Hot Tub Bliss

Tonight’s the night for our yearly ritual. We soak in the tub with a glass of bubbly and celebrate our good fortune.  We can hear the bells & horns and see tips of fireworks from across the lake from our rooftop hot tub.  Safe, warm and away from the traffic, it’s just the two of us. We toast the year to come and wish for another year of health and happiness, continued good fortune, a great business, family & friends.  Here’s to all of you hot tubbers who are doing the same tonight: Wishing You A Happy New Year! May all of your wishes come true.

This is the Dream.

This is the Dream we carry through the world

that something fantastic will happen

that it has to happen

that time will open by itself

that doors shall open by themselves

that the heart will find itself open

that mountain springs will rise up

that the dream will open itself

that we will one early morning

slip into a harbor

we have never know before.

Thanks to Robert Bly for this translation of the poem from the late Norwegian poet Olav Hauge.

That sums up my feeling about the hot tub: dreams are dreamt and feelings felt and explored like no where else on earth.  We wouldn’t be without our dream machine!

Happy New Year!

This fan letter from an Olympic hot tub owner says it all.  SilkBalance has been a skin saver during our recent snows and bad weather.  Read on:

“I’m a family physician in his sixties. Over the years my skin has
gotten drier, and during the winter I get eczema rashes. I had to
limit my use of my Olympic Hot Tub (the Bengal) to once a week or
less. Any more frequently increased the itchy rash. This was a big
disappointment to me because the hot tub has long been part of my
stress management. When I get into the tub, the stress just melts
away. The family is also the beneficiary of my better mood!

I was in the showroom, buying some more Spa Shock, when I saw someone
with this tear-shaped orange bottle. He was telling the salesperson
that he used the Silk treatment weekly, and since he did, his skin was
much better. Having overheard him and sensing his delight with the
product, I decided to try it myself.

I purged the tub and filled it with fresh water, according to the
instructions. I did not use the Calcium Hardener, but did use the
shock, Silk, and a bit of chlorine. Then I started using the tub
daily. What is truly amazing is that my dry skin and rash have
diminished dramatically. The water feels soft on my skin, and my sense
is that the natural oils are not washed away as much with the softer
water. I also enjoy the feel of the softer water compared to the
Calcium hardened water.

The further benefit is that I don’t have to check the chemical balance
of the tub anymore. I just trust that with weekly application of the
Silk, the balance will be maintained appropriately.

I’ve been using the Silk weekly ever since. My skin continues to be
way better, and I need way less moisturizing and cortisone creams.
I’m afraid I’ve become a true believer.”

Hope that’s helpful. My bottle of Silk is near gone. Let me know when
I can drop by and pick up another.

Warm thanks.
Bruce Davis.

If you haven’t tried SilkBalance yet, what are you waiting for? Enhance your spa experience, save your skin AND use your tub with less hassle. It’s a win/win!  Order today at our estore. We ship nationwide: http://www.olympichottubestore.com/silkbalance.html

If you’re already a SilkBalance user, I’d love to hear what you think about it in your hot tub!

Sanum per aqua-Latin for Health through water.

Holiday cheer-that’s tea by the hot tub-brought by our friendly, ready for any weather delivery crew! Want your new hot tub by New Year’s Eve? We’re ready to deliver it for you!

I just got an email from a customer about hot tubbing in the snow:

We are really enjoying our hot tub. Good way to warm up when it’s so darn cold. (My feet get like ice. Is it because they are so far away from my heart? Do short women have warm feet?)

The first day it snowed - we suited up and headed out to the hot tub. It is such a rush to be in  the freezing air one minute and up to your neck in hot water the next!!

We caught our breaths, laid back with the winter sun in our faces, snow glistening on the branches above our heads. Keith turned to me and said ”this is the moment hot tub owners look forward to all year. I mean,  isn’t this what’s it all about?”

I told him he sounded like a commercial!

But he’s right. No matter how wonderful it is to soak under the stars in the summer or to a chorus of peeper frogs in the spring- the first soak after the first snowfall is magical.

Here are 5 ways to create the perfect hot tub environment! The right temperature, mood, company, refreshments and moderation will increase your enjoyment.
1. Temperature- The optimum temperature for getting the most out of your backyard vacation is between 100 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit.  You can experiment within this range of temperatures to find the perfect setting for the most enjoyable hot tub experience. My husband and I find that our hot tub temperature varies with the outside temperature. The colder it is, the hotter we like it. In the summer we turn it down.  An old teacher of mine said that “consciousness loves contrast”.  And that is certainly true of our hot tub temperature.

2. Mood- The hot tub is best enjoyed coming home after a hard day at work or right before bed. We turn off the lights and simply gaze up at the stars-trying to decide which is a star and which is a planet. We light some candles, too, and place them around the hot tub to provide a romantic ambiance for our rooftop escape. Adding some aromatherapy products to the soak further enhances relaxation. Just make sure though that the product is specifically made for use in hot tubs. Go to our estore for the absolute best aromatherapy products “Being” which are especially formulated for hot tubs. Being isn’t greasy, won’t screw up your water chemistry AND the scents are heavenly.  Being scents include: Enlighten with Lemon, Cypress, and Basil;  Reflect with Lavender and Geranium; Uplift with Green Tea, Ginger and Lime; Awaken with Tangerine and Grapefruit; and, Release with Chamomile and Clary Sage.  Order today from our E-Store: http://www.olympichottubestore.com/spascents.html

3. Company- What would be the essence of a hot tub experience if there is no one to share it with? The soothing warmth of the water is best enjoyed in the company of a special someone and makes the setting an ideal opportunity for quiet conversation.  My husband and I never run out of things to talk about in the hot tub and it’s so relaxing that any potential disagreements get melted away before they bloom into an argument.

4. Refreshments- It is important to stay hydrated during the soak, but please no alcohol. It can create some adverse health risks. Many people do use alcohol when they first get a new tub. But the next day they feel so awful if they over imbibe, that they’re cured from every drinking in the tub again. The Hot Tub plunge for relaxation and detoxification, so try just plain water.  We like icy cold San Pellegrino.

5. Moderation- Medical Studies have shown that over-exposure to excess heat is dangerous to one’s body, so don’t risk it. A moderate soak in a hot tub is advised, but limit immersion time to twenty minutes or so. One can always come back for more anyway. The benefits of improved circulation, cardiac output and purifying your body toxins make it so worthwhile.  I had a nasy fall last Monday which was quite painful. I stayed in bed all day Tuesday except for 3 trips to the hot tub for 20 minutes each time.  The result: pain greatly diminished and I could walk without wincing! Talk about a miracle cure!

With that said, forget that pending resort and spa membership or that long desired expensive trip to Paris this year and enjoy a vacation instead right in the backyard everyday!
Create your own backyard sanctuary now by installing a hot tub which will give you years of enjoyment with family and friends.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Silk Balance feels good, smells good, is simple to use, protects equipment and is environmentally friendly! Why would anyone stick with old-fashioned chemicals that dry out their skin, are bad for the environment and are a hassle to use?  Our Olympic Hot Tub customers have been emailing their raves for the product since we put it on our shelves in August.

Here’s one from Marty Cole of Seattle, a Hot Spring Sovereign owner.  He made the switch and is so happy with the results.  Silk Balance is a must have for every hot tub!

Hi Alice,

Attached is a pic of me with my Sovereign spa, and below is what I have to say about Silk Balance.

I am a water care FANATIC, and have been faithfully  maintaining my Hot Springs spa for the past 5 years.  I switched to Silk Balance about 6 months ago and could not be happier!  What a time-saver.  No more testing, measuring and keeping so many different chemicals on hand. And my wife and I both notice the silky difference in the quality of the water.  Make the switch… you’ll be glad you did!

Marty Cole

Seattle, WA 98122

Thanks, Marty for your email and photo! Order  on line from Olympic’s estore: http://www.olympichottubestore.com/silkbalance.html

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Just had to share two photos of a new hot tub installation at the home of Olympic Hot Tub customers: The Thorntons. Our fall has been so beautiful and mild, the trees so colorful that even the days have been perfect hot tubbing weather. The fire pit is a great addition for ambiance. Imagine sitting in this hot tub at night watching the fire-modern version of sitting on the couch in front of a fireplace. Note the lifter that holds the cover up off the ground. Having a lifter is the no sweat way to get the cover off so there’s not time wasted when you want to jump in. Flip it back and it stores itself. Sweet. Thanks to the Thorntons for sending these photos. What a lovely hot tub installation!

Anyone else have photos to share? We’d love to see them.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

This letter from a happy SilkBalance user says it all:

Dear SilkBalance ,
I have a HotSpring Jetsetter spa and use your product, I love what it does for my skin.
My husband who suffered from very dry skin problems is now able to join me again in the spa as his skin isn’t effected any longer by the chemicals and doesn’t dry out.
Thank you.

Frankie Adams
Olympia WA.

Thanks for your letter, Frankie. The secret about getting older that no one talks about is the problem of dry skin. Customers have told me that they couldn’t use the tub because of their dry skin problem especially in the winter.
Get that spa hot!
Get ready to get back to the relaxation and stress relief you’ve been aching for.
Silk Balance does perform exactly as promised: it eliminates the dry skin problem without adding all sorts of yucky oils and perfumes!

But that’s not all it does. At first we were skeptial of a product that promised so much. But Hot Spring owners are raving about how it’s transformed their hot tubbing experinece. You do have to feel the water with Silk Balance to believe what a difference it makes. We keep one spa in each of our showrooms without Silk Balance. The rest have it as the water care of choice. We don’t have to say anything but: “Put your hand in this spa without Silk Balance. Now put your hand in the other spa with Silk Balance.” No one has actually swooned yet, but we’ve heard: “I can’t believe it!” “Wow, what a difference!” “I’ll take it!”

Silk Balance does make your hot tub water feel like silk and leaves your skin feeling smooth as a baby’s. Direct from Europe where it has made hot tub care easier than ever, it’s a proprietary blend of balancing products combined in one easy-to-use bottle. Now, this is the best part: No more alkalinity increaser, calcium hardness, pH increaser or de-creaser, and stain & scale control products. Really! Throw them all away.

●Add Silk Balance once a week to keep your spa readings in perfect harmony, without testing or mixing.
●It’s enhanced with silver so it’s EverFresh and ozone system compatible
●Added sea salts leave your skin feeling young and soft.
●BDT© Technology keeps spa components running better.
●Allows for minimization of sanitizers; environmentally friendly.

Transitioning to Silk Balance requires the one-time use of Spa Purge to rid your spa plumbing of old residual water care products and set you up for a crystal clear experience. After that, spa care is a breeze.

Discover how great soaking can be again..without the plague of dry skin and mixing of all those chemicals! Return to nature!!

See our estore for online ordering: http://www.olympichottubestore.com/silkbalance.html

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

As soon as the weather gets chilly, most people in Japan turn to thoughts of yu (湯, hot water). The saying “yu ga ichiban no kusuri” “hot water is the best medicine is a popular maxim in Japan where hot springs have warmed people for centuries. Many people in rural areas remember the slogan “nihonjin niwa ofuroga aru” which translates to “when all else fails the Japanese will still have their baths”. For hundreds of years and way into the 20th century, rural Japanese never got a lot to eat, but in the darkest times a soak was always possible. To this day, in many reigons people will say “itadakimasu” (the salutary phrase that precedes a meal-like Julia Child saying “Bon Appetit” before a meal) before taking a bath, especially when they’re about to do so in the home of a friend or relative. As for immersing oneself in an onsen (温泉, hot spa), many perceive it as a gochisō (ごちそう, repast) and will often say that a good onsen session is equivalent to a full meal.

There’s nothing like yu (hot water) to combat the blues and keep the body warm and supple. It’s a daily custom whose pleasure never dims with time. But after learning about yu and the concept of considering hot water bathing as a full meal, I’m adding weight loss to my thoughts about hot tubbing! Thinking of hot tubbing as the equivalent of a full meal is a great way to avoid calorie overload during the holidays. Soak before supper! I guarantee you’ll eat less. Happy Thanksgiving!

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!