Eva, thanks — it’s really rewarding to be connected in this way, so trust me…I’ll be doing more of it.

Ree, yeah, Detroit has it rough. I’ve only been there once, but I remember driving around downtown wondering where people were supposed to shop? Canada?

Heather, I didn’t allow things like olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but I did allow myself to use spices and canola oil that were already on hand. That benefit dinner you’re talking about sounds like a really great demonstration — another friend was telling me recently about something similar — those kind of events can be incredibly powerful!

I remember attending a benefit dinner in college. I think the percentages at that point where something like 1% of the world was 1st World, 10% was 2nd World, and the rest were 3rd World or lower. You picked a slip of paper out of a bowl at the beginning of the meal and whatever World you drew dictated your meal for the evening. 1st World got a steak dinner with all the fixings, 2nd World got beans and rice, and 3rd World got just rice. I got the message along with my bowl of rice and growling, empty stomach.

And Detroit has similar statistics about shopping – fast food and liquor, but no grocery stores and certainly not with fresh fruits and vegetables available.