New York City.

How’s that for an opening? Here, I’ll try it again for emphasis (like the movies).

New York, New York.

Ahhh...

With a population of 8 million, no matter how elite, perverted or underground your interest, you will find others of like mind here. To my delight, I found myself twenty. Twenty east coast raw foodists sitting in a circle discussing their experiences and opinions about our shared lifestyle. The Caravan of Dreams in the East Village hosts a raw support group every Monday and I luckily found myself in the center of it my very first nite of lay-off. Mothers raising raw children (or not), overeating raw (is there such a thing?), and unsupportive social structures were just a few topics of open conversation. I met Donna, a beautiful raw woman who dehydrates live snacks for sale in her own New York kitchen, Roger, a vibrant man with many great perspectives on success, and was invited to a raw Cocoa party/ritual on Sunday by a raw tarot reader. Imagine my rapture.

Staying late to dine, may I just say what an exquisite job Caravan of Dreams is doing catering to their new clientele. With living appetizers, salads, entrées, smoothies and desserts, this otherwise vegan restaurant spoiled me with huge portions. I indulged in a gorgeous salad of dark greens with one open-face banana, two summer ripe tomato slices with live pesto, three dehydrated crackers with taco pate and no room for dessert. Caravan’s aged wood plank floors, dark bohemian décor and live pianist were only outdone by the intriguing company.

Today I enjoyed another raw first---New York City’s only entirely living cuisine restaurant, Quintessence. With three locations, I walked into the Upper West Side spot, being only blocks away from my old dance studio, STEPS on Broadway. Fresh marigolds on every table and a library of raw books available for reading, Quintessence’s prices are wonderfully affordable and the drinking water room temperature. A simple, clean, artistic atmosphere enhances one’s feeling of lightness, and if sea weed salad is any way to judge a restaurant (and I think it is), then Quintessence exceeds my expectations with their wakame in sesame sauce. My friend Brian’s raw Indian mali kotta was out of the ball park, but the organic fruit bowl glistening with blueberries, raspberries, mangos, apples, pears, strawberries and walnuts in a live vanilla crème was my personal favorite, warranting a seated "I Love Food" wiggle (you know what I am talking about).

With the exception of Mayor Bloomberg annihilating the city’s once innovative recycling program, New York City is ironically the most environmentally responsible community I have lived in. The produce may be imported, but there is no lack of high quality selection. The subway may be disgusting, but it saves thousands of tons of carbon monoxide from the air each year. Housing may be expensive and spaces small, but skyscrapers definitely aren’t suburban sprawl.

And tell me, what raw foodist wouldn’t love being in the center of any Big Apple?

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