Saturday marks five years to the day that I said goodbye to my 88-year-old father. I was by his side at his Las Vegas home when he died peacefully in his bed after a long struggle with kidney disease. We had always been close, so it wasn’t an easy farewell by any means, but I was glad he’d led such a fantastic life that ended mostly on his own terms, and that we’d had so much time to enjoy each other’s company.
I’m also glad that I have so many pieces of his art and craft pieces around Chez J, my San Diego townhouse, to celebrate his love and talent with whenever my eye falls on one of them. I wrote about the “Comfort and Joy” element of that for Apartment Therapy recently. Here’s a link to the piece. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I hope you treasure the personal pieces that turn your house into a home. Comfort and Joy is the fifth facet of wellness design — and (almost) everyone’s favorite!
Jamie and Dad in 1960s Catskills at our Forest Ridge summer home
(Family Collection)
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BONUS NUGGET
Are you into strenuous workouts? If so, exercise recovery has to be a top concern! Many trainers and athletes swear by ice baths, and cold plunge pools to facilitate them more conveniently are a growing trend. Here’s what you should know in my latest Forbes.com piece.
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HEADS UP
I’ll be spending next week in Las Vegas and the massive International Builder’s Show/Kitchen & Bath Industry Show mega-expo. I also intend to stop by Las Vegas Market to check out some Ukrainian design exporters. There won’t be a fresh Gold Notes or Clubhouse Wellness Wednesday conversation until I get back. Look for my next post on February 8 and next Clubhouse event on February 15.
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SOCIAL GOLD
Coming to Clubhouse soon:
We love the warmth of a fireplace on a chilly day or night. We also enjoy fire pits and fire tables in our outdoor living areas. What should you know about adding these to your home? Find out in our next WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS conversation on Clubhouse. The discussion takes place February 15 at 4 pm EST, 1 pm PST (and all the related time zones). I hope you’ll join us.
COMING IN 2023
- 2/15 Designing with Fire Features (Fireplaces, Fire Tables, Fire Pits, Etc.)
- 3/1 Kitchen & Bath Industry & Builder’s Show Pro Recap
- 3/15 Wellness Design and Dementia
- 4/5 Tile Trends and Coverings Show Preview
- 5/3 Designing with Water Features (Swim Spas, Fountains, Pools, Etc.)
What other topics do you want to hear about in the new year? Comment below and let me know.
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PAST CLUBHOUSE RECORDINGS
Here are links to Clubhouse recordings from past sessions.
2023 Recordings:
- 1/18 Healthy Home Improvements with Best ROI —Recording Link
- 1/4 Creating Home Fitness Rooms — Recording Link
2022 Recordings:
- 12/7 Best Healthy Home Upgrades for 2023 — Recording Link
- 11/16 Top Kitchen & Bath Design Trends — Recording Link
- 11/2 Creating Serene Home Spaces — Recording Link
- 10/19 Creating a Quieter Home — Recording Link
- 9/21 Creating Great Garage Spaces — Recording Link
- 9/7 Smart Home Innovations — Recording Link
- 8/17 Creating Healthy Work from Home Spaces — Recording Link
- 8/3 Creating Healthy Back to School Home Spaces — Recording Link
- 7/20 Wellness Benefits of Co-living — Recording Link
- 7/6 Beat the Heat — Recording Link
- 6/15 Designing with Plants — Recording Link
- 6/1 Wellness Design and Pets — Recording Link
- 5/18 Wellness Design and Art — Recording Link
- 5/4 Spa Bathrooms — Recording Link
- 4/20 Wellness Design and Appliances — Recording Link
- 3/16 Healthy Bedroom Spaces — Recording Link
- 3/2 Wellness Design and Tile Trends — Recording Link
- 2/16 Wellness Design and Autism — Recording Link
- 2/2 New Technology Ideas — Recording Link
- 1/19 Healthy Pantry Spaces — Recording Link
- 1/5 Top 2022 Wellness Design Trends — Recording Link
2021 Recordings:
- Find these links on their new archive page!
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GOLD NOTES
I love sharing wellness-related insights from around the web. Here are a few to enjoy today:
- Fitness-related: Sitting too much? Use ideas from an astronaut workout (Washington Post via San Diego Union-Tribune)
- Design-related: How Much Does an Indoor Pool Cost? (BobVila.com)
- Tech-related: Cinderella Robot Unveiled at CES (IOT World Today)
- Safety-related: Home Safety Checklist (Real Simple)
- Gear-related: Top 5 Amazon Must Haves for Your Kitchen (Indigo Kitchen & Bath Blog)
