Food Studio

Welcome to a weekend dedicated to presence, nature and deep connection with your senses.
On this getaway, we bring together meditative depth with curious, sensory exploration.
We won’t just «be» in nature — we will taste, smell and feel it.

WHEN, WHERE and HOW TO GET THERE
28-30.08.2026
Vefaldneset, Honsvikveien 170, 3750 Drangedal
We recommend co-driving, train+ bike & cajak

THE HOSTS OF THE WEEKEND
Gitte Holmboe, mindfullness teacher and head of taste at Bøgedal
Gitte was born, raised and became a Master of business in Copenhagen, but today she lives on the farm Bøgedal outside Vejle. Over the past 18 years she has explored consciousness through meditation, and as a certified MBSR instructor (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), her approach is rooted in a deep respect for the connection between senses, body and mind.

For her, mindfulness is not only something that happens on a meditation cushion with eyes closed. It is, above all, an awake, sensory contact with the world around us. Alongside her meditative practice with a Buddhist monk, she founded the brewery Bøgedal — where she has woven together her life as a partner and mother with her working life, making room for pleasure, stillness, travel and presence.

At Bøgedal she develops beer recipes and give talks on taste. Brewing beer and conveying taste experiences demands an extreme fine-tuning of the senses — the ability to smell the nuances and understand the balance within a flavor. Running a business without being consumed by the busyness of everyday life requires constant presence and the ability to stay tuned in to your body body’s nature and the nature surrounding you. 

Cecilie Dawes, Founder Food Studio – Oslo Norway
Cecilie spent her early years between pine forest in Lillomarka and the mountains of Jotunheimen in Norway where she grew a deep connection to the Scandinavian outdoors. In 2011 she founded Food Studio as a collective of game-changers rethinking the idea of sustainable modern lifestyle and from 2018 she has developed Vefaldneset as the main base of this work. She holds a master’s degree in entrepreneurship and innovation, and has more recently completed a practical teaching qualification and further education in sustainability.

Throughout her life she has explored community in all its forms, from the snowboard scene in Hemsedal and the eco movement in Norway, to public libraries as communal living rooms and sauna culture in Oslo. She now works to help others start communities and pursue their own passion projects.

In her view, the relationship we have with our resources — whether that is the place we grow up, the people around us, or the things we own — shapes who we are.

The Programme: A rhythm of stillness and presence

We have created a space in Drangedal where we move between presence, nature and togetherness around the fire, with time set aside for stillness. We turn every meal into a ritual in itself — creating a sensory universe together through cooking, beautiful table settings and genuine presence around the table.

Friday: Arrival

14.00 — Arrival and welcome. We begin with a 30-minute body scan to shake off the journey.
15.00 — Setting up camp and a walk through the beautiful surroundings.
17.00 — Introduction to sensory awareness. To precise sensory awareness we prepare dinner in groups and create a sensory universe through table decoration and flower gathering.
18.30 — Sensory meditation.
19.10 — Dinner and shared clearing up.
20.40 — Fireside conversation in pairs about our intentions for the weekend, followed by sharing in the circle.
From here we move into silence until the following morning — feel the darkness, the scents and the sounds of the forest.

Saturday: Going deeper

07.00 — Morning swim, sauna and meditation with fire-brewed coffee and herbal tea.
09.00 — Breakfast (chia porridge and skyr over the fire). Silence is broken.
10.00 — Morning module: body scan, conversation and sensory exploration in pairs, and meditation.
11.30 — Preparing lunch and creating the sensory table.
12.30 — Lunch and community.
14.30 — Group sessions: heart meditation and sauna (we swap halfway through). 16.30 — Preparing dinner and gathering flowers.
18.00 — Dinner.
19.30 — Evening circle by the water.
Gratitude meditation and body and nature scan under the stars.
Silence until after the morning swim on Sunday.

Sunday: Integration and farewell

07.00 — Morning swim, sauna and meditation by the fire.
09.00 — Breakfast around the flames. Silence is broken.
10.00 — Heart-opening meditation
10.45 — Personal time in the forest: forest bathing, individual sensory exploration and a small ritual around what you are taking home with you.
11.30 — Preparing the final farewell lunch and sensory table setting.
12.30 — Lunch and shared closing around the table.

«When we awaken to our senses, we awaken to life itself. I look forward to sharing this journey with you.»