Ferndale, MI — At the tail-end of March, the Pavilion Street Market held a grand opening as a new food hall concept near Downtown Ferndale. One of the five vendors inside, Treat Dreams, is the original owner of the space.

The popular local ice cream joint shared their space with a former food tenant who decided to leave last year to pursue other ventures. So, a collective of chefs, creators, and food enthusiasts banded together to fill the vacancy, moving in one-by-one and hosting special events to practice and gear up for a whole new adventure of their own. Of the four new vendors moving in, I happened to know and be great friends with — Chef Josie Clemens!

Local vegan chef and all-around awesome human, I’ve been friends with Chef Josie since I met and interviewed her over two years ago after her recent appearance on a new Food Network show, 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. So, I attended the grand opening for the newly formed Pavilion Street Market to support Josie and check out the other vendors. Also moving in was Venezuelan Papelon Arepa Bar, Chef Jared Bobkin and his concept, The Dump Truck (specializing in dumplings), and Cosmic Roots, helmed by Isabel Cali.

What I found immediately unique about Cosmic Roots was that it was the only vendor who wasn’t food focused, and whose main attraction is a traditional beverage from the South Pacific islands made from the kava (or, kava kava) root. I was definitely curious to learn more about this drink, especially since every seat was taken along Isabel’s kava bar, with some folks even standing, huddled around their friends seated at the bar. After I was done conducting my foodie circuit of all the phenomenal eateries, I seized a stool the second one became available like a hawk swooping in to make its move. I was excited to learn about kava and experience something entirely new to me.

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Not only would I become overjoyed with how sensational the kava drink was, but I became fascinated by how the drink and root worked and impacted the body. Isabel was extremely kind and friendly, and more than happy to talk shop when it came to kava, its benefits, how it works, and its origin. As someone who loves learning anything and everything I can, I requested a proper interview with Isabel so that I could learn more about kava, but also more about Isabel’s journey as an herbalist and what led to her walking the path of holistic remedies and healing.

The Interview

I met up with Isabel at Balam Coffee one morning to sit down and chat about her goals and mission for Cosmic Roots. I was curious to know what initially inspired her to explore herbalism and the benefits of plants. Isabel explained how after turning 18 she started studying yoga, which helped build her personal foundation for spiritual practice, a connection to oneself, and the awareness of consciousness. When she started studying and working with plants, she says she began to understand their aliveness and connection to consciousness.

“The ability to really connect with the consciousness of plants in a way where we can learn more about them through direct perception I think is really an important thing. And realizing that we all have the ability to really do that feels really important to me in my life, and kind of as maybe a message to share because it intertwines the things that I really love, plants and yoga, which is a level of meditation and a level of connection and the realization that we are all connected and that this is a living, breathing world. And plants themselves are alive, so it feels really important for me to bring awareness to that aspect of plants as living beings, and as really unique expressions unto themselves,” explained Isabel.

Coinciding with her journey into the realms of yoga, meditation, and consciousness was her first encounter with kava, a ceremonial drink that hails from the South Pacific islands. Isabel discovered a kava bar during a trip to Florida when she was 18. The experience immediately had a profound impact.

“I was just taken by people sitting around a bar and drinking kava and feeling the energy of the space. Like people were coming down instead of becoming intoxicated. And I just love that there was a space for people to really do that, as well as the feeling of kava, you know, in my own body and my own experience. I was taken by the majestic of kava itself, and why does this plant make you feel like this? How do plants really work with us and our consciousness, and are able to shift us in a way that they do?” Isabel said. “That became really intriguing to me. So, when I came home, I really said this ten years ago, I was like, Detroit needs a kava bar, we need spaces like this.”

The inspiration from kava led her to the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where after studying holistic herbalism, alternative medicines, and the plant kingdom, she became, you guessed it, an herbalist! Isabel started by making and selling herbal teas, including kava, at Farmers Markets not long after, while continuing her education to understand how plants help people. Isabel was particularly interested in learning various plant qualities that can help individuals based on their medical needs, help understand what is happening or get to the root of their symptoms. Isabel explained that’s where her passion for herbalism really lies, helping people find the right plant for their needs.

So, what is kava? It’s a root native to several South Pacific islands, mainly Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu. It is also cultivated in Hawaii (known locally as ‘awa’) and parts of Micronesia. It is enjoyed quite regularly in many island communities, sometimes ceremonial, but also for relaxation and to socialize with other people since many of its properties allow the consumer to soften one’s edges, bring the body tempo down from the daily grind, and offer a euphoric-type relief as well.

“With kava, you’re going to feel really relaxed. You are going to feel the tingling sensation on your tongue, that is normal, I tell everybody. You don’t want to mix it with alcohol, that’s really important as well. And yeah, I would say you’re going to feel that interesting balance between deep relaxation and also kind of giddy euphoria-like playful space,” Isabel elaborated.

My first time sampling kava at Cosmic Roots was eye opening! I’d never previously had a beverage like it before, but I was a fan right out of the gate since it tasted like a slightly bitter herbal tea. As a tea enthusiast, I didn’t mind the pungent and earthy flavor but found it rather appealing and soothing. Sure enough, after several minutes I did notice tingles on my tongue, which led to a brief and slight numbing effect. I also began to feel very relaxed, like my muscles took a vacay and I was calm, yet giddy at the same time. I was amazed at how a few fluidic ounces of a root-based tea could have such a positively profound effect, which lasted for about 40 minutes to an hour after I finished the drink. I also loved the pineapple garnish, which adds a refreshing, juicy tropical jolt to the concoction.

Fascinated by the effects of kava, I inquired to learn more about Isabel’s practice of alchemical herbalism, which is aimed at healing the whole person rather than just treating symptoms, and how that led to the creation of Cosmic Roots.

“So, moving away from allopathic herbalism, which is using plants the same way Western medicine suppresses symptoms, we can do the same thing with plants. We can use plants to suppress symptoms rather than actually understanding what is going on below the surface. And so, it takes really understanding plants, I think, in order to use them in a good way. That feels really important to me, kind of restructuring how we view herbalism and acknowledging the aliveness of plants and the same in people as well, and unique constitutions in people. I think what feels important to me is to be a part of a lineage in the West, which, you know, the school I studied, evolutionary herbalism, is a revival of alchemical herbalism, which recognizes these things that I’ve talked about. And it feels important to be a part of that revival of that lineage because I feel like it’s just really been lost. So, Cosmic Roots is like the doorway for me to really connect with people, that’s kind of how I see it,” stated Isabel.

I followed up by asking Isabel what her goals are with Cosmic Roots and what’s in development as her small business begins to bloom.

“My big vision is having a space for people to come and enjoy reconnecting with plants, which I’m already offering, and for the word to get out and for people to realize that it’s here, but also creating my powders and my drinks in a way where people can start enjoying them in their own ritual, where they don’t have to necessarily come in. That feels really important as well. So, I’m working on the cacao, the chai, I have the golden milk and then a heart powder blend that I’m working on for people to have access to latte-style drinks in their daily rituals at home. So, expanding online and more retail as well. Same with my herbal teas, and then the next step is bottling my beverages,” Isabel explained.

With a focus on helping and healing others, I rounded out the interview by asking Isabel what she enjoys most about what she does at Cosmic Roots.

“My favorite thing is the creative process. I love making new blends and trying them out. And then also, I’ll add, watching the way people respond to them. Like making somebody a cup of tea when somebody comes to my home and I make them a cup of tea, that is something I love. So now, I get to do it for a lot of people and that feels really good,” said Isabel.

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When she’s not crafting new tea or drink combinations, Isabel also offers up some baked goodies and snacks like her chocolate truffles, scones, and other items depending on the day. She also holds pop up events like tea and tarot readings, watercolor painting, and the occasional collab with other chefs for classes like learning how to roll sushi!

Isabel has one of the most positive demeanors I’ve met among small business owners. Her years of yoga, meditation, and exploration of her inner self serves her well, keeping her motivation and creativity in step with each other as she continues to grow her business, but also the awareness of kava and plant power. The next time you visit (or, if you haven’t yet) Pavilion Street Market, I’d strongly suggest taking a step out of your comfort zone to check out Cosmic Roots and experience kava or one of the other drink remedies curated by Isabel. Kava is a remarkable drink, and Isabel can answer any questions you might have or guide you through what will ultimately be an enjoyable experience. Cheers!

For more information about Cosmic Roots or Isabel’s journey, click here.