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?

The “O List” is Oprah’s own compilation of must-have items. The list contains everything from books to body care to gardening tools to high tech gadgets. This is why we consider “O List” as a fine starting point for gift inspirations, and why we include many of Oprah’s “O List” items in our gift ensembles.

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?

According to human resources, finance executives, and marketing professionals, here’s what business and organizations can expect:

• Monday: most common day to call in sick (heard of the “Monday Blues?”), and for those that do show up, many don’t want to be there; yet as the “catch up” day after the weekend with e-mail and meetings, Monday is considered the 2nd most productive day of the week
• Tuesday: full of momentum, this is the busiest and most productive day of the week
• Wednesday: known as “hump day,” this mid-way point has employees looking forward to the weekend and has greater incidences of errors
• Thursday: can go either way
• Fridays: 2nd most common day for absenteeism and generally less productive as people are feeling TGIF and are anxious to begin the weekend, often leaving work early

Tip: Reduce absenteeism by making Mondays or Fridays a part of your employee incentive program, perhaps offering free lunch, hosting employee bbqs, allowing a casual dress day, or having a weekly zany shirt competition

1. Eliminate paper statements from your bank, utilities, and credit card companies by switching to online
2. Practice the three Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
3. Paper or plastic? Neither - bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store
4. When purchasing products, look for items made from recycled materials
5. Buy local and reduce pollution and fuel use
6. Switch to natural cleaners without the harsh cleansers, such as Caldrea
7. When showering, turn off the water while lathering and shaving
8. Wash loads of laundry on cold water setting
9. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use 75% less energy than regular
10. Save paper by adjusting margins from 1″ to .75″ and use both sides  - I was able to purchase a duplexer for my all-in-one printer, which makes using both sides easy; I just love this feature!

Did you know that appliances that are turned off still suck electricity? Apparently, 75% of energy used by appliances occurs while they are turned off. Prevent this by plugging them into a power strip that actually cuts off the energy flow when you flip the switch to off.

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

I just got off the phone with a dear old friend and traveling companion, BJ (or Beej as we’d fondly call her), from what I call ‘my old life’, referring to my time spent overseas. I’m reminded of a song we used to sing at Camp Fire Girls get-togethers:

Make new friends

But keep the old

One is silver and the other’s gold

Since moving back to the states in December of 2000 I’ve had to start all over and make new friends, create a new network. While wonderful people have come into this ‘new life’, there is no replacing those friendships I made overseas in Saudi Arabia, some beginning at the onset in 1993. Many of us very different and perhaps not someone we would have ventured to get to know had we been in the comfort zone of home, yet always with one particular common thread: we were expatriates, away from family, friends, and home, searching for something familiar, someone with whom to discover the richness & mystery of the new culture and city. We could share the trials and tribulations of the loss of freedom our gender forced upon us in this exotic place and at the same time celebrate this new found gift - the gift of time.

Many of us had previously worked full-time while trying to raise our children in a society that required 2 incomes to support even a modest lifestyle, and this respite from careers afforded us the luxury of pursuing other interests, new hobbies, the ability to fully participate in our children’s lives, volunteering at school, performing community service, becoming advocates for worthy causes…and traveling. In between our stateside vacations, we would venture off on side trips to visit other wonders of the world - the pyramids of Giza, the Taj Mahal in India, Ephesus in Turkey and Hadrian’s Gate, the souks that were like a rabbit’s warren in Marrakesh…

Then circumstances would change and someone would move away, relocating somewhere else in the world. Now that these ‘golden’ friends and I are spread out all over the globe, I look forward to the phone calls and emails that help to close the distance and allow us to dream of the possibility of reuniting for our next adventure.

It’s not just about salary and benefits, but about recognizing employees as human beings, with needs and expectations, rather than as human capital. While needs are individualistic and complex, the basis is simple. It’s about recognition and reward.

In Bob Nelson’s article, “Ten Ironies of Motivation”, he explains, “More than anything else, employees want to be valued for a job well done by those they hold in high esteem.” As a result, you can expect high morale and motivated employees who feel inspired and loyal. When you create an environment in which an employee feels valued for their contribution they are more likely to want to stay.

How does your company recognize employee performance?

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.