Whoa!! Once again, here I am not speaking to you since July 24th. Totally unbelievable. I’ll blame it on the summer heat. Tomorrow is Labor Day which means the boro of Manhattan in jolly ole New York City is as quiet as a church mouse. The majority of the population has scampered out of the city limits leaving us townies in a highly relaxed state. You can have your pick of tables at any restaurant, hail a cab at the drop of a hat, check out at the grocery store in record time and walk down the street with plenty of space to spare. I will tell you that it is glorious. To boot, our weather is unbelievably gorgeous. It’s 4:38 in the afternoon, 74 degrees, sunny, clear blue sky and we’re enjoying a lovely gentle breeze. Hallelujah.
Change of topic. I’ve been thinking lately about the beauty of giving. I’m talking about the pure, selfless kind of giving that is entirely motivated by the desire to make someone’s life just a little better. It can take a variety of forms and the beautiful part is that it often doesn’t cost anything but your time and energy. The thing I like most about it is that it takes us out of our heads (a very good thing) and puts us into our hearts. Action from the heart can only be pure. There isn’t any agenda, no requirement to be paid back, no manipulation, no conditions, just a loving act.
Buddha said “We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them.” There is a lot of unhappiness in the world right now and I think it’s because most of us are spending way too much time in our heads thinking about all the “what if” scenarios. I’d like to suggest that we get out of our heads and into our hears by helping others. Fill your life with the joy of giving – give love instead of criticism, give praise instead of complaints, give gratitude instead of finding fault. I promise that your life and the lives of others you touch will change immeasurably…instantaneously.
Visit http://www.withmyregards.com for spa gift baskets, bath gift sets, candle gifts
Mesh Bag of Lavender Soap
Have you ever seen the movie called “Finding Forrester”? Sean Connery plays Forrester who gives this advice to a young protege: “The key to a woman’s heart is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time.” Sage advice it is. Although, in my opinion, it can really be applied to almost anyone. Just think back on the occasions when you received something from someone right out of the blue. Once you calm down from the surprise, you begin to realize how thoughtful this person is and how you’ve been on their mind to the extent that they would go to such an effort. It is really quite touching on a very deep level.
The beautiful thing is that the gift doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive. In fact, it’s far better if it isn’t so. It can just be a little bath gift or candle gift that your friend wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves that can be done up in a special wrapping you can easily fashion yourself in minutes.
A good example is the photograph I chose to illustrate my point. This is simply Antibacterial Hand Soap in a Pump bottle with a refill placed in a mesh bag with a gift tag. This would be a great gift idea for someone who is about to leave on a trip and would like a remembrance of you to tuck into their suitcase. Or, for your child’s teacher, your babysitter, or your neighbor who watered your plants while you were away.
Everyone of us needs to know that we matter and that we’re thought of from time to time. Give an unexpected gift at an unexpected time and you’ll witness joy in its purest form.
When I first started this blog, I was excited at the prospect of learning the process but, at the same time, a bit reluctant – what will I talk about, will anyone be interested, how on earth will I think of things to say, on and on. I began to freak out at the prospect of coming up with new ways to talk about spa gift baskets and bath gifts.
Thinking back, I’ve really grown through this experience. Those of you who have commented on my blog posts have become a very real source of encouragement and I want to express my sincere appreciation to all of you. You make me want to write more.
I think I really started to enjoy blogging when I discovered I could stray outside the bounds of Spa Gifts. In a way, it becomes a challenge to find a logical way to weave it into the post while maintaining the integrity of what I’m communicating.
When I sit down to write a blog post, I typically don’t have anything particular in mind, so I start perusing around the internet and I find myself getting inspired by something or someone. This morning, I ran across a quotation that started me on this particular path. Interestingly, the quote comes from Dr. Seuss who said “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” For me, all of you are in the category of those who matter and I sincerely hope you don’t mind.
Be well, and we’ll talk soon.
Let’s see….where are we…July? Worse, the beginning of July and we still have August to go. August traditionally being the hottest month of the Summer. I surrender!! There aren’t enough bath gifts and spa gift sets in the world to help us now.
Summer has been on the brutal side this year and I’m sure you’re experiencing your share of it. If you have a pool, live by a river, at the beach, or a stream, can I live vicariously through you? I’d like to be your friend.
I remember the days of my childhood when running through the sprinkler was the thing. Oh, what glorious days those were. Sometimes we just sat under the spray of the sprinkler letting it rain down on us until we were positively pruney. What a delightful memory. I wish I could do that right now but alas, I live in Manhattan. Cold shower, here I come.Stay cool!!
4th of July in NYC
The temperature in New York City has climbed to 94 degrees – Summer can be very insistent. I’m looking forward to visiting a friend’s apartment this evening to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the most glorious fireworks show in the world – at least in the States. It never fails to thrill.
The city is incredibly quiet this weekend. It seems that most people have scurried out of its limits to enjoy a countryside celebration. I recall one year I was out on Long Island in a sweet little town called Northport where they staged a good old-fashioned 4th of July parade. All the kids decorated their bicycles, wheelbarrows, grocery carts, trailers, Dad’s truck and anything that had wheels. Even the dogs got into costume. That was the year of the 101 Dalmatian movie remake so they gathered up as many of the spotted hounds as possible. They didn’t quite make 101 but they were adorable, nonetheless.
This is a day for barbecues, beaches, backyards and front stoops. Hopefully, the sun is out in your neighborhood and your celebration is underway or at least in the makings. Have a fabulous day but please take a moment to say a silent prayer of thanks for our freedom and another one to keep our brave soldiers safe.
Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort in Costa Rica
I have a travel bug….most of the time actually, but especially now being that it’s summer. Mind you, a little local trip isn’t what I’m dreaming of either. International travel; that’s the thing.
I was just cruising around the Internet as I often do on a Saturday morning and I ran into an article on a fabulous sounding spa in Costa Rica called Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort. I’ve been wanting to visit Costa Rica for quite awhile but now I have a destination to focus on.
This isn’t just any old la-ti-da spa – oh no. They appear to have all the treatments you’d ever want, including volcanic mud wraps, as well as thermal pools, an extensive spa menu, rain forest & waterfall hikes, white water rafting and more. But more importantly, they have an eco-consciousness that has earned them a coveted award for energy and water conservation, recycling and community efforts.
The resort matches visitor donations which contributes to school construction, supplies, uniforms, computers, food and clothing for local orphanages, etc. The visitors are also encouraged to plant trees during their stay, to counteract the carbon emissions from arriving cars and buses. The nearby active volcano is utilized as an energy source to heat water used by the resort and sustaining their own energy needs. Standing ovation!!
I think I’m going to send a spa gift to my friend with a note suggesting that we make a plan to go to this fantastic sounding place. I feel a trip coming on!!!
Indoor Tanning
I just read an article about the addition to a federal tax that will increase the price of indoor tanning by 10%. In New York, there are city and state bills that are being considered to keep teens off the tanning beds entirely. According to Doctors, indoor tanning increases skin cancer risk by 75% and skin cancer is the most common of all cancers for people between the ages of 25-29. Appalling.
I’ve said it many times in this space – we must take care of our outer wrapping. It’s the only thing keeping the innards inside. Seriously though, we have to wise up about how we treat our skin. It’s become very common to replace knees and hips but you can’t replace your skin. I know very well what goes through our minds when we see someone sporting a tan…all those stereotypical concepts of wealth, leisure, status, glamor – it happens to me too but it’s poppycock!! It’s just idiotic to bake you skin under any conditions.
Really, you don’t need me to tell you these things. All you need to do is look at your skin after you’ve baked it – dry, peeling, leathery and eventually, spotty. Your skin doesn’t like it and it’s telling you so. Be smart – use sun screen and moisturizers. Make sure you have plenty of those things on hand and get into the habit of giving bath gifts and spa gift baskets so that you become known among your friends as one who actively promotes skin wellness.
Body Products - Cherry Blossom
I just bought my first batch of Bing Cherries at the grocery store which is a sure sign that summer is here. Cherries are one of those treats in life that is impossible to resist – once I start eating there’s just no stopping. How, you ask, will I weave this into the spa gift theme of this blog? Easy….cherries, summer, sun, suntans, sunburns, moisturizers…..there you go.
A friend of mine came to work last Monday with a sunburned face that could easily have been described as cherry red. “It happened quickly”, he said. He was delivering the children to their various sporting events and cheering from the bleachers with the other proud Papas. It didn’t seem so bad at first but, sunburns just keep burning.
We’ve talked about the preventatives – sun screen (lots of it and applied often), lip balm, a hat with a brim, sun glasses, and sitting in the shade. But, in this case, the damage is done so, what to do now. Keep the burned skin cool with wet towels and consider taking a cool bath which will make your entire body feel better. Apply aloe, moisturizing cream or over-the-counter hydro-cortisone cream to the affected skin. Beware of sunburn treatment products containing anesthetics, such as benzocaine. There’s little evidence that these products are effective. In some cases, they may even irritate the skin. It might help to take anti-inflammatory medication — such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) — according to the label instructions until redness and soreness subside.
Keep lots of soothing moisturizers and lotions handy over the course of the summer….cherry scented or otherwise. Our our wrapping can really take a beating out there so give yourself and others bath gifts that will keep you well stocked for the season.
Lime Blossom in a Magazine Rack
Men…one of my favorite topics, but did I blog about Father’s Day? Nope. It’s true thay my Pop hasn’t been with us for 16 years now but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an important day.
Actually, my favorite part of Father’s Day is hearing all the Day-after stories around the water cooler — the dinner out that bored the kids witless, the trip to the park that turned into a trip to the hospital, the gift made in kindergarten that was unrecognizable, or the barbecue that burned the neighbor’s garage…hahaha…oh well, I shouldn’t laugh.
It’s always a little tough to find the right gift for men but getting him something he wouldn’t necessarily buy for himself is always a good idea. Something like a spa gift set works well because men can be so stingy when it comes to pampering themselves. The truth is that secretly, they love bath gifts. Men. They seem complicated but heaven help ‘em, they’re easy.
So far this Summer, I haven’t indulged in the temptation of acquiring a tan – either from the sun or from a bottle. I’m always a little afraid the bottle tan will look good to me and totally fake to everyone else. Of course I’ve heard about the spray-on tans….hmmmm, have you ever tried that? Not so sure about it.
All of my casual research indicates that the key thing is to use sun screen and don’t forget your dainty little shell-like ears please – they need protection. Switching to a lighter weight moisturizer is a good idea and lighten up that foundation as well. Consider using a brush-on mineral based make up.
If you find yourself at the end of a particularly fun filled day of sun exposure, revive your skin with a face mask containing kaolin, white clay that absorbs impurities like oils, toxins and pollution. Keep your shades, lip balm and sun hat handy and if there’s a sun umbrella nearby – get under it.
Send yourself a luxurious spa gift set so that, after a day of fun and frolic, you can slip into a luscious bath filled with relaxing, soothing and great smelling bath salts. We have to take good care of our outer wrapping!!