Mama Says

I have been a moviegoer since I was born. Namely since I had my first dream. I can remember the first movie I ever watched but I cannot remember my first dream. That is bad because I cannot prove my seniority as a film critic.

We are all filmmakers from the time we had our first nightmare, from the time we screamed in the middle of the night scared by images that were captured behind our eyelids. I believe cinema exists since a person — perfectly awake but with one’s eyes closed — could see a piece of his or her life. There is no other art much closer to dream than cinema. In the dark on a white canvas movies show us stories and dreams lived by us or by someone else who looks like us. The real picture of a movie has the bizarre quality of unreal dreams. What does a good movie make me dream about? About myself…

Once a Romanian film critic, now a Cleveland playgroup mom, I invite you to enjoy the 27th Cleveland International Film Festival, March 20-30, 2003, at Tower City Cinemas. Pick up your preview guide now at neighborhood coffee houses, libraries or Dollar Bank branches, or visit www.clevelandfilm.org for more information.

Want to garden but your yard is too shady, too small, or non-existent? Kentucky Garden, a community garden at West 38th and Franklin, is holding an information and application session at 6 p.m.on Thursday, March 20, at the Carnegie West Library. For additional information contact the Kentucky Garden Coordinator, Phyllis Bambeck at 216-281-1680.

The Nominating Panel of the Cleveland Municipal School District is looking for citizens to serve as members of the School Board. Any resident of the Cleveland Municipal School District may apply, except district employees and elected public officials.

All applications must be sent by mail, postmarked by March 31. Address them to: Nominating Panel of the Cleveland Municipal School District, 737 Bolivar Rd., 4th floor, Cleveland OH 44115.

For more information, call 216-621-5477.

In the tradition of the historic Ohio City balls, the Ball in the Bank will be March 15th from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. at the Cleveland Environmental Center, 3500 Lorain Ave.

This is a green tie affair — formal with a funky flair. All proceeds will benefit the community of environmental non-profits that will make the former “Antiques in the Bank” building their new home. The ball will feature tastes from Ohio City’s best restaurants, dance instructors, Grupo Feugo and 2 djs, bicycle rickshaws to take people around the neighborhood and ecologically-inspired art by local artists. There are student priced tickets and will-work-to-dance options.

The standard ticket is $45. For more information or to get a ticket visit www.ballinthebank.org or call 216-623-0033.

My lips are chapped and my skin is dry and cracking. My nerves are shot. This has been the longest winter imaginable. I dream daily of a trip to the Carribean to bask in the warm sunshine. Looking at my schedule and my checkbook — that just isn’t going to happen. So what do I do to relieve my stress? I have created a home spa.

I usually start my spa evening with a warm bath filled with bath salts (epson salts also work). Once the tub is filled, I add my Conair jet spa ($40 + at Target, Kohls). It isn’t a Jacuzzi but is the closest thing I will get to one right now. They also make bubbling bath mats (a bit pricier at around $100). I put my favorite mellow music on a portable CD player. I add essential oils (for thousands of years, essential oils have been used to stir the soul and soothe the senses) to my aromatherapy diffuser. An inflatable bath pillow helps me to relax. I shut the world out for about a half an hour and feel so revitalized.

But you don’t like or have time to take a bath? There are lots of other great spa products available. My spa booties (zap the scented inserts for three minutes in the microwave) warm up a cold winter’s night. Want to de-stress in bed while your hubby is still reading? A light blocking scented eye pillow will do just the trick. (My hubby actually borrows mine).

Other stress-busting products include heat-activated neck and small body pillows. They are great for sore and aching muscles. These pillows are available at specialty shops and at Joseph Beth Booksellers ($15 - $50).

Aromatherapy has hit the mainstream now and there is a vast array of reasonably priced products at Bath and Body Works. They’ve got rich shea butter creams, mud body masks, ultrarich foot creams, gel gloves and booties.

AromaFloria makes heavenly products, available on-line at www.aromafloria.com and at Joseph Beth Booksellers. For $7.50 I recently picked up Stress Less Inhalation Beads. They are so soothing and great to take along in your purse for those melt-down moments in the car. Their SinusHelp Hydrating Mist is a great pick-me-up when my allergies are getting me down. The Healing Garden also has quality inexpensive products and is available at most mass merchandisers.

Hope you have as much fun as I did creating my home spa. It is a great retreat from a hectic and crazy world.