day of the trip: a section of trail called "Dread and Terror" (concerned for obvious reasons, I mean who wouldn't be?). But despite the cutouts on the trail and 100 foot drops on one side, that day was actually OK. What tested me was the second to last day when I was tired, both mentally and physically - when I wanted to quit, but instead hiked, biked and did what you learn to do on tough trails...power through.

Good thing there was great food and beer at the end - and a great tent - I needed it! There were also ample waterfalls along the way and amazing variations in the terrain.

We went from the woods, to high desert and even through - you guessed it - poison oak. As you might imagine, we took some precautions, which unfortunately included black nylons which we wore daily, took off with gloves, and burned in our evening campfire. My trip mates would kill me to post these pictures cause they should probably be burned too, so I won't, but will show you the trail which was my most favorite kind of riding - high desert, rocky good fun.

The food was amazing too, thanks to great coffee and a dutch oven, which produced time honored recipes like enchiladas and half baked brownies. Yum!
All in all, I have to say, the trip just took me back to what's important: the simple stuff. Waking up with the sun, drinking great coffee, enjoying fun people, laughing, playfulness and getting great exercise. It really reawakened my spirit and though tough in spots, I fell in love with my bike all over again. Thanks Western Spirit!!

Flair

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 04:45:00 +0000

Today I wore red Keds with white dots to work and a navy shirt with white horizontal stripes. It made my Monday a lot more fun, plus I got the dorky pleasure of mismatching my clothes. Little did I know people were actually paying attention. A guy who works for me turned to me after a meeting and said that he was super stressed during part of it, then he looked down at my feet and just smiled. I guess sometimes the simple stuff makes all the difference. I can't walk down the hallway without someone looking at my shoes and saying something with 'cute' in the sentence - this is kind of unusual b/c I work in a brewery. More on that later.

I also used to have a yoga instructor who swore by her coffee ritual - she had it every morning in a champagne flute. I think that's kind of cute. Recently, I discovered Kris Carr www.kriscarr.com who drinks her daily juice out of a wine glass. Maybe there's a theme here......it definitely does the trick (hint, just tried it).

Anyway, here are the makings of my juice (before straining - sexy eh?). http://www.rawnutmilkbag.com daily.

It's a little laborious but I've convinced myself that I get more nutrients this way. I use a nut bag to strain out the pulp. It's a process and friends who come to visit look at me sideways. You could say it puts you in touch with your food! I use this one

I have also taken to a Trader Joes salad which I have a minor obsession with. Have you tried this dressing? http://www.cooktj.com/trader-joes-recipes/sweet-basil-dressing Will try it tomorrow and send along the results in a few days.

In the meantime, have a great Tuesday. I am going to recreate a few of the juice recipes from Kris Carr's new e-guide to juicing and report back. Some look pretty fantastic-o!!

Universal Truths

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 02:27:00 +0000

Have you ever experienced a time when you had a pivotal decision to make and all you wanted to do was avoid it? Seems counter-intuitive, counter-productive - a coping mechanism that is anything but.

The more I retreat, or try to go away from what I'm supposed to learn, the more it tends to hit me over the head. On the other hand, if I can just stop for a second and pay attention, the signs are all there. Call it what you want - the universe, god, karma, it's all there to teach.

Other learnings this week:

1. Maybe equals no. If something isn't a YAHOO!!!, excitement filled, can't wait to do it, then it feels vanilla and it's usually just not the right fit.
2. Your mind is a reflection of what you are putting into your body. If it's not clear, sharp and focused, it's a friendly reminder to switch things up.
3. When things flow, it just feels right. It's usually much easier than when things are strained, hard and difficult to get through.
4. Practice being thankful when handed a tough situation and ask what's there to learn, instead of asking why this 'is happening'.
5. Sometimes clarity comes when you least expect it, by going down a familiar path and remembering why you walked away in the first place. I don't think you need examples here...it's why you threw the brownies in the trash in the first place sista.
6. Momentum is key.
7. I am better (always) for working out at 6am, plain and simple.
8. The California yes is maybe, maybe is no and no is no f'ing way.
9. I am a better person when I am around my dog.
10. If all else fails, look for inspiration on the internet. Ha! Stumbling on this blog just made my day. https://www.facebook.com/thugkitchen

The Juice is Good.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 04:46:00 +0000

This is a story about juice, but it's also a story about stumbling into goodness.

I have worked in natural foods and wellness most of my career. I didn't set out intentionally to follow that path, but fell into it because of my love for the outdoors. I've worked for hemp foods companies, sports nutrition companies, juice companies and soy milk companies. My passions led me this way, and it's always been important to me to align myself with like minded brands that share my values.

So it might come as a big surprise that I am now working at a brewery. To me, it's been a dream come true, but while they are both natural, organic and soy drinkers are not cut from the same cloth as the guys gulping liquid malt and hops.

Last year, I stumbled into heat exhaustion on an 85 mile bike ride in 103 degree Chico heat and it gave me a not so delicate dose of humility. Not only did I realize I wasn't 25 anymore, I got sick, and really struggled for the better part of a year with every virus under the sun.

After I got over the normal routine of why me, I took matters into my own hands, found a naturopath and read everything I could get my hands on. It was that journey that led me down the path of exploring a cleanse. My now favorite books include The Clean Program and The Body Ecology Diet. I bought a $450 Vitamix, purchased mason jars and overhauled my kitchen. I made smoothies, juices, soups and more juice. I discovered I love kale. Really I do. I make any excuse I can to put it in everything I eat. Here it is with coconut oil, and some sweet potatoes and chicken on the side.

Ironically, the more time I spend in pubs, surrounded by sausages and beer, the more I want to share my new found love of juice. Granted, I still love sausages and beer, I mean come on.

For this seemingly odd and quirky behavior, my coworkers have made ample fun of me. I persisted in my new routine. Every morning I brought in my mason jar filled with greens, usually kale or spinach, mixed with fruit, almond milk and protein powder. While it always looked vibrant at first, by the time it came time to drink it, a non-transparent vessel would have been a better choice.

One day, things changed at work when my coworker asked what it was I had in my glass. He explained that he'd been struggling with excema and wanted to experiment with natural remedies. I decided to loan him my juicer. Three months later, he bought his own juicer and had joined the ranks of bringing in his morning juice.

Not long after, another guy began his morning smoothies, bringing them in mason jars too. And soon, even one of our brewers began a juice routine after a gout diagnosis and a stern warning from his doctor.

Looking back, I never imagined that my passion would inadvertently help others. I was just trying to figure out something that worked for my body, and overall health and well being.

These days, my health is much better and I've landed on foods that give me great energy. I'm far from perfect, and occasionally do stupid stuff like watch the Bachelorette and drink wine thinking that is a good way to spend a Monday night. And that's OK, most of us do that stuff.

When I stumble these days, I pick myself up again, and fire up the Vitamix. And even after enduring all of the jokes and ridicule, I am happy that my journey pointed folks in my path towards good stuff too.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:01:00 +0000

60 days of Daisy Mae

Owning a dog is something I've always wanted to do. Over the years I've adopted 2 dogs and returned them both. I also fostered one, and returned him early. Because of this, I am frequently ridiculed amongst my closest friends. But as it turns out, as they say, the right dog finds you.

60 days ago I got a call from a woman who volunteers at a Golden Retriever shelter in Sacramento called Homeward Bound Golden Rescue. She did a home visit, and we became fast friends. She kept in close touch and one Sunday morning she said "let's go to the ranch". Emma asked if I had blankets and a leash. I said, "of course not, I am just going to look." She brought supplies just in case (after all she has 3 Goldens).

When I met "Angel", now Daisy, she turned to porcelain when I tried to pet her - a statue in fact. I hand lifted her into the back seat of my car. She had clearly never been in a car. Daisy sat in my kitchen for a few days with her feet wrapped around her water bowl and engulfed food like she had never eaten before. She was a little 32 pounds.

60 days later, Daisy has blossomed into the "Angel" I knew she was. She gained over 13 lbs, loves food, jumps into the back seat on her own, never met a person, or dog she didn't like, and snores during the night. Birds of a feather flock together and Daisy loves her Golden friends. Here she is with Emma's pack. While I was gone on a business trip, she barked for the first time. I understood what it would be like for a parent to miss their baby's first word when I saw this photo.

Within the first month, I experienced what being a Mom is all about. Daisy and I were trail running daily and not knowing anything about dogs, I didn't realize regular paw checks were a necessity. She woke up one day with a big swollen paw. For 10 days straight, I sat on my kitchen floor, soaking her foot in Epsom salts and drinking my coffee. I had to resort to the dreaded cone too. She did not like that. It did however, force me to slow down in a big way and tend to my furry creature.

I might be a slow bloomer, but I am proud that I finally have a dog. It is definitely tough some days. Juggling the gym, friends, dating, and working. But every day I wake up to those little black eyes, wet nose and amazing, can't ever imagine kind of love, I am so lucky she found me. You can see the difference in me -- and her.

Thank you Daisy! xo

I Am.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:52:00 +0000

I went to see "I Am" today, directed by Tom Shadyac. For the first time, in a long time, I was rendered speechless. There was such incredible wisdom and heart in this movie. And to hear and see familiar faces like Wade Davis, John Francis (Planet Walker) and Ray Anderson of Interface featured was just another nudge --- a reminder to honor the teachers around us everyday.

For most of us, it's probably no big surprise to hear the whole lot of us are connected, inextricably so, but seeing this movie really paints the picture vividly. To see what is happening in the world right now is case in point. The world is flat --- and every action has an equal reaction.

Like many, I really do my best to create community wherever I go. I have a garden. I practice yoga. I try to bike when it's not pouring rain. Mostly though, I do my best to take care and do what I can to make a difference through my work and the day-to-day. Like many however, it's easy to fall prey to "the wants" sometimes: you know, the want of more. I'd wager a guess that for most, this is pretty common.

All of us want to do better, to succeed and be recognized for our talents. And as that happens, we begin accruing things to reflect that we've gotten where we wanted to go. But before you know it, we've put gates around our homes to stay safe from a community we've never known.

I've been incredibly lucky. Sure, I've been "successful", but only because of the tremendous guidance around me. Like one woman I met on a trip in Zion in my 20's: she'd recently become single, was an attorney, and midstream on a hike, told me she'd recently sold her houses (plural), cars (plural) and decided to rent. In total disbelief (and barely scraping by -- I was in my early 20s after all), I asked her why. She explained that she wanted more freedom.

At the time, I really just didn't understand. I equated freedom with financial independence, and naturally, houses were an obvious symbol of that. But now, ten years later, I finally get it. Now I admire her even more --- for her courage to downsize. There we were, exploring Zion and taking the world in. Me, hoping I'd eventually have a dresser to put my clothes in, and her daydreaming about her next adventure.

Over the years, I've met countless people who've since done the same thing. And while most of us (myself included) get giddy at new gear, or having new things, I really admire those who dream a little, enough to give the alternative a second thought. After all, while living off the grid may not be an option for most of us, we can choose to be grateful for the simple stuff: like a day outside, with friends, happy, smiling, free. And that feels pretty good.

For the love of birds (one more post).

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Pollan, if you're out there, I am a fan --- a big fan. Animal, Vegetable Miracle inspired me to build my first raised bed, plant vegetables and get reconnected with the dirt in my yard. After reading it, I, like many of my friends, daydreamed about living off the land in a yurt and making homemade dinners from scratch. So, over the years, as Portland slowly came on the scene as a testing ground of sorts for all things sustainable + urban it was exciting. I mean, aside from Boulder, where else can you have folks come over to your house and teach you how to compost and turn your backyard into a farm? Lawns went out fast - I mean, way out.

Somewhere along the way we became a parody of ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I applaud everything that is going on in Portland and how the city has managed to do and plan everything with such conscience and community in mind, but really, somewhere along the way, it just became easy to laugh at. Like Boulder (no offense). You don't have to look far: I just opened up an issue of Portland Monthly magazine and saw this.

It's my humble opinion that the urban farming thing has gone awry. I have been living in Portland for the past four years and am confident that chicken coops have been popping up faster than Prius' in folks hardscaped yards. And thanks to Portlandia, the funniest mockumentary I have ever seen -- the secret's out.

I have a friend whose neighbors have 15 chickens. The clucking wakes him up every morning, not to mention what they leave behind. After countless sleepless nights, he finally called the city, looked up code and had to file a complaint for a noise violation. That was after he took matters into his own hands with a hose. Ok, maybe extreme but kind of funny.

And not too long ago, I was at home on a sunny summer day on an important business call with a client and saw a chicken hop into my back door. Standing there in total disbelief (I'd grown up in a suburb of Washington DC and had never been close to farm animals), needless to say, I had no idea what to do. It had a beak and I was scared it was scared and was going to peck me to death. The client told me to hop on a chair and bat at the chicken with a dishcloth. Clearly, like me, he had never been around chickens. So the dance ensued.

The chicken batted her wings and ran for it. She hid under my dining room table. Then bolted into my bedroom. Gross. That was the last straw. Finally, screaming, I chased her back into the kitchen, picked her up by her tail feathers and tossed her, I mean launched her in the air, out my back door and shut it with a thud.

So there she sat. Until I finally got a hold of the owners, who sent the kids over to fetch their beloved chicken. A gaggle of 7 year old boys and girls arrived expectantly at my door asking if Bubbles was ok. Bubbles? Yup, Bubbles --- their cherished pet. Apparently Bubbles had hopped the fence, climbed into my Rhododendron tree and, well the rest is history. So they scooped her up in their arms like a baby, gave her a kiss and off they went thanking me for rescuing their pet. I thought, wow -- so that's how you pick up a chicken. Who knew?

These days, I still leave my back door open on occasion when I'm gathering veggies from the raised bed, and on occasion am awakened by Bubbles and her family in the coop in the early morning hours. But these days, I leave the egg gathering to the experts. After all, we're in Portland --- and around the corner from my house, in the now, not so abandoned lot, 10 food carts have set up. One sells organic, grass fed meats, eggs and sustainable seafood. For me, that's a good step forward in the right direction.

Dumplings & Flying Pigeons

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:53:00 +0000

I love the unexpected. Like two regular guys in LA who started the Flying Pigeon bike shop. Located in the Highland Park/Cypress Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, the shop hosts regular “Get Sum Dim Sum” rides, among other community oriented events.

No, not that kind of pigeon.

This kind of pigeon!

Bikes are as big a part of Chinese culture as cars are in LA, which makes what these two brothers did even more inspiring. With a love of bicycles, food and culture, they decided to combine everything into a monthly shop ride for the community. Every 3rd Sunday at 10 a.m. they meet at the shop for a 90% downhill ride for brunch at local dim sum restaurants.

What I love so much about this idea is that they have created ways for people (young, not-so-young, fit and not-so-fit, foodies and not) to come together in such an unexpected way -- over dumplings. And in doing so, brought new energy, fun, education and business into their neighborhood. They even helped secure some of the first bike parking in LA. http://flyingpigeon-la.com/2011/02/three-magic-mornings-in-february.

Years ago, my roommate in San Francisco was the manager of a local bike shop and, no big surprise, he loved to collect bikes. He too had a Flying Pigeon. I still have no idea how he got his hands on it or how he rode it with pulley brakes, I mean come on, pulley brakes? Wherever it's landed, I hope the dusty Flying Pigeon is feeling the fresh air and creating some fun conversation at the weekly farmers market --- or Dim Sum.

A Film, A Ride, A Voice for Conservation --- My favorite project to date.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:56:00 +0000

Dan Austin is an accomplished filmmaker, writer and storyteller based in the NW and one of my most favorite people. In 2007, I met him while working at KEEN and talked about an idea I had. A few hours later, Dan and I had taken over half of a Portland coffee shop brainstorming on how to blend core values of a brand with an employee-driven program to give back to the community in a meaningful way.

I've always loved cycling and Dan had logged a few miles himself writing a book called

The Road Trip Pilgrim's Guide so the wheels were set in motion quickly (no pun intended). We

got in touch with Jerry Norquist, who runs Cycle Oregon and he offered to lead the ride, map the route and support us along the way. We couldn't have found a better leader or a better guy.

A few months later, a small group of us left Portland, OR bound for Salt Lake City to raise awareness for The Conservation Alliance and preservation of wild places. We left 14 days before Outdoor Retailer with the goal of riding into the show to rally the industry together around the importance of giving back.

We invited the industry to join in and they did. Dansko sent a rider. Yamika sent a bunch. National Geographic Adventure sent an editor. Conservation Groups came out in droves, and on the second day, over 40 riders joined us to raise awareness for the Deschutes Basin Land Trust. And we picked up a few hopeful, inspired folks along the way.

1000 miles later, we'd cycled through the Mt. Hood Wilderness area into Central/Eastern Oregon, through John Day, and over to Southern Idaho through The Boulder White Cloud Wilderness, The North Fork of the Payette River near Boise, into Logan Canyon and finally to Salt Lake City, Utah.

When we arrived at the show, the response from the outdoor community was incredible, and the ripple effect was inspiring. The following year, Specialized took a team of employees and rode from California to Interbike in Las Vegas. Around the same time, Smartwool pulled a team together and rode to Outdoor Retailer. To this day, I still am overwhelmed watching the documentary, filled with incredible memories, wanderlust and hope that I'll have the chance to do it again. Mostly, I am filled with gratitude to have worked for KEEN and a team that stepped into a bold initiative with humility and a whole lot of faith.

In the end, we had ridden 1000 miles over 14 days with days of 8000-10,000 feet of climbing that still make me question what on earth we were thinking. It was the trip of a lifetime and there isn't one thing I would've done differently. Ok well maybe one. Don't ride through Eastern Oregon in August.

Pop Chips Hits The Jackpot

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:52:00 +0000

With 540K views in a day, the marketing minds behind this campaign deserve big props. This is good clean fun.

http://www.facebook.com/popchips#!/popchips/posts/155404867848318

Plant a seed. Guerilla gardening.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:11:00 +0000

I love this idea. And it definitely beats stepping on old gum. Only thing missing is what's actually being planted. Hmm.
DIY: ‘Green' seed bombs are blowing up - Brand X http://bit.ly/9StfSt

Tiny house. Big view.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:57:00 +0000

http://tinyhouseblog.com/floating-homes/our-little-cabin-up-the-lake

The best part of this is the floating garden -- awesome.

The Food Gods Speak

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Courtesy of GOOD magazine: The Food Gods Speak: Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser Dish About Walmart, National Security, and Chicken Nuggets

http://su.pr/1C87tw

Only new in LA? Nope. Exhibit A: The Old Place.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:11:00 +0000

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-review-20110210,0,6758152.story

More brilliance!! Love this.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:05:00 +0000

http://bit.ly/gyzU3v

Some of my recent work

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Bruhn) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:56:00 +0000

One of the things I love most about marketing is storytelling. Connecting people to authentic, inspiring brands that truly want to do good in the world is my passion. I've been incredibly fortunate to do work for a handful of companies that set the bar high - companies that others look to because they've done it right.

Here is a recent brand directive project I worked on at Living Harvest Foods:

Last year, I also worked on an incredible project at The Nike Foundation around The Girl Effect called "Your Move". I was part of a team that developed a prospectus for The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Nike Foundation is doing incredible work to help young girls and alleviate poverty. Download the entire prospectus here:

http://www.nikefoundation.org/files/Girl_Effect_Your_Move_lo_res.pdf

And last but not least, this is the video that started it all: brilliant, brilliant work done by W+K.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIvmE4_KMNw

And one last recent project highlight for today: a technology video I concepted, wrote and produced for CamelBak. Good clean fun.