Sol Food All loving mother and healer
A
s the sun sets over the
ena talks to her customers with
tallest trees on the
familiarity, as though
mountains, an orange
they have known
glow spreads across the front
eachother
window of a restaurant named
for
Vive Sol. Inside, the air is filled
w h e n
with a homey aroma of spices
they are,
and warm tortillas. The same
in fact,
years
orange glow from the setting sun is painted wall to wall in the dimly lit table area, and although it is dim, the candlelight on each table combines with beautiful bronze star-lights on the ceiling creating a dreamy atmosphere. A simple smile reaches
to
every
table
from Helena Sol’s lips. The hustle and bustle of the restaurant is tamed and calmed with chatter, laughter, and music. Hel-
By Kayli Bailey
Helena is a shaman and healer and a very powerful wise woman. from what I have learned about her i that she brings her wisdom and healing into her food. So her food becomes soul cocoa leaf on strangmy tongue, I ers. food. When you eat it you’re brought felt the tea like A customback to either memories of your f lavour er who had o f walked into childhood, or you just feel so the leaf the homey eatery comforted by a certain type and clarity and serenwith tired eyes and of food or flavor. ity in my mind. She exan agitated twitch in his plained that the shamans would
cheek, walks over to the bar
her
layout a space on the ground in front
sion and
of them with potential answers and
eanwhile, in the kitch-
spirit. Helena is a shaman and has
intentions set at each corner. They
en, hot steam rises
learned from many shamanic heal-
would pick cocoa leaves and lightly
from soups and sauces
ers from around the world. She takes
toss them toward the space. Where
and meats in sizzling pans. A mis-
what she has learned from them and
they landed would show the answer
hap occurs, very usual and common
incorporates it into her food and the
based on the reading. She showed
in a restaurant: the man’s quesadilla
environments of her restaurants. She
me how they would pick three of
was dropped by the waiter. Agita-
does most of her healing work out
the leaves and create a Quintu. The
tion grows in the customer, and he
of her home, in a back house. That
Quintu is a charm to hold your an-
becomes more irritable and hungry.
space is filled with crystals, feathers,
swer. You were to fall in love with it,
Then he is approached by the warm
sacred objects and drums. She in-
caress it and kiss it. You could hold
smile of Helena Sol, “I’m so sorry for
vited me into her healing space and
it in your hands and feel uttermost
the wait. An accident occurred in
showed me some of the many tools
peace. You would then carry it with
the kitchen. I’ll bring out some fresh
she uses to heal. Cocoa leaves are one
you henceforth.
tortilla chips and salsa. It’s on the
of those tools. The shamans of Peru
house.” Seconds later his nostrils are
often used cocoa leaves as they be-
filled with the warm smell of salty
lieve they possess powers of insight.
chips and spicy vegetables. His irri-
Helena showed me how the sha-
form of healing that comes from the
tability is gone and he continues to
mans would place one of these cocoa
ancient elders in Hawaii, the Kahu-
wait happily while Helena hops from
leaves on their tongue to focus on
nas. When something is off balance
table to table, greeting guests with
their intention, to clear their minds,
in a community they believe it some-
enthusiastic welcomes.
and to rise into a higher plane of be-
times has to do with one person that
Helena Sol’s graciousness augments
ing. When I
is off. They believe that by healing
and orders chips and a quesadilla.
M
v
i
-
2
placed the
Another
healing
method
Hel-
ena incorporates into her food is
Ho’oponopono. “Ho’oponopono is a
the people or the family it affects ev-
mother. One of the restaurant’s spe-
spacious. You can sit in the beauti-
eryone in the community. This could
cialties is her grandmother’s recipe
fully lit interior with star-lights on
be for the crops, or if it’s not raining,
for Pollo Guajillo, Great Grandmoth-
the ceiling that Helena gets from a
or it is raining too much.
er’s Enjococado special recipe. This
specific smelter in Mexico. Or you
o the shaman or the kahuna’s
enjococado chicken dish is accented
can sit on their outside patio, cov-
job is to look at the person
by a creamed Guajillo sauce and
ered with a cloth ceiling and an ele-
who is not in harmony or in
topped with toasted almonds, an au-
gant chandelier. There are plants and
thentic recipe influenced by the 19th
decorations everywhere and a rocky
The environment of her restau-
Century Old World and by our Coci-
waterfall on the far wall with tran-
rants feel very balanced and wel-
na Barroca Poblana. Her family has
quil statues and fairy lights strung
coming. When you talk to anyone
always been in the restaurant busi-
above. Quinto Sol is the most recent
who has dined at the healing eatery
ness. In fact, her father also owns
publicly accessible restaurant they
they can each tell you that her food
a restaurant in Mountain View. She
have established.
has properties that trigger happy
and her husband started their first
Quinto Sol has a very different feel
warm memories from their child-
restaurant, Palo Alto Sol. They chose
to it than Palo Alto Sol or Vive Sol.
hood or their family. My mother
the name to honor the city and added
It is more modern, industrial, and
explained how the Caldo De Pollo,
the family name, which also has the
classy. The open ceiling, with her
chicken soup, reminded her of her
beautiful sound of “soul” and shares
signature star-lights, gives off a fu-
Italian grandmother and the warm
the name of our sun. Their second
turistic vibe, and the glowing granite
meals she would make for her. This
restaurant was Vive Sol in Mountain
bar feels both modern and magical.
is what Helena does for the commu-
View. They found a little place on El
One unique feature is the tree in the
nity through her restuarants; she is
Camino and thought it was perfect.
middle of Quito Sol.
always spreading healing energy and
Vive means to be alive. The ambi-
making sure that each person who
ance of Vive Sol is family friendly,
comes into her restaurant receives a
warm,
S
balance.”
and
blessing from her. Helena grew up in Mexico and has always loved the
food
culture
and
that
she
grew
up
with.
Through her restaurants she
wants
to
share its beauty with America. She learned many of her recipes from her grand-
3
H
elena says that the tree
healing methods. She loves traveling
about the hardships of running and
represents the tree of life
and has taken a new hobby of go-
owning restaurants.
and really ties together
ing on Safaris. Her friends
the whole restaurant; even if you
says it comes as no
didn’t know why it was there, you
surprise
I brought my family to
the only restaurant on the Facebook
Quinto Sol with I often ask Helena, my two Helena has myself what am I sisters, my gone off here to do? What is my mother, my traveling purpose?These are questions father and without my grandnotice. that we all ask ourselves. mother. She is Sometimes the answers are Helena was ambiso logical, so right in front delighted t i o u s of you, that you don’t that three genwith her see them. erations of my dreams and
campus that is not free. Helena tells
has
about how Mark’s wife speaks flu-
about
ent Spanish, and when they meet she
breakfast. She is good friends with
taurant. Helena sees all of the beauty
and Helena converse.
the previous and current owners of
in family and how sharing food and
Helena incorporates many different
Hobee’s restaurants, Peter and Ed-
conversing with loved ones makes
cultures from around the world into
ward. Hobee’s is a breakfast specialty
the food better.
could see its importance. Helena has had many customers of all kinds come into her restaurant. The creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, enjoyed coming into Vive Sol often. One day he approached Helena and asked her to have one of her restaurants on his Facebook campus. She agreed, and now has
her food, restaurants a
n
d
that
family were seated at
thought opening
a table together in her res-
for
She says that the
restaurant, and The Sol restau-
sense of community in the restau-
rants are dinner only. So,
rant is where her success is. Creat-
they were quick to de-
ing a healing environment using the
cline the idea, because
healing energy she has learned help-
they knew how stress-
ing the community and strengthen
ful it would be to work
familial bonds.
breakfast and dinner.
Helena and my mother originally
Because they are such
met in the Council of the 13 Grand-
great friends, there
mothers, healers from around the
have been ru-
world who come together in council.
mors about the
They became great friends and cre-
two places collaborating, but it hasn’t happened yet. The friends joke
4
about
it
often and commiserate
ated a goddess circle together.
M
y mother explained,
teach you. Come by tomorrow in a
a job before because she will show
“Helena and I gath-
black tie and we will get you started
them the ropes and believes they
ered
from
as a busboy.” Angel was shocked and
will naturally figure it all out.
around the community to meet and
ecstatic, and for the next few years
“I often ask myself what am I here to
talk about how we could support
he worked up the ranks in Helena’s
do? What is my purpose? These are
each other. We also did some ritual
restaurants. Angel’s family have be-
questions that we all ask ourselves.
and ceremony; for example, on the
come very close to Helena, attend-
Sometimes the answers are so logi-
equinox we burned a ceremonial fire
ing cook-outs and events together,
cal, so right in front of you, that you
and we talked about what we wanted
going to concerts, and just hanging
don’t see them. One day I was ask-
to release in our lives and what we
out. Helena described that when
ing myself where do I take all this
wanted to rebirth in our lives, I have
s
knowledge about food, healing, and
women
h
e
looks for workers, she
been great friends with Hel-
community? I thought, if I share all
ena for the past three
that I can through the food now I have so many guests coming in
years.” Helena
and honoring us by eating
has
in our restaurant.” Helena
changed lives
likes to take one day at a
so
time and see that there
many peo-
is so much beauty to
the of ple.
behold from the world.
One
She sees that we should
p e r s o n
spend our time enjoying
who’s story has changed
each day to its fullest and heal-
dramati-
ing and caring for those around
cally from Helena’s infludoesn’t
ence is employee Luis Angel Espino-
look
za. A few years ago Angel was in a lot
for who is the best waiter or who
of trouble. He was incarcerated for a
has the most skill,; she looks for
bit and was desperately trying to get
who has the most heart, who has
out of his bad habits by getting a job.
the most compassion, kindness and
He and his family frequently went to
willingness to show up work with a
Vive Sol. One day while they were
smiling face to all of the
enjoying dinner, Angel chatted with
guests.
Helena about his worries looking for
she doesn’t care
a new job. Helena quickly offered,
if they have
“You could work here. You
never
She
says
had
don’t have to know anything. I will
5
us so they may also enjoy their time here to the fullest.
Work Cited
Bailey, Kim. Personal interview. 29 sept. 2015. Sol, Helena. Personal interview. 30 sept. 2015. Fike, Edward. Personal interview. 1 oct. 2015. Tabor, Peter. Personal interview. 1 oct. 2015. Espinosa, Luis Angel. Personal interview. 2 oct. 2015.
6