Some of my clients like to come for a treatment with their partner. This means you can enjoy your massage with your partner in the room, reading quietly whilst enjoying the relaxing ambience of my treatment room, before it’s their turn for a massage. I think this is a lovely thing to do together as you should both feel really relaxed by the time you leave.

Others like to go for a coffee while they wait for their turn. So I thought you might like to know some nice local places for coffee or a snack, while you wait! With Cowley Road less than five minutes walk from my treatment room, you’re spoilt for choice really. My absolute favourite place to go is Door 74 – local, seasonal, delicious food and friendly staff – it is probably a 10 – 15 minute slow walk away as it is towards the ‘town-end’ of Cowley Road. There’s also the Truck Store – about a 7 minute saunter – I haven’t been myself but clients highly recommend it for it’s speciality coffee. Then there is Kazbar for a mint tea, Coco’s for lunch – both again around a 15 minute meander away towards town. There are also lots of new places springing up – Miro’s is a middle eastern and Mediterranean coffee bar which looks lovely and Rick’s is also good. There is also a Costa and Coffee Republic, but personally I prefer the little independent places.

If you come on a Saturday morning, there is a local farmer’s market which has fabulous bread, cakes, gifts, milk, cheese, meat, veggies – and a lovely cafe. It opens 10 – 1pm in the school hall behind Tesco.

There’s also a myriad of charity shops, hair dressers, jewellery and bike shops on Cowley Road all well worth a visit and a pleasant browse while you wait!

A wonderful poem, full of good advice, although not always easy to follow:

The Guest House

~ Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi

This being human is a guest house

Every  morning a new arrival

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

Some momentary awareness comes

As an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows

Who violently sweep your house

Empty of all its furniture

Still treat each guest honourably

He may be cleaning you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

Meet them at the door laughing

And invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes

Because each has been sent

As a guide from beyond.

I’m delighted to report that my new deep tissue massage machine has finally arrived! Many of you have heard me talk about this machine and suggest it will be good to help relieve your deep tissue tightness – and here it is! It’s great for necks, shoulders, upper, centre and lower backs, thighs, calves, hamstrings, arms, and the soles of your feet.

This machine works by vibrating the muscles and warming them at the same time. I’ll be using this in conjunction with deep tissue treatments from today onwards. I’ve had great fun testing it out on my own shoulders and back this afternoon and can thoroughly recommend it! I look forward to trying it on you soon and receiving your feedback on my facebook page.

A friend, of a friend recently created a fantastic app called ‘MyFoodCircle’. You can keep a visual food diary by uploading pictures of what you eat and sharing them with your chosen friends. It’s a great way to keep a real record of what you eat, perhaps motivate you to eat more healthily/lose weight by actually seeing what you’re eating (!) and get encouragement from your friends to do so.

You can download it for free and start using it straight away. Keep an eye on this blog for more healthy eating suggestions as I complete my MSc in human nutrition at Oxford Brookes uni. Which reminds me… I should be studying…!