California Life News Room

California Life has a sweet spot for teachers, and in honor of this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week, ‘The Mom 100 Cookbook” Author, Katie Workman, explains how we can show them just how much their efforts in the classroom mean to us.
Aside from her cooking expertise, Workman, is also a mother of two school-aged children, so, who better to share sweet and unique ideas on showing the teachers in our lives what they mean to us?
On this week’s show, Katie, explains why spending a little time in the kitchen is the perfect way to make a difference in a teacher’s life, just as they do for their students every day. And as a mom, Katie, explains what it really means to gift our teachers with a few home baked treats from the heart.
She says, “As a parent, when a teacher really, just, gets your kid, it’s the best feeling in the world, especially if your kid’s struggling with something…it’s an extraordinary thing, and I think that doing something with your own hands, as a community…really makes the teachers feel that you get what they do for your kids.”
Just a reminder… while we’re doing our part to say Thanks to our favorite teachers, don’t forget about mom. Katie’s recipes and cooking thoughts are also perfect for the moms in our lives. To learn more from, Katie, you can purchase, ‘The Mom 100 Cookbook’ at leading retailers and visit her websites, www.themom100.com and www.cookstr.com

To view this weeks episode and find more great stories like this visit www.californialifehd.com

Billy Elliot is a boy with a dream–of dance.  It’s a dream that’s shared by pretty much everyone in the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical.

Billy Elliot the Musical is based on the 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. It’s set during the 1984-85 coal miners’ strike, and tells the story of a young boy named Billy who inspires an entire community by pursuing his passion against all odds.

The show features music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and is directed by Stephen Daldry.

Billy Elliot the Musical was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including Best Musical and has entertained audiences all over the world on tour.

The Billy Elliot the Musical tour recently stopped in San Diego, and California Life’s Audra Stafford got a chance to chat with one of the adorable”Ballet Girls,” 12-year-oldSamantha Cutler, who has been with the show for 2 1/2 years.

Watch this week’s episode of California Life to find out how she keeps up with her schoolwork on the road and what she enjoys most about being on tour!

A short trip is a great way to de-stress but it takes time, money and effort to plan a trip. A trip to a spa is quick and very affordable. Contrary to the general consensus, going to a spa is not a waste of money and time. In this day and age where stress looms every second, you certainly need a short break to get away.

Spa Nautica is a Spanish-themed boutique spa with a very soothing ambiance. Located in Los Angeles’ only AAA Five-Diamond waterfront hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, Spa Nautica is a metropolitan oasis with soothing sounds of the ocean, harbor views that create the perfect picturesque backdrop for a day of relaxation. Established just this Spring, Spa Nautica is a unique resort spa featuring exclusive and revitalizing treatments ranging from organic spa treatments, spa packages, salon services, body treatments, facials and massage services. Spa Nautica also offers customizable experiences for powerful results. Customize your experience in a refreshing eucalyptus steam room, sample Mediterranean figs while curled up in the tranquility lounge, stretch out and bask in the sun on a comfortable lounge chair by the pool. Being environmentally conscious, Spa Nautica utilizes quality organic and vegan products and treatments to renew your state of well being while promoting balance and harmony with nature. Spa Nautica offers 7,000 square feet of serenity featuring eight treatment rooms including one couple’s suite along with a full service manicure and pedicure salon.

The therapeutic benefits that clients enjoy are vast. From physical to emotional stress relief, alleviating muscle pain to relief for arthritis, de-stress, getting healthy, detoxify impurities in the body, improving blood circulation, feeling and looking younger, and managing blood pressure.

Spa Nautica offers several unique manicures and pedicures. The La Pedicura is a custom pedicure that is accompanied by a morning coffee, an Afternoon Spanish fig tea or an evening Spanish Fly Cocktail. The Athlete’s Choice Pedicure is ideal for those who are often on their feet, helping to alleviate symptoms of pain, aid in the relief of inflammation and strengthen muscles and joints, this pedicure delivers stress-relieving and detoxifying properties by way of a targeted massage performed with golf balls to increase circulation. A cooling treatment gel is then applied to appease tired legs and comforts swollen ankles. The Diamond Manicure or Pedicure exfoliates your hands and feets fully with a shimmering diamond dust mud, which is removed with the use of a magnetic device. This rich exfoliation is followed by a revitalizing massage to alleviate and re-energize tired muscles. This plush treatment leaves the skin purified and illuminated.

Spa Nautica also offers various facial treatments. Direct Affect Facial is an anti-aging facial called Carboxitherapy that produces an explosion of oxygen resulting in a visible revitalization of the skin. Magnetic Skin Therapy is an organic treatment that combines magnetic therapy and herbs to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the skin. The detoxifying skin repair treatment mask stimulates cell reproduction and leaves your skin feeling energized. Diamond Experience Cryo-Repairing Lifting Facial is a revolutionary anti-aging treatment offered exclusively at Spa Nautica. It reveals rejuvenated skin by means of an intensive mio-facial lifting massage and exclusive ingredients to penetrate the deepest layers of the skin for optimum regeneration. The “cold lifting” penetrates deeply in the skin to repair damaged DNA, bringing intense hydration and regeneration while brightening the skin to a revitalized and youthful appearance.

There are a variety of spa packages for you to choose from. The Express Experience consists of a Spa Nautica Custom Massage and a Direct Affect Facial, each lasting 30 minutes. The Athlete’s Experience consists of an Athlete’s Choice Massage and an Athlete’s Choice Pedicure, each of which lasts 60 minutes. The Magnetic Experience uses organic products for its Magnetic Ritual and Magnetic Skin Therapy that lasts for a total of 2 1/2 hours. The Diamond Experience includes a Diamond Experience Cyro-Repairing Lifting Facial for 90 minutes, a Diamond Manicure for 60 minutes, a Diamond Pedicure for 90 minutes as well as a 60 minutes lunch.

Spa Nautica recommends arriving 30 minutes prior to your service to unwind in the eucalyptus steam room, heated swimming pool and whirlpool or just relax in the lounge with a book or magazine.

Spa Nautica’s menu will fulfill each guest’s intention within a day’s visit. Whether you are a local resident or traveling for business or pleasure, rejuvenate and pamper yourself in the latest spa therapies at Spa Nautica that are designed to stimulate your senses and cleanse your mind, body and soul.
Plus if you’re a doggie owner Spa Nautica is offering a free doggie massage on May 18th, 2013 from 12PM-4PM so reserve your spot today by visiting the Spa Nautica website at www.spanautica.com

Reserve your spa appointment now at www.spanautica.com

This Mothers Day, let us not forget to celebrate all of those moms to be out there and one of the greatest gifts a mother to be can receive is some well fitting maternity clothing! Rosie Pope Maternity offers some of the trendiest and fashion forward maternity clothing around. Rosie took the often boring and unflattering style of maternity clothing and gave it a unique spin! Actress Molly Sims says, “It’s a great store! It’s young, it’s hip, it’s modern.” Molly really loves that the clothing is feminine and figure flattering.

Rosie’s maternity style is sophisticated and always fun and colorful. The style adapts to the pregnant form of a

woman, which makes it easy for those a little more self conscious with the big belly, to feel stylish and elegant. Aside from designing only the most fashionable in mom-to-be clothing, she is also sought after for parenting tips, advice, and trends. Rosie Pope Maternity has been worn by many celebrity mothers including Alyson Hannigan, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Molly Sims, and Jane Krakowski.

To browse the beautiful selection of maternity clothing from Rosie Pope, head over to www.rosiepope.com and check out California Life with Heather Dawson airing Statewide or watch online www.californialifehd.com!

Some of the greatest Mothers Day gifts are usually those that involve relaxing spa treatments, fresh manicures, and refreshing massages. Many women will come out of these feeling rejuvenated and refreshed however even with the softest skin and the most spectacular nails, if all that a woman can notice are the fine lines and wrinkles on their faces it is hard to feel 100% confident that they are looking their personal best.

If you’re toying with the idea of a surgical face-lift—whether soon or someday in the future—know that you don’t have to go under the knife. That’s because Evolastin, an aesthetic procedure, delivers similar dramatic face-lift-like results without the surgery.

No more scalpel. No more stiches. Evolastin uses tiny needle pricks to erase the years.

Evolastin is a procedure that utilizes radio frequency energy at a very specific level in the tissues of one’s face to produce a three dimension rejuvenation of not only collagen, but elastin fibers,as well as hyaluronic acid. So in essence with the Evolastin procedure, doctors are creating new volume, giving patients, plumper more youthful skin.

The science is verified. In a recent study published in the Archives of Dermatology, researchers confirmed they saw continual improvements in the skin’s textural, tone or elasticity, in addition to volumetric improvements, for up to 18 months post procedure. The study found that Evolastin delivered a third of the improvements of a traditional facelift.

Unlike the typical nip and tuck facelift, only a single hour-long treatment is required for great results. And

the down time is minimal. After a few days of bruising, redness and swelling, results show within eight weeks and continue to improve for up to six months.

Evolastin is performed under local anesthesia. It costs about 3,000 dollars.

So husbands, this Mothers Day consider Evolastin and give the gift of youthfulness to your lovely ladies and it all starts with no more crows feet, wrinkles, or fine lines on her beautiful face! To learn more about Evolastin, visit their website at: www.evolastin.com. For more on health and beauty, you can watch California Life airing statewide and streaming online at: www.californialifehd.com!

Nothing says “Happy Mother’s Day” like fresh flowers. But forget the boring bouquet!

California Life’s Audra Stafford went straight to the expert– Lesley Stowe–to get some fun floral ideas to show mom you care.

Lesley is the founder of Lesley Stowe Fine Foods. She has also written a cookbook, and her signature product–Raincoast Crisps–has been featured on Oprah’s O-List and in Martha Stewart’s Whole Living magazine.

One flower arrangement Lesley says you can easily do at home–the rose martini. Simply take a large martini glass, cut the rose stems fairly short, then fill the glass! Simple, right?

Are you hoping to arrange that perfect bouquet? Here are some tips from Lesley to create the perfect floral arrangement for your special lady!

Be creative! Many people get very intimidated when it comes to creating their own floral arrangements however that is what makes it special and unique from you! Lesley uses cups, bowls, and vases of all shapes and sizes to play host to her beautiful flowers. Lesley also says that when arranging a bouquet it is a good idea to stick to one central theme, color, and flower because the simplicity will make the arrangement that much more effective! Finally, Lesley also says that it is best to decorate in odd numbers to make for uniqueness and effectiveness.

To see more of Lesley Stowe’s great Mother’s Day ideas, be sure to watch California Life, airing statewide this week and online at www.californialifehd.com!

This week on California Life we take a moment to celebrate all of those wonderful mothers and mothers to be with some beautiful flower arrangements from Lesley Stowe, a new age facelift from Evolastin, gorgeous baby showers with Liza Utter and even some gorgeous Rosie Pope Maternity clothing Plus we show you a beautiful new jewelry line inspired by the stunning Grace Kelly and also we chat with Anide Media CEO Tonisha Johnson to hear just what makes for a successful entertainment journalism company it’s all happening this week on our Mothers Day special here on California Life with Heather Dawson airing Statewide or watch online californialifehd.com!

This is your final weekend to see the world premiere of Federal Jazz Project at the San Diego REP.

The show was created by Richard Montoya (co-founder and lead writer for the Culture Clash) and features an original jazz score by trumpet virtuoso Gilbert Castellanos.

Set in Downtown San Diego, South of Broadway, from 1929 to the present, Federal Jazz Project also features two talented “sisters”–San Diego and Tijuana.  San Diego (Lorraine Castellanos) is an incredibly talented singer and classical guitarist, and Tijuana (Claudia Gomez) is a hoofer (a really great one, I might add).

The music is incredible and each night, two new local musicians are brought in to show their stuff in the second act.

Federal Jazz Project is playing through this Sunday, May 5 at The Lyceum Stage at Horton Plaza.  For show times and ticket information, visit www.sdrep.org.

The St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach has created quite a stand out procedure when it comes to surgical weight loss and weight loss management. St. Mary Medical Center hosted their first annual fashion show and awards dinner celebrating all of those with wonderful success stories when it came to their weight loss journey.

The fashion show consisted of beautiful and confident models all of which were patients themselves! The models showcased their miraculous physical transformations by strutting their stuff down the runway.

The physicians at the surgical center for weight loss at St. Mary Medical Center, were celebrated and honored by their patients, some of which were fighting not only obesity, but also diseases like diabetes and sleep apnea. The physicians and their patients were proud to announce that for many of them, disease was no longer an issue thanks to the St. Mary Medical Center.

The Center for Surgical Treatment of Obesity offers patients a variety of options all of which have yielded amazing results! Patients are informed of procedures like gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, the adjustable band, and the Fobi pouch, which is a weight loss procedure created by Dr. Mal Fobi who presented this event.

Obesity has become a huge issue for thousands in the country, and the St. Mary Medical Center Surgical Weight Loss Program is proud to take part in putting a stop to those issues of obesity, even if a surgical procedure is just a jumping off point for those trying to live a healthier lifestyle!
To view other stories like this visit our YouTube video library!

On April 15, 2013 tragedy struck the city of Boston, MA during the Annual Boston Marathon when two pressure bombs exploded devastating the city and the country. Millions of people have rallied to raise money and awareness for the victims of these terrible attacks. The team at ENERGYbits health and nutrition products were incredibly heartbroken in regards to the tragedy, as ENERGYbits calls Boston their home. In response to the events that took place that day, the ENERGYbits team has launched a fundraising initiative called ‘Go The Distance’. The plan behind the ‘Go The Distance’ initiative is that whenever a purchase is made with the promotion code BOSTONSTRONG, ENERGYbits will donate $26.20 which is the distance of a marathon. All of the funds raised will be donated to The One Fund, to help those affected by the tragic events that happened that day in Boston. The BOSTONSTRONG code will also give customers a 10% discount when a purchase is made!

If you are interested in making a donation to an amazing cause head over to energybits.com/bostonstrong for more information. Help spread the word about the ‘Go The Distance’ fundraiser by tweeting the link to the ENERGYbits press release! Help make a difference in the lives of those that were affected that day in April and head over to ENERGYbits.com to be BOSTONSTRONG! Follow in the footsteps of the Roush Fenway Racing team, as they have also made contributions to the ‘Go The Distance’ initiative!