Friday is the last day you can submit art for the jury selection process. If you were thinking about entering art for this year's Festival, you bet jump on it! Go to SEAFArtist.com to register, submit your art, and pay your fee.
If you are a performance artist, and interested in performing during the Festival, please submit your application at SEAFArtist.com. Performers must submit an application to be considered for the auditions that will be happening in February.
Want to volunteer for the Seattle Erotic Art Festival? I am looking for people to act as Docents during the Festival. If getting acquainted with the art and artists involved, and then talking about art and helping patrons purchase the art of their choice sounds like fun to you, please email me at seafsophia@gmail.com.
I have been involved with the Festival at varying levels since the first one. Last year I took a step back from putting on the Festival and was a performer. This year I am on the organizing committee and am very excited to be back as Lead Docent. Please consider joining me, either as a volunteer or a patron this May 1st through 3rd!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Creative Movement Workshop
Cody, one of the practitioners from when we first started the spa, came in last week to teach the Spa's current practitioners how facilitate a Creative Movement Spa Session. We spent the time doing floor work and the next session will revolve around incorporating movement into watsu.
It was a profound experience for me. This work can be deeply moving, in the emotional sense, even though the movements your body makes can be subtle and gentle. Perhaps that is exactly why it was such an emotional experience for me. Movement unlocks more than just physical tensions and Cody gave space for emotions to come out and encouraged us to let whatever was there have expression. I had been hit with 2 days of bad news so I had grief. Others were giggly, another was languid and sleepy. Cody made equal room for all reactions and expressions.
One of the skills I pride myself on is giving my attention my guest and focusing on creating a nurturing atmosphere. I learned that sometimes letting the atmosphere drift until all participants settle where they need to be, emotionally and physically, is better than having a strict agenda of what happens when. It was a good lesson in fluidity.
I am happy to say that there are now multiple practitioners who can do this session now. The Creative Movement session is now much more avilable than it was before.
It was a profound experience for me. This work can be deeply moving, in the emotional sense, even though the movements your body makes can be subtle and gentle. Perhaps that is exactly why it was such an emotional experience for me. Movement unlocks more than just physical tensions and Cody gave space for emotions to come out and encouraged us to let whatever was there have expression. I had been hit with 2 days of bad news so I had grief. Others were giggly, another was languid and sleepy. Cody made equal room for all reactions and expressions.
One of the skills I pride myself on is giving my attention my guest and focusing on creating a nurturing atmosphere. I learned that sometimes letting the atmosphere drift until all participants settle where they need to be, emotionally and physically, is better than having a strict agenda of what happens when. It was a good lesson in fluidity.
I am happy to say that there are now multiple practitioners who can do this session now. The Creative Movement session is now much more avilable than it was before.
Monday, January 26, 2009
This Week at the Spa!
This week is busy in terms of appointment times, so if you would like a session, calling sooner is going to be your best bet for getting the session time you want.
Tuesday the 27th: 8:30pm - 11pm, Art Talk Night will be starting late due to a spa session. Normally, 7pm is the start time. Jeff recently moved his painting studio back to the Franklin location, and as a result as had more time to paint. Come and see what new creations have been born!
Saturday the 31st: 9pm. Not at the spa, but still exciting: Little Red Studio's Obsidian Show. Shows at the studio do not impact the availability of spa sessions, but many of our practitioners do perform, so it may impact your requests for a certain practitioner. As an example, Courtnee and I are performing in the Obsidian show, so we are not able to do sessions the same evenings as those shows.
Sunday the 1st of February: Men's Spa Night from 7pm - 10pm. Join Richard for an evening of soaking and relaxing.
Monday the 2nd of February: Ladies' Spa Night starting at 6pm and going until 9pm. I will have my box of smells and asking for volunteer noses for feedback on an interactive art installation that I am currently developing. The smells will be quite contained, so please know that it is still safe to come soak and relax for the evening, regardless of your interest in essential oils.
Tuesday the 27th: 8:30pm - 11pm, Art Talk Night will be starting late due to a spa session. Normally, 7pm is the start time. Jeff recently moved his painting studio back to the Franklin location, and as a result as had more time to paint. Come and see what new creations have been born!
Saturday the 31st: 9pm. Not at the spa, but still exciting: Little Red Studio's Obsidian Show. Shows at the studio do not impact the availability of spa sessions, but many of our practitioners do perform, so it may impact your requests for a certain practitioner. As an example, Courtnee and I are performing in the Obsidian show, so we are not able to do sessions the same evenings as those shows.
Sunday the 1st of February: Men's Spa Night from 7pm - 10pm. Join Richard for an evening of soaking and relaxing.
Monday the 2nd of February: Ladies' Spa Night starting at 6pm and going until 9pm. I will have my box of smells and asking for volunteer noses for feedback on an interactive art installation that I am currently developing. The smells will be quite contained, so please know that it is still safe to come soak and relax for the evening, regardless of your interest in essential oils.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Note to self:
While focusing on the therapeutic properties of essential oils is good practice when making a blend, one should still take aesthetics into consideration.
I was putting together a blend of oils for a "medicine" bath and I did not take into account how all the ingredients would smell when put together. I found yet another recipe for the scent of bug spray. Yes, this has happened before, and I have the awful habit of not writing down the combinations I make for myself at home. The blends I make for sore muscles are usually the dangerous ones for not smelling pretty.
Luckily, my skin only smelled faintly of bug spray for an hour or so afterward.
I was putting together a blend of oils for a "medicine" bath and I did not take into account how all the ingredients would smell when put together. I found yet another recipe for the scent of bug spray. Yes, this has happened before, and I have the awful habit of not writing down the combinations I make for myself at home. The blends I make for sore muscles are usually the dangerous ones for not smelling pretty.
Luckily, my skin only smelled faintly of bug spray for an hour or so afterward.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Ahead of the game.
Today has been full of accomplishments. I feel like I could be done and still satisfied with the day. I still have the floors to mop and the hot tub to clean, so I still get to revel in being productive.
We shut down the spa today for routine tub maintenance and had the Spa Doctor people come in and give us a tune up and check out a weird noise. Turns out it was as simple as having a small plastic wheel looking thing stuck inside the pump. How it got there, I have no idea, as it had to go through the filter to get there! In response to the found object, we have a new policy of nothing smaller than a fist in/at the hot tub. Sorry, ladies, no more treats other than tea and water in the tub while soaking during Ladies' Spa Night.
I got to look over some paperwork that our CFO, Roland, is working on that details the improvements and future plans for the spa. With all the talk of investors, I am seeing some great things that could happen to the spa. Not the least of which is a larger tub. This means that I could have two people receiving watsu simultaneously. For those of you who enjoy the Couple's Massage sessions, you would be able to have the Watsu equivalent when we get this new tub.
There is no set date on when any of this will happen. It could be next month or next year. There is no knowing how long the process will take. But reading the paperwork and making my notes on it for the next revision made it real for me as a possibility. Getting to put in my two cents was an incredible honor. This is Jeff's business, but it's been my baby for over 3 years now. Jeff giving me room to direct and steer the spa is why I feel such a profound sense of ownership. I am fortunate to have such a job.
I am heading back to my grind, with these happy thoughts of new buildings, huge watsu pools and a waterfall for a cold plunge filling my imagination.
We shut down the spa today for routine tub maintenance and had the Spa Doctor people come in and give us a tune up and check out a weird noise. Turns out it was as simple as having a small plastic wheel looking thing stuck inside the pump. How it got there, I have no idea, as it had to go through the filter to get there! In response to the found object, we have a new policy of nothing smaller than a fist in/at the hot tub. Sorry, ladies, no more treats other than tea and water in the tub while soaking during Ladies' Spa Night.
I got to look over some paperwork that our CFO, Roland, is working on that details the improvements and future plans for the spa. With all the talk of investors, I am seeing some great things that could happen to the spa. Not the least of which is a larger tub. This means that I could have two people receiving watsu simultaneously. For those of you who enjoy the Couple's Massage sessions, you would be able to have the Watsu equivalent when we get this new tub.
There is no set date on when any of this will happen. It could be next month or next year. There is no knowing how long the process will take. But reading the paperwork and making my notes on it for the next revision made it real for me as a possibility. Getting to put in my two cents was an incredible honor. This is Jeff's business, but it's been my baby for over 3 years now. Jeff giving me room to direct and steer the spa is why I feel such a profound sense of ownership. I am fortunate to have such a job.
I am heading back to my grind, with these happy thoughts of new buildings, huge watsu pools and a waterfall for a cold plunge filling my imagination.
Sensual Repast
Are you signed up for the Little Red Studio and Little Red Day Spa email newsletter? If not, that is something you should consider doing, since some of our events, such as the Sensual Repasts, are invitation only.
Here is what Jeff wrote in the last newsletter:
8pm February 14th, 2009
$100 per person (gratuity not included)
Little Red Day Spa
1506 Franklin Ave. E.
Payment secures your reservation.
Please call Kerry at the main office at (206) 328-4758 or email her at kerry@hengststudio.com to reserve your place at the table!
Here is what Jeff wrote in the last newsletter:
Another "secret handshake" event is our upcoming Valentine's Day Sensual Repast. Chef Kim will be our Master Chef. We are preparing a fantastic night that will include Blues Dance lessons with Gin, photo play with Jim, fantastic food by Kim and all the facilities of the Spa under Sophie's direction. Tickets will be $100 per person all inclusive except a recommended 20% gratuity. We are limiting this event to 14 guests, plus 6 of our own to serve you. This will be Saturday, Valentine's Day at the Spa. Oh.... and as if that weren't enough, the cast of "The Red Show" re-mount will be coming over for their cast party after midnight. What fun!
8pm February 14th, 2009
$100 per person (gratuity not included)
Little Red Day Spa
1506 Franklin Ave. E.
Payment secures your reservation.
Please call Kerry at the main office at (206) 328-4758 or email her at kerry@hengststudio.com to reserve your place at the table!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
New (to me) Book
I love books and often peruse the book sections of thrift stores or second hand bookstores for gems. I just finished reading a book called The Body's Edge: Our Cultural Obsession with Skin by Marc Lappe. Ph.D.
It's an older book, published in 1998, so some of the attitudes and information is a little outdated. But anatomy info doesn't go out of date in 10 years. We just aren't evolving that fast. While I haven't learned anything radically new in regards to the skin's anatomy, I have gained a deeper understand of it's form and function. A fascinating correlation between the skin and the immune system was riveting. The theory vacillated between the idea that the skin had it's own immune response system and the skin as being part of the immune system. Also, the section on Psoriasis was very interesting, especially where he delves into possible reasons why psoriasis was once a valuable adaptation.
Unfortunately, it has a terrible bias against popular American culture trends in tattooing and body piercings, while being respectful and deferential of other tribal cultures' practices in the same vein. Here is where I confess that I didn't read the last few chapters, the bias became annoying. My recommendation would be to skip the last third of the book. The first half to two thirds was incredibly informative.
It's an older book, published in 1998, so some of the attitudes and information is a little outdated. But anatomy info doesn't go out of date in 10 years. We just aren't evolving that fast. While I haven't learned anything radically new in regards to the skin's anatomy, I have gained a deeper understand of it's form and function. A fascinating correlation between the skin and the immune system was riveting. The theory vacillated between the idea that the skin had it's own immune response system and the skin as being part of the immune system. Also, the section on Psoriasis was very interesting, especially where he delves into possible reasons why psoriasis was once a valuable adaptation.
Unfortunately, it has a terrible bias against popular American culture trends in tattooing and body piercings, while being respectful and deferential of other tribal cultures' practices in the same vein. Here is where I confess that I didn't read the last few chapters, the bias became annoying. My recommendation would be to skip the last third of the book. The first half to two thirds was incredibly informative.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Call for Scripts!
Once a season, Little Red studio produces a more traditionally theatrical event. This spring, the Studio will host our 3rd year of Erotic Shorts, which will coincide with the Seattle Erotic Art Festival.
Kerry recently put out the call for scripts. Please pass this on to anyone or repost anywhere you think it would be of interest.
Kerry recently put out the call for scripts. Please pass this on to anyone or repost anywhere you think it would be of interest.
We have set dates for this season's production of Erotic Shorts. It will run for six nights: April 24th, 25th and 26th and May 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Now is the time we're starting to think about gathering up potential scripts to be considered for this round.
Here are the requirements for submitting a script:
1) It needs to be 15 minutes or less in length
2) The themes can include eroticism, love, relationships, sex, or romance - comedies, dramas, and musicals are all welcome
3) Cast should should include no more than 8-10 actors.
4) Script can be submitted as a word document over e-mail (kerry@hengststudio.com) OR in hard copy format dropped off at the office or mailed to 1506 Franklin Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
5) Scripts are due by February 15th, 2009
If you have any questions about this process, please let me know! I also encourage you to share this e-mail with any friends outside of the LRS circle. This process is open to any and all playwrights.
For those of you interested in acting and/or directing or otherwise working on the shows, I will have more information as we get closer to the end of February.
Thank you,
Kerry Christianson
Little Red Studio
206-328-4758
Friday, January 9, 2009
I know this is early but...
I scheduled a private rental during the afternoon of February 14th, today. I know it's a month away, but I thought I would remind people that it is probably best to start thinking about scheduling a Valentine's Day spa session or private rental for that weekend now, rather than later.
The evening is still available if someone wants to have a private party and rent the Spa for the evening. There is rumor of Chef Kim organizing a Valentine's Day dinner, but that isn't set in stone, yet. However, it's first come first served as far as renting the Spa. If you decide to rent out the Spa for the whole evening, (catered or not) then we'll do a Sensual Repast another time. This is your chance for a truly deluxe experience!
You can always call me at (206) 963-0772 or email me at Sophia@HengstStudio.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.
The evening is still available if someone wants to have a private party and rent the Spa for the evening. There is rumor of Chef Kim organizing a Valentine's Day dinner, but that isn't set in stone, yet. However, it's first come first served as far as renting the Spa. If you decide to rent out the Spa for the whole evening, (catered or not) then we'll do a Sensual Repast another time. This is your chance for a truly deluxe experience!
You can always call me at (206) 963-0772 or email me at Sophia@HengstStudio.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a safe and fun new year celebration.
I have been having fun reorganizing the spa with this last round of renovations and yearly repairs. Be sure to take a peek at the changes next time you visit the spa. One of the changes I am excited about is the area that will be devoted to displaying spa products that will be for sale. My labels finally arrived and they look quite snazzy on the bottles.
The spa has been quite busy with sessions, too, so please be understanding if we are booked if you call for a same or next day appointment.
I have been having fun reorganizing the spa with this last round of renovations and yearly repairs. Be sure to take a peek at the changes next time you visit the spa. One of the changes I am excited about is the area that will be devoted to displaying spa products that will be for sale. My labels finally arrived and they look quite snazzy on the bottles.
The spa has been quite busy with sessions, too, so please be understanding if we are booked if you call for a same or next day appointment.
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