By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Sentinel
OCEAN CITY — The movement for health-conscious lifestyle choices is on the rise in Ocean City.
Businesses offering holistic services, yoga, Reiki and vegan meals fulfill the current demand for healthier options for body and mind.
Salon del Mare is the only salon on the island offering both ethically sustainable and Fair Trade-sourced products and hair coloring.
“[Between] the waste and chemicals, salons are one of the most wasteful industries,” product manager and master colorist Ashley Gillian said. “I did my research for a better way to do what we do without sacrificing the quality of the work we put out.”
Three years ago, Gillian made a personal decision to change her lifestyle to incorporate holistic products from skincare to cleaning solutions.
“I wanted to be working in an environment in alignment with my decision,” Gillian said. “We were a Redken salon for the last 18 years and at the beginning of this year we decided to transition into a holistic salon.”
The organic OWAY product line sold at Salon del Mare comes in plant-based packaging and recyclable amber glass bottles.
“[OWAY] is the only company that takes ethical sustainability practices seriously,” Gillian said. “If we have the option and ability to take a more conscious approach to the way we are doing the job, why wouldn’t we?”
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Gillian sourced all-natural cleaning supplies for the salon that are nontoxic, biodegradable and sustainably sourced.
“We did not want to sacrifice cleanliness or sterilization for fumes or chemicals,” Gillian said. “The salon still smells clean and is fresh and inviting to provide a safe and comfortable environment for our customers.”
Salon del Mare has been at 616 Asbury Ave. for almost 20 years. Gillian invites anyone with questions about switching to holistic products to reach out.
“Ocean City itself has been so far ahead of other shore towns for healthy living and ecological and responsibly run businesses,” Gillian said. “The community was already here to help set us up and move us into the future, knowing that we were using the best possible products.”
Offering yoga, a boutique and café services in alignment with a healthy and mindful lifestyle is Golden Buddha Yoga at 841 Central Ave.
The owner, Cailin Callahan, “is really passionate about health and wellness in its totality, not just the yoga,” manager Kelsey Wiemer said. “What she brings to every project is making people feel the best as possible in the most natural way, and the coffee bar was just an extension of the yoga.”
The café menu is 100 percent adaptogenic, with every drink made with herbal medicines. Customer favorites include the lavender latte or lemonade specials.
“One of the things that set us apart is that we are 100 percent waste-free,” Wiemer said. “We have no single-use products. When customers come for takeout, they either bring in their own to-go container or purchase a reusable mason jar.”
Golden Buddha Yoga offers daily beach yoga classes and a popular “Beach, Breath and Bowls” crystal bowl healing class.
“On a positive note, COVID-19 has made people a lot more aware of what they’re choosing to put in their bodies and do with their bodies,” Wiemer said. “We are grateful to support the community as they think about what they eat and how they move.”
Considering the mind and thought process is another aspect of the healthy living movement. A unique experience for visitors and residents of Ocean City can be found at Soul to Soul, 854 Asbury Ave., suite 240. Reiki master Erica Onofrio offers energy healing and transformation through Reiki.
“Reiki creates an opportunity that is not presently found in life,” Onofrio said. “It is taking some time to look deeply at your life and where you may best benefit from making some changes.”
Stemming from Japan, this technique is meant for stress reduction and relaxation. Soul to Soul offers different kinds of Reiki sessions for clients.
“I am able to leave the entire energy field and get a diagnosis of where there could be blocks in the field, so we can remove them and move forward with more ease,” Onofrio said.
In a normal Reiki session, clients enter the studio and lie down with shoes removed. For about an hour, the practitioner touches 21 different points on the body, like a massage but without the deep tissue manipulation.
“I understand some people are skeptical about Reiki, but the best way to really fully understand it is to experience it, put the skepticism aside and give it a try and see for themselves,” Onofrio said.
Soul to Soul is currently offering Reiki in an online format via telephone or Zoom.
“It does require an open mind to book a session [online] but it is incredibly relaxing,” Onofrio said. “The only real difference someone experiences is [a difference in] their conscious experience, instead of coming into an office and laying on a table. Energetically, we provide the same exact result.”
Healthy living during the COVID-19 pandemic has required businesses to operate outside their norms. Yoga Ginger owner Suzanne Chew began offering yoga on the beach and online yoga options.
“The city helped get the beach yoga certificate really fast,” Chew said. “Since yoga is considered a recreational activity, I can open the studio in smaller numbers.”
Adjusting to smaller classes and the online format was a challenge for Chew, who prefers old-school methods.
“It’s definitely been different, but that’s what yoga teaches us and why we practice,” Chew said. “Life throws us curveballs in so many different directions. How we are prepared and practice for those challenges make us stronger.”
Connecting with students is a big part of what makes yoga special to Chew.
“I know my students and what they’re working on is very important to me,” Chew said. “I love what I do, I love my students and they help me as much as I help them.”
Yoga Ginger is located at 717 Asbury Ave.
Offering both classes on spiritual development and a crystal boutique is The Heart Casa. A center for holistic well-being, The Heart Casa is known for its beautiful, high-frequency crystals.
“Our most popular service is our Heart Crystal Light Session,” owner Claudia Mera Sunder said. “It is a relaxing, holistic method that rejuvenates the body, clears the mind and invigorates the spirit.”
During the session, clients lie under seven quartz crystals, attuned with polychromatic light and meditative music.
“People love our space of benefic energy, comfort and tranquility,” Mera Sunder said. “In addition to the large selection of crystals and geodes, we also offer a variety of seminars and workshops as well as Eastern and Western spirituality books, CDs, DVDs, incense, sage smudges, essential oils and more.”
The Heart Casa is an oasis for crystal lovers and a place of spiritual healing and personal transformation at 965 Asbury Ave.
Although many restaurants have struggled to adapt to the new COVID-19 dining regulations, The Farm Stand at 14th, on the beach block at 14th Street, has always offered to-go and outdoor dining. The business offers healthy whole-food options, including both vegetarian and vegan choices.
“We try to use a model of whole foods and it’s all in the details,” owner Becky Juzwiak said. “You can’t get what we serve anywhere else. The menu items are cooked to order.”
The most popular item on the vegan menu is the buffalo cauliflower “cheesesteak,” made with cashew cheese. On the nonvegan menu, Juzwiak said fan favorites include grass-fed beef hamburgers and chicken wraps.
New to The Farm Stand at 14th this summer are menu items from the former Soma Café.
“People love Sam [Freda] and her food, so we brought over [both her and] some of her recipes,” Juzwiak said. “Why would we be doing this twice when we have very similar businesses? So we came together.”