Ladies' Spa Night - Summer hours?

Last year, during the summer months, Ladies' Spa Night shifter to later drop in hours of 7pm -10pm to accommodate those wanting to enjoy the sunlight during the longer days. I have gotten enough feedback that starting later is not preferable to many of the regular attendees, as they enjoy being able to come in before work and get done early as it is a "school night."

The last two Ladies' Nights were smaller than usual. A few people told me later that the reason then didn't come was because of the weather. One woman said she just didn't want to go inside yet, and by the time she was ready to go indoors, there was only an hour of Ladies' Night left. She said latter hours would be more appealing to her.

As a compromise, this year's summer hours will be a little fluid. Ladies' Night official hours will remain 6pm - 9pm every 2nd and 4th Monday, and with prior arrangement, I will extend the evening to 10pm. Prior arrangement will constitute putting in a reservation (by phone or email) to be "late" by noon on the day of Ladies' Night. I will arrange for someone to be there that extra hour if I get at least 2 women.

To make your "late" reservations for Ladies' Spa Night, on July 13th, please give me a call at (206) 963-0772 or email me: Sophia@HengstStudio.com.

Closed Sunday for Pride.

Well, not completely closed. If you already have a session scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday the 28th, you can rest assured, I am not canceling any appointments. However, I will not be returning phone calls until Monday morning.

I am taking the day off to enjoy the Seattle Pride Parade. Last year I was part of the parade and rode my motorcycle in the Dykes on on Bikes contingent. This year I am going back to the sidelines to watch and then I'll be heading over to the Bistro. Jeff has decided to open the Bistro after the parade, so from 2pm until midnight you will be able to stop by 400 Dexter Ave. N. and enjoy a cool beverage, either alcoholic or non.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

More Bistro News.

Once the Little Red Bistro is up and running, I will get a chance to sit down with the chef and give input for a special Spa Menu. Choosing a catered spa session will be much more elegant and simple. The idea is to have a variety of platters that will add a culinary delight, while still being sensitive to dietary restrictions and allergies.

Of course, substitutions will be possible. There is even talk of making certain entrees and full meals available to be sent over to the spa. This should be possible not long after our grand opening, as we have applied for a catering license, too.

Still no official date for the opening of the Bistro. However, whenever there is a Little Red Studio event scheduled, Jeff will opening the Bistro to serve drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. As a special occasion, we will be open this Sunday during and after the Seattle Pride Parade.

Sculptueral Clay + Creative Movement

I never know what will come out of a session. When you read about the various spa sessions on the Little Red day Spa web site, it gives you a framework, but not a detailed description. That really is on purpose. I want my practitioners to have the freedom to create something new each time they do a session. I want my guests to fill in the spaces with their wants and needs.

A while back, a guest wanted to combine a Sculptural Clay session with a Creative Movement Session. This guest was what Cody, the practitioner who developed the Creative Movement, would call a natural mover. It was a delightful combination that was relaxing and invigoration.

And inspiring. At the Little Red Studio there is a tradition of "mud man" performances that are usually very primal. I took the light-hearted playfulness of the clay the way it is used in the spa and combined it with Contact Improv Dance.I am very proud to have art directed a performance piece that came out of a spa session! Here are a few photos. Please note that while the people are covered in clay, these photos may not be work safe.

Photo by Jim Duvall. The dancers have asked to not be identified. You'll have to come to a Little Red Studio show to see this dance in action.

The Little Red Bistro

I haven't talked much about the Bistro that Jeff is going to open soon. The reason for this lack of comment has everything to do with the nature of dealing with city regulatory agencies; they move slow. It seems like the Bistro has been about to open for business any minute for the last two months.

The Bistro means that the Little red Studio events will no longer be "dry". Our liquor permit was issued this week just in time for the opening of the Aquamarine Show. As part of the Little Red Studio family, the Bistro will have tie-ins with the colored shows. Tonight, not only will be debut the Little Red Bistro as a place to have a glass of wine before the show, we will also debut the Aquamarine Cocktail!

If you have the chance, stop by 400 Dexter Ave. N. and peek in at the amazing job the crew has done in turning the gallery into a bistro and enjoy a glass of wine. The bar will be open before and during the Aquamarine Show tonight, starting at 7pm.

New fun read.

In bodywork there exists the theory that science and art must come together for a truly good massage. The blog, Bioephemera echos this sentiment quite interestingly.

bioephemera is art + biology - anything and everything from representations of science in art and literature to the neuroscience of aesthetics.

A big thanks to Cheri for passing this link along to me.

Small shift in focus.

Since my discovery that sometimes frozen fruit is better than fresh when making salt scrubs, I have been moving away from using seasonal fruit in my blends. Originally, the idea was to use whatever was in season for my salt scrubs, creating a new blend every quarter. When I found out that frozen strawberries generally had more flavor that fresh ones, I made the Strawberry Ginger scrub during the winter and early spring. (Pomegranate season seemed short this year.)

Instead of cuing off the seasons, I am going to link each special spa session to the current Little Red Studio Colored Show. This Friday, the Aquamarine show will make it's debut.

This summer we will transform our sumptuous theater into a wet, sensual oasis, complete with mermaids, nymphs, sailors and pirates. Come dive into one of the most alluring elements on earth, Water. Lets splash around together in this world of sensory profusion, relaxation, healing, and spiritual reconnection.

One of the ideas to keep in the watery theme and help keep people cool is mist sprays. I created an essential oil blend of Lavender, Thyme and a few other woodsy oils that, together, are reminiscent of a fresh rain. It turned out quite lovely. So, I am pleased to announce that the I have a new scent for the massage oil for the Aquamarine Spa Session!

Be a part of Urban Arts!

Please check out this incredible idea from one of our LRS troupe members. Christina is putting together a weekend of artistic fun and education for children. She is currently looking for people who have experience and interest in one or more areas of the artistic realm who would be willing to present (or help wrangle kids) a short workshop on August 1t or 2nd.

I am looking forward to being a part of this, even if I only end up as an attendee.

Urban Arts Weekend - August 1 and 2 at Little Red Studio
Help create full self expression and contribution in a community effort that seeks to share art in all its forms.

The Vision
Empowering kids and parents to experience art and relate to one another in a supportive community of passionate teachers.

The Format
(This is still in the planning phases, so details will change and evolve.)

Start: Each day will contain numerous art classes/topics running in tandem, many of which are developed to overlap or dovetail with other topics, and some of which may involve an indoor and an outdoor (field trip - sculpture park, zoo, etc.) component. The final topics will be chosen based on logistical feasibility (what we can fit in the space), resource/materials load (what we can provide or get donated), and your interest (if no one wants to teach watercolors there won't be a watercolors class). Depending on the topic's difficulty or teacher inclination, each class could run 2-4 hours.

Lunch break: If we put together a Cooking class, it's possible that lunch will be what that class makes. Otherwise, people will need to bring a sack lunch.

Close: Show-and-tell and/or performance respectively for visual and performance art.

The Teachers
As a teacher, you are responsible to create your own plan including what you want to teach and how. But each class should involve at least an introduction/basics including the tools used or concepts needed, any safety concerns, and then the hands-on portion. Depending on the topic's difficulty, each teacher will have access to helpers. The point of the class is to give every child/parent combo a chance to play with/practice what they're learning.

Materials Note: When considering whether you'd like to teach a topic, please think about any sources you know that could donate materials, and even think about materials you might have at home. The registration fee will cover some of this, but the more donations we can get, the lower that fee will be.

Helpers Note: We need helpers to move people around the space, coordinate resources, and act as class aids. If you don't want to teach that doesn't mean you can't come play. Seriously.

The Topics
All topics presented are possibilities, intended to jump-start your creativity. If you want to do something that isn't listed, please email me.

* Painting: finger, body, oil, watercolor, paint dancing (freestyle dancing while painting), wall (use a broom to paint on a wall), objects (see Crafts and Sculpture)
* Drawing: figure/object/still-life (people, flowers, buildings, cars, animals); freestyle (what they see in their mind); comics (incorporates Writing module)
* Photography/Videography: documenting the day; music videos (could incorporate Theater, Dance, and Music topics); portraits and/or still-lifes; wildlife/nature architecture/urban landscape
* Framing (making frames and/or mats to contain visual art)
* Theater (could incorporate Dance): improv, acting
* Music: vocal (solo or group); beat boxing/rapping (could incorporate Poetry); instrumental; appreciation (could incorporate Dance)
* Aerials/gymnastics: floor work (could incorporate Dance); hoop/rope/tissu; spinning/poi
* Dance: belly; jazz; ballroom; freestyle/object (balls, flags, yoga balls)
* Crafts: hardware repurposing (take apart broken toasters, blenders, etc. and make sculpture); decoupage/collage/modge podge; paper mache; plaster of paris casting; egg or rock painting; decorate accessories (jewelry, hats, lunch boxes, belts, sneakers, backpacks, ipod/cell phone holders)
* Cooking: make lunch for the day and then serve it; snacks/hors'douvres/canapes/finger foods (could incorporate Photography);coffee and fizzy beverages
* Writing: poetry (could incorporate Vocal and/or Performance topics); short stories; comics/graphic novels (could incorporate Drawing)
* Sculpting(could incorporate Painting): cookie dough (could incorporate Cooking); clay; DAS or other polymer stuff
* Dream Work: dream theater (incorporate Performance and/or Improv topics); journaling and using mind maps for understanding; spiritual and healing components
* Tech Booth: running the light and sound board

Extra Details
Registration will be required to keep a bound on class size, and there will be a fee. We're going to keep the cost as low as possible because this is a community outreach project and volunteer based.

I am so excited to have each and every one of you come play! Please email me if you have questions or suggestions.


Christina Dietrich
chrissy.laprue@gmail.com

Amazing opportunity on June 19th.

Kirsten Lauzon, a member of the Little Red Studio troupe, is finishing her degree in Paleopsychology, the study of the evolution of consciousness. She uses a very interesting style of counseling called Systemic Constellations or Family Constellations.

While it is a bit difficult to describe, I can definitely articulate the results. My experience was quite profound. I chose a specific instance with my mother to focus on, and I recruited stand-ins, people who would "be" in the role of key family members,(im my case, my mother, her mother and me) who in a sense channeled what that person would say. I was surprised at how Kirsten's gentle questions unlocked a torrent of strong and deep emotions. Feelings so old and forgotten they seemed unrelated to the issue I had brought up. It was a tumultuous 10 minutes, wherein Kirsten expertly guided us and grounded me through the issue, keeping me from spinning off into other directions. Afterward, I felt a sense of peace around much more of my past and myself than just that issue represented.

If you have any emotional or personal issues that you are dealing with that have a root in your familial history, I would heartily recommend this event.

Adventures in Paleopsychology

Date: Friday, June 19, 2009
Time: 7:00pm - 9:30pm
Location: Antioch University Seattle, Room 200A
2326 Sixth Avenue Seattle, WA

Phone: 2068517125
Email: duskfrog@gmail.com
This is a warm invitation to you to attend, share and participate in the culmination of my work as a student at Antioch University Seattle.

I am offering a free public workshop event on Friday June 19th at 7pm until 9:30pm.
I will provide light snacks and beverages.

Please join us!

AGENDA:

7:00 Short Movie: Paleopsychology 101
7:10 Lecture: The Evolution of Consciousness - Paleopsych Methods, Case Studies & Results
~ short break ~
7:30 Experiential Demonstration Facilitation:
Dream Tending
Systemic Constellations
~ short break ~
9:00 Participant Seminar/Open Discussion
9:30 Clean up & Depart

Kirsten A. Lauzon
www.healing-earth.net

Busy weekend!

With the Intimate Spectacle and all the spa sessions this weekend, I am quite glad that the weather cooled down a little. It also cooled down in time for Men's Spa Night and Ladies' Spa Night to be cozy affairs. We have a new heat lamp and the hot tub temperature was turned back up.

These nights are designed to be casual and social evenings. There will be a practitioner present (Richard and Dion host Men's Night and Cheri and I host Ladies' Night) to make you feel welcome and facilitate use of the spa's equipment. There will be areas set up for clay, salt scrubs and massage for you and your friends to pamper each other. For an extra fee, one can get a short massage or watsu during the evening from our massage therapist on staff.

Please call 206-963-0772 or e-mail Sophia@hengststudio.com for more information.

A "best of..." show at LRS this weekend.

My act from last summer's White Show is a part of this year's Intimate Spectacle! Come see me have a picnic and many other fun and moving acts this Friday and Saturday!

An Intimate Spectacle

Friday & Saturday, June 5th - 6th @ 9PM

We invite you to come enjoy some of your favorite performances from the past year here at Little Red Studio. This will be a chance to sit back and enjoy as we bring you theater, dance, music, aerials and more from a variety of our past shows. A few pieces you can look forward to include "Gett Off!" from the Dance Concert, "Party of Two" from Erotic Shorts, three stunning aerial pieces, and music from the "Red Show"!

We hope you will join us for this stunning evening of entertainment!

Where: 400 Dexter Ave N
How Much: $20

Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets
or reserved by calling 206-328-4758.

For the Ladies...

One of the women who sometimes comes to Ladies' Spa Night sent out an open invitation for a Ladies Only Cuddle Party. I am passing it on. If you are interested, please contact Mary via the number listed below.

Celebrate Big 'O' Day with a Cuddle Party

I learned about this special day to celebrate the joy of pleasure for women and even though there is no 'official' event in Seattle, I was inspired to take this opportunity to facilitate a women-only cuddle party, which has been requested several times.

So this is it!

Saturday, June 20th
7:00-10:30 p.m.
(please arrive by 6:45 p.m.)
Facilitated by Mary Hart

($30 playshop fee - RSVP required)
Please RSVP by prepaying through paypal @ mary@cuddleseattle.com
If you are unable to use paypay, please contact me for other arrangments.

Note: Seattle location...Directions and important information will be emailed to you in a confirmation letter when you RSVP.


What is a Cuddle Party?
A Cuddle Party is a playshop and social event in which we create a safe space to explore, express and experience safe, non-sexual, vital touch. We explore knowing ourselves, our boundaries, our desires and fearlessly being, communicating and connecting with one another. This is an opportunity to see a fresh point of view, to learn new language and patterns of being and to become conscious, communicative cuddlers. Note: You never have to cuddle anyone at a Cuddle Party, ever.


The Touch of Your Sisters

Spending time, cuddling with your sisters, is such a gift. In our Western culture, women are not given permission to hold each other, caress and nurture each other. But it is so natural and healing to hold one another, and to love each other in this gentle supportive way. Some women look to their husband or partner for this support, and sometimes it is not available; or the partner does not know how to support the feminine in the way she needs it. What if we create a sisterhood that supports each other, where we create friendships where it is safe to hold each other, caress each other in loving, gentle ways? This practice would fill our heart and soul because the feminine longs to be caressed and held. If we look to our partner to always fill this need, we may be setting ourselves up for disappointment. So if we fill ourselves up, when our partner isn't available or capable, it is OK because we are already full. And if the masculine is available, great! We get more scrumptious touch - but we aren't needy! This is a vital way to take care of ourselves, create deep friendships and maintain our inherent radiance. Sisters unite!


For more information about cuddle parties: www.cuddleseattle.com

Big 'O' Day mission: Awaken the feminine energy within each woman so she may open to and live as the radiant, powerful goddess which is her birthright and her gift to the world.
http://thebigoday.com/

In loving service,

Mary
206-353-1901