IN THIS SECTION
Spa Days [pg. 2]
A Guide to Cleansing [pg. 3]
Healthy and Unique Local Beverages [pg. 4]
Volunteer Spotlight [pg. 5]
Spa Days
Finding Your Own Relaxation and Rejuvenation
BY MARGOT RAMSAY
Journey into a spa, where water peacefully trickles in the recesses of your mind as you are massaged, wrapped in mud and warmed in blankets, and you will understand and appreciate that relaxation is an art form.
The science of “spa-ing” is actively practiced in our small valley, which just so happens to offer a variety of spa options for the tired and ski-worn locals, as well as the out-of-towners looking for some rest and relaxation. From world-class spas to creating your own spa experience at home or in your hotel room, Sun Valley offers lots of options for the ultimate relaxation.
Zenergy is an award-winning health club in our backyard with a state-of-the-art spa that was expanded in December 2012. “With the expansion, we are now able to offer a full spa experience to both locals and visitors alike,” said general manager Derek Agnew. Treatment options include a variety of massage modalities from traditional deep tissue to various Eastern treatments including Shiatsu, reflexology and acupuncture. Agnew said that “with nine treatment rooms and four nail stations, Zenergy can accommodate a large group from head to toe,” and they will even arrange for après activity spa-treatment appetizers and champagne for the ultimate in spa luxury.
To add to our fabulous in-town spa choices, Sun Valley Company is planning to add a 20,000-square-foot (yes, you read that right) full-service spa and salon attached to the newly updated lodge that will offer guests and the local community access to a wealth of relaxing treatments, health and wellness activities and salon services. The new Sun Valley spa will include 15 private treatment rooms, steam and sauna facilities, relaxation lounges and a yoga and exercise facility. It’s sure to be a great addition to our spa choices.
If the idea of staying home and practicing spa rituals in the comfort of your own bathroom sounds more appealing, Madeline and Oliver (formerly Ketchum Bed and Bath) has great products for your at-home spa. According to owner Dina Madsen, “An at-home spa experience is something everyone can do easily and without a lot of effort or cost. It can be as simple as lighting a beautiful scented candle while drawing a hot bath.” Madeline and Oliver carries a variety of products for your bathroom spa collection, including a local line of organic scrubs, body lotions and aloe masks to which you can add your choice of essential oil fragrance; or pick up some luxurious pajamas to perfect your spa day and get ready to lounge!
If you’re in Hailey and are looking to customize a spa day, Spa Beleza has an array of treatments that will leave you coiffed, waxed and relaxed. Try their custom massages and body wraps—the “Organic Nourishing Body Oil Wrap” sounds amazing— and then treat yourself to a “radiancy treatment,” to firm and tone your skin, or an eyebrow wax for the brave spa enthusiast.
Try out any of these great options (or all of them if you’re really serious) that our Valley has to offer and you are sure to become a devotee of spa-ing, if not slightly obsessed with it.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
A Guide to Cleansing
BY MARGOT RAMSAY
ILLUSTRATION BY NATHALIE DION
If you’re feeling like you’re in need of a general “refresh,” whether it’s physical, emotional or otherwise, a cleanse is a logical place to start. A good cleanse allows you to renew from the inside out.
The practice of cleansing has been around for centuries and it offers a great way to jumpstart new and improved eating habits, clearer thinking and a more mindful way of living in today’s crazy world.
Our Valley is fortunate to have a wealth of amazing alternative health practitioners and, among them, a few who are genuine experts in the field of cleansing. Whether you’d like to cleanse in the comfort of your own home or participate in an organized group cleanse, check out these great options.
If the idea of doing a cleanse on your own sounds overwhelming, as it does to most first-time cleansers, Glow Live Food Café cleanses take the guesswork out of it. As Molly Brown, owner of Glow, explained, “It’s hard to cleanse on your own without support, having foods made for you and the guidance of someone experienced and knowledgeable with the process.” Glow cleanses are organic, plant-based, soy, dairy and gluten-free, and Molly said that they are a mix of live foods, juices, teas, cleansing elixirs and supplements that support detoxification pathways.
“One of my favorite parts of our group cleanses is the tremendous amount of energy that is built up throughout the week,” Molly said. “Our spring cleanse often has 50-100 participants, and there is a community formed during that time that lasts in the months to come.” In addition to the cleansing foods and juices, Glow offers a referral list of local practitioners, as well as yoga and meditation classes to supplement your week of cleansing.
Another health practitioner in our Valley with a passion for cleansing is Tifney Stewart, owner of Five Springs Wellness Center, who practices acupuncture with intuitive bodywork, herbal medicine and seasonal cleanses. Tifney said, “I have personally been doing cleanses ever since I moved to Sun Valley full time in 1990. I connected with people who were interested in health and healing and we started doing cleanses and juice fasts—some were successful and some, not so great.” Tifney said that in her seasonal cleanses, “We help people make better daily choices such as eating regular meals, not using their microwaves, increasing water consumption and going to bed earlier.”
If you’re not into the idea of cleansing with a group and prefer to do it on your own, NourishMe on Main Street in Ketchum and Big Wood Nutrition Health Food Store in Hailey have lots of great cleansing products and knowledgeable staff to help with questions. You can also utilize cleansing books as guides. Tifney Stewart’s suggestions are those by Dr. Carl Junger, David Shultz and Gabriel Cousins. When cleansing on your own, Tifney explained, “The main principle is a simple, wholesome diet void of white foods, that’s focused on a variety of organic vegetables and healthy fats, lots of water and rest—and be sure to make it fun by getting friends involved!”
Drink Up!
Healthy & Unique Local Beverages
BY JODY ORR
Summertime and the livin’s easy in Sun Valley. The days are long and full, and it’s easy to work up quite a thirst. To help quench yours, here’s a rundown of some of our favorite healthy and original local beverage options.
The Summer Zen
from Zenergy Health Club & Spa in Ketchum
Picture yourself poolside at Zenergy, with iconic Bald Mountain as the perfect alpine backdrop, sipping a blend of cucumber, watermelon, mint, lime juice, lime zest and ginger. It’s a refreshing, revitalizing and cleansing beverage that helps keep your body and mind fit before, during and after your workout.
The Green Tea Smoothie
from Zaney’s River Street Coffee in Hailey
If you’re in need of a breakfast treat loaded with goodies, look no further! The Green Tea Smoothie at Zaney’s will start your day properly with its blend of mangoes, yogurt and green tea. Owner Sue Martin, who is adding an array of green drinks, says that her smoothies are loaded with antioxidants that fill you up in a good way.
The Power Smoothie
from Glow Live Food Café in Ketchum
For you Old School-types who like things with the word “power” in them, Glow’s Power Smoothie is for you! It has all the right stuff to live up to its name: maca, hemp seed milk, goji berries, kale, vita mineral green and, the ultimate antioxidant, blueberries. They’re energizing, high in protein, fiber, minerals and enzymes, and truly yummy.
Build Your Own Smoothie
from Bravo Coffee Kiosk in Ketchum
Fruitarians should head to the Bravo Coffee Kiosk at Atkinsons’ for a made-to-order smoothie. Take your pick of milk options—soy, rice, almond, and non-fat or frozen yogurt—sprinkle in a little protein powder and create your favorite: strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas … you name it, they’ve got it.
The Cactus Cooler
from NourishMe in Ketchum
For a healthy taste of the Southwest, the Cactus Cooler is spot-on. Nopal cactus blended with organic lemonade and crushed ice will cure what ails you. According to owner Julie Johnson, the cactus plant has medicinal properties that soothe the stomach and reduce inflammation. And shoot, it tastes great, too!
Volunteer Spotlight
The Quiet Grace of Marcia Liebich
BY JODY ORR
A seed was planted in Marcia Liebich’s brain many years ago while she was working with the American Association of University Women. Liebich met a woman there who became her mentor and told her, “It would be wonderful if we could keep our children safe within our homes, but that is impossible. Therefore, one must do all one can to improve our communities and the world.” With that wisdom in mind, Liebich and her husband, Don, have done just that.
The Liebichs moved to Hailey in 2002 to be closer to their sons, who live in Boise. A veteran volunteer for United Way (among others), Liebich helped found the Wood River Women’s Charitable Foundation (WRWCF) in 2005. Now 201 members strong, the WRWCF has given more than $1 million to area nonprofits. Each member donates $1,000 per year to groups like Girls on the Run, The Hunger Coalition and Nurture Idaho. “We have a lot of second homeowners in the group who want to give back to the community and this is their way to do it,” explained Liebich.
Barbara Thrasher, WRWCF’s first president, feels that Liebich has made an exceptional impBact. As she explained, “Marcia did a wonderful job of creating a template for our granting program and brought incredible expertise to the process. She’s very giving in a quiet way.”
An important component of the Liebichs’ philanthropy is the quest to help local nonprofits by bringing lecturers to the College of Southern Idaho campus in Hailey to discuss subjects like crowd sourcing, measuring social impact and how to read a financial balance sheet. “In a small, rural community like ours, it’s tough to get the education you need to successfully run a nonprofit. Bringing in speakers helps,” Marcia noted.
Along those lines, Don runs the adult education program at St. Thomas Episcopal Church and the Liebichs have taken two groups to Jordan to build homes for Habitat for Humanity, as well as two other visits to St. George’s Episcopal College in Jerusalem.
Even while on safari in Tanzania, the Liebichs found an opportunity to give. Their guide mentioned that he wanted to build a medical clinic in his village, so when Don learned that a small sum could facilitate its construction, they donated to the cause. Today that clinic treats 100-150 patients a day. As Marcia explained, “Sometimes your money just goes a lot farther in other parts of the world.”
Every Thanksgiving, the Liebichs give their grandchildren money to donate to charity and then, at Christmas, all six make “giving” presentations. “It’s so great. The kids make Power-Point presentations and one year one of our granddaughters did an interpretive dance,” Marcia said. “We really look forward to seeing how they’ll give every year.”