Lavender Design + Cuisine: December 2020

Monday, December 7, 2020

Simple & Practical Living Room Feng Shui Tips!

Finding a sanctuary in our modern world isn't always easy. Many of us work at home, or take work home from the office. Lots of us share spaces with significant others or family members, so turning down the volume of life at home isn't always easy.

To create a place to unwind, you must eliminate the stuck energy, otherwise known as clutter! So your mind and body can feel at ease and fully release the stresses of the day.

Living rooms are considered a common space to relax and rejuvenate. Therefore, it should be clutter-free, organized, pleasant and inviting.

You can easily create a place of joy, comfort, relaxation, and rejuvenation by applying these very simple and practical Feng Shui enhancements to your living room:

Declutter - Remove, recycle, donate, trash, sell, do whatever is needed to remove items you don't need, use or even like. Clutter generates negative energy and has a direct impact on your physical and emotional well-being. Start decluttering now!
Find a good view - If you have a great view of nature or the city, leave your blinds or curtains open to bring that expansive view inside. If you don't have a view, you can create one with a great piece of art.
Appeal to your senses - Explore aromatherapy such as essential oil diffusers and even pure incense to flood the air with layers of sensory goodness.
Add more nature - Nature is the ultimate relaxation nirvana. Add plants, fresh flowers and bring more nature into your living room.
Rearrange your furniture – Furniture are not permanent fixtures and can be easily rearranged. Move them around to increase energy flow and remove furniture that have no use or purpose in your living room. While you are at it, get rid of cracked and broken furniture, lamps, smelly rugs, etc.

Lastly, have fun with the process and make a habit of reinventing your living room at least once a year!

Ellie Lavender
Certified Feng Shui Practitioner
Interior Designer
Lavender Design + Cuisine

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & Interior
Design tips and information on upcoming workshops & special events!

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Lavender Design + Cuisine Testimonials

Welcome to Lavender Design + Cuisine, your source of inspiration for Living Joyously & Deliciously!

Every company has a story and mine is rather inspirational and worth telling. My wonderful journey to the creation of Lavender Design + Cuisine began in 2011 when I decided to leave a highly successful career in high tech sales spanning 20 years. It was time to pursue my lifelong dream. Since then, it has been an amazing and rewarding experience.

Click on links below to view what my wonderful clients, enthusiastic workshop attendees and amazing students are saying.

Feng Shui & Interior Design Testimonials

Declutter Your Life Workshop Testimonials

Personal Chef & Catering Clients Testimonials

Vegan Mediterranean Cooking, Baking, Chocolate & Wine Pairing Classes Testimonials

Aspiring Young Chefs Beautiful Testimonials

Corporate Team-Building Activity Testimonials

I'm immeasurably grateful to do what I love thanks to my wonderful clients, enthusiastic workshop attendees and amazing students. They are the center of my work and a great inspiration.

Ellie Lavender
Certified Feng Shui Practitioner & Interior Designer
Vegan Mediterranean Personal Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor
Lavender Design + Cuisine

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & Interior
Design tips and information on upcoming workshops & special events!

Corporate Team-Building Activity Testimonials

What my happy corporate clients are saying …..

Corporate Team-Building Activity: Chocolate & Wine Pairing Class

'Chef Ellie brightened up our day with her chocolate-making offsite as she shared her love of food and life with my engineering team. She created a light-hearted and enjoyable environment where we all relaxed and had fun creating unique chocolates, flavored with organic culinary lavender, homemade candied orange, and other crave-worthy toppings. We had fun as a team working together to make chocolate mini-cups, medallions, and bark...plus taste-testing along the way! I really appreciated that Ellie made it so easy logistically. We didn't have access to a stove-top, so she used the microwave to temper the chocolate, and had all the ingredients ready to go. I can't thank her enough for keeping dietary restrictions in mind (allergies to gluten, dairy, nuts, carrots!). Another nice touch was Ellie brought a fantastic wine for us to enjoy as we got creative, plus sent us all home with a carefully selected bottle to pair with our chocolates, which we wrapped up into nice boxes. I highly recommend Ellie's chocolate class as an offsite for any team in any organization! I promise you'll have a fantastic and memorable time.' ~ Kat, San Francisco

Corporate Team-Building Activity: Declutter Your Life Hands-On Workshop

‘Ellie brought her amazing energy and contagious enthusiasm to a corporate team building activity that generally would have had reluctant participations. However, not in her wonderfully organized and delicious Declutter Your Life hands-on and interactive workshop. Her workshop was one of the best team building activities that I had organized for my team and perfectly within my budget. It was fun and yet a very effective way to create employee bonding experiences. It encouraged teamwork and collaboration, further enhanced team communications, and fostered camaraderie all in a delightful and delicious ways. We loved the gourmet vegan refreshments and artisan lavender chocolates she had prepared for us. I highly recommend Ellie's Delcutter Your Life workshop as a team building activity for any organization!’ ~ Susan, Santa Clara

I'm immeasurably grateful to do what I love thanks to my amazing corporate clients. They are the center of my work and a great inspiration.

Thank you!

Ellie Lavender
Certified Feng Shui Practitioner & Interior Designer
Vegan Mediterranean Personal Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor
Lavender Design + Cuisine

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & Interior
Design tips and information on upcoming workshops & special events!

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Vegan Mediterranean Cooking, Baking, Chocolate & Wine Pairing Classes Testimonials

What my happy culinary students are saying …..

‘Chef Ellie’s chocolate making class with lavender is simply amazing! Once I experienced the exotic taste and wonderful aroma of lavender in chocolate, it became my daily treat! Thank you, Ellie, for introducing me to culinary lavender and for the delicious and fun class!’ ~ Lisa, Saratoga

‘Anyone who likes chocolate will love this class. Chef Ellie makes chocolate making fun and enjoyable as eating it.’ ~ Jason, Watsonville

'So fun! Chef Ellie is warm & sweet and includes everyone so we all learn, make & taste lovely chocolates, artisanal style. Thank you.' ~ Jean, Santa Cruz

'Love the energy Chef Ellie brings to her class! This is my third and most favorite, love chocolates. Thank you Chef Ellie.' Ernie, Walnut Creek

‘I loved the chocolate and wine pairing class! Chef Ellie’s positive and exuberant spirit guides you along as you make beautiful chocolate arts together in a small and fun group. The beautiful included packaging inspires you to create lovely homemade gifts you can take to share with friends and family. That is if you can keep from eating the yummy chocolates yourself!’ ~ Chris, Los Gatos

‘We loved Chef Ellie’s vegan artisan chocolate and wine pairing class! It was a beautiful Valentine’s Day present for myself and my husband. We highly recommend it!’ ~ Rebecca & John, Palo Alto

'I learned so much today. It was the first time for me to make confections. ~ I enjoyed the people and wonderful food. Thanks for a lovely day.' Linda, Santa Cruz

'Today's vegan Moroccan cooking & wine pairing class was so fun, educational & so full of love for food. Thank you Chef Ellie for your positive goodness & heartfelt joy in teaching!' ~ Teri, Brookdale

'Chef Ellie's classes are the best! What better way to spend the Saturday than learning to cook nutritious, Mediterranean vegan food. She is such a pleasure to spend the day with. Thank you!' ~ Vikki, Aptos

'Ellie is the hostess with the mostest. She creates the most artistic, flavorful, healthy food I've ever experienced. Her classes are uniquely orchestrated and everyone participates. So fun, great people/foodies.' ~ Amy, Ben Lomond

‘Chef Ellie's class was so wonderful. So creative and fun. She was warm and welcoming, the venue was rustic and perfect, and the lesson was engaging. Look forward to taking another class. Thank you.' ~ Lisa & John, San Jose

‘Chef Ellie’s vegan cooking and wine pairing class, A Taste of Spain on Your Plate was lots of fun and delicious. I always thought vegan foods were boring until I took this class! Not only did I enjoy the class thoroughly, I also learned how to cook delicious vegan foods and pair them with the right wine, too!’ ~ Jennifer, Santa Clara

‘We absolutely loved Chef Ellie’s vegan cooking and wine pairing class, A Taste of Morocco on Your Plate! She made the class so much fun by engaging students in all aspects of cooking, attending to each person, and encouraging them to be adventurous when cooking! Now, my husband and I take turns cooking vegan foods for each other on our date nights. We love experimenting with recipes and making them vegan.’ ~ Cathy & Joe, Sunnyvale

‘Chef Ellie instantly makes you feel at ease, as if you are with your family cooking. She radiates joy and infuses everyone with her creativity. And food is delicious.’ ~ Kendra, Seaside

‘What I love the most about taking Chef Ellie’s class is that I take time to enjoy cooking something new & taking time to enjoy the experience. Also, to meet new people & connect with other foodies. Thanks Chef Ellie! ~ Ernie, Walnut Creek

‘Coming to this class was such a wonderful escape from the non-stop hustle and bustle of downtown Santa Cruz. The tarts were phenomenal and the techniques that I learned are applicable to many different dishes, even if you’re not vegan. The collaborative environment between everyone allowed us to form a group mentality tasked with making a fabulous meal that included a small bit of everyone’s personality. I would happily take another one of these classes as it is not just a cooking class but a gathering of people who will from now on be connected to this particular experience.’ ~ Amanda, Santa Cruz

‘Awesome day meeting + cooking w/ new friends in the redwoods! ~ Kerrie, Watsonville

'Surprised and amazed at finding a vegan French baking class. It was wonderful, fun and everyone worked together as a team. All the foods we made were beautiful, colorful and delicious!' ~ Tawny, Watsonville

‘What a great experience with amazing people, cooking and then enjoying yummy meal together. True communities! ~ Kristy, San Jose

'I loved how simple the food was to make. It was nice that people from all levels of cooking could enjoy the class. I'm not vegan, but the food was delicious! Thank you Chef Ellie.' ~ Heidi, Santa Cruz

'The recipes and preparation techniques were great! Other people in the class were very pleasant. The appetizer and drink were great. The vegan Moroccan cooking & wine pairing class was very well organized and nice. Thank you.' ~ Boris, Aptos

'Great experience, foods & people. Enjoyed being involved in cooking experience, meeting new people. Learned some great tips. It was lovely to have food & drink as we communicated with each other. Thank you.' ~ Carol, Aptos

‘Today, was a very joyful experience for me, cooking with everyone & loved the healthy vibe. I love FlipJack Ranch! It is a perfect place for learning, growing and loving all things food. ~ Teri, Brookdale

I'm immeasurably grateful to do what I love thanks to my amazing culinary students. They are the center of my work and a great inspiration.

Thank you!

Chef Ellie Lavender

Vegan Mediterranean Personal Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor
Lavender Design + Cuisine

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & Interior
Design tips and information on upcoming workshops & special events!

Personal Chef & Catering Clients Testimonials

What my happy personal chef and catering clients are saying …..

Personal Chef Clients

‘We hired Chef Ellie as our personal chef 7 years ago and can't imagine our lives without her gourmet, nourishing, amazingly beautiful and delicious foods. She is a joy to work with and is always willing to cater our events even on short notice. We absolutely love her and highly recommend her.’ ~ Joe & Kathy, Los Gatos

‘We were meat eaters and skeptical to hire a vegan personal chef, but once we tasted Chef Ellie’s delicious vegan Moroccan couscous she had catered at a friend's house, we hired her immediately! We no longer eat meat. We are much healthier and feel great! Thank you Chef Ellie for preparing delicious healthy and amazing meals for us, we love eating at home and enjoy perfectly paired wine with our foods.’ ~ Suzanne & Steve, Saratoga

‘We hired Chef Ellie as our personal chef 7 years ago and love all the beautiful, healthy, organic and delicious foods she makes for us! Our two boys adore her, because they get to cook with her after school, which is been instrumental in getting them to eat healthy foods! We love her flexibility, positive and can do attitude too, she makes everything possible. Highly recommend her. ~ Joyce & Philippe, Los Gatos

Ellie’s culinary creations are simply amazing in terms of presentation, nutritional value and especially taste. Ellie has an incredible sense for combining ingredients in a complimentary way. Chef Ellie is always playing with new ingredients and creating new recipes. Whether it is a brunch, a snack, a dessert or a lavish dinner, her cuisine is always created with thought, mindfulness and joy. Her uncompromising commitment to using fresh, organic ingredients allows her to virtually eliminate the use of sugar, salt or other less healthy ingredients. As a result, each time after enjoying her dishes we feel invigorated and completely satisfied. We are truly blessed to have Ellie and her lovely approach to nutrition in our lives. ~ Jean & Werner, Santa Cruz

Catering Clients

‘We hired Chef Ellie to cater our very small, private wedding and it was perfect! Ellie was a pleasure to work with right from the beginning. She was energetic and joyful and we immediately connected with her. She was attentive to the needs of our picky-eater children and was willing to adapt some of her recipes to accommodate them. The entire experience with Ellie was wonderful. We were in good hands and it was so nice to sit down to a fantastic intimate meal after our long day. Ellie gave us the royal treatment. The food was AMAZING! I loved having leftovers for a week...I didn't get tired of eating the delicious Moroccan couscous. The kids loved Ellie as well. They appreciated her joyful energy and generosity. Ellie went above and beyond, from beautiful flowers and specially prepared napkins and table settings, to a gift bag for each of us to remember our special day, to a basket of homemade dark chocolate that was exquisite, and the special treats didn't stop there. I will definitely think of Ellie for a special event again, and would recommend her to everyone.’ ~ Kamala & Jason, Santa Cruz

‘I highly recommend Chef Ellie’s outstanding cooking and baking! Finally, a chef who truly knows how to cook vegan dishes and make them savory. Her sense of using just the right ingredients is a gift. She is creative and always right on. Her baking skills are top notch. Her creations are always astonishing as they are not only a treat to eat but they are beautiful to look at. She's a top baker. She uses the best organic ingredients and doesn't produce anything that is not of the highest caliber. Creative is her middle name. No one would go wrong putting her in charge of any catering event. Just enjoy the talent, you will see. “~ Judy, Santa Cruz

I'm immeasurably grateful to do what I love thanks to my amazing personal chef and catering clients. They are the center of my work and a great inspiration.

Thank you!

Chef Ellie Lavender

Vegan Mediterranean Personal Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor
Lavender Design + Cuisine

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & Interior
Design tips and information on upcoming workshops & special events!

Declutter Your Life Workshop Testimonials

What my happy workshop attendees are saying......

‘I came home from the workshop and decluttered my entry way, a work station, and the shelves and counters in my kitchen. My stack of reading material had unread magazines from two years ago, and I realized "I could live without them", and that in fact, I HAVE been living without them - can't wait to cancel the subscription. Just looking around, I actually feel better, more spacious inside, and more in the present moment. Proof to me that not only is there a mind/body connection, but a mind/ environment connection that I can't afford to ignore! Thank you, Ellie, for a real take-away!’ ~ Peter, Santa Cruz

‘Ellie's knowledge about mindful design and decluttering one's life is only surpassed by her passion for it. Attending the workshop was enjoyable and most importantly, useful. I came home from the Declutter Your Life workshop and decluttered my kitchen counters before going to my next meeting. I feel so good looking at those counters. It really does impact how you feel! I'm on a roll now. Thanks Ellie! ~ Nancy, Santa Cruz

‘Thank you Ellie for the inspiring workshop. It was beyond my expectations!!! Not only did we learn some great tools for tackling the clutter, but also the core blocks of letting go. I appreciate all the special touches, delicious gourmet treats, sachets, and 1:1 personal connection. Ellie, you’re a true gem. Thank you!’ ~ Kim, Santa Cruz

‘I had the opportunity to attend Ellie's Declutter Your Life workshop and was very impressed with the manner in which she conducted the workshop. What I appreciated the most was her subtle humor and her ability to get the attendees to participate effectively.’ ~ Sandhya, Morgan Hills

‘Ellie workshop was very inspiring but most of all it motivated me to get out of my "overwhelm" mode to continue this unpleasant project that needs to be finished. I came home and started with a fresh approach and am working on it a little each day." ~ Joanna, Los Gatos

'I truly enjoyed your workshop.' I loved your preparation and your attention to detail. I found it soothing to be present. You are on to something in your work and I thank you for helping me continue to move forward.’ ~ Jan, Santa Cruz

I'm immeasurably grateful to do what I love thanks to my wonderful workshop attendees. They are the center of my work and a great inspiration.

Thank you!

Ellie Lavender

Certified Feng Shui Practitioner
Interior Designer
Lavender Design + Cuisine

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & Interior
Design tips and information on upcoming workshops & special events!