Do you want to get your body Bathing Suit & Beach Ready?  Kickboxing is a high-energy workout and an excellent way to get into shape quickly. Kickboxing is a an exercise that combines martial arts techniques and intense cardio, kickboxing will allow you to see the results you desire and have fun doing it!

The intense workout can burn up to 750 calories, and according to Best Health Mag, “The cardio-conditioning element of kickboxing is one of the most effective ways to burn fat—especially that stubborn belly fat that’s associated with an increased risk of heart disease,  diabetes and some types of cancer.”

As a person who has taken numerous classes, I have seen the results of kickboxing– in my own body, and others. Get the body you deserve, and try a class at one of these kickboxing centers mentioned below:

Master Parella’s Martial Arts Center 231 Voice Road, Carle Place

I am in love with this place!  They have wonderful instructors who make sure that you receive a beneficial workout, and they guarantee that their fitness program will help you lose 15 lbs in 2 weeks! – which I have learned to be true.

Master Parella, the founder of this martial art’s center, owns multiple centers throughout Nassau County. Centers are located in Bethpage, Carle Place, East Rockaway, Glen Cove, Great Neck, Long Beach, and Oyster Bay. Go to www.ilovekickboxing.com for details.

Bellmore Kickboxing Academy 2551 Merrick Road, Bellmore

Mother’s Day is tomorrow and everyone that I ran into this morning at the coffee shop mentioned that they were still looking for the perfect gift for the special MOM in their life. If you need ideas and  are looking for that unique gift to make her smile, look no further than our Nassau Happening Mother’s Day Gift Guide.

A day of relaxation is always treasured and a gift certificate to a spa for a Hot Stone Massage or a Vitamin C Facial is a special treat. Here are some of our favorite spas:

Cactus Salon, with 28 Long Island locations. www.cactussalon.com. 

Frasada Salon & Day Spa at 2785 Long Beach Road, Oceanside. www.frasada.com

Massage Envy locations in Farmingdale, Garden City, Massapequa, Merrick, New Hyde Park, Port Washington & Oceanside.  www.massageenvy.com 

Maximus Spa & Salon 1504 Old Country Road in Westbury. www.maximusspasalon.com 

O Spa at 927 Franklin Avenue in Garden City. www.ospany.com

27 Om Day Spa at 1091 Rockaway Avenue in Valley Stream. www.27omspa.com

Mom’s love keepsakes and these one-of-a-kind personalized de’coupage plates are guaranteed to put a smile on your Mom’s face .  Selected as an Oprah ” O List ” Must-Have and featured as ” What’s Hot ” in InStyle Magazine. Photographs, wedding invitations or party invites are embellished or enlarged to create a beautiful heirloom de’coupage  piece. Different sizes to choose from.

Ben’s Custom De’coupage at both Bens Garden store locations: 95 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay and 344 New York Avenue, Huntington. www.bensgarden.com

Incredibly beautiful sea glass mosaic’s designed by talented artisan Lynne Sauer-Kretzer.  She creates the mosaics with colorful green, blue and white water-glass collected from the North Shore LI beaches.  Choose from one of the pieces made in her studio or have a piece customized. Satori Mornings also has spiritual art & jewelry & suncatchers.  Find Satori Mornings on Facebook.

If your Mom loves jewelry, Pottery Barn has silver-plated beautifully crafted jewelry boxes to store jewels or accessories.  Have Mom’s name or a special message engraved. She’ll love and always remember this special gift! Pottery Barn’s Monogram Shop has a classic selection of picture frames, glasses, towels, bedding, robes and more. Pottery Barn store locations in Roosevelt Field Mall and Walt Whitman Mall. www.potterybarn.com

Does your Mom love her iPhone or Galaxy phone? Order a personalized case with her favorite picture. It’s so easy, just upload the  image, send it to Personal Creations and they will do the rest. Black or Pink, iPhone 4/4s, 5 & Galaxy 3.                                                        Your Mom will love this wonderful gift!  www.personalcreations.com 

Beauty bars are popping up all over and women are raving about the experience.  A new concept that focuses on make-up, hair-styling, skincare and learning about beauty care, products, current styles and  trends. Do you want to do something fun for you’re friends bridal shower?  Book a party at a beauty bar and you will definitely  “wow” your guests. It’s a perfect idea for any event, Bachelorette Party, Girls Night Out, Birthday, Bridal Shower, Mother’s Day or just a day out with your BFF.

Start with a makeover and receive valuable knowledge about beauty care. Plus some beauty bar’s even offer smoothies, cocktails, appetizers and live music. Who wouldn’t want to have their hair styled while relaxing with a smoothie or a cocktail?  More than just a beauty salon, beauty bars are social escapades, focused on beauty.  They bring ” getting your hair styled ” to a whole new level of enjoyment.

Beauty Bar
2035 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset
516-472-7997, www.beautybar.com
1300 Grand Avenue, Baldwin at 516-442-7818
This vibrant beauty bar offers facials, waxing, brow and eyelash services, make-up application and hair-styling. Lots of luxury brands and niche products to choose from in the  outstanding beauty boutique.  This is the perfect place to have a unique and memorable special event!

Inside Out Beauty Bar & Spa
2789 Merrick Road, Bellmore
516-221-0600.
www.insideoutbeautybar.com
This beauty bar offers everything from hair-styling, make-up, spa services, and the salon has a brow and lash bar. Enjoy their services while drinking one of their  healthy smoothies. Try Gorgeous Greens, a yummy blend of organic mango, banana and spinach, great for skin, hormone regulation and overall health.   Products galore at their beauty boutique.

Bargains For All At Annual Treasure & Thrift Fair
May 11, 9-3pm

The First Presbyterian Church of Oyster Bay, 60 East Main St., will hold its annual Thrift Fair Saturday, May 11, from 9:00 am to 3:00 p.m. The Fair, a 30-year tradition in Oyster Bay, will offer an exciting selection of bargains, including children’s and adult clothing. In addition to clothing, the giant one-day sale will include housewares, small appliances, collectibles, toys, sporting goods and furniture, homemade baked goods, and more. This year 96.7 K-LOVE radio will play music from their tent outside from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm with free activities for young children. The church youth group will sell hot dogs and soda for lunch. All proceeds benefit the Church’s Mission Fund, to aid the needy.

The Thrift Fair offers visitors a pleasant spring outing in the historic waterfront hamlet of Oyster Bay. The First Presbyterian Church, completed in 1873, is a rare example of Victorian stick-style architecture and is listed in the national Record of Historic Places. Parking is available in the lot off Pearl Street.

For further information: call 516-922-5477
VISIT NOW: http://oysterbaypresbyterian.org/

Update your spring style by grabbing hold of the hottest handbags of the season! Only the perfect purse can add the zest you need for a notable ensemble.  So take charge of this season’s trends.  Here’s all the inspiration that  you need to pick a stylish bag.

Envelope Bag 

The envelope bag adds a flawless touch to any attire. This classy and stylish purse can jazz up any casual outfit or be the ideal finishing touch to a dress or evening suit. I immediately fell in love with this simple, chic, soft leather envelope clutch from Brighton in Roosevelt Field Mall.  

This elegant bag can be used during the day or night and can be held as a clutch or worn as a shoulder bag using the strap that’s included.  There’s plenty  of room inside for an iPhone, slim wallet and make-up.   This bag is perfect to carry on a daytime shopping trip or an evening out.

Colorful Carryalls

Although simple bags with neutral colors have been making quite the stir this season, color is still on the spring color palate.  Blocking and bright colors have been infused into almost every fashion trend this spring. Just take a look at this bag and you can see why.  Nassau Happening’s favorite is this Michael Kors shoulder bag that we found at Nordstroms.  The stunning mix of burnt orange and magenta will wow any outfit!oms.

Taking care of your skin is essential, and now that warmer weather is creeping in, skin care is more critical than ever.  Having a daily skin regime is not only important to prevent oily skin and breakouts, but it can prevent fine lines and aging that can be increased by sun exposure.  It is important to understand that your skin is not only a surface that you want to look presentable, but it is also a shield that protects your body from harmful substances, that is why it’s crucial that its well nourished.  Healthy skin not only looks better but it performs better.

What many individuals don’t realize is that toxic elements do not only exist on your skin, but they can also exist in your skin care products, so it’s  important to make your product selections wisely.  Ingredients that you should  avoid are GMO’s, parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances  synthetic dyes, petrochemicals,  phthalates, and triclosan – read and be aware of the  ingredients in your products before you purchase them and put them on your skin. These harmful ingredients  will do more harm than good.

So what products should you use?  What should be included in your skin care regime?  And where can you find them?  Below you will find the answer’s to these key questions.  Some of the best brands for your skin are Boscia, Origins and Ole Henricksen.  These products are chemical-free and they have done wonders for my skin. I love the compliments that I get about my healthy-looking skin!  The results are noticeable and I know that the time that I invest  on my skin care regime is well worth it.

Here  are several products that I always have in my make-up bag:

Cleanser

Cleansing your skin will remove dirt and oil that  builds-up during the day and even from the night before.  A deep cleanser will also remove impurities and toxins that lie on your skin.  My  favorite product is Boscia’s Detoxifying Black Cleanser.  This wonderful natural purifier not only cleanses the skin but is also meant to detoxify the complexion. Some additional  all-natural cleansers are Ole Henricksen Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser, Ole Henricksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser, Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser and Origins Antioxidant Cleanser With White Tea.

Exfoliator  

Exfoliators remove dead skin cells and allows for smooth radiant skin to shine. Boscia’s Smoothing Facial Polish is a gentle product and is perfect for sensitive skin. Ole Henricksen Walnut Complexion Scrub and Origin’s Modern Friction Nature’s General Dermabrasion work deep within the pores to eliminate skin discoloration and damage. All without the harshness or redness of a clinical dermabrasion.

Toner 

Toners restore your skin’s PH balance which can be disrupted from too much or too little oil on the skin. Best products I’ve found are: Origins’ United States Balancing Tonic,  Origins’ Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner, Boscia’s Clear Complexion Tonic, Boscia’s Balancing Complexion Tonic, Ole Enricksen African Red Tea Face Mist and Ole Enricksen  Balancing Cucumber Face Mist.

Moisturizer

Patting a  nourishing, silky moisturizer to keep your skin  fresh  is a must at the end of your daily skin regime. Moisturizers minimize the pores and softens the skin. Top products are Ole Enricksen Sheer Transformation, Boscia’s Revitalizing  Black Hydration Gel and Origins Youthtopia Lift.

All of these wonderful products can be found at Sephora:

Roosevelt Field Mall, Garden City

160 Walt Whitman Avenue, Huntington Station

1950 Northern Boulevard., Manhasset

or ULTA:

Voice Road Shopping Center, Carle Place

Levittown Meadows, Levittown

The Gallery At Westbury Plaza, Westbury