Aromatherapy for the harried Angeleno

 
Many spas swear by it, and candle-store owners have embraced it. The medical establishment and the FDA question its usefulness. What about the rest of us? For the average consumer, aromatherapy is something to encounter in a mall or in the halls of a swank hotel -- pleasant, soothing, temporarily uplifting.

There are those converts, of course, who swear by the healing properties of aromatherapy. As with all believers, they have formed associations: The Alliance of International Aromatherapists, the National Assn. of Holistic Aromatherapists, the Natural Assn. for Holistic Aromatherapy.

And they have started businesses and product lines. Among the most recent is 21 Drops, which launched in November. Founders Cary Caster and Amy Ilyse Rosenthal recently explained their products and philosophy on the patio outside Fred Segal:

Aromatherapy, said Caster (who is a licensed massage therapist and an advanced clinically certified aromatherapist) "is the practice of using essential oils for their curative properties." Caster's and Rosenthal's oils are distilled from plants, mixed in various formulas and combined into 21 different products (hence the "21 Drops") with names such as "Calm," "Decongest," "Sleep," and "Hangover." They are meant to be inhaled or applied topically. Each formula is packaged in a roller-top glass bottle that sits in a sturdy case, which is, in turn, nestled in an individually designed box with a "batch card" that lists and explains the ingredients.

Carmageddon: What to wear?

Amid all the angst over "Carmageddon," one critical question is inevitably overlooked -- what do we wear to the shutdown of one of the most vital stretches of Los Angeles freeway? How can we prepare, sartorially, for this life-changing event?

For the Angeleno who believes all the dire warnings and plans to stay within walking distance of home, may we suggest:

 
*Pajamas/Robe/Slippers. Yes, it's OK to stroll the block in your night clothes and make like Hugh Hefner. Many of your neighbors will be doing the same thing. Trust us.

Carmageddon: What a great idea for some gifts!

"Carmageddon" is upon us. The dreaded closure of the bustling 405 Freeway for 10 miles through the Sepulveda Pass is scheduled to start at midnight and is expected to go on for more than 48  hours.

Angelenos are full of angst. And perhaps none more so than my boss. Yes, she lives on the Westside. Yes, she is hosting in-laws for the weekend. And yes, she expects an end to life as she knows it. At least for these two days. 

What can I do, I wondered, to help her make her way through it? Or give her a little reward for being a tough soldier once it's over? Why, a T-shirt, of course. Or maybe a coffee mug. An iPhone case?

Luckily, as in any California crisis, there are vendors ready to oblige with the requisite "I survived the fill-in-the-blank" merchandise.

So I'm thinking an "I survived Carmageddon" tee, water bottle, coffee mug or bumper sticker might do the trick. The folks over at cafepress.com, a website that specializes in such things, has a supply at the ready, including a small pin for $3, a bumper sticker for $5, a mug for $15 and an assortment of tees starting around $15. I could also be creative and design one of these items myself by using their customization service.

Now note: These items are all available now. They presume everyone will indeed survive Carmageddon. My boss doesn't seem so sure.

But I have no doubts. In fact, maybe I'll make a little something for myself that says "Carmageddon, Schmarmageddon. I live in the O.C."

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-- Susan Denley

Photos: Top, T-shirts, left, $30, right $15; Middle, iPhone case, $25; mug, $15; Bottom, bumper sticker, $5. Credit: cafepress.com