My version of the Field of Dreams

It’s hot in Oregon right now. I am one of the lucky ones that have central air conditioning. So I'm beating the heat while I’m typing this in the comfort of my living room watching the movie Field of Dreams to warm up for the Yankee vs. White Sox game being played today on the Field of Dreams.

Funny, as I watch the movie, I’m realizing that I too sort of did the “if you build it, they will come” sort of thing. I built The Ranch with the hopes that they (you) will come. And come some of you did. In the past few weeks, I’ve had three groups out to take advantage of the time and space to do some deep work with their teams.

Here is what one of them said about their recent experience:

"Denise's hospitality was exceptional. The space was wonderful and all the materials and facilities we needed to have a successful offsite were made easily available to us." –Sam Ajayi - YEAR ONE

Now, with new mask mandates and the Delta Variant raging out of control, again, things are in a holding pattern. So, in the meantime, I've been gathering some things that I think are interesting.

1. Cook with your company, team, or family - Chicca from Cooking in Tuscany and I have partnered to bring you and your dispersed group private cooking classes. We can design interactive and private online cooking classes live from Tuscany for your special gatherings.

You can learn how to make gnocchi from scratch and fresh pasta dough or master many other classic recipes from the Italian tradition.

Currently, we are offering four recipes:

• Gnocchi from scratch paired with a seasonal sauce

• Handmade Fettuccine and a seasonal sauce

• Classic Italian Tiramisu, step by step

• Homemade Orecchiette or Cavatelli paired with a seasonal sauce

We’ve found homemade gnocchi and tiramisu are great recipes that work well for people cooking with Chicca for the first time.

This time-lapse video captured me cooking with my pal Amy and her smart, adorable daughter Darby. After co-hosting several Gnocchi classes, this was the first time I was able to make it myself. So I can attest, it’s easy, fun, and delicious!

2. Sparked: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come Alive - Sparked is Jonathan Fields, upcoming book. If you pre-order you get lots of cool bonuses. I met Jonathan back in 2014 when I attended his life-changing summer camp for adults, Camp GLP. You can also hear Jonathan interview some of incredible change-makers on his Good Life Project Podcast.

3. Camp Yes - My pal Marli Williams has created a camp that is a transformational experience for women who want to hit pause on the world of overwhelm around them and to hit fast forward to the full realm of possibility.

This camp is a carefully curated 4-day all-inclusive summer camp experience where you’ll engage in:

Singalongs & s’mores to share stories with one another and connect like you did when you were young, allowing yourself to just be.
Arts & crafts to disconnect from your over-connected 2021 reality and go back to the most human aspect of yourself, tapping into the power of creativity.
Sunrise yoga & meditation to recalibrate the balance between your body and your mind in the wilderness and nature.
Stargazing to relish in the beauty of nature and regaining sight of this vast universe to bring scale and perspective to your everyday challenges.
Fun activities to rediscover past passions, let loose, and recharge your energy!

If you’re ready to uncover the most authentic version of yourself and let it dream, connect, and recharge, sign up for Camp YES! and have an epic time saying ‘yes’ to yourself!

4. Columbia River Gorge Waterfall Trolley - Also, with Amy and Darby, I was a tourist in my own backyard. We took the new Waterfall Trolley from Corbett along the Historic Columbia River Highway to see some of the best waterfalls the Gorge has to offer. I highly recommend the Trolley, it saves you from having to deal with traffic and parking along the highway, its a narrated ride with so much information about the waterfalls, highway, and Gorge. Even for this local, it was really a treat.

5. Recipe I'm loving right now - Pesto Potato Salad. This is another one of my go-to recipes for guests at The Ranch. We have so much fresh basil in my herb garden right now, so I've been making tons of pesto. This recipe is a great hearty and unique potato salad.