Relaxation Station or How I Threw a Sense Foot Care Spa Party

Tools for a Spa Pedicure

Who says business has to be boring and staid? Business is all about having fun with people you like to spend time with. Enriching peoples lives through self knowledge and a better understanding of the miraculous machine they are inhabiting known as the human body is very satisfying to me. To prepare for my Holiday Spa Foot Care Party I sent out  hand written invitations three weeks in advance by post asking everyone to RSVP 4 days before the event. This gave me plenty of time to pick up extra things I might need and adjust recipes. It also made the invitees feel special. Which they are. In North America today with rising insurance costs and a sub par medical system strained to the limit, there is an ever expanding audience yearning for real simple solutions to solid everyday health. Sharing this info can be as creative as you are with your special stamp on it. For example, I wanted a cozy fire but since we don't have a fireplace a Yule Log "burning" on the DVD complete with sound effects provided a soothing and amusing atmosphere while serving as a  backdrop for my Sense display. At the end of the party everyone was given the instruments we used plus an Usana magnet to gaze fondly upon every time they pass their fridge, a Winter Product catalog to shop by and a snowflake to decorate with.

Yule Log DVD Display

 What to Eat? Serve Healthy Snacks!

Get your hands off my vegan bars!

 Inspired by the holidays I served guests what I like to call Un-Egg Nog and Ginger Snap originating from Usana's Test Kitchen whipped up by the brilliant Diana Yin. Just using extracts and a few spices blended together with   French Vanilla Nutrimeal  I was able to offer everyone a complete meal replacement disguised as a decadent beverage without the sugar rush and insane amount of calories. It also opened peoples taste buds to a food based protein shake that didn't taste like chalk! Nutrimeal boasts only 250 calories per 10 ounce serving if made with a water  base. In bowls I placed an antioxidant trail mix of almonds (which are great for your skin) along with organic dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds making for a colorful and yummy low cal treat. Of course, Usana also makes a delicious version of this with the new vegan Go Nuts and Berries bar that is as satisfying as it is good. A great stocking stuffer or treat for the kids! Get them on the good stuff young.

Relaxation Station for Your Feet!

We have been through a lot here in New York City with Hurricane Sandy so I wanted to do a holiday party that was warm, comforting and inviting. The advantage is that it is easily worked into a weekly self care routine if not daily. Your feet carry you every day through life while suffering the indignities of wearing shoes that are too tight, hidden away from air, sunlight and the feel of the green grass. In the Big Apple our feet look like they have been run roughshod. Bunions, callouses and dry heels are the norm. Everyday you see people struggling painfully to walk up flights of steps from the subway because their feet are hurting them so badly. The concrete sidewalks are rough stuff and seems to have a way of showing how unkind it is no matter how fancy the foot wear. Using a simple tub procured at the 5 and dime,  guests placed their feet inside it  while I poured warm water with the antioxidant Energizing Shower Gel  over them. After a soak for 15 minutes, a gentle exfoliation with the metal scraper of the all - in - one home pedicure tool took off an initial layer of dead skin.

Guys Need Pampered Feet Too

After a rinse, a liberal amount of Sense Rice Bran Polisher was applied to the dry areas including the tops of the toes and heels.
The papaya enzyme is an exfoliator so it was allowed to sit on the feet for 10 minutes or so before being gently massaged in with the pumice stone. The rice bran polisher is full of orzaynol very rich Vitaman E  to further soften the skin and hydrate it. The beadlets gently removed more dead skin with the action of the pumice stone. Another rinse and my guests were marveling at how smooth and soft their feet were feeling and how relaxed they were feeling! After toweling their feet dry Sense Night Renewal Cream (that has extra emollients of A C & E in a shea butter formula) was applied.  If they felt their heels were particularly cracked Serum Intensive was applied which penetrates deeply into the layers of the skin. As a finishing touch everyone got a dab of Intensive Hand Therapy which Vanessa Soto, LMT, says is "the best hand cream"  she' s ever used. It's rich and absorbs readily into the skin leaving hands feeling nourished and protected without parabens.

Deck Your Halls with Usana 

 I placed gift ideas around the room add to the cheer and inspire thoughts of the specific needs of loved ones in the guests lives.  A trip to the 5 and dime revealed  lovely and inexpensive holiday bags and papier de soie embossed or printed with reds and golds. A Men's Shaving Kit with Rice Bran Polisher, Gentle daily Cleanser and Hydrating Toner to replace burning after shaves were just one of the ideas.

Paiges's Perfections Aromatherapy Candles

Inviting a special vendor who makes a complimentary product for guests to try and buy is a plus as it provides a well rounded selection that enhances what you are trying to accomplish. I invited local artisan Paige Graham who brought some of her seasonal creations like Red Berry Spice, Winter Spruce and Blueberry Cobbler along with her classics Earl Grey, Hot Chocolate, and Natural Lavendar candles. Paige's Perfections warmed up the room and added another dimension to our relaxation. Her candles are non toxic, hand poured and made from soy. Organic cotton wicks are used and no lead with a life of 40 hours. Check her out here : Paiges Perfections

Send Thank You's Send Info Shared

Finally don't forget to thank your guests with a note or an email no more than a week after the event. Include the information you shared during the party so they have that reminder at home. Provide links to recipes, tips and photos of your guests having fun. Providing sincere and quality service will grow your reputation for delivering what's good and expand your business through word of mouth. When someone has had fun with you it's easy to ask if they'd like to do it again or if they'd recommend you to anyone. Share the good life and be happy!

Share the good life and be happy!

Lee Chappell's Holiday Inspiration Using the Beauty of the Season

Lee Chappell expertly uses shapes,colors textures to create fall place settings

A mini pumpkin becomes the bowl to hold a pureed pumpkin squash soup

Deck Your Tables With Seasonal Bounty for the Holidays

Last week I had the great good fortune to be invited to a home cooked meal at the residence of legendary nightlife party thrower and promoter of creative expression Mr. Lee Chappell. Lee has an eye for talent and knows how to throw a party be it large or small regardless of the venue. Using local seasonal fare and exploiting the red, green and golden colors of Fall the effect for this dinner was warm, inviting and dazzling. The center piece was no more expensive than New York State apples like Jonagolds, and Cortlands set in an attractive bowl in the middle of the table. Lee is expert at mixing in real ingredients with naturalistic looking props creating a rich and sensual feast for the eyes. Beaded napkin holders, glass acorns, gold rimmed stemware and orange colored "leaves" worked perfectly with the patterned yet more subdued table cloth. As for the dinner itself, the ingredients were found in the local markets no more than a few blocks radius from his home. As you see here, a mini pumpkin was used as a bowl to serve a popular autumnal soup of butternut squash. The pumpkins were baked the night before and hollowed out after cooling. The seeds were saved to roast with the leftover pumpkin meat pureed and added to the existing soup base. Once the lid was removed the roasted pumpkins seeds were revealed to be sitting on top of the soup with an elegant flourish of thyme and rosemary used as garnish. Waste not want not. Talk about good and good for you! Everything was edible including the bowls as the pumpkin skin was tender and thin after baking.
As we sat in wonder my appreciation for every season grew even those we have been taught to regret. As my grandfather says "Everything God makes is good but you need to know how to use it. " Indeed.

Traveling to the Green Markets 

In Union Square the Green Market is back after being displaced by Hurricane Sandy. Gone are the power trucks and back are the farmers vending surprisingly colorful fare. Although I assure you my photo above doesn't capture the brilliance and vibrancy of these bunches of kale they were just as sunny as a summer bouquet. Exactly like over sized flowers I wondered how it was that I had never appreciated them this way before. A victim of pre - packaging like just about everyone else I know,  I only see them already picked clean from the heart , tied in bundles and laying flat in the supermarket looking boring. Here they were in their full splendor! The uses for decor are obvious with very little work on my part. I simply place them on a ceramic platter or other surface that will protect the furniture  while instantly adding seasonal beauty to the room. Post party the same kale will find itself washed, finely chopped and lightly sauteed for a nutrient  rich  dish filled with magnesium, calcium , C and fiber sure to boost any flagging energy with the onset of cold weather. It's worth taking a look at your local community farmers markets during this season with a new appreciation for colorful squash gourds, cabbages, and  celery root  considered less glamorous. Hearty and substantial they will add an entirely new dimension to your dining experience.
What have you planned for the holidays? How will you be incorporating natures bounty artfully into your festivities? I'd love to hear it! Happy Thanks Giving everyone! Blessings to those who find themselves homeless post Sandy.

More Holidays Anyone? How To Get Through

The (other) set of Holidays are fast approaching and I am wondering if anyone (other than me) is giving any thoughts to a Holiday Party this season? It may sound corny and you hear the stats on CNN but people really do spend money on gifts so why not on USANA products?
Here are Some Ideas to Snazz Up Your Get Togethers while keeping it healthy.

Delicious Egg Nog recipes & other snazzy Nutrimeal  recipes will keep you and your guests satisfied. Yay! Get the nutrients and deliciousness without the thousands of empty calories. Look here ... the Ginger Snap is darn good.

Very Tasty Low Cal Egg Nog Recipes

Bloating? Liver Aching? Holiday Travel got your Gut in a Rut? Digestion/Detox Products
Get Through Thanksgiving Christmas New Year Hannukah Holiday Office Parties
Yes, we all know how much people complain about the weight they gain over the holidays. It's one big eating marathon with a lot of sitting around. The most exercise people get is working out their elbow drinking...Prepare them for the onslaught!
We've got it covered with Digestive Enzyme, Probiotic and Hepasil DTX for cocktail swiggers.The sachets of probiotic are slim,small, require no refrigeration and slip into your pocket.

Snacks & Dinners
The new vegan Go Nuts n Berries are like the perfect holiday bar!
Cranberries make them look festive, the nuts are in there and they are just sweet enough.
Packed with Omega 3 of the vegan variety like flax and chia they are perfect for adding to trick or treaters goody bags!

Roasted Apple &  Butter Nut Squash Soup from the Usana Test Kitchen! YES! Cooking with Fibergy

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bexx3rUyDlAXJv6Whf9nWa-GGCBoz3MCfM4bRyFuC6U/edit








Gluten Free Celiac Safe Chocolate cake made with Garbanzo Beans? Donna Sullivan of Menu for Life said it was fab and had guests guessing on what it was made with. Let them guess!
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