International Orange

Yoga Student + Teacher of the Month

To seal in 2011, I bring you December’s featured student + teacher of the month: Bridget Kavanaugh, who teaches an all levels vinyasa class on Monday and Fridays at 12noon at our San Francisco yoga studio and Holly Foster, a dedicated IO yogi who off the mat is a managing editor at an aquatics life [...]

My IO favorite things: Holiday Gifts of Wellness

The season is officially upon us: the HOLIDAYS. This time of year brings heightened stress for all. So this holiday, we’ve scoured the earth for simple, beautiful, handmade nesting gifts for the wellness enthusiast. We’ve stocked our shelves with a collection exclusively available at our San Francisco spa. It’s our IO peace offering, if you [...]

Allie Edison’s Inspired Yoga Playlist

Getting on the mat during lunchtime has been one of my favorite ways to break up the day and greet the sun at its peak. This week, I took Allie Edison’s Tuesday 12noon 1-hour vinyasa class. Allie, who teaches Tuesday and Thursday at 12noon, brings a positive buoyancy and lightness to her classes through her [...]

Being Thankful

Tomorrow is the day where we give thanks to the friends, the earth, good health, love and all the other good things under the sun. In honor of this day or gratitude, I’ve decided to keep this one short and sweet. A time for reflection. What are you thankful for? Here’s to a safe, healthy [...]

Dry Brushing 101 with Jodie Walker

At IO, we’re blessed with a talented team, dedicated to wellness at work and in life. Jodie, a member of our San Francisco spa front desk team, is also a Certified Yoga Teacher, and knows a thing or two about a beautiful wellness technique called dry brushing. So this week, I asked Jodie a few [...]

Yoga Student + Teacher of the Month

Yogis, we’re closing in on 2011! This month, I bring you November’s featured student + teacher: Ellie Bowman, who teaches a Level 1 Vinyasa class on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:45pm at our San Francisco yoga studio and Ben Jones, a dedicated IO yogi who works in commercial real estate. TEACHER OF THE MONTH Ellie [...]

Secrets in the Steam: Masks with Eleanor Bagley

Ooh, masks. Luxurious yet, intimidating. In this Secrets in the Steam interview, esthetician Eleanor Bagley, helps us break down the reasons to (or not to) mask. Eleanor, when not at our San Francisco spa, can be found eating at small local restaurants or pursuing her other passion, fashion. What is the purpose of a mask? [...]

Hydrating on Planes: OM of NM Hydrosols

I’ve been spending too much time on planes lately. All this time at 30,000 ft has left me parched and with a new best friend: my OM of NM Lavender Hydrosol ($12). Sad but true, I’ve become attached to my OM of NM Lavender Hydrosol, because it has keep me hydrated and free from germs [...]

Huffington Post

Summer Spa Treats for Skin and Hair September 2011 “The Organic Detox Facelift is a powerful solution that combines cleansing, enzymatic exfoliation and intense hydration.”

7×7 SF

International Orange Indulgence is Standing By September 2011 “There are good San Francisco spas and there are better ones. International Orange has always kept a low profile as one of the better ones.”

bon appetit

Our favorite Farm-Fresh Beauty Products: OM of NM August 2011 “OM of NM, the small, privately run family farm handcrafts its products exclusively for BA-favorite International Orange spa in San Francisco. [The scrub] leaves your skin so lightly moisturized that you can use it in the morning, towel dry, put on your work clothes, and [...]

7×7 SF

Triple Threat: Yoga, Steam + Spa at IO July 2011 “International Orange still has the same allure as it did when it first opened…sometimes the oldies but goodies are the best discoveries.”

STYLE.COM

The 411 Beauty Insider: In Fiore’s Julie Elliot July 2011 “This [International Orange] is always my go-to place. All of the aestheticians and body workers are very experienced and regarded as some of the most talented in the Bay area.”

REFINERY29.COM

Editor’s Guide to San Francisco’s Best Beauty Spots June 2011 “An extra bonus for you pregnant ladies, they have special mom-to-be massages and packages, too.”

The Pursuit of Handstands, Part 2 with Jody Hahn

I’ve kept you waiting. Here’s Part 2 of Jody Hahn’s step-by-step guide to mastering the handstand. This week Jody shares her steps for the advanced yogi or anyone who’s seen the world upside down. If you have mastered getting up at the wall, now it’s time to figure out the balance away from the wall. [...]

Yoga Student + Teacher of the Month

Happy October yogis! This month, I bring you October’s shining stars: Andrea Graham, who teaches an all levels vinyasa class on Monday and Wednesday at 7:45pm at our San Francisco yoga studio and Dina Mussano, a graphic designer for Whole Foods. TEACHER OF THE MONTH Andrea Graham HOMETOWN Louisville, Kentucky IDEA OF HAPPINESS Feeling connected [...]

The Pursuit of Handstands, Part 1 with Jody Hahn

In every yoga class, there is always a glimmer of hope that I might just get upside down. I’ve been on the handstand pursuit for years, receiving inspirational and practical guidance all along the way. And, in true yoga form, there is no right or wrong way to get into a handstand, but there is [...]

Adding on: the Essential Oil Add-on

There are plenty of things to add-on. An extra cherry on top, a gossip magazine in the checkout line, an upgrade on your flight across the country. But if you’re going to add-on anything these days, add on essential oils. Specifically I’m talking about adding an In Fiore Body Balm ($15) to your IO massage [...]

Table Time: Michelle Lyn + Itching for a Healthy Scalp

Have you thought about your scalp lately? For many of us, it’s the last thing on our minds. As one of the most overlooked body parts, the scalp is quite literally the root of maintaining overall balance and wellness for the body. Michelle Lyn, a member of our San Francisco spa Certified Massage Therapist team, [...]

Yoga Student + Teacher of the Month

We’re proud of our yogis and teachers at IO. So much so that each month we proudly feature a student and teacher of the month. Here are September’s shining stars: Erika van Gemeren, who teaches an all levels vinyasa class on Thursdays at 7:00-8:00am, and Bessie Lee, manager of Cielo Boutique, one of our Fillmore [...]

IO Renewal Day

Next Tuesday, September 13, our San Francisco spa will close shop for 1 day for our annual IO Renewal Day. For those of you who have been around IO know that Renewal Day is our day to turn in and reset. With each Renewal Day, we realign ourselves. Renewal day is a day of refreshment [...]

Hiding in the Sun: the IO Sun Deck

Now that it’s the end of everyone else’s summer, it’s officially the beginning of San Francisco’s. Which means, sunny September is just around the corner. So, where to go to hide out in the sun? Come over to our IO sun deck. I bet you didn’t realize that we had one, did you? I call [...]

Why Get a Facial?

It’s safe to say that if getting a facial was as commonplace as brushing your teeth was, we’d not only have brighter faced futures, but just more wellness in our lives. This week, I’ve decided to tackle a basic question that’s often overlooked: Why get a facial? To many, getting a facial seems like a [...]

Ease Sore Muscles with IO Bathe

Three weeks ago I signed up for an all-women’s triathlon. (Something I thought that I could never do, I’m doing!) Outside of the positive benefits of increased energy levels and lower stress, training for the triathlon has brought on a continuous series of muscle pain and soreness – from my shoulders to quads – all [...]

Skin Savior: 3 Things You Need to Know about Face Oil

Like many things, applying oil to your face seems contradictory (and suffocating!) Why apply oil to already oily skin? For years, we’ve been advised to buy oil-free skincare products. Then we learned: oil is actually a miracle worker. It’s more than just for parched skin. It’s a savior for a variety of complexion ailments ranging [...]

Secrets in the Steam: Rahnie Smith on Skincare through the Ages

Life transitions happen! Every 10 years, we transition through another decade. Do you know what your skin needs throughout the ages? This week, I sat down with Rahnie Smith, a member of our San Francisco spa and Esthetician team, to break down the most common complexion offenders and what we should be paying attention to [...]

Making the Most of IO: 5 IO Tidbits You Should Know (for your visit!)

We love our clients. We really, really do. Without you all, we’d be devoid of our passion: bringing wellness transformation to all. Though, I must confess. Too often do I see clients rushing in-and-out and missing the best parts of IO. By arriving late, rushing or not taking full advantage of the spa’s calming nurturing [...]

Table Time Interview: Jennifer Bautista Debunks Acupressure

Acupressure: Is it a mystery to you? This week, I sat down with Jennifer Bautista for an Acupressure 101 session. Often confused for acupuncture, acupressure is a hidden gem, like a middle child overlooked by its siblings: massage and acupuncture. Jennifer, who comes from family of a self-taught reflexologists and aromatherapists, brings a love for [...]

And Away We Go: Sofia Does Tahiti

Not often to I get to boast about an epic vacation like my recent 8-day trip to Tahiti. So here I am, blissfully happy to share my island love for the land and people of Tahiti. After a 8-hour flight, I landed in Tahiti, the largest island in French Polynesia. An archipelago of mountainous islands [...]

VANITY FAIR

Shaping Up Skin with a “Yoga Facial” at International Orange June 2011 “…known for its serene, centering atmosphere and beloved by celebrities who possess both flawless skin and bodies (Christy Turlington, Gwyneth Paltrow)…what I left with was well worth the effort: radiant skin that’s still plump and blemish-free weeks later, and perhaps more toned arms [...]

7×7 MAGAZINE

2011 Best of the City: Beauty On-the-Go June 2011 “One shot of International Orange’s Preserve Skincare products, and your beauty routine will forever be altered. The face-cleansing pads are the perfect all-in-one solution for anyone on the go.”

STYLE.COM

The Stock List: Preserve Skincare + Taking a Swipe at Wrinkles and Acne April 2011 “The seasoned pros have come up with a solution: a pre-soaked facial cleansing pads that wipe away impurities and rebalance the skin’s pH with high-tech botanicals so you never have to bother with tedious soap again.”

Secrets in the Steam: Ashley Smith on Exfoliation’s 5 W’s (and How)

Now that we just celebrated our nation’s birthday, let’s talk about another re-birthing process: exfoliation. Overwhelmed by the thought of it? Not to worry, I’ve brought Ashley Smith to the rescue to break down the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How’s of exfoliation. With over 5 years of experience, Ashley brings an unparalleled passion [...]

Table Time: Monk Wellington on Unlocking the Body’s (Hidden) Connections

Ever been on the massage table hoping to ease back pain, but the therapist addresses another area instead? This week I sat down with Monk Wellington (yes, a Monk!) to get the scoop on why this is so. Counterintuitive, but true. What we think are seemingly unrelated parts are in fact, the key to relieving [...]

Inside Out: Summer Skin Protection beyond SPF

San Francisco summer is in full effect. Overcast, cold, windy, foggy. Time to escape SF city limits in search of sun and heat. After all these years living in San Francisco, it seems as if I’ve forgotten what summer is really like. Life beyond the fog belt does exist, but what to bring to protect [...]

Secrets in the Steam: Karen on Balinese Beauty Rituals

With a passport full of international stamps, our very own Karen Waage lives for traveling and discovering beauty rituals of the world. While not globetrotting, Karen can be found at our spa in San Francisco working her magic on clients of all skin types. Can’t make it to Bali this year? Read on for Karen’s [...]

Dear Dad: IO Father’s Day Gift Guide

Oft-forgotten are Dad’s and their heroic efforts. They double duty as friends, fathers, leaders and worker bees. On Sunday, June 19th, how will you honor your dad? My dad has always been there for me, yet I succumb annually to the standard “fatherly” gifts, of which I’m never sure if he actually uses. So this [...]

A Spa Retreat for Your Insides: CAN CAN Cleanse

Four times a year the seasons change. And with each change, we season-proof our wardrobes, cars, homes, skincare and even travel essentials. But too often do we forget to clean our insides. I’m not talking about the infamously intense Master Cleanse, where your body goes into shock. I’m talking about the CAN CAN Cleanse, a [...]

Party Like a Yogi-Star: IO Yoga Parties

Everyone loves a good party. Fun, festive or simple, parties now come in all different shapes and sizes. Galas in gardens, bonfire beach parties, pop-up parties in farmhouses, tea parties, the options are endless. Yet the one thing that the party world is missing is a good YOGA PARTY. Sounds too zen? Well, let me [...]

Secrets in the Steam: Anna Crowley + Food for Skin

This week I chatted with IO esthetician Anna Crowley, who loves to talk food. It’s not a secret that what we eat is an integral element to maintaining bright, radiant and healthy skin. So giving us more than just food for thought, here are Anna’s tips on how and why we should eat and do [...]

5 Minutes a day May: National Meditation Month

The mind has a mind of its own. It’s infamous for meandering, dreaming, fixating and dominating our state of being. A good day turns bad simply because the mind can’t walk away from an email, an unexpected comment or a to-do list. Admittedly my quest to finding ways to calm the mind is still in [...]

More than a Phone Call: IO Mother’s Day Gift Guide

We all have one: a mom. Nurturing, powerful, young, and old, mothers make the world go round. This Sunday, May 8th is our chance to make our love loud and clear. What to get a dynamite mom? A mom-to-be? An-always-present grandmother? Here are my top 2 picks for Mother’s Day gifts for moms and the [...]

Interview: Kim + Sculpting Flowers at IO

At IO, we’re constantly inspired by the everyday beauty that surrounds. For those of you who have visited our San Francisco spa, you may have noticed our impeccable floral arrangements curated by our in-house floral designer and front desk team member, Kim. (If you haven’t, then maybe it’s time to stop and smell the flowers!) [...]

Earth Day: IO Acts of Kindness

Happy Earth Day, Mother Earth! Annually April 22 marks the date of what many call the birth of the environmental movement in 1970: Earth Day. Founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day gives us the chance to celebrate the power of millions of individual actions – to preserve the Earth’s natural resources. At our [...]

To Be, or Not To Be: Wallet-Friendly IO Spa Membership

It seems as if the world is laden with memberships – professional groups, social networks, flash-sales sites. Usernames, key fobs, passwords, we all have them. Don’t you think it’s a constant juggle to stay involved? The one membership in town that you’ve got to get in on is the cost-friendly IO Memberships to our San [...]

Spotlight: Tartine Bread at City Arts & Lectures

“Because of our temperate weather, San Francisco is one of the best places to make bread and cheese… ” Last month, I attended City Arts & Lectures’ program “On Artisan Food,” a conversation with Chad Robertson of San Francisco’s legendary Tartine Bakery and Bar Tartine, and Sue Conely, co-founder of Cowgirl Creamery. Bread and cheese [...]

San Francisco Brides

Get Glowing: IO Custom Enzyme Facial Spring/Summer 2011 “…a customized skin cocktail of smoothing fruit enzymes that’s surprisingly effective – think pineapple, papaya, and grapefruit gently working through your tired skin. Added bonus: Nearly all of the facials involve deft neck and shoulders massages, letting you take care of dull skin and pre-wedding jitters all [...]

DAILY CANDY SF

The Weekend Guide March 2011 “What? A bargain on unlimited classes for 30 days at San Francisco’s chicest studio. Why? It’s time to come out of hibernation.”

BON APPÉTIT

So Fresh & So Clean: Preserve Skincare March 2011 “Packed with purifying herbs and essential oils, these pads from San Francisco spa and yoga studio International Orange smell as good as they make your skin feel.”

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (SFiS)

Awakenings: Floral-scented shortcut for better skin February 2011 “Estheticians Jennifer Gallegos and Jennie Hearn, both skin care experts at International Orange, have created these cleansing pads to help make skin as dewy and fresh as a garden abloom.”

WALLPAPER*

Beauty News: Editor’s Picks February 2011 “New kid on the block, Preserve Skincare, ticks all the boxes with its duo of face cleansing pads. Conceived by Jennie Hearn and Jennifer Gallegos, both seasoned aestheticians at San Franciscan spa favourite International Orange…”

Table Time: Christy Swenson on Aromatherapy at Home

Today, I’m honored to kickoff Table Time, our IO Massage Therapist Interview Series. It’s no secret that our talented certified massage therapist team can work the best of them – knots. But beyond being bodywork masters, they bring more to the table than just their hands… This week, I chatted with Christy Swenson to discuss [...]

Secrets in the Steam: Yolanda Porrata, product-lover extraordinaire

I’m thrilled to share a project that I’ve been working on for a few weeks: Secrets in the Steam, our IO esthetician interview series. With each interview, I’ll go behind-the-scenes and into our back spa to uncover IO’s best-kept secrets and learn how estheticians always keep picture perfect skin (it’s not just genetics!). This week [...]

Fleurting with Compassion: Giving Flowers, Giving Back

I’ve been “fleurting” with compassion lately. Read: I’ve been giving a lot of flowers. To my friends, to my family, and to people whom I’ve never met. For most, flowers are sent either day-of (birthday, holiday) or after the fact (thank you, condolences, congratulations). Yet, they never seem to be a “before” thing. So, I’ve [...]

Farm, Fresh and to You

Living San Francisco, the epicenter of organic consciousness and foodie nation, organic is more than a buzzword. It’s our life and our (California) style. This week, I received my 1st delivery from Capay Organic’s Farm Fresh to You (FFTY) home delivery service. Talk about Fresh DELIVERED. Talk about taste buds alive. Farm to table, and [...]

Calling all Brides! IO Blissful Bride Package

This year, my best friend is getting married. She’s not one to be fussy beauty-wise. But like most brides, she’s turned on the amplifier and is ultra-focused on looking her best for the big day. Who can blame her? In fact just last week she asked me what she could do to prep her skin [...]

Spring Fling: Travel Essentials

Now that Spring is just around the corner, I’ve season-proofed my on-board travel essentials. Unlike the seasonal closet change-overs, travel essentials are often left out of the ritual. Why stop at your clothes? After banking my share of frequent flier miles last year, I realized that what I do on the road is just as [...]

Weekend Getaway: Point Reyes

Recently I escaped the city drum for greener pastures of the countryside: Point Reyes, a rustic area located approximately 30 miles northwest of San Francisco. Known for its rugged coastline, preserved open ranchlands, forest hiking trails and its culinary gems, Point Reyes is an ideal weekend getaway for those who adore local treasures. In addition [...]

The Best Gift Yet: Private Yoga Sessions

One of the best gifts I’ve ever received was the gift of private yoga sessions. I know, a more enlightened being might have responded, “love” or the “gift of life,” but I’m not there yet. Well maybe with a little more yoga, I’ll be there one day. So let me take a moment to ooze [...]

A Heroic Valentine

Love, another four letter word. Next week approximately 141 million Valentine’s Day cards will be exchanged in honor of St. Valentine’s Day. After Christmas, Valentine’s Day is the 2nd most popular card-sending holiday, with 85% of all valentines purchased by women. No doubt do I love a beautiful, handmade valentine. But given all the pomp [...]

Finding Fun in Failure: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I admit it. I belong to a book club. I have always been sheepish about joining a book club simply because I feared failure of not being able to keep up (I’m a slow reader!) and because it just seemed clichéd. Then last year, my friend Erica and I formed our own club of two. [...]

Interview: Jennie + Jennifer on Preserve Skincare Pads

Jennie and Jennifer, 2 of IO’s very own estheticians, have more in common than the first 5 letters in their names. With over 20 years of combined experience, they are the powerhouse behind newly-launched Preserve Skincare cleansing pads, sold exclusively at IO. The pads ($38 for 45 pads) are the ultimate, all-natural cleansing pad and [...]

Interview: Lindsay Jean Thomson at the 2011 Yoga Journal Conference

1. What are you hoping to learn and bring back to the IO Community? There are so many ways to move and to understand and express movement. I hope to find new ways of doing this, to expand my verbal and physical vocabulary. As a teacher, my intention is always to make the practice accessible [...]

Peel, Intelligently

Intelligence need not be just an I.Q. thing. It’s also an IO-thing. Last week, in honor of the New Year, I treated my skin to the IO Intelligent Peel ($38). For years I’ve been devoted to my regular Deep Cleanse Facials for glowing, clean skin. But with each passing year, I find that I need [...]

Sunset Magazine

Holiday Hot List | All Made in the West: OM of NM Salt Rub December 2010 “Sea salts soaked in grapefruit, tangerine, and lavender oils give skin a spa-worthy pampering at home.”

Out with the Old, in with the New

It truly is a new year. Out with the old, in with the new, January 2011 has arrived. Traditionally this 1st month is ripe with resolutions and promises of the year ahead. January is our chance to dream big, set goals and welcome the year with positivity. So, what do you want to do in [...]

Comfort and Joy: IO Holiday Gifts of Wellness

As we round the corner to this twelfth month, we send gifts of love, joy and beautifully wrapped presents during this season of giving. This holiday we’ve stocked our shelves with handcrafted gifts of wellness. Gifting, in many ways, has become a burden and a chore (among other things!). So this year at IO we’re [...]

Litany… As Spoken by a 3-Year Old

This video has been making the rounds on Facebook. I have watched it a whole bunch of times, and it never fails to make me catch my breath. If you don’t recognize the poem, it’s Litany, by Billy Collins. I’ve heard it spoken at many a wedding ceremony as a testimony to the devoted power [...]

It Feels Good to be Nice

I have a friend who has an annual practice she calls Three for Three. For one month, she makes a point, every single day, of doing one creative thing, one relaxing thing, and one nice thing for someone else. I love this idea. In my life, I’ve had people do some pretty wonderful things for [...]

When in Doubt, Throw it Out

When it comes to STUFF, are you a binger or a purger? Lately there’s been a lot of buzz on the web about the 100 Things Challenge. The idea is to commit to getting rid of most of your stuff. Dave (the crazy dreamer who started this initiative) came up with a newfangled slogan for [...]

C Magazine

The Best of Golden State Beauty: IO Bathe Bath Soak November 2010 “From fruit scrubs to organic serums, here are 22 reasons why Golden State potions are the cream of the crop.”

InStyle

2010 Beauty Black Book: Best SF Facial IO Custom Enzyme Facial October 2010 “…by using lymphatic drainage massages and fruit enzyme exfoliating masks, the aestheticians at this relaxing spot are able to clear clogs with minimal irritation.”

When Positivity is Negative

I recently read Bright-Sided, by Barbara Ehrenreich. It got me thinking. Here in the Bay Area, we take our upbeat spirituality pretty seriously. I hear a lot of talk about The Power of Positivity. First there was The Secret, and now it’s at the point where one can’t get through a yoga class or cocktail [...]

GOOP.COM (by Gwyneth Paltrow)

GO San Francisco July 2010 “International Orange (IO) named after the paint color of the Golden Gate Bridge, is an open space of Zen in the middle of the city.”

Daily Candy

Mothers’ Day Savings May 2010 “Visit International Orange for a sublime massage to a complexion-restoring facial.”

San Francisco Magazine

Saving Our Skin: IO Organic Body Products March 2010 “Claim to fame: Handcrafted spa brand with products created from organic, wild or biodynamic ingredients.”

San Francisco Examiner

Introduces New Organic Detox Facelift Facial February 2010 “It’s designed to rescue skin from drying winter weather and get it dewy and revitalized for spring.”

Creativity

Creativity is one of my favorite topics. And Sir Ken Robinson is one of my favorite “experts” on creativity. If you haven’t seen his TED talk on how “schools kill creativity,” it’s a must-view: Sir Ken is a Brit who makes the rounds speaking about education reform, and he’s also a charmingly funny character. In [...]

Renewal Day

We recently had our annual “Renewal Day” here at IO. That’s when we close up shop for a day in order to refresh our environment. We clean the entire spa up and down, paint the walls, and readjust the feng shui, if you will. It’s like a cleanse of our space, but it’s also an [...]

Chinese Medicine’s “Extra” Season

Chinese Medicine is an amazingly effective system that we honor here at IO in the form of talented onsite acupuncturists and Chi Nei Tsang (belly massage) practitioners. In Chinese Medicine, the body is considered integrally linked to the mind and emotions. We are holistic beings, and how we handle one aspect of our lives affects [...]

Judgments Are Alright

How many times have you heard it said, “don’t be so judgmental”? Or, “I’m not a very judgmental person”? I’ve heard it, have said it myself, and have worked at trying to “fix” the tendency. And guess what, I keep on judging. It’s what we do. It’s really the attachment to the judgment that is [...]

Why Not Love All of Me?

There’s a personal revolution that is possible in all of us. It’s a revolution that can bring a new level of self-acceptance, a sense of peace and a rush of love (read: acceptance) that is actually unending. So, where is the road map into this experience? I have been looking at the places in me [...]

Follow Your Bliss

This concept of “following your bliss” has got my attention. The late, great Joseph Campbell, one of my personal idols (and who I proudly share a birthday with), coined the phrase. If you haven’t watched the Bill Moyers series of interviews with Joseph Campbell called “The Power of Myth”, I highly recommend it. If you [...]

Summertime

The sun’s royal season is underway as we enjoy the most light of the entire year. Enjoy the magic of daylight and sunshine and all that it exposes, allows and shows! Revel in what is here in the season of the sun with sweet sunsets, backyard BBQs and playful sundress wearing weather. If you live [...]

It’s Only A Body

I recently found out some very heavy news. A dear friend of mine tested positive with such a high probability to get breast and uterine cancer (she has the gene that causes both) that she is having all her female parts removed. You heard me right. This year, my friend’s breasts and uterus will be [...]

The Good Stuff

So if you are buying things anyway, why not get the good stuff, right? I do fancy a “less is more” way of living in the world, but if you are going to buy, I suggest it be the good stuff. In my book, at least a little of a good thing is way better [...]

Whole Body Health From the Feet On Up

With roots tracing back to the medical practices of the Chinese and Egyptians, reflexology taps into more than just the feet, affecting all the regions of the body through targeted massage and pressure point work through the soles alone. The end goal is the create healing and decrease pain in the whole bodily system. Sounds [...]

Ode to the Urgent Sun

The sun is egging me on, Urging me to GROW. Unrelenting and full of resolve, Piercing and blistering, Hot and un-bothered, Doing his thing, Creating energy, Melting things, Blossoming things, Hatching things — In his Golden Light. And when the sunlight hits just right, in that Golden Hour, I feel him entering my skin, diving [...]

Grounded Vinyasa Yoga

Let’s talk about yoga, California yoga. We are a far cry from India, let’s be honest. Around these parts, San Francisco and most of California, Vinyasa yoga or Flow yoga, as it has come to be called, is the most widely practiced. Its active style is a well-matched entrée for a Western results-oriented audience into [...]

I Like the Quiet

I like the quiet. A lot. The quiet can be downright intoxicating or whatever the opposite of intoxicating is. When I’ve gotten really quiet, as quiet and still as I have ever been, on silent meditation retreats, I have sunk deep into love with the silence and it has perhaps been my very best teacher. [...]

Organic Detox Facelift

Please, please, please stay out of the plastic surgeon’s office for at least another day! This facial does the best we can do to naturally help the skin stay healthy. Plus, this is one really healthy way to spend seventy-five minutes. Have you ever had a facial? Okay, have you ever had an IO Facial? [...]

Let It All Hang Out On the Dance Floor

Sometimes you gotta let it all hang out. The dance floor seems as good a place as any. In the right setting, that is. Or perhaps just in the privacy of your own home, but wherever you choose to let it out, I highly recommend dancing. Recently I got talking about dance to one of [...]

It’s Not What Happens, It’s How You ARE With What Happens

Have you ever had something really bug you, totally fire you up, hurt you or on the other hand make you so, so happy? Yes. Of course. Okay, so then have you ever had a similar thing happen, only this time something has shifted, and this time that same “thing” didn’t bother or excite you [...]

Sing Your Heart Out at Glide

Lately I’ve felt more like singing. I’ve wanted to use my voice (open up that 5th chakra). I’ve wanted to celebrate out loud. Open my heart. Let loose these vocal chords. A little while back on the Sunday before MLK Jr. Day I went with my friend Jamaica to Glide Memorial Church to celebrate the [...]

Boston Globe

…Aaah New Big City, Old Rainy Day? Relax, Feel Like a Native February 2010 “No froufrou frills in the compact white treatment rooms – just experienced massage therapists and all-organic blends of body oils: golden jojoba, safflower, geranium, and honey-scented beeswax. The warm and attentive staff leaves personalized notes for clients after each treatment.”

San Francisco Magazine

Craving: Cold Sweat January 2010 “This month, International Orange creative director Matt Dick’s yoga mat tote is sure to inspire the stylish to start practicing savasana as they ring in the new year.”

Natural Health

Purify Your Beauty Routine September 2009 “International Orange ENRICH… is a deep hydrating lotion with shea butter and vitamins A and E that leaves skin silky but never greasy. The scent is fresh, with hints of tuberose and jasmine.”

Ritz-Carlton Magazine

Shopping San Francisco Fall/Winter 2009 “Indulge in a 90-minute hot stone massage at this modern oasis known for heavenly body treatments, the best yoga classes in the city and a sundeck spread with farmers-market nibbles.”

New Beauty

Spas in Unique Locations October 2009 “International Orange’s Enrich Body Lotion is an ultra-hydrating, paraben-free body cream made with wild-crafted ingredients. The aromatherapeutic trio of white lotus, bergamot peel and tuberose petal essential oil leaves skin with an uplifting and refreshed scent.”

Allure Spa

IO BATHE A Bath Soak Summer 2009 “This is the best soak I’ve ever tried. The sea salts, Epsom salts and baking soda really helps to relieve muscle tension.”

Peaceful Pregnancy Massage

So how do you spell relief from pregnancy? Well, apart from waiting the nine months to GIVE BIRTH to the bouncing bundle of joy (mixed with the minor distraction of crying fits, lack of sleep and dirty diapers)… My girlfriends tell me massage helps a lot. I’m not a mom yet so I clearly can’t [...]

Bridezillas Are So Last Season

While we can’t be ultimately responsible at IO for the behavior of our clients that become brides, we can help ease the wedding planning pain and maybe, just maybe, avoid some unnecessary Bridezillas. Listen up, if this sounds familiar… So you’re getting married? You’re just about as excited as you can be about the man [...]

It’s Only A Mind and its Job is to Think

Sometimes I want to stop my brain. Stop it from thinking. Stop it from thinking things I don’t want to think anymore. Just STOP already. But try as I might it just doesn’t stop. My mind just keeps on thinking and thinking and thinking. Sound familiar? It’s helpful to remember that it’s just a brain [...]

Sing Your Heart Open. Sing Kirtan.

Kirtan is call-and-response chanting performed in India’s devotional traditions, sometimes called Bhaki Yoga, or the practicing of devotion. Kirtan practice involves chanting the names of the divine in song or hymn like a mantra. Kirtan is traditionally sung to the accompaniment of instruments like the harmonium, two-headed mradanga drum, and/or kartal hand cymbals. Over New [...]

Dark Chocolate and Massage

Sounds like a good time, doesn’t it? My friend Jewel makes one of my very favorite chocolates on the planet. Jewel is also part of the IO extended family. She actually used to work at IO in the very early days right along side me and Melissa back when we were our Front Desk Team [...]

Taking the Waters: Hot Springs in California

I’ve been a fan of getting out of the city and “taking the waters” for as long as I can remember. When we were growing up, Ma and Pa Darland packed my brother and me along on many a family outing to hot springs around California and the Northwest. I know that helped inspire me [...]

Bringing More Country to City Life

I thoroughly enjoy my time in the great outdoors. It is great. There’s nothing like waking up to fresh air and the sound of birds and wind in the trees without the distraction of sirens and construction and traffic. For all its vibrancy and convenience, the city sometimes wears on me, my emotional well being [...]

Sangha Means Community

I just returned from a new year’s kirtan (devotional singing) and yoga retreat in tropical Costa Rica followed by a very fun wedding with friends (old and new) and it’s got me inspired and thinking about building community. In Buddhism, the word “sangha” traditionally means “community of monks”, and it comes originally from the Sanskrit [...]

The Wonders of Homemade Soup

I’ve written in the past about the self-nurturing, wholesome aspect of cooking meals at home. (See “One Thing at a Time“) When cold weather strikes, I really start to embrace the comforting experience of preparing a good meal for myself, and particularly if that meal is soup. Warm soup on a chilly, damp, foggy day… [...]

Thai Massage at IO

Often, in the western world, Thai massage is watered down into a version of Swedish massage that incorporates a few faux-yogic stretches here and there. I’ve experienced Thai massage in many spas and the mother land as well as other Asian countries, and wanted our IO bodywork program to incorporate the real deal. At IO, [...]

Practicing Equanimity When It’s Hard

Think of the last situation that really riled you up. Do you have that moment in mind? Are you mad just thinking about it? Sure. That’s normal. Okay, now imagine you press the rewind button and approach that hair-raising scenario with equanimity. Equanimity is a calm abiding in a state of unemotional, compassionate and peaceful [...]

The Art of Living

“The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others [...]

Meditation and Addiction

I haven’t completely renounced myself from alcohol. I still like to enjoy a drink now and then. But on the spectrum of attachment and craving, I think most of us, certainly including me, could use a reminder about our relationship with the crutches in our lives. A local sangha (or community) group called Urban Dharma [...]

Dreamboarding

Dreamboarding is basically like making a collage, with an intention. It’s a semi-annual activity of mine. Over the year, I collect images I love, things I dream to do, be or manifest and then when there’s time and I have a hankering to get the creative juices flowing, I make a dreamboard. And it becomes [...]

Right Eating: The Slow Food Movement

The Slow Food Movement is one of my favorite new crusades, although it’s not exactly “new”. Our IO Spa Yoga and Shop concept was even inspired by the movement. We wanted to be the Slow Wellness business where products and service offerings reflect sustainability, natural ingredients and care. Conceptually, the practice of Slow Food has [...]

Animal Totems

Yes, this is a blog post about finding your Spirit Animal. I love that term. It makes me laugh every time because it sounds a little silly. But humor aside, I am fascinated about exploring my Spirit Animals and opening my awareness to all the creatures of the world. Recently I blogged about the chakra [...]

Chakra System

I’m always fascinated by spiritual systems that help us find out more about ourselves. I think a lot of the so-called “esoteric” spiritual practices that we encounter work best in our Western mindset when we think of them metaphorically. The chakra system is a perfect example of this. A lot of us are into yoga. [...]

Project Ahimsa: Turning Beats Into Hope Worldwide

Okay I am up on my soapbox now to promote a project that some brilliant and giving friends of mine are doing. I really like to promote projects like this one that mutually support the mission of this blog: to offer readers a bridge to their better side. Project Ahimsa is an exciting nonprofit that [...]

The Travel Bridge

The theme of this blog is Building a Bridge to Our Better Side, and one of my favorite ways to do that in my own life is to travel. Visiting other places and exploring unfamiliar terrain is an opportunity to simultaneously shrink our world and expand our perceptive horizons. I try to get away whenever [...]

Three Words: Organic. Detox. Facelift.

I try to refrain from making this blog a forum for the blatant promotion of IO products, but occasionally I feel so passionately about one of our services that the need arises for me to get up on my soapbox and blab a bit. So here goes. The Organic Detox Facelift is our brand new [...]

Real Deal Yoga Teachers at IO

The IO Yoga Program is an integral element of our holistic offerings at IO, and we are constantly on a quest to hone and refine our roster of teachers and classes to stand out from the 80+ other yoga studios and gyms in San Francisco. As a longtime yogi myself, my philosophy is that yoga [...]

Seeds of Change

Recently I had a moment of synchronicity of the sort one simply must act on. I was flipping through a book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (great autobiographical chronicle by Barbara Kingsolver, incidentally, about an experiment with growing all her own food for a year) and I learned about a progressive seed company called Seeds of [...]

People Who Like You

So this IO blog is really all about finding, building, being A Bridge to Your Better Side. This has always been our mission at International Orange (a moniker we borrowed from the paint color of the Golden Gate Bridge itself), and with this blog as a forum, we aim to share ideas, inspiration and empowerment [...]

San Francisco Magazine

San Francisco Magazine Best of the Bay Reader’s Poll 2009: Best Pamper Spot July 2009 “Ten thousand votes later (all cast on our website), your decisions have been handed down… Best Pamper Spot: International Orange”

C Magazine

C Magazine Best of California: Top 5 Hydrating Facials Summer 2009 “International Orange: Custom Organic Enzyme Boost Facial – Take away the ocean and California is a desert – and don’t think our skin doesn’t feel it. Rehydrate with these replenishing facials from a handful of the state’s premier aestheticians.”

The Miracle of Plant Life

A few weeks ago I noticed that a few of the English peas in my latest batch from the farmer’s market had started to sprout. Normally, I’d consider those to be beyond their peak of freshness and I’d toss them. This time, though, I was inspired by some reading I’ve been doing on growing vegetables. [...]

Summer Skincare in Your Own Kitchen

Forgive me if I sound like Martha Stewart when I say this, but I find it delightfully empowering to know that I can whip up my own skincare recipes right in my kitchen at home, with a few simple ingredients from the farmer’s market. (Or, maybe I’m actually channeling Alice Waters). And if, of course, [...]

Your Feet: A Bridge to Whole Body Health

The ancient art of reflexology is way more than a fancy foot rub. It’s a medical practice that can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians and Chinese and has since spread to all corners of the world. The basic premise of reflexology is that areas of the feet correspond to other areas of the [...]

Happiness is a Local Non-CAFO Cow

Because I grew up surrounded by left-wing bohemian role models, the concept of “Made in the USA” often struck me as an overly patriotic, politically conservative denouncement of global culture. But as I get older, and hopefully wiser, I realize that making a commitment to support local businesses is actually a healthy, progressive choice. In [...]

Creating Your Own Community

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our burgeoning cyber-communities: Facebook, Twitter, email, IMing. Never in my life have I had such a rich social life spanning so many time zones and cultures. Closer than ever in some ways and farther apart in other ways. Connected by information and data, but often missing the [...]

When You Are Stressed: Practice Simple Skin Care

An unfortunate side effect of stress and anxiety (sensations that many of us are overly familiar with and even more these days) is that it impacts our skin directly and visibly. Impurities, wrinkles and other complexion messer-uppers love to show themselves just when we don’t need one more thing to manage. The fact that we [...]

Embracing the Feminine

A few things have got me thinking about the role of the feminine in our modern culture. One is a recent re-read of the women-centric historical novel The Red Tent, which focuses on customs from Biblical times of honoring womanhood with female ritual and community. The other is this insightful Ani DiFranco quote I stumbled [...]

Loving Yourself Right Now

Most of us – if we were lucky – were raised with this empowering message at heart: “You can be anything you want.” I heard this myself growing up, and now as part of the wellness community for my work and pleasure, I go on periodic retreats that teach this concept through a gamut of [...]

A Healthy Dose of Fresh Air on Mt. Tam

Well it’s almost summer, you know, and summer always inspires me to spend more time outside. Living in San Francisco, though, it can be hard to tell when it’s actually summer with all that fog blocking out the sun. June gloom, as we call it here. One recent Saturday, I woke up to the dreariness [...]

Wellness: the “Anti-Stress”

Wellness is the anti-stress. And taking care of yourself is an investment in your well-being akin to a reliable savings plan for your financial security. Especially as the current economic situation drudges on, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with stress and uncertainty. Truly, taking care of yourself is your first line of defense against the [...]

Lucky Magazine

Lucky Magazine May 2009 “The online arm of luxe Pac Heights spa International Orange offers a great selection of natural beauty items.”

Condé Nast Daily Traveler

Amy Darland’s Top 5 Sustainable San Francisco Picks April 2009 “…Darland and her co-founders Melissa Ferst and Kary Chendo have gained a cult following for their top-notch yoga classes and all-natural spa services.”

7×7

It List: San Francisco February 2009 “If two hands are better than one, then it stands to reason four hands are divine. International Orange puts the theory to the test with the launch of their nurturing Four-Handed massage this month. The treatment utilizes two massage practitioners working to bring you to a state of total [...]

Face Parlour

Give (or Get) Good Face December 2008 “One-part technical genius, one-part retreat and all parts organic, the Organic Rejuvenation Facial is skincare (and gift-giving) perfection!”

The Coveted

Best of Beauty 2008 December 2008 “I had my first facial at IO this year. It was the best facial I’ve ever had, which is no small feat, because I’ve had many over the years.”

In Fiore: Let Fragrance Be Thy Medicine

Thanks once again to The Coveted for featuring several of IO’s skin-friendly “eco-products” in their post about facial peels (read article here). And for highlighting the sage advice of IO senior esthetician Alicia Moody, who truly knows her stuff when it comes to what’s good for the skin. A facial peel is like a really [...]

No Better Way to Say I Love You

I risk sounding like a 1-800-Flowers ad when I say, there’s no better way to say I love you than with flowers. Okay, maybe there are better ways, but flowers are one good way at least. Flowers are such an easy way to invite beauty into our lives. Plus we can easily give them to [...]

Threatening to Close California State Parks?

When I heard the news that our governor is threatening to close most of California’s State Parks by the fall, I got sick to my stomach. Really. This is an issue that hits close to home. Mt. Tamalpais and the serene sanctuary of our breathtaking state parks are my church. Not everyone in this world [...]

Sustainable In San Francisco

Recently, Conde Nast Traveler’s “Daily Traveler” editor asked me for my “5 Sustainable San Francisco Picks”. I gave a shout out to some of my favorite places in this lovely city of ours. You can read the full article here. In this progressive area we’re blessed to live in, there are so many great sustainable [...]

Change Your Eating Habits One Step at a Time

Lao-Tsu said that “a journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step”. Well, the same goes for healthy habits. It can start with a single act. Self-helpers say, “the first step is admitting the problem.” I’ve slipped a little lately. Unfortunately, recognizing the need for change doesn’t automatically make change happen. Like cleaning up [...]

Be Your Own Temple

Apparently scientists are proving that people who have a long-term, dedicated meditation practice actually develop bigger brains. Now that’s what I like to hear. Scientific studies are showing that longtime meditators have thicker frontal lobes – the parts of the brain that control focus and concentration. That sounds good to me. Especially since meditation practice [...]

Chocolate, Is It Really Good For You?

I always crack up a bit when I read an article in a magazine about “recent studies” showing that red wine, chocolate, and excessive sleeping are all secretly good for you. A part of me thinks that we’re all just looking for a justification for our bad habits. But then again, how can something that [...]

Pocketbook-Friendly Wellness at IO

Lately in our world we are inundated with fear-based information about the economic situation of our nation and the world. It is a reality. And it’s being felt in some way by every American. Yet, amidst the gloom and doom, when I continue to wait in line for a seat at a restaurant on an [...]

Urban Hiking

Steven Wright once famously quipped, “Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.” Wise words, and zen advice. In addition to my daily morning walks, I’ve often found myself trying to get from point A to point B in the city, too impatient to stand on a corner and try to flag a [...]

Evening Primrose Oil: Inside and Out

When a smart acupuncturist friend recently mentioned evening primrose oil, I looked it up. There’s a great book called “Prescription for Nutritional Healing“ that offers natural remedies for pretty much anything that ails you. I’m keen on learning about “miracle” herbal medicinals. I learned that it’s not just prescribed for (ahem) PMS and women’s health [...]

We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For

I read a recent book by Alice Walker that is poignantly relevant to the times we are living in and her voice, beautifully inspirational. Her powerful message is summed up well in her book title, We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For — Inner Light in a Time of Darkness. Walker’s message touched [...]

Mother Wright: Angel to the Hungry

This is the inspiring story of an unsuspecting hero who recently passed on, but first she fed many lives. May Anne Wright, known to her East Bay community as Mother Wright, was just an ordinary woman who was inspired by a lucid dream in 1980 to help the world’s hungry. She started small, using her [...]

Swine Flu Fear

I’m not sure which is scarier, witnessing the swine flu “pandemic” sweeping across the world, or witnessing the fear of a pandemic freaking us out and making top headlines everywhere last week. I don’t mean to discount the possible gravity of situations like this. Swine flu is a real thing and it’s affecting a lot [...]

Make Your Own Tea Party

All this Boston Tea Party talk recently in the media made me think a lot about tea (and not just because of tax season). I’ve always been a big tea lover. One of my favorite things to do is make up my own herbal teas, or, as they are technically called, tisanes. Tea being the [...]

The Sane Way to Multitask

A couple months ago I wrote a blog entry about the advantages of simply doing one thing at a time. Bill, one of our blog readers, commented on it and pointed me to another great blog posting called “Discover Why Multitasking Damages Your Business and How to Fix It.” This article introduced me to the [...]

Homemade Sea Salt Scrub

You’ve probably noticed that there’s been a surge in the popularity of exotic salts lately. A dizzying array of choices can be found at upscale groceries: fleur de sel, Himalayan sea salt, Peruvian salt, Celtic salt. And I shouldn’t forget to mention some of the delicious doctored salts like smoked salt and spiced salt and [...]

Four Handed Massage, Better Than Two?

We are grateful (though not altogether surprised) that our very own IO Four Handed Massage was mentioned in San Francisco Magazine’s annual It List. The Four Handed Massage is a unique bodywork service that IO has cultivated in order to offer you something ceremonial and luxurious. San Francisco Magazine sung our praises this way: “If [...]

Clarisonic: The Beauty Invention of the Year

Once in a while, a revolutionary new beauty tool comes along that’s worth raving about in this blog. Clarisonic is a laudable invention that’s been written up in the Huffington Post as being “spectacular” and “the skin care product — for women and men — of 2008”. We took the rave reviews to heart and [...]

Kicking the Habit of Wasting Energy

National Geographic magazine is such a great visual pleasure and informative read. I read it more when I was a kid and in love with the color, the images, the animals, the landscapes and the mystery of far away places. Recently I’ve picked it up again. I was inspired by the April issue: “Saving Energy [...]

Sandra Cantu: Breaking Stereotypes the Hard Way

Once in a while a news story comes along that draws my attention away from seemingly more colossal world events like war in Iraq, earthquakes in Italy, and pirates in Somalia. Maybe because of the local human interest element, or perhaps because it’s so morbidly compelling, but I’ve been riveted by the story of Sandra [...]

Healthy Escapism: Reading to Relax

Reading is one of my favorite low-cost stress-reduction activities. I love reading to relax. There is something mentally relieving about turning the mind over to a story or riveting subject matter. Getting into a good book, in that sense, can be like a mini-retreat. It’s reading meditation. It’s a vacation from the regular rattle and [...]

What “Ahimsa Yoga” Means to Me

When I was new to yoga and freshly enamored of its health benefits and the sense of harmony it endowed upon me, I happened to have lunch with a yoga teacher who I greatly admired. Seeking clues to the “right” way to practice yoga, I asked him how often he himself practices. Without hesitating, he [...]

The Skinny on Body Image

I saw a movie recently starring the dream girl of so many of my guy friends, Scarlett Johansson. It got me thinking about body types. Scarlett is a very beautiful woman. And she’s no waif. Then there’s Marilyn Monroe. She was the dream girl of an entire generation. She was no waif either. We hear [...]

Meditation and Poetry on the Sea of Cortez

Just back from the sparkling Sea of Cortez, I glimpsed some of what John Steinbeck must have found as he ventured down to the Baja peninsula time and again, soaking it up, soaking it in and writing about it. Baja’s raw beauty and starkness made me yearn to write. But for me it called for [...]

Yin Versus Yang Yoga

Inherently we are all a combination of Yin and Yang energy. Yin being the mellow, moon, “female” energy, and Yang being the “male”, sun, aggressive energy. These two qualities are innate in every person we meet, every activity we undertake, even in the foods we eat. The whole world lies on a continuum of Yin [...]

The Plastic World We Live In

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ve probably heard me dis on plastic at least a few times. The miracle product of the last century has turned out to be not such a great thing after all. At least, if you are the environment. Or a human body. As we’ve gotten smarter, we’ve found out [...]

What’s the Deal with Spring Cleaning?

We’ve all certainly heard the term “spring cleaning”. Does it seem like an archaic concept to you? The whole notion of being seasonally-driven to inventory your entire home just once a year isn’t all that realistic, especially if you live in a climate where winter doesn’t exactly keep you housebound. Since it’s almost spring, I [...]

Skin Doctor Alkaitis

Somewhere in my mid-twenties I got the memo about taking care of my skin. It was right around the time we launched the spa. Extra pressure and extra stress had my skin working overtime. Even those of us in the wellness world have to manage stress as we try to remember to practice what we [...]

The Almighty MUFAs: An Ode to Avocados

I know it sounds like a dirty acronym. But what MUFA actually stands for is “Mono-Unsaturated Fatty Acid”. MUFAs are the good fats. And yes there is such a thing. Fats have traditionally gotten a bad rap in our culture. They are often accused of being literally “fattening”. But in truth, they are a necessary [...]

Aging Gracefully – and Realistically – with REN

“We don’t like it that our bodies change shape. We don’t like it that we age. We are afraid of wrinkles and sagging skin. We use health products as if we actually believe that our skin, our hair, our eyes and teeth, might somehow miraculously escape the truth of impermanence.” That’s Buddhist teacher, Pema Chodron, [...]

Yoga of Food Workshop: Saturday, March 7

One of my favorite women, Carolyn Cohen, and her very cool partner, Vincent Peterson, are hosting a workshop at IO on Saturday. I highly recommend your attendance at this mini-retreat called YOGA OF FOOD (March 7, 1:30 – 4:00 PM). Be there or be square. Leave more well-rounded, more balanced, and in the company of [...]

Organic Fusion Massage: an IO Client Testamonial

Perfect Fusion – A Treatment Testimonial by IO Client, Joslyn H. I have to rave about IO Massage Therapist, Mieze Steinberg, and the amazing IO Organic Fusion Massage she gave me the other day. The Organic Fusion is a specialty massage that combines three of my favorite things: massage, yoga, and aromatherapy. I learned that [...]

“Me” Dates: Refreshing Alone Time on the Cheap

I want to share some free (or really cheap) ways I’ve found to entertain myself out and about in San Francisco. A while back I blogged about the value of “artist’s dates” – an idea I got from the book The Artist’s Way that inspires me to take myself out regularly for some good quality [...]

The Lipstick Effect

Recently my friend, Philip Wood from Citizen Citizen told me about a fascinating occurrence, something totally counter intuitive, that really grabbed me at a gut level. He pointed me to this article about an excerpt from the diary of one of the first British soldiers to liberate Bergen-Belsen concentration camp from the Nazis in 1945. [...]

Facials: Not What You Might Think

If you’ve never had a facial, it might not be what you think. Many people have preconceived notions that this type of spa treatment is a decadent slathering of creams onto the face with little or no real impact. Honestly, at many spas these notions are a reality. At IO our facials are quite the [...]

A Tropical Hut of One’s Own

Ah, the importance of time alone, time away from it all… I cannot stress it enough. I just returned from a yoga retreat with one of my all-time favorite teachers, Peggy Orr, at Haramara in Sayulita, Mexico. Haramara is rustic elegance at its best. And, for me it was out of this world. Literally. So [...]

One Thing at a Time

A life coach gave me a powerful lesson that made a positive impact on how I function in my day-to-day life. For a week, she challenged me to spend a solid hour every day practicing “not multi-tasking”. This sounds easy, but actually requires a healthy does of focus and discipline. I chose lunchtime. For an [...]

The Multi-Faceted Benefits of Essential Oils

Smell is the only sense that we become numb to after a matter of minutes. Bright light is always bright light; we might get used to it, but it’s bright all the same. Loud noise stays loud until our eardrums can’t take it anymore. But scent actually disappears, perceptively. This is why you can’t smell [...]

Kick and Scream or Age Gracefully

I’ve been working on shifting my attitude about getting older. With each new fine line, sag, and yes, some gray hairs, I give myself a little pep talk. But luckily it’s not always an uphill battle. There are some ways in which getting older is a relief, even kind of nice (wow, did I just [...]

Bottled Water is Out, Tap Water is IN

Bottled water used to be all the rage. There was a time not that long ago when you wouldn’t see a photograph of a celebrity without a plastic bottle of water attached to their hand like the world’s hippest accessory. And in every yoga class or gym, bottled water was ubiquitous. Fiji water seemed like [...]

The Artist’s Way: Tap Your Creativity

Recently I dug up a favorite old book, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Have you ever read it? It’s basically a 12-step program for recovering non-creative types. Or to put it another way, a revolutionary book that taught me how to tap into my own latent artist. We all have one ya know…an artist [...]

One Good Way to Stay Warm

Through this chilly January weather, hot stone massage is an amazing way to stay warm. It might sound a bit frou-frou, but it’s actually one of the more down-to-earth bodywork experiences. It’s very mentally calming and muscle-tension melting. The technique of hot stone massage has its roots in ancient Native American and indigenous Hawaiian rituals. [...]

The Wonders of Kombucha

It’s official, kombucha is getting trendy. It’s on the lips of many health-seekers as one of the current trendy health drinks (think pomegranate juice). While trends of any kind are often just fads, the truth about kombucha tea is that it’s been around for thousands of years even though it’s just now making its healing [...]

A Different Kind of Power Lunch

Partly for my own selfish reasons, we’ve introduced noon “Power Lunch” yoga classes to our regular schedule at International Orange. With ten years of yoga practice under my belt, I’m in a place where a shorter, more concentrated class packs a vital punch, especially in the middle of my workday. Most standard yoga classes range [...]

1,600 Pounds of Garbage

That’s the average amount of garbage each of us creates a year. Yesterday, an activist friend of mine showed me a photo of a gargantuan pile of garbage and plastic waste that will basically never decompose – at least, not in our lifetimes. Or those of our children. Now that’s depressing. It can be a [...]

IO Wellness Workshops

The time has come for us to dive deeper into our commitment to beauty and wellness from the inside out. With that, I’m thrilled to introduce our upcoming IO Wellness Workshops for 2009. Since 2002, we’ve offered exceptional yoga and movement-based workshops at IO, but this year we move beyond our old paradigm and expand [...]

What Inspires You?

A brand new year, resolutions, the presidential inauguration any day now – never a better time to look ahead with hope and idealism. It’s also a ripe opportunity to reflect on past experiences and people that have inspired us and instigated reflection and personal growth in our lives. In my own life, inspiration often comes [...]

2009: Resolve to Look Ahead with Positivity

Here’s an inspired twist on making New Year’s resolutions: Over the next few days (or even on New Year’s Eve – why not?) take time out to meditate on where you’d like to see yourself by the end of 2009. Envision changes you’re eager to make in all of the different areas of your life [...]

Wallet-Friendly IO Spa Yoga Lounge Memberships

We’ve offered IO Spa and Yoga Memberships since we opened in May 2002 but now more than at any time since we’ve been in business, personal wellness is even more critical and needed. Stressful times require special measures to keep us healthy, happy and sane. As an antidote for these times, we introduce our new [...]

Holiday Gifts That “Do a Body Good”

This year my family agreed only to give one another gifts that fit the following criteria: You can eat it. You can read it. It’s homemade. It does a body good. These gift-giving guidelines were a good and worthy challenge. Needless to say, I’m still working on a photo collage for my brother (oops, don’t [...]

This Holiday Season…Take Time for Number One

This time of year it’s so darned easy to get pulled into the holiday momentum in a not so healthy way. Are you feeling obligated to attend every last get-together while simultaneously crunching in work deadlines, shopping for gifts amidst the retail mayhem, hosting family, hanging decorations and trying to do it with a tighter [...]

Say YES to Yoga for Stress Relief and Problem Solving

They say we all hold our stress somewhere in our body – our hips, our neck…our brain. Maybe all these places. What happens when I get on my mat and practice yoga, is that the stress energy starts to dissipate. I reconnect to my physical self. I remember again that the breath moving in and [...]

Massage: An Essential, Not a Luxury

In trying economic times it’s comforting to remember that there is one possession that no one can take away from you: your own body. The better care you take of your “vessel”, as the ancient eastern traditions called it, the richer you will ultimately be in spirit and soul. This time of year, it’s so [...]

Beauty that Doesn’t Hurt: Mineral Makeup

When we choose products for IO, we adhere to very high standards. With makeup, for instance, it has to help us look good, feel pretty, and it also has to be composed of clean, safe, non-toxic ingredients. Results and integrity are a powerful coupling and a requirement for our product offerings across the board at [...]

IO is a Bridge Over Troubled Water

The buzz is all round us. Some is good. Some is bad. We’re all hearing about it. We’re beginning to see it. Some of us are already really feeling it. You know what I’m talking about… THE ECONOMY. Downturn. Darkness. Fear. OBAMA. Change. Inspiration. Hope. Hope matched with excellence and effort will lead us to [...]

Every Moment Counts… Yes, Even Washing Your Hair

When the shorter days of impending winter start to slow me down or I feel overwhelmed by obstacles in my life, I see it as a chance to take a deep breath and get back to basics. I try to stop rushing things and to notice all the subtle opportunities in my day to make [...]

Why I “Practice” Yoga

I had a sports-loving male friend who used to tease me “What’s all this yoga practice for? When’s the game?” In those, my early days of “practicing” yoga, it would vex me. “He doesn’t get it,” I’d think. “Practice is just a word we use to say that we’re going to yoga. We’re not trying [...]

Wellness in Stressful Times

What’s usually the first thing to go during stressful times? Answer: we stop taking care of ourselves. We forget our bodies. We clutter our minds. We stop having fun. Here’s the kicker: what makes us better in the face of challenge is the ability to stay calm, keep perspective and lighten up. When our battery [...]

Take A Bath: A Simple Way to Unwind

It’s a good time to return to simple pleasures. What are your easy ways to unwind? What makes you feel good without much effort? Here’s a favorite from my list: I close the bathroom door behind me and submerge myself in a warm bath. I love to use our Bathe Bath Soak. Sea Salt, Epsom [...]

Organic Spa Magazine

Special Holiday Gift Guide Winter 2008 “International Orange’s Enrich Body lotion will not only heal dry skin, but leave it smelling like a bouquet of fresh flowers.”

Candles: Let There Be Light

I just got back from Zihuatanejo, Mexico for a wedding celebration where I almost forgot it was autumn and a time of economic concern. So now, back at home, back to reality, I am making an effort to think positively about the simple things I love. Here’s an easy one that is helping me be [...]

Raspberry Antioxidant: Power for Your Skin

Lately, my skin has needed some extra TLC. While my internal cleanse is certainly helping (see post from last week), I’ve wanted an extra topical boost. Enter, the raspberry. This red vine fruit with tangy sweetness has Medieval European roots before its migration to the U.S. Raspberry crops now flourish in the cool, wet climates [...]

Start Fresh for Autumn: A Green Drink That Helps

Autumn is the seasonal beginning of a downshift from the heat and activity of summertime and a move toward the hibernation of winter. During autumn we harvest the fruits of our year’s labor and stock up on resources that will get us through till the re-growth of spring. As we begin to focus our energies [...]

Coconut Water: It’s Better Than Gatorade

Okay, I’m gonna come clean. Even though I own a spa and yoga studio, have a daily meditation practice and take pretty darned good care of my body, I haven’t renounced alcohol or a good party night from time to time. Thankfully, I still know how to celebrate. My Chinese Medicine doctor once advised me, [...]

Beauty Secret from the IO Family Farm (OM OF NM)

As one of IO’s founders and also a child of city folk turned organic farmers, I want to share an experience I just returned from as I journeyed to the high desert of New Mexico for the harvest. Every year in the transition from summer to fall, I return to our organic farm to help [...]

IO Renewal Day: Renewed Spirits, Refreshed Space

Yesterday was our annual IO Renewal Day. Well, everyday is renewal day at IO, but this day has a different focus for us. Once a year we close down to the public and officially turn the renewal attention on our team and the space we work in. We clean and refresh the Spa and Yoga [...]

Vitamin D Deficiency: a Sunscreen Controversy

Recently, our very own IO Esthetician, Cat Wargo, heard the following from a client: “I don’t wear sunscreen every day. I heard that sunscreen makes it impossible to get vitamin D from sunshine, and that Americans are too obsessed with sunscreen these days.” This clearly got Cat thinking since she/we recommend daily use of sunscreen. [...]

Darshan: Receiving a Divine Blessing

Last night I received darshan from Mother Meera. This holy blessing literally means “sight”, referring to a vision or connection to the divine. Born in India, Mother Meera is thought to be an incarnation of the Divine Mother (the mother of the universe in Hinduism). It is said she can tap into the “Light”, a [...]

San Franscisco Chronicle

Cooking Teacher Bibby Gignilliat’s Favorite Places August 2008 “After a long day in the kitchen, I re-energize at my neighborhood yoga studio and spa. Andrea’s power yoga class is a great way to break a sweat, and Nathan’s massages work wonders on my tired muscles.”

San Francisco Magazine

Rising Star: Jessica Boncutter – Bar Jules August 2008 “On my day off, I go to International Orange. I get a massage and read the paper on the deck. It’s the perfect day.”

Sprig

International Orange Organic Body Products Spring 2008 “Indulging in these scrumptious spa products will make your skin softer, your hair shinier, and your overall disposition a whole lot sunnier.”

Marie Claire

Planet: Groove on Nonfat Yoga April 2008 “You’ll get why many skip lunch for a spot at International Orange Spa’s noon yoga class in Pacific Heights. Its sensual massage oils and cleansers were anointed ‘Best Locally Made Body Care.’”

Entrepreneur

Web Sight: Get Them Talking March 2008 “One good referral is worth dozens of unqualified prospects… The relationship with Yelp began about two years ago, when Yelp staffers noticed International Orange had both the highest ratings and the most reviews of any local spa.”

Spa Business

Equal Measures February 2008 “San Francisco’s International Orange places an equal emphasis on yoga classes and spa treatments. International Orange is striving to create a community based on participation in its yoga classes and spa programme.”

5 Spa Refreshment Tips for Summer

1. REFRESH-MINT: A Delicious Mint Cooler This refreshing and healthy drink is one of my favorites for summertime. It’s a cold version of fresh mint tea. It’s healthy (no refined sugar and better for you than a can of soda), invigorating and stomach settling. Ingredients Teapot full of hot water One bunch of Mint (either [...]

Natural Deodorant: It’s Good For You

Bring another kind of “balance” into your life. People in my life know how much I love natural products as an enjoyable and healthy part of my daily ritual. I might even be accused, at times, of being a “pusher” of natural and organic products. If that’s a crime, then I guess I am guilty [...]

Rise and Shine: The Value of Morning Ritual

Many people don’t like the start of their day. Work. Responsibility. Tasks. Ugh. There’s a lot that can make it hard to get up in the morning. In the past year, my life has altered for the better with a focus on personal time in the morning and it’s changed the way I feel when [...]

Bike Accidents and In Fiore Balm

I took up a new sport recently, bought myself an extravagant birthday gift, a carbon-fiber TREK road bike, and became a cyclist-in-training. Since I no longer own a car, biking seemed like a great way to get around and have weekend adventures on breathtaking back roads around the Bay Area. I wanted to take advantage [...]

Pass the Peas and Peptides, Please.

Yes, I am a good girl and I do generally eat all the peas on my plate. I am also a believer in looking after my skin and keeping it healthy, even indulging it from time to time. So, what do peas and healthy skin have in common? Read on to find out. Since it’s [...]

Ceremony. Ritual. Exploration.

I recently took a life-changing journey through Southern Asia. I left my Blackberry at home, packed light and unplugged from regular life to explore some of the planet’s most spiritually rich, and economically challenged, lands. In addition to learning about the places I traveled and the people I encountered, traveling alone for almost two months [...]

Healing Your Skin with Honey

Recently, our eagle-eyed IO Esthetician, Catherine Wargo, showed me an interesting National Geographic article (June 2008) on the subject of honey as a healing aid for the skin. Honey, the sweet nectar of flowers, the bi-product of honey bees, has long been used in healing and beauty products and, of course, as a syrupy sweetener [...]

Noble Silence & Fireworks

While fireworks were blasting and parties were underway over the 4th of July weekend, I took a vow of silence on retreat at Spirit Rock in the hills of Marin County. It was remarkable to get quiet and go inward to meet my mental demons and angels. It was especially remarkable for me to do [...]

Acupuncture & Massage: an IO Client Testimonial

The Power of 2 – A Treatment Testimonial by IO Client, Leslie W. There is a Chinese saying, “good things come in pairs.” As a child growing up in a Chinese home, this adage was one of those “parental phrases” where the meaning was lost in translation (and / or by virtue of age). But, [...]

The Power of Reiki

One of the gifts of my recent journey to Southern Asia was the Reiki healing that I received in Kerala, India (thanks to Dr. Kamaraj and Dr. Johnson). Reiki means universal life force energy and it’s a balancing and healing art with a broad range of happy benefits to both giver and receiver. This healing [...]

Staycation: An Eco-Friendly & Economical Vacation

Are you taking a “staycation” this summer? Yes, the name is a tad too “cute”, but the concept is a good one. Shouldn’t we all learn to enjoy what’s in our own backyard? After all, true happiness is being happy right where we are. Staycation is the new buzzword for Americans looking to enjoy time-off [...]

Tea Tree Oil is a Quick Fix from Mother Nature

Tea Tree is one of marvelous Mother Nature’s quick fixes for the face. The human race didn’t actually invent the “quickie”, Mother Nature did. I am indeed a proponent of abandoning fast food, but “fast face” certainly has a time and place in my life. I appreciate some things for their slowly unfolding benefits (like [...]

San Francisco Magazine

Group Dynamics September 2007 “In 2001, when most Bay Area spas were either borderline psychedelic or lavishly grandiose, Darland and her business partners (cofounders Kary Chendo and Melissa Ferst) decided to start a yoga spa modeled after the Slow Food movement… meant to strip away the chaos, the data, the stuff of metropolitan life, and [...]

International Orange Turns Six!

Today, IO turns six. I want to thank our IO Team, past and present, for creating with us, a healing and transformational community. At IO, it feels like joy, not work. Let’s keep this momentum alive. Transforming the planet, one person at a time. Gratefully, Amy

Meditation: a Must in My Bag of Tricks

At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, meditation changed my life in less than a week. And, the benefits in 6 months have been enormous. I’ve been going out to Spirit Rock in Marin County for Monday night Dharma Talks with Jack Kornfield and friends for almost a decade, but it wasn’t until last November [...]

Welcome to the New International Orange Blog!

Welcome to the International Orange (IO) blog, written by me, Amy Darland, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of IO. As I set out to write this blog, my intention is to share what I know about living richly and doing it in a beautiful, healthy, balanced way. Ahead, you will find writings about skin and body [...]

Spa Specials

Stay fresh this Season. Take advantage of discounts on some of our most popular services at IO. Buy Online

Gift Certificate Special

Save $35. Buy a $150 IO Gift Certificate for $115 (Must Only Be Purchased Online). Buy Now.

Spring Approaching

Early Spring is a time to appreciate the life that is all around us. Many of the plants that sustain everyday life for cultures all over the world also house amazing benefits for the skin. White tea is one of my favorites, not only for the taste, but also the unique benefits it provides both [...]

Exotic Flowers

Exotic flowers have always lifted my spirits in wintertime. In February, when daylight is in short supply, when it’s chilly and wet, when cold and flu bugs are percolating, I find ways to “break on through to the other side.” My methods might not be as psychedelic as Jim Morrison’s were, but I find the [...]

IO Cleanse 8oz

A purifying body wash to awaken, stimulate, and prepare the skin to receive nutrients and hydration.

Arcona Tea Tree Mask

This healing mask from Arcona, lessens swelling, as it detoxifies and removes impurities from the skin.

Old Monticello Organic Farms

As some of you know, my parents live on and run Old Monticello Organic Farms, New Mexico, otherwise know as OM OF NM. My family farm in the high desert of New Mexico produces several specialty products for us at International Orange. My parents’ products represent the high quality we believe in at IO. I [...]

C Magazine

Insider’s S.F. Hit List June/July 2007 “Marin-raised S.F. dweller Amy Darland co-founded Pacific Heights spa and yoga studio International Orange – named after the paint color used on the Golden Gate Bridge.”

7×7 Guide

Best Of: Finest Face-Off June 2007 – BEST OF ISSUE “It’s refreshing to find an aesthetician who knows how to take it slow. Milene is as concerned about your nutrition and lifestyle as she is about how to help skin that’s regressed to its adolescent days.”

San Francisco Chronicle (SFiS)

Giving Up Skin Care ‘Junk Food’ May 2007 “Harnessing the power of organic ingredients with a new line intended to compliment the spa’s mission to ‘awaken intrinsic beauty through daily practice’… incorporating the very therapeutic elements of these ingredients, and also blend them in a way that makes them beautiful to use.”

7×7 Guide

7 Things to Know Right Now May 2007 – LUXURY ISSUE “Billed as ‘yoga for the skin’ (except for the whole getting progressively stretchier part), this incredibly sumptuous line of organic beauty products takes ‘all-natural’ to couture levels.”

Where

A Local Favorite Spring 2007 “A combination spa and yoga studio, International Orange offers an array of ways to refresh and rejuvenate in a clean, fresh-feeling space.”

Daily Candy (SF Edition)

Say a Little Prayer April 10, 2007 “Get up off your knees and onto the table for an organic fusion massage at International Orange. Using the spa’s new signature products, the shiatsu/ Swedish/ Thai combo turns sinners back into saints.”

7×7 Guide

Spring 2007 “Minimalist and serene, International Orange offers yoga classes and a range of spa services. Looking for a great facial? Ask for Milene.”

Where

Supreme Makeover January 2007 A supple, strong body is a healthy body… International Orange has an intimate ambiance and offers an appealing range of yoga classes, many of which are well suited to serious practitioners.”

Allure

Red Flower Japan Treatment December 2006 “Combination of a body wash spiked with mimosa and yuzu, acupressure on our hands, a gingergrass-scented scrub, and a head-to-toe massage with rose oil was luxurious.”

Marin

September 2006 “A bridge is such a great symbol of transformation and movement that we couldn’t resist naming our renewal/wellness business after such a landmark.”

Domino Magazine

July/August 2006 “Amy Darland pulled off the ultimate escape by chucking a high-intensity job to open an organic spa. Here she shows us how to create a Zen getaway in our own spaces.”

San Francisco Magazine

The Best of the Bay Reader’s Poll 2006: Best Spa July 2006 “…International Orange is a house of yoga, art exhibitions and spa products and services that starts with surface beauty and takes it deeper…”

San Francisco Chronicle

April 9, 2006 “At International Orange, Darland said that incorporating… scientifically created products alongside the more natural ones often gives the best results.”