Hot Tub

I can't begin to tell you how smart we were to make the decision to get a hot tub! With my titanium ankle replacement and Scott's walking many miles a day as a mail carrier we had often thought of the purchase but never justified it. Now we both say we should have done it sooner.

We looked around and found the best customer service at Future Fitness Plus. Josh was filled with information and explained everything in a way that was easily understood. We decided on a Beachcomber model with a UV function to help minimize chemicals and we have been nothing short of ecstatic with our choice.

In December we had guests stay with us at our Belle Isle Inn, who after ice fishing with a local charter all day, claimed " the hot tub was like Heaven!" Scott and I agree every time we  use it and believe me we use it almost daily.

We have literally soaked up the benefits of the warmth, the relaxation and intimate conversations we have submerged in the 104 degree water. Whether we are braving the elements during snowfalls,  taking in the beauty under the evening stars or unwinding after a long, hard day at work, our wonderful hot tub is indeed a little piece of heaven to us.

Social Media Revolution

Deep Conditioner Myth and Fact

I was asked to comment on the following opinion piece and want you to check it out!

What they say-

   A deep moisturizing treatment at a salon is a rather expensive service. On average the cost of this service is between $60 to $100. This depends greatly on the salon and the individual performing the treatment. Ironically, this is not a difficult task to perform. 

Brilliant Blondes

How to Moisturize Your Hair Like a Hair Salon Does:

Step 1: Wash your hair with a moisturizing shampoo. Clear Moisture shampoo is one option. This product adds moisture without making your hair greasy. 

Step 2: Squirt a generous amount of conditioner into your hand. Cake as much conditioner into your hair as possible. Ensure that all of your hair is completely covered. Redken Clear Moisture conditioner works as well as the shampoo. But you can use any conditioner or shampoo you wish. 

Step 3: Place a shower cap over your conditioner coated hair. Turn your hair dryer on low. Simply use the hair dryer to blow hot air onto the shower cap, like you would when blow drying your hair. Do this for at least thirty minutes. 

Step 4: Rinse the conditioner out of your hair. Style your hair as desired.

(Ha!)

Ravishing Reds

What I say-

The above procedure sounds okay, but in reality it does not "deep" condition the hair at all, but rather "coats" the outside layer without giving the interior any nutritive value or chemical re-bonding my true "Salon Deep Conditioning."  (Note: Even some salons aren't giving you a "real" deep conditioning service. Be proactive! Check the knowledge of the hairdresser by asking questions!)

Here's the real deal-

The conditioner must be able to penetrate into the cortex layer to be deeply effective. The molecule size of a "conditioner" varies and a regular conditioner can not perform that function due to it's large and long molecular size that is designed to attach and seal the outside layer of the hair.

The hair must be prepared to accept the conditioner, ie: swollen with the "fish scale like" cuticle layer raised and open. Using a conditioning shampoo will actually fill the cuticle with molecules that prohibit the penetration of deep conditioning molecules.

Exquisite Ebony

I use conditioners that are specifically designed to perform chemical changes in the cortex, or middle layer of the hair shaft. These conditioners are only available to a licensed cosmetologist because of the complexity of the chemical make-up and the unusually high pH that can actually damage the hair if used incorrectly.

While we all like to do things at home to "save money," sometimes you really do need the help of a true and knowledgeable hair professional to get the desired result. But if you want to get the best deep conditioning result at home you will need to do the following:

1. Use a clarifying shampoo, build into a lather and leave on for 5 minutes to raise the pH and open the cuticle.

2. Towel dry hair VERY WELL. Water will dilute the conditioner and change the pH and chemical makeup.

3. Apply a professional "Deep Penetrating Conditioner."

4. Place the towel you used to dry your hair and in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot. Carefully wrap the hot towel around your head and secure with a hair clip. Allow towel to cool completely!!!!

Dynamic Dimension

5. Rinse your hair with "cool" water.

6. Treat as if a chemical treatment (ie: color or perm) and do not shampoo or get hair wet for at least 48 hours.

Repeating this procedure depends on the hair. Some examples are: course- every four weeks, very damaged- every week, colored- every color service and every haircut.

Hopefully this will clarify deep conditioning for you! When you have questions about your hair, skin or other beauty issues just email me!   Sincerely, Tia

Belle Isle Inn White Chili Request

The doorbell rang as I was on my way out! I think the ringer of the bell said "I was at an open house that you had for your Inn (the Belle Isle Inn) and I (or my husband) loved your white chicken chili! Could I have the recipe?" Too funny!

I was in such a hurry to get to my Green Bay Salon, I grabbed her email, told her I'd send her the recipe and said to "call me" if she didn't hear from me within a few days as I was graciously pushing her out the door. (psst! The least I can do is give you a mini facial for my hurriedness!)

I  was planning on doing the recipe thing when I got back, but when I looked for it, alas...I couldn't find it. I knew I wrote it down, darn it! And which one was it anyway? The white Caribbean from the Christmas walk, the white sage from the house's 100 year anniversary or the white white from the Chamber gathering? Didn't matter, I couldn't find any of them.

Soooooooooooo, I made one of the whites from  my head, and THIS time, I wrote it down AND remembered where I put it! They are all wonderful anyway!! (Stay tuned...I will follow with the other two in the future...give me a call if you don't hear from me...lol)

Several days later, I was gathering my notes and pictures, when I got the call..."Tia? You told me to call you about the chili recipe if I didn't hear from you." I wish I could get reminders like that for everything! Like this blog... Anyway, here it is...

Tias's White chicken chili (sage version)

Ingredients
3lb chicken breast cubed into small pieces
2 pkg sage pork sausage (the other white meat)
2 T flour
One onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 C chicken broth
1can each of garbanzo, baby butter, great Northern, navy and butter beans with the liquid from 4 cans

1 can cream of celery soup
2 T Cajun spice
2 T chili powder
6 oz pepper jack cheese, cubed
12-16 oz lite (or regular) sour cream

Directions
Brown sausage and drain
add chicken cubes and cook until almost done
sprinkle in flour
add onion, celery and garlic and cook 5 minutes
add beans with liquid
add broth and spices
bring to boil and simmer 30 min
add cubed pepper jack and stir several minutes until melted
stir in sour cream and cook on low for 30 minutes

I like this chili best when I let it settle over night before serving.
Garnish with extra sour cream and onion crackers. I'd love to hear your variations or any questions!! Enjoy!

The next white chili will be the Caribbean! Hint; it has marmalade in it. Mmmmmmmm  ;)

Tia's Quichelettes...Mmmmmmmm

Sorry it's been a while...Stuff happened...lots of stuff... and I had to take a sabbatical. You'll be able to read about in my up-coming book; "My Justice" tee hee hee ;-)

Anyway...

A few months ago I ran into a dilemma. I had to figure out how to make Quiche more feasible when serving only one or two couples. I had previously been making a fresh quiche, using two pieces, and giving the rest to my husband. Scott was getting sick of Quiche three meals a day, so I decided to use my Pampered Chef Small Square Plates and make my guests personal quiches. I call them "Quichelettes."

To make things easier (I think "smarter not harder" from all those years as a working single mother) I use a ready-made pie crust. Roll the pie crust into a square shape to be cut into four equal squares. Place the crust into the plate, flute the edges and poke some holes into the bottom and sides. I like to leave the crust a 1/2 inch higher than the plate so I can fill with the egg mixture right to plate level.
                                       


Loosely fill the dish with your choice of ingredients. In this quichelette, I lightly grilled onions, garlic, mushrooms (shitake, oyster and crimini) and asparagus in olive oil and roasted garlic Worcestershire sauce. I chose a Renard's white cheddar dill for my cheese and Pampered Chef's Itailian Seasoning blend for the seasoning with a bit of sea salt and fresh ground peppercorns.

For two Quichelettes you will need 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons milk, 2  tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 heaping teaspoon of flour. Place into the small  batter bowl and beat with an electric or hand whisk. Slowly pour over the ingredients.

I personally like to add my grape tomatoes last for both texture and looks. Sometimes I even make a little picture or decoration with a spinach leaf, mushroom half or some other clever idea I may have.



To bake the Quichelettes, I have a great little
toaster/convection oven out on the kitchen porch with my gas and charcoal grills and my griddle. I love to cook outside in the summer months. All ovens will vary, but I cook at 325 degrees on convection for 30 minutes, and they turn out perfect every time.

Two of the Belle Isle Inn guest favorites are:

The Belgian Breakfast Quichelette: Fresh grilled Portobello mushrooms, crushed garlic and sweet onions with our local Salmon's Belgian Trippe sausage and Renard's smoked provolone cheese.

The Cajun Seafood Quichelette: Cajun grilled scallops, black tiger prawns and crab meat with asparagus, fresh dill, white cheddar and fresh grated Parmesan cheeses.

To make your life easier in the kitchen you can order my favorite kitchen tools at my website and email me with any questions.  Enjoy!  Missed you, Tia

Hair Help for Frizz...are you in need??

One of the toughest problems with hair can be frizz. I know because I suffer from "Frizziehairitus!" I have naturally curly, fine hair and was not blessed in the density department either!! There are days (many in fact) when I would seriously prefer to have no hair than the *&#%  I have to deal with!! But there is help you know!!  At Tia'Spa!

Melissa has the frizz problem, and the wiry grey problem (at way too early of an age) and the busy mom syndrome (kids,works at home and represents Lia Sophia.) So spending time on her hair is a luxury not a norm. Low to no maintenance is the only option.

Believe it or not, coloring Melissa's hair actually helps the frizz, wiriness and the grey.

The outer layer of the hair is like a series of fish scales. Melissa's fish scales are always open, creating dry, tangly ick on a daily basis. Placing color on the hair opens the outer layer for the color deposit, and while it is open, I sneakily deposit a secret blend of deep conditioners into the hair. In the 48 hours it takes the hair to return to it's natural state the conditioner gets trapped in the middle layer...for a long time...and this is what truly helps the hair feel and act better! Of course the super-low ammonia content and teeny size of the color molecules in my color line do a great deal too!

A pea size of Esuchen O'love sculpting lotion at the crown for volume and a dime size of O'love smoother through out the rest of the hair before blow drying, then touch up with a flat iron and she's out the door!

Anyway, add a great cut that really doesn't need a lot of work to look great, and Melissa goes from generic and blah to stylish and shiny in the wave of my color brushes. Voila!

Attention deficit?? You make the call

I started blending wines years ago. It's part of the fun and creativity of evening wine and appetizers with the guests at the Belle Isle Inn.

So now I'm blending coffee. Today was Hazelretto.

Hazelretto sounds like the lil Ole aunt who would come to visit the family at Christmas. You know, the one who always sat next to you at the dinner table smelling of cedar and mothballs, and some kind of ancient, moldy flower perfume. And if I remember correctly, (and I'm sure I do) she always spit teeny pieces of food while talking. I'm sure one of my brothers got smacked under the table (could have even been me) for bringing the shooting morsels of food to the attention of the entire table.

Well, Hazelretto brought a quirky smile to my face, a sensational blend of flavors to my palette and was truly wonderful this morning!

If you like the orange gel nails or the pinky with the dried flower art check out Tia'Spa!