October 29, 2024 • 58 mins
We've all been through something, we've all had our own traumas, but the one thing that I have learned is that embracing love will heal everything. - Babette Davis
Are you ready to be inspired by a culinary powerhouse who defies age and radiates positivity?
If you don't already know her, meet Chef Babette, a 73-year-old dynamo whose journey from overcoming childhood adversities to holding eight-minute planks and running a thriving vegan restaurant will leave you in awe. Chef Babette shares her wisdom on healing from past traumas, embracing unconditional love, and living in the present moment. Her story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of love.
Discover the profound impact of forgiveness and self-love as Chef Babette recounts her experiences with emotional resilience and growth. From navigating diverse career paths to a life-changing spiritual encounter in Japan, her journey is a rich tapestry of lessons learned and challenges overcome. Chef Babette's reflections on childhood health challenges and emotional traumas illustrate the resilience and compassion that define her life and work.
Join us as we explore the holistic benefits of a vegan lifestyle with Chef Babette, who shares her transition from food cart to a successful vegan restaurant. Learn the importance of listening to your body, making conscious health decisions, and embracing a plant-based diet. Chef Babette's stories of encouraging healthier eating habits and understanding our interconnectedness with all life forms highlight a compassionate approach to veganism that goes beyond personal health. This episode is an uplifting exploration of resilience, forgiveness, and the boundless energy of a truly inspirational soul.
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Connect with Babette on Instagram here, and visit her website here.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Babette (00:00):
This human journey.
I don't like to act like I'mthis person that set aside, and
I've been through this and I'vebeen through that.
We've all been throughsomething.
We've all had our own traumas,but the one thing that I have
learned is that embracing lovewill heal everything.
I'm telling you, and hangingout in the instead of worrying
(00:24):
about tomorrow, stressing aboutyesterday sometimes, sweetheart,
even stressing about fiveminutes ago, wrecks your moments
.
That's the only time that'sguaranteed.
Ella (00:43):
Hey there and welcome to Rise and Thrive with me, Ella
Majors.
I created this high vibepodcast from a place of profound
curiosity, fierce compassionand the deep desire to connect
you with the wisdom ofinspirational wellness, health,
fitness and conscious leadersand change makers.
Here's to discovering our blindspots and embracing life as the
(01:05):
adventure it is.
The time is now.
Let's do this.
Hey, hey everyone.
Ella here with Quinn, hey babe.
Quinn (01:19):
Hey, how are you?
Ella (01:21):
Doing well, doing well.
I don't know about you, but Ilove getting those full body
chills.
You know when somebody likeblows me away with their story
and their message.
You know those moments.
Quinn (01:35):
Oh sure.
Ella (01:37):
Yeah, this is one of those episodes that has many of those
moments.
Quinn (01:41):
I mean, she's a powerhouse.
Ella (01:43):
Yes, we're talking about chef Babette, you guys.
She is 73 years old, and talkabout a wonder woman.
She's one.
Um, she's out there holdingeight minute planks, running a
thriving vegan restaurant anddropping some serious wisdom on
healing love and living life tothe fullest.
(02:06):
So, in case you're unfamiliarwith Babette Davis, she is a
globally recognized plant-basedchef, fitness enthusiast and
motivational speaker who callsInglewood, california, home.
She pioneered the firstplant-based restaurant Stuff I
Eat in her community in theearly 2000s, where she still
receives visitors from aroundthe world.
(02:27):
Once a hairstylist, babettebecame a self-taught chemist in
the kitchen, perfecting eatinghealthy while keeping the flavor
of her dishes the focal point.
Her combination of thoughtfulfood preparation with an intense
fitness regimen has made herone of the most sought-after
experts in her field.
Before we dive in, though, Iwant to do a quick check-in here
(02:50):
with Quinn and give a fewimportant announcements, being
that this is our very finalgrand finale Rise and Thrive
episode.
And hey, if you want to forwardthrough this intro and go right
to the interview, it will nothurt my feelings.
What about you, babe?
Quinn (03:11):
No, no, no, Speed away.
Ella (03:14):
I do have to say that you, quinn, have, in my eyes, really
mastered the art of not beingdefensive.
What's that term for not beingdefensive Like?
What's the?
What's the term like?
What's that term for not beingdefensive?
Is there a word for that?
Quinn (03:30):
That's a good question.
I don't know, I mean.
Ella (03:33):
I know what I'm talking about, right.
Quinn (03:34):
Oh yeah, I mean, yeah, it's, it's, it's an, it's a new
superpower of mine.
I can see it happening too.
It's.
It's really quite amazing,cause it always wasn't like that
by any means, I don't know.
I think it's a level of beingpresent, it's and it's just like
, and I think it's just reallyfeeling that emotion and
breathing through it, because Ican feel the defensiveness yeah,
(03:54):
and it kind of kind of flare upa little bit.
You know, like I can feel itrising a bit, but then the same
time I don't let it.
I don't let it overtake me, soit's like I aware of it, but
then kind of just breathe intoit and let it pass.
See that emotion and let itpass, which is really amazing to
(04:14):
see and to feel in real time.
Ella (04:19):
Yeah, you've got a great poker face too.
Because I don't see in thosemoments, I don't see that
process moments, I don't seethat you can't see me thinking
interesting no, I can't say thatprocess like, and a lot of
people will get defensive andthen take it back right and
that's hard to do sometimes whenyou just lash out and it's that
(04:40):
reaction that was very much alot of my life, that that was
always it.
Quinn (04:46):
I've got to win, kind of thing.
And it's really funny you saythat because I've never talked
about it to anybody.
But it's a new, like I said,superpower, because it's such an
easy thing to do To lash rightback out trying to get the final
word in.
So yeah, that's reallyinteresting.
You say that because that'sdefinitely a new ability for
sure it, just it.
Ella (05:07):
it kind of puts you on the fast track to growth, to
transformation to all that right.
Like you stunt yourself, westunt ourselves by getting the
defensive.
Quinn (05:19):
It's a reconditioning right and like I'm still feeling
it, but in the moment I'm ableto retract from it, not let it
take over, and able to build onit and see through it and and
also it's it's also the power oflove too, like the person I'm
talking to.
Doing this shared union, thatum is very comforting and I feel
that energy too.
So I mean, I think that's alsoa dynamic as well.
(05:41):
You're in my life to help megrow and become the best person
I am, and vice versa.
Right, and I think everything'sa lesson and that's just that's
.
The lesson for me is like thisis all beautifully scripted, if
you will.
Ella (05:54):
Yeah, and what you're talking about that process in
your head that you go throughthat allows you to not just lash
out, to accept kind of processthat in a healthy way and take
it and grow from it and learnfrom it.
These are some of the thingsthat I'm actually teaching as
part of the Food Freedomcoaching program that will be
(06:16):
coming out in just a few months,and the great news is that, if
you're listening to this rightnow and you struggle with giving
into cravings, or you're anemotional eater or a yo-yo
dieter, or you're stuck incycles of restricting and
binging, I have just come outwith an emergency cravings kit
(06:37):
that I'm offering to you, ourlisteners, 100% free of charge.
100% free of charge Because, ifyou know me and my story, I've
been there and I've not onlyhealed my own relationship with
food, I've gone on to helphundreds of coaching clients and
now I'm on my way to helpingthousands with this free tool,
(07:02):
which both helps you understandwhy you're eating when you're
not really hungry and it givesyou a super simple five-step
process to and I'm going toquote my amazing copywriter here
, who came up with this to saygoodbye to fighting with
willpower and hello to enjoyingfood again, but that really is
(07:26):
what it will do.
So head on over tostartsexyfitvegancom to get this
free download today, and whenyou do, you'll also receive an
invitation to join our upcomingCravings Cure Challenge for free
as well.
These are truly game-changingopportunities here, and I think
(07:50):
that will do it.
I think we covered everything.
Quinn (07:53):
Sounds good to me.
Let Chef Babette take it away.
I'm excited for this one.
Ella (07:59):
Yeah, it's so good you guys.
All right, let's do this.
It's so good you guys.
All right, let's do this.
Jeff Babette, it's so great tohave you on the show.
Thanks for being here.
Thank you, we're doing thisthanks to Shabnam, who, yes, I
(08:21):
met her for the first time inperson last June at the Vegan
Women's Summit in New York.
Oh, cool yeah, and it was likewe hit it off and I hadn't
realized that you guys had onlyknown each other for like maybe
a little over a year, becausewhen I see you guys doing things
together, it's like you'veknown each other your whole
lives.
Babette (08:38):
Yes, she's like a really good buddy of mine.
She really she's a sweetheart.
So yeah, I love her.
Ella (08:45):
And speaking of well, she's also your trainer.
What is your plank?
Hold record at this point.
Babette (08:56):
You know I can still do the eight minute plank.
I do it.
However, it's like sometimesI'm on my forearms and sometimes
I'm up on my arms and sometimesI'm doing the side plank, but
all together I can hold it foreight minutes.
So I told myself you better getthat eight minute plank and
make sure you get it down beforesomebody asks you to get down
and do it and you can't.
So at least I can do eightminutes.
Ella (09:16):
That's incredible, incredible.
I want to get one thing off mychest before we really dive in.
Babette (09:21):
Okay, get it off girl.
Ella (09:22):
Well, no, and I kind of was jotting down while I was
preparing for this and hear mythoughts.
You know it is so remarkablethat you're 73, doing the
intense workouts that you do,running your restaurant,
traveling appearances, all thesethings.
But what really blows my mind,honestly, about you is just how
(09:43):
your beauty, it really radiatesand it radiates from deep within
your heart, your soul.
It's emotional because I hearit when you speak.
You really embody thisunconditional love and it's
really extraordinary, especiallyconsidering you know what
you've been through in your life, the trauma that you've
(10:03):
experienced in your lifetime.
Can you talk just a little bitabout?
You know, I talk about how weneed to heal ourselves in order
to best help heal the world.
Right, what do you attribute?
Your ability to not only healfrom those past traumas but to
embody this love and be sogenerous and willing to share,
generous and willing to share.
Babette (10:21):
Thanks for asking that question.
It really is a great question,this human journey.
I don't like to act like I'mthis person that set aside, and
I've been through this and I'vebeen through that.
We've all been throughsomething.
We've all had our own traumas,but the one thing that I have
learned is that embracing lovewill heal everything.
(10:43):
I'm telling you, and hangingout in the now instead of
worrying about tomorrow,stressing about yesterday
sometimes, sweetheart, evenstressing about five minutes ago
, wrecks your moments.
That's the only time it'sguaranteed.
Once I understood that I had thepower to go where I wanted to
(11:06):
go.
I have that power.
Then I understood even thoughyou may be sad for this moment,
you know how to reel it in.
You know, because if I washolding on to everything that
I've been through and angry witheverybody look, girl, look,
this is my fourth husband Threeof the people I was with are
(11:27):
dead.
So I mean, you know, and a fewof them were really horrible
people but what if I was stillangry and upset about that?
It's a journey, it's anexperience.
The human experience is awesomebecause everything I go through
, I learned from it and then Ishare even the horrible,
(11:47):
despicable people that have beenin my past.
They act like spiritual guidesto me now.
Now they've shown me.
They've shown me what to stayclear of, what to stay away from
, you know.
And so I just chalk it up, asI'm doing the same thing you're
doing, sweetheart, on a humanjourney, and I just allow the
(12:11):
intelligence to shine through me.
You know that song in church weused to sing this little lie to
mine.
I just feel like, why not bethat vessel, why not allow that
which created all of this toexpress through me?
Ella (12:29):
And so, yeah, I don't know if I answered your question but
, that's where I am right nowthat is, at what point did that
kind of become clear to you, thewhole love embodying love thing
?
Babette (12:44):
I know huh, you know, I started going to a spiritual
center and I think I hooked upwith Ron and so this was in the
nineties.
I met my husband in 1990.
We got married in 92.
So actually it was the lateeighties and he was number four.
The one I'm with now, yeah, hewas number four and that was in
(13:06):
1990.
We got married in 92.
But I went to this spiritualcenter.
It wasn't like a Christianchurch, it was just a spiritual
center and I learned so muchthere as they were speaking.
You know, when you're yellingat me and you're telling me all
that stuff that's in the book,book and I never grabbed it.
(13:27):
But as this person it wasReverend Dr OC Smith, as he
began to speak to me, I totallygot and he spoke to me and this
guy like do you know MichaelBeckler?
Ella (13:40):
Not personally, but yes, I absolutely yes.
Babette (13:41):
Agape Center.
Ella (13:42):
Not personally, but yes, I absolutely yes.
Agape Center.
Babette (13:44):
Reverend Michael is amazing, but when I first walked
into Agape Spiritual Center,Reverend Michael was saying
words.
I was like what does that word?
mean who is it, reverend Dr OC?
It didn't matter if you had athird grade education like my
mother, or if you had yourmaster's, you would understand
(14:06):
what he was saying to you, andthat is when I began to open up
and connect myself with thewhole.
That was when I began tounderstand that I was created by
the same intelligence thatcreated all of this and I cannot
separate myself from it, or I'mone with everything and man.
(14:29):
As this guy spoke to me, Ibegan to grow and grow, and it
just started changing who I was,and I began to learn to forgive
.
Ella (14:42):
I just jotted down the word forgiveness because I
wanted to ask you.
Babette (14:46):
Isn't forgiveness.
Like the most my husband and I.
There have been times whenwe've been together since 1990,
2024, he's 75 and I'm 73.
And we have this businesstogether and he's sometimes can
be Mr Grump Grump and I canremember he and I going at it.
(15:06):
And if you ask me tomorrow,what were you guys yelling about
?
Nine times out of 10, I can'teven tell you.
Such a waste.
So when I talk about I'm notrunning a hundred, okay, but to
be able to remind myself, evenif I have to say I am very sorry
to you for my behavior, andhe'll say I want him to say me
(15:30):
too.
But he'll say, okay, but heforgives easily, he forgives, he
lets it go really, reallyquickly, and so I've learned to
do that.
It's just easier, Life is justeasier if you're just not
holding on to all the crap youknow.
Ella (15:51):
Oh yeah, you know there's this little things day to day.
There's also the big things andyou're talking about staying in
the present and do you thinkthere's value in kind of
revisiting past wrongs and doingactive work, like being
proactive, about doing the workto forgive people in the past
(16:12):
that maybe you're holding on to?
Is that work you did veryintentionally, Honey?
Babette (16:18):
I do not.
I have forgiven everybody in mypast, everybody.
I don't look at anybody withany kind of anger or anything
like that.
As a matter of fact, I'm soglad you brought this up
Somebody that I work withyesterday.
You know how you can be soconfused by a person's meaning
(16:38):
during a text message, and onyesterday I went to grunt grunt
message.
And on yesterday I went togrunt grunt anyway, and so I did
not want to hear or to read theperson's response, because I
already knew where it was goingto go and I just didn't want to.
I didn't want to read it, Ididn't want to see it, I didn't
(17:00):
want to feel any kind of wayabout it, and when I saw that
person today I hadn't read thatresponse.
But when I opened my iPad today, I saw the response.
It was there and so, ratherthan reading it, I erased it.
You understand, because we werefine today.
Yesterday was yesterday.
(17:22):
I did not need to revisit that,because I might have read that
message and in an effort to feedmy ego, I may have said
something to her and drummed itall up again unnecessarily.
I'm at home now.
She's at work, I'm at home,we're good to go.
We didn't talk about it.
It's over, it's done, and soI've learned to do that.
(17:44):
I've learned to do that Becausedo you ever get that feeling?
If you're in something that'snot loving, it kind of makes you
feel a little nauseous, like Idon't like that, I don't like
going there, I don't like goingthere.
You know it's just much easierto let it go and move on.
You know it's just so mucheasier.
Ella (18:06):
I wish everybody understood that.
And it really is.
Forgiveness is one of thosethings.
It's for us too, that's an actof self-love To forgive
ourselves, yes, absolutely yes.
And to forgive others is an actof self-love.
Exactly Because it's hurting us.
Exactly yes, it doesn't make iteasy.
It Because it's hurting us,exactly yes, it doesn't make it
easy, it doesn't make it easy.
Babette (18:26):
You got it.
You got it 100%.
That was why I didn't read thatmessage.
I was like that's over.
We were at work today.
I needed her to do something.
She did it.
We didn't bring it up, it wasdone, it was a wrap.
Why do I need to read this nowand revisit that?
Ella (18:43):
Speaking of not going back , for those of you who don't
know and maybe most people knowby now kind of your journey.
I mean you've had so manychapters in your life.
I mean good, good, gracious,how many career paths you've
taken.
I mean airlines, hairstylist,singer in Tokyo, floral
arrangements, balloon designer,actor.
I mean I feel like I couldchoose so many things Is that
(19:06):
cool or what it's so cool.
Babette (19:08):
I've done so many.
It's pretty funny sometimeswhen I think about it, and the
way that I wound up with thiscareer was meeting my husband
and he's sharing the first veganmeal with me, and we hook up
and then we decide I thinkpeople would really like this
Reverend Michael, let us comeover on his parking lot.
We were feeding people everySunday.
(19:30):
And here we are, and so I knew.
When I went to Japan though,when I was meditating and you
know Japan just becauseeverybody else was practicing,
writing songs and rehearsing,and I was working out, going
shopping for food and meditating, was working out going shopping
(19:51):
for food and meditating, and Iknew when I got back to the
States singing was not going tobe it.
I knew that.
I said I'm going to start acatering company and that's what
I did.
Ella (19:58):
That's incredible.
I went through a whole burnoutlast year and went to Peru and
did ayahuasca, came back and Istarted listening to the Ram
Dass here and Now podcast andone of the things that he said
that his guru would always tellhim.
When he said how do I do it,how do I get enlightened, he
would say feed people.
That response was right andthat's what you're doing, like.
(20:21):
If you said this is my purpose,my calling, and not just to
feed people.
Babette (20:26):
But because, oh because the universe has allowed me to
be so healthy for all of theseyears.
I was such a sick person when Iwas younger.
Tell us about that.
Them up, I'd catch.
Oh man, I've had impetigo somany times.
(20:47):
I've had it in my hair, wheremy mom had to cut all my hair
off as a little girl becauseI've got this pussy impetigo in
my hair Just a hot mess.
When I was little and scaredabout a lot of things too.
You know, because of the thingsthat I had gone through with
adults, you leave your kid withsome adults you should not be
leaving your kid with.
You got to know who you'reentrusting your child with and
(21:12):
scared to tell you know thingshappen to me.
I wouldn't tell my mommy.
I can remember one time mygodparent that I lived with I
was like in third grade and shebrought spelling words home for
me.
She did janitorial work atVenice High School, so she
brought these words home to me.
I'm in third grade and if Ididn't get every word correct
(21:36):
when she asked me to spell them,she would punish me.
Back in the 50s, ladies did notwear pants to school, so the
best way that she couldhumiliate me.
I missed two words I'll neverforget C-O-A-R-S-E and
C-O-U-R-S-E, course and course.
And she made me wear pants toschool.
(21:57):
That was the most humiliatingthing that I can remember
walking to school and I canremember the kids.
I had rolled them up and put mycoat on so I could wear my coat
all day, and I can remembergirls going don't laugh at her.
Maybe all her dresses were dirtyand they were.
You know, I'm going throughthat.
And then the next day at schoolthe teacher makes an
(22:18):
announcement in the front of theclass Ladies, remember, you
cannot wear pants.
And when I get home that dayafter school my godmother's
leaning on the counter.
I'll never forget this Eating,I think, a piece of bread and I
know she's laughing at me and gohow was it wearing your pants
to school?
(22:38):
And so going through thingslike that as a child, you know
what I told my mother.
I said godmother made me wearpants to school the other day,
but we were making Adobe bricksso we needed to wear pants.
I gave her, I covered for her,I covered for her.
So I know, and so you can seewhat my spirit was I never
(23:03):
wanted to start the trouble.
I didn't want to be the one tostart the trouble.
So I don't know going throughall of that stuff.
And then we get intorelationships and know somebody
a hot second and be like, okay,I want to get married.
Ella (23:20):
Just like that.
Babette (23:25):
And I wind up with 40s guys, you know.
And then going through the drugthing and the crack was like
because that was the only thingthat I'd ever done, and that
thing is like you're hooked assoon as you do it, like if you
do it right and you get thatfeeling, it's almost like whoa,
can I do this for the rest ofthe week?
(23:46):
And that was a verydebilitating, weird time in my
life.
That time was really reallystrange.
Ella (23:56):
How many years was that period?
Babette (23:58):
No baby.
You know that only lasted meseven months.
Wow, I was in Colorado when itstarted and wound up moving back
to Los Angeles.
And I can remember the verylast time I did that I was
sitting at my mother's house inmy old bedroom, but there was no
furniture in that room and Iwas sitting on the floor.
(24:19):
I had been smoking this crackin the room by myself for hours
and I was out.
I was out of it and I picked upa piggy bank and I heard this
voice say to me so that's whatyou do now.
You go through piggy banks,girl, I put that thing down.
(24:41):
I have not done that since.
I wouldn't have gotten myself ajob with me in reservations.
Hey, I cleaned it up and I canremember getting a paycheck and
I was driving on 110 freeway andI can remember saying man, I
(25:02):
can really get high right now.
And the other voice said andmess everything up.
And so I never revisited and Idid meditate on it being
completely no one ever enteringmy space that does stuff like
that and I cleaned it up andthat's been wow years.
(25:22):
So you know those are blessingsto go through those and it
didn't last long.
You know what I mean.
It was only seven months totaland I got off that stuff and I'm
so grateful I did.
But the experience was theexperience when you're crawling
around on the floor looking fora crack or when you pick up a
(25:43):
paint bubble.
I have picked paint off thewall because while I'm in that
it's looking like crack.
Anyway, I am so grateful thatthat.
And then as I began to learn andthe first thing Ron did was he
gave me some books Fit for Lifeand the Mucusless Diet and I
read those books and that rightthere began to change, change my
(26:07):
mind.
And I tell people now the bestthing you can do for yourself is
educate yourself.
Girl, I did a post the otherday.
I didn't know we were so weakwhen it comes to understanding
what our food is for.
I had no clue that we don'tmake the connection that the
(26:29):
apple is life.
They don't make that connection.
Do you know how many people saywhen you cut that, when you put
that apple off the tree, it'sdead and I'm like but you can
take a carrot and cut the bottomof the carrot I mean the top of
the carrot put it in water andit will begin to grow.
You've got seeds in that applethat if you plant those seeds
(26:49):
they're going to sprout.
I'm like don't you understandthe life in food is the
nutrients that the food provides?
Humans and animals need foodand water to survive.
No, do you know how many peopleargue that point with me?
It's dead when you pick it.
I don't know why vegetariansthink that they don't eat dead
(27:11):
food.
I was like okay, whoa.
Ella (27:13):
Well, and I think this goes to also this idea that,
okay, there's talking aboutnutrition and like vitamins,
minerals, all that, but there'salso this relationship that we
have with food, with our bodies.
Yeah, that's true With theuniverse, right?
And you talk about this and youtalk about also, like when it
comes to your body.
I know you've said I don't knowif you still don't get on the
(27:35):
scale, you're not worried aboutlike that number right?
Babette (27:37):
I don't have one.
Ella (27:38):
I love that.
Can you share about why that'sthe case, because I think that's
so helpful.
Babette (28:10):
I think it it is, and I don't look at anybody else and
try to do me like anybody else.
I stay in my lane and I learneda valuable lesson two days
before my birthday in Decembertreadmill like you used to when
you spin.
I'm about to be 73.
I had not been on the treadmillin forever.
I go get on the treadmill andbefore, when I used to spin
years ago, I pump it, do aneight minute mile.
No biggie Girl.
I pumped it up to seven andsprinted.
Then I saw my trainer.
(28:30):
So I get off the treadmill, goin the training room.
I'm doing my own workout.
He's thinking what are youdoing?
And I'm just doing everything.
I get to work, bend down to geta spider web under the sink and
my knee goes crack, snapple, ohshit.
I have been dealing with myknee since my birthday and I
(28:51):
don't have a primary carephysician.
I don't hang out in doctors allthe time.
So you know I'm on a water fastright now.
So it's about to get rid ofsome of the inflammation and
just let me see if this thingwill heal on its own before I go
to some doctor that wants toput a knife on me.
But staying in your lane is soimportant, I didn't have to go
get on the treadmill.
(29:12):
And if I was going to get onthe treadmill I could have
walked, I could have done a fastpaced walk.
But to get on there and be sonuts to turn it up to seven and
sprint.
Ella (29:24):
What were you telling yourself?
What were you telling yourselfin your brain?
Babette (29:27):
I can do this, but sometimes you can't.
And so, when it comes to myhealth and home, I got rid of
the scale, because I foundmyself always referring to the
scale.
Let me just go to the scale,see how much I weigh.
And so now I pay attention tome.
I can always tell you how muchI weigh, almost exact.
(29:49):
I don't need the scale and Idon't know if it's at 73 or I've
just grown to the point where Ieat more for nutrients than I
do for anything else.
My husband's the same.
We're not bulky eatersers likethe soul food platter that I
sell.
It's stuff I eat.
Neither one of us can eat it.
(30:11):
It's too much, it's almostgluttonous.
Now I can make a handful ofnuts a meal.
You know my juice, that's ameal.
A salad, that's a meal.
Give me some quinoa with somebeets and broccoli meal.
(30:31):
Give me some quinoa with somebeets and broccoli, and that's a
meal.
And then I'm very careful abouteating too much cooked food,
because I know that we'll eatthree meals a day and not have
one live thing on our plate.
Well, dead thing, according toall the people, to all the
(30:54):
people.
I just pay attention to me andhow I feel and that sort of
thing.
And I always want to know howam I feeling?
I get a lot of rest, I mean,even though I wake up
automatically 1.30, 1.45, twoo'clock in the morning bathroom
run, it's time to get up.
So I get up, I make sure I getmy workout on, I do all the
cooking and stuff I eat andprepping and stuff I eat, and
(31:16):
then I have the rest of the dayto myself to take care of things
like this and you know what I'msaying.
But around six, five, 36o'clock, when it begins to get
dark, my dear is ready to go tosleep.
Ella (31:32):
I love that.
I thought I went to bed and Ido go.
I mean I go to bed at likeeight thirty nine o'clock, baby,
that's early.
Babette (31:38):
You're supposed to.
That's a good time to go towork, sweetheart.
Ella (31:41):
Thank you.
Babette (31:42):
Thank you.
I mean it is because the humanbody years ago, I believe
thousands of years ago, we wentto bed according to when the sun
was up and down.
Right, some people can't sleep.
You sleep good.
Look, I sleep, so good I sleep.
It's been kind of jacked withthis fast because I'm peeing all
night.
I feel like I should havebought a box of Depends.
Ella (32:05):
And maybe I should have come with them.
Babette (32:06):
But it's just water right now, right, it's just
water Wow, it's water, and I'lldo that till the 14th and then
I'll go on a detox.
Right, I saw that 30 days.
Ella (32:15):
You guys are doing amazing , yeah, Amazing.
Well, you're full energy at themoment.
It seems like I mean wow.
Babette (32:23):
No, I'm really good, I'm so grateful too.
Thanks, I'm really good, I'm sograteful too.
Thanks for asking me this,because and that's one of the
reasons I try to share so muchis because I have girlfriends
that I went to school with andgrew up with.
I know what they're goingthrough and you know that sort
of thing, because we tookdifferent paths.
Ella (32:41):
We made different decisions.
Well, it does seem like youhave, like the pre meeting Ron
era and then you've got thepost-Meeting Ron era and I want
to take it back to that firstparking lot food cart right that
you had.
Can you share a little bitabout like how that came to be,
because that was like the startright, I mean.
Babette (33:01):
Well, actually I started over at Remember I
talked to you about Reverend DrOC Smith.
He was the first he allowed meto come to his spot.
This was before my husband gotinvolved.
This was right after I camefrom Japan, okay, and he allowed
me to feed people afterservices on Sunday.
Ella (33:19):
Okay so.
Babette (33:20):
I had about 30 customers, that kind of you know
.
Yeah, it's good, it tastesreally good Because there was
another woman there, of course,selling all the chicken,
everything that people eat afterchurch.
And then my husband said, wouldyou like for me to get involved
(33:45):
with this?
And I said sure, why not?
And we wound up over at Agapeand he decided to build this
food cart.
It was 15 foot food cart on oneside of the cart.
It was 15 foot food cart On oneside of the cart.
We had refrigeration.
We had a place where we makeour smoothies.
We had an area that kept thingsicy cold.
On the other side we had agriddle and we started
(34:07):
developing block-long lines onthe parking lot.
It was incredible and all wewere serving the main thing we
were serving was people love thewild rice tacos, and then we
started making this enchiladapie and sandwiches and people
(34:31):
just fell in love with it and wehad smoothies available for
them every Sunday.
So we were the vegan spot to goto on the parking lot and that
lasted.
We were there for six years,wow.
Ella (34:40):
Was he vegan?
Michael Beckwith back then?
Oh yeah, I don't know how longhe's been vegan.
He's been vegan for a while.
Babette (34:45):
Okay, yeah, that was one of the reasons he allowed us
to come in.
Yeah, because he was.
It was fun.
It was really really fun.
Ella (34:54):
All right, and then how did that kind of Transfer?
Babette (34:58):
into the restaurant.
Into the restaurant yeah, Iworked for the airline, so Ron
and I loved Jamaica back in theday.
So, every time we had a few daysoff, you know, we'd take us a
trip to Jamaica.
So we were walking down MarketStreet yeah, we were on Market
Street just before we weregetting ready to leave to go to
Jamaica and the doors to ourrestaurant was open and we went
(35:20):
inside and it just so happenedthat there was a built-in like
steam table.
We didn't keep it, but it wasthe same color as our business
cards and for me, oh, that wasan oh my, no, this place is
great.
So we asked the guy man, whydon't you let us we had no money
, girl why don't you let us rentthis place?
He was like no, I'm going toturn this into a Nike kids store
(35:42):
.
He had a Nike store right nextdoor and he said I think I want
this to be, I don't want it tobe a restaurant.
It was a restaurant and when wegot back from our trip he had
called us about five, six timesand said come back over and talk
to me.
And that man let us get inthere with first last month rent
and a little security deposit.
And he says yours, do whateveryou think you need to do with it
(36:05):
.
It took us four years to openthe doors because Ron wanted to
make sure that all theappliances were paid for and we
had to kind of gut it a littlebit and fix it up.
And girl, that was in 2004.
We opened the doors in 2008.
And here it is 2024.
(36:25):
Incredible, covid, the wholenine, nine yards, and we were
not restaurant.
But you know, ron is reallyfrugal when it comes to money.
I mean, ron was the kind ofbrother that if he went to the
store and the tomatoes were toomuch, we ain't getting tomatoes
today.
They cost too much that was kindof the way he rolled, but.
(36:48):
But, yeah, girl, we made itthrough.
But we had something to bringto the community and we were
blessed with a spot in thecommunity.
And so I mean because wheneverwe went out to eat, we had to
drive across town because Ilived in South Central, which it
really was just maybe a milefrom the restaurant, but it
(37:10):
wasn't Englewood, I actuallylived in South Central and I
thought I'm sure there are somany vegans in this community
that would love to have a spot,and especially a spot because
we're cooking.
Come on now it was a black andbrown community then and we're
making tacos, burritos,quesadillas, soul food platter.
(37:31):
I even make my own burger.
You know what I'm saying?
We call it the nut burger.
And so we felt like we weredoing what we needed to do.
It was an important move, itwas a gift to the community.
Ella (37:43):
Yeah, Was it received right away?
Did you have to kind of yeah,Girl?
I used to have to beat peopleup to come in.
Babette (37:51):
I can remember people coming in like ain't no chicken,
ain't no fish.
What kind of place is this?
And they would walk out, runbehind hey, come back here and
get a free taco.
After I fed that taco to themand you know what I would do.
I would take.
I would take the rice out ofthe pan, put it back on the
griddle, throw some onion andstuff on there, make that taco
(38:13):
like the best taco they ever hadand they were like this is
delicious and sit down and buy awhole meal.
Ella (38:21):
How did Ron feel about you giving away all those tacos?
Babette (38:23):
I gave away a whole bunch of tacos.
You know what else Ron and Iused to do was so crazy?
We always wanted people to eat.
We gave a salad away.
We have lost a lot of moneygiving salad to it, but we would
give a salad with every mealbecause I believe in eating
something live.
And we would go around, both ofus.
We were like the grump, grumpcouple.
(38:44):
How come everything is you'reeating everything, you're not
eating that salad.
Get her to go back, take thatsalad home and eat that salad.
People would be like thesepeople are nuts, but I wanted
them.
The importance of at leasthaving one, something that you
ingest, that you haven't cookedthe life out of, you know, yeah,
yeah.
Ella (39:04):
Yeah, and was there a point that you started to
connect also with the animalaspect of being vegan?
Like you know more than plantbased, but yeah, that girl.
Babette (39:15):
Once I began to really connect with the whole, I'm just
like I'm going with everything.
If I hurt that animal, I hurtme, period.
Because it was not about theanimal.
It was about that rash thatwould break out in my face every
month.
It was about my back with allthe acne on it because I was
addicted to sugar.
It was about me, period.
(39:37):
I couldn't digest my food, Icouldn't poop, I had issues.
And then once I understood theoneness you have to understand
your connection with the whole.
This is just an experience,y'all.
And once I began I understoodlife is what it's about all life
(40:02):
.
I have an issue.
I have an issue killing spidersin the restaurant.
You want to put them in a napand and don't.
Can you go out there, pleasenow cockroaches are different so
they're just everybody's gottheir.
I can't even kill a cockroach,but you just have a rough time
with a cockroach too.
Ella (40:23):
I do those flying ones, man, we get some big flying
approaches in florida.
Oh my god, I will be like witha little oh yeah, like hiding
behind and leap out and try to.
Babette (40:36):
Oh, it is something else you know the big ones are
not as annoying as the littleones yeah just have too many
babies and they just multiply.
I mean, they're just like youknow.
You know, if you see one or twoin the kitchen you'd be like oh
god I'm glad I don't have arestaurant to worry about, I
don't have a restaurant, stuffwe really have to keep up with,
(40:59):
but yeah, yeah well, let's, Iwant to touch, touch, change
gears a little bit to that wholeaging thing, can you?
Ella (41:06):
you're obviously, you know , an incredibly positive and
embracing self-love and all ofthat, you know.
Yeah, what advice do you have?
Or how would you speak topeople?
Because I work with a lot ofwomen that have body image
issues and there are certainthings that we have control over
(41:27):
.
We have control over what weput in our bodies and how we
treat our bodies, and there areother things that just come
along with aging.
How do you see aging?
What's kind of the lens throughwhich you see and experience
aging?
Babette (41:41):
You know I appreciate and look forward to quality, a
good quality of life while I'mon this journey.
Longevity is cool, I mean, youknow people can live to 150 if
they want.
But more important to me,what's more important to me, is
(42:05):
if I get in the bathtub at 90,can I get out?
Do I have to wear the necklaceand call the fire department
just in case I fall?
Can I get up?
Quality of life is so veryimportant to me and so I'm I, I,
I did one thing that I now Iyou know how sometimes on this
(42:29):
journey you look, you have a fewregrets.
I, when I was working withSouthwest Airlines as a flight
attendant, I had a girlfriendthat decided she wanted to get a
tummy tuck and get implants.
Well, I went with her to theconsultation and I thought, well
, maybe I'll get some implants.
I had a runner's chest flat, Ididn't even need to wear a bra
(42:50):
and I decided to get implants.
I wish I had nine.
I wish I had not, because I wasin my fifties.
Then they're supposed to bechanged out every 10 years.
I am not trying to have boobsup here at 90 years old.
That's just a weird look to me.
Ella (43:08):
I don't know Not the look you're going for.
Babette (43:12):
I got you.
I wish I had given that alittle bit more thought before I
decided to do this.
Because I didn't need them, Idid not have a problem, but I
did it anyway.
But as it pertains to thechanges, I don't look like I
looked when I was 50.
I live on a beautiful planetand there's gravity and,
depending on how we've takencare of ourselves, the melanin,
(43:34):
our genes so many differentthings will say what this in
particular is going to look like.
But I'm not doing nothing to myface.
I feel like in this journeyI've had the opportunity to have
so many different faces andI'll continue that way.
(43:56):
So I have these now.
I didn't have them before.
I didn't have the littlesquinty lines, but that means I
laugh a lot.
Okay, I'm good with that.
That's beautiful In terms of mybody.
There are areas in my body thatI would like.
That was why I had gone on thesix month go hard in the gym,
because I wanted my legs to looka little bit different.
(44:18):
But that's just all a choice ofmine.
I'm not sizing myself up withanybody.
No, how do I feel?
Am I well?
Am I taking 15, 16 differentmeds?
Can I go in the gym and workout and then go to work and work
and then do whatever else Ineed to do.
(44:38):
Can I run a hill?
Those things are important tome.
Aesthetics, as long as you canlove you and you're feeling good
.
I don't know.
I just can't get all beat up onhow I'm going to look when I
get to be 80.
I cannot do it.
I will not do it Now.
I've always worn makeup.
(44:58):
I like makeup.
I wore makeup in high school.
I can remember people sayingyou look like a clown.
I can remember learning to putmakeup on and people teasing me
why you got what you look at andI just always really liked it.
So I wear makeup.
But now if I start wearingmakeup and it doesn't compliment
(45:20):
me, I will just continuewearing it.
It just depends on what I seefor me.
But I'm not beating myself up.
I'm not trying to look like you.
You know I want to be me.
I want to keep it, stay in myown skin and do me so I'm not
tripping.
I don't think people should fatshame.
We are where we are becausewe're on our own journey and we
(45:43):
all have to experience what itis we have to experience.
I talk to my daughter all thetime.
I love my daughter so much.
Love, love, love my daughter somuch.
But food has always been athing with her.
So she wound up with somediabetes that she's dealing with
and she goes back and forth.
Sometimes she's just thisstaunch vegan, whoa yeah.
(46:04):
And then other times shedoesn't talk to me about what
she's eating Because she's arailroader now, so she's
probably eating with thoserailroad guys.
And then what it does is shestarts feeling weird, she
doesn't feel good anymore, andthat's how mom knows.
But guess whose journey it is?
All I can do is say, teresa,you have to be consistent, got
(46:25):
to be consistent with your diet.
I can't do anything else aboutthat.
Her human journey is herjourney, it's not mine.
She knows what mom does and allI can do is be an example.
Baby, I'm loving my life.
I'm loving just how I look.
I'm good to life.
I'm loving just how I look.
I'm good to go.
I can't believe how happy I amwith myself.
Ella (46:47):
I love it.
I love one of the things that Ihear you say a lot is how you
take responsibility for yourselfand your feelings, and that
must be so important, especiallynow, with all I mean, you get a
lot of people saying a lot ofshit.
Babette (47:02):
Oh right.
Ella (47:02):
And is there anything that comes to mind, like anything
recent that was just, it's gottabe hard.
Even if you are takingresponsibility for yourself and
your feelings, it has to be hardsometimes.
Babette (47:12):
I'm gonna tell you one thing that really hurt me.
It was Jillian Berryinterviewed me and she took a
clip.
This part was out of context.
They didn't listen to the wholeinterview.
But I can't jump on top of acow and tear it apart with my
teeth and, la-da-da-da-da, it'snot my diet.
(47:33):
I thought people were gonna showup my house like they showed up
Nancy Pelosi's house.
They were horrible.
They were so mean to me.
They took me back toprehistoric times.
They said you're stupid, you'rea clown.
And then the last thing thatjust said okay, this is really
(47:54):
horrible.
Somebody said shut up, littlenigga, and I was like.
Somebody said shut up, littlenigga, and I was like what is
wrong with humans?
Why are we acting like this?
And if we're so cruel to us,animals do not have a chance.
We've learned to be so nasty toeach other total strangers.
(48:20):
We've learned to be so cruel,so cruel other total strangers.
We've learned to be so cruel,so cruel.
And that right there.
I think that was the one timethat I got really, really hurt,
especially doing what it is thatI do.
I enjoy sharing because I knowthat I inspire a lot of people,
but as I inspire, I'm inspired.
I'm inspired, so we do it foreach other.
(48:46):
But to be so angry because Idecided that I don't care to eat
decomposing animal flesh andbecause I share that in an
interview, I'm a clown and anidiot.
And the Bible says you can eatmeat.
The Bible also says youshouldn't eat meat in Genesis.
So I mean you know the Biblesays a lot of things.
It's also says you shouldn'teat meat in Genesis.
So I mean you know the Biblesays a lot of things.
It's a book of allegories, it'slike.
Anyway, I think that was theone thing that hurt me more than
(49:08):
anything, because I'm in aposition right now where I have
the people in my world so I'mnot getting beat up and hammered
like I used to.
I mean I had one man knock meout, cold cocked bam out, so I
don't have that kind of stuffgoing on in my world anymore.
I got past all that and so it'sjust little things that can,
(49:32):
because I usually give a lot oflove when I'm out.
You know what I mean and I knowthat let me tell you and I'm
not doing this, but I'm justsharing how my heart is.
I was coming from Home Depotyesterday.
I'm driving out.
There's a woman there with astroller, two little kids, and
she's got a sign.
Okay, you know she needs somehelp.
(49:55):
And I get my car and purse out.
I had gotten rid of all my ones.
I usually keep a stack of ones,so if I see somebody need a few
dollars, girl, I had gotten ridof all my money.
I drove around and went to the7-Eleven and I got $40 out $20
for me and $20 for her.
She was shocked.
But I cannot give unless Ireceive.
(50:20):
I'm not afraid to give, I'm notafraid to share.
It always comes back.
Do you know, one time there's alittle lady.
I always give her something.
I stopped at the light at abusy intersection.
She was across the street and Igot out of my car and ran and
gave her the little $6 to go buya cup of coffee and got back in
(50:40):
my car.
Do you know, when I got home,my girlfriend called and said
mom wants to know your zelle.
I said for what?
She wants to send you somemoney, just like that.
So we don't need to be afraidto share with one another.
What you put out is what youget back.
Put out love, you get love back, and so that's how simple it is
.
Ella (51:00):
You know.
Babette (51:01):
That's what I believe in.
Ella (51:02):
I believe that too, absolutely, isn't it so true?
And it's a choice of what webelieve.
Right?
It's so beautiful to believeand live from that space.
Babette (51:12):
It is, it feels damn good, right, yes, I know.
Ella (51:18):
And the other thing I want to kind of start to wrap up
here is I mean, you bring somuch positivity into this world
and this is it's a tough worldand people seem to have so much
permission these days to be ugly, to be ugly.
How do you wake up everymorning and say, despite all of
that, we want the world to begoing in that direction.
(51:40):
And yet to me, tell me what youthink it feels kind of like,
kind of half of the world isreally elevating, yes, and the
other half is like almost ismoving in the opposite.
And I'm like this game right ofthe world that we live in that
we have to have equal andopposite.
So it's something I don't know.
What do you see?
Babette (51:59):
I'm with you.
I feel the same exact way.
That's exactly the way that Ifeel.
Half of us are operating at avery high frequency and others
of us are like gutted out.
It's just amazing to me andwe'll fight you.
I mean really and truly.
(52:20):
Somebody told me yesterday youdon't have to respond to these
people, but if I'm in a teachingmoment and you're saying
something, you're fighting meover something and you sound
ignorant.
You don't know what you'retalking about.
I'm going to have aconversation with you to try to
help you get past it.
And when people go quiet orerase their comment, they got it
(52:45):
.
Ella (52:47):
They got it Okay.
And I heard you say your newyear's resolution was I'm going
to do a better job, and I'm likehow are you?
You're doing a pretty damn goodjob, but you said I'm going to
do a better job at sharinginformation in 2024, plus
continuing to practice self-loveand self-care.
Yes, where?
Babette (53:03):
did that come from?
We have this right here.
We have this and I understandthat I am a best, I'm being used
and so I need.
How do people always say it?
This is the cool thing.
They say stay on your purposeso.
I'm.
I'm on my purpose.
And I like it Like you meetstrangers, all your stuff.
(53:29):
I don't meet strangers, I don'tmeet strangers.
It's like I know everybody.
I can give you a hug and justlike I've been knowing you
forever because I understand theconnection, been knowing you
forever because I understand theconnection, I don't look at
complexion.
It's unimportant to me.
It's like aren't you glad theuniverse created more than just
roses, red?
Aren't you happy?
(53:50):
There are so many differentflowers out there for us to love
and enjoy, and the same thingwith.
Can you imagine an elephantwith tusks being pissed off at
the elephant without tusks?
That's how nuts we are.
When we get all wrapped up overcomplexion, we're all the same.
Peel the skin back.
Ella (54:10):
Yeah.
One last point Somebody said tome the other day I was kind of
trying to decide whether to goto this.
I'm very introverted, so goingto a party is like painful, okay
yeah, and I'm trying to decide.
And the other person said to mehe goes.
Well, you know, your energy issacred, so protect it.
And I heard that.
(54:30):
And talking about living in ourpurpose, I'm like, well, if I
go to this party and I represent, I got vegan written all over
me and I represent what it meansto be vegan to be loving to
connect with people.
Like that's living my purpose.
So maybe it is a little painfuland it's not an easy decision.
That's not an easy decision.
It's not like, oh, protect,because if I'm too protective
(54:53):
then you miss out on theconnection those connections are
everything Right.
Babette (54:58):
They are.
Ella (54:59):
But knowing that, then I got to recharge, I got to
recharge, I got to rechargealone.
Babette (55:04):
How do you see that?
I see it the same way.
We're on the same page withthat.
Seriously, yeah.
Ella (55:11):
I wouldn't have guessed, you're an introvert.
I mean everybody says like Ican't believe you're an
introvert, I'm an introvert.
Babette (55:16):
I love hanging with me.
Ella (55:19):
Yes, I love it.
Babette (55:20):
Like Ron and I, we came to a really cool decision.
He's into his music.
He built himself a studio.
He's up half the night.
I live in my apartment and Ronlives in his apartment and I
enjoy me so much.
I didn't realize how much.
I just really I make myselflaugh If I'm watching TV.
(55:43):
I'm cracking up, I'm tellingjokes about people, characters
on TV, I'm just loving the timewith myself.
I think that's very importantand I don't mind being
introverted.
Ella (55:55):
That's who I am.
Babette (55:56):
I never did go to parties.
I never did go to clubs.
I wasn't that girl.
I never did go to parties.
I never did go to clubs.
I wasn't that girl, you know.
So I'm with you, baby, andyou're just as cute as you can
be.
Ella (56:10):
Thank you, this has been so fun, so fun.
I'm so grateful.
I know you are one busy woman,okay but I'm shut down Now.
Babette (56:17):
I'm home.
Ella (56:20):
I got the rest of the day all right, but you're introverts
, so you know hey, you gotta godo your thing do your thing now
thank you so much for being here, for sharing anything else
you'd like to share that wedidn't cover hey, y'all,
practice self-love and self-care.
Babette (56:33):
put you first, make sure you're first, and that's
not selfish.
That is not selfish.
That is not selfish.
Gotta, put your oxygen mask onfirst.
Amen, amen, appreciate you.
Ella (56:50):
Bye, baby.
Thanks for listening to thisweek's episode of Rise and
Thrive with me, ella Majors.
I truly hope you found itinspiring and, if you did,
please help me spread the wordby leaving a rating and review
on your favorite podcast playerand by sharing the show with
your friends.
As you probably know by now, mylife's purpose is to use my
(57:11):
voice to make this world a moreconscious and compassionate
place, and your reviews andshares make a huge impact.
And last, I'm getting a ton ofinsanely positive feedback about
my short and sweet monthlynewsletter called the Way short
for the Way Out Is Through.
I give my top five latest badassdiscoveries, insights and
(57:31):
explorations, like veganproducts and recipes.
I'm obsessed with books andshows I'm loving and workouts
that have me fired up.
Head on over to my website,ellam shows I'm loving and
workouts that have me fired up.
Head on over to my website,ellamajorscom, to sign up and
check out all the other awesomeresources I have for you and
projects I'm involved with,including Hogs and Kisses Farm
(57:52):
Sanctuary, where our mission isto create the best life for farm
animals while inspiringcompassion for all living beings
.
Thanks a lot and I'll see youon the next one.
This human journey.
I don't like to act like I'mthis person that set aside, and
I've been through this and I'vebeen through that.
We've all been throughsomething.
We've all had our own traumas,but the one thing that I have
learned is that embracing lovewill heal everything.
I'm telling you, and hangingout in the instead of worrying
(00:24):
about tomorrow, stressing aboutyesterday sometimes, sweetheart,
even stressing about fiveminutes ago, wrecks your moments
.
That's the only time that'sguaranteed.
Ella (00:43):
Hey there and welcome to Rise and Thrive with me, Ella
Majors.
I created this high vibepodcast from a place of profound
curiosity, fierce compassionand the deep desire to connect
you with the wisdom ofinspirational wellness, health,
fitness and conscious leadersand change makers.
Here's to discovering our blindspots and embracing life as the
(01:05):
adventure it is.
The time is now.
Let's do this.
Hey, hey everyone.
Ella here with Quinn, hey babe.
Quinn (01:19):
Hey, how are you?
Ella (01:21):
Doing well, doing well.
I don't know about you, but Ilove getting those full body
chills.
You know when somebody likeblows me away with their story
and their message.
You know those moments.
Quinn (01:35):
Oh sure.
Ella (01:37):
Yeah, this is one of those episodes that has many of those
moments.
Quinn (01:41):
I mean, she's a powerhouse.
Ella (01:43):
Yes, we're talking about chef Babette, you guys.
She is 73 years old, and talkabout a wonder woman.
She's one.
Um, she's out there holdingeight minute planks, running a
thriving vegan restaurant anddropping some serious wisdom on
healing love and living life tothe fullest.
(02:06):
So, in case you're unfamiliarwith Babette Davis, she is a
globally recognized plant-basedchef, fitness enthusiast and
motivational speaker who callsInglewood, california, home.
She pioneered the firstplant-based restaurant Stuff I
Eat in her community in theearly 2000s, where she still
receives visitors from aroundthe world.
(02:27):
Once a hairstylist, babettebecame a self-taught chemist in
the kitchen, perfecting eatinghealthy while keeping the flavor
of her dishes the focal point.
Her combination of thoughtfulfood preparation with an intense
fitness regimen has made herone of the most sought-after
experts in her field.
Before we dive in, though, Iwant to do a quick check-in here
(02:50):
with Quinn and give a fewimportant announcements, being
that this is our very finalgrand finale Rise and Thrive
episode.
And hey, if you want to forwardthrough this intro and go right
to the interview, it will nothurt my feelings.
What about you, babe?
Quinn (03:11):
No, no, no, Speed away.
Ella (03:14):
I do have to say that you, quinn, have, in my eyes, really
mastered the art of not beingdefensive.
What's that term for not beingdefensive Like?
What's the?
What's the term like?
What's that term for not beingdefensive?
Is there a word for that?
Quinn (03:30):
That's a good question.
I don't know, I mean.
Ella (03:33):
I know what I'm talking about, right.
Quinn (03:34):
Oh yeah, I mean, yeah, it's, it's, it's an, it's a new
superpower of mine.
I can see it happening too.
It's.
It's really quite amazing,cause it always wasn't like that
by any means, I don't know.
I think it's a level of beingpresent, it's and it's just like
, and I think it's just reallyfeeling that emotion and
breathing through it, because Ican feel the defensiveness yeah,
(03:54):
and it kind of kind of flare upa little bit.
You know, like I can feel itrising a bit, but then the same
time I don't let it.
I don't let it overtake me, soit's like I aware of it, but
then kind of just breathe intoit and let it pass.
See that emotion and let itpass, which is really amazing to
(04:14):
see and to feel in real time.
Ella (04:19):
Yeah, you've got a great poker face too.
Because I don't see in thosemoments, I don't see that
process moments, I don't seethat you can't see me thinking
interesting no, I can't say thatprocess like, and a lot of
people will get defensive andthen take it back right and
that's hard to do sometimes whenyou just lash out and it's that
(04:40):
reaction that was very much alot of my life, that that was
always it.
Quinn (04:46):
I've got to win, kind of thing.
And it's really funny you saythat because I've never talked
about it to anybody.
But it's a new, like I said,superpower, because it's such an
easy thing to do To lash rightback out trying to get the final
word in.
So yeah, that's reallyinteresting.
You say that because that'sdefinitely a new ability for
sure it, just it.
Ella (05:07):
it kind of puts you on the fast track to growth, to
transformation to all that right.
Like you stunt yourself, westunt ourselves by getting the
defensive.
Quinn (05:19):
It's a reconditioning right and like I'm still feeling
it, but in the moment I'm ableto retract from it, not let it
take over, and able to build onit and see through it and and
also it's it's also the power oflove too, like the person I'm
talking to.
Doing this shared union, thatum is very comforting and I feel
that energy too.
So I mean, I think that's alsoa dynamic as well.
(05:41):
You're in my life to help megrow and become the best person
I am, and vice versa.
Right, and I think everything'sa lesson and that's just that's
.
The lesson for me is like thisis all beautifully scripted, if
you will.
Ella (05:54):
Yeah, and what you're talking about that process in
your head that you go throughthat allows you to not just lash
out, to accept kind of processthat in a healthy way and take
it and grow from it and learnfrom it.
These are some of the thingsthat I'm actually teaching as
part of the Food Freedomcoaching program that will be
(06:16):
coming out in just a few months,and the great news is that, if
you're listening to this rightnow and you struggle with giving
into cravings, or you're anemotional eater or a yo-yo
dieter, or you're stuck incycles of restricting and
binging, I have just come outwith an emergency cravings kit
(06:37):
that I'm offering to you, ourlisteners, 100% free of charge.
100% free of charge Because, ifyou know me and my story, I've
been there and I've not onlyhealed my own relationship with
food, I've gone on to helphundreds of coaching clients and
now I'm on my way to helpingthousands with this free tool,
(07:02):
which both helps you understandwhy you're eating when you're
not really hungry and it givesyou a super simple five-step
process to and I'm going toquote my amazing copywriter here
, who came up with this to saygoodbye to fighting with
willpower and hello to enjoyingfood again, but that really is
(07:26):
what it will do.
So head on over tostartsexyfitvegancom to get this
free download today, and whenyou do, you'll also receive an
invitation to join our upcomingCravings Cure Challenge for free
as well.
These are truly game-changingopportunities here, and I think
(07:50):
that will do it.
I think we covered everything.
Quinn (07:53):
Sounds good to me.
Let Chef Babette take it away.
I'm excited for this one.
Ella (07:59):
Yeah, it's so good you guys.
All right, let's do this.
It's so good you guys.
All right, let's do this.
Jeff Babette, it's so great tohave you on the show.
Thanks for being here.
Thank you, we're doing thisthanks to Shabnam, who, yes, I
(08:21):
met her for the first time inperson last June at the Vegan
Women's Summit in New York.
Oh, cool yeah, and it was likewe hit it off and I hadn't
realized that you guys had onlyknown each other for like maybe
a little over a year, becausewhen I see you guys doing things
together, it's like you'veknown each other your whole
lives.
Babette (08:38):
Yes, she's like a really good buddy of mine.
She really she's a sweetheart.
So yeah, I love her.
Ella (08:45):
And speaking of well, she's also your trainer.
What is your plank?
Hold record at this point.
Babette (08:56):
You know I can still do the eight minute plank.
I do it.
However, it's like sometimesI'm on my forearms and sometimes
I'm up on my arms and sometimesI'm doing the side plank, but
all together I can hold it foreight minutes.
So I told myself you better getthat eight minute plank and
make sure you get it down beforesomebody asks you to get down
and do it and you can't.
So at least I can do eightminutes.
Ella (09:16):
That's incredible, incredible.
I want to get one thing off mychest before we really dive in.
Babette (09:21):
Okay, get it off girl.
Ella (09:22):
Well, no, and I kind of was jotting down while I was
preparing for this and hear mythoughts.
You know it is so remarkablethat you're 73, doing the
intense workouts that you do,running your restaurant,
traveling appearances, all thesethings.
But what really blows my mind,honestly, about you is just how
(09:43):
your beauty, it really radiatesand it radiates from deep within
your heart, your soul.
It's emotional because I hearit when you speak.
You really embody thisunconditional love and it's
really extraordinary, especiallyconsidering you know what
you've been through in your life, the trauma that you've
(10:03):
experienced in your lifetime.
Can you talk just a little bitabout?
You know, I talk about how weneed to heal ourselves in order
to best help heal the world.
Right, what do you attribute?
Your ability to not only healfrom those past traumas but to
embody this love and be sogenerous and willing to share,
generous and willing to share.
Babette (10:21):
Thanks for asking that question.
It really is a great question,this human journey.
I don't like to act like I'mthis person that set aside, and
I've been through this and I'vebeen through that.
We've all been throughsomething.
We've all had our own traumas,but the one thing that I have
learned is that embracing lovewill heal everything.
(10:43):
I'm telling you, and hangingout in the now instead of
worrying about tomorrow,stressing about yesterday
sometimes, sweetheart, evenstressing about five minutes ago
, wrecks your moments.
That's the only time it'sguaranteed.
Once I understood that I had thepower to go where I wanted to
(11:06):
go.
I have that power.
Then I understood even thoughyou may be sad for this moment,
you know how to reel it in.
You know, because if I washolding on to everything that
I've been through and angry witheverybody look, girl, look,
this is my fourth husband Threeof the people I was with are
(11:27):
dead.
So I mean, you know, and a fewof them were really horrible
people but what if I was stillangry and upset about that?
It's a journey, it's anexperience.
The human experience is awesomebecause everything I go through
, I learned from it and then Ishare even the horrible,
(11:47):
despicable people that have beenin my past.
They act like spiritual guidesto me now.
Now they've shown me.
They've shown me what to stayclear of, what to stay away from
, you know.
And so I just chalk it up, asI'm doing the same thing you're
doing, sweetheart, on a humanjourney, and I just allow the
(12:11):
intelligence to shine through me.
You know that song in church weused to sing this little lie to
mine.
I just feel like, why not bethat vessel, why not allow that
which created all of this toexpress through me?
Ella (12:29):
And so, yeah, I don't know if I answered your question but
, that's where I am right nowthat is, at what point did that
kind of become clear to you, thewhole love embodying love thing
?
Babette (12:44):
I know huh, you know, I started going to a spiritual
center and I think I hooked upwith Ron and so this was in the
nineties.
I met my husband in 1990.
We got married in 92.
So actually it was the lateeighties and he was number four.
The one I'm with now, yeah, hewas number four and that was in
(13:06):
1990.
We got married in 92.
But I went to this spiritualcenter.
It wasn't like a Christianchurch, it was just a spiritual
center and I learned so muchthere as they were speaking.
You know, when you're yellingat me and you're telling me all
that stuff that's in the book,book and I never grabbed it.
(13:27):
But as this person it wasReverend Dr OC Smith, as he
began to speak to me, I totallygot and he spoke to me and this
guy like do you know MichaelBeckler?
Ella (13:40):
Not personally, but yes, I absolutely yes.
Babette (13:41):
Agape Center.
Ella (13:42):
Not personally, but yes, I absolutely yes.
Agape Center.
Babette (13:44):
Reverend Michael is amazing, but when I first walked
into Agape Spiritual Center,Reverend Michael was saying
words.
I was like what does that word?
mean who is it, reverend Dr OC?
It didn't matter if you had athird grade education like my
mother, or if you had yourmaster's, you would understand
(14:06):
what he was saying to you, andthat is when I began to open up
and connect myself with thewhole.
That was when I began tounderstand that I was created by
the same intelligence thatcreated all of this and I cannot
separate myself from it, or I'mone with everything and man.
(14:29):
As this guy spoke to me, Ibegan to grow and grow, and it
just started changing who I was,and I began to learn to forgive
.
Ella (14:42):
I just jotted down the word forgiveness because I
wanted to ask you.
Babette (14:46):
Isn't forgiveness.
Like the most my husband and I.
There have been times whenwe've been together since 1990,
2024, he's 75 and I'm 73.
And we have this businesstogether and he's sometimes can
be Mr Grump Grump and I canremember he and I going at it.
(15:06):
And if you ask me tomorrow,what were you guys yelling about
?
Nine times out of 10, I can'teven tell you.
Such a waste.
So when I talk about I'm notrunning a hundred, okay, but to
be able to remind myself, evenif I have to say I am very sorry
to you for my behavior, andhe'll say I want him to say me
(15:30):
too.
But he'll say, okay, but heforgives easily, he forgives, he
lets it go really, reallyquickly, and so I've learned to
do that.
It's just easier, Life is justeasier if you're just not
holding on to all the crap youknow.
Ella (15:51):
Oh yeah, you know there's this little things day to day.
There's also the big things andyou're talking about staying in
the present and do you thinkthere's value in kind of
revisiting past wrongs and doingactive work, like being
proactive, about doing the workto forgive people in the past
(16:12):
that maybe you're holding on to?
Is that work you did veryintentionally, Honey?
Babette (16:18):
I do not.
I have forgiven everybody in mypast, everybody.
I don't look at anybody withany kind of anger or anything
like that.
As a matter of fact, I'm soglad you brought this up
Somebody that I work withyesterday.
You know how you can be soconfused by a person's meaning
(16:38):
during a text message, and onyesterday I went to grunt grunt
message.
And on yesterday I went togrunt grunt anyway, and so I did
not want to hear or to read theperson's response, because I
already knew where it was goingto go and I just didn't want to.
I didn't want to read it, Ididn't want to see it, I didn't
(17:00):
want to feel any kind of wayabout it, and when I saw that
person today I hadn't read thatresponse.
But when I opened my iPad today, I saw the response.
It was there and so, ratherthan reading it, I erased it.
You understand, because we werefine today.
Yesterday was yesterday.
(17:22):
I did not need to revisit that,because I might have read that
message and in an effort to feedmy ego, I may have said
something to her and drummed itall up again unnecessarily.
I'm at home now.
She's at work, I'm at home,we're good to go.
We didn't talk about it.
It's over, it's done, and soI've learned to do that.
(17:44):
I've learned to do that Becausedo you ever get that feeling?
If you're in something that'snot loving, it kind of makes you
feel a little nauseous, like Idon't like that, I don't like
going there, I don't like goingthere.
You know it's just much easierto let it go and move on.
You know it's just so mucheasier.
Ella (18:06):
I wish everybody understood that.
And it really is.
Forgiveness is one of thosethings.
It's for us too, that's an actof self-love To forgive
ourselves, yes, absolutely yes.
And to forgive others is an actof self-love.
Exactly Because it's hurting us.
Exactly yes, it doesn't make iteasy.
It Because it's hurting us,exactly yes, it doesn't make it
easy, it doesn't make it easy.
Babette (18:26):
You got it.
You got it 100%.
That was why I didn't read thatmessage.
I was like that's over.
We were at work today.
I needed her to do something.
She did it.
We didn't bring it up, it wasdone, it was a wrap.
Why do I need to read this nowand revisit that?
Ella (18:43):
Speaking of not going back , for those of you who don't
know and maybe most people knowby now kind of your journey.
I mean you've had so manychapters in your life.
I mean good, good, gracious,how many career paths you've
taken.
I mean airlines, hairstylist,singer in Tokyo, floral
arrangements, balloon designer,actor.
I mean I feel like I couldchoose so many things Is that
(19:06):
cool or what it's so cool.
Babette (19:08):
I've done so many.
It's pretty funny sometimeswhen I think about it, and the
way that I wound up with thiscareer was meeting my husband
and he's sharing the first veganmeal with me, and we hook up
and then we decide I thinkpeople would really like this
Reverend Michael, let us comeover on his parking lot.
We were feeding people everySunday.
(19:30):
And here we are, and so I knew.
When I went to Japan though,when I was meditating and you
know Japan just becauseeverybody else was practicing,
writing songs and rehearsing,and I was working out, going
shopping for food and meditating, was working out going shopping
(19:51):
for food and meditating, and Iknew when I got back to the
States singing was not going tobe it.
I knew that.
I said I'm going to start acatering company and that's what
I did.
Ella (19:58):
That's incredible.
I went through a whole burnoutlast year and went to Peru and
did ayahuasca, came back and Istarted listening to the Ram
Dass here and Now podcast andone of the things that he said
that his guru would always tellhim.
When he said how do I do it,how do I get enlightened, he
would say feed people.
That response was right andthat's what you're doing, like.
(20:21):
If you said this is my purpose,my calling, and not just to
feed people.
Babette (20:26):
But because, oh because the universe has allowed me to
be so healthy for all of theseyears.
I was such a sick person when Iwas younger.
Tell us about that.
Them up, I'd catch.
Oh man, I've had impetigo somany times.
(20:47):
I've had it in my hair, wheremy mom had to cut all my hair
off as a little girl becauseI've got this pussy impetigo in
my hair Just a hot mess.
When I was little and scaredabout a lot of things too.
You know, because of the thingsthat I had gone through with
adults, you leave your kid withsome adults you should not be
leaving your kid with.
You got to know who you'reentrusting your child with and
(21:12):
scared to tell you know thingshappen to me.
I wouldn't tell my mommy.
I can remember one time mygodparent that I lived with I
was like in third grade and shebrought spelling words home for
me.
She did janitorial work atVenice High School, so she
brought these words home to me.
I'm in third grade and if Ididn't get every word correct
(21:36):
when she asked me to spell them,she would punish me.
Back in the 50s, ladies did notwear pants to school, so the
best way that she couldhumiliate me.
I missed two words I'll neverforget C-O-A-R-S-E and
C-O-U-R-S-E, course and course.
And she made me wear pants toschool.
(21:57):
That was the most humiliatingthing that I can remember
walking to school and I canremember the kids.
I had rolled them up and put mycoat on so I could wear my coat
all day, and I can remembergirls going don't laugh at her.
Maybe all her dresses were dirtyand they were.
You know, I'm going throughthat.
And then the next day at schoolthe teacher makes an
(22:18):
announcement in the front of theclass Ladies, remember, you
cannot wear pants.
And when I get home that dayafter school my godmother's
leaning on the counter.
I'll never forget this Eating,I think, a piece of bread and I
know she's laughing at me and gohow was it wearing your pants
to school?
(22:38):
And so going through thingslike that as a child, you know
what I told my mother.
I said godmother made me wearpants to school the other day,
but we were making Adobe bricksso we needed to wear pants.
I gave her, I covered for her,I covered for her.
So I know, and so you can seewhat my spirit was I never
(23:03):
wanted to start the trouble.
I didn't want to be the one tostart the trouble.
So I don't know going throughall of that stuff.
And then we get intorelationships and know somebody
a hot second and be like, okay,I want to get married.
Ella (23:20):
Just like that.
Babette (23:25):
And I wind up with 40s guys, you know.
And then going through the drugthing and the crack was like
because that was the only thingthat I'd ever done, and that
thing is like you're hooked assoon as you do it, like if you
do it right and you get thatfeeling, it's almost like whoa,
can I do this for the rest ofthe week?
(23:46):
And that was a verydebilitating, weird time in my
life.
That time was really reallystrange.
Ella (23:56):
How many years was that period?
Babette (23:58):
No baby.
You know that only lasted meseven months.
Wow, I was in Colorado when itstarted and wound up moving back
to Los Angeles.
And I can remember the verylast time I did that I was
sitting at my mother's house inmy old bedroom, but there was no
furniture in that room and Iwas sitting on the floor.
(24:19):
I had been smoking this crackin the room by myself for hours
and I was out.
I was out of it and I picked upa piggy bank and I heard this
voice say to me so that's whatyou do now.
You go through piggy banks,girl, I put that thing down.
(24:41):
I have not done that since.
I wouldn't have gotten myself ajob with me in reservations.
Hey, I cleaned it up and I canremember getting a paycheck and
I was driving on 110 freeway andI can remember saying man, I
(25:02):
can really get high right now.
And the other voice said andmess everything up.
And so I never revisited and Idid meditate on it being
completely no one ever enteringmy space that does stuff like
that and I cleaned it up andthat's been wow years.
(25:22):
So you know those are blessingsto go through those and it
didn't last long.
You know what I mean.
It was only seven months totaland I got off that stuff and I'm
so grateful I did.
But the experience was theexperience when you're crawling
around on the floor looking fora crack or when you pick up a
(25:43):
paint bubble.
I have picked paint off thewall because while I'm in that
it's looking like crack.
Anyway, I am so grateful thatthat.
And then as I began to learn andthe first thing Ron did was he
gave me some books Fit for Lifeand the Mucusless Diet and I
read those books and that rightthere began to change, change my
(26:07):
mind.
And I tell people now the bestthing you can do for yourself is
educate yourself.
Girl, I did a post the otherday.
I didn't know we were so weakwhen it comes to understanding
what our food is for.
I had no clue that we don'tmake the connection that the
(26:29):
apple is life.
They don't make that connection.
Do you know how many people saywhen you cut that, when you put
that apple off the tree, it'sdead and I'm like but you can
take a carrot and cut the bottomof the carrot I mean the top of
the carrot put it in water andit will begin to grow.
You've got seeds in that applethat if you plant those seeds
(26:49):
they're going to sprout.
I'm like don't you understandthe life in food is the
nutrients that the food provides?
Humans and animals need foodand water to survive.
No, do you know how many peopleargue that point with me?
It's dead when you pick it.
I don't know why vegetariansthink that they don't eat dead
(27:11):
food.
I was like okay, whoa.
Ella (27:13):
Well, and I think this goes to also this idea that,
okay, there's talking aboutnutrition and like vitamins,
minerals, all that, but there'salso this relationship that we
have with food, with our bodies.
Yeah, that's true With theuniverse, right?
And you talk about this and youtalk about also, like when it
comes to your body.
I know you've said I don't knowif you still don't get on the
(27:35):
scale, you're not worried aboutlike that number right?
Babette (27:37):
I don't have one.
Ella (27:38):
I love that.
Can you share about why that'sthe case, because I think that's
so helpful.
Babette (28:10):
I think it it is, and I don't look at anybody else and
try to do me like anybody else.
I stay in my lane and I learneda valuable lesson two days
before my birthday in Decembertreadmill like you used to when
you spin.
I'm about to be 73.
I had not been on the treadmillin forever.
I go get on the treadmill andbefore, when I used to spin
years ago, I pump it, do aneight minute mile.
No biggie Girl.
I pumped it up to seven andsprinted.
Then I saw my trainer.
(28:30):
So I get off the treadmill, goin the training room.
I'm doing my own workout.
He's thinking what are youdoing?
And I'm just doing everything.
I get to work, bend down to geta spider web under the sink and
my knee goes crack, snapple, ohshit.
I have been dealing with myknee since my birthday and I
(28:51):
don't have a primary carephysician.
I don't hang out in doctors allthe time.
So you know I'm on a water fastright now.
So it's about to get rid ofsome of the inflammation and
just let me see if this thingwill heal on its own before I go
to some doctor that wants toput a knife on me.
But staying in your lane is soimportant, I didn't have to go
get on the treadmill.
(29:12):
And if I was going to get onthe treadmill I could have
walked, I could have done a fastpaced walk.
But to get on there and be sonuts to turn it up to seven and
sprint.
Ella (29:24):
What were you telling yourself?
What were you telling yourselfin your brain?
Babette (29:27):
I can do this, but sometimes you can't.
And so, when it comes to myhealth and home, I got rid of
the scale, because I foundmyself always referring to the
scale.
Let me just go to the scale,see how much I weigh.
And so now I pay attention tome.
I can always tell you how muchI weigh, almost exact.
(29:49):
I don't need the scale and Idon't know if it's at 73 or I've
just grown to the point where Ieat more for nutrients than I
do for anything else.
My husband's the same.
We're not bulky eatersers likethe soul food platter that I
sell.
It's stuff I eat.
Neither one of us can eat it.
(30:11):
It's too much, it's almostgluttonous.
Now I can make a handful ofnuts a meal.
You know my juice, that's ameal.
A salad, that's a meal.
Give me some quinoa with somebeets and broccoli meal.
(30:31):
Give me some quinoa with somebeets and broccoli, and that's a
meal.
And then I'm very careful abouteating too much cooked food,
because I know that we'll eatthree meals a day and not have
one live thing on our plate.
Well, dead thing, according toall the people, to all the
(30:54):
people.
I just pay attention to me andhow I feel and that sort of
thing.
And I always want to know howam I feeling?
I get a lot of rest, I mean,even though I wake up
automatically 1.30, 1.45, twoo'clock in the morning bathroom
run, it's time to get up.
So I get up, I make sure I getmy workout on, I do all the
cooking and stuff I eat andprepping and stuff I eat, and
(31:16):
then I have the rest of the dayto myself to take care of things
like this and you know what I'msaying.
But around six, five, 36o'clock, when it begins to get
dark, my dear is ready to go tosleep.
Ella (31:32):
I love that.
I thought I went to bed and Ido go.
I mean I go to bed at likeeight thirty nine o'clock, baby,
that's early.
Babette (31:38):
You're supposed to.
That's a good time to go towork, sweetheart.
Ella (31:41):
Thank you.
Babette (31:42):
Thank you.
I mean it is because the humanbody years ago, I believe
thousands of years ago, we wentto bed according to when the sun
was up and down.
Right, some people can't sleep.
You sleep good.
Look, I sleep, so good I sleep.
It's been kind of jacked withthis fast because I'm peeing all
night.
I feel like I should havebought a box of Depends.
Ella (32:05):
And maybe I should have come with them.
Babette (32:06):
But it's just water right now, right, it's just
water Wow, it's water, and I'lldo that till the 14th and then
I'll go on a detox.
Right, I saw that 30 days.
Ella (32:15):
You guys are doing amazing , yeah, Amazing.
Well, you're full energy at themoment.
It seems like I mean wow.
Babette (32:23):
No, I'm really good, I'm so grateful too.
Thanks, I'm really good, I'm sograteful too.
Thanks for asking me this,because and that's one of the
reasons I try to share so muchis because I have girlfriends
that I went to school with andgrew up with.
I know what they're goingthrough and you know that sort
of thing, because we tookdifferent paths.
Ella (32:41):
We made different decisions.
Well, it does seem like youhave, like the pre meeting Ron
era and then you've got thepost-Meeting Ron era and I want
to take it back to that firstparking lot food cart right that
you had.
Can you share a little bitabout like how that came to be,
because that was like the startright, I mean.
Babette (33:01):
Well, actually I started over at Remember I
talked to you about Reverend DrOC Smith.
He was the first he allowed meto come to his spot.
This was before my husband gotinvolved.
This was right after I camefrom Japan, okay, and he allowed
me to feed people afterservices on Sunday.
Ella (33:19):
Okay so.
Babette (33:20):
I had about 30 customers, that kind of you know
.
Yeah, it's good, it tastesreally good Because there was
another woman there, of course,selling all the chicken,
everything that people eat afterchurch.
And then my husband said, wouldyou like for me to get involved
(33:45):
with this?
And I said sure, why not?
And we wound up over at Agapeand he decided to build this
food cart.
It was 15 foot food cart on oneside of the cart.
It was 15 foot food cart On oneside of the cart.
We had refrigeration.
We had a place where we makeour smoothies.
We had an area that kept thingsicy cold.
On the other side we had agriddle and we started
(34:07):
developing block-long lines onthe parking lot.
It was incredible and all wewere serving the main thing we
were serving was people love thewild rice tacos, and then we
started making this enchiladapie and sandwiches and people
(34:31):
just fell in love with it and wehad smoothies available for
them every Sunday.
So we were the vegan spot to goto on the parking lot and that
lasted.
We were there for six years,wow.
Ella (34:40):
Was he vegan?
Michael Beckwith back then?
Oh yeah, I don't know how longhe's been vegan.
He's been vegan for a while.
Babette (34:45):
Okay, yeah, that was one of the reasons he allowed us
to come in.
Yeah, because he was.
It was fun.
It was really really fun.
Ella (34:54):
All right, and then how did that kind of Transfer?
Babette (34:58):
into the restaurant.
Into the restaurant yeah, Iworked for the airline, so Ron
and I loved Jamaica back in theday.
So, every time we had a few daysoff, you know, we'd take us a
trip to Jamaica.
So we were walking down MarketStreet yeah, we were on Market
Street just before we weregetting ready to leave to go to
Jamaica and the doors to ourrestaurant was open and we went
(35:20):
inside and it just so happenedthat there was a built-in like
steam table.
We didn't keep it, but it wasthe same color as our business
cards and for me, oh, that wasan oh my, no, this place is
great.
So we asked the guy man, whydon't you let us we had no money
, girl why don't you let us rentthis place?
He was like no, I'm going toturn this into a Nike kids store
(35:42):
.
He had a Nike store right nextdoor and he said I think I want
this to be, I don't want it tobe a restaurant.
It was a restaurant and when wegot back from our trip he had
called us about five, six timesand said come back over and talk
to me.
And that man let us get inthere with first last month rent
and a little security deposit.
And he says yours, do whateveryou think you need to do with it
(36:05):
.
It took us four years to openthe doors because Ron wanted to
make sure that all theappliances were paid for and we
had to kind of gut it a littlebit and fix it up.
And girl, that was in 2004.
We opened the doors in 2008.
And here it is 2024.
(36:25):
Incredible, covid, the wholenine, nine yards, and we were
not restaurant.
But you know, ron is reallyfrugal when it comes to money.
I mean, ron was the kind ofbrother that if he went to the
store and the tomatoes were toomuch, we ain't getting tomatoes
today.
They cost too much that was kindof the way he rolled, but.
(36:48):
But, yeah, girl, we made itthrough.
But we had something to bringto the community and we were
blessed with a spot in thecommunity.
And so I mean because wheneverwe went out to eat, we had to
drive across town because Ilived in South Central, which it
really was just maybe a milefrom the restaurant, but it
(37:10):
wasn't Englewood, I actuallylived in South Central and I
thought I'm sure there are somany vegans in this community
that would love to have a spot,and especially a spot because
we're cooking.
Come on now it was a black andbrown community then and we're
making tacos, burritos,quesadillas, soul food platter.
(37:31):
I even make my own burger.
You know what I'm saying?
We call it the nut burger.
And so we felt like we weredoing what we needed to do.
It was an important move, itwas a gift to the community.
Ella (37:43):
Yeah, Was it received right away?
Did you have to kind of yeah,Girl?
I used to have to beat peopleup to come in.
Babette (37:51):
I can remember people coming in like ain't no chicken,
ain't no fish.
What kind of place is this?
And they would walk out, runbehind hey, come back here and
get a free taco.
After I fed that taco to themand you know what I would do.
I would take.
I would take the rice out ofthe pan, put it back on the
griddle, throw some onion andstuff on there, make that taco
(38:13):
like the best taco they ever hadand they were like this is
delicious and sit down and buy awhole meal.
Ella (38:21):
How did Ron feel about you giving away all those tacos?
Babette (38:23):
I gave away a whole bunch of tacos.
You know what else Ron and Iused to do was so crazy?
We always wanted people to eat.
We gave a salad away.
We have lost a lot of moneygiving salad to it, but we would
give a salad with every mealbecause I believe in eating
something live.
And we would go around, both ofus.
We were like the grump, grumpcouple.
(38:44):
How come everything is you'reeating everything, you're not
eating that salad.
Get her to go back, take thatsalad home and eat that salad.
People would be like thesepeople are nuts, but I wanted
them.
The importance of at leasthaving one, something that you
ingest, that you haven't cookedthe life out of, you know, yeah,
yeah.
Ella (39:04):
Yeah, and was there a point that you started to
connect also with the animalaspect of being vegan?
Like you know more than plantbased, but yeah, that girl.
Babette (39:15):
Once I began to really connect with the whole, I'm just
like I'm going with everything.
If I hurt that animal, I hurtme, period.
Because it was not about theanimal.
It was about that rash thatwould break out in my face every
month.
It was about my back with allthe acne on it because I was
addicted to sugar.
It was about me, period.
(39:37):
I couldn't digest my food, Icouldn't poop, I had issues.
And then once I understood theoneness you have to understand
your connection with the whole.
This is just an experience,y'all.
And once I began I understoodlife is what it's about all life
(40:02):
.
I have an issue.
I have an issue killing spidersin the restaurant.
You want to put them in a napand and don't.
Can you go out there, pleasenow cockroaches are different so
they're just everybody's gottheir.
I can't even kill a cockroach,but you just have a rough time
with a cockroach too.
Ella (40:23):
I do those flying ones, man, we get some big flying
approaches in florida.
Oh my god, I will be like witha little oh yeah, like hiding
behind and leap out and try to.
Babette (40:36):
Oh, it is something else you know the big ones are
not as annoying as the littleones yeah just have too many
babies and they just multiply.
I mean, they're just like youknow.
You know, if you see one or twoin the kitchen you'd be like oh
god I'm glad I don't have arestaurant to worry about, I
don't have a restaurant, stuffwe really have to keep up with,
(40:59):
but yeah, yeah well, let's, Iwant to touch, touch, change
gears a little bit to that wholeaging thing, can you?
Ella (41:06):
you're obviously, you know , an incredibly positive and
embracing self-love and all ofthat, you know.
Yeah, what advice do you have?
Or how would you speak topeople?
Because I work with a lot ofwomen that have body image
issues and there are certainthings that we have control over
(41:27):
.
We have control over what weput in our bodies and how we
treat our bodies, and there areother things that just come
along with aging.
How do you see aging?
What's kind of the lens throughwhich you see and experience
aging?
Babette (41:41):
You know I appreciate and look forward to quality, a
good quality of life while I'mon this journey.
Longevity is cool, I mean, youknow people can live to 150 if
they want.
But more important to me,what's more important to me, is
(42:05):
if I get in the bathtub at 90,can I get out?
Do I have to wear the necklaceand call the fire department
just in case I fall?
Can I get up?
Quality of life is so veryimportant to me and so I'm I, I,
I did one thing that I now Iyou know how sometimes on this
(42:29):
journey you look, you have a fewregrets.
I, when I was working withSouthwest Airlines as a flight
attendant, I had a girlfriendthat decided she wanted to get a
tummy tuck and get implants.
Well, I went with her to theconsultation and I thought, well
, maybe I'll get some implants.
I had a runner's chest flat, Ididn't even need to wear a bra
(42:50):
and I decided to get implants.
I wish I had nine.
I wish I had not, because I wasin my fifties.
Then they're supposed to bechanged out every 10 years.
I am not trying to have boobsup here at 90 years old.
That's just a weird look to me.
Ella (43:08):
I don't know Not the look you're going for.
Babette (43:12):
I got you.
I wish I had given that alittle bit more thought before I
decided to do this.
Because I didn't need them, Idid not have a problem, but I
did it anyway.
But as it pertains to thechanges, I don't look like I
looked when I was 50.
I live on a beautiful planetand there's gravity and,
depending on how we've takencare of ourselves, the melanin,
(43:34):
our genes so many differentthings will say what this in
particular is going to look like.
But I'm not doing nothing to myface.
I feel like in this journeyI've had the opportunity to have
so many different faces andI'll continue that way.
(43:56):
So I have these now.
I didn't have them before.
I didn't have the littlesquinty lines, but that means I
laugh a lot.
Okay, I'm good with that.
That's beautiful In terms of mybody.
There are areas in my body thatI would like.
That was why I had gone on thesix month go hard in the gym,
because I wanted my legs to looka little bit different.
(44:18):
But that's just all a choice ofmine.
I'm not sizing myself up withanybody.
No, how do I feel?
Am I well?
Am I taking 15, 16 differentmeds?
Can I go in the gym and workout and then go to work and work
and then do whatever else Ineed to do.
(44:38):
Can I run a hill?
Those things are important tome.
Aesthetics, as long as you canlove you and you're feeling good
.
I don't know.
I just can't get all beat up onhow I'm going to look when I
get to be 80.
I cannot do it.
I will not do it Now.
I've always worn makeup.
(44:58):
I like makeup.
I wore makeup in high school.
I can remember people sayingyou look like a clown.
I can remember learning to putmakeup on and people teasing me
why you got what you look at andI just always really liked it.
So I wear makeup.
But now if I start wearingmakeup and it doesn't compliment
(45:20):
me, I will just continuewearing it.
It just depends on what I seefor me.
But I'm not beating myself up.
I'm not trying to look like you.
You know I want to be me.
I want to keep it, stay in myown skin and do me so I'm not
tripping.
I don't think people should fatshame.
We are where we are becausewe're on our own journey and we
(45:43):
all have to experience what itis we have to experience.
I talk to my daughter all thetime.
I love my daughter so much.
Love, love, love my daughter somuch.
But food has always been athing with her.
So she wound up with somediabetes that she's dealing with
and she goes back and forth.
Sometimes she's just thisstaunch vegan, whoa yeah.
(46:04):
And then other times shedoesn't talk to me about what
she's eating Because she's arailroader now, so she's
probably eating with thoserailroad guys.
And then what it does is shestarts feeling weird, she
doesn't feel good anymore, andthat's how mom knows.
But guess whose journey it is?
All I can do is say, teresa,you have to be consistent, got
(46:25):
to be consistent with your diet.
I can't do anything else aboutthat.
Her human journey is herjourney, it's not mine.
She knows what mom does and allI can do is be an example.
Baby, I'm loving my life.
I'm loving just how I look.
I'm good to life.
I'm loving just how I look.
I'm good to go.
I can't believe how happy I amwith myself.
Ella (46:47):
I love it.
I love one of the things that Ihear you say a lot is how you
take responsibility for yourselfand your feelings, and that
must be so important, especiallynow, with all I mean, you get a
lot of people saying a lot ofshit.
Babette (47:02):
Oh right.
Ella (47:02):
And is there anything that comes to mind, like anything
recent that was just, it's gottabe hard.
Even if you are takingresponsibility for yourself and
your feelings, it has to be hardsometimes.
Babette (47:12):
I'm gonna tell you one thing that really hurt me.
It was Jillian Berryinterviewed me and she took a
clip.
This part was out of context.
They didn't listen to the wholeinterview.
But I can't jump on top of acow and tear it apart with my
teeth and, la-da-da-da-da, it'snot my diet.
(47:33):
I thought people were gonna showup my house like they showed up
Nancy Pelosi's house.
They were horrible.
They were so mean to me.
They took me back toprehistoric times.
They said you're stupid, you'rea clown.
And then the last thing thatjust said okay, this is really
(47:54):
horrible.
Somebody said shut up, littlenigga, and I was like.
Somebody said shut up, littlenigga, and I was like what is
wrong with humans?
Why are we acting like this?
And if we're so cruel to us,animals do not have a chance.
We've learned to be so nasty toeach other total strangers.
(48:20):
We've learned to be so cruel,so cruel other total strangers.
We've learned to be so cruel,so cruel.
And that right there.
I think that was the one timethat I got really, really hurt,
especially doing what it is thatI do.
I enjoy sharing because I knowthat I inspire a lot of people,
but as I inspire, I'm inspired.
I'm inspired, so we do it foreach other.
(48:46):
But to be so angry because Idecided that I don't care to eat
decomposing animal flesh andbecause I share that in an
interview, I'm a clown and anidiot.
And the Bible says you can eatmeat.
The Bible also says youshouldn't eat meat in Genesis.
So I mean you know the Biblesays a lot of things.
It's also says you shouldn'teat meat in Genesis.
So I mean you know the Biblesays a lot of things.
It's a book of allegories, it'slike.
Anyway, I think that was theone thing that hurt me more than
(49:08):
anything, because I'm in aposition right now where I have
the people in my world so I'mnot getting beat up and hammered
like I used to.
I mean I had one man knock meout, cold cocked bam out, so I
don't have that kind of stuffgoing on in my world anymore.
I got past all that and so it'sjust little things that can,
(49:32):
because I usually give a lot oflove when I'm out.
You know what I mean and I knowthat let me tell you and I'm
not doing this, but I'm justsharing how my heart is.
I was coming from Home Depotyesterday.
I'm driving out.
There's a woman there with astroller, two little kids, and
she's got a sign.
Okay, you know she needs somehelp.
(49:55):
And I get my car and purse out.
I had gotten rid of all my ones.
I usually keep a stack of ones,so if I see somebody need a few
dollars, girl, I had gotten ridof all my money.
I drove around and went to the7-Eleven and I got $40 out $20
for me and $20 for her.
She was shocked.
But I cannot give unless Ireceive.
(50:20):
I'm not afraid to give, I'm notafraid to share.
It always comes back.
Do you know, one time there's alittle lady.
I always give her something.
I stopped at the light at abusy intersection.
She was across the street and Igot out of my car and ran and
gave her the little $6 to go buya cup of coffee and got back in
(50:40):
my car.
Do you know, when I got home,my girlfriend called and said
mom wants to know your zelle.
I said for what?
She wants to send you somemoney, just like that.
So we don't need to be afraidto share with one another.
What you put out is what youget back.
Put out love, you get love back, and so that's how simple it is
.
Ella (51:00):
You know.
Babette (51:01):
That's what I believe in.
Ella (51:02):
I believe that too, absolutely, isn't it so true?
And it's a choice of what webelieve.
Right?
It's so beautiful to believeand live from that space.
Babette (51:12):
It is, it feels damn good, right, yes, I know.
Ella (51:18):
And the other thing I want to kind of start to wrap up
here is I mean, you bring somuch positivity into this world
and this is it's a tough worldand people seem to have so much
permission these days to be ugly, to be ugly.
How do you wake up everymorning and say, despite all of
that, we want the world to begoing in that direction.
(51:40):
And yet to me, tell me what youthink it feels kind of like,
kind of half of the world isreally elevating, yes, and the
other half is like almost ismoving in the opposite.
And I'm like this game right ofthe world that we live in that
we have to have equal andopposite.
So it's something I don't know.
What do you see?
Babette (51:59):
I'm with you.
I feel the same exact way.
That's exactly the way that Ifeel.
Half of us are operating at avery high frequency and others
of us are like gutted out.
It's just amazing to me andwe'll fight you.
I mean really and truly.
(52:20):
Somebody told me yesterday youdon't have to respond to these
people, but if I'm in a teachingmoment and you're saying
something, you're fighting meover something and you sound
ignorant.
You don't know what you'retalking about.
I'm going to have aconversation with you to try to
help you get past it.
And when people go quiet orerase their comment, they got it
(52:45):
.
Ella (52:47):
They got it Okay.
And I heard you say your newyear's resolution was I'm going
to do a better job, and I'm likehow are you?
You're doing a pretty damn goodjob, but you said I'm going to
do a better job at sharinginformation in 2024, plus
continuing to practice self-loveand self-care.
Yes, where?
Babette (53:03):
did that come from?
We have this right here.
We have this and I understandthat I am a best, I'm being used
and so I need.
How do people always say it?
This is the cool thing.
They say stay on your purposeso.
I'm.
I'm on my purpose.
And I like it Like you meetstrangers, all your stuff.
(53:29):
I don't meet strangers, I don'tmeet strangers.
It's like I know everybody.
I can give you a hug and justlike I've been knowing you
forever because I understand theconnection, been knowing you
forever because I understand theconnection, I don't look at
complexion.
It's unimportant to me.
It's like aren't you glad theuniverse created more than just
roses, red?
Aren't you happy?
(53:50):
There are so many differentflowers out there for us to love
and enjoy, and the same thingwith.
Can you imagine an elephantwith tusks being pissed off at
the elephant without tusks?
That's how nuts we are.
When we get all wrapped up overcomplexion, we're all the same.
Peel the skin back.
Ella (54:10):
Yeah.
One last point Somebody said tome the other day I was kind of
trying to decide whether to goto this.
I'm very introverted, so goingto a party is like painful, okay
yeah, and I'm trying to decide.
And the other person said to mehe goes.
Well, you know, your energy issacred, so protect it.
And I heard that.
(54:30):
And talking about living in ourpurpose, I'm like, well, if I
go to this party and I represent, I got vegan written all over
me and I represent what it meansto be vegan to be loving to
connect with people.
Like that's living my purpose.
So maybe it is a little painfuland it's not an easy decision.
That's not an easy decision.
It's not like, oh, protect,because if I'm too protective
(54:53):
then you miss out on theconnection those connections are
everything Right.
Babette (54:58):
They are.
Ella (54:59):
But knowing that, then I got to recharge, I got to
recharge, I got to rechargealone.
Babette (55:04):
How do you see that?
I see it the same way.
We're on the same page withthat.
Seriously, yeah.
Ella (55:11):
I wouldn't have guessed, you're an introvert.
I mean everybody says like Ican't believe you're an
introvert, I'm an introvert.
Babette (55:16):
I love hanging with me.
Ella (55:19):
Yes, I love it.
Babette (55:20):
Like Ron and I, we came to a really cool decision.
He's into his music.
He built himself a studio.
He's up half the night.
I live in my apartment and Ronlives in his apartment and I
enjoy me so much.
I didn't realize how much.
I just really I make myselflaugh If I'm watching TV.
(55:43):
I'm cracking up, I'm tellingjokes about people, characters
on TV, I'm just loving the timewith myself.
I think that's very importantand I don't mind being
introverted.
Ella (55:55):
That's who I am.
Babette (55:56):
I never did go to parties.
I never did go to clubs.
I wasn't that girl.
I never did go to parties.
I never did go to clubs.
I wasn't that girl, you know.
So I'm with you, baby, andyou're just as cute as you can
be.
Ella (56:10):
Thank you, this has been so fun, so fun.
I'm so grateful.
I know you are one busy woman,okay but I'm shut down Now.
Babette (56:17):
I'm home.
Ella (56:20):
I got the rest of the day all right, but you're introverts
, so you know hey, you gotta godo your thing do your thing now
thank you so much for being here, for sharing anything else
you'd like to share that wedidn't cover hey, y'all,
practice self-love and self-care.
Babette (56:33):
put you first, make sure you're first, and that's
not selfish.
That is not selfish.
That is not selfish.
Gotta, put your oxygen mask onfirst.
Amen, amen, appreciate you.
Ella (56:50):
Bye, baby.
Thanks for listening to thisweek's episode of Rise and
Thrive with me, ella Majors.
I truly hope you found itinspiring and, if you did,
please help me spread the wordby leaving a rating and review
on your favorite podcast playerand by sharing the show with
your friends.
As you probably know by now, mylife's purpose is to use my
(57:11):
voice to make this world a moreconscious and compassionate
place, and your reviews andshares make a huge impact.
And last, I'm getting a ton ofinsanely positive feedback about
my short and sweet monthlynewsletter called the Way short
for the Way Out Is Through.
I give my top five latest badassdiscoveries, insights and
(57:31):
explorations, like veganproducts and recipes.
I'm obsessed with books andshows I'm loving and workouts
that have me fired up.
Head on over to my website,ellam shows I'm loving and
workouts that have me fired up.
Head on over to my website,ellamajorscom, to sign up and
check out all the other awesomeresources I have for you and
projects I'm involved with,including Hogs and Kisses Farm
(57:52):
Sanctuary, where our mission isto create the best life for farm
animals while inspiringcompassion for all living beings
.
Thanks a lot and I'll see youon the next one.
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