Semisweet

I went to a delicious and educational event last night about one of the most treasured edibles on earth - chocolate. "Semisweet" is a documentary that was screened last night at the Revue on Roncesvalles - the audience also got to sample some of the goods prior to the screening thanks to Chocolateria - a wonderful neighbourhood chocolate shop. On hand were samples from Tanzania, Columbia, some fair trade etc. etc.

The story line of the film itself is interesting or rather I should say the four storyline lines - an employee of the Hershey Hotel in Hershey Pennsylvania - the town that chocolate built, a French chocolatier Patrick Roger who not only sculpts using that treat (in between speeding through the streets of Paris) but has an eco conscience Nadine Artemis and Ron Obadia - our own fine raw chocolate purveyors and most importantly the stories of the children tempted or coerced into being labour on cocoa plantations - travelling to the Cote d'Ivoire from neighbouring Mali and Burkina Fasso - enduring terrible working conditions such as being exposed to chemicals, worked up to 16 hours a day and earning very little pay.

A representative from Plan Canada says sadly the situation hasn't really changed much in the 10 years she has been aware. The director himself Michael Allcock said at the Q and A perhaps aside from encouraging the manufacturers to use Fair Trade, non child labour cocoa we need to address workplace health and safety  issues - proper working conditions, a school, protection, health care, decent wages.

I am looking on the side of optimism for this one - I watched Oprah's Lifeclass yesterday - I had taped the second part of her session with Joel Osteen - I'm looking forward to reading his book "I Declare"..he seems so upbeat and radiant - he is inspiring...got me thinking again of what my dreams are..

I have been trying to get back on a healthy track - aside from the yummy chocolate sampling and am thinking of cutting back on wheat and doing more raw....I'll let you know how that goes. I have Ani Phyo's Fat Blast book, that would be a good kickstart - so hard to do raw here in winter when all those comfort foods are calling your name - mainly carbs...

I'm still doing my Deepak 21 Day Meditation and that has been going really well as well as being more conscious and in the moment.

I just finished a great book called "City of Women" which takes place in Berlin in World War II...the central character Sigrid, is married leading a boring life with a dull office job and domineering mother in law and has an affair with a Jew - a bit of a mysterious character hiding in the shadows.  Before she knows it her hum drum life is about to get a little more interesting - she is recruited by an au pair who lives in her building to hide and rescue Jews - let the intrigue and suspense begin. How will she hide her activities from the ardent Nazis in her building not to mention her husband and mother in law? A time when danger lurks around every corner....