Friday, January 30, 2009

Keeping your resolutions all year

Here we are at the end of January and it seems likely that some of us (myself included) are already struggling to keep some of the optimistic resolutions we made for the New Year. In thinking about why we make resolutions, it’s often that we have good intentions to better our lives and just can’t find the time to devote to ourselves.

As a place dedicated to being a personal sanctuary for renewal and healing, here are some ways that Glen Ivy can help you keep your resolutions all year long:

Resolution: Slow down and enjoy life
It starts with reducing stress. It’s been said that an hour of professional massage
can be as restful as 3-4 hours sleep!

Resolution: Make more time for the people you love
At Glen Ivy, you can relax and spend quality time together! Bond in Club Mud, giggle in The Grotto, melt with massages in a “Together” room or reserve a private Cabaña and bring everybody!

Resolution: Eat healthier
Chef Bill and the Café Solé staff offer delicious choices made from fresh and healthful ingredients! See Chef’s Tips for staying on track in 2009.


Resolution: Exercise more
Join us for fun, complimentary Water Aerobics classes every day at 2 p.m. and Stretching Yoga at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Resolution: Save money


2 for 1 spa admission to Glen Ivy Hot Springs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through February and monthly Special Treatment Packages all year.

To your health and happiness!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Coyote Hills Bridal Show recap

On Sunday, Janell and I went to the Coyote Hills Bridal Show in Fullerton (see previous post). The golf course is gorgeous and there were tons of amazing wedding vendors, a great bridal fashion show and wonderful food. In fact, my elevating moment was when I finally gave in and snagged a delicious baked brie and pear appetizer - yum!

Here are some highlights:

Janell and me at our Glen Ivy table

Some of the amazing wedding and themed cakes that were on display

Guests watching the bridal fashion show inside the banquet room

The wedding ceremony site at Coyote Hills Golf Course

It was so fun talking with brides and their spouses, friends and families about their plans and ideas for the Big Day. Here’s a snippet of the conversations we had with brides at the Glen Ivy table:
  • Mani/Pedi parties for bridesmaids and the bride
  • Cabana rentals for bridal showers and bachelorette parties
  • Visiting the spa with out of town guests for quality time together
  • Setting up facial appointments to get flawless, glowing skin for pictures
  • Scheduling massages to relax amidst the stress of planning
While we were there, we collected spa goer forms from guests to raffle two admission passes to the Hot Springs Spa. Congratulations to our winner, Jennifer! We look forward to seeing you at the spa soon!

Congratulations to all the brides - we wish you the best for stress-free planning and a wonderful wedding!

Hit the Trail recap

On Saturday, Glen Ivy Hit the Trail (see previous post) with the City of Santa Clarita to celebrate health and wellness. Here are some photos from the day:

The first group of bike riders arriving at Bridgeport Park

The Mayor of Santa Clarita addressing the crowd

The Jamba Juice Banana Man came to visit me at the Glen Ivy booth

My elevating moment of the day was seeing how much fun everyone was having with their friends and family despite the rainy weather. Glen Ivy is proud to be a part of such a positive and spirited community!

Throughout the day I collected spa goer forms to raffle off two admission passes to the Hot Springs and passes to The Grotto at Glen Ivy Day Spa, Valencia. Congratulations to our winners: Nicole, Jean, Irene and Stella! We'll see you at the spa!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Here come the brides!

Wedding season is just around the corner and to help brides prep, plan and de-stress during their special time, Glen Ivy will be at the Winter Bridal Show at Coyote Hills Golf Course in Fullerton on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I’m eager to share what Glen Ivy has to offer brides as they prepare for the Big Day and all the celebrations that surround this joyous time in their lives. If you’re a bride-to-be, the vendor showcase at Coyote Hills is sure to be full of great planning resources and ideas. Stop by the Glen Ivy table and say hi! I’ll be sure to post photos from the event next week.


Have you been to a bridal shower or bachelorette party at Glen Ivy? Or perhaps you were a part of a bridal party that had a spa day to prepare for the wedding? We’d love to hear your special memory of wedding festivities at Glen Ivy!

Hit the Trail

This Saturday I’m going to pack up paradise and Hit the Trail! The City of Santa Clarita is hosting a community bike ride and rally to celebrate healthy lifestyles, which is what we’re all about at Glen Ivy. The event is free to anyone interested and no registration is needed – just show up at one of the three starting locations and be ready to Hit the Trail at 9:30 a.m.! The escorted leisurely bike rides from all three routes will end at Bridgeport Park where riders will enjoy free lunch and plenty of fun for the whole family!

If you’re in the area, I hope that you’ll stop by the Glen Ivy booth between 9 and 2 p.m. to say hello and enter our spa-goer raffle for fabulous Glen Ivy prizes!

I’ll be sure to take some pictures at the event and post next week.

See you there!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Two for one admission

Recently I had the pleasure of working with writer/blogger Jenna Robbins. Jenna writes a Southern California Travel column on Examiner.com and wrote a great article about the current two for one admission rate at Glen Ivy Hot Springs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. She also included one of my favorite pictures of a guest coating herself in our red clay mud.

Check out the article and be sure to leave a comment for Jenna - perhaps like her you were also a mudpie chef at a young age?!


Southern California Travel Examiner: Travel Deal: Two-for-one admission to Glen Ivy Hot Springs spa Posted using ShareThis

As well, you can find Jenna's blog link on the lower right-hand side of this page under "My Blog List."

Happy Friday!

Friday, January 9, 2009

What about the weather?

Today I added the weather forecast to the blog (see right) because the weather has a huge impact on Glen Ivy. Here at the Hot Springs, most of the spa is outside, spread across 11 lush acres – it’s gorgeous – and so you can imagine that when most guests plan a trip here, they’re thinking of how wonderful it will be to spend the day lounging and relaxing outside by the pools. And you can’t blame them because really, “Nature’s Day Spa” is all about nature and the beauty and wonderment of the great outdoors.

So, there it is, right on the sidebar: the almighty weather forecast. That which determines our fate. Now you can see the weather we’re experiencing here and you’ll know that if it’s sunny and mild, chances are that we’re busy tending to lots of happy guests.

On the other hand, we’ve overheard guests say that they specifically come in the cold season because they like feeling they have the spa to themselves – it’s a whole different experience and much more intimate. I can agree with that. I was here last December for my birthday and while it was a bit chilly it definitely added to the serenity and tranquility of the spa to have fewer people around.

Also keep in mind that we’re always thinking of new ways to make our guests comfortable including our Tiempo Lounge – a cozy place for guests to gather, relax and stay warm indoors. As well, Glen Ivy Spas in the Brea Mall and Valencia Town Center bring the “spa in the garden” experience all indoors, offering the convenience of a close-by day spa while maintaining the natural ambience of the Hot Springs Spa.

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” ~John Ruskin

Have a story about your experience with “different kinds of good weather” at Glen Ivy? I’d love to hear it!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Happy and Healthy

Need an “excuse” to head to the spa? What if I told you it would help prevent a cold? Here are some natural tips to prevent colds from WebMD.com given by Charles B. Inlander, president of The People's Medical Society:

Take a sauna
Researchers aren't clear about the exact role saunas play in prevention, but one 1989 German study found that people who steamed twice a week got half as many colds as those who didn't. One theory: When you take a sauna you inhale air hotter than 80 degrees, a temperature too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.

Get fresh air
A regular dose of fresh air is important, especially in cold weather when central heating dries you out and makes your body more vulnerable to cold and flu viruses.

Do aerobic exercise regularly
Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood, makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood and makes you sweat once your body heats up. This helps increase the body's natural virus-killing cells.
(check out water aerobics at the Hot Springs every day at 2 p.m.)

Relax
There's evidence that when you put your relaxation skills into action, your interleukins -- leaders in the immune system response against cold and flu viruses -- increase in the bloodstream. Train yourself to picture an image you find pleasant or calming and do this 30 minutes a day for several months. Keep in mind, relaxation is a learnable skill, but it is not doing nothing. People who try to relax, but are in fact bored, show no changes in blood chemicals.

Having recently gotten over a 2 week cold, I wish I would’ve come across this sooner and I definitely would have tried some of them out here at the Hot Springs (especially the Sauna!).

Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Year, New You

Greetings and Happy New Year from Glen Ivy!

It's a new year, full of fresh starts and I'm hoping to make one too. I'm not usually one for resolutions but having started working at Glen Ivy two months ago, I'm looking to make some positive changes and additions - including starting a blog! I'm not sure how it's going to work yet exactly but there are tons of things to share about this wonderful place and I'm excited to be the one sharing. Here's a little sneak peak of topics and posts I foresee for 2009:

  • A day at the spa - timeline of what to do with your precious time at Glen Ivy
  • Secrets of spa-goers
  • Best ways to create a spa experience at home
  • Unique and new treatments
  • Tips and recipes from Chef Bill Wavrin (yum!)
  • The history of Glen Ivy (and there's a lot of it - we've been here since 1860!!)
  • Surveys
  • Videos
  • Photos (lots of 'em!)

How does that sound? I know it's a little vague, but I'm just getting started. Have any ideas about what you'd like to see and read about? Let me know! I'd love to hear from you and will definitely be on the lookout for inspiration.

Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!