Glen Ivy Day Spa Brea and Valencia are celebrating the men and women who commit their lives to bettering ours. Throughout the month of July we’re  happy to offer a Complimentary Service Enhancement on any full spa treatment (50 minutes or longer) to Nurses, Firefighters, Police, Teachers, and Military Personnel. Simply show valid ID and work badge at check-in to receive your free upgrade.

Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Corona is jumping in on the festivities this 4th of July with the Stars and Stripes Package. This package (available on Monday, July 4, 2011 only) was specifically created for you and your friends to celebrate freedom and friendship together. Enjoy two for one admission at the weekday rate, two Grotto Body Treatments and lunch for two at award-winning Cafe Sole for just $126 (can’t beat a $56 savings!).  So grab a friend and head on over to the Hot Springs to celebrate your independence (who knows, maybe a trip to the spa will become a new 4th of July tradition)!

If you can’t make it on the 4th, don’t forget that the Hot Springs offers 15% off spa admission for military, police, firefighters, nurses and teachers with valid identification.

However you choose to celebrate Independence Day, all of us from Glen Ivy wish you a safe and fun holiday!

This July Glen Ivy invites you to join us for our monthly challenge as we “Explore. Dream. Discover.”

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
— Mark Twain

If you have spent time at Glen Ivy, you understand spa lifestyle is about renewal — the way we live our lives, what we do with our bodies, our relationships, the way we eat, and especially, how we see our own potential. This is the philosophy that inspires our growing program of fitness classes, creative workshops, and retreats and this July, it is our challenge to you, our spa guest and friend, is to join us and embrace this philosophy in your every day. Step out of your routine to explore something new, discover new interests and ideas. The relaxed summer season offers endless ways and opportunities to do this easily and inexpensively. You can interpret this challenge in any way that leads you to try something new to you, from being a tourist in your own town to tackling a project or spending time getting to know the people near you better… And, when planning your next spa visit, deepen your experience by trying one of our many classes included with your admission.

Check Back for More this Month…

• Explore Your Backyard, and find fun close to home
• Join the Glen Ivy Spa Book Club! A fun read, online discussions, and a spa day wrap up!
• Photo Contest: Get cameras clicking for this fun and spontaneous competition
• Celebrating Service: Glen Ivy Day Spas show their appreciation to those who commit their lives to bettering ours.

A sampling of the July Guest Programs and Events Schedule for Glen Ivy Hot Springs
• July 2: Have some muddy fun with flowerific results with “Bomb the Blight”
• July 5: Acoustic Island Music at the Lounge Pool with special guest Tini Grey
• July 11: Summer Vegetable Gardening with Patrick Mitchell
• July 15: Be a Savvy Supermarket Shopper with special guest Melissa Hopper
• July 20: Summer BBQ Cooking class with Chef Bill Wavrin

Tips and Advice:
• Glen Ivy Wheel of Wellness (download pdf)
• Summer Sun Savvy
• Glen Ivy Staff share their Top 10 Favorite Side Trips

Stay connected with Facebook and Twitter. We want to hear from you, tell us how you are taking the challenge and what you learned!

June 27: Carl

Glen Ivy Book Club is reading The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

This next chapter was one of my favorites.  I found it interesting that even in the chapter devoted to him, Carl was a strong, silent presence in the background; in this chapter we learned nearly as much about Helen and some of the other students as we did about Carl’s character.  Like the white cake that was the class project for the evening, Carl possesses the quiet comfort of an old standard; while not showy or elaborate, he might easily be overlooked in favor of something with more pizazz, but in the end he is the reliable classic that one returns to.  There is something soothing and reassuring about food that is simple and understated; it is this food that we return to when we need comfort and rest from the stresses of life; likewise Carl is the steady, reliable husband/friend that waits in silent repose, being always available to share the joys and sorrows of life.

During this class, Lillian notes that, “flour is what holds the cake together,” and that, “if you mix the flour with the other ingredients for too long you will have a flat, hard cake.” Using the cake as a metaphor for Carl and Helen’s relationship, which of these characters do you think represents the flour?

Seraphina

Meet Seraphina...

Glen Ivy Hot Springs features a cold plunge pool adjacent to a warm pool so guest may practice the warm / cold contrast therapy.

Glen Ivy is well known for its warm pools and hot mineral baths, but a new addition to our water experiences has some of or guests, well, shrieking.  The recent adaptation of one of our Terrace Pools to a cold plunge and the ensuing high-pitched screams from those brave enough to immerse themselves in it has raised eyebrows, caused goosebumps and posed the question, “why would anyone want to jump into a cold pool?”

The answer is simple:  It’s good for you. Really. Not exactly in the same way that brussel sprouts and tofu are good for you, but even better—and, (this is what differentiates it from brussel sprouts), you can learn to enjoy a cold plunge.

While you may be saying, “Not me, I like my water steamy and warm,” once you learn of the many health benefits of partaking of this ancient therapy, you too will be lining up to take the plunge.

Contrast therapy, the alternating of submersing the body in hot then cold water, has been used to support and maintain health and vitality for thousands of years. The oldest recorded use is in Traditional Chinese Medicine over 3,000 years ago.  Cold plunges were also a common feature of Roman baths and spas, and the Finns have been employing contrast therapy through a dry hot sauna followed by a plunge in an icy lake or a roll in the snow for at least a thousand years.  In the 1800′s, Sebastian Kneipp, a Bavarian priest, popularized contrast therapy in Europe after curing himself of lung disease through daily immersion in icy water.

Modern science and medicine have supported what was previously learned by observation.  Research has shown that a cold plunge of less than a minute causes the release of endorphins and hormones that have analgesic properties, causing joint and muscle pain to diminish. Additionally, the immune system is strengthened through the resulting release of cytokines and other chemicals that help the body to fight illnesses and infection.  Rapidly alternating the body’s exposure to hot and cold temperatures stimulates the kidneys and increases circulation, resulting in a reduction of uric acid and toxins in the body.  Recent research has shown that contrast therapy causes a reduction of inflammatory markers; this finding is particularly important as many diseases that are so prevalent in the western world are rooted in systemic inflammation, (diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and autoimmune diseases to name a few).  Hot/Cold therapy reduces recovery time in athletes because it helps to reduce the blood lactate concentration. Most significantly, studies show that breast cancer patients that use cold plunge therapy have increased levels of white blood cells – an important factor in fighting off disease.

If you are still struggling with this aspect of the cold plunge, because it might not feel good, remember that it always starts with warmth; most sources recommend starting out with 5-10 minutes in a dry sauna or mineral spring. The cold plunge that follows only needs to be 45 seconds to one minute, although seasoned plungers may choose a 5:5 ratio.  While devoted followers of this therapy may continue the rotation of hot and cold for up to 30 minutes, only 10 minutes or so is needed to reap the many benefits.  The therapy can even be part of your morning shower. Most experts agree that the therapy should end after a cold immersion.  After just a few times taking the plunge you will see and feel the difference: a reduced amount of toxins in the body will make for softer and clearer skin, healthier blood circulation will bring a rosy glow to the face, and you will find yourself with more energy and stamina throughout the day, and maybe even a savings on your daily latte expenses!  After a week’s practice, you will begin to look forward to your daily plunge — and you may even stop shrieking.
Warm (and Cold) Water Wishes,
Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

If you have spent time at Glen Ivy, you understand spa lifestyle is about renewal — the way we live our lives, what we do with our bodies, our relationships, the way we eat, and especially, how we see our own potential. This is the philosophy that inspires our growing program of fitness classes, creative workshops, and retreats, so it is with great honor that I share with you the news that Glen Ivy has once again been nominated for Spa Magazine’s prestigious Silver Sage Readers’ Choice Awards.
Spa Magazine has long been a leader for spa enthusiasts. To be recognized in this way confirms our passion for spa and, even more so, it celebrates our commitment to you, our Glen Ivy guest.

This year the nominations include Glen Ivy as your:
* Favorite Affordable Spa (Three time winner)
* Favorite Mineral Springs Spa (Three time winner)
* Favorite Spa for Cuisine (First place last year!)
Please know that last year we were so very honored to receive the additional award of Favorite Day Spa with your enthusiastic write-in votes. Thank you! If  Glen Ivy is still your favorite Day Spa, we welcome your support again this year. As well, a new category of Favorite Romantic Spa for Couples has just been opened, so please feel free to share the love!

We appreciate this time you take to cast your votes in the Spa Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards, and in doing so, we understand your acknowledgment of each and every one of our 450 Glen Ivy employees that have had the pleasure of serving you this year. Additionally, when you participate in the Silver Sage Awards, you will also have the chance to enter to win some wonderful prizes from Spa Magazine.

On behalf of all of the good folks here at Glen Ivy, we send our gratitude, and as always, we look forward to seeing you here soon for your next visit.

Warm water wishes,

Jim Root,
President and CEO,
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

Make it an interesting day today!

Do you ever find yourself feeling a little tired, and unexcited for the weekly routine?  Planning, scheduling, and predictably have their place in our comfort zone, but what about fun? Surely we can squeeze that in too! A little spontaneity can bring laughs and fresh energy to your day. Here are a few ideas to get you started… Please share your own by commenting below!

1. Go to our Play List, close your eyes, touch the screen, and do whichever one you are pointing at!

2. Take a spontaneous trip. Pack a weekend suitcase and go to the airport and take the next available flight or just drive a few hours and see where you end up.

3. Remember the movie Yes Man with Jim Carrey?  Try saying yes to something you would normally say “no” to. You never know how it may change things.

4. Take a “mental health day” and spend it doing your favorite activities or trying something completely new.

5. When dining out, choose a restaurant whose menu is in a language you don’t read, and order by pointing, or ask your server to order for you. (Be sure to mention if you have any allergies.)

Tell us what you did that was spontaneous today!

The Glen Ivy Book Club is reading The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

June 18: Claire

This week we have our first introduction to a student of Lillian’s cooking class as Claire, a young wife and mother of two small children, makes her way to the class with more than a little hesitation.  As the thoughts of guilt and worry of leaving her children for a few hours slowly fade to the background, we see that Claire’s real struggle lies with the loss of self that often accompanies the life of a young mother.  Once a woman brave enough to make the first advance toward a man “replete with success,” Claire now feels invisible to the world, her individuality set aside to make room for the lives of her children and husband.  Although Claire possesses a deep love for her family, the shattered feeling of her loss of self is mirrored in the shattering of the crab that is the subject of that night’s meal. As the live crustacean is cracked open and dies to the life once known in a scene that may not be easy for all to read, we then witness the transformation of the crab as it is mixed with the right ingredients; the flavors slowly blend, creating something new, nourishing and beautiful…as this transition takes place, Claire finds her own transformation…she is not completely what she once was but still beautiful, complete in a different way, nourished by the seasoning of life experience and change.

Have you ever felt that food or cooking mirrored a life transition for you? Is there a meal that you turn to in times of change in your life? If so, what emotions does the food or meal evoke?

In this chapter we also learn that Lillian does not use recipes. Do you use recipes or do you cook by taste and “feeling?” Why or why not?

—Seraphina

“A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.”
— Author Unknown

Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry for our Silliest Dad Contest! We loved reading about all of the silly things that your dads do! From speaking in funny accents to pudding fights in the kitchen, dad will do anything to make you smile which makes him so special. As difficult as it was, we are happy to announce our contest winners whose entries made us laugh and who will receive some great prizes just in time for Father’s Day on Sunday, June 19.

And our grand prize entry who receives two admission, lunch, and grotto passes is……..

“My husband created a “burrito bar” after the kids’ baths. He wraps them in their towels, carries them to the bed and pretends to add ingredients to the ‘kiddo burrito.’”
-Julie W.

Congratulations to our runner-up winners who each won a 2-for-1 admission pass:

“As my son says daddy looks silly when he plays dragons. He puts on fairy wings (he’s the dragon). He’s Peter Pan and is always down in the dirt playing with the kids. Best Dad ever!
-Carissa L.

My Minnesota Pop is so funny! He believes EVERYTHING can be fixed with DUCT TAPE! From skirt hems to musical instruments to cookware! Everyone cracks up at his funny “fixes”!
-Melody

From all of us here at Glen Ivy, we wish all the dads out there a wonderful Father’s Day!

Sunny summer months are the best time to kick it into gear and start eating and moving your way to lasting changes!

Meg Root is an ACE certified Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist with over 25 years in the fitness and spa industry.

Shorter days. Colder temperatures. Rainy weather. No wonder so many of us fail to follow through with the healthy commitments we made to ourselves on New Years Day! Looking back, one could argue that January is the WORST month of the year to attempt a major lifestyle makeover.

But with those dismal winter months behind us, I’m here to tell you that there is no BETTER time than the warm, sunny summer months to kick it into gear and start eating and moving your way to lasting changes. Not only is the weather more favorable, but there is something about summer that just smacks of fun, adventure and the great outdoors. And living in Southern California means that we have an abundance of the very ingredients that allow us to move out of our typical routines in search of something new and different.  So, for the next couple of months, I give you permission to throw out the same old predictable approach that I usually preach—goal setting, writing it down, making an appointment with yourself, blah, blah, blah!– and replace it with a sense of playful adventure that puts a healthy dose of  WOW! into your wellness.

Think hike, not walk.

While there is nothing easier and more convenient than a consistent walking program, the summer is a great time to head off road and explore the trails in your community. Turning your walk into a hike means that the varied terrain along with the extra time spent outside enjoying nature (and burning calories) will also benefit your bottom line–literally. Also trending in fitness these days–training for local races and charity events. Choose something you care about and get moving for a good cause–not to mention for your own health!

Think market, not store.

Ditch the grocery store one day a week and venture out to your local farmer’s market. These days, you don’t have to travel to Provence to enjoy a fabulous outdoor market experience (although, that would be nice!). Chances are you have something just as inspiring within 10 miles of your own house.  Have fun with it–leave the paper and plastic at home and bring a woven basket to carry your produce. First thing in the basket should always be a gorgeous bunch of flowers. Then shop around for one new colorful vegetable or unique ingredient you are not used to cooking with and give it a try when you get home. Check out my favorite foodie website, food52.com. They have a fun page titled “foodpickle,” that could probably tell you just what to do with that bunch of purple kale you just bought!

Think social, not solo.

Hey, I’m the first one to seek out the solitude of a solo workout or a deserted stretch of beach for my chair and umbrella. But summer seems like such a great time to do just the opposite. I love watching the fun and camaraderie of beach volleyball games, group surfing lessons, outdoor bootcamp workouts, and music in the park. And when you start hanging out with people who love to do these things, things that get your body moving and lift your spirit at the same time, you begin to want to do more of it yourself.

Now, you may think that I’m giving you the summer off from your healthy aspirations. Well, I’m not! What I hope will happen, and I have a strong feeling that it will, is that putting the fun factor into moving more, healthy shopping and connecting with like minded people, will lay the foundation for the cold winter months when inspiration can be hard to find. You’ve heard of Christmas in July. Well, today I am declaring New Year’s Day in June!

What will be your healthy resolution for the summer months ahead?

Meg Root

Hummingbird Spa Residents

This spring, guests and employees of Glen Ivy Hot Springs enjoyed a special delight, as they joyfully kept watch as an Anna’s Hummingbird built her nest in a tree branch that loftily reaches over the Spa’s Sauna Court.  The tiny bird, affectionately named Hazel, wove her cone-shaped nest from spider webs, grasses and other plant materials.  The thimble-like nest sat snuggly at the fork of a tree branch and is lined with downy, soft plant material to allow it to expand and grow as the hummingbird chicks end their 16-day incubation and introduce themselves to the world.  Although the nest is small (only about 1 ½ inches) and camouflaged, word of the unfolding magic on the Sauna Court spread quickly amongst employees; those arriving for the early shift often began their day by gazing at the nest as Hazel serenely sat on two small eggs.  As guests left the stresses of life behind and entered a space of oneness with the natural environment surrounding them, they too took notice of the little bird; many quietly capturing photos, amazed having never seen a hummingbird not in flight.  The delight was multiplied when the two little eggs hatched and all who looked on witnessed Hazel — in the stillness of flight — gracefully hovering just in front of her young, offering the long-billed tiny chicks sweet nectar collected from nearby jasmine and other flowers.

I hope you enjoy this great video made by a spa guest:

As the miracle of life unfolded before us, we were shown that the hummingbird instinctively constructs its nest from materials that allow for the changes that life brings; the spider webs and soft plants of the nest give, bend and morph to the new life that grows within.  As we reflect on our lives we can ask if we have done the same –

Have we remembered to leave room for growth and change in our lives?

Hazel’s nest is a reminder that life inevitably changes.  If we are wise enough to embrace this truth and allow the places we live — our homes, our places of work, our relationships and our thoughts — to be soft, pliable and available for that change, we will find our lives flow more easily, feel less stressful and less difficult.  It’s important to remember that Hazel’s chicks would not have survived had they been born in to a rigid structure with no room for growth. Likewise the beauty of new life, new thoughts and fresh experiences cannot be born to us if we are held up in rigidity.  As Hazel fed her offspring, she was caught in the stillness of flight – wings beating at up to 80 times per second – but at her core still, silent, acting and living from innate knowingness.  As we move through life, experiencing the stresses of family, relationships, work, money, and all of the other things that keep us in constant mental and physical motion, we often lose the connection to our core – that ineffable, still and silent place within; the place where spirit dwells, creativity flows and our unique beauty, gifts and talents reside

At Glen Ivy, we mindfully cultivate indigenous landscaping and leave room for “wild spaces” where plants and animals can live their lives much as they did centuries ago.  These practices are carried out for many reasons – sustainability, a deeps reverence for nature, and to create beauty – but perhaps most importantly, we do this to give our guests and employees the opportunity to remember and reconnect with the quiet, small voice within that, like Hazel the hummingbird, innately knows how to live a life graced with the stillness of flight.

Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs