Water Week | Craig Stuart

The warm, dry climate of the Ranch has always enticed water lovers to our three outdoor pools. Craig's special summer program includes:

The Wave

Discover how fun and invigorating it is to create wave action in the pool. Harness the power of liquid resistance and experience a body-friendly workout that truly feels good. Our low-impact, shallow water class targets aerobic endurance, muscular strength, balance and flexibility.
M, W, F at 11:00am

HYDRO-FIT Deep Water Training

Deep water training is an ideal non-impact addition to your Ranch week. Use specialized HYDRO-FIT buoyancy and resistance equipment to strengthen and tone your entire body while pushing fat-burning systems into high gear. No swimming skill is required, although comfort in deep water is recommended.
Su, Tu, Th at 11:00am and M, W, at 2:00pm

H2O Pool Pilates

Experience Pilates inspired training in the pool. Use simple buoyancy equipment and water’s natural assistance & resistance to train the deepest muscle layers in your body. Develop core strength for improved posture, balance and coordination.
Su, Tu, Th at 2:00pm

Aqua Ease

Experience soothing exercise in the pool. Ease muscle soreness and body aches as you discover how water provides support, assistance and resistance. Improve balance, enhance flexibility and restore mobility through gentle movement in the water.
Su, Tu, Th at 3:00pm

H2O Sport Conditioning

Learn how to improve physical function and enhance your natural abilities in our playful, deep-water "boot camp" workout. Rediscover your inner child and have fun as you achieve a great cardiovascular, strength, and agility workout that will leave you feeling good, not sore and exhausted.
M, W, F at 10:00am

Swim Conditioning

Improve your stroke technique and enjoy a great swim conditioning workout Our coach is on deck to help you get the most from your swimming experience. All levels are welcome—from beginner to masters level. This class is 30-minutes.
Tu, Th at 12:00noon

Craig is a certified fitness instructor, and the creator and director of HYDRO-FIT in Eugene, Oregon. He presents water workshops nationally and internationally. His innovative workouts range from easy to challenging. On the Web:www.hydrofit.com.

Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher David Cohen

Chef David Cohen was born in Philadelphia. His experience spans across the United States including positions at Auberge Du Soleil in Napa Valley and Azie in San Francisco (Best New Restaurant 2000). He ran the kitchens at Kansas City Prime in Philadelphia (3 ½ stars Philadelphia Inquirer), and Scala’s Bistro in San Francisco (3 stars SF Chronicle). David was named on the Top 100 Bay Area Chef’s List in 2007 & 2008. His formal education was received at Cornell University & Le Cordon Bleu London. He also worked at the Michelin rated Selene on the Island of Santorini and at the famed Savoy Hotel in London. Chef Cohen is currently an instructor at the Art Institute of Sunnyvale.

David offers three hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, on Tuesday at 11 am and 4 pm and Thursday at 4 pm, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our new culinary center.

For more information and registration, please click here.

We Need to Talk | Diane Katz, Ph.D.

How often we have stress because we need to have a conversation with someone about a topic that is challenging. You and the other person might disagree, or you really need to deliver a message that is uncomfortable. Dr. Katz presents tips in a light-hearted, interactive manner. You will leave this discussion with tools to make those difficult conversations much more comfortable for you.

Dealing with Challenging People

Some people, for whatever reasons, are more of a challenge for us to deal with than other people. Maybe it is a relative, life partner, coworker, or even your neighbor. Dr. Diane Katz will facilitate a lively discussion, helping you to see those people in a new light, as you will be more able to communicate and get your message across.

Disagreeing with Your Parents / Disagreeing with Your Kids

Diane Katz's passion is peace. Starting out as a drug counselor in New York City, then on to Wall Street as a Human Resources Executive, she has always pursued avenues of collaboration and compassion.

Dr. Katz's message is simple: we can all be successful, whether in business or our personal lives, if we learn how to communicate with compassion. With a Masters Degree in Organizational Psychology and a Ph.D. in Conflict Resolution, she assists executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations to become highly productive and collaborative.

Diane has spoken to groups across the world, engaging and educating people on how we can all be more successful and collaborative.

Dr. Katz started her consulting company, The Working Circle, in 1995 (www.TheWorkingCircle.com). The Working Circle provides organizational development, executive coaching, conflict resolution, and training to organizations. The Working Circle®, the process that Diane developed, assists groups and individuals in making decisions and resolving conflicts. Her book is, "Win at Work! The Everybody Wins Approach to Conflict Resolution".

Photography Programs – Bring your Camera | Gary Harmatz

Gary Harmatz will offer the following programs:

Three slide shows:

The Big Cats of Africa

Travel Photography for Everyone: Capturing a “Sense of Place”

Turkey: Where East Meets West

A workshop on The Digital Photography Revolution

A hands-on workshop of actually going out and Photographing the Ranch

PHOTO TIPS AND TRICKS. Gary Harmatz will show you many of the photographic tips and tricks he has learned over the 23 years of photography. He will also evaluate and "show off" some of the images taken this week by the guests of the Ranch.

All week long:

Help Sessions: Individual help session for participants assisting with their photography using Adobe Photoshop.

Gary Harmatz has been a wildlife, nature, travel and underwater photographer for over 19 years. As a wildlife photographer, his pursuit of adventure and those rare moments of capturing that intimate connection between man and animal have taken him around the planet. Whether it is photographing nearly extinct mountain gorillas in Central Africa, orangutans in the rain forests of Borneo or to the frozen north to capture images of polar bears or baby harp seals, he has been able to capture the essence of these animals. He has an extensive library of the major groups of animals from east, central and southern Africa. Gary’s nature and travel photography has taken him throughout Europe, Japan, the Bahamas, North America and Africa. He specializes in unique images from the grand scenic and exotic marketplaces to the fall foliage of New England. Underwater photography has brought Gary to the waters of Belize, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Palau, Truk Lagoon and the Maldives. Gary’s sense of color, light, composition and his ability to tell a story with his photography makes him a unique photographer and lecturer.

Organic Gardening | Karen Contreras

Organic Gardening - How to plant and maintain your own organic garden.

This program touches on all aspects of organic gardening from lawn removal, to plant care and harvest, using organic methods. Four 1 hour sessions.

Karen Contreras is an urban farmer and the name of her company is Urban Plantations. Urban Plantations specialize in the design, maintenance and installation of edible landscaping. Their primary business is planting vegetable gardens for people and teaching them how to grow their own food. They also manage two RSA (Restaurant Supported Agriculture) projects and are in the process of designing a third. They are entering their 4th year in business in San Diego and have just recently broken into the market in Los Angeles.

Karen is a native Southern Californian who has been an avid gardener for over 30 years. She grew up in the Los Angeles area and harvested her first carrot at 3 in her grandmother's garden. Her family farmed watermelons, cotton, almonds, raisin grapes and walnuts in the central valley near Pixley. Her interest in plants inspired her to major Biology and Botany in college. After college, she moved to SW Oregon where she started a family and an organic farm. They grew about 90% of their food including dairy goats and poultry. She learned to "can," butcher chickens and make compost among other things. Most of her practical experience was passed on from her grandmother and other gardeners, but having a basic understanding of plant physiology is key to problem solving with organic farming. She continued her education by completing the Master Composter and Master Gardener Programs offered by the U of C system as well as various seminars in orchard care, tree pruning and plant propagation. Currently she writes gardening columns for different publications in San Diego, she's on the Curriculum Advisory Committee at San Diego City College for the Sustainable Urban Agriculture program, and the Advisory Committee for Roots San Diego.

Personal Enrichment Through Philanthropy | Julie Shafer and Christine E. Sherry

Join us for an evening that looks outside of the body and into unique ways to find greater enrichment, fulfillment and meaning in your life. Explore the latest research that links philanthropy, community engagement and volunteerism with longer, happier lives.

Follow Up Session: It’s Not About Dollars

Understand the difference between being a donor and being a philanthropist. It’s not about a dollar amount, and that may surprise you!

Follow Up Session: Volunteer Value
Learn what makes a good volunteer great. What skills and value can you add to your cause?

Follow Up Session: What’s Hot, What’s Not
We’ll share best practices in the non-profit field, trends in philanthropy and lessons learned in social media.

Personal Enrichment through Philanthropy

Leveraging Rancho La Puerta’s mission of health, wellness and mindfulness, Julie and Christine aim to provide a unique educational opportunity focused on philanthropy through a week long mini series that will enhance your stay at the Ranch and send you home with a renewed sense of self and accomplishment.

Personal Enrichment Through Philanthropy will share information, best practices and skills for those already involved in charitable activities and for those who are considering broadening their lives and interests in the philanthropic/non profit sector. The introduction to Personal Enrichment Through Philanthropy puts good work into context by sharing what new research tells us about giving – how philanthropy is linked to personal satisfaction and living longer, more fulfilled lives.

The introduction is followed by three afternoon sessions designed to dig deeper into these topics and share practical advice on volunteerism, effective board service, understanding trends in the field and case study strategies on themes that may be identified by guest participants. The series shares concrete systems and best practices to help guests improve their own giving process – whether that giving is time, talent or treasure.

Collectively, Julie Shafer and Christine E. Sherry have over 30 years of experience in working with foundations, corporations, philanthropists and nonprofits. Christine is an expert on teaching adults about giving and board service. She was the founder of the nation’s most prestigious donor education program and now teaches philanthropy to adults as part of Stanford University’s Continuing Studies program. Julie was the founder of an influential foundation in the Bay Area, assisted a Nobel laureate in developing his research institute and now consults with individuals, foundations and corporations to encourage more effective giving. Together, Christine and Julie bring a wealth of practical experience.