Spanista » Self Care Rituals, Reflections & Resources for Joyful Living by Ginny Shiverdecker

  • Spa Style & Self Care Reflections, Rituals and Resources for Joyful Living

    photo Bloglovin_zps72269c6c.png

  • About Spanista

    Ginny Shiverdecker, Creator of Spanista is Spa Wellness Enthusiast, Adventurer Seeker and Brand Builder.
    Ginny is……Read more

Les Institutionelles – Trilogy Skincare SetDear Wellness Seekers,

Friday Wellness Tip: Schedule Rejuvenating Spring Facial. Your skin will welcome the relief from the long winter’s impact. Whether you are a man or a woman, there is nothing like a facial to feel renewed. And you will realize the Emotional Fitness Value too. Allowing your skin to breathe anew after the dry winter that affects the skin. Really is an essential step to healthy skin and reinforced self-esteem to start of every season.

To receive maximum benefits it makes sense to make an appointment with a professional esthetician at a Spa that specialized in skin hygiene. But if time is an issue right now then take 30 minutes to perform a simple DIY Saturday Treatment. Better to take the personal time for this Self Care Ritual at home then miss the opportunity. Here is are basic steps – cleanse, exfoliate, tone, nourish and moisturizer. Here is a simple recipe:

1. Get yourself some facial mud from your local health food store like your local Whole Foods.  I’m especially excited about the Trilogy Vital Moisturizing Cream. This emerging New Zealand skin-care company creates luxurious and effective blends of pure plant oils and botanical extracts. You can learn more about botanical-based skin care on WholeFoods.com skin care resource pages. ) By the way, depending upon where you live you may see Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris there on a date!)

2. Wash your face thoroughly with warm water, using a warm wash cloth to open the pores. Smooth on the mud and let it dry. Rinse thoroughly and splash your face with cool water.

3. If you can get a larger supply, and you have a partner, you might want to can do each other’s backs or bodies. Then shower off together.

In fact if you have the opportunity, Spanista suggests considering a full body exfoliation massage service at your favorite spa. This is a wonderful escape for a couple on the weekend. If you have experienced this before, you appreciate the many benefits that come with it. Now, if you are new to this style of treatment it is invigorating and promises to help you feel glorious all over. This is both stimulating and relaxing as it is simply a proper mud application that is infused with natural healing agents by a talented and knowledgable therapist. This is exhilarating, while it renews your skin after detoxifying time in a wrapper – a time to relax and reflect while your skin absorbs the nutrients.

This can be a wonderful couples experience too if you and your partner are so inclined because it also includes an enjoyable massage.

Friday Wellness Tip: Schedule Rejuvenating Spring Facial. At minimum, I invite you to devote Self Care Ritual time to a Spring Facial Therapy as a priority in my healing and rejuvenation. Once you make this a seasonal ritual you will not have it any other way. For me I am going to Spa Evangeline at the Epicurean Hotel for my treatment. Can not wait.

What is your favorite Facial Brand and why?

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

P.S. Photo Credit to Estheticology.com.

Back to TopEmail PostTweet PostSubscribe

Oxford-Exchange-Features-Spa-Savvy-Cote-Bastide-3.jpegPINIMAGEOxford-Exchange-Features-Spa-Savvy-Cote-Bastide-4.jpegPINIMAGE

Dear Wellness Seekers,

Oxford Exchange Features Spa Savvy Cote Bastide Collection as a very happy discovery – Ooo la la!  There is only one other time I came upon this inspired body centric lifestyle brand and that was in Melbourne, Australia. I would have never in my wildest dreams have expected it to be so well presented at of all places the Oxford Exchange here is Tampa.

As Spring arrives it beacons a fresh new scent to embrace the season and to renew the spirit and soul. The process of bathing – the act of slowly washing clean with a special bath and body collection and wrapping your body in fresh linens so close to the skin is the ultimate in simple self care pleasures for a Spanista. Your body is a temple and deserves to be treated as such.

Cote Bastide is so Spanista’s view of Spa Chic Style as it is inspired by the desire for rediscovering the simple pleasures of everyday life.  The encouragement to care for our wellbeing by slowing down our pace, to indulge the senses with beautiful scents and sensations of body care products that are made with the purist of intentions and ingredients, is the priority here. This is brought to us by a savvy French woman who understands how to cultivate beauty through The Art of Living. Her successful range of products includes fragrance, fashion and home traditions. Evocative feelings emerge from this simply inspiring, high touch, high quality concept.

Oxford Exchange curates the Cote Bastide Collection into a Self Care Indulgence presentation that captivates. You can see the range of fragrances in these pics. Two collections call out to me right now –

1. Tilleul is a fragrance of youth and fairy spring forest. This scent is as intoxicating as youth and young trees in spring. You feel like you are standing under a tree on which small, green, sticky leaves are growing and spring is flourishing around you and inside you. The top notes include lemon blossom and watermelon. The heart contains cyclamen and linden blossom.

2. Argan Oil is advocated as a powerful moisturizing oil that works against flaking of the skin as well as for nourishing the hair. This oil has also medicinal uses against rheumatism and the healing of burns. Externally, argan oil is used for hair as brilliantine to fortify and in the treatment of wrinkled or scaly dry skin. Moroccans traditionally use unroasted argan oil to treat skin diseases, and as a cosmetic oil for skin and hair.

Oxford-Exchange-Features-Spa-Savvy-Cote-Bastide-5.jpegPINIMAGE

Oxford Exchange Features Spa Savvy Cote Bastide Collection is about enjoying the simple pleasures of life as Spring arrives. Why not treat yourself to a fresh, mood enhancing fragrance in the perfect Self Care package – a candle, bath rock crystals, milled soap and body milk along with a unique cleaning mitt and a few sumptuous towels? After all you deserve it!  It is a great way to enjoy the weekend – So why not enjoy shopping for it and enjoying it?

If you do try Cote Bastide why not share your experience here with your Spanista friends?

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

Back to TopEmail PostTweet PostSubscribe

Bookaholics-Love-Affair-TampaPINIMAGEBookaholics-Love-Affair-TampaPINIMAGE

Dear Wellness Seekers,

Bookaholics Love Affair Tampa’s Oxford Exchange offers another dimension for Wellness Seekers to enjoy. From my impressions the foundation of the Oxford Exchange is established on a true Love of Books – Yes, it really is a Book Store that is books in the traditional sense we cherish, both new and old. The sheer artistry of them we now have come to cherish in the way the look and feel, the sense of presence and the promise they hold, the intellect they exude and the escape they inspire in our imaginations. However this is no ordinary bookstore – it is far more than that.

If you have been to this great Book Store won’t you share your story?

Everywhere you turn you will see that books are applied as anchors of design.  They bring about a symbolic richness to life in an ever so clever fashion. To me the ability to read is a gift from the heavens – the door to an expansive world of knowledge, adventure and entertainment. When you walk into Oxford Exchange Bookstore this is how it makes you feel. Somehow the world has opened up to you in this relaxed, refined, indulging sense. South Tampa has a deep history that comes to life at Oxford Exchange – a celebration of our connection to its neighbor, the University of Tampa. Spanista’s appreciate this as a place of reflection with reading as an extraordinary Self Care Ritual for cultivating personal insight about our journey in life and our role in the world.

Bookaholics-Love-Affair-TampaPINIMAGEBookaholics-Love-Affair-TampaPINIMAGE

There is a devotion here at Oxford Exchange to experiential reading for any motivation. The ambiance supports a comfortable Book Lover’s experience. Let’s count the ways:

1. The TeBella Tea bar for renewal

2. Buddy Brew artisan roasted coffee bar for energy

3. Spacious reading lounge for comfort

4. Accessible, inspiring curated book collection for inspiration

5. Small indulgences for capturing your sparks of genius in the moment

Bookaholics-Love-Affair-TampaPINIMAGE

Bookaholics Love Affair Tampa’s Oxford Exchange helps us appreciate the romance of curated book collections like Rizzoli books, as they come to life in a modern and enjoyable new way. Any Spanista would thrive on a place like this – A place where one can absorb the positive energy of the surroundings and the types of people who spend time there, who respect the written word and treasure the timelessness of the classics like this John Steinbeck’s, The Winter of Our Discontent published in 1961 pictured here. It’s my kind of place. Is this your kind of place too? Do tell us!

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

 

Back to TopEmail PostTweet PostSubscribe

Oxford-Exchange-Eatery-&-Emporium-7.jpegPINIMAGEOxford-Exchange-Eatery-&-Emporium-1.jpegPINIMAGE

Dear Wellness Seekers,

Oxford Exchange Eatery & Emporium Offers Lifestyle Treasures is Part Two of this week’s series featuring this one of a kind destination in Tampa, Florida.

Spanista sees it as an example of true expression of Spa Chic Style because it is warm, inviting, grounded in the history yet ever so sophisticated. Contributing to the enjoyment of my recent visit was the wonderful boutique like atmosphere and fantastic presentation of the tastefully curated collection of offerings.

Let’s start by talking food at Oxford Exchange. There are two seating areas – an interior salon setting  and a patio. As you can see, the patios is so inviting flooded with bright light from atrium style skylights. Open and airy it is surprisingly conducive to conversation with out the usual noise that come with a space that is full of people at peak time. The brunch menu was delightful with a range of indulgences. The Executive Chef is Erin Guggiano. She was named Top 10 Under 40 by South Tampa Magazine. This woman brings a new approach to fresh to life. Stand outs on this particular day are the richest banana pancakes I ever saw, a healthy kale egg white scramble onto a lobster club with sweet potato. My friend chooses the lobster club. Feeling the Spanista need to eat clean I choose the scramble. So yummy we lingered over many topics.

With food now ticked off the list of things to do, we move on. Within the architectural framework these pics attempt to give you a sense of the broader experience. The expansive space flows comfortably from one themed zone to another. There are charming tableau settings that are ever so artful. You just want to step back and take in ever element while appreciating the talented point of view that set these scenes for all to enjoy. We are compelled to touch everything in sight!

My impression of the Lifestyle Immersion Zones:

1. Precious adornments for the collector

2. Pillows, throws and decor for the comfortable the home great room

3. Cooking inspiration – books, kitchen linens, table ware for the foodies

4. Personal enrichments and treasures for life in the study or office

Oxford-Exchange-Eatery-&-Emporium-4.jpegPINIMAGEOxford-Exchange-Eatery-&-Emporium-5.jpegPINIMAGE

 

Oxford-Exchange-Eatery-&-Emporium-2.jpegPINIMAGEOxford-Exchange-Eatery-&-Emporium-6.jpegPINIMAGE

Oxford Exchange Eatery & Emporium Offers Lifestyle Treasures is designed to bring you into the experience with Spanista. It is so delicious it is easy to escape in a place like this – frankly one almost feels like wanting to move right in! This could only get better with a Day Spa experience s part of the service offering. There is more to share so I will be doing a couple more posts this week so you get the many dimensions this place has to offer. Come back tomorrow for more to see.

Love to hear what is attractive to you about Oxford Exchange. Let me know if you have questions about its location or offerings?

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

Back to TopEmail PostTweet PostSubscribe

Good-News-Monday:-Oxford-Exchange-1.jpegPINIMAGEGood-News-Monday:-Oxford-Exchange-3.jpegPINIMAGEDear Wellness Seekers,

Good News Monday: Oxford Exchange Exceeds Expectations offers a glimpse into someplace special here in Tampa. Always on the lookout for new, exciting experiences to share with our Spanista friends who are seeking something richer in restaurants beyond great food – A Spanista wants to feel something special that lingers on through ambiance, settings or culture. The proprietor who wins our hearts sets a greater context for food that transcends satisfying the taste buds. Would you agree?

The Oxford Exchange I am happy to share, exceeded my expectations on this criteria. I heard about Oxford Exchange from a few friends in our SoHo neighborhood. So I checked out the website. It looked promising. Especially the background story about the spirited woman behind it. A great Spanista Self Care Ritual is to spend quality time with a friend you hold dear to spend quality time sharing life’s experiences and plans. So I promised myself I would set plans for brunch with my long time friend Kathleen while I was in Tampa. We both wanted to see it for the first time together. We met there this weekend for several hours of play time.

This is Part One: The Introduction to The Oxford Exchange. It deserves chapter features for your to enjoy. The location is just across the river to downtown Tampa and across the street from the University of Tampa which is growing in many ways. The architecture in this area is early 1920’s when the country was in an economic boom post WWI. Beautiful bones provide structural integrity that responds well to restoration. modern updated interiors. The modern updated interior design work is fabulous. Attention to detail sets it apart. I was especially taken in by the expansiveness of the environment – the layout flowed nicely from setting to setting. Each with its own clear purpose – Coffee bar separate from the Tea bar, a lifestyle boutique, an interior and exterior restaurant and a book store all on the first level. There are also special rooms for events on the second floor.

Good-News-Monday:-Oxford-Exchange-5.jpegPINIMAGEGood-News-Monday:-Oxford-Exchange-2.jpegPINIMAGE

Here are my top 3 impressions:

1. Luscious, spacious place to escape into another world – the kind of place you could spend a couple of hours with friends, have a power business breakfast or spend periods of time reading or laying out your Self Care plans for the season ahead over a fantastic herbal tea or coffee blend.

2. Refined taste captures its essence – it is Spa Chic Style personified featuring little things that add meaning to daily life you just have.

3. After leaving one feels time spent was life well lived – you leave it feeling grateful for having such a quality place in our tropical, lay back city on the bay.

Good-News-Monday:-Oxford-Exchange-6.jpegPINIMAGE

Good News Monday: Oxford Exchange Exceeds Expectations is a fun story to share as an introduction to this unique Tampa destination with you. As I have spent quality time in Oxford, England immersed in its culture while at Oxford University, I was pleased to see the spirit of this intellectual world is translated into this space through contemporary times. The qualities of the cathedral of learning carry over the ocean well.  A testament to a world-class curator’s intellect talent. It is now a Spanista destination. Please visit tomorrow to see Part 2 of our recent experience.

Spanista wants to know – Have you been there? What do you think?

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

Back to TopEmail PostTweet PostSubscribe