What makes bamboo an environmentally sustainable choice?

• Doesn’t require pesticides
• As a renewable resource, is the world’s fastest growing plant and regenerates without replanting
• Reverses the effects of global warming & helps reduce carbon-dioxide gases
• A unique building material, bamboo is termite and rot resistant and has the tensile strength of steel

Make a difference in the future of our planet by looking for eco-friendly alternatives for everyday products. Bamboo products to look for: cooking utensils, serving trays, cutting boards, bowls, baskets, clothing, bed linens, towels, rugs, floors, and fences.

In a recent conversation with my son (who left the nest last year and is dating ‘Adorable Girlfriend’), he revealed that he and A.G. have a weekly date night. When I asked what he had planned he commented that money is tight since he’d just paid bills and was in between paychecks, so he was going to suggest they take advantage of the fresh rains and enjoy an evening of puddle jumping followed by hot chocolate.

His realizations impressed me:

1. Take care of important things first when it comes to budgeting your money
2. Let the lack of funds spur creativity
3. Important relationships deserve the investment of time

That conversation inspired this list of gifts designed to foster meaningful relationships for the newly independent adults that are juggling school, part-time jobs, and dating.

• A cool picnic back pack loaded with everything necessary for an outing: Map or tour guide featuring the local hiking trails, sunscreen, trail mix, granola bars, salami, cheese, crackers, and sport’s drinks…exploring all the trails in the tour guide will promote good health and provide activity for future dates at a relatively low cost over time
• Gift card to the movie theater
• “Movie Madness’ gift box that’s stocked with popcorn, candy bars, nutty snack mix, soft drinks, and a gift card to the local video store (Or, why not purchase a plan where you can have 3 movies out at a time and give him carte blanche to use one of the three at all times?)
• A plant to grow & nurture, as does the relationship, with a Tree-in-a-Bag or a windowsill garden
• Gift cards to the local coffee shop or smoothie joint (In support of local businesses, I like to choose the ‘mom & pop’ joints over the big chains, which as an extra perk, often have free wi-fi & live evening music or art exhibitions making for a cool date)
• Gift card to the grocery store so they can shop together and then cook dinner together
• Gift card to a restaurant that can be used for a date (I’ve done this in the past for him. He told me they found a way to make it last by ordering from the appetizer menu that was 1/2 price during happy hour rather than ordering entrees.)
• Passes to the local miniature golf/amusement park

What’s your suggestion for these ‘newly independent daters’?

Everyone knows chocolate and romance go hand in hand, but here’s five reasons why you should indulge in chocolate:

1. Cocoa contains cancer fighting antioxidants in higher amounts than even green tea and red wine
2. Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure (not white or milk) and help prevent heart disease
3. Dark chocolate decreases bad cholesterol
4. Chocolate can be a mood enhancer or aphrodisiac since it raises serotonin levels and releases endorphins in the brain
5. High in magnesium, chocolate can help alleviate PMS

Tip: the darker the chocolate the better for you since milk reduces the antioxidant properties and is higher in fat

Flowers? Jewelry? Perfume? Pampering?

Nope.

To be loved, valued, and appreciated.

Ohhhh, because relationships matter! When it comes to romance we’ve got this down. It’s about creating the whole experience - you need to appeal to all of the 5 senses.

1. Sight: dim the lights and get the candles going
2. Smell: Think aromatherapy - use fragranced candles and mist the sheets with scents that stir passion, like ylang ylang, clove, patchouli, etc.
3. Sound: add to the romantic ambiance with music - some smooth jazz, sexy Bossa Nova, or good old Blue eyes himself, Sinatra
4. Touch: Pamper each other with a Hammam-like experience by taking turns scrubbing each other with an exfoliating mitt and aromatherapy bath gel. Follow with a loving massage with a quality cream or oil.
5. Taste: Chocolate…chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate truffles, chocolate syrup…

So, now that you know what you need to do, let us simplify this with one of our gift ensembles that will appeal to all of your 5 senses:

With Romantic Escape, you and your partner will be swept away with the luxuries nestled in this basket: Couple’s Aromatherapy ‘Inspire Romance’ Travel Kit* (a sleek metal case filled with candle, linen mist, bath & shower gel, sea sponge, & massage cream), Chocolate/Bossa Nova music CD, chocolate truffles, assorted bath accessories and wooden body & foot massagers all for $119

Couples Aromatherapy ‘Inspire Romance’ Travel Kit*: Using pure essential oils, these scents are fresh and natural, with notes of fruit, herbs, and spice, plus calming accents of lavender, frankincense, bergamot and more. The Inspire Romance Collection helps renew your loving closeness and shows your partner “I cherish you.” In this sleek and sexy metal case that’s ready to go on an overnight get-away at a moments notice, you will find a candle, linen mist, bath & shower gel, sea sponge, & massage cream for $48

Couples Aromatherapy ‘Create Passion’ Travel Kit*: Again, using pure essential oils, these scents are rich, warm and sensuous with hints of spices, fragrant flowers, and fruit, along with exotic notes of ylang ylang, black pepper, ginger and more. The Create Passion Collection lifts you out of the ordinary and gives you thrilling ways to say, “I want you!” As with the ‘Inspire Romance’ set, this travel kit includes the candle, linen mist, bath & shower gel, and massage cream, but also has a personal lubricant and towelettes for $55

To order, call 805-234-2051 or email info@EnWraptureByElise.com

*This line of products is made with 100% pure essential oils, all natural ingredients (except the lubricant), free of parabens, petrochemical solvents, sodium lauryl sulfates, dyes, formaldehyde, synthetic fragrances, and not tested on animals. Candles are made of natural plant wax derived from soy and are free of lead, paraffin, petroleum and dyes. They are made in the United States by a green company that practices sustainability.

Good for you, good for us, good for the environment, so go green this Valentine’s Day!

We all need to be romanced, whether it’s by that someone special or by ourselves. Now, the elegant Avila La Fonda Hotel, a new hotel in Avila Beach featuring spa rooms with a spectacular tub en-suite and a plethora of other amenities, has paired up with En Wrapture to create a romance package that is sure to set the stage for the ultimate couples get-away. When you enter the hotel you will feel like you have stepped into another world with the vibrant upscale Mexican decor and several fountains surrounded by Mexican tile and the artwork of Diego Rivera. The rooms are tastefully decorated with no expense spared. The amenities are both lavish and practical, from the Bose sound system, iHome dock station/alarm clock, big screen tv, cuisinart coffee maker ready to grind the fresh Starbucks coffee beans, to the dual headed showers and towel warmers. This is hospitality at its best.

As a part of the Romance Package there will be a gift waiting in the room with everything necessary to make you feel like a Latin lover: sexy Bossa Nova music, aromatherapy ‘Inspire Romance’ Travel Set (with candle, linen mist/room spray, shower gel/bubble bath to use in those fantastic 2 person tubs, and massage cream), wooden body and foot massage accessories, sponges and bath accessories, and some sexy Cabernet wine truffles…hmmmm, isn’t it time you got away with your special someone?

Aromatherapy is an age old alternative medicine, and in recent years has become all the rage as a natural way to feel better physically and psychologically. The inhalation of certain essential oils (oils that are extracted from plant parts through distillation) stimulates the brain, causing reactions that affect our mood and overall well-being. In additon to their mood enhancing capabilities, they also provide pharmacological benefits, with antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties to name a few.

There are over 90 essential oils, each with their own benefits, and often combined with others for a particular effect. My favorite is lavender oil since it has a plethora of benefits worthy of a post all by itself (I say this while I slip around on my keyboard after just applying a liberal dose of lavender hand cream to help me relax).

Here’s a list of some of the benefits of the more common oils:

• Stress Relief & Calming: lavender, chamomile, sage, bergamont, rosemary, peppermint, frankincense, myrrh
• Insomnia & Restlessness: hops flower, valerian, chamomile, lavender, sandalwood, marjoram
• Depression: lemongrass, mandarin, rosemary, basil, clary sage, jasmine
• Revitalize: grapefruit, cinnamon, rosemary, juniper, vanilla, geranium
• Memory Aid: sage, jasmine, peppermint
• Headache & Migraine: rosemary, tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, lavender
• Cold & Flu: eucalyptus, lemongrass, thyme, chamomile, peppermint
• Antiseptic: tea tree, bergamont, juniper, sage, clove, lavender
• Anti-Inflammatory: chamomile, peppermint, juniper, bergamont, sassafras
• Insect Repellant: citronella, cedar, lemongrass, peppermint

Keep in mind, essential oils tend to be highly concentrated and some should not be applied directly to the skin without first being diluted, while others are unsafe for people with certain conditions, like high blood pressure or pregnancy. Please read up before you begin experimenting with a new oil so you can do so safely.
Tip: Check out our portable aromatherapy for when you or someone you know needs a little boost.

What’s your favorite aromatherapy remedy?

Since I’m very interested in the use of aromatherapy as a natural way to feel better rather than turning to drugs, I found this article exceptionally interesting. It’s about how aromatherapy is getting recognition for its positive impact not just on how it can make us feel, but how it boosts the body’s ability to fight infection and is being used as a tool during treatment for cancer patients. I figure many of us have been touched by cancer, either directly or through a loved one, and this article may give you an idea of how to get relief, be more comfortable, or lift the spirits.

Check it out: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/50591.php

Share how aromatherapy makes you feel better

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and love is in the air! Have you decided on the perfect gift for your significant other yet? Give a gift from your heart and whip up a batch of chocolate covered strawberries - it’s quite simple with this recipe:

1lb stawberries

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

white chocolate for drizzling

1 tablespoon of oil

1. Leaving tops on, wash strawberries and then dry each of them thoroughly (very important since any water will ruin the chocolate).
2. In a small saucepan, add oil and chocolate chips and melt over very low flame, stirring constantly until smooth.
3. One by one, dip berry, gently shake and swirl the dripping chocolate as you lift upward, then turn tip upward to fill gaps.
4. Place on waxed paper, drizzle with white chocolate, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Your mate never needs to know just how simple this was.

January. What a month! Possibly the most memorable ever due to the creative efforts of those closest to me, who came together to give me the ‘Best Gift Ever’ for Christmas. Each day of January, all 31 of them, I received a gift from this group. Sometimes it was a warm thought, a silly instruction for the day, some pampering, new music, gift card to a favorite place…it was a great way to start each day. The only bad part was the few times I’d be out and about and remember that I forgot to check my calendar that morning - then I’d have to suffer the anticipation until I could return home.

Here’s a list of my 31 gifts:

1. A rhyme by my witty 13 year old ‘Favorite Youngest Daughter’, that I should say on the first day of the new year for good luck
2. An hour massage from one of the significant other’s sister, who is a massage therapist (and is fantastic!)
3. A day of dishes by my ‘Favorite Youngest Daughter’
4. A love letter from my very insightful 21 year old ‘Favorite Oldest Daughter’
5. A new music CD of an artist my ‘Favorite Oldest Daughter’ and her ‘Awesome Boyfriend’ were sure I’d love (they know me so well!)
6. A breakfast of ‘Toad in the Hole’ made by none other than my own ‘Significant Other’ (he does it so much better than I do)
7. A gift card to my favorite local coffee shop, It’s A Grind
8. A love letter from my 18 year old ‘Favorite Son’, who has recently left the nest, with an invitation to meet downtown for a Jamba Juice - his treat; while he’ll come for dinner with ‘Adorable Girlfriend’, he never brings his laundry home
9. An incredibly sweet note from Favorite Oldest Daughter’s Awesome Boyfriend’s sister (’s neighbor’s aunt’s friend…)
10. A warm thought from my very own ‘Significant Other’
11. Gift card from my ‘Favorite Oldest Daughter’ for cocktails at Corner View, my favorite place to hangout and catch up with friends
12. Note full of sweetness from my ‘Favorite Youngest Daughter’
13. A music CD I’ve been wanting for awhile from this talented young artist
14. Dog Walk by ‘Favorite Youngest Daughter’ - without asking
15. Note from my ‘Favorite Son’ declaring how much he and ‘Adorable Girlfriend’ love to come for dinner and requesting an invitation
16. Car Wash certificate from ‘Favorite Youngest Daughter’
17. Coco, the CD from Colbie Caillat
18. Voucher for a romantic dinner anywhere I want with my very own ‘Significant Other’ (hmmm, I haven’t yet tried this place)
19. All the Lost Souls CD by James Blunt
20. A shopping extravaganza with ‘Significant Other’ where I get to buy anything I want…at the Dollar Store…isn’t he generous? And funny?
21. A cure for my coffee fix with another gift card to my favorite local coffee shop
22. Border’s gift card from ‘Significant Other’….book or music, book or music, book or music?
23. More of my favorite things - music, music, music
24. Another warm thought from ‘Significant Other’…with amusing descriptions of how silly he can be
25. Jamba Juice gift card from ‘Favorite Oldest Daughter’s Awesome Boyfriend’
26. Movie tickets
27. Another CD
28. Warm thoughts from my ‘Favorite Oldest Daughter’ with a good luck mantra for the month of February
29. Another solution to my coffee fix…yes, another gift card
30. An incredible note from ‘Favorite Oldest Daughter’s Awesome Boyfriend’
31. A last gift, more music to carry me through the rest of 2008

How can they top this next year?