Wednesday, December 10, 2008

CRAVE Holiday Shopping Party

I worked the CRAVE Party last night at the Cultural Center. The event touted as a green holiday event with 40+ locally owned businesses was teeming with after work holiday shoppers. My colleagues and I represented Allyu Spa. First, I love the Cultural Center – from the free events to the art to the architecture – it is hands-down one of my favorite places. Have you checked out the Tiffany Room? A beautiful Tiffany glass dome ceiling and decent acoustics.

Anyway, back to the CRAVE party. The week prior to the event the Allyu spa coordinators created holiday gift baskets at every price point from all the amazing retail we carry – from incense and accessories to Spa Ritual nail polish and accessories to Astara skin care products to various other good-for-you sundries. We took photos but I think you will find those on the Allyu Spa blog next week.

At the Allyu booth, we offered those holiday baskets and free mini-spa services. Three nail technicians, one esthetician and one acupuncturist (me) busily pampered and educated and balanced women while they festively shopped after work.

Of the women who sat in my chair last night, 90 plus percent experienced acupuncture for the first time. As each woman cleaned her ear with an alcohol swab, I informed them of what I was going to be doing and what it was for and then, amidst the din of holiday music and reveling shoppers, they relaxed for 15 minutes. I needled five acupuncture points in the ear – all organ energy and all body systems are mapped onto the ear. The five points I needled comprise a protocol which is effective for smoking cessation, cravings, addiction, weight management, and overall de-stressing and relaxation. I can also customize a treatment with an extra point for any specific concerns. Most of them were surprised and a few shocked that they felt "more chill". One even tested the treatment by calling up anxiety, frustration, and who knows what else, but, nope, none of the sensations could muster any response from her. Skeptics are the best marketing for acupuncture!

I saw a few familiar faces of clients from Allyu, my old Edgewater neighborhood (Metropolis Coffee!) and met a few new people as well. Check out Eva May. Her storefront is up in Andersonville. She sweetly traded a hand silkscreened t-shirt from her collection for the auricular acupuncture.


You can take a peek at those holiday gift baskets down at Allyu or try the auricular acupuncture for yourself. Allyu will offer $25 group treatments at noon on Tuesdays beginning January. And, the acupuncturists at Elemental Health (including me) will offer $25 sessions one evening each week, but the specifics are yet to be determined. Stay tuned.