SHEFFA FOODS

Hi everyone,

I received an email from my friend who owns a small health food company called SHEFFA FOODS.  I am a big fan of their products.  Their snacks and salad sprinkles are gluten free, vegan, low is sugar and sodium and very, very tasty.  Sheffa is sold in Fairway, Zabar's, select health food stores locally and online, but they are getting more and more attention and are available now in some of Whole Foods stores.  Here's their website: www.SheffaFoods.com

Chase bank and LivingSocial are running a unique grant competition for small business owners, offering $250K to 12 small businesses.  It would be a huge help for them, and all we need to do is just vote for them to qualify.  Please see the email attached below for more specifics, but you can login using Facebook to www.missionsmallbusiness.com and enter Sheffa Foods (New York, NY is their location, but shouldn't be necessary).

Please take a few minutes to give them your vote; it would be so wonderful for them to have the support in expanding their healthy business!

Shizuka Moriwaki

Vegan Carob Banana Cake

Carob is used as a substitute for chocolate and naturally and mildly sweet. It doesn’t contain caffeine so it’s good idea for a baking for children.

Here is a vegan carob banana cake recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/2cup      Whole wheat flour

½ cup          Carob Powder

1 tbsp           Baking powder

80 ml           Canola oil

150 ml          Orange or Apple juice

½ tsp           Salt
4                   Banana (1 for decoration)

Puree banana in a food processor and mix all ingredients together. Pour batter into a cake tin. Decorate with sliced banana on the top. Bake for about 30min at 375 F.

staff K

11th Anniversar​y!!!

Everyday, the morning sun comes earlier and brighter, shining on vibrant colors of green leaves and flowers. We trust you are well and enjoying this beautiful season.


This summer, easeNY will celebrate our 11th anniversary. With our deepest appreciation, we will hold our anniversary sale from June through July. Our semi-annual special discount packages are available at this time. Take advantage and schedule massage sessions regularly, as they will gently yet powerfully enhance your health.


We are committed to providing high-quality treatment and service for your wellness. We look forward to seeing you soon.


Sincerely,
Shizuka "Shico" Moriwaki


Massage series coupon


6 sessions
50 min ease massage x 6 sessions: regular price $450 - sale $405($45off)/(10%off)
80 min ease massage x 6 sessions: regular price $720 - sale $648 ($72off)/(10% off)


12 sessions
50 min ease massage x 12 sessions: regular price $900 - sale $783 ($117off)/(13%off)
80 min ease massage x 12 sessions: regular price $1440 - sale $1252.8 ($187.2off)/ (13%off)
110 min ease massage x 12 sessions: regular price $1980 - sale $1722.6 ($257.4off)/(13%off)


23 sessions


50 min ease massage x 23 sessions: regular price $1725 - sale $1483.5 ($241.5off)/(14%off)
80 min ease massage x 23 sessions: regular price $2760 - sale $2373.6 ($386.4off)/(14% off)
110 min ease massage x 23 sessions: regular price $3795 - sale $3225.75 ($569.25off)/(15% off)


(Valid for 6month)For customers who has session package, we will be able to take your appointment without a therapist request fee ($10). For those who regularly have session with us, we highly recommend that you purchase our session package at this time.

The Museum of Arts and Design

I went to The Museum of Arts and Design.  (http://madmuseum.org)
It is located in Columbus circle in Manhattan. The building is modern and beautiful.
They were showing the arts made from clay, glass, metal, fiber, and wood. It was very unique and fascinating. I found that there is fine dining restaurant upstairs. The view from there must be very nice, would like to visit there again soon.

staff E

Today's Macrobiotic Lunch

This is my macrobiotic lunch plate today.

Veggie meat stuffed Bell pepper

Broccoli soup

Whole wheat bread

Here is healthy and yummy veggie meat stuffed bell pepper, which tastes like real meat!!

Ingredients:

Stuffed          1cup          Sorghum grain

                      1/2cup      Onion

                      1/2cup      Mushroom

                      1/4 cup     Walnuts

                      1/2 cup     Bread crumb

                      2 tbsp        Miso (to taste)

2   Red Bell pepper

Simmer sorghum grain about 30min or until tender. Sauté onion and mushroom. Mix stuffed ingredient into a bowl together. Stuff bell peppers with the mixture and bake until bell peppers are very tender, about 20min at 350 degree F.

staff  K

Impatiens

This flower essence is for someone who is impatience and get irritated easily. It will release you from such condition. This flower essence is used in rescue remedy that we use in our salon.

Please try this when you are frustrated by something.

staff B

Ginger

Lets talk about Ginger essential oil today.

This oil is very good for lifting up the feeling. Also relives runny nose, hang over and motion sickness. If you use it as massage oil, it would be effective for shoulder or lower back pain.

Please try this oil on your next visit when you are suffering from the above condition.

Volatile：Top~Middle

Smell:  Middle

staff B

Gift Certificates

Our gift certificates are made by our staff.

If you have a close look, each of them has unique characters.

You can use it as a bookmark. 

Why don’t you give it your mom? You can show her your 

appreciation.

Mother’s day is coming in 13th, May!!

staff  B

Lavender

Have you gotten a burn or a scald while you were cooking?

Lavender essential oil is very good for this situation! It would heal the condition faster. It is very popular almighty oil and easy to use for those who just started aromatherapy.

Drop a few drops on your pillow, it gives a deep relaxation effect and put you in good sleep. It is very famous for that. Besides that, it is very effective on headache, menstrual cramps and muscle soreness and treat pimples, fungus and insect bite.

I highly recommend you to carry this in your household.

Volatile：Middle

Smell： Middle

staff  B

Bach Rescue Remedy

I talked about flower counseling last time. After you find out about yourself, now it is time to pick flower essence.

Flower essence is not only from Bach.  There are many kinds such as one from Australian Bush flower, Arizona etc.

Here, I talk about Bach flower essence used in our salon. Bach rescue remedy is total 38 kinds. One that we use in our salon is a blend of 5 different kinds of flower essence for stress relief. You can find it at most of health care retail stores.

Please keep checking our blog about 38 kinds of flower essence.

staff B

Desktop Background

Are you a heavy computer user?

Why don't you change your desktop background and refresh your mind?

The Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) will be held this weekend at Botanic Garden in Brooklyn. So, I changed background on my pc to cherry blossoms picture. 

You can download it below a variety of desktop background. Enjoy!

http://catw.free-photograph.net/jp

http://www.wallpapers.com

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/personalize/wallpaper-desktop-background

staff AL

Flower Counseling

We always serve a glass of warm water and stress relief flower essence to add in after each treatment.

I recommend you to use flower essence that suites your need and condition. For those of you that don't know what to pick, here it is flower counseling. It uses cards to find out where your mind is. There are so many ways to do flower counseling. So today I introduce you the way I learned at JMFA.

How to flower counseling

  

1. Choose a card that you like, dislike and neither one from 100 psychological flower cards by your intuition.
2.  Choose one that you really like and really dislike from the cards that you previously chose. From how you picked up the cards, the therapist reads where your mind is. It finds new possibility or talent in you that you never knew about. 
3. Using the result, the therapist picks some suitable flower essence for you.

  staff  B

Geranium essential oil

I would like to talk about Geranium today, which is also recommended essential oil to drain excessive fluid from the body besides Grapefruit.

Geranium has a strong sweet smell and it is very good for when you feel very tired. It would make you feel relaxed, relieve stress and regulate the hormone imbalance. Very recommended for women who suffer from PMS, menopause.

Please try this oil for use after work, when you feel tired!

Volatile: Middle

Smell: Strong

staff  B

SHADOW Photo Exhibition

I like how photograph tells you a story of the photographer and people who look at it. I am not good at taking people's photograph so I got into shadow world!

There is a photo exhibition in Brooklyn.
Please stop by and check the shadow's world!

SHADOW Photo Exhibition "Street Canvas"
Venticinque
162 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

staff  T

Vegan Strawberry Shortcake

Here is a vegan strawberry shortcake recipe and it is the same classic taste without the dairy and sugar.

Don't worry if you eat it too much.. it's very healthy and good for your body.

Ingredients

Cake        2 1/2 cup  Unbleached white flour 

                 1  tbsp       Baking Powder

　　　　 100ml       Canola oil

                 150ml        Apple juice

                 100ml       Maple syrup

                 100g          Tofu

                 1/2 tsp      Vanilla Extract

Cream     300g          Firm Tofu

                 60ml          Maple syrup

                 1 tbsp         Lemon juice

                 1 tsp           Vanilla Extract

Strawberry

      

Mix tofu in a food processor. Add it to cake ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a 8inch oiled round cake tin. Bake 20-30min at 375 F. Mix cream ingredients in a food processor. Decorate with tofu cream and strawberry.

                                                                        staff  K

Ms. Mariko Mori Exhibition

We are pleased to share with you the recent news about Ms. Mariko Mori, who is our royal client and a famous artist, in The Art Newspaper.　

It says that the exhibition “Mariko Mori: Oneness”at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rio, was the 1st most visited contemporary art exhibition in the world and the 7th most visited museum exhibition in the world in 2011. It received an average of 6,991 visitor per day and 538,328 in total during the exhibition’s run.

We feel very proud on hearing of her success and would like to continue supporting her.

Below is the related article in The Art Newspaper.

This week's flower

The flower at ease NY this week is purple color.
Purple color has a healing effect and soothe mental and emotional stress.

Makiko Kadoi

SPA WEEK SPECIAL!!!

It has been an interesting spring with the very early arrival of flowers and sunshine, yet still cold temperatures returning here and there.  It is worth taking extra care of your body at this turn of season, to slow down, drink water, meditate, or whatever you feel moved to do.  Of course, ease NY recommends massage!
Just in time, annual spa week starts April 16 through 22.  Enjoy our spa week special menu at discounted prices!

This spring's special aroma is a blend of Myrtle, Clary Sage*, Geranium.  This combination will raise your spirits, relieve stress and help drain excessive fluids from your body. It makes you feel refreshed and ready for the warm and active season!

Please see below for more details.  We look forward to seeing you. 

*50min Swedish aroma massage $75→$50

*50min Reflexology $75→$50

Enjoy the spring!

We apologize in advance, but for those who are/may be expecting will not be able to have the Spa Week Special. We regret for the inconvenience and appreciate for your understanding. 


Shizuka Moriwaki

Mind is a medicine

A day after we arrived to Jamaica, we headed to a spa in our hotel. We met a massage therapist who worked at the spa.  He works in Jamaica and NY. He comes to NY in May that when the temperature is warmer.  

He started talking to us that he got frozen shoulder the other day and had to have an injection before giving people massage.  However, he said us that “Mind is a medicine.” We both nodded him and agreed.

I used to have pain because of herniated vertebral discs on lumber area since I was 20 years old.  I was recommended to have a surgery for the condition. But of course, I didn't want to have it. So I tried many ways to solve the problem I had. The last thing that healed my lower back pain was to change how my mind was. Shico who is a head of salon told me that sometimes mind affected body. Only after a month, it completely healed. I was always wondering how it would feel like to have no pain on my lower back, and now I know how it feels! I experienced it myself that mind and body are somehow connected. 

                                                    a beautiful view and pool in front of the spa

Makiko Kadoi

Today's Lunch

Today’s Macrobiotic lunch plate is Chinese style.

Dumpling with Gobo(Burdock root) & Onion

Mapo Tofu with Shiitake mushroom & Nuts

Vegetables with Hummus

Brown rice with soy beans & grain

This is easy, healthy, and delicious Pan fried vegetable dumpling recipe.

Ingredients:

Filling: 1cup   Gobo(Burdock root) chopped

              2cup   Onion chopped

              1cup    Mushroom chopped

              2tsp    Miso

              2tsp    Flour

20 pieces  dumpling wraps

Saute filling ingredients with sesami oil and season them with Miso. Put into a bowl and mix them with flour. Fill them in dumpling wraps and fold in half to a moon shape and stick together with a touch of water. Add the dumplings to a sesami oiled hot pan and let them brown. Put 1cup water in and the lid on. Allow them to steam.

staff  K

Cherry blossom

A cherry blossom, which is sometimes called Sakura, is the flower that symbolizes Japan and creates one of the most beautiful scenes in spring. 

Below is a photo-book “SAKURA” by Mika Ninagawa who is a famous photographer in Japan. Please take a look and enjoy this at our lobby.

Cherry blossom in my neighborhood

Makiko Kadoi

Jamaica part Ⅱ

Sunset at Montego Bay was beautiful however I prefer watching the sunset at Negril more, it was just different view and very beautiful. I wanted to show you the picture. I was very relaxed watching the sunset and hearing wave sounds. 

Makiko Kadoi

Grapefruit essential oil

When I was talking with a friend of mine who likes to drink, she mentioned me that she always end up carrying excessive fluid in the body because of drinking too much.

So today, I would like to introduce you grapefruit essential oil which would increase metabolism of the body.

This oil would bring up the mood and make you feel happy. Which would also burn some body fat, stimulate a diuretic effect, tighten up skin and deodorize. It’s perfect for summer time. 

*Please avoid direct sunlight after you put it on since its phototoxic nature.

staff  B

Jamaica

We have visited Jamaica for researching spas last weekend. Only 3 and half hours flight from New York to paradise.

The spa we visited was called Fern Tree at Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay. According to a guide book, they are a very luxurious spa using only products that made with natural ingredients.

Shico and I had Seaweed body wrap and body scrub.  It was very good that made my body feel lighter and my skin softer. I wish I had a shower facility in our salon, so that we could provide those wrap after the massage.

Makiko Kadoi

Tofu Tiramisu

I made a vegan Tofu Tiramisu!! This recipe is healthy and delicious. No one will know it is made without cheese and coffee.

Ingredients:

Sponge     1  ½  cup  Unbleached white flour

                   2 tsp          Baking powder

                   ¼ cup       Canola oil

                   ½ cup       Apple juice

                   ¼ tsp        Salt

 Syrup      ½ cup       Grain coffee

                   2 tbsp       Maple syrup

                   3 tbsp       Rum

 Cream     ½               Agar-agar bar

                   1 lb            Tofu

                   1 cup         Soy milk

                   ½ cup       Maple syrup

                   2 tsp          Vanilla extract

  Carob powder    

Mix sponge ingredients well and pour into greased 9x13 rectangular pans. Baked for 15minutes at 350. Pour mixed syrup ingredients with ½ cup hot water over top of sponge cake and allow to absorb. Simmer agar-agar with water over medium heat until dissolved. Puree cream ingredients with agar-agar mixture in a food processor.  Pour cream on top of cake and refrigerate until firm. Sift carob powder over the top.

staff  K

Yelp Reviews

We always appreciate reviews and below is a part of them which was commented yesterday at Yelp. 
Thank you very much for your support.

……
More so, the staff is very friendly and professional. They make you fill a paper with questions concerning your health, how light or hard you want your massage, if you would like to have oil or aromatherapy (which I believe is $15 dollars extra,) and some more, which help them to give you a better treatment.

The room was clean, organized, and smelled good. They had music playing, which sounded like ocean waves. I swear it makes you feel you are not in the middle of New York.

The massage was awesome! Each therapist asked us if there was a particular area in which we wanted her to focus on, or if just whole body was fine. My husband's focused on his back and neck, and he said he felt great after the session.
……

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ease-ny-new-york

Makiko Kadoi

Flower Essence

We serve a few drops of Bach flower essence in a glass of warm water that is effective for stress relief every time after the session. 

Report: ease NY Japan Recovery Event

Spring is here in New York!  I trust this finds you well and enjoying the warm sunshine.

We are pleased to report that ease NY Japan Recovery Event on March 11 was a great success.  Thank you to all of you who came and everyone who was there in spirit in support of our initiative.  We are deeply moved by the caring and kindness shown by so many people.

Reflecting on my own experience from one year ago, I was scheduled to fly to Japan with my one-year-old daughter on March 11, 2011.  I was woken up by a phone call from Makiko in the middle of the night and learned about the disaster which had just hit Japan including her family in Kesennuma-city.  There was not enough information about the situation, and my flight was not going to be cancelled.  I decided to take the flight as planned.  I thought I could go help Makiko’s family.

Arriving at Narita Airport, I found all the transportation was paralyzed.  It took us more than 6 hours to get to a hotel in Tokyo.  Frequent aftershocks continued every day.  Bottled water was sold out, the threat of radiation contamination was increasing.  It was a very difficult time, especially with a young child, but I thought of the people who lost their loved ones, homes and livelihood.  My difficulty was nothing, compared to what they were going through.

For the past year, I have been wanting to go to the hardest hit areas and work as a volunteer.  But with both business and family responsibilities, I was only able to send monetary contributions.  Approaching the one year anniversary, everyone at ease NY thought of ways to help, and came up with the idea to hold the ease NY Japan Recovery Event on March 11.  Everyone of my staff was eager to participate.  It is my great honor and pleasure to work with such caring colleagues.  One of our therapists has volunteered to work at the site removing debris. 

In addition to this event on March 11, we have held an “aroma fundraising” campaign since last year, together which we have raised $5,711.05.   We will donate the full amount to “Ashinaga Ikueikai” which supports orphaned children.

We continue to pray for the victims and those affected by the disaster and wish for their fast recovery.   It is our aspiration to give what we can and help those in need in Japan and beyond.

Thank you for your support as always.

Shizuka Moriwaki

Macrobiotic diet

I like Macrobiotic diet!! What is Macrobiotic diet? 

A macrobiotic diet (or macrobiotics), from "macro" (large) and "bios" (life), is a dietary regimen which involves eating grains as a staple food supplemented with other foodstuffs such as local vegetables, avoiding the use of highly processed or refined foods and most animal products.

Some general guidelines for the Japanese style macrobiotic diet are the following.

• Well chewed whole cereal grains, especially brown rice: 40–60%
• Vegetables: 25–30%
• Beans and legumes: 5–10%
• Miso soup: 5%
• Sea vegetables: 5% A
• Traditionally or naturally processed foods: 5–10%
  
  

This is my macrobiotic lunch plate today.

Brown rice with soy bean

Veggie burger include broccoli, mushroom, and nuts with shimeji mushroom sauce

Sauted hijiki seaweed, celery, and carrot

staff  K

Lemongrass

I had a cup of tom yum goong soup the other day. While I was eating the soup, I smelled something familiar. It was lemongrass. 

Lemongrass is used as aromatherapy oil as well.  It’s recommended for when you are very tired that it would refresh your mind and body.  If you use it as massage oil, it would drain excessive fluid from your body and relieve pain or inflammation. 

*If you have sensitive skin, please mind that it could be irritative sometimes.

staff  B