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BY JOSEPHINE E.M. MARTELL AND MAC MONTANDONThe Scent Marks the Spot
If you've ever responded favorably to that salacious pop music lyric "Now I wanna be your dog," get your lover a gift basket of custom-scented bath gels and body oils ($35, Escential Lotions & Oils, 710 NW 23rd Ave., 248-9748; 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 236-7976), the better to mark him or her. Though the baskets come in a range of prices and sizes, a $35 package includes bubble bath gel, French soap, hand-crafted potpourri, a China clay mask, mineral oil bath salt, lip balm and a loofah. You and your lady, or tramp, can run with the hunted and smell good doing so. (MM)Pamper Yourself
It's not always necessary to spend heaps of money on body wraps and cleansers to make one's skin and mind glow. Aveda's Body Package ($44.50, Aveda Lifestyle Store and Spa, 500 SW Washington St., 248-0615) is a wonderful way to indulge in the spa experience at home. The set consists of a creamy Refreshing Bath bar, a 100 percent cotton face and body scrubber, Smoothing Body Polish and Replenishing Body Moistener. Great for newlyweds. (JEMM)Ballet for Beginners
Winters in Portland tend to encourage sedentary activities like curling up with a good book or movie. But too much time on the couch and too little sweat foster depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Instead of trying to coax someone into a hardcore spinning class or aerobics series, encourage activity of a gentler, more creative sort, like ballet. The truth is, you don't have to be a ballerina from birth to begin dancing. Lessons at Renoux Dance Studio (316 SW 11th Ave., 228-0705) are a wonderful means to keep dry, warm and healthy during the rainy season. A four-class card can be purchased for $36, and all classes last for an hour and a half. Cards can also be purchased in eight-, 12-, 16- and 20-class increments. The studio specializes in adult ballet but also offers both jazz and ballet for all ages. (JEMM)Relaxation, One Drip at a Time
More comforting than grandma's meatloaf, more relaxing than Peter Tosh's second-hand smoke, able to calm even Dr. Laura, the meditation fountain ($129.95, Wildflower's on Hawthorne, 3202 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 230-9485) embodies all that's right with Proustian sense-memory. The size of a small swan, the bowl comes filled with white pebbles. The sound of a trickling stream brings you halfway to bliss, but this bowl is designed to take you all the way; its design incorporates two ledges for aromatherapeutic candles. Between smell and sound, this potteried pantheon of pleasure takes you to the brink of unconsciousness in its quest to soothe. (MM)Analyze This
It used to be the case (and still is, if you believe Woody Allen) that you needed a couch and shrink to set your mind at ease; now just a couch and a pillow will do if the pillow is a Scentaments Pillow ($38, Urbino Home, 638 NW 23rd Ave., 220-4194). Available in four flavors--lavender, lemongrass, clary sage and vetivert--these head rests release calming and inspiring aromas the instant a weary noggin is laid upon their 100 percent silk covers. According to the manufacturer, these cushions can refresh and improve concentration. Because they are only about the size of Freud's beard, they can be easily tucked into a backpack or briefcase. (MM)Hard...
...perfume, that is. More elegantly referred to as crème parfum, Grandiflorum's solid scents ($40, Coreen Salome, 404 NW 10th Ave., 827-8693) make perfect stocking stuffers for femmes. Packaged attractively in small, engraved compacts, the perfume comes in pure jasmine, sweet la rose, angelica and balsamic velvet (!) aromas. These little cases are a handy, hassle-free way to keep your friends smelling good; a smashed fragrance bottle is not a pleasant sight or smell--especially in a purse. (JEMM)Men's Day Out
Treat your man to a day of relaxation. The Gentleman's Spa Retreat ($160, French Quarter Spa, 1444 NE Broadway, 282-8200; 536 NW 14th Ave., 223-3879) is a decadent way to ease his woes. The 31Ž2-hour package treats and tweaks the entire body. Beginning with a mineral-salt foot bath, the package includes a 45-minute herbal body wrap, lavender-oil hand massage, rejuvenating facial and even a tea break with scones. Maybe he'll take the hint and reciprocate with a few home spa treatments for you. (JEMM)Holiday...Celebrate
Make a fame-seeker feel like a Cannes-bound Hot Young Thing without having to go Hollywood or the Riviera. The Elysium Holiday Stars package from Clarins Paris ($47, Nordstrom, 701 SW Broadway, 224-6666) includes the light, flowery Elysium essence in a body spray, lotion and bath soap. The soap and lotion moisturize skin to the consistency of crushed velvet, and the spray adds scent. You'll be singing "La Marseillaise" in a cafe full of adoring French soldiers after sampling this love potion. (MM)Full-Bodied
If your babe is a bit bruised from riding the sometimes-precarious stock market, bestow something that feels good all over. Those who have managed to stay atop the beast for a while can afford to indulge in a 100 percent cashmere robe ($625, Saks Fifth Avenue, 850 SW 5th Ave., 226-3200). This is probably as close as it gets to being wrapped in the arms of an angel. Available in red or oatmeal, the one-size-fits-all robe is the right thing to wear whether you're reviewing your portfolio or letting your lover have a last look before it's time to return to the office. (MM)
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Willamette Week | originally published December 2, 1998
