Mountain Trek at the Ranch | Kirkland Shave and the MT team

• Fitness and weight loss program based on daily hiking, led by expert guides from Canada’s Mountain Trek destination spa staff. Full days, including special gourmet meals and snacks prepared under the guidance of Mountain Trek’s nutritionist.
• This small group program is separate from the regular Ranch fitness program, but in all other ways it’s the classic Ranch experience. Mountain Trek participants stay in accommodations just like our regular Ranch guests and have equal access to all the fun and features of the Ranch facilities.
• Reservations must be made through our Mountain Trek partners: call 1-800-661-5161 and/or go to their site at www.mountaintrek.com for more details. You can also email them at info@mountaintrek.com.

The famed Mountain Trek hiking and weight-loss program is an intimate, personalized week that’s limited to a small group of guests. Normally this program takes place at the Mountain Trek destination spa location in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada, but in sessions each fall and winter, the Ranch welcomes groups of up to 16 Mountain Trek hikers per week. The guides lead guests on days of exploring the beautiful meadows and woodlands, highlands, streams and creeks of the Ranch.

Small groups mean each person hikes at their best personal pace, supported by the group guide. Morning yoga and evening fitness classes round out a full fitness experience that leaves each guest feeling lighter, clearer and ultimately rejuvenated and well-rested. Informative lectures about stress, sleep health, nutrition and lifestyle will kickstart a new way of living, with guaranteed fat loss and muscle gain.

Each evening, Mountain Trek guests can choose from the full range of Rancho La Puerta fitness and health activities, including cardio, dance, pilates, water aerobics, tai chi, NIA, stretch, posture, core, weight training – and much more -- all taught by the Ranch’s top-of-their-game instructors in beautifully appointed gyms and studios. The Ranch also has three health centers that offer massage and other body treatments, hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas plus “inner self” classes (meditation, chanting) as well as a variety of evening lectures and presentations, all open to Mountain Trek guests. At Rancho La Puerta you have both a separate, intimate Mountain Trek experience guided by Mountain Trek staff and a chance to sample the extraordinary variety of the Ranch.

http://www.mountaintrek.com/

http://www.mountaintrek.com/rancho-la-puerta/

Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Abbie Jaye

Chef AJ, the author of UNPROCESSED, is the former Executive Pastry Chef at Sante in Los Angeles, CA. A culinary instructor for the past 13 years, she teaches people how to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet in ways that are easy, delicious and fun. Chef AJ has followed a plant based diet for over 35 years and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol.

Abbie offers three hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks.Hands-on classes are offered on Tuesday at 11 am and 4 pm and Thursday 4 pm, subject to change. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our new culinary center. You also will have the opportunity to harvest produce you use from our organic garden, Tres Estrellas.

For more information and registration, please click here.

Broadway Week | Larry Lane and Shelley Estes

Larry Lane made his professional debut in the musical Best Little Whorehouse in Texas working with famed choreographer/director Tommy Tune. In Broadway Tours he performed the role of Mendel in Hershel Bernardi’s production of Fiddler on the Roof, of Gregory Gardner in A Chorus Line and The Tango Dancer in Evita. He appeared in two Pulitzer Prize winning shows starring as Felix in The Normal Heart and Mark in The Shadow Box. Off-Broadway he played the lead roles in two world premieres, Come the Wolves and Heroes Left Behind. A graduate of the Professional Acting Program at Southern Methodist University, Larry’s’ life has now come full circle as he teaches in the theater department at SMU.

Shelley Estes, B.S.E., N.A.S.M, A.C.E, a native of Dallas, Texas, has combined her love of dance, Pilates, teaching and her commitment to fitness and wellness throughout her life as a vocation and avocation. After graduating from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Dance, Shelley has spent the last 25 years as a professional dancer, teacher, gymnastics coach, fitness professional, and Pilates Instructor.  Shelley has spent the last 3 years teaching Pilates to the dance majors at Southern Methodist University as an adjunct lecturer.

Broadway Cabaret | Rebecca Luker and Joseph Thalken

Rebecca Luker has been on Broadway in “Mary Poppins” as Winifred Banks (Tony nomination), “Nine” (Claudia Nardi) “The Music Man” (Marian/Tony, Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), Maria in “The Sound of Music” (Outer Critics Circle nomination), Magnolia in “Showboat” (Tony nomination), Lily in “The Secret Garden” (Drama Desk Nomination), Christine in “The Phantom of the Opera,” “X” (The Life and Times of Malcolm X), and “Brigadoon” with City Opera. Off-Broadway: “Indian Blood” (Primary Stages), “Can’t Let Go” (Keen Company) and “The Vagina Monologues.” Regional theater: “Passion” (Clara) Kennedy Center, “Time and Again” (Julia) Old Globe, “Harmony” (Mary) La Jolla Playhouse, and “She Love Me” (Amalia) “Reprise!” series in LA. Concert: Symphony appearances include: the Royal Stockholm and London Symphonies, and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress and the White House.

Most recently, Ms. Luker returned to the American Songbook Series in the beautiful Allen Room, five years after her critically acclaimed debut in 2005. In 2008 she debuted at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater for the Barbara Cook Spotlight Series, her New York City recital debut with Lincoln Center’s American Songbook in 2005 and her solo cabaret debut at the prestigious Feinstein’s at the Regency that same year. Television: “Law and Order-SVU,” CBS TV Movie “Cupid and Cate,” “An Evening with the Pops,” “An Oscar Hammerstein Celebration,” “A Tribute to Rodgers and Hart” (PBS); The Kennedy Center Honors honoring Julie Andrews and a Richard Rodgers celebration with the Boston Pops (PBS). Recordings: “Greenwich Time” (PSClassics.com), “Leaving Home” (PSClassics.com), “Anything Goes: Rebecca Luker Sings Cole Porter” (Fynsworth Alley), the “Aria” series (Koch) and original cast recordings of “The Secret Garden” and the revivals of “Showboat,” “The Sound of Music,” and “The Music Man.”

Joseph Thalken is an award-winning composer. His musicals include: BORROWED DUST (libretto by Martin Moran), AND THE CURTAIN RISES (with book by Michael Slade, lyrics by Mark Campbell), WAS (book and lyrics by Barry Kleinbort, based on the novel by Geoff Ryman), and HAROLD AND MAUDE (book and lyrics by the estimable Tom Jones of The Fantasticks). The Shen Family Foundation included Mr. Thalken in their Musical Theater Composers Initiative, a select group, including the legendary Stephen Sondheim, who has received grants and commissions to create new works and expand the musical theater art form. He has also received support from the Gilbert & Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation, Meet the Composer, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

On Broadway, Mr. Thalken served as conductor for VICTOR/VICTORIA with Julie Andrews and Liza Minnelli and for GYPSY with Patti LuPone. As a pianist or conductor, he has worked with Bernadette Peters, Barry Manilow, Polly Bergen, Rebecca Luker, Kristin Chenoweth, Faith Prince, opera stars Catherine Malfitano and Elizabeth Futral, and acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell, among others. He has provided orchestrations for the albums of Howard McGillin, Kathy Lee Gifford, Marin Mazzie, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn and Judy Collins. And he can be heard as a pianist on various cast albums, including My Favorite Year, Babes in Arms, Tip-Toes, Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, Bernstein’s New York, Call Me Madam, St. Louis Woman and Oh, Kay!

Nature as Art: Nature Photography | Don Paulson

Nature as Art: Nature photography by Don Paulson Experience the natural world as seen through the lens of master nature photographer, Don Paulson. You will be inspired to learn more from Don about how to take better photos during your stay.

This presentation will be followed by several classes:

Camera Basics for Beginners Don't quite understand F-stops, shutter speed, and all those photographic terms? Don will put you at ease with his knack for clear and simple explanations. This class will help you understand your camera and give you a good foundation for learning to take better photos. Bring your camera and manual.

The Art of Seeing and Composition Description: Knowing all the technical aspects of photography doesn't help you to notice things. Learn how to really "See" the world around you and how to compose an eye-catching photograph.

Afternoon Light at the Ranch Take a walk with Don for more tips about photography (based on principles learned in class).

Understanding Light and Exposure Photography is all about light. This class will give you a better understanding of light and how use it effectively in your photographs.

Evening Lights at the Ranch For those with tripods, we'll take photos just as Rancho La Puerta's lights come on at dusk.

In 1997 Don Paulson turned his longstanding passion for photography into a full-time profession. Specializing in nature and travel photography, Don's images are marketed worldwide by leading stock agencies and are regularly reproduced in a wide variety of publications. He is represented by SuperStock in Jacksonville, Danita Delimont Stock Agency in Seattle and Alamy Stock Agency in the UK. 

Don’s compelling fine-art prints are displayed in many corporate and private collections. With an emphasis toward health care and Evidence Based Design, his restorative images of nature, with calming palettes of blues and greens, are widely used in hospital settings and medical facilities throughout the west and southwest. 

Don is well versed in Color Theory and its practical applications. He has been a Staff hotographer for the Pantone Color Institute and has supplied photographs for several books about the meanings and uses of color.

Don takes special pleasure in teaching photography. Each year Don conducts photography tours in Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. He also conducts a variety of photography workshops and offers private tutoring sessions at his studio in Seabeck, Washington. He is best known internationally as one of the most popular professional photographers featured on Webshots.com, the world’s leading photography web site (Don has nearly 12,000 dedicated fans on Webshots).  

Don is a sought-after speaker for  regional photography conventions, events and college photography classes.   

You can learn more about Don and see samples of his photographs at www.donpaulson.com.   

The Truth About Sleep | Rubin Naiman, Ph.D.

Sleep problems are the most prevalent health concern in America today. Chronic sleep and dream loss has been linked to weight concerns, illness, and depression. This presentation takes a truly fresh look at sleep and dreams from a perspective that blends science with spirituality. Beyond promoting health, sleep and dreams open a sacred portal to a deeper understanding of ourselves. This presentation will also offer practical guidance to achieving more peaceful nights.

The Truth about Dreaming

It has been said that a dream unexamined is like a letter unopened. Dreams offer daily opportunities for a deeper understanding of our unconscious selves and our lives. Dreams remind us of the greater order behind all things and can offer invaluable insight into all aspects of healing and personal growth. Join Dr. Rubin Naiman for an informal and delightful discussion of dreaming, dreams and their meaning. We will also venture beyond the night dream to look at the impact of dreaming on our waking lives.

“Sleeping Together” – The Neglected Night Side of Relationships

Most couples spend the bulk of their together time in sleep. Despite this, the night side of our relationships has been given little attention. Why do so many couples sleep apart? How important is it to sleep together? What might sleep positions reveal about our relationships? When we step beyond its sexual connotations, the notion of “sleeping together” opens to both a rich arena of intimacy and better sleep health.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring disrupts the sleep of millions of us nightly. Once thought to be inconsequential, it is now believed that snoring may be an early sign of underlying chronic inflammation. Snoring is also a major factor that forces couples to sleep apart. For many individuals, snoring is a symptom of a serious condition, obstructive sleep apnea, which can significantly compromise sleep and general health. This presentation will provide an overview of snoring and apnea as well as a discussion of conventional and integrative medicine approaches to better manage these conditions.

Dr. Rubin Naiman is a psychologist, sleep specialist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine, directed by Dr. Andrew Weil. He is an internationally recognized expert in integrative approaches to sleep and dreams.  His publications include “Healing Night,”  “The Sleep Advisor” and, with Dr. Weil, “Healthy Sleep.”

Two Ancient Techniques: One Modern Accessory | Susan Kusama

Susan Kusama´s lifelong interest in most of the fiber arts is now focused on using various shibori techniques and natural dyes, particularly indigo. To this end, Susan has participated in classes in N. Carolina, Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri. She's fascinated by the interaction of relatively simple shibori techniques with natural dyeing that can result in a beautiful, unique fabric.