Breathing & Chaga w/ Gavin

Siobhan and Gavin discuss various natural health and wellness practices, including Chaga mushroom, breathwork, and mindfulness. They emphasized the importance of prioritizing oneself through self-care practices for improved mental and physical well-being. They also discussed the role of intuition and inner voice in personal growth, and the significance of embracing one's unique path. Later, they touched on the interplay between perception and reality in various aspects of life, including business and personal growth. Finally, they shared their personal interests and experiences, including Gavin's love for onesies and meeting the Vice President of the United States.

Transcript

Siobhan: 0:09

Alright y'all. Hi. Welcome to this week's episode of ducking reality today. In the pod studio. We have my friend Gavin from Chaga.

Gavin: 0:17

Hello, how are you? I'm Gavin from the chaga. Company. How are you doing? Cheban

Siobhan: 0:21

I'm doing well. How are you?

Gavin: 0:22

I'm great. Thanks. Thank you for having me over.

Siobhan: 0:24

You're welcome. We met actually, in the the random is way we met twice in like a week. That's true. From like, completely different worlds. Yes. So I met you in San Francisco at the Bologna, which is one of my favorite places. Yes. Same here. And then I met you with one of my favorite people pa from Elia botanicals.

Gavin: 0:43

I mean, you know, universe.

Siobhan: 0:46

And now we've become really fast friends. And I love it.

Gavin: 0:48

Well, thanks. Yeah. I love having as a friend, too. Yeah.

Siobhan: 0:51

So you started the Chaga mushroom company in 2018.

Gavin: 0:57

I started a Chaga company in San Francisco in 2018. And I found out about Chaga in 2016. When I was doing a summer work adventure in Alaska. Yes, yes. Before

Siobhan: 1:08

we get to that part, though, tell me a little bit Did you about where you grew up and how you came to San Francisco.

Gavin: 1:13

So I grew up, I was born and raised in the Philippines. And my mom and dad are separated. So I had a opportunity to move to the United States when I was 15 years old. And I did and really got most of my adulthood and where I for most of my network and my character here in San Francisco.

Siobhan: 1:35

Yeah, that explains a lot. Because you're just a full like life, like vibrant person who found like the joy in life and you just spread it. Yes. And I love that. Oh,

Gavin: 1:48

yeah, that's my message. It's like, it's one of those things that I tried to meditate a lot and contemplate on what I want to broadcast in life. And they finally realized what I want to broadcast in life is health and happiness. So Chaga is one of the ways for me to keep myself healthy that I found in Alaska. And I'm passionate about it. So I'm broadcasting to everyone.

Siobhan: 2:11

And how did you get to Alaska? How did you find out about Chaga? Like, how did the universe put that into your orbit, so

Gavin: 2:17

I was there. So I went to Alaska, somebody offered me an opportunity over there. And when I went to Alaska over there for our summer work adventures, somebody offered me to start a coffee shop with them. With Chaga. I did start, it became a success there, in a span of two and a half months, actually span of a year planning. And six months of execution, me became profitable, and open up a second branch. But the winter came in Alaska, and I got reminded that I'm a true San Franciscan. And I left and I started the chocolate company here in 2018. With very little money, I borrowed money from my mom, and started to Chaga company and I sold that to Mike illogical Society of San Francisco in December 2018. And I sold out and I figured, oh, my goodness, let me start the business. And I've been in business for around. Wow, seven years now. Yeah, yeah, selling Chaga for San Franciscans.

Siobhan: 3:24

So what are like the benefits of the Chaga mushroom. So Chaga, we get

Gavin: 3:29

it in Alaska. And it's been used for quite some time, actually. It has the highest amount of antioxidants, highest amount of immune boosting properties, adaptogens and so many other amazing benefits. It gives you a lot of energy, clarity and focus. And it also has so high anti inflammatory properties as I lost a lot of my inflammation, and a lot of a lot of inflammation and toxins in my life as I continue to use Chaga. And I see the benefits of it happening for myself. So I figured might as well spread it to everybody else.

Siobhan: 4:12

I love that and I'm become obsessed with assaults.

Gavin: 4:15

Oh my solid Capital One. Oh my god. So my Microsoft, it's a good thing that I have friends who are actually chefs in Napa. Napa Valley farmers market is my first farmers market actually, that I opened up the chaga company and have developed numerous relationship with fabulous chefs over there. And one of them actually worked for a three Michelin star restaurant in Napa. Yes. And during the patent that make a couple of them helped me develop my salt which contains two different kinds of truffles and extracts of four different adaptogenic mushrooms Chaga reishi, Turkey Tail and lion's mane and it's so delicious as you know, because he uses Oh, my God. Yeah, so just check it out. At the end. Hopefully, we'll have like a little snippet on where you can look for my products and stuff. Yeah. But it's delicious. But

Siobhan: 5:11

how did so how did you get like the confidence? So to create this business like or even go to Alaska and start, like, you went to, you know, you came to us when you were 15? And then you went to like, did you go to Alaska kind of on? They were just like, I mean, I know you said play a year of planning, but still like, to kind of pick up and move again.

Gavin: 5:30

Yeah, takes a lot. Um, you know, it's so funny. For me, I'm all about intuition and opportunity, whatever my gut tells me, and as a immigrant from the Philippines, living in the peninsula in a city, Daly City, should I say when amongst a lot of other Filipinos, there was an internalized pressure. And for me to either become a nurse or have like, some professional degree to be an attorney and stuff like that. That was never me. No, no, I tried that route, got me really depressed, really stressed out, I, I, you know, and I'm like, you only have one life might as well live the life that I love to live. And for me to try out new things to find out what makes me happy, what makes me healthy on my own accord. And instead of me living up to what society wants, like me becoming a lawyer, me becoming something like that, that's not in my heart. My heart is to pursue life on how to be happy how to be healthy. And whatever that comes into me whether from my jewelry designed for my onesie designed, that makes me happy and makes me fulfilled, and to the things that I take, like Chaga, that keeps me very, very healthy. I think those are components that I could broadcast to the world and use myself as a testing capability for me to like, you know, figure out what I truly want, and what I could really voice out.

Siobhan: 6:52

That's gorgeous. And I love that. But did you ever have moments of like, not trusting your gut?

Gavin: 6:58

Oh, yeah, always, you know, it's all about that. Okay. So, for me, your mind is always in the way of your destiny. Yes. Your mind is always in a wave from your perfect health. You know, a perfect example to this is that, up to this day, scientists are still discovering how our body works for millennia, but you know, who truly knows how your body works, is your body, nothing else. If you leave your body to do its job, it will do its most perfect way to get back for you to get back into your perfect health. Whereas if you put your mind into it,

Siobhan: 7:46

it fucks everything up.

Gavin: 7:49

Because he wanted it, it's your your mind is forcing your body to do something different that it's not supposed to do. And thus creating resistance and your mind is now generating stress from that because it's not doing the way you want your body to do it. What what your mind percepts. But if you let your body do what it needs to do, and put it in perfect health, I would let it be because it has to do what it has to do in order for it to thrive and survive. Right. And it's your mind that always messes it up. In my opinion.

Siobhan: 8:21

I think I agree with that completely. Because in the worst part is it's not even always your own voice in your head. It's like somebody else's voice. Yeah. And oftentimes, it's actually someone else's voice when you really stop and like pay attention to it. Yeah. It's like, wait, what? Were they even come up with that?

Gavin: 8:37

And where did you get it? And why did you accept it? Why did you put it in your subconscious? Because you're comfortable? Yeah, I'm putting it into your subconscious. Yeah. And the funny part about that, it's me realizing slowly that these are like, pre programmed things that are in my head. And if I let things unfold, I could see it with better eyes. That's what gives me more opportunity to pursue what I want in life. Like find my joy, find my happiness, find my health, whatever that is, because you know what, some people Chaga might not be for them. But it's for me, right? It's also for a lot of people that I help out in a monthly basis. You know, yeah, and same thing with my happiness, too. I finally realized I cannot please everyone, but hopefully I could change one life. And if I could make one other person happy and healthy. Why not?

Siobhan: 9:31

Yeah, that's beautiful.

Unknown: 9:33

Thank you.

Siobhan: 9:34

I love it. I just yeah, it's I want more of that in the world. Like more of you in the world. Oh, thank you like, because it is I think people get so caught up in the shooting on themselves. Like I should be doing this. I should be doing that. I mean, I know I do it too. And then I get into like this little thing where I can then get anything done. Perfect example

Gavin: 9:54

to this. I am always my target company is a small business you In San Francisco, and it's been, it's been in business for seven years, a lot of people are like, you're a dinosaur. You're not making as much money as your competitors and stuff like that. I'm all like, I don't give a flying fuck. You know why? Because this is my destiny. This is the way I want to live my life. And this is the way I want to broadcast in front into the world on who I am and who my products are too, as well. Every single time. And if I should let go of the integrity, and the quality of me and my products, just to scale up, it's not worth it for me in the end. Yeah. Yeah, cuz

Siobhan: 10:39

then it's not you. It's not, or it's a watered down version of you. And

Gavin: 10:43

that that's one. Number two is that that time, the effort, the energy to pretend that I want it is so much greater than me living my life now in my own capabilities, and in my own highest self. It's like, I don't want to magnify something and scale up, just for me to say, Oh, I'm making X amount of money. I'm okay right now. Yeah, yeah.

Siobhan: 11:08

It's about enjoying the experience. And

Gavin: 11:11

not yes, it's an enjoying and nourishing my journey. That's why my taglines for my Chaga company is nourish your journey with Chaga. Because the way I look at it, we are all in the journey. And the way if we let go even further and surrender to the universe on what is good, and what truly is automatic for us, it will shine and it will come through, like on how we get our body it will automatically put itself in perfect health because it knows what to do. Not our mind. Right. You know, if we let it just go to the path of least resistance and put us in perfect health and perfect happiness. Why not?

Siobhan: 11:50

Yeah, if you think about when you're relaxed in like your life, better things do come and when the bad shit comes. You're almost okay with it. Yeah, like because you're like, alright, this is there's got to be I'm not I'm not one of those people that everything always happens for a reason. I think most things happen for a reason. Yeah. But anything in the world is just random and it gets in stuff gets fucked up. And oh, yeah, for no reason. Yeah, you know, absolutely. We

Gavin: 12:14

have many challenges like that.

Siobhan: 12:15

Yeah, like, but even though you just went through a big thing with the banks, and you're still kind of in it. Yeah. So I'm really into this, like David and Goliath kind of thing. Yeah. So

Gavin: 12:26

what happened was, I got scammed. And the funny part about it, it was a beautiful scam on their part, honestly, because it's it, I thought it was actually the bank that I've worked with the city, which is a very big bank, right. And what happened was, I thought they weren't them. It was a fraudulent department. They wired in a lot of money. And they did a mobile check deposit into my account, without me knowing I'm wired out this a little bit more throughout. But within that same day, thus shutting down my my bank account. And the worst part about it is that there, I felt like, I did not get a lot of support from the big banks like this as a small business. Because I reported it twice. I even filed the police report and everything. And I have not gotten anything, anything from them. And now, I went a couple of times to their branches, and either I get directed to their head office by phone, and then they would shut me down, or they don't know what's going on. And no case was filed. At the end. They said they cannot help me. And I have to go through a legal end or law enforcement, which I have, right? Yeah. Well, it's one of those things that you just have to go through. That's terrible,

Siobhan: 13:40

though. Yes. Because then your operating costs are caught up and you're like trying to survive a business when you can't have a bank account.

Gavin: 13:47

Yes. So I have to reopen up a new bank account. But it taught me a lot of lessons like I need to have extra cash reserves, I need to have failsafe methods in order for me to keep the business going without really sacrificing myself proper accounting capabilities and make sure you know. So all of these things are lessons for me to actually improve to myself. And I know that I'm very happy that it's going through right now at this point in my life that I have the courage, the style, the grace, and the fortitude and integrity to go through with this plus the resources for me as a small business to get legal help from the city of San Francisco or the league, the legal counsel for civil rights to as well. That gives me pro bono and facilities. I also approached the Federal Trade Commission and filed a case against them. But all of these are processes that I'm learning in order for me to get my money back. So hopefully, not only I get the lesson, but at the same time yeah, my money back

Siobhan: 14:48

and it'll make you like you said it's teaching you so much. It'll make you a better business person in the long run.

Gavin: 14:53

Exactly. So I'm looking at this as his lesson in life because I rather have this with it was it In a sense, it was my stupidity. But at the same time, because there were some fail safes that did not, I did not know or did not do my due diligence on in which I got scammed, right. But at the same time now I know. And now I'm going to take these actions moving forward. And I feel like life is a lesson and life doesn't have to end or change. Because of this, it can change definitely for the better, right?

Siobhan: 15:26

But because I think you go from it with that attitude of like, well, let me figure out what I learned and stuff. It doesn't destroy you. It just makes you stronger. Yes. Because I don't know if I got scammed like that. And my business was like, you know, on the brink, I don't know, if I would have gotten my shit together enough to keep going, you know, like, I would like to think I would. But you know what I mean? I can also see someone being like, alright, nuts, it's too hard. Now. Yeah, there's hours of phone calls, and emails. And please report like you're jumping through hoop after hoop and spending hours of this time on this when you should be doing other business that you know exactly that stress to that is just when money is involved, it's a different Oh, yeah.

Gavin: 16:07

When your whole livelihood is involved, and money is involved, and they're not helping you because they don't know what to do, because they don't have proper protocols. On this is happening one, number two, it's just like they tell you to go to physically to their offices. And then when you speak to somebody over there, they don't even know nor is it's just the way I look at it. Even though if you feel like you're going through a brick wall, you still have a way, just always look outside the box, and you have the capabilities and the courage to actually go through it. That's why for me, breathing is really, really, really, really, really important. I cannot stress how breathing is so important because that can relax your nervous system and make you think differently, and how to approach a different perspective because you are conscious on how to deal with your stress. And you know, if you're in a stressful situation, on the rate that you're breathing, the way you're thinking and the way your heart feels. But if you can regulate all of that, and relax down and de stress, you will definitely find a different perspective, or a different way for you to attack the same problem.

Siobhan: 17:19

Right? Yeah. How long have you been a breathwork? Coach now,

Gavin: 17:22

so I've been doing I got certified in Maui. And it was a wonderful, wonderful experience. I

Siobhan: 17:31

love that in Maui.

Gavin: 17:37

I was in Maui and my best friend was there it was his pros, bachelor party. Right across from it just happens to be a fabulous retreat center. I did hula and breathwork. Incorporating both of those. And I'm very pleased that I'm doing it at the banya twice a week or twice a month. Twice

Siobhan: 17:56

a month. Well, yeah, maybe too busy for twice a week. Twice

Gavin: 18:00

a month for good. And, and but anyways, they're lovely addition. Thank you, thank you. I love being there. But my breath work is more focus on your resting breath, more for you to relax more for you to be centered and be present. There's different kinds of breathwork style. There's Holotropic. And definitely check that out. My friend Michael barrios and Steve 23 Has it at new mission yoga,

Siobhan: 18:26

oh, yes,

Gavin: 18:26

that's the one that's just like Awaken Your like childhood paths. And like, let's cycle through all of these things and read all of this, releasing traumatic experiences.

Siobhan: 18:36

I'm gonna try it, but it makes me like, very self conscious,

Gavin: 18:39

don't do it. Everybody has their own journey over there. Somebody might be screaming, somebody might get naked and whatever. But you know what, you're too busy dealing your own shit. Yeah, yeah. So please go and then the collection of people over there because you attune to the same frequency. So you feel like you're, you're when you're going through these traumatic experiences. There are other people around you who's going through with it, but in different ways and their own way. So it as much as they're doing it independently, that collective thing really will foster you to go deeper because you know that you're in the same space.

Siobhan: 19:15

Right? That would make sense. So that's somatic. breathwork.

Gavin: 19:18

I'm very different because people will slip at the body. And if I do pass out, you know, again, you know, nobody's gonna be boiled alive over there. Thank you.

Siobhan: 19:30

Thank you.

Gavin: 19:31

So I do a relaxing breath work. It teaches so I do up usually four or five different methods on youth for you to actually have a better body experience. So I do a resting breath, which you breathe into the nose and out through the nose. That should be what you're doing every single day. Not through your mouth. No, no, no, you eat with it, and you yell talk, blah, blah, blah. Into the nose and out the nose. Nothing else. That's me. Serving but your diaphragm, yes, yeah. So make a conscious effort to do that. And then so I also do golden thread box breathwork, which is like developed by Navy SEALs in order for them to get focused and then reset their nervous system. So I do that. So it's really nice because I'm timing it. For example, I do the 631 every first Thursday of the month, I timed it right before aromatherapy at seven. So there's like a 25 minute banya tea breathwork and teaches you how to like, you know, relax deeper and stuff like that. Because a lot of people when they're not as relaxed when they go into the body for aroma therapy session after like, it's usually two or three rounds after like one and a half. They're like piecing out you know, so they're not really maximizing the full body experience. So I love the whole segue of breathwork but chaga tea them bond. Yeah,

Siobhan: 20:46

yeah. Beautiful. Oh, thank you. Thank you try to make it every time I can. Yeah,

Gavin: 20:50

please come except for like men's dye, which happens third Tuesday of the night. Right. Right. And I do that at 8pm. Because they open up at six,

Siobhan: 20:59

six o'clock. Yeah, that way people have time to get there and get settled in. Exactly. It's amazing. Like, I am a breath holder. Uh huh. And I didn't realize it for the longest time. And like I, I always joke like, I don't even know how to breathe. Because like, like, I don't I know. I don't breathe properly. Yeah, like, and I you, we were doing breath work. And you're like, No, no, in your diaphragm. I'm like, where's my diaphragm?

Gavin: 21:23

It's so funny, because I was so happy to do this in the banya. Because there's a lot of people over there who's looking to relax anyways. Yeah. And it's the perfect combination. So I have a lot of people who, who are, for example, in the tech industry, or in the finance industry, or medical industry, they usually go to the barn. Yeah. And then they're like, Oh, my God, we never thought we should be breathing this way. And I could totally see the whole difference. Because how you breathe in, through your diaphragm, really feels like there's so many tensions and stressors that you actually have down there that you can release consciously, right and get rid of it right now. Yeah. You know, so I'm doing this whole, like Chaga life breathwork series at the banya. And I'm also offering it for corporate events to as well. So it's one of those things to make people productive. And at the same time, it doesn't cost them anything. It doesn't cost them new gym equipment or whatever. And you don't have to subscribe to breathe. Unless you want to subscribe to my breathing technique. Come on down. Yes.

Siobhan: 22:24

Because you start your day with a morning mantra that you share with me.

Gavin: 22:27

I do so I do have a morning mantra every day. It's philosophies from different Buddha's most likely, most of them are from Daisaku Ikeda. And it's about dealing with difficulties education and Lightman, empowerment, diversity, health, good and evil, so many different themes that I do every day. So it's part of my discipline and my practice, as a Buddhist that I chant and meditate every day, do a body scan, make sure, and a loving kindness meditation plus my module of the day, so it takes like around 30 minutes, but it seriously sets off your whole day. Yeah.

Siobhan: 23:04

And that explains why you're so happy. It's because you're grounding and starting your day from like a positive place.

Gavin: 23:09

Let me put it this way. Because the way I look at it when you wake up, and you communicate with everybody else, you're not giving yourself time for yourself. And if you prioritize yourself by feeding your soul and your lifeforce with for yourself, whether it be chanting, meditating, eating, drinking, whatever that makes you super happy. You already won the whole day. Yeah. Because you already gave something to yourself. Everything else you can give to everyone else.

Siobhan: 23:40

And that's yeah, and somehow, like we lost it as a society to like, do these things we just

Gavin: 23:47

got busy. So busy, so busy, but busy. Oh, it's so nice to just look as Doom scroll, right? But if I were you, when you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror, say something nice to yourself, say you know, whatever. For me. My morning methods is I usually chant for like 10 to 15 minutes, lie down in my chi machine for another 15 minutes. What's

Siobhan: 24:12

a tea machine?

Gavin: 24:13

Oh, my goodness. It's like this thing that you lie down on and then you put your ankles and then it makes you feel like a fish going upstream. So it's a robic exercise that releases all of the tension on your legs, on your hips and on your sciatic nerve. And so you have like a little bit of traction and then it like you swim like a fish. And then you just lie down. So that's what I do with attraction, my neck, and then after that the flow of energy balances you. So that's how I start my day. That sounds amazing. So meditating, chanting, writing on a journal, my goals of what I wanted, they and be appreciative that you're still breathing. Yeah, that's key.

Siobhan: 24:53

How long have you been a Buddhist for a long time? Were you raised as a Buddhist?

Gavin: 24:57

I was raised as a cat. Look Baptists pseudo Buddhists in the Philippines is just like I was in many religions. But I chose Buddhism. Because it came to me. A dear friend of mine, Steven McDonald introduced me to the SGI Buddhist. And it's all it's the same Buddhist practice, as with Tina Turner know how she got rid of my Mister i Yeah, that's what she said. You could Google that. But Larry King, she says all of that. And it's all about chanting for you to find the courage within yourself. To live at your utmost potential. There is no one else in the world, or in the universe that will change your life. But yourself. And this will our mu to give you the tools for you to turn medicine plays into medicine, or how to change your life completely.

Siobhan: 25:59

That's, yeah, I need to look into that some more.

Gavin: 26:02

Yeah, please. And it's like the way we look at it. There's like 10 realms anywhere from hell to heaven. And you can and that's perception. Oh, absolutely. Right. Yeah. Because you can be in hell you can be in heaven. It's like you pick up anywhere in between starvation. So it's fulfill, you know, my Buddhist practice, and it helps me look at everything in Heaven's perspective. Or up to there. We always strive to be enlightened. Right? Yeah. But these are tools for me to look at the better things in life.

Siobhan: 26:41

Yeah, I love that.

Unknown: 26:43

Thank you. Yeah. Because

Siobhan: 26:44

I really think your perception is your reality. Right? And you can change your perception at any time. It's, and I think most people get caught up in not realizing the power that they have to change their perception.

Gavin: 26:56

It's so funny. I have to tell you a quote. There is this glamorous woman in the Philippines. And she's the first lady and she was the dictators. She is the dictator's wife. Her name is Imelda Marcos. Okay? And you know what she said? Perception is real, but truth is not. Fuck yeah. Wow. Mad props to that woman because she put not only her husband. When he called this, I think that they rain for 30 years. And then they got out it in a revolution. Oh, and then she's back now.

Siobhan: 27:48

The president. She was like, oh, no, you're not kicking me out.

Gavin: 27:53

Perception is real.

Unknown: 27:59

Yeah. Right. And kind of rocked my world

Siobhan: 28:07

is like, yeah, because what is the truth? Right. It's what you believe. It's what you believe. And as we know, right, especially in the world right now, like people make up their own truth all the time. Absolutely. People are making up their own facts now.

Unknown: 28:26

I'll turn it to them. I love that. Like,

Siobhan: 28:28

ya know the truth. Yeah. Perception is real truth is not

Unknown: 28:36

Imelda Marcos.

Siobhan: 28:37

Yeah. Oh, I need to learn more about her.

Gavin: 28:40

Watch the kingmaker on Amazon.

Unknown: 28:42

Okay. Trip Yeah. Dang.

Siobhan: 28:50

Wow. That's so true. It's just that is kinda like it's just a simple little saying that holds so much. Truth. Yeah, well,

Unknown: 29:01

for that matter,

Siobhan: 29:02

that's the way to say that. I'm like, the way that our we're connected to our words just that little phrase changes so much. Yeah. Luck. Yeah, cuz you're, yeah.

Unknown: 29:16

Wow. Yeah.

Siobhan: 29:19

So one of the other things that in your reality that I love about you, and I want to know that how you got into it is your fashion because you are fabulous and you your fashion is on point, but it's always catered around once onesies. Oh, my God. Oh,

Gavin: 29:42

do you want it? No, I do. I started my onesie. Obsession. Yes. This was Las Vegas. 2015.

Siobhan: 29:54

So almost 2019 20

Gavin: 29:57

years ago, almost 20 years ago. I did this whole onesie thing. And I had a rugby mate of mine who I played for the Sin City Irish rugby team. His name is Paul sheets and he's a Black Hawk helicopter pilot.

Siobhan: 30:13

Sexy.

Gavin: 30:14

His name is I think I remember his like, his, his name name, his callsign callsign is dirty sheets. So he's like, Hey, Gavin, do you want to come over and check out our Blackhawk helicopter? Air Force Base on Travis? I'm all like,

Unknown: 30:37

yeah.

Gavin: 30:40

Yes, please. And then so I went in, went into the Blackhawk helicopter bar, and at the end, he gave me one of his flights.

Unknown: 30:49

Awesome. Like a real? And I still have it. Good. I

Gavin: 30:54

hope so. And I yeah, he took out all like the banners and everything for like a case. I don't know maybe intelligence reasons. But yeah, he gave that to me. And then I, because I wanted to be Jennifer Lopez in drag for Jenny in the block. And she was wearing a sudo flightsuit cargo thing with heels on. So I need to get that shit happening. So I did that. And then from then on out. That's where my onesie obsession happened. And then my dear friend, Lisa Simpson, she was living in Vegas at this time. She made me five onesies. And one of them I'm wearing right now. Oh, and the original one since 2016. Wow. Yes, my narwhal onesie. This is the first one actually the absolute number one. This one she made. She made me. And her name is Lisa Simpson. And she was the costume designer for love at Cirque du Soleil. Oh, awesome. Yeah. So from then on, the universe has been so gracious to me that I've been getting either onesies and stuff like that, and I decided that I should not have anything else but onesies. And one black suit when mandated to carry a coffin. And they told me like, we shouldn't be wearing a black suit. I'm like, fine. That's it. I have a onesie for every occasion. Yes, I do onesie of the days. It's on my Instagram called G number one letter Z. Just type it in. I pop out with my onesies. And I design onesies and I'm going to be coming out with a capsule collection at the end of the year.

Siobhan: 32:36

Amazing. Just

Gavin: 32:37

for kicks. That's to make people happy and healthy. Because we were

Siobhan: 32:41

out we were thrift shopping a couple of weeks ago and we found an amazing seamstress and you were like, I actually had some great stuff in that.

Gavin: 32:49

Oh my god. So I did not tell you when I went to treasure fest last. Like the end of the month I saw Chaga there. I found this lady who I bought an Indian quilt for that. I'm gonna take to Guerneville next week and have that seamstress make me into a onesie.

Siobhan: 33:06

Oh, awesome.

Gavin: 33:08

I can't wait to see it. Okay. Domino dye for do you have

Siobhan: 33:12

casual onesies? You have dress onesies. You have warm ones. It's like I love it. Yeah,

Gavin: 33:17

I have literally every Wednesday for every occasion when I met the vice president. I had a onesie for a second

Siobhan: 33:23

when you met the Vice President. Yes. Like of the country? Yes. How did you meet the vice president?

Gavin: 33:29

He complement the ones that she complements. Yes. She just stared. Kind of like, headlights. I love I'm like, Girl, I got you.

Siobhan: 33:40

I need to see what that one's look like.

Gavin: 33:42

Oh my god. That's phenomenal. Yeah. Oh, yeah. But anyways, it's it's pinstripe. black and silver. Nice. Gorgeous. It's very tastefully done. It's made by Lola of San Francisco in the valley. I gotta represent. You know, it's just like, if I'm gonna meet the Vice President of the United States. I better be wearing an American made onesie. Because I have American made ones one here in San Francisco. I have a seamstress Lola. And then I'm gonna have one in Greenville. And then my dearest one, my one of my dearest Lola's is so dear to me to her name is Marina. She's 83 years old. Oh,

Unknown: 34:17

amazing. She's still sewing for me. Oh, yes.

Gavin: 34:22

Oh my god. She is great. I love her to death. And she did Tina Turner's Madmax dress.

Siobhan: 34:28

Oh my god. Yeah. That's one hell of a seems just to have in your pocket.

Gavin: 34:33

I know. And I'm all like, I'm buying every fabric that I want because I don't know when she's gonna add something. Yeah, right.

Siobhan: 34:42

I'm trying to get as many as you can. I'm

Unknown: 34:44

plugging it in. So if you guys want to pre orders made by her, let me know. It's Desmond's Castle extra though.

Gavin: 34:54

Yeah, you guys don't know when she's gonna retire from Sally. You know, making my onesie so like No, yeah, yeah, it's amazing. And I met gotta make sure it's like a crotch issue and I have so many onesies crotch problem was gone. Oh,

Siobhan: 35:10

what was the crouch problem?

Gavin: 35:12

You know some people crutches.

Unknown: 35:14

Oh yeah.

Gavin: 35:16

Some people are blessed and some people are not.

Siobhan: 35:19

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't have thought of that. Well, I don't really have that problem.

Gavin: 35:25

No, no, I could change them and solve that problem for you guys so can I just say I love

Siobhan: 35:32

it. Yeah so the end of the year your collection. Oh wait but how did you meet Camilla?

Gavin: 35:37

Oh come Allah Hi Iris I met her through my dear friend Kay. Yeah, so I was asking her to hang out and she's like, Oh yeah, you know I got invited to meet the vice president. Give me your information to make sure we could forward this he could service your my date. I'm like, but

Siobhan: 35:56

oh yeah, cuz you have to get a background check. Yeah, you can and then, and then

Gavin: 36:00

I went to I saw immediately I called Little Love San Francisco. I'm like, girl. I need help. It's like, I felt like Cinderella. They made that thing that one's in. It's phenomenal.

Siobhan: 36:11

I can't wait to see that. I will post a picture to it to go with this episode. Oh my gosh, I'm still so full from our lunch. We had an amazing lunch. I almost said hotpot. We did.

Gavin: 36:30

Oh my god. Do you still have like, food in your brain? A little? Take Chaga

Siobhan: 36:37

Oh, yeah, the chocolate chocolate would be good. Yeah, I

Gavin: 36:40

have always. We'll get some later for sure.

Siobhan: 36:45

I don't because we have an exciting night plan tonight. We're gonna be yes. Fall

Gavin: 36:54

very far. So I took Cheban over here to my favorite. One of my 10 favorite restaurants in the Bay Area called tasties theme kitchen

Siobhan: 37:07

in Oakland and Oakland. And they have a reverse seam. I think the reverse steam pot is still on my brain because I've never seen that. Well. We're

Gavin: 37:14

gonna get one soon. I should bring PA and all of us should do that. Because first of all, I had oysters Zilla? Yes. That's like if you're a size queen for oysters. This one is past eight inches.

Siobhan: 37:27

Yeah. I have never seen an oyster that big. So I'm from New England. Like yeah, you

Gavin: 37:32

guys have tiny oysters and then we had what boba tea? Yes. And then Oh American Wagyu beef.

Siobhan: 37:46

It was delicious. Lamb Yep. Primary I met lobster.

Gavin: 37:52

Dumplings with fish eggs inside? Yes.

Unknown: 37:54

Tons of mushrooms.

Siobhan: 37:56

Oh yes. Mushrooms were delicious.

Gavin: 37:58

And there was like $30 Each all you can eat Yeah,

Siobhan: 38:01

we had two rounds of so much and they have robots and gifts

Gavin: 38:05

aside I

Siobhan: 38:07

was trolling us we

Gavin: 38:09

were the only judging us for eating they're like oh my God, look I have to serve these fat kitties yet again.

Siobhan: 38:16

It kept coming by us with even the to go orders and it we'll just pause at our table for a minute and then

Gavin: 38:20

the eye thing is like the night writer just move one side and then look at us and then continue toiling away like carting itself away.

Siobhan: 38:29

Well, it was like whistling whistling where Yeah, please. You're

Gavin: 38:34

standing in my way. We're like we're eating here.

Siobhan: 38:36

We're not even here. You I have to go deliver this now. Yeah,

Gavin: 38:40

I have to go deliver this now stop staring at me. And then I'm gonna log in with a side eye and go at you actually.

Siobhan: 38:47

Yes. I wasn't sure if it was flirting with me. You're gonna fight me.

Gavin: 38:51

I think it's neither arms or legs. As we just get it through its trays. Its AI is throw things at you. Just got to start beeping at you all day long.

Siobhan: 39:05

If you work there, you must hear that whistling in your sleep.

Gavin: 39:08

I think you're already habit in the subconscious. But another place that I love going to after being fat kitty over there is the Yas Imperial health spa with foot reflexology. I

Unknown: 39:24

love VT. Do you I

Siobhan: 39:26

used to hate feet.

Gavin: 39:27

Here's my thing would feet feet or like, people tell me that I have a foot fetish? I'm like, Yes, I do. And they asked me why I'm like dude, the best way for me to not necessarily to determine a person hygiene is looking at their feet. First thing that's teeth and feet. If they have clean teeth, I don't care if they're like they have braces, dentures or whatever. They don't have, you know stuff on their teeth or like crawly things in their teeth. One and they have grow don't crawly things or lie You know, like, like fungus and stuff fungus among us in between their toes. I'm good. Yeah, I sell fungus. I know what's up. And that's how the fungus that has adaptogens no so yes, I have a teeth and foot fetish.

Siobhan: 40:22

I love reflexology. I mean, yeah, but my feet are Tickler. So I always have to be like,

Gavin: 40:28

Oh, just go it will go build past it. You know yet again, your, your situation. Your your, your tickling part is just part of your mind. If you cancel it, you're fine.

Siobhan: 40:39

Yeah, the little box breathing box breathing in.

Gavin: 40:45

And out, hold in, hold out, hold in, hold out. Hold. So yes, that's my box. Breathe.

Siobhan: 40:51

When you do box breathing. It's all through your nose also, right? Yes. Okay,

Gavin: 40:55

so you can do both into the nose out through the mouth. But the thing is that the most effective one is into the nose out through the nose. So we should always be breathing. Exactly. And use your diaphragm. Not your neck, not your jaw, not your ears, not your forehead, nose and diaphragm. That's what they're made for.

Siobhan: 41:11

You use your ears for breathing. Oh, they do? They do? Yeah.

Gavin: 41:15

Because I think there's some people they stressed here and then they're, you're stressed out. And then this stress is you know, like, or you're trying to force things with your back. No, it's nothing should be working here. Only here. Yeah.

Siobhan: 41:29

I had a dude one time when we were like laying in bed and I was breathing and he was like, and I was all belly breathing. And he was just like, you breathe weird. And I was like, I don't like it. I'm like, That's how you're supposed to breathe. Ah, well. Oh, yeah, cuz, right when you Yeah, you're engaging your diaphragm. It's kind of like you're engaging your belly. Nice.

Gavin: 41:52

Tell him to have you breathe weird. Are you breathing? Hello.

Siobhan: 41:59

It's also just a weird like,

Gavin: 42:01

thing to say. Yeah, I'm into it. You breathe. You show me. Show me. Show me those feet first. Yeah, she sent me those teeth and feet.

Siobhan: 42:11

So you've, I love that you have lists of things? Because you said this is one of your 10 favorite restaurants? Yes. Do you? Are you always thinking about work and how to

Gavin: 42:22

always Yeah, I'm so passionate about Chaga I'm so passionate doesn't feel like work. Does it know God though? Like, I was going to Malaya to see friends and party for the next four hours while I sell mushrooms and make people happy and healthy.

Siobhan: 42:36

How often does that someone asked you if the mushrooms that you sell are magical. Suicide.

Gavin: 42:41

I always say that it's magical on my terms. Oh, I like that. Yeah. It's like how magical Do you want it to be? Right?

Siobhan: 42:48

But do people do you think you people are hesitant to like come over? Because it's mushrooms? No, not

Gavin: 42:55

anymore. It used to be seven years I'm doing been doing this. They're more approachable now. And it's getting more fashionable, right? But at the same time, just eat my because mine is delicious. And it's and it's life everlasting.

Siobhan: 43:09

It's American mushroom.

Gavin: 43:10

Sure is. From San Francisco. Yeah, that's what called the fog and everything. Fabulous.

Siobhan: 43:19

But, yeah, so have you Did you run into a lot of problems with like your banking and stuff the way cannabis companies do? Or? Yes,

Gavin: 43:28

at first, actually seven years ago, QuickBooks told taught that based upon my health claims that you know, antioxidants they are presenting to be a risk like CBD or marijuana because it's a fungus. I'm on like, FDA considers Chaga as food. They don't care. And so I have to switch accounting software's to like, zero, and then we're cool right now. And now it's just like, oh, yeah, QuickBooks wants to

Siobhan: 43:57

know things. Yeah. After getting

Gavin: 44:00

through all my transactions, and then canceling it, and rich, refunding all of my accounts receivables and payables. It's so embarrassing, right.

Siobhan: 44:11

And it's Wow. So just as a small business like that the amount of like hurdles that you've come over and still in business seven years later, and growing. Yes. Like you are really growing? Yes. And it's amazing. Well, thank

Gavin: 44:24

you. Thank you. Yeah, it's fun. It's a good journey. At the end of the day, it's my journey. It's how I want my business to happen. And the more authentic I get, the more successful My business is. And the way I look at it, I have to focus within myself because I am my business and I am what I'm broadcasting. And if I stay true to my message of providing health and happiness to people, I think I'm

Siobhan: 44:44

good. Yeah, I think that's beautiful. Thank you. You tell us so much today about breathing and food and mushroom.

Gavin: 44:54

Well come on down. You got to experience me and all my childhood self. I have all of my ins. So Social media after this and stuff like that, just come and follow me and join my Chaga chat newsletter and my mantras of the day. Sounds

Siobhan: 45:07

good. You can find Gavin at the chaga. CO Yes. And everything on that will link to all the socials and perfect. And remember,

Gavin: 45:15

it's like I always say that always approach everyone with love, kindness, style and grace, because we have we have that with all within ourselves. We do.

Siobhan: 45:22

And I really like that's all I want to do is put good out in the world. And that's probably why we found each other. Yeah, because we're both trying to put it out in the world and get people to remember, like, stop, take a breath. Maybe it's not so personal. Maybe that person's having a bad day. Maybe you're having a bad day,

Gavin: 45:37

maybe you're definitely having a bad day. Here's the thing. It's just like, your world you built. Yeah, you put things in there. And you have the capabilities of putting it out there. And you put things in there because your subconscious thinks that you're comfortable with it. Yeah.

Siobhan: 45:52

That's it. And being uncomfortable is actually kind of fun sometimes. Absolutely. It's hard. And it's not like, Yeah,

Gavin: 45:58

but if you look at it in a different perspective, yeah. Remember perception

Siobhan: 46:06

that that comment, that quote was gonna haunt me tonight and just be like, you know, because perception is, is real, but the truth is, no, that is so fucking true. Yeah, but you do. And you're right. You're the one that creates your stuff. So if there's stuff in your life that you don't like, it's okay to get rid of it. Yes. And I think sometimes we get so scared of getting rid of things because the unknown is scary. Yeah, but it shouldn't. But it could also be exciting.

Gavin: 46:37

But there's no point because here's the thing, if that is not serving you, and you're still keeping it, it is definitely not serving you. Right,

Siobhan: 46:44

and it's causing you more stress and it's making you unhealthy. Yeah, it makes you not want to do anything which makes you stay in that cycle. Get off that cycle. Yeah, be a little weird. Be a little out there. Like just be yourself.

Gavin: 46:55

Yeah. The world would love you even more. Yeah.

Siobhan: 46:58

All right. Yeah. Well, we're gonna end on that happy positive note because we're gonna go party with Melania. And thank you for joining us, Gavin. Thanks. Alright, y'all, we love you and go find yourself some joy today.