The Glen Ivy Blog has Moved!

We are excited to announce that we have recently launched our new and improved website! The Glen Ivy blog is now located on the site so make sure you check it out! Follow the new blog to stay up to date on our contests, recipes, and everything Glen Ivy! Thank you all for being part of the Glen Ivy community!

Click here to be directed to the new blog!

MUDder's Day Week #2 Winner

CONGRATS to Lori for winning week #2 of our MUDder's Day contest! Lori and her daughter came back to Club Mud for their second time that day to get their muddy moment captured!

There are still two more chances to win passes to experience The Grotto and a $100 Glen Ivy gift card. Grab your mom and head to Club Mud between 2-3pm on Wednesday May 19 and 26 for your chance to win!

-Lori-

Happy MUDder's Day #2

We had quite a few mom's still celebrating Mother's Day this past Wednesday! Everyone was enjoying a beautiful day here at the Hot Springs with their loved ones and getting all muddied up! What better way to celebrate mom than by slathering her up with mud and having your muddy moment captured! Check out the photos!

-Lori-

-Jessica & her mom-

-Diana sporting her family's creation-

-The new and improved Charlie's Angels-

Meet me in the mud next Wednesday from 2-3 pm for your chance to win a $100 Glen Ivy gift card! Just grab your mom and some mud and strike a pose! It's as simple as that! See you all next week!

MUDder's Day Week #1 Winner

CONGRATULATIONS to Monica and her family - the first week winners of our May MUDder's Day Contest! We were quite impressed with three generations of muddy bodies proclaiming "I love my mom!" Monica and her family won two passes to try out The Grotto and will be in the running for a $100 Glen Ivy gift card. Thanks to everyone who commented on their favorite MUDder's Day photo...more muddy fun to come next Wednesday!

Make Mom a Tasty Treat this Mother's Day

For all that she's done, treat your Mom to a delicious Mother' Day brunch courtesy of Glen Ivy's own Chef Bill. She's sure to enjoy it since it will be made with the best ingredients---cheese and love!

Three Cheese Vegetable Quesadillas

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon crumbled jack cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 seeded and diced chile poblano or pasilla
1 seeded and diced jalapeno
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 tomato, diced
1 chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 large wrap tortillas (12 inch)
1/2 cup Edamole Broccomole--click here for recipe
1/2 cup Three Chili Salsa--click here for recipe

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine the three cheeses, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2: Heat a saute pan over medium heat and lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil. Add the poblano, jalapeno, garlic, tomato, green onion, zucchini and oregano. Saute for 2 minutes. Fold in the cilantro. Remove from heat.

Step 3: Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and add 1 tortilla. Cook 5 seconds, turn over, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the mixed cheeses and 2 tablespoons of sauteed vegetables on one side of the tortilla (in a half moon). Fold the tortilla over the filling and toast on each side for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove the pas and repeat with remaining tortillas.

Step #4: Cut each quesadilla into 8 pieces. Serve with Edamole Broccomole and Three Chili Salsa. BUEN PROVECHO!


From all of us here at Glen Ivy, we wish everyone a lovely Mother's day!

Happy MUDder's Day #1

There was a whole lot of motherly love around Glen Ivy today as we kicked off the first week of our MUDder's Day photo contest! Some moms gathered generations of family members to get muddy with while others flew solo for some "mom only time." Either way, all of the moms looked beautiful playing in the mud! Enjoy the photos and let us know who you think should win this week!

-Ruben and his mom-

-Emily with the girls-

-Monica and 3 generations of lovely ladies!-

"I LOVE MY MOM!"

-Mercedes and her guest-

-Isabal with her Mom-

-Monica celebrating her birthday with her Mom-

-Girl's Day-

-Katie and her beautiful 85 year old Mom-

-Jackie and mom having fun-

-Barbara showing her love for Glen Ivy-

-Janet having a "mom only" day!-

-Christy-

-Fahimeh and mom-

-I LOVE MOM-

If you didn't get a chance to participate today, don't worry! Grab your mom and meet me in the mud on the following dates for a chance to win a $100 Glen Ivy gift card: Wednesday May 12, 19, and 26! Stay tuned! We'll be announcing this week's winner on Friday!

Healing Through Loving-Kindness Practice: A Visit From Bhante Sujatha

On May 6 Bhante Sujatha, a Buddhist monk from the Blue Lotus Temple in Woodstock, IL, will be visiting Glen Ivy Hot Springs to teach guests a yoga and meditation class. Sujatha, a Buddhist monk for over 30 years, has taught around the globe to those wishing to learn the art of happiness and contentment through meditation. The teaching is centered around the cultivation of self love and the activities include: "What is Loving-Kindness?" and how to practice it.

Some other benefits of this beautiful workshop include:

• Reduced stress, anxiety, worry, and depression
• Healing and enhancing relationships with others
• Gaining a sense of empowerment over challenging issues in your life
• Insights into your life purpose
• Awakening to the blessings of the present moment
• Attaining unshakable inner peace

Make sure you join Bhante Sujatha for a Yoga class at 10am followed by a meditation class at 11am on May 6 at Glen Ivy Hot Springs. Bhante believes his purpose is to not only teach Meditation but also to "teach people how to be happy." For more information on Bhante and the Blue Lotus Temple click here.

A Delicious Cinco De Mayo Salsa Recipe

Looking for a salsa this Cinco De Mayo that's not only delicious but healthy too? Well look no further! Glen Ivy's own Chef Bill provided us with his Three Chili Salsa which lends a delicious and zesty jump to your menu this 5th of May. So break open that bag of chips and whip up this festive salsa! It's sure to put you in the fiesta mood!

Three Chili Salsa

Makes: 10 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 chile del arbol

2 chile anchos, seeded and stemmed

1 chile negra, seeded and stemmed

10 tomatillos, husks removed

1/2 cup water

2 garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Sea salt to taste

Step 1: Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and chilies. Cook to toast the chilies, about 3 minutes. Remove chilies from pan and add the tomatillos, water and garlic. Cook for 15 minutes to soften the tomatillos.

Step 2: Place the tomatillos, chilies, cumin and cilantro into a blender. Pulse 10 seconds until salsa is chunky. Season to taste with salt.

Moms Love Glen Ivy!

With Mother's Day just around the corner, "Mom" is definitely the word at the spa lately. In our office we were talking about Mother's Day and Elizabeth and Jennifer both shared some great Glen Ivy memories of their moms.

"My mom and I come to Glen Ivy every few months to spend quality time together - in fact, we just got some one-on-one time here on Monday! While we were relaxing she commented on how she finds herself at Glen Ivy for all sorts of different reasons: personal getaways when she has a day off work, Mother/Daughter days with me, and one special memory she recalled from Mother's Day two years ago when my brothers and dad joined us at the spa. We reflected a bit on that happy, fun day and she said spending time at a place she loves with the people she loves most is a memory she will cherish forever." - Elizabeth F.

"Just a few weeks ago I brought my mom and future mother-in-law to the Hot Springs for a relaxing Spa Day before the Big Day. We got a Cabana and we were so thankful to have a Cabana Concierge taking care of all the small details so we could just sit, soak and enjoy each others' company - quite a contrast to the wedding planning, that's for sure! Weeks leading up to the wedding can usually be very stressful so it was nice to carve out a full day for time together. We had such a great time laughing and chatting, and really celebrating the fact that our families will soon be joined. It was the perfect way to kick off the one month countdown to the Big Day!" - Jennifer S.

Do you have a Glen Ivy Mom Memory? Leave a comment with yours below!

10 Easy Ways to Go Green

It's the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and here at Glen Ivy we try and go green whenever possible. Going green helps to reduce your impact on the environment and if you aren't already doing your part, today is the perfect day to start! Here are some little ways to go green but that will make a big change!

Paperless Bills. Do all of your billing online. Just check with your bill companies to sign up!

Turn Off Lights When You Leave a Room. Try opening up those blinds or curtains to let natural light in.

Fix Leaky Faucets. You would be surprised how much water gets wasted by a leaky faucet. Another way to conserve water--turn off water while you brush your teeth.

Get a Reusable Water Bottle. Grab an inexpensive reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic disposable bottles. Just purchase a water filter for your refrigerator or sink and you'll be set! Check out The Story of Bottled Water for some interesting facts!

Unplug Unused Appliances/Electronics. Try plugging all electronics into a power strip and switch the whole thing off when they aren't in use. This helps prevent "phantom" energy use and can save you up to $200 a year!

Take Shorter Showers. Not only will this lower your water bill, but it will lower your heating bill too!

Purchase Energy Efficient Appliances. Even just switching to one helps! Just look for the "energy star" label.

Install Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. CFL's consume 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer!

Use Reusable Bags. Pick some up bags you can use over and over again for shopping trips.

Recycle Electronics. Donate or recycle when it's time to say bye-bye to your electronics. E-waste contains mercury and other toxins that are hazardous to the Earth.

Remember, even the smallest actions can have lasting environmental effects.

Tell us how you've gone green!

Glen Ivy Poetry Contest Winners

Congratulations to Erin S. who sent in her poem and is our winner for the "Glen Ivy Poetry Contest." For her creativity, Erin will be receiving two complimentary admission passes and lunch for two! Here is her winning poem along with the 2nd and 3rd place entries! Enjoy!

1st Place:

Glen Ivy
By Erin S.

The Grotto is green,
Club Mud is brown,
At my favorite Glen Ivy,
There's so much to be found.

Get a massage or facial,
Let the stress melt away,
Bring all of your friends,
For a memorable day.

So pack on the mud,
Float in the pool,
Laugh and relax,
Forget work or school.

You'll be so pampered,
From your head to toe,
And at the end of the day,
Never want to go!

It's life at the spa,
Part of my motto,
Enjoy the poem,
If I win, see you in the Grotto!

2nd Place:

My Favorite Things
Mrs. Shane H.

Lavender sugar scrub and luscious facials
Eucalyptus wraps and polished toenails
Glen Ivy gift cards tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Steam room and spa rooms and crystalline pools
Mud baths and mineral baths enchant like jewels
Stress floats away on dragonfly wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Nibbling and noshing at Cafe Sole
Field greens and dressing prepared by gourmets
Birds of paradise burst bright blossoms of springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the job bites
When the kids whine
When I'm feeling sad
I simply mend myself at Glen Ivy Spa
And then I don't feel so bad.

3rd Place:

Untitled
Crystal C.

I look out the window and it's that time of year, the time to bring out bathing suits cause Glen Ivy is here!
I'll book a nice facial or even a back massage, time to put my stress aside cause ladies were off to the spa!
No more yelling, screaming, or pitter patter of little feet, it's the end of my work week and lemme tell ya I'M BEAT!
I'm ready to get pampered now & covered in piles of mud, close my eyes and reminisce of times when I was young!
Here at Glen Ivy I can always count on one thing--To close my eyes, relax & remember here I'm always STRESS FREE!

Thank you to all who sent in their amazing Glen Ivy poems! I hope that you all had as much fun writing them as I did reading them!

5 Stress Relieving Strategies to Help You Enjoy Life

Everyone can use a little less stress in their life, but reducing stress always seems easier said then done--until now! Here are our top five ways to relieve stress and help you enjoy life. Whether you try just one or all five, we're sure you'll notice a more relaxed body and mind:

Meditate.When practicing meditation, your heart rate and breathing slow down, your blood pressure normalizes, you use oxygen more efficiently, you sweat less, your mind clears, and your creativity increases. People who meditate regularly find it easier to give up life-damaging like smoking, drinking and drugs.

Yoga. Virtually everyone can see physical benefits from yoga, but its practice also has some psychological benefits such as stress reduction and a sense of well being. Certain poses can be done just about anywhere and a yoga program can go for hours or minutes depending on your schedule.

Get a Dog or Cat. Recent research shows that, when conducting a task that's stressful, people actually experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive friend or even their spouse was present!

Take a Cheap Vacation. Here are come creative ideas:

• Take a Quiet Day: Take a full day without answering your phone or connecting to the Internet. This will help you disconnect from the stresses and demands from your daily life, allowing you to relax.


• Be a Hotel Guest: It can be surprisingly relaxing to stay in a nearby hotel. Basically, you are escaping from the constant reminder of the work that needs to be done at home. Turn off that cell phone, close those thick drapes, and sleep in as late as you want!


• Visit a Day Spa: If you can't afford the time or money that it would cost you to go on a traditional vacation, you can spend a fraction of the money a few hours at a day spa getting a heavenly massage that will leave your body relaxed and your mind clear.
  

Good Nutrition. Here's how to combat stress with good nutrition.

• Eat Breakfast-Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain stable blood sugar levels and effective functioning during your busy morning; you need it!


• Opt for Green Tea-You can reduce your stress levels and improve mental performance by weaning yourself off of caffeine. An easy way to do this is to replace coffee with decaffeinated Green Tea.


• Try Sparkling Juice or Perrier-Both are a more healthful alternative to coffee. You'll still get a refreshing treat but you'll be adding water to your system!

What do you do to help relieve stress? Please share your stress-relieving tips with us!

Glen Ivy Poetry Contest

April is not only Stress Awareness Month, but also National Poetry Month! How is Glen Ivy celebrating you ask? Since writing helps to reduce stress and allows for better sleep, we thought we would combine the two while giving you a chance to win some passes to Glen Ivy Hot Springs!

Whether you choose to write a haiku, couplet, acrostic, or limerick, we're giving you creative freedom! The only requirements are that your poem must:

-be 100 words or less
-contain ALL of the following words: Spa, Stress, and Glen Ivy

Submit all entries to meghann.pracanica@glenivy.com by 10:00 a.m on Friday, April 16. The winner, and their poem, will be announced that afternoon. The winning poet will receive two complimentary spa admissions and lunch for two!

So grab a pen or pencil, tap into your creativity, and start writing! Who knows, maybe you're a poet and you just don't know it!!

Making a Difference: Chule Day at Glen Ivy

Lovable. Incredible. Giving. Generous. Those are just a few words that describe Dimitri and Vera Chule. The same words can also be used to describe the guests who donated non-perishable food items this past Saturday, April 3 in honor of "Chule Day."

With help from our guests, we were able to collect various food items that will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank in Riverside. In addition to the food donations, Glen Ivy Hot Springs will also be making a monetary contribution on behalf of the Chule family and our Glen Ivy guests.

We'd like to sincerely thank all those who contributed donations and we hope everyone will remember:

"Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference."--Barbara DeAngelis

Vote for the BEST March MUDness Photo!

Make sure to cast your vote for our grand prize photo! Hover over the image to enlarge the photo or click on name to place your vote. The March MUDness grand prize winner will receive 2 admission passes and 2 lunch vouchers for their next visit!

Voting ends Wednesday March 31 at 11 a.m. so vote now!

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who participated and voted! Congratulations to Suzanne who won our grand prize! Make sure and meet me in Club Mud every Wednesday in May for our "MUDDers Day" photo contest!

March MUDness--Winner #4

CONGRATULATIONS to our 4th and final weekly winner---Heather!! Heather and her friends seemed to be channeling a little Bob Marley as they created mud-made dreadlocks and accessories! It was definitely a team effort for this pic a big thanks goes out to all of the lovely ladies who created such a masterpiece!

-Heather-

March MUDness--Day 20

Today March MUDness came to a end and I couldn't help but think of how lucky we are to have such creative guests who aren't afraid to get a little dirty! With that being said, even though we only had a few participants today, we sure did have one big celebration! It was Barb's 50th birthday and she celebrated with a red clay mud cake made with love by her friend! Happy birthday to Barb from all of us here at Glen Ivy!

Thank you to all of our amazing and creative guests who participated in March MUDness!

-Happy 50th Birthday Barb-

-Bernie-

March MUDness--Day 19

With Easter just around the corner, it was only appropriate that we had our very own Club Mud bunny hopping around today! Along with the bunny we had mud crowns, mud facial hair, and mud horns!

Don't forget, voting for the March MUDness grand prize photo starts tomorrow afternoon! Make sure and stop by to cast your vote for your favorite photo!

-Regina-

-Elizabeth-

-Shari-

-Sandy-

-The rowdy group of the day!-

March MUDness--Day 18

It was quite a busy (and beautiful) day but I have to admit, I was a little startled when I rounded the corner to enter Club Mud. Immediately people noticed the clipboard and camera and scurried on over to sign up. Soon after that I was snappin' photos of our amazing March MUDness participants--just the way I like it!

Remember, there are only two more chances to enter or else you'll have to wait until next year!

-Heather-

-Heather and her artists-

-Shannon and her guests-

-Claire and guest-

-Look what Keri found!!-

-Nancy's butterfly-

-Claire showing how she loves Glen Ivy-

-Lauren showing her wild side!-

-Sheila and her guest-

March MUDness--Day 17

It was everything tribal today in Club Mud!! Guests used the red clay and leaves to create a jungle-like atmosphere. With beautiful weather and creative guests, what more could a girl ask for!?

-Mojdeh-

-Christian-

-Frank-

-Christian #2-

March MUDness--Day 16

Los Angeles Marathon runners descended on Club Mud today to show off their muddy muscles and proudly display that they conquered 26.2 miles yesterday! Congrats to all of the ladies who stopped by to play in the mud! You all helped kick off the 4th (and final) week of March MUDness with a bang! Enjoy the photos from today!

-Marie, Theresa, Barb, Ramona, Aleta-

-Omar and his guest-

-Suzanne-

-Amanda and her friends-

-Theresa-

-Juan and his guests-

-Aleta-

-Barb-

-Ramona-

-Marie-