Recipe for Fall Sangria

Our last Thursday Evening at Images we were sipping on some seriously delicious sangria.  Even if you are not a fan of sangria, this might change your mind.  It has an essence of fall - perfect for entertaining.  This recipe can comfortably quench the thirst of a small group, but it's good, so be prepared for your guests to have seconds or thirds.  Here's what you will need:

• 4 honeycrisp apples
• 2 un-oaked bottles of Chardonnay
• 1 cup of peach schnapps
• 1/2 cup of clover honey
• 4 oranges
• 2 lemons
• 2 limes
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• Small stub of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 quarter-sized pieces
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 bottle of Prosecco (not brut) 

Core, peel and cube 2 of the apples.  Place the prepared apples into a large bowl and to it, add the two bottles of chardonnay, peach schnapps and honey.  Toss in 2 quartered oranges, lemons and limes along with the cinnamon sticks, ginger and cloves.  Let the ingredients marry overnight but if you are pressed for time, a minimum of 4 hours will suffice.

The following day (or hours later), strain the sangria into a pitcher.  Core, peel, cut up the remaining two apples and oranges and into the pitcher they go.  I place the cinnamon sticks back in as well if they are the nice, sturdy kind - it looks pretty :-)  The time has come to pop the prosecco and pour it into the pitcher......now my friends, you have one heck of a sangria.  Enjoy!

Adapted from NutmegNanny's Honeycrisp Apple Sangria

Thanksgiving is.....NEXT WEEK?!

It seems as if everywhere I go, people are just now realizing that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  Are you ready?  If you said yes - you are doing much better that me!  Several things threw me for a loop this year:  1.  The weather.  90's to 60's in mid-November??? 2.  The election.  The priority of turkey vs. president.  Don't go there....it's not that kind of blog ;-)  3.  To me, there just wasn't the hoopla surrounding the "fall" festivities.  My opinion at least.    

So....family and friends come from near and far and you want to look your best.  Time isn't your friend right now.  You have a million things to do.  Start the grocery list that you can get to ahead of time, menu planning, getting the house ready, you may have started holiday shopping and if you are brave you might attempt a Costco run this or next week.  As you are tending to your family, home, and pretty much everyone else, do yourself a favor and take a minute to see what you might need.  Maybe a trim?  Do your roots need to be touched up?  A pedicure just because you deserve it.  Now here's the fun part!  Come make that appointment this Thursday and we will be watching Pretty Woman, sipping on Sangria and snacking on Tapas.  Best part is that it's from 5pm-8pm.  We are offering extended hours on Thursday nights and we have a different chick flick every week with drinks and snacks.  Last week was our first Thursday Evening at Images and it was a blast.  Tell your friends - better yet, bring a friend and we will see you Thursday!  ***A donation of 2 canned or boxed food items will get you $5 off your service.  Valid Thursday Night Only.***

Thursday Evenings at Images: Convenience, Beautification & FUN!

We know life can be a struggle at times; between work, family, stress.....where can you fit in the "me time"?  We might have a solution and it's a fun one!  Images SalonSpa will now have extended hours on Thursdays.  We will be open until 8:30pm to accommodate a variety of appointments from hair cuts & styles, color, keratin treatments, blow-outs, facials, pedicures and more.  We will feature a different chick flick - guys are welcome too! - beverages and munchies.  The name of the game is to have a great time while being beautified.  The first Thursday Evenings at Images will be November 8th and the movie featured will be the 80's classic Sixteen Candles.  Jake Ryan.  Enough said.  Hair, food, a little wine and one of the best 80's movies?  Sounds like a girl night to me!  Call us to reserve your appointment.  We will update our Facebook page every week with the movie we will show and majority rules - email, Facebook or post suggestions of movies here and that's what we will show that week.  We will consider adding another night if there is enough interest.  We would love your feedback as this event progresses.  Have a great week and we hope to see some familiar and new faces Thursday Evenings at Images!

Happy Monday!

We hope you have a great week from the team at Images SalonSpa.  There are so many exciting promotions and events on the horizon and the best way to stay up-to-date is to submit your email address on the contact page on our website.  We will send exclusive periodic emails to our clients who subscribe to our events and promotions - it benefits you to sign up and we won't email you more than twice a month.  The first email will go out next Monday......you won't want to miss it!

Mama Mia

For those of you who were fortunate enough to have known Mia Stevens, known to many as Mama Mia, you know it will soon be her birthday.  Oh, how Mia loved birthdays - her own and others.  Mia left this earth far too soon this past year but she is very much in our hearts.  To say that she is deeply missed by her family, friends, co-workers and clients is a huge understatement.  Mia lived life.  I do not make that statement lightly; she knew what she wanted and went after it with gusto.  

Pardon me while a backtrack a bit.....Mia founded Images SalonSpa, was a wife, mother, grandmother, stylist and friend to countless in Tucson and beyond.  She had a gift of making people feel special and she listened well.  She was the first person I ever met in my life that truly didn't judge others.  She extended respect, courtesy and kindness to all walks of life and that decency made people feel valid when the rest of the world didn't.  Mia was a great cook, had an infectious laugh, complimented often, had a million things going on at once, was rarely on time, loved Mexico, adored her husband and sons, would do anything for that precious grand baby of hers, was honest, loved a party, was the party, had a generous spirit, usually did what her heart desired and didn't make excuses.  When clients were in her chair, she made them feel as if they were the center of the universe.  She wasn't perfect, she was just right.  We all loved her for the person she was.  We miss her terribly.

It wouldn't be right to launch our new website and blog and not pay tribute and honor the woman who started it all......on October 9th it would be Mia's birthday.  Mia's favorite color was green - lime green :)  If you happen to be at Images SalonSpa on 10/9, you can be sure there will be a lot of lime green.  It's Mia's day after all and it's still her house and it would be rude to not have a birthday party for our girl.  We love you Mia!