Over 5 million people have discovered Kabbalah and improved the quality of their lives dramatically. The timeless principles of Kabbalah are for everyone who will not settle for second best.
It’s an incredible system of logic and a precise technology that will completely change the way you view your life.
Wellington, FL (January 4, 2010) — ArtStart would like to thank Barnes &Nobles and its patrons for their generosity this holiday season.ArtStart, whose mission is to provide educational opportunities in the arts, was selected as one of the non-profit organizations to work the Barnes and Noble gift wrapping table in December.The gift wrapping service is provided at no charge, however customers are free to give tips to the organization whose volunteers are wrapping their gifts. “As a result of our selection by Barnes & Noble,” said ArtStart founder and president Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi, “we collected enough in tips to fund one of our 2010 Youth Art Scholarships.We can’t thank Barnes & Noble, and their customers, enough for their generosity.”
ArtStart's Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi with Maryann Hanley of Barnes & Noble
Parssi said she was also pleased that among the ArtStart volunteers were a seven high school students* who were able to log community service hours by participating.“We want to thank all of our volunteers, without whose help we could never have managed,” she said. Volunteering for ArtStart were: Larry Adkinson; *Kaci Bennett; Suzanne Bennett; Marilyn Berns; Anne Boodheshwar; Bobbie Brubaker; Jenny Dixon; *Mary Dixon; *Brianna Erickson; Mary Inglis; *Allison Parssi; *Isabella Valdescruz; *Crystal Yan and *Felicia Yan.
ABOUT THE ARTSTART YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP
The ArtStart Youth Art Scholarship is available to 5th grade students who are applying for acceptance as visual arts majors at Bak Middle School of the Arts.The $250 scholarship is intended to help defray the cost of attending a portfolio development course, and may also pay for items such as art supplies and other materials needed to create a winning portfolio and increase the chances for a successful audition.
The deadline for submitting applications for the 2010 ArtStart Youth Art Scholarship is Friday, October 15, 2010.Applications may be downloaded by visiting www.ArtStartInc.org or obtained via e-mail at info@artstartinc.org.For more information, contact ArtStart at (561) 635-2037.
Monday, 2/22 @ 6:30 P.M. workshop at the Wellington LibraryBecoming an Effective Entrepreneur: Top 3 Time Management Strategies
In this one-hour workshop, Productivity Coach and Professional Organizer Claudine Motto will cover 3 key strategies every busy solo entrepreneur and home-based business owner should have in their arsenal to feel more in control of their workday, take more ideas from intention to reality, and get more of the right things done so that they’re continually moving forward on their goals.
I hope that you had a wonderful holiday season and found a little quiet time to enjoy it too! In my household, we are just catching up with the rest of the world and we finally got the Wii for Christmas, thanks to my Aunt Shirley. It’s truly a lot of fun for the whole family, as we can play virtually anything together now. As a bonus, we also got the Wii Fit Plus. So beyond the inner voice that nags at the beginning of the year about shedding some extra pounds, there’s that extra squeaky Wii voice that tells me to get on and off the board as it calculates my body fat, balance and other problematic areas.
Speaking of the New Year, we have several fresh perspectives on the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. If you need a good laugh, read Alan Williamson’s “Resolutions 2010.” This is too funny to be missed, so please read it, forward it, print it out and keep on the lighter side of things as you head into 2010, with a little help from Alan.
For a Mom’s take on things to come in 2010, visit our AW Stories of the Month and see Melanie Lewis’ plan for a big “Do-Over” in the next year.
For some great tips on getting fit this year, read Cheryl Alker’s “New Year’s Resolution Number One.” “Here at Around Wellington,” says Alker, “we would like to take the ‘Commitment to be Fit and Healthy’ pledge in 2010 and provide you with as much information as we can to keep you focused on your goals.”
And don’t forget Fido, as we head into the New Year! Frances Goodman gives helpful suggestions on better ways to communicate and exercise with your dog in “This is the Year to Do More with Your Dog.”
Getting to the important subject of inner self, Lisa Dawn Wax gives some terrific tips in her “Resolution #1: Manifest Happiness.” She starts it off with this beautiful quote from Anais Nin, “The time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” and furthers that thought, uplifting us along the way.
Don’t forget about our fabulous contests!This month we have our beginning-of-the-month contest to win a wonderful one-hour massage at Massage Envy. So please enter between January 1st – 10th. The winner will be announced on our website on January 11th. And then – listen up, parents – we will have a very special contest between January 15th – 20th and the lucky winner gets a ready-to-go birthday party at My Gym in Royal Palm Beach. THANKS to our advertisers for making these contests possible!
Do you need a “vacation in your own backyard?” I certainly did and found the perfect one last month at the newly re-opened Sanda Gane European Day Spa. This popular spa is now located just above Nicole’s Pasta & Grill on South Shore Boulevard in Wellington. Look for their ad or visit our AW Coupons for their unbeatable Grand Opening offer! In our AW Spotlight story, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Sanda Gane’s thoroughly relaxing spa this month.
I’m happy to introduce three new columnists. Shakira Muneswar takes a turn at “Mommy Moments” and writes about the problem-solving skills she needed to deal with her baby’s allergic reactions. Truly helpful insights, especially for new Moms and Dads who might be scratching their heads too, trying to figure out what’s going wrong.
Talented playwright and writer Marla Schwartz now writes our “Cultural Corner” and offers insights into the brilliant, dark mind of author Jeff Lindsay. He’s the author behind the #1 hit series “Dexter” on Showtime. Don’t miss her in-depth interview with him.
I’m also pleased to introduce Claudine Motto’s new monthly column “Ultimate Productivity.” You might be familiar with Claudine, who has written for our AW Stories of the Month for the past few months (see Archives). For the new year and especially designed for business owners, she provides her “7S Business Productivity Checklist” for jumpstarting your business in 2010.
Thanks for your continuing feedback and support of AroundWellington.com! I’m pleased to bring you the finest in community news in our online format each month, which is all possible thanks to our terrific advertisers and thanks to you, dear readers.
I’ve succeeded once again in being long-winded! And so my New Year’s Resolution, in addition to trying to lose 10 pounds, is to be more succinct. You know, fewer words. Brevity is the soul of wit and all that. OK, I’d better quit before it gets worse. Wishing you a beautiful start to the New Year!
Who can forget the covered bridges in the heart strings-pulling movie Bridges of Madison County?Romantics believe covered bridges exist for the sole purpose of stealing a kiss – resulting in the appropriate nickname of “Kissing Bridges!”There are other reasons these bridges are thought to have been covered.One belief was they were built to resemble barns so farm animals would feel more at home and not stampede as they were driven across rushing waters.Other explanations included:to keep snow off the bridges, to provide a place of shelter to travelers caught in a storm or to cover up the unsightly trusses.It is true that covered bridges were estimated to have a life expectancy three times greater than an uncovered bridge.
Whatever the reasons they were initially designed, today covered bridges are considered historical landmarks. These romantic structures from a bygone era appeal to our nostalgic side. Covered bridges – or the search for them – can provide an interesting travel experience. Most exist in off-the-beaten path locations and following the “turn at the second mailbox” directions can be challenging and entertaining!
Although Vermont and Oregon have the highest concentration of covered bridges, it is not necessary to head to the Northeast or the Pacific Northwest to find these nostalgic structures. The Southeast is home to numerous covered bridges in the beautiful state of Alabama.
Covered bridges in Alabama are scattered throughout the state.Almost all of these structures have historical significance. The Alamuchee Bridge built in 1861 was used by Confederate General Nathan to move his troops into Mississippi during the Civil War.Now relocated to the campus of the University of West Alabama in Livingston, the bridge’s original location was at Alamuchee Creek and was the site where horse thief Steve Renfroe – the county sheriff – was executed by hanging!
Cullman County is home to the Clarkson-Legg Bridge which stretches 250 feet across a gorge cut by Crooked Creek. James Wordlaw Legg, a local mail carrier for the Clarkson Post Office, donated all the materials to build this bridge in 1908 to improve transportation in the area. What an excellent community service!
Built in 1861, the Kymulga Bridge spans Talledega Creek in the old Kymulga community near Childersburg. The bridge was built before the Civil War and a gristmill was constructed there during the war. Today the bridge and the mill are open to the public. Visitors can see corn ground with the original millstones imported from France.
Also crossing the Talledega Creek in the Waldo community is the Waldo Bridge. This historical bridge was used by Wilson’s Raiders during the Civil War. It is located near Riddle’s Hole, an 1840 gold mine that continued operations until World War II. The gristmill at this bridge has been converted into a restaurant.
The Horton Mill Bridge
Blount County, Alabama is known as the Covered Bridge Capital of Alabama and is home to the annual Covered Bridge Festival held each year in October. The festival offers many events including a golf tournament, a 5K race and Fun Run, car show, arts and crafts booths and live entertainment. There is even a Doggy Parade where canines are dressed up to compete for the coveted title of Covered Bridge Festival Doggy King and Queen!The Miss Covered Bridge Pageant is also held in October at the Oneonta High School auditorium.The beauty pageant is a preliminary competition to the Miss Alabama pageant.www.blountoneontachanmber.org/covered-bridge-festival
The Easley Bridge
Nearby in Noccalula Falls Park just outside the city of Gadsden stands the Gilliland Bridge.Moved to the park from its original location at the Gilliland Plantation in Reese City, it is said a wedding took place at the bridge when a couple happened to meet the preacher there after going to Gadsden to get their marriage license! And that brings us back to the most romantic reason for covered bridges – kissing!
For more information on Alabama’s covered bridges and other attractions, visit www.alabama.travel.
Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. You can contact Terri at tfarris60@hotmail.com.
Everyone has certain objects and activities that make them happy. I was once asked to write a list of four things that make me content. The following paragraphs describe some items and events that allow me to escape my troubles and enjoy life as it is.
Every summer I go to Lee, Massachusetts, to spend a week in the Berkshire Mountains. When I arrive, the first thing I look forward to is kayaking in the middle of Goose Pond. Nothing is greater than paddling in the steady waters while the wind blows softly and a few clouds drift across the sky. I especially enjoy sharing this experience with my friends and family.
When I am not gliding on the water, I am often listening to comedy. Whether I am listening to stand-up comedians like Bill Maher and Paula Poundstone, or watching shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, I am always in the mood for a good laugh. I have a vast collection of recordings of the political satire group The Capitol Steps.Of course, humor is a gift to be shared, and I always look for an opportunity to enjoy comedy with my peers.
Another enjoyment of mine is trivia, whether it is factual, historical or aspects of pop culture. Every Saturday at 11:00 AM, I turn on my radio to WLRN to listen to National Public Radio’s Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me, the oddly informative news quiz show. In addition to a humorous recap of the week’s news, the show also reveals interesting scientific information, like research showing that mice can sing. Additionally, I own countless books with “useless” information like “roughly twelve percent of all workers in the US at some point have worked at a McDonalds.” Another aspect of trivia that I find fascinating is fact-checking. Whenever I hear a friend or relative state a questionable statistic, I head to websites like snopes.com to prove its validity.
All of the previous pleasures I have mentioned I grew to love over time. However, I can certainly say that I hold a special place in my heart… for cheese. Brie, Parmesan, Cheddar, Colby-Jack, Manchego, Provolone, Asiago, and bleu – these are all my friends. Ever since I could eat solid food, I have consumed cheese in one form or another. In fact, up until I was four years old, cheese was the only thing I would eat. Now, almost every morning I eat a string cheese, juice, and cereal for breakfast. For lunch I eat a turkey and cheese sandwich. As for dinner, there is usually a fifty percent chance that cheese will be involved in some way.
I have yet to combine these pleasures, but to do so would be an interesting experiment. Perhaps the day will come when I am kayaking in the middle of a lake while listening to a podcast of George Carlin performing a routine about trivial things, as I snack on cubes of sharp Cheddar. That would be a day of sublime happiness.
Evan Baumel is a senior at Wellington High School. He’s involved in Debate, National Honor Society, Key Club, politics and writes for the school newspaper.
Co-owners Sanda Gané and Maxine Turner at their newly re-opened European Day Spa, located just above Nicole's Pasta & Grill in Wellington
By Krista Martinelli
Sanda Gané is known for her relaxing facials, facials that make a big difference in the quality and future care of your skin. As many long-time Wellington residents know, she ran her busy European Day Spa in the old plaza on Forest Hill Boulevard, across from the original Wellington Mall, for twenty one years. After a brief hiatus, she and co-owner Maxine Turner have re-opened their spa in a new, “tucked away” and quiet location, upstairs above Nicole’s Pasta & Grill on South Shore Boulevard. Same great staff, same great services including facial, massage, manicure, pedicure, waxing and more!
Now Sanda Gané is bringing a new component to her award-winning spa, educational workshops that improve your body, heart and soul connection with Maxine Jones. Jones is an international speaker trainer and healer, the author of six books and the former director of programs at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires.
Quietly relaxing in between appointments at Sanda Gané European Day Spa
It’s always a good thing to hear that your massage therapist has been working at the same spa for (now) twenty years. It’s another good thing to feel relaxed enough that you accidentally fall asleep during the massage. That’s what happened to me, just for a small part of it, when I thoroughly enjoyed my one-hour massage at Sanda Gané!
“We have a wonderful team of qualified technicians, who customize their services for our clients. I love the synergy here,” says Sanda. “We have a lot of advanced education to personalize skin care and facials. There’s a big difference between saying it and doing it. We are doing it!” For example, explains Sanda, some spas might treat a woman for her facial needs with just one type of “cookie cutter” product. However, every face has different needs. They listen to what products and routines are already in place then they often recommend just a slight change to the routine or one change in product, which adds that special glow while nourishing the skin just perfectly.
When we visited Sanda Gane, my friend got a facial and warned Sanda before going into the room, “You will have a challenge with my skin!” She spends a lot of time outdoors and doesn’t always remember sunscreen. When she emerged – happily – from her facial, she had that healthy glow and she was thoroughly impressed with the visible change in her skin.
What makes the Sanda Gane Spa stand out from so many other local spas? “We truly build relationships with the people we serve,” says Sanda. I witnessed this, as I was having my pedicure. The spa had just re-opened in its new location during the holidays. Many long-time clients came in, embracing Sanda and her staff as old friends.
They get to know their clients and also do the important last step of asking if their services were up to expectations. “At the end of a facial treatment, we always hold up a mirror and ask, ‘Have we achieved what you wanted?’” It’s all about little changes, according to Sanda.
“We learn our clients’ wants and needs. We customize the best treatments for fabulous results.” The spa offers a range of services, including manicures, pedicures, acrylics, waxing, facials, massages, group parties and more. The state-of-the-art pedicure chairs provide a gentle touch massage, as well as a deep Shiatsu massage.
Now with her new location above Nicole’s on South Shore Boulevard in Wellington and with her new business partner Maxine Turner, Gané plans to give clients the VIP treatment they enjoy so much when “escaping” to a spa. In the beautifully-appointed rooms, they offer ginger, honey, chamomile and raspberry tea, as well as coffee or lemon-infused water to clients. Personalized attention and an inviting manner is what they are all about at Sanda Gané European Day Spa.
In addition to the great spa treatments, clients get the chance to take workshops with Atlanta-based author, psychologist and life coach Maxine Jones approximately once a month. Gané owns another spa in Cummings, Georgia (near Atlanta) with Jones, her other business partner. Jones has been doing amazing, soul-empowering work for over 35 years, including coaching, stress reduction, yoga, energy healing, connecting and communicating with your animals (including your horse) and, as Gané describes it, “empowering magnificence.”
We have found at Sanda Gane your attitude; sense of self and peace of mind influence your total well-being. Just like your body, your spirit needs to be supported and nourished to enrich your beauty and life. Gané is excited to share this added component with her clients.
Gané comes from Romania originally, where she studied with many experts on subjects like hormone replacement therapy, skin rejuvenation and facial skin care. She’s been in the skin care and related spa business for 36 years now, bringing a high-level of expertise to an area where women do not want to take chances – skin care. She’s traveled to Hong Kong, all over Europe and Canada in pursuit of new facial products, as well as furthering her own education along the way.
With three daughters who grew up in Wellington, Gané is proud of her growing family. Ana, who was the VP of Gané’s former company, now lives in Hawaii with her husband and daughter Aria (1) and son Joshua (3). Daughter Neda was the first American champion of Extreme Sports (for roller blading on tubes) and lives with her husband and 8-year-old daughter Stacibella. And daughter Nora works in advertising in Santa Monica, California, happily married with no kids but with two Great Danes.
Gift certificates to the Sanda Gané European Day Spa are always available upon request and are “the nicest thing to give,” as Sanda says. “They don’t require a color or a size and are always the perfect thing to make someone feel special.”
Coming soon…Sanda Gané will be writing a monthly column on the subject of skin care for AroundWellington.com called “Sanda and You!”Look for it soon on our “left menu” of columns.
Very Special offer! Sanda Gané is offering a FREE facial to
A relaxing pedicure
the first 50 customers who call, normally a $99 value. See our AW Coupons page and print out the coupon to present in person. Please call ahead to reserve appointment.
For a true vacation in your own Wellington-area backyard, visit Sanda Gané European Day Spa!Your glowing face, happy hands and sexy toes will thank you for it!
With the New Year come many new and fresh things, including some anticipated science-fiction movies. This month brings a few promising and must see films for those fans of this beloved genre.
Apocalypse, vampires, angels and wastelands are just the beginning for these upcoming films…
Daybreakers – January 8th
This movie is about a mysterious plague that has transformed almost all of Earth’s population into vampires. The few remaining humans have to hide because they are being hunted by the vampires. Once captured, humans are farmed for the consumption of vampires.
Eventually, though, there will be no more humans left to feast from. But, a vampire researcher named Edward Dalton, who won’t drink human blood, says that he can perfect a blood substitute for all vampires to drink and spare the remaining humans.
However, Edward’s time is running out and hope is diminishing; that’s when he meets a human girl named Audrey who lets him know about a shocking breakthrough in medicine that both humans and vampires will desperately want. Now Edward has to battle his own kind for a struggle that will determine the fate of all humans.
The Book of Eli – January 15th
This story is set in the near future, about 30 years from the last war. A man named Eli walks all over the lonely and empty cities of what used to be America. With destruction all around him and no laws or civilization, the streets belong to murdering gangs. These savages kill for necessities, or often even just for the thrill.
Eli, now a warrior, is seeking peace, but as his description says, he will kill if attacked or provoked. He says he does not defend his life, but his hope for a better future, which he has carried for 30 long years.
Eli continues to fight for something greater and does what he must to survive. But, one man knows what power Eli has and wants it for himself. This man is called Carneige and he is the head of a town made of thieves and gunmen.
Carneige’s daughter, Solara, is drawn to Eli because he can show her that there is much more beyond her stepfather’s makeshift town. Eli, however, won’t be deterred by either one of those two as he keeps going so he can fulfill his destiny of helping the desolated and destroyed humanity.
Legion – January22nd
In this film God loses all faith in mankind and sends his legion of angels to destroy all humans and bring on the Apocalypse. An archangel named Michael voluntarily falls to Earth to help the human race by saving the savior of mankind.
Unfortunately, this savior hasn’t been born yet. However, his mom is working at a remote truck stop diner as a waitress where she and a group of other humans are trapped when the legion of angels descends.
This group of strangers at the diner is the first line of defense against the legion. With the help of the archangel Michael they must save the world and make sure that the waitress’ baby is safe so he can be born to be the savior of humankind.
Sky events this month, January of 2010:
The First Quarter Moon will be on Thursday the7th, then the New Moon happens on Friday the 15th. Following, will be a Last Quarter Moon on Saturday the 23rd with the Full Moon occurring on Saturday the 30th.
The planet Mars will be making a remarkable show this January, as it will reach opposition on Friday the 29th. Mars will appear large and orange as it lies against the background of Cancer the Crab. The Red Planet rises at about 9:00 or 10:00 pm EST, but it’s best viewed when it is high in the sky at about midnight.
Orion, Sirius, the Pleiades, the Hyades and Aldebaran continue to dazzle the winter skies. In plain full view by 8:00 pm EST, they make great observing objects. With binoculars, the Orion nebula is sure to be a wonderful sight, even better with a small to medium telescope.
Watch for the Quadrantid meteor shower on Sunday the 3rd, when it peaks. You should be able to see a few meteors with the naked eye in relatively dark and clear skies.
Anna Sanclement writes from home and has recently started to write articles for various Internet sites. She has also finished a novel and has written many stories and a movie script, just for fun.
The 2010 Komen South Florida Race for the Cure on Jan. 30th
Where: On the waterfront in downtown West Palm Beach. Activities also take place at the Meyer Amphitheater at 104 Datura St.
When: Jan. 30
Registration: At komensouthflorida.org; or in person at: Town Center at Boca Raton, Nordstrom Wing, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 26; Boynton Beach Mall, entrance to JC Penney. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; The Mall at Wellington Green, Fit2Run Store. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 27; The Gardens Mall, Center Court, 11-7 p.m. Jan. 23. For additional registration sites and more information, call 1-888-470-6374.
Our Vision – A world without breast cancer.
Our Promise – To save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cure.
About the Komen Race
Today, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists. Breast cancer is not predictable – it is a random disease. There are no boundaries – age, race, religion, socioeconomic status are not factors. It is the leading cause of death among women ages 40 – 59. Breast cancer strikes women during their most productive years – both personally and professionally. Everyone is affected by breast cancer – it’s a family disease. We don’t know what causes it, and we don’t have a cure. Early detection is critical, providing more treatment options and a greater chance of survival.
The South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has a service area of Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties. We partner with many local nonprofit organizations to help raise breast cancer awareness and provide much needed funds to serve our community and save lives. Empowering people is important to us.
By supporting the local Affiliate and the Susan G. Komen South Florida Race for the Cure®, you can make a difference right here in our community today as well as help fund research that is necessary to end breast cancer forever.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure has played a critical role in every major advance in the fight against breast cancer over the past 25 years – transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease. We have helped turn millions of breast cancer patients into breast cancer survivors. With more than $1.3 billion invested to date, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world’s single largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to curing breast cancer at every stage – from the causes, to the cures, to the pain and anxiety of every moment in between.
When we visited Sanda Gane, my friend got a facial and warned Sanda before going into the room, “You will have a challenge with my skin!” She spends a lot of time outdoors and doesn’t always remember sunscreen. When she emerged – happily – from her facial, she had that healthy glow and she was thoroughly impressed with the visible change in her skin.
Now with her new location above Nicole’s on South Shore Boulevard in Wellington and with her new business partner Maxine Turner, Gané plans to give clients the VIP treatment they enjoy so much when “escaping” to a spa. In the beautifully-appointed rooms, they offer ginger, honey, chamomile and raspberry tea, as well as coffee or lemon-infused water to clients. Personalized attention and an inviting manner is what they are all about at Sanda Gané European Day Spa.
