Backyard Discoveries (105)Tag along with friends Kimberly Taft and Sabrina Hill as they get a lesson in natural food shopping, or "urban foraging." Tom Peters of the environmental conservation organization TreePeople shows the women from West Hollywood, Calif. how and where to find spices, main courses and even medicines in the wild—free for the taking.
Then, go unwind at Michael Stusser's Osmosis Day Spa in Northern California. The enzyme bath, a therapeutic heat treatment that originated in Japan, is the key component in the spa's program of relaxation and rejuvenation. Stusser first learned about the enzyme bath while living in Japan, and designed the five-acre spa along Japanese lines.
Finally, meet Jerri and Rob Koplowitz, a couple in search of that ever-elusive commodity—quality time together. While their kids stay with relatives, they set out for a relaxing vacation just a short drive away. Join them for a luxurious retreat at The Sherman House, a small San Francisco hotel housed in a restored 19th century mansion.
Urban Foraging Facts:
- Avoid plants that have been sprayed with insecticide, or ones that grow in areas where people walk their dogs.
- Fennel seed tea is good for digestion. However, be aware—poisonous hemlock can be mistaken for fennel.
- Fennel is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean; it was brought to North America by early European colonists.
- When collecting flowers in the wild, be sure not to strip all the flowers off of a single plant.
Contact Information:
TreePeople
12601 Mulholland Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
818-753-4600
www.treepeople.com
Resources:
The Foraging Gourmet
by Katie Letcher Lyle
Foraging New England : Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods and Medicinal Plants from Maine to Connecticut
by Tom Seymour
Enzyme Bath Facts:
- About 3,000 enzymes have been identified in human cells.
- There are more than 40 enzyme bath centers in Japan—and at least one boasts a tub almost as large as a football field.
- The Osmosis Spa was the first enzyme bath center in the US.
- The treatment consists of three parts—relaxing with enzyme tea, the bath itself, and finishing up with either a massage or a "blanket wrap."
- The treatment usually lasts about 90 minutes. The actual bath generally lasts 10-20 minutes.
Contact Information:
Osmosis Enzyme Bath and Massage
209 Bohemian Hwy.
Freestone, CA 95472
707-823-8231
www.osmosis.com
Resources:
The Japanese Bath
by Bruce Smith, Yoshiko Yamamoto
International SPA Association
www.experienceispa.com
Sherman House Facts:
- Built in 1876 by philanthropist and music publisher Leander Sherman, the Pacific Heights Victorian doubled as Sherman's home and a playhouse for star guests such as Enrico Caruso, Lillian Russell and Victor Herbert.
- Sherman House rates include valet parking and a full breakfast.
- The hotel restaurant, which serves French-inspired cuisine, is open only to guests.
- The most expensive room is the Thomas Church Garden Suite ($1,200/night), which has two rooms, 1-1/2 bathrooms and a sunken terrace.
- Bob and Jerri Koplowitz like to stay in the Jacobean-style Paderewski suite. The suite is named for Jan Paderewski (1860-1941), a pianist and composer who twice served as the premier of Poland.
Contact Information:
The Sherman House
2160 Green Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-563-3600
www.theshermanhouse.com
Resources:
San Francisco Convention and Visitor Bureau
www.sfvisitor.org
Museum of the City of San Francisco
www.sfmuseum.org
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