thank you for all your fabulous feedback on what you'd like to see added in our survey.

per your request, look for an early morning class on tuesdays with jen, on-the-go offerings, prenatal with susanna, baby + me with mary catherine, plus a restorative class with mary catherine - the perfect finale to your weekend.

this *new* schedule starts after labor day weekend. namaste.

our good friends at bittersweet designs out of sante fe made the trip to the show and commented that they enjoyed the new space. as expected they had a spectacular booth space, full of their signature style. look for more of their vintage adjustable rings and mini composition books to arrive soon. enjoy the view of the new facility and the beautiful display of bittersweet designs.

after a quick snack and couple of tunes on my ipod, i took the shuttle bus from the javitz to piers 92 & 94. located on the hudson river this showroom and event space is near a path where you can see runners, bikers and rollerbladers all enjoying the stretch of terrain that traces the west side highway. pier 94 showcases the at home collection and it's where you can find just about anything you could need for your home or housewares store. pier 92 features new york's newest , and as you would expect from the name, it has the newest designers that new york has to offer. many of our favorites including earthlust made their debut at the piers. and we are happy that we made the little jaunt to be one of the first in the area to carry their bottles. below are a few examples of the booths in piers.

this has been a fun way to share the experience of the gift show with you. hopefully you have enjoyed our little 'trip' together. over the next few days, i will be gathering all the information that i have obtained at the show. my hope is to incorporate some of the new finds that were discovered. orders of your favorites will arrive shortly. our next visit will be in january and even more changes to the javitz center will be completed by then. as i exit the convention center doors the final time, i wave to the statue of jacob javitz and i say 'peace, see you in january'.

sustainability and eco-consciousness are just as much a part of the gift fair as they are to us at the tranquil space boutique. there is a prominent display on the main floor of the javitz center that showcases some of the market's top eco-friendly products. some include items we currently carry to new brand names we may want to get familiar with. everything from shoes down to housewares. i've included a sample below.

earthlust water bottles

kio kio soaps from new zealand

there is quite a bit of area yet to be covered. tomorrow i will venture to the new york piers where many more surprises await me. i am sorry to report there are no pictures of fabulous outfits to share today, but hopefully my luck will change tomorrow. i mean, who doesn't love new york fashion?

today's post is short and to the point. i feel i am still looking for the elusive perfect gift to add to the boutique offerings. after i digest everything that i have seen thus far i will give you the final report and what i discover at the piers.

a massage works in wonderful ways, easing stress and pain, calming the nervous system, increasing circulation, loosening tight muscles, stimulating internal organs, and enhancing skin. massage feels good. of course, you want to hold on to that just-had-a-massage feeling -- total body relaxation, muscles relaxed and at ease, and fluid movement restored -- for as long as possible.

but how long that bliss lasts depends on the state of your body. if you're suffering from chronic pain or recovering from injury, then it may take more sessions before optimal health is restored.

if massage is part of your regular health regimen, then it's more likely the effects will endure. in other words, the effects of massage are cumulative, like any healthy habit. the more often you get a massage, the greater and longer-lasting the benefits.

frequency: how often you receive massage depends on why you're seeking massage. in dealing with the general tension of everyday commutes, computer work, and time demands, a monthly massage may be enough to sustain you. on the other hand, if you're seeking massage for chronic pain, you may need regular treatments every week or two. or if you're addressing an acute injury or dealing with high levels of stress, you may need more frequent sessions. your situation will dictate the optimum time between treatments, and your practitioner will work with you to determine the best course of action.

you need to consider how you felt before the session and how you felt after, and then look at how long you maintain that; in general, experts say "regular" is preferable, but how regular depends on your situation. while daily massage would be delightful, practical considerations such as cost, time, and physical need likely determine the frequency of treatments. it's best to maintain a schedule, that way the body becomes conditioned and prepared for session at specific intervals.

maintenance: whether you get a massage weekly, monthly, or just every once in a while, the following habits can maximize and extend the afterglow of treatment.

water: one bit of advice you'll hear over and over again is to drink plenty of water after a massage. bodywork releases toxins, such as lactic acid and carbonic acid that need to be flushed from the body. massage also promotes circulation, increasing blood flow and oxygen and stimulating the lymphatic system, which helps rid the body of pathogens. after-massage hydration supports these functions, helping to eliminate released impurities, sooner rather than later.

stretching: another helpful habit is stretching between massages to maintain joint mobility, prevent muscles from tightening up again, and keeping the life energy flowing. this may mean doing yoga or whatever specific or full-body stretches suggested by your practitioner.

exercise: working out can also help maintain the benefits of massage, and this habit should be continually cultivated. however, if you're receiving massage therapy to help speed muscle strain recovery, you may need to ease up on the exercise for a while and give the body time to heal.

body awareness: after a massage, respect how your body feels. if your body seems to ask for rest, give in to that demand. this may mean backing off the to-do list, taking it easy, moving slower, and perhaps doing less for a while. and don't allow yourself to get fatigued because it will undermine the effects of massage. get sufficient sleep to allow the body to absorb the effects and regain vitality.

diet: finally, since you've just rid the body of toxins, support the body's renewed state by adhering to a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, which will continue the detoxification process. lay off the espresso and all adrenaline-challenges for a time -- which would short-circuit relaxation anyway -- and enjoy the calm.

after receiving a massage, clients feel rejuvenated, relaxed, and refreshed. by opting for a few lifestyle choices, you can extend these benefits and get the most out of your massage.

from sogbe konate, LMT, to schedule a massage with sogbe call the studio at 202.328.9642.

the goal of these buying trips is to find new merchandise and reorder best sellers. the gift fair is held at the jacob javitz center, which is named after new york senator jacob k. javitz. the building has over 675,000 square feet of exhibition space and was recently renovated.

i hope you are ready to walk and packed your most comfortable walking shoes, because you are going to put your feet to the test. each aisle is filled with vendors from around the world, who have rented booth space showing the latest arrivals in their lines. anyone from large corporate names to small business owners are here with the hope of selling to retailers across the country and further.

boutique favorites such as papaya, curly girl, paddywax, earthlust and others are here to help us stock up for the final two quarters of the year. speaking of earthlust, i am very excited about the new designs of water bottles that are sure to be a hit. we also ordered more of the fantastic stainless steel bottle for children and replacement nipples. check out the pictures from the paddywax and earthlust booths.

one of my favorite things to do at the show is people watch. you have people from different backgrounds and cultures, how could it not be fun to people watch? as i was leaving one of the large aisles on the top floor of the convention center, i noticed a guy who was dressed rather snazzy. i could not let the opportunity pass, so i asked to snap a picture to share with my readers. here is ben of jonathan adler. ain't he cute?

here is a product that was new to me. it's called the vapur (the anti-bottle), which is a water bottle alternative. it's made of bpa free plastic and can be rolled, folded or flatted when empty. you can even freeze your tasty beverage and have it cold when you arrive at your destination. i'll have more information when i return, so stop me if you have any questions. what do you think of this new potential product? leave me a comment after the post. hope you have enjoyed our first day at the gift fair. more tomorrow.

voila, our latest schedule freshly sent to the press!
a new look inspired by our soon-to-arrive newly designed website.
we hope you love it and find it to offer even more tranquility.
join us and uncover your own tranquil space within.
namaste.

we hope that our peeps in arlington are enjoying the new studio and getting adjusted to their new surroundings. even though the space is just a bit over a week old, kevin and i decided that we would give the boutique a little boost. we brought over some new merchandise, move things around and made it sparkle. it's still a work in progress and we plan on making it better and better with each visit.

check out the before pics:

look at the finished product: