It isn’t that hard to find a good cup of coffee in California.  In Los Angeles, it’s rather ridiculously easy, because everyone is super-driven out here, and there’s not much time to sleep.  We depend on the bean to help us get through the days, and it is one of those things that makes life worth living.  There’s been a lot more education lately about coffee, and information available pretty widely about fair trade coffee.  Even the bigger chains have completely changed the way they do things so that they can at least position themselves toward serving fair trade, if they don’t already.

It’s a fantastic day when you can wake up in a hotel in Santa Monica, and head out to the beach with the one you love, stopping for a coffee along the way.  With places like the 18th Street Coffee House, there are lots of options here.  This place is particularly wonderful because of the atmosphere and ambience.  The wifi is a bit spotty, but that kind of makes it nice, because people sometimes get tempted into talking to other people.  This morning, we almost saw the beginning of a community starting here.

Someone there told us that Co-Opportunity is the local co-op (duh), and that’s where you can also buy free trade coffee for your house, and lots of other things as well.  There’s something about being in places like this, where there’s a genuine sensitivity and honest effort toward taking care of the planet.  It just feels so, so very California.  Maybe later on in the day, we’ll take in a yoga class, and then have dinner at an organic restaurant, where they serve side dishes with shredded carrot and ginger.  Or maybe, if we’re feeling more daring, we’ll have burgers and even take responsibility for it.

I have wanted a home spa for a long time. Never wanting to go through the trouble of running high voltage electrical out lets and wiring. I did not want to get in to the plumbing of the spa too. It really was going to be way too much trouble to get that all done where I live. So I had resigned myself to the fact that I would not be having a private spa as long as I lived here.

Then the other day at work a coworker told me about he and his wife getting a portable spa for their house. he said the unit is self contained there is not need for external plumbing and that the spa is powered by a regular electrical out let. I did not know that this type of spa was available. He said it was very affordable and the spas were available in a variety of sizes from two people to three, four and more. He said the filter is self contained as well and easy to get to and clean. All in all he seemed to be very happy with his new portable spa.

i really want to get a spa. I know I would really enjoy the relaxing soak in the hot water and the hot water jets messaging my tense muscles. I know I would get a lot of use from a spa dn that the benefits would be great too. I have read that hydrotherapy is great for dilating the blood vessel and increasing the bodies blood circulation. This is beneficial in many was as it helps the boxy and its organs to release toxins and stress. The relaxing benefits of the spa are relief from headaches, muscle tension and better sleeping. This is all good to me and I really want to get soaking as soon as possible. I think I will get to researching now.

Having a spa in your own home makes a statement, to yourself as well as the rest of the world.  You’re putting value on the idea that having a good time and relaxing with your family is very important.  You’re also making pleasure a priority, and giving some necessary props to the good life.  You’re also making a positive move toward better health.  The icon of the spa in the popular imagination is usually related to wild parties rather than wild relaxation, but the fact is that there are splendid health benefits to using a spa regularly.  And interestingly enough, using a portable spa is a form of hyrdotherapy.  It’s a newer therapy, perhaps, but its origins go back for millennia.

Hydrotherapy is the use of water to treat pains and diseases of the body.  It’s often used as an umbrella term to refer to all therapies with water that use streaming jets, massage, or essential oils and salts.  You could decide to get serious about it, then, and turn your portable spa into something very much focused on healing, but if you only use it recreationally, you’ll still get many of the health benefits.  Many people connect hydrotherapy with the bathing practices of the ancient Romans, Renaissance Europeans, and Native peoples in the Americas, connecting especially with their use of hot springs.  Hot springs enthusiasts from all over the world speak about the way the Native peoples used natural spas for the spiritual and physical benefits.  They probably still do.  They’re still here.

Hot springs are particularly interesting for purists practicing hydrotherapy, because the fact of the water coming from the earth has a more immediate effect on the body in terms of healing power.  There are many forces at work in a portable spa, however, that can make the water push and pull against the tired muscles in a way that’s entirely soothing, and aids in deep relaxation.  Its effect is certainly quite similar to hot springs, and sometimes even better for certain ailments.  It’s also certainly part of the same family of therapies, and it’s something you’ll have in your own backyard.