It’s PAINweek in Las Vegas-the annual doctors’ conference on pain & the latest techniques (drugs) for managing it.

Here’s the purpose of the conference from the website:

The collective goal and vision of PAINWeek is to disseminate knowledge and tools to frontline clinicians who are faced with treating the majority of patients in pain. PAINWeek is the only national pain conference that has been developed to meet the educational needs of physicians, nursing professionals, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, and podiatrists.

PAINWeek offers a diverse curriculum with courses in the following areas: addiction, complementary & alternative medicine, geriatrics, health coaching, hypnosis, medical/legal, narcoterrorism, neurology, pain & chemical dependency, palliative care, pediatrics, pharmacology, physical medicine & rehabilitation, primary care, regional pain syndromes, and rheumatology.

There are many seminars on drugs, pills and medication and even a few on tai chi and self-hypnosis.  There’s even one on managing pain to increase the income a doctor can derive from his practice.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Pain is big business and Americans spend big to feel better.

But there’s not one seminar on the healing power of hot water. As we dedicated hot tubbers know, hot water has benefits to the brain and body. Pain originates in the brain and relaxing from the ongoing tension caused by pain is a way to find relief for many people.  Over the years so many of our customers have told us that the only time they find relief from pain is when they’re in the hot tub. We’ve heard many stories from our customers who have reduced or eliminated the need for drugs in dealing with chronic pain after getting and using a hot tub.

If you have chronic pain, ask your doctor about the health benefits of hot tub soaking. If he/she doesn’t know, we can help! And, organizers of PAINweek: how about a session on the healing power of hot water next year???

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

The weather didn’t cooperate yesterday for a great hot tub party. But there’s always this next weekend when the long range forecast looks pretty good. How about having a S.A.L.A.D. Party-the Saturday after Labor Day? Entertaining with a hot tub as a party focal point is easy.  Everyone is already psyched to have a good time.  Follow these Top 10 Tips to create a fun day or evening with good times to remember:

1. Invite the Fun People in Your Life-Omit the Grumps

Some friends will want to get in the hot tub, and others will be content to hang out by the snack table all night. Make your guest list according to who you think will have the most fun at your hot tub party.  Keep in mind the maximum occupancy of your tub, so you don’t leave any guests sitting out in the cold.

2. Clean, Clear Water

Just as you’d clean your house before a big party, make sure your hot tub water is clean and sparkling before guests arrive.  Check your supplies and make sure you have clarifier and sanitizer on hand.  You want your guests to go “aah” with delight when you roll back the cover, not “yuck!”

3. Have a Plan B

Bad weather, a power outage, or crabby guests- you never know what could crop up to spoil your hot tub fun so plan other activities just in case you can’t go in the hot tub.

4. Party Food: Keep it on the Light Side

Stick to finger food that can be eaten in or out of the tub. Easy to eat items like veggies & dip, fresh fruit on skewers, chicken or shrimp kabobs, egg rolls, etc work best.  Avoid chips in the tub.  If spilled, they make a party-ending, gummy mess!

5. Drinks: Save the Alcohol for After Soaking

Have a selection of bottled waters, juices and sodas on hand to keep soakers hydrated while soaking.  Alcohol?   Alcohol’s effects are felt much more quickly in a hot tub-overconsumption and a major hangover is a sure thing the next day. Save wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks for after soaking. You don’t want your guests to rue the day they accepted your invitation.

6. Provide Extra Bathing Suits

Most people are self-conscious around strangers. Some guests might “forget” their suits” in order to avoid soaking. Once they see all the fun everyone’s having, they’ll want to jump in, too.  Have a selection of extra bathing suits and swim trunks on hand for guests who left their suits at home. Shop the end of season sales on now for bargains in swimsuit.

7. Extra Towels- the Thoughtful Touch

You can never have enough towels! Guests may get in and out of the tub multiple times, leading to damp towels that stop doing the job.  Keep lots of clean, fresh towels on hand and stay on top of putting wet towels in the washer & dryer. Your guests will love you for it and so will your carpet and upholstered lawn furniture.

8. Add Hot Tub Accessories, Games and Door Prizes and Consider a Theme for your Party

All of the action will be centered around your hot tub, so pick up fun party favors, small door prizes, ducks for everyone to race, waterproof cards, floating checkerboards, etc. Solar powered lanterns are a beautiful way to light up the night. The Hawaiian theme is always in style. Waterproof leis add to the fun.

9. Cue the Soundtrack: Music is Must

Every party needs a soundtrack. Many newer hot tubs come with music and an iPod docking station.  Choose your music with your guests’ taste in mind. Throw in some songs that add pizzazz to your party’s theme.

10. And, the most important thing:  Have Fun

If you, the host, aren’t having a good time, your guests won’t either. Sit back, relax and have a ball at your own hot tub party. You can never foresee all of the problems that can and do arise, so just go with the flow.  Your guests will appreciate your approach to the evening and have fun themselves.

That’s the recipe for a great hot tub party!

RES EST SERVAS VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

Here’s an email from a wonderful woman who’s a longtime fan of Olympic Hot Tub Company. I sold her first hot tub to her-a Hot Spring Classic in 1990. Does anyone remember the “dog dish”?

“Hi Alice: I am so pleased to be using the Silk Balance product in my new hot tub. Wow! What an improvement from previous years when using chlorine was the only option.

It is so easy and convenient to use just once a week and there is no smell of chlorine on your skin when you get out of the water. Silk balance also does not create damage to your bathing suit.

I’m enjoying my Hot Spring Jetsetter Spa with new features that my old model Olympic hot tub did not have.

I wouldn’t have any other kind of hot tub and Olympic H.T. personnel have always been great to work with.

Thanks again,

Sally Downs, Olympia, WA

Hot Spring Spa Jetsetter Owner

If you’re not using SilkBalance, you’re missing our on carefree hot tubbing. Why be a slave to old ways? Thousands of hot tub owners have switched to SilkBalance and are enjoying the best hot tubbing of their lives. It’s feels great, smells great and simple as 1-2-3 to use.  Saves your pricey bathing suit, too. I guarantee you love it or your money back!  There’s absolutely no risk. Make the switch to SilkBalance today.  At Olympic Hot Tub Company, we feel so positively about SilkBalance we include it with every new spa! We ship SilkBalance nationwide, too.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

We all hate to think of getting older, so how about getting better as we age?  Healthy Aging Month is designed to inspire all people over 50  to think positively about moving forward and taking up activities that help them age well. It’s never too late to improve one’s physical fitness, social and mental wellness or financial well-being.

What better way to age well than improve your health by hot tubbing regularly?  Take a tip from E.H. of Kirkland, WA who has just purchased his third hot tub from Olympic Hot Tub Company:

“This Jetsetter Hot Spring Spa is the third or fourth unit I have acquired from Olympic.  I use the hot tub daily in the morning- and always after playing tennis three or four times a week. As I am coming up on my 82nd birthday, I give the hot tub much of the credit for making it possible for me to stay so active.”

Did you catch that??  He’s not the only Olympic customer who credits his hot tub with keeping him young. We have many, many customers who are soaking in their 80’s and nineties. Our oldest purchaser was 93 when she purchased a spa.Want to stay active and look younger into your 80’s and beyond? Start now: Get a Hot Spring Spa and use it! Hot tubbing IS the Fountain of Youth. Look no further.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

Well, if you really MUST have a hot tub when you go camping, here’s one idea. From the DesignCrack.com archives, it’s called the DutchTub. The Dutch Tub is one of those ingenious ideas where you wonder, ” Why has no-one thought of this before?”  (Or maybe not?). It’s a bit like an old-fashioned wood fired hot tub, but it uses a bit more advanced coiling system to heat up the water (using propane for the heating). On top of that, it’s also a barbeque complete with a wok that sits on top of the fire. If that’s not enough, consider that it’s relatively light, which means higher portability. You could bring your hot tub camping ( not dream of mine-Four Seasons, anyone?)! The DutchTub comes in a number of vibrant colors, but the shipping will set you back hundreds of dollars. 

Better than the Dutch tub is a hot tub that runs off a generator. Tow it behind your mobile home on a utility trailer and have all the pleasures of hot tubbing while camping or in an RV park.

Here’s a great option if you really want to take your hot tub camping:

The Solana TX®  Spa from Olympic Hot Tub Company is all about simplicity.   Completely portable, the triangular shape of  a Solana spa enhances your backyard, patio, sunroom, basement or spare bedroom or life on the road. It’s easy to drain and take with you!!  Simply plug it into a dedicated, standard 115v outlet or  take  your  generator with you to power it up.

The foam insulation and vinyl cover retain heat to keep energy costs low, and the integrated filtration system keeps the water clear and fresh with minimal effort. All internal components – pump, heater and filter – are specially designed for low-maintenance.

The unique variety of custom jets and contoured seats cradle the body, providing a level of soothing hydromassage and relaxation. Imagine having a personal masseuse, on call whenever you want, in the comfort and privacy of your own home or after a hard day’s drive on the open road!

Whether you want to relax alone or together, consider Solana spa your private destination for serenity and rejuvenation each and every day. Solana® spas… not an ordinary hot tub only at Olympic Hot Tub Company.

Sua cuique voluptas – Latin for Everyone has his own pleasures.

Dogs in the hot tub? Well, you might make an exception for today-it’s National Dog Day-August 26th. More people have dogs for pets than any other animal. Why? Because they are loving and loyal companions. They treat us better than we treat each other. Here is one day to recognize and honor them for their love, loyalty and life saving skills.

Fido here may look peaceful-he’s in for therapy and this hot tub is kept cooler (in the high 80’s) for his treatments. But having your dog in your own hot tub? Not a good idea. Dogs shed short hair which will clog filters. There’s also the possibility of pet “germs” and their compatibility with human “germs”. That’s the verdict from your hot tub’s side.

From the pets’ view: dogs have no way to dispel excess body heat except through hard and rapid panting.  Overheating your dog is a real possibility if he or she shares your 102 or hotter hot tub. Think, too, about the drying effects that chlorine will cause (if you’re using a chlorine system).

Make your hot tub a “humans only” zone unless you and your dog agree it’s a good thing!  If your dog does go in the hot tub with you, send us a photo and tell us what you do to keep the water clean and your dog happy.

Sua cuique voluptas – Latin for Everyone has his own pleasures.

Some letters just make your day! Here’s one I received last week from a happy Olympic Hot Tub owner. We were on vacation at the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference when I received this.  And, as I read it over, I couldn’t help but think that none of the distinguished writers were as eloquent as Peter Farrell in his love for his hot tub and what’s its done for him and his wife. Read on:

Dear Alice,
We purchased our hot tub late March of this year from your Issaquah Olympic Hot Tub Company store. The model we bought was a Hot Spot Sorrento model by Hot Spring Spas and have had it enclosed in a gazebo to enable year-round use and enjoyment.  (That’s a photo of Peter above).
Firstly I would like to say that Jon Hutter in the Issaquah store was invaluable with his advice and assistance through our decision making process.
Secondly and even more importantly, this has had to be the best purchase that we have ever made.  Both my wife and I love to relax of an evening in the tub, we talk, listen to music, have a glass of wine and let the water carry our cares away and revitalize our mind and body.
As for the Silk Balance, we love it because it leaves our skin feeling normal.  Also I suffer mildly from eczema and the Silk Balance absolutely does not aggravate my skin which is wonderful.
Thank you again Jon and Olympic!
Kind regards,
Peter Farrell
Sammamish,  WA

Hot Spot Sorrento owner

What’s the number one thing people say after they purchase a Hot Spring Spa from Olympic Hot Tub Company? “This is the best purchase I’ve ever made. Why didn’t I do it sooner?”  Thanks to Peter for writing. It’s always a treat to hear how a hot tub has made a difference in our customers’ lives.  Shouldn’t you consider owning a hot tub now?  It’s the best time of the year to do more than think about it: it’s our 33rd Anniversary Sale!

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

It’s time for Hot tub Astronomy 101. Here’s a bit of history: full Moon names date back to Native Americans tribes of the area of the northern and eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon.

The August full moon is called the Full Sturgeon Moon. The fishing tribes are given credit for the naming of this Moon, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this month. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the Moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze. It was also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.

Whatever you call it, don’t miss tonight’s full moon from your Olympic hot tub. I think it will be visible between the clouds. By the way, if you want to check the weather for hot tubbing, go to Cliff Mass’ blog. This popular meteorologist is THE expert on weather of the Pacific Northwest. When all other weathermen get it wrong, he gets it right 99.9% of the time.

RES EST SERVAS VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

Here’s a rave for the ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System and the owner’s Grandee Hot Spring Spa. If you’ve never owned a spa before, your appreciation of how wonderful the ACE system is might not be as pointed as that of an owner who has struggled with water care for years!  Avoid his first mistake and buy the right hot tub, the first time!

“This is my second hot tub. My first was a Sundance Optima. This time around we chose the Hot Spring Grandee from Olympic Hot Tub Company with the optional ACE Salt Water Sanitizing system. Believe me, the ACE Salt system is worth every penny. We have had our tub now for 4 months and it has been virtually maintenance free. With my Sundance spa I was constantly battling cloudy water with the BaquaSpa chemicals that never seemed to be balanced quite right.

Brandon Jones, the sales consultant at the Everett Olympic Hot Tub store, has been incredibly helpful and I am so thankful he talked me into the ACE Salt system. Other than throwing a 1/2 cup of shock in once a month, we have done nothing. Another awesome feature of the Grandee that we love are the Moto-massage jets. They are amazingly powerful and feel like a massage therapist is running a roller stick up and down your back. The Hot Spring Grandee is the best tub on the market and it is not even close to anything else out there especially if you get the ACE salt system included.”  Posted on Google Reviews July 15, 2010 by S. H. Edmonds, WA.

Have an old spa that requires tremendous effort for water care? Take a tip from an owner who’s “been there”.  Get a Hot Spring Spa with the ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System! Your best hot tubbing experience is just ahead.

By the way, we take trade-ins .

And, if you live in Snohomish, visit Olympic Hot Tub Company’s Everett store!

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

It’s the birthday today of Coco Chanel who invented the modern bathing suit using jersey traditionally reserved for men’s underwear.  She was born on August 19, 1883 and lived to age 88  working up to the day she died in 1971. Sure, her original suits had bottoms to the knee and long sleeves, but at least they were lightweight and not cut-off versions of heavy dresses. It was her inspiration that got women’s bodies out of layers of heavy clothing that restricted movement when bathing. From her original design, it was only a matter of time before the legs were shortened, the sleeves were shortened and the modern bathing suit arrived.

So, if you’re soaking in your hot tub in a bathing suit tonight, thank Coco.

RES EST SERVAS VOLUPTAS.  Pleasure is serious business.