'Learn to Live in Wellness' for VIE March 2022

“Now that people are beginning to invite others inside again, our wellness centers can make them feel cared for, but it starts with ourselves. We do this by letting our true spirits reign. Design is as vital the health of a house as food and drink. People choose paintings for their walls, pieces of music that lift them during their day-to-day activities, or soft lighting and candlelight to change moods.

“How you arrange your personal habitat is a window into why you truly are. Your passions, hobbies, and idiosyncrasies become apparent. The private you becomes known. Houses done by an interior designer and left exactly that way may have less of your spirit roaming around. People fall in love with individuals, not a perfectly done look that is so in style now. People fall in love with quirky individualism and personal expression. When you are reflected in your house, it’s the beginning of finding wellness through the freedom of expressing your authentic self.”

Read more in the latest issue of VIE Magazine HERE!

Conversations at Home

Three Women Drinking by Fernando Botero

The conversations in a restaurant are completely different than the ones around your dinner table at home.

Think about it. At a restaurant we mostly gather in groups - four, six, eight - as couples or a gaggle of women. (By the way, when the group is more than eight, the fun occurs once in a thousand times. I have the experience and expenses to prove this statistic.) Restaurant conversations rarely go deep. They are fun, hit the topics of moment, delve into the latest juicy gossip; but they rarely dive into the personal, the thoughts that cements connections. The banter is not always open, vulnerable, or honest about things that really matter.

But in a domestic setting, things change. Elsewhere, talk may slide on the surface, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. Sometimes that’s what we crave! I want to know about your day and I want to tell you about mine. I don’t want to tell you the results of my recent mammogram, or discuss worries about a child. I want to escape for an hour or two and you are the person who is allowing me to do that. The surface is manageable at the moment... 

However, if you want to open the door into your soul, even for a few minutes, being at home is a safest way to do this. Why? Because the rooms are where we eat, sleep, and live, so the spaces conjure up security and create a safe spot. This is opposed to restaurants where the vibe is: Let’s have fun, Let’s entertain & be entertained, Let’s be seen. A restaurant is not the place to unload your baggage for all the world to overhear. The home is the ideal place to satisfy that deep human desire to be vulnerable and strengthen relationships.

Self Love Series: Psychic Home

There could be a yard sale in your future…

Getting rid of stuff liberates you. You are left feeling fresh and more in tune with your psychic home.

There are myriad reasons to release items that have no more use in your life, possessions that others can use, objects that just take up space. The most important is you must own your personal style and relinquish anything that doesn’t represent YOU. We want to see people expressing themselves fully...

An empty shelf, a bare wall, a pared down interior feels good! A refreshing breeze rushes into your soul, bringing with it a brand new energy. You become lighter. For those of us who favor minimalism, empty space is essential. For others, letting go is a good exercise. You can always fill in an empty space but it is a fact that everyone owns too much stuff. Who needs dozens of black pants, ten computer plugs, 50,000 jars of cosmetics, 150 cowboy boots?

Unless you are a collector — that’s a different story entirely, a discussion for another day. (Stay tuned for our next post if you are into collecting wine!) Collections are interesting, meaningful, even educational. They bring us beauty and infinite rewards.

Hoarding, however, does not. Even if you are not a hoarder, hanging on to things takes energy. It drains you of your power to access your innermost self. Keeping stuff just in case you may need it one day has no meaning for today. Take the plunge and purge.

Self Love Series: Basic Beauty 101

Did you know many household beauty and health remedies are already in your refrigerator and pantry to help you nurture yourself without spending a dime? Here are the Dean’s favorite at-home treatments…

• Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, for the body and the brain, may be all the rage these days; but I’ve been a believer since 2010 when two of my sons went to Afghanistan at the same time. Overnight, nine of my fingers became immobile with arthritis.  All appendages recovered completely within two weeks after starting the cider vinegar regime, which is this: Pour a splash of vinegar in every glass of water all day long. In no time at all, the vinegar-flavored water will taste so good that plain old water will become a bore. The only change in lifestyle was the vinegar water — a secret weapon to combat my own wartime stress. 

  Make sure the vinegar has the ‘mother’ in the bottle; so much has been written lately on this subject that we will not waste your time explaining. But a physiatrist once told me the vinegar may balance the serotonin levels in the brain. I am a believer because of the amount of stress I survived, in addition to never getting sick since 2010. I even use it as a tonic on my skin.  Cider Vinegar forever!

• Give yourself a facial in the privacy of your home. The best-ever facial trick is to use full fat yoghurt with active cultures. Add a few drops of Ylang Ylang pure essential oil and leave on until mask drys. The acid in the yoghurt firms and softens the skin and brings out a glow, all for pennies. The best part is you can multi-task and still concentrate.

• Smoosh virgin coconut oil through your hair, use an old pillowcase, and sleep! In the morning, simply rinse. This is great for scalp and hair, not to mention moisturizing and all natural! Use as often as needed. The ever-useful apple cider vinegar works as a hair rinse as well. It’s PH levels are going to help shut down the hair cuticle and will create more reflection, leaving your hair looking shiny as new. 

• Try making your own sugar scrub! Use the big sugar granules and mix with canola oil for an exfoliant. Just rub on and get into a hot shower to wash off. 

• Put epson salt, lavender essential oil and hot water into a big bowl or tub. Mix and soak hands or feet. This helps your muscle and tendons when you find yourself on your feet all day long. To soften rough edges, rub a healthy dose of Vaseline or Aquaphor over your hands and feet. Wear socks or gloves to keep your skin from turning red and cracking, especially in Winter.

The Academy in Charleston Magazine

The fine folks at Charleston Magazine recently paid the Dean a visit in order to taste a slice of life at the Academy. As always, she was happy to oblige with a tour of her Rainbow Row home, designed by James de Givenchy, as well as the garden, overflowing with citrus and honey.

Read the article and view the slideshow HERE at www.charlestonmag.com.