Once a year, we honor all of the women who are also known as “mom” with a holiday that celebrates all of their tireless efforts and monumental contributions in this role while wearing many other hats. This is a day when we treat our moms with the perfect gift or a gathering of family and loved ones wherever that may be–simple gestures to show how much they are valued.
Gathering Together to Celebrate Mother’s Day
Many of us will be gathering together with our loved ones to celebrate Mother’s Day, and if you have something special that doesn’t require much work on your end in mind, you’re probably not alone. Considering that Mom is excluded from doing any of the work on this particular day, it might be wise to leave the hosting up to professionals at a local venue who will be working hard to make sure Mother’s Day is a memorable occasion for their guests.
For those who want to try out something new this Mother’s Day, MōMō Pizzeria & Ristorante recently made its debut in south Lincoln and is now open in the Preserve Development located at Pioneers Boulevard and Lucille Drive. MōMō provides guests an elevated slow food dining experience with understated luxury for the local community. MōMō also takes pride in offering locally sourced, house crafted, high quality food and in their commitment to our community and the environment. While pizza is the main feature on the menu, MōMō also serves a large selection of Contorno (small plates, tapas and appetizers), pasta, salads, sandwiches and entrees which pair with their selection of food friendly wines as well as a great compliment of adult beverages. This is a place where you can comfortably dine and hang out for as long as you like, with an ambiance that allows you to simply enjoy your time together.
Issara Modern Asian Cuisine is another new restaurant that delivers a dining experience full of rare and delicious flavors in a vibrant yet relaxing atmosphere. Issara (it-sar-rah) means “freedom” in Thai, and was started by the owners and managers of Blue Orchid as they wanted to expand their Asian flavors beyond just Thai. Issara does offer some Thai options, but they are not limited simply to this type of food. They proudly offer a diversified collection of pan-Asian dishes that cover Chinese, Japanese, Korean cuisine among other Southeast Asian specialties. Their daily happy hour specials run from 4:30-6:30 pm every day of the week, including Mother’s Day, which offers special prices on a selection of food, wine and cocktails. Rusty Bergholz of Issara says, “We invite everyone to treat their mother to an experience full of different and exciting flavors this Mother’s Day! We have so much to offer at Issara, as we provide a diverse cultural experience combined with fresh, seasonal ingredients that are locally sourced and our menu items are paired very well with our selection of wine and specialty drinks. We are also very conscious of dietary restrictions, and our menu offers options for everyone. We want you and your family to have the best experience possible at Issara this Mother’s Day, and we look forward to making your day special!”
Another great place to spend family time on Mother’s Day is Shen Café, and as an added bonus they will be offering free dessert to all moms with the purchase of an entrée! Owner Kit Sam says, “Our venue is great for moms who want a less formal environment but still desire a modern and beautiful restaurant to celebrate Mother’s Day. You will not need a reservation and you will be served right away. This is especially good for moms who have little ones or for family gatherings. Moms are usually the hardest working member of the family and I know that the mom that runs Shen Cafe definitely deserves to be pampered on Mother’s Day. Please make sure to take your mom out for Mother’s Day!”
If you are looking for a future excuse to hang out with your mom as well as a few other family members and friends, consider gifting her a Group Therapy Bike Tour! Group Therapy provides tours in the Lincoln area, with a selection of pre-planned routes and itineraries available as well as the option to customize your tour. Some of the routes available include the Lincoln Ale Trail, University of Nebraska Tour, Antelope Valley Trail Tour, First Friday Art Walk Tour and the Coffee, Pint and a Pie Tour. If you are the adventurous type, there is also a ‘No Specifics…Just Show Me A Good Time!!!” Tour where they customize the itinerary for you!
Finding THE Mother’s Day Gift
Each year many of us will devote time and effort into the search for the perfect Mother’s Day gift; one that we will be proud to present and that sends the message that she is in our thoughts and deserves the best.
Something Makes You Look and Feel Pretty
Need we say more? When it comes to treating a special lady on Mother’s Day, you can’t go wrong with something pretty and in line with your mom’s style.
Rachel’s Boutique offers a wonderful selection of spring clothing, jackets, tops, slimming pants and crop pants if you know exactly what your mom wants and what size she is. If not, don’t worry, they have gorgeous Brighton handbags, jewelry collections and belts that are definitely at the top of the list of gifts that your mom will love. They also carry Pandora bracelets with special beads and charms that reflect your love for Mom, and several other unique lines of jewelry as well. Cherie Travis, owner of Rachel’s Boutique, says, “This year we will have special Brighton promotions going on and Pandora always has a special Mother’s Day charm selection. Also, Brighton has joined forces with Vera Neumann and created a small line of handbags and travel pieces. Vera is known for her beautiful prints; you may even have some of her scarves from years ago. Her signature and a small lady bug are found on her designs. Stop in and let us introduce you to the new line! In fact, Rachel’s seeks out lines that you might not see in Lincoln. We also give individual assistance and offer gift wrap free for any purchase. My advice for finding the perfect gift for Mom is just to give it some thought. You could even send her into Rachel’s and have her fill out a wish list–we keep them on file at the store. That way she receives the gift she wants and you become the hero.” She adds, “We would like to wish all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day! And even if you’re not a mother, why not treat yourself to something special. After all, Rachel’s Boutique carries What Women Want!
For those who specifically have eyewear in mind as a Mother’s Day gift, Clear Vision Eye Care offers a wide variety of fashionable, yet functional, options. Dr. Andrew Bateman of Clear Vision Eye Care explains, “We carry several frame lines that cannot be found anywhere else in Nebraska. One of these lines is Tom Davies, which is handmade in London. You can customize everything about the frames we offer from fit, to color, to lens shape. The possibilities are endless and the finished product is 100% unique! We also have a large selection of women’s sun wear. What is better than having a beautiful, classy pair of Kate Spade sunglasses to wear this summer? Most women love a gift that is unexpected and fun, but also useful. Sunglasses fit that perfectly.”
Art Glass Unlimited, Lincoln’s full service stained glass shop, also offers a variety of gorgeous, one-of-a-kind ‘giftware’ made locally in their studio. This includes gifts that would be perfect for Mother’s Day, such as garden art, fused glass art, decorative stained glass pieces, and of course, beautiful vases in a variety of sizes, colors and designs for all of the flowers she will be receiving! Gift certificates are also available and perfect for giftware as well as classes and mini classes.
The Coop, located at 1265 S. Cotner Blvd., Suite 24, is a fun small business that sells vintage décor, primitives, antiques, soy candles, and many other treasures. They have a great selection of vintage décor and painted furniture as well as a selection of repurposed items and burlap décor. They are also Lincoln’s only stockist of Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan and offer classes on many different techniques to do with Chalk Paint® that would also be a really fun gift that you and your mom could do together! Stacey Clark, owner of The Coop, says, “We are offering a 2-for-1 special this Mother’s Day that would be the perfect way for you and your mom (or mother-in-law!) to check out our Chalk Paint® classes being held in May and June. This paint was developed in the UK over 20 years ago for painting furniture with little to no prep or priming. It is definitely not your typical chalkboard paint as it adheres to wood, laminate, plastic, metal, glass, cement, concrete…and you can even paint fabric with it! Our classes provide a great afternoon or evening of sharing some creative time with your mom and learning new techniques to jazz up an old or outdated piece of furniture—and no artistic experience is necessary!” She adds, “In my experience, a handmade gift from the heart always wins me over and spending time with my daughter is our Mother’s Day tradition. I encourage everyone to celebrate your Mother every day, not just on Mother’s Day.”
Just as important as gift items, services that make you look and feel pretty are at the top of the list of great gifts for Mother’s Day.
Ashley Pavlish, owner of Body Nouveaux, says, “Our massages and facials are very popular for Mother’s Day! We offer package deals during Mother’s Day where the two are combined; for a 30 min. Facial + 30 min. Massage the special price is $60, which saves you $5 off of the regular price. If you wanted to really treat your mom, the 60 min. Facial + 60 min. Massage is $100, which increases your savings to $10! We are the only providers of our Suddenly Slender Body Wraps in Lincoln, which are also very popular this time of year. Additionally, we offer our own spray tan formula called Tan Nouveaux, which isn’t available anywhere else in Nebraska. These gifts are perfect for a mini spring makeover and getting swimsuit-ready for the summer, which is right around the corner! We sell our gift certificates at the spa or you can purchase them online at www.bodynouveauxspa.com. Purchasing online is easy and very convenient, saves you a trip and some time, and you can easily print them out from your home or office.”
Ciao Bella Aesthetics & Permanent Cosmetics offers plenty of services that mothers will love; the most popular among women include the O2 Lift, Ormedic Lift, Signature Face Lift™, and the Lightening Lift Peel ™.
O2 LIFT — Luxurious facial treatments infusing oxygen, plant-derived stem cells, peptides and a high concentration of enzymatic botanicals that absorb into the skin–leaving it luminous, refreshed and rejuvenated.
ORMEDIC LIFT — A blend of papaya, pineapple, and mango, this non-chemical peel naturally rebalances, regenerates, and restores your skin using organic ingredients with medical effectiveness.
SIGNATURE FACE LIFT™ — Ciao Bella’s signature, results-driven skin treatments will change the image of your skin in just one session. Vitamin C, Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids, and gentle yet effective enzymes speed up cellular turnover lightening, tightening and brightening all skin types; even Rosacea and sensitive skin.
LIGHTENING LIFT PEEL™ — Highly effective facial treatments blending lactic and kojic acids with a cocktail of lightening agents to reduce pigmentation and the redness caused by Rosacea.
Here are the top ten reasons to consider giving Mom a gift from Ciao Bella this Mother’s Day:
1. Your skin will love you for it. Regardless of your age, if you want your skin to look its very best you need to consider regular monthly facials. A facial does for your skin what exercise does for your body. It keeps it in tip top shape. By sloughing, buffing, hydrating, clearing and nourishing on a professional level your skin will always look radiant and beautiful.
2. You’ll get expert skin analysis. Erica Lee is leading skincare expert because she understands your skin. Instead of doing cookie cutter facials, she recognizes all the characteristics that make up your unique skin type, and then creates ultra-personalized treatments that bring about superior results.
3. You’ll learn practical lifestyle skin care tips. Seeking out a highly trained professional esthetician is like hiring a personal trainer for your skin. Ciao Bella’s master esthetician goes beyond just giving you a facial. She is there to offer you important advice about how your skin is influenced by diet, exercise, sun, stress and other lifestyle choices that affect the health and look of your skin.
4. They’ll give you the time you deserve. Most spas do their facials in just 50 minutes. Although Ciao Bella does offer an express one-hour facial, they strongly suggest (to get the maximum benefit) you set aside an hour and a half so they can address all the needs of your skin. Plus… it’s so much more relaxing!
5. You’ll experience professional strength exfoliation. Professional peels are extraordinarily effective for alleviating dryness, pigmentation, clearing pores, reducing breakouts and stimulating repair for sun damaged skin. Ciao Bella offers special peels that are gentle and require no down time. Because they feel this is such an important step they offer them at an unusually affordable price.
6. You’ll receive intense hydration. As skin cells age they lose vital moisture and subsequently perish. Whether you’re dry or oily, moisture is the essential medium for getting important nutrients into thirsty cells. Without moisture skin looks dull and dry. Skin that is well hydrated is fresh, plump, soft and touchable.
7. You’ll create a nice healthy glow. Although massage is super soothing and relaxing it does so much for your skin. Massage facilitates important performance ingredients to get deep down into your skin where they can do the most good. Massage hydrates, softens and makes cleaning pores much easier. It also improves the micro-circulation of skin cells which encourages super healthy skin and a wonderfully healthy youthful glow.
8. You’ll enjoy cleaner, clearer pores. Lots of us get clogged pores. Blackheads and closed comedones can sit in the pores for years unless they are otherwise removed. This often leads to breakouts. Ciao Bella’s highly trained esthetician can judiciously recognize what should and shouldn’t be removed and knows how to prepare your skin for proper extractions. Clearer skin means enjoying a pretty, smooth even texture.
9. You’ll find top notch ingredients. Owner/esthetician Erica Lee specializes in skin care ingredients. She has extensive knowledge of the Image Skincare line and is able to diversify the line to meet the needs of each individual’s skin type. Whether you skin is dry, mature, acne prone or sensitive you know you’ll be getting the best skin care products available.
10. Because you’re worth it! Having a facial gives you a relaxing, de-stressing point of refuge where you can melt into luxury. Come in and lie down on a superbly comfortable bed with low lighting, soothing music and the soft sounds of waves rolling up onto the shore. You’ll get lulled into a magical dream world—when the door closes, all your cares and worries are left on the other side of that facial room door. Recognize the importance of doing something nice that’s just for you, or in this case, for your mother who is definitely worth it and deserves to be taken care of by the very best.
Ciao Bella owner Erica Lee adds, “Every service I provide is designed around the woman I am working with. Not only do I help their skin but also the opportunity to relax, de-stress, and get out of any ‘mommy slumps.’ Especially for Mother’s Day, our gift certificates will be 30% off, which is a great opportunity to take advantage of and try out the wide variety of services we have to offer. I always emphasize that there is nothing wrong with taking time for yourself, which proves to be especially difficult for mothers but 30 to 60 minutes a day that is focused on you will help to keep your life in balance. Furthermore, if you feel good about yourself you will project that into the world around you!”
We wish all of the mothers out there a wonderful, blessed Mother’s Day—you are loved and very much appreciated!