Judy Foreman Knows Santa Barbara

Let's Get Physical!

In Focus – The Team Approach to health

Physical Focus celebrates their 11 year anniversary

You may drive by it every day on your way to Vons or to jump on the 101 FWY at Hot Springs but have never stopped in to take a closer look at one of the
premier health and fitness facilities in Montecito/Santa Barbara. But on January 8^th 2010 Phycical Focus celebrated their 11year anniversary.  After renting the site from Silvio Di Loreto since 1999 this past October brothers Michael and Kasper Allison became the official property owners of the two story building which houses Physical Focus at 140 Hot Springs Rd. Half the purchase price being given directly to a charitable trust with numerous local beneficiaries including Santa Barbra City College, Hillside House, and The Santa Barbara Foundation.

When I stopped in for the ‘team Physical Focus” photo shoot I spent some time  with brothers/owners Michael and Kasper who shared with me their business philosophy.

Q: What sets you apart from other workout facilities/gyms?

A: We began our careers in the fitness industry nearly 20 years ago. Initially, we designed aftercare post -rehab programs for the patients of licensed physical therapists and we trained our fitness clients in physical therapy clinics instead of gyms.  When we started seeing clients at  our Hot Springs location we sought to distinguish ourselves from other private studios and personal trainers who although there are some excellent ones in our town, we felt many lacked sufficient education and training ,passion and understanding to  help clients reach their  ultimate fitness goals. We began formulating our vision of a training center that would bridge the gap between physical therapy, athletic training and fitness. That vision came to fruition when we opened Physical Focus in 1999.

Q:  Based on the size of your staff can you explain your team approach to business?

A: From the beginning, we were determined not to become what we observed most other private studios around us were doing.   Many owners had basically become landlords, renting space to whatever a trainer could afford to pay them. We observed that each trainer would work independent of the studio with their own methodology and in competition with one another for clients. From the time we opened we turned away several trainers every month interested in renting space at Physical Focus because we wanted to build a unified team around a central philosophy. Instead, each member of our team would share the same underlying philosophy and they would collectively work together not in competition. This was fundamental to our mission eleven years ago and continues even stronger today.

Q: How do you help your clients reach their fitness goals?

A: Life Performance System our proprietary methodology is focused on the big picture goals of moving better, eliminating pain, reducing risk of injury, making healthy life style choices and improving overall performance in life and sport. With our system ,the short –term goals of losing weight and looking a certain way take care of themselves because we design and implement an individualized plan that will encompass all the essential components necessary for optimum health and fitness. Nothing is left out! We have also patented a new fitness product that converts a dumbbell into a fully functional kettlebell which we use for training in a gym or home use. www.convertabell.com

Q: How have you become part of the Montecito Community?

A: Location, location, location! Convenience for our neighborhood clients who number over 200 and range in age from 16 - 89 is a plus although not all have 93108 zip codes. We provide under our two story site 24 hour memberships.  We have a one-stop shop complete health and fitness team that includes personal trainers  for each client for  strength and conditioning, Pilates and yoga instructors, massage therapists, nutritional consultants and Licensed Physical therapists. Our staff  of 20 values continuing education, are enthusiastic, fun and are focused on taking care of each clients OVERALL health and fitness program by ‘collectively working together’ as one unified team sharing one central comprehensive philosophy. Monthly consultations and regular communication by e-mail insures that every member continues moving toward their goal and successfully maintains their commitment to overall health and fitness. We also provide personal training and group classes at the Montecito Country Club and The Tennis Club of Santa Barbara.

Q: Looks like a family affair around her with all the young children.? What’s in the water?

A: Yes, we are a young staff and some of us are parents too., Kasper and his wife Daven have a new baby girl Rowan, Daven is also trainer at PF and played on the Women’s Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Tour and Michael and his wife Jaime have two daughters, 6 and 10 and Jaime is the founder and owner of Moms in Motion. 

Physical Focus

140 Hot Springs Road

Montecito CA  93108

805-695-0450

physicalfocus@gmail.com

Bonding with Surf Creatures

World Champion surfer Shaun Tomson releases “Surf Creatures”, an  innovative Children’s storybook iPhone app for families, featuring 26  animated  rhymes about fierce and friendly creatures that live under his surfboard.  Surf Creatures is the very first and only application of its kind to feature Storytalk™, enabling up to four people to record their own voices so the whole family can rhyme about the cool creatures that live in the surf zone.

The project was inspired by his newborn son Luke and his late son Mathew.  One day in 2000 Shaun and his son Mathew spent the morning at the beach. Mathew built a large circle of smooth rocks on the beach, which he called the “Sacred Story Circle”.  For the rest of the morning Tomson and his son sat in the Circle and traded stories back and forth. 

After the tragic and painful loss of their 15 yr old son Mathew, Tomson was    inspired to create and application that would bring families together through story telling.  Not only can the users hear Tomson read the tale, but through the app’s unique Storytalk™ feature, they have the option of recording their own voices for their children.

In addition to Storytalk™, Surf Creatures contains beautifully illustrated graphics along with sound effects and music to educate and entertain children and parents about creatures that live in the surf zone.

“I never thought I’d be writing rhymes at 55 yrs old,” say Tomson.  “Live has given my wife and me a second chance at happiness with the recent birth of Luke and me love writing for him.  Storytelling is so important to all parents and children, and now new mobile technology can add to a tradition that is thousands of years old.”

The application is $3.99 at http://itunes.apple.com search for Surf Creatures in the apps store.

Eat, Write, Shop - Love Thy Differences

Open for just one day before a fire broke out at neighboring stores in the Vons shopping center, the smoke has now cleared and Malia Mills and her designer swimwear and collection of ready-to-wear accessories is open for business!

The chic Malia Mills, assisted by her sister Carol, have opened boutiques across the country.  It all began with one simple idea:  to engineer tops by bra size, to cut bottoms to show off a variety of shapes, and to empower women to stand and stride into the water with confidence.  Malia understands the psychological issues of a good fitting suit, and understands if it does not fit or feel right a woman will not be happy.

“Some of the details that make our suits fit so well are the seaming that gives shape and support and hidden details behind a fun colored lining,” Mills says.  “The winning combination of fabric, lining, elastic, boning, hooks and straps with fashion is a science.”

In fact, Malia earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell in Ithaca, New York, where she learned how to design everything from Maternity clothes to chemical warfare helmets to scuba suits.

I asked Malia to put together essential pieces for me to get out of dodge or for a cruise down to Butterfly Beach.  She suggested the Malia Mills getaway bag; big enough to pack your essentials and sassy enough to go from beach to bar.  Toss in your favorite suit such as their woven Dionne maillot cut in crisp Liberty print, and a pair of strappy sandals from Barcelona.  A beach hat is great for any girl on the go; their double duty reversible hat came from a collaboration between Malia Mills and hat guru Patricia Underwood, combining tow ways to wear a hat to protect your face.

Malia Mills of Montecito is located at 1026 Coast Village Road, call 805-845-2137 or visit www.maliamills.com.

Eat, Write, Shop - Cherrio!

Stepping into Angela Torin’s Hampstead Village is like being transported directly to a tony boutique in the British Isles.  Moving into La Arcada Court in downtown Santa Barbara this month she has renovated the two-story place located between Waterhouse Gallery and Petit Valentien restaurant.

Fixtures with rich wood trim, beautiful glass cases, fabric window coverings and shelves filled with goodies from the U.K. fill the space.  With public parking right next door to La Arcada Court, it’s a breeze to get in and out of downtown without the hassle.

Hampstead Village will trigger nostalgia for food stuffs and noteworthy English lines, some which date back to 1870, such as Penhaligon’s of London perfumes, Taylor of Old Bond Street Gentlemen’s Toiletries (established in 1854), Halcyon Days Enamels of London, handmade teapots by Carter of England, Emma Bridgwater Pottery, Nicholas Mosse Pottery (handmade in Ireland), Galway Crystal Spode china, Corinna Gordon jewelry, and Jill Temkin designs.

I toured around the shop with Ms. Torin, an active supporter of both the Breast Cancer Resource Center and the ADL of Santa Barbara.  With her British accent and enthusiasm for her first-time business, she says the Women’s Economic Ventures program helped her gain the confidence and knowledge to open the shop.  Her inventory includes coffee table books ranging in topic from English country homes to the Beatles, cookery books from Ireland and Scotland, travel guides to the U.K. and much more.

English children’s classics such as “Winnie the Pooh”, “Mary Poppins”, and Paddington Bear are also for sale; in the new year Torin will be reading some of these treasures on Sunday Afternoons in front of her fireplace, a tradition started with her own son Alex, now a student at San Marcos High School.

Cuddly and soft London policeman bears, Scottish pipers and heart shaped “I love London” pillows are scattered around the shop.  And of course what would an English sop be without a huge collection of food from Cadbury’s, Mars bars, Walkers and all the favorite British tea, jams, biscuits, mustards, cakes, puddings and mince pies.

Hampstead Village is located at 1114 State Street, Suite 10.  Call 805-845-3343 or visit her website at www.hampsteadvillageusa.com for more information.

Eat, Write, Shop - All Things Beautiful

I discovered Christy Martin’s new lifestyle store, Encanto, on a first Thursday as she was just dusting off and unpacking her inventory.  Her choices of items from hop furniture, linens, dishes, handbags, small leather goods, jewelry, candles, slippers, table wear, and art are finely choreographed without being over the top.

“After working in the interior design world for the past twenty-five years I thought it might be fun to go beyond interiors and into a little bit of fashion, as I am constantly being asked ‘where do you get that?’” Ms. Martin says.  “Whether it is a dress, a shoe or piece of jewelry, it is really fun to share these things that I love,” she adds.

Some of the new stuff in the shop include Escama Studio bags and purses. 
These beauties are made out of recycled pop tops by women artists in co-operatives in Brasilia, Brazil. Each piece comes with a hang tag, bearing the signature of the person who made it, so you can read more about this person by clicking on their photo on their website. They will even translate a thank you letter into Portuguese should you feel so inclined to write. Helping artists create beautiful wearable art. How much fun is that? www.escamastudio.com. 

If scarves and silk is more to your liking she carries Avani Wild Silk scarves.   These hand woven shawls and scarves are completely handmade, from the  spinning and dyeing of the wild silk to weaving the finished product.  Made by artisans of the Kumaon region of the Himalayas, these Avani textiles have won the UNESCO Seal of Excellence.  www.tilonia.com.

Christy also sponsors and hosts events.  On January 6^th she hosted a Dale Kern of Milbesos Trunk Show the First Thursday Artwalk (part of the downtown Santa Barbara scene).  The trunk show featured gorgeous handmade jewelry by Montecito resident Dale Kern.   15% of sales were donated to the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara.

The next event will be, January 21^st when Encanto and Saks Fifth Avenue Santa Barbara will be hosting "AGELESS DRESS" given by top stylist Sherrie Mathieson at 2 PM. Sherrie has written two Random House books: "FOREVER COOL" and "STEAL THIS STYLE". www.sherriemathieson.com.

Encanto is located in La Arcada Court, 1114 State Street, Suite 22, call 805-722-4338 or visit Ms. Martin’s design website, www.studioencanto.com.