February can either be the most depressing month of the year, deep into winter, or the most romantic one, with Valentine’s Day right in the middle. While this certainly isn’t a comprehensive list of what local businesses are doing to help patrons get through the month, the Montville Times found some interesting products, services, and new developments along Route 32.
Creative Crafts & Gifts is a little treasure trove of one-of-a-kind handmade gifts and collectibles in Gristmill Plaza, 1031 Norwich New London Turnpike. Shop owners Donna and Ed Shafer are celebrating their one-year anniversary this month.
A consummate crafter, Donna decided to put together a collection of something for everyone in the family, mixing unique creations with collectibles. This ranges from the “welcome baby” baskets she assembles and baby blankets she knits and crochets to Precious Moments, Gund, and other collectibles. She also has created little handbags from blue jeans and other fabrics and made plush pillows for pet dogs and cats and cloth napkins and placemats.
This is the place to find a gift for the firefighter, medic, or police officer. Based on her own experience in a family full of fire fighters, EMTs, and paramedics, Shafer carries a nice selection of statues and figurines in various uniforms.
The shop also carries a large selection of rubber stamps and scrapbooking materials and will be adding supplies for making jewelry. Shafer offers crafting workshops for rubber stamping and scrap booking in daytime and evening and kids classes on the weekends. The workshop is available on the weekends for small crafting party groups.
In addition to red and pink Valentine’s Day items, the store has little St. Bernard and Montville High School stuffed bears. Donna also takes special orders to whip up personalized gift cards, needlework, and sewn items.
Call 848-1214 for the store’s hours and class schedules.
If you can’t get away for that warm weather golf vacation, book a tee time at one of several world-class golf courses—at least in the virtual sense—at the new High Definition Golf that the owners of Sun-Sation Tanning have opened next door.
“The indoor golf is here to complement the family businesses here and to give people something to do,” said Sandy Hinze, who owns and runs Sun-Sation Tanning and Golf with her son, Eric. “We decided, what better way than to celebrate 25 years than to put in a brand new, innovative, high definition golf center? It’s our gift to ourselves and to the community.”
Sandy said it took six months of research to find the best quality golf simulator. They have installed two simulator bays, plus a 600-square-foot putting green.
“It’s a training tool with real photography from famous golf courses,” Sandy said, demonstrating how a real golf ball launched into the screen results in an image of a ball that bounces off of concrete path or rolls on the green. Or, if it lands in the water, it sinks, sending up a splash.
Golfers can bring in their own clubs and choose to play any number of famous courses, from Banff Springs and Pebble Beach, to Troon, Torrey Pines, and the Blue Monster at the Doral Resort in Florida.
In coming weeks, a Wii-simulated game room with projection screens will be added, Sandy said, so kids and adults can all enjoy something.
The way Sandy pictures it, golf fans can come in on Friday nights to practice their golf, the kids can burn off energy in the Wii room, and the adults can even touch up their suntans. Sandy plans to serve non-alcoholic beverages and snacks and is working with area businesses to cater in food.
The local Chamber of Commerce chapter is excited with the new addition, Sandy said, as are area golfing leagues. Customers can call to reserve tee times, which are scheduled by the hour, up to 11 p.m., she said. Call 860-848-GOLF for details.
Karate Endeavors, also in the plaza, has come up with a special offer for Valentine’s Day. Usually when one thinks of couples learning moves together, it involves ballroom dancing. Owner Andrew Bakoledis has decided to offer any couples who sign up in February to take traditional Japanese martial arts, self-defense, or kick-boxing together a two-for-one special. He said he will honor this rate for as long as the couple stays together and continues martial arts training together.
The karate center is open seven days a week, with morning classes on the weekend and late afternoon/evening classes on weeknights. Bakoledis is also a math teacher at Tyl Middle School.
Any golfers or kick boxers who throw out their back can head over to Montville Chiropractic to see Dr. Michael Murphy. In November 2007, the chiropractic practice added the service of Chris Cedrone, a licensed massage therapist. Cedrone, who owns Ancient Wisdom Bodyworks, graduated from the Connecticut Center of Massage Therapy in Groton in 2005 and practiced in New London before moving his business to Montville.
Although someone can come in for only the massage, both Dr. Murphy and Cedrone see it as part of a more comprehensive approach to health and wellness. In fact, Murphy recommends the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift is the gift of health, the approach he takes through a combination of chiropractic adjustment, nutrition, fitness, massage, and exercise for his patients.
“We help and restore function and balance to the body overall,” he said. “We treat the problem instead of the symptoms. By doing that, we actually increase people’s physical, mental, and emotional health.”
Murphy said he works with all medical disciplines for what’s best for the patient, whether that requires physical therapy or referring them to an orthopedic surgeon or neurologist. He also talks a lot with patients about how they can change their basic nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle habits as they receive chiropractic treatment from him. These may include detoxification and the use of sophisticated and cutting edge therapies and equipment to address injuries.
“Chiropractic and massage are very good complementary therapies,” said Cedrone. “When people follow treatment plans based on the three points of chiropractic, massage, and nutrition or proper diet, good health is not hard to get.”
Cedrone has invented his own form of massage, which he calls fusion therapy. He blends seven years of experience in holistic healing of Shiatsu, acupressure, and energy cultivation from an Eastern standpoint.
“I have not met anyone in my life who has hated massage,” Cedrone said. “As far as gifts go, the gift of massage that is better to receive than give. Receiving is believing.”
For more information, contact Montville Chiropractic at 848-8977 or go to www.ancientwisdombodyworks.com