Planning a Spa Brunch for a Quiet Relaxing Day!

This morning I was working on my brunch menu for this entry and my brother stopped by. I am mentioning this because of an unexpected reaction from him. I had made the Cucumber and Lemon water and offered him a glass. He looked at the water and exclaimed Thank You! He said: Wow this is great! He thanked me several times and said that it made him feel good. He drank two glasses and went out the door feeling like a million bucks! A glass of lemon water! My point is we all need to feel like a million bucks every once in a while. If a simple glass of lemon water can make someone feel like a million bucks,  then why not make a brunch theme  that will will make you feel like the Queen of England?

Life demands time from all of us. It is important to plan a time alone in our busy schedules. Caregivers, homemakers, working parents all need to set aside a few hours to reflect, relax and enjoy your space. This entry is how to plan a brunch for yourself  and do something that you love. 

Making simple foods extraordinary is my idea of a fantastic brunch to look forward to all week or all month long! Presentation and a theme can enhance the brunch experience, after all you might as well make it an all day and evening affair!  Opportunities like this are few.


Occasionally when I have a day to spend alone, I pamper myself because I think we need to take care of ourselves so we can better care for others. I am on a fixed income so I create adventures that make me happy without breaking the bank.

I enjoy planning a month ahead, this allows me to savor the moment by keeping the anticipation alive,  while I slowly prepare for the big event. Here are ways to make an ordinary brunch spectacular and unique with a little stretch of your imagination!

This brunch will have a spa theme. Mint hot chocolate is served while my imagination takes me to Bath, England for an

Aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriolic experience. 


Brunch Menu Options:


Ice Water with Lemon or Cucumber / mint garnish 

Cucumber Wrapped Bacon Salad/ lemon garnish and Sour Dough Bread

Louis Vuitton Turkey Sandwich

Step 1: Errand Day ( for the Brunch)

If you schedule the errands along with a hair or nail day, it will make it more enjoyable.  Take a favorite shopping bag with you to make the experience a little more exciting. 

Step 2: Brainstorming

The date is set and the calendar is marked! I will be home alone!

Set a relaxing ambiance by piquing the 5 senses.

Music, color, candles, and aromatherapy, conjure a feeling of serenity and comfort. The most relaxing music has no lyrics. 

Choose a name for the brunch ( Sunshiine's Ambiance Spa and Brunch!)

Plan the menu. Instructables brunch contest is a great place to check first. Awesome entries!

List activities that I would like to do on my Brunch day.

Choose a theme. (Spa Brunch)

Make a to do list. (clean house, buy groceries, set aside embellishments, prepare food ahead what you can.)

Estimate how long it will take to prepare for it and allowing a little extra time to accomplish it. 

Plan short periods of time to work on the brunch menu and theme so that I am not overwhelmed doing it at the last minute. 

It is important to me that my house is clean so I can relax and enjoy my day. 

Make a commitment to follow through.

Step 3: Nature and Ambiance Meet

An evening walk on the beach or in the country can be very therapeutic to a person who needs some time alone. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our daily lives we forget to take time for ourselves.

Step 4: Aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriolic Experience

I chose a spa experience to set the tone for the day.

I found a word to describe the experience that I wanted my brunch spa to replicate. Aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriolic, is 52 letters, describing the spa waters at Bath, England, a word that Dr. Edward Strother invented.

This word (to me) describes a nice long relaxing spa that will soothe away all my aches, pains, and muscle tension. In addition it will take my imagination thousands of miles away to Bath England where I can reflect on the beauty there.

Served at the time of spa:

Hot Chocolate Mint/ maraschino cherry garnish.
Bath ice cream/ rose/ garnish. (You don't have to go far for a recipe for bath bombs. Do a search on instructables and they have great recipes.)

Step 5: Spa Embellishment

Embellishments add luxury to the brunch experience. You can dress a brunch up like I have done here or make a country, beach, mountain, river, cabin, or what ever type of experience you can imagine.

Folding pretty napkins and towel puppies are inexpensive embellishments to add luxury to any theme. 


My embellishments are a towel puppy, a tiara, and some lovely lavender soap. Here is a great way to use up your luxury soaps that you received as a gift. Pamper yourself! Presentation is everything! Make this experience last all day long. I searched the Internet and found several towel puppy videos several years ago.

I think the white ones look nicer. I have made better towel puppies because I had used much thinner towels. Here are the instructions for folding a towel puppy.

You will need 1 large bath towel, 1 small hand towel, sunglasses, and a small piece of red felt or cloth cut in the shape of a tongue.

Step 6: Candles and Bath Bombs

Candles and bath bombs are perfect for creating a relaxing environment for any spa experience. 

Step 7: Take Pictures

 You might wish to take pictures as you are planning the special brunch and at the time you enjoy it. Keeping the pictures in an album just might lift your spirits when you are really needing a break. Reflecting on memories often helps put us in a different mood.

Step 8: Recipe/ Mint Hot Chocolate With Maraschino Cherry Garnish

I like a richer hot chocolate than what is in a mix. This is how I make it richer.

1 package hot chocolate mix
1 maraschino cherry
Magic shell
1 Sprig of fresh mint
1 Cupcake sleeve
Popsicle stick
Cup


Dice mint and place in the bottom of the cupcake sleeve.
Place a Popsicle stick in the center of the sleeve at an angle.
Pour Magic shell about 3/4 full.
Chill until needed.
Add cherry for garnish
Drop it into the hot chocolate and indulge!

Step 9: Menu Drinks: Ice Water With Lemon or Cucumber / Mint Garnish

Ice water with lemon

Wine glass
Ice
1 Lemon cut into circles
1 Mint sprig

Place a few ice cubes in the bottom of the glass until covered.
Place one lemon circle in the glass.
Continue adding the ice and lemon until  the glass is full.
Add a mint spring for garnish and fill with water. 

Iced cucumber water with mint

Cut a thin slice of an unpeeled cucumber with the seeds showing.
Place the cucumber slice at an angle in the glass and fill with ice.
Garnish with a mint sprig. 

Step 10: Menu Recipe/ Cucumber Wrapped Bacon Salad

This salad was inspired by: http://framed-mylifeonepictureatatime.blogspot.com/2011/05/cucumber-wrap-salad-with-bacon-and-blue.html.

I made my salad a little different because I did not have a way to cut the slices thin enough. I also used what salad items I had on hand. Prepare a single serving of salad and use the cucumber slice as the bowl. Garnish with the crispy bacon. I thought 2 slices of the wide bacon I had was taking away from the look of the bowl so I only used one slice.

Dark green lettuce
4 Radish slices
Tomato
Carrot
Boiled egg
Mushrooms
1 Thinly sliced unpeeled cucumber with seeds showing.
Lemon Wedges
1 slice of crisp bacon
2 Tooth picks

Carefully trim the cucumber slice and form a shape of a bowl and stick with a tooth pick. Add radish slices to keep the cucumber in place. Place a couple of lemon wedges for garnish on the plate.

Bread

1 small loaf of sour dough bread
Small sprig of fresh rosemary
1 Teaspoon melted butter


Melt the butter and spread over the top of the bread.
Dice rosemary and sprinkle over the top of the bread
Broil in oven until toasted.
Serve warm.


I used a lemon for the salad dressing but a vinaigrette dressing was suggested.

Step 11: Menu Recipe/ Louis Vuitton Turkey Sandwich

The Louis Vuitton Turkey Sandwich is my own invention. I wanted to show how names can play a big part in making a nice menu. The name Louis Vuitton was chosen because of the high heel sandwich. High heel sandwich did not appeal to me, so I did a search and found Louis Vuitton is a high heel designer. Perfect name for a classy sandwich. The only thing fancy about this sandwich is the name and the way the bread was cut into the shape of a high heel. 

Ingredients:

2 Slices of toasted sour dough bread
1 small cheese slice cut in the shape of the shoe.
Small slice of tomato
Small slice of Lettuce
A few thin slices of turkey lunch meat cut in the shape of the shoe. 
Mayonnaise
Parsley
Large cookie cutter the shape of a heel.

I cut out a small bow from a tomato for the embellishment. I also used parsley, a flower, and an egg yoke with a carrot sliver for the button hole.


It looks more complicated doesn't it? 

Step 12: Sunshiine's Final Thoughts

 My brother was by again this evening and desired another glass of the lemon ice water. He was telling my husband it was the best water that he had drank in a very long time. He said it was so special. My brother suffers from depression and that one thing put him in an awesome mood all day long! Can you imagine what an entire brunch spa theme could do to lift ones spirits? I hope this entry has inspired you to create an ambiance spa brunch experience too! After all your happiness and well being is just as important as your families.