the rebrand
fall 2024, vol. 3
Dearest reader,
Welcome to the fall season’s third and last instalment of Venus and the Pearl.
I wrote most of this newsletter at HAVN spa’s new lounge, enjoying a Chaga hot chocolate and a Greek yogurt parfait, feet kicked up with an unobstructed view of Victoria’s inner harbour as Khruangbin plays softly over the speakers.
Of all the outdoor spas and onsen I’ve been to over the years, this one is special. HAVN is aboard a shipping barge remodelled in a Scandinavian minimalist style with three dry saunas, two hot tubs, and two cold pools on the upper deck, plus the lounge offering an array of warm drinks and snacks.
HAVN’s location in the harbour ensures that anywhere you sit you’ll have a stunning view of Victoria’s downtown core. It’s well done yet approachable, and a delight in any season. Any outdoor spa that makes the cold and rain irrelevant is a 10/10 in my book, and HAVN does just that.
As we enter the winter season, I find myself seeking more moments to slow down, rest, and acknowledge the work that’s been accomplished thus far. Are you feeling that impulse, too?
Here’s a list of the things that have happened in my world in the past month:
Started working at two stunning new clinics, Nurture and Flo (Cook St. Village) and Opal Wellness (Esquimalt), offering patients a new, elevated experience for their acupuncture treatments
Completed an entire rebrand of my digital presence and launched a new website, spearheaded and designed by Emily Johnson of Wildling Studios
Trained with Sasha Ormiston, R.Ac. on offering Acupuncture Spa Facials
Launched a new service - The Venus Delight Acupuncture Spa Facial
Completed the Integrative Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Mentorship with Dr. Laura Erlich of Mother Nurture Wellness LA
Took multiple steps towards my authentic values and how I want to experience my life and career
I invite you to reflect upon:
What new adventures did you embark upon this season?
What wins do you want to celebrate? How will you celebrate them?
Who are the people who helped you get to where you are? How can you appreciate them?
How can you lean into the slowness and quietude of the upcoming winter season?
What kind of rest and care is your body needing at this time?
In this issue of the newsletter, we explore different ways to offer yourself care in winter as inspired by TCM principles and my own reflections on the season.
In the dark months shine some of our most helpful allies - medicinal mushrooms. We’ll explore the role that beta-glucans play in making mushrooms so versatile in their healing actions, and outline a few mushrooms that can support your wellbeing this winter.
Finally, the newsletter wraps up with the latest round-up of pearls for your venusian soul, a segment where I review the things I’ve been loving lately.
Reminder: Consider using your insurance benefits before they reset at the beginning of the year. All acupuncture treatments are eligible for insurance benefits including new services like the Venus Delight Acupuncture Spa Facial (on special for $175, regular price $225) and Follow-Up Facial Acupuncture appointments (on special for $125, regular price $145). Book at Nurture and Flo or Opal Wellness.
Happiest holidays to you, and I’ll see you in the new year for the first winter 2025 instalment of Venus and the Pearl.
Warmth and care,
Andrea Penagos, R.TCM.P., L.Ac.
the rebrand
I am thrilled to present to you the rebrand of my practice! In May 2025, I’ll have been licensed to practice acupuncture for 10 years and I wanted to gift myself a digital refresh. When I hired Emily Johnson of Wildling Studios, I had been admiring her work on iconic local Victoria brands like Nurture and Flo, Opal Wellness, Picot, and Déjà Well for over two years. I appreciated how dialed in she was to the pulse of the city and knew she was the gal for the job.
In the Visual Identity phase of the rebrand, I completed a questionnaire exploring my values, aesthetic preferences, and fundamental brand details. Unsolicited, I compiled a Pinterest board, Spotify playlist, and a list of inspiring brands rooted in a coastal California vibe that I wanted to carry over into my work in Victoria. Not surprisingly, Venus and the Pearl set the tone and established an oceanic, feminine theme that would be woven throughout. Emily understood the assignment and we co-created something truly beautiful that exceeded my expectations.
Here are a few questions and answers from the process so you can envision what we were going for:
If your brand was a city, what city would it be and why? Victoria, specifically the Gorge. I’ve lived a few blocks from the Gorge Waterway ever since I moved to Victoria, and it’s has become a muse for me. I walk there every day with my dog Archer and watch it change through the seasons. The Gorge is one of the most underrated places in the city, and my experience of Victoria has leaned heavily on my relationship with this specific place.
If your brand was a colour, what colour would it be and why? Grey blue and sand, the colour of mist reflecting on water. It’s the serenity that comes while walking along the shoreline before the marine layer has cleared, like misty early mornings on the beach in LA (Marina del Rey, specifically).
Examples of things I like: The Gorge. Fresh flowers. The Ocean. Travel. Swimming in the Mediterranean. Greece. Milos Island. Croatia. Mallorca. Books. Journals. Saunas. Spa culture. HAVN. Ceramics. Hardwood floors. Neutral interiors. Incense and candles. Translucent drapes and fabrics. Black and white photographs. Venus. Pearls. Gold. Plants. Coastal California style. Ojai style. Desert meets the sea vibes.
If your brand was a music genre, which would it be? It would sound like the ocean, like the inside of a shell.
I envisioned something oceanic, serene, clean, spacious, and approachable, and that’s what Emily delivered. I love the result, and hope you all enjoy this rebrand as much as I do!
accepting winter
Winter invites us to slow down, rest more, and fill our cup after the exertion of the past seasons. Our entire existence on Earth is an oscillation between Yin and Yang - winter rises into spring, peaks in summer, descends autumn, and rests in winter. Every year we do this, and yet, why is it so hard to accept winter? Why is it so hard for us to rest?
Personally, between the cold and the need to slow down, winter feels uncomfortable. If it were up to me, it’d be eternally summer with long, hot days, roses in full bloom, laughing and lounging in the sun with friends. But life can’t be this way all of the time (or can it? lol). Our bodies actually need winter to rest up for the seasons ahead. We need to slow down otherwise we burn out. We need the cold, rain, and snow for spring to bloom.
Our culture idolizes productivity and it’s easy to couple our self-worth with our accomplishments (or lack thereof). This is a rough realization I’m still learning to push back against, especially having been so busy recently with the rebrand, moving into two new clinic spaces, and being in the midst of growing my practice. Now that the dust is settling, I am learning to get rest where I can and planning to relax even more over the holidays.
Here are a few things I’m practising to step into a slower winter vibe:
Sleep more. The nights are longer, naturally inviting us to retire to bed early and wake later, if possible. I’m sleeping in on most mornings (except for 5am wake times on M-W-F for Panthera), exerting less, and being more mindful about my energy expenditure both physically and mentally. Downshifting feels necessary, and I’m surrendering to the impulse to slow down and hibernate. Find me on the couch snuggling under a blanket with my dog Archer this holiday season!
Eat warm food. Dust off your Crock-Pot (or Instant Pot) and let it do the work for you. I like to prepare the Crock-Pot at night and wake up to a fully cooked meal for breakfast. Keep it simple: add in your meat or bean of choice, root veggies, garlic, onion, warming spices, and water or broth. Set it and forget it, babe!
Rewatch your favourite movies. I’m a big fan of film director Nancy Meyers, so I’ve been indulging in all her best titles - Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated, and The Holiday. In the same genre of classic femme-centred rom coms is Eat, Pray, Love and the Bridget Jones’s Diary trilogy (there’s a new one coming in 2025!). Indulging in my faves has offered me rest, delight, and comfort, so I highly recommend you kick your feet up and rediscover yours!
Discover JOMO. JOMO = The Joy of Missing Out. This season comes with an abundance of invitations and social engagements, some you’re excited about and some not so much. The older I get, the more I understand that my energy is finite and learning to say “no” creates space for downtime, self-care, and things I want to do instead.
Let your loved ones in. In the same breath as #4, I encourage you to make time for the people in your life who actually make the season brighter. The medicine of friendship, laughter, and conviviality is unlike any other and lightens things up when the winter starts to feel too heavy. Loosen up and have some fun!
Mark the solstice. The shortest day of the year invites us to pause, reflect, and set intentions for the season ahead. I like to light a candle, take a hot bath, and journal with a warm drink close by. Remember, marking the solstice doesn’t have to be overly complex to be meaningful. This year, the solstice is on Saturday, December 21st at 1:20am.
Just be. We as human beings are inherently valuable without need to do or achieve anything. Winter teaches us (or forces us) to momentarily let go of our striving and settle into our being-ness. Take a moment to close your eyes, breathe into your belly, and feel into the spaciousness of your inner landscape, like a vast field of snow in the middle of winter.
I hope you find deep nourishment in the coziness of your home, the comfort of slow-cooked meals, the spiciness of seasonal drinks, the warmth of your loved ones, and all the small pleasures this holiday season has to offer.
medicinal mushrooms
Meet the season’s most helpful allies: mushrooms. Medicinal mushrooms have been revered for centuries in traditional cultures due to their broad-spectrum healing actions. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) , they’re known for modulating immunity, helping us prevent colds and flus, and calming the mind, among other actions.
Mushrooms’ benefits are derived in part thanks to a polysaccharide (basically a fancy word for carbohydrate) found in their cell walls called beta-glucan. Since our bodies can't digest beta-glucans, they pass through our digestive system and interact with our immune system, helping to strengthen our natural defences. A few key benefits of beta-glucans are boosted immunity, reduced inflammation, lowered cholesterol, improved gut health, and cancer-fighting potential.
So, which mushrooms are packed with beta-glucans and medicinal benefits?
Chaga: Superfood of the North
This rugged canker mushroom is often found on birch trees and is packed with beta-glucans that boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and protect cells from free radical damage (ie. oxidative stress). Quebec, Finland, Norway, China, and Russia produce this slow-growing mushroom in abundance, but excessive wild-harvesting and increased global demand poses a serious threat to its sustainability. Choose cultivated varieties.
Reishi: The Mushroom of Immortality
Reishi mushroom has been prized for centuries since monks started using it to deepen their states of meditation. In addition to its calming properties, Reishi bolsters the immune system, reduces inflammation, downregulates the nervous system, and combats cancer cells.
Shiitake: The Umami Powerhouse
Beyond their delicious flavour in sautées and soups, shiitake mushrooms contain beta-glucans that can stimulate the immune system, lower cholesterol, and potentially reduce the risk of heart disease.
Maitake: Hen-of-the-Woods
Maitake mushrooms are another excellent source of beta-glucans. These compounds can help regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and support immune function. Aside from their medicinal properties, they are delicious grilled or cooked in hearty soups and stews.
Turkey Tail: The Colourful Combatant
Turkey tail mushrooms, with their vibrant hues, are a treasure trove of beta-glucans. These compounds are thought to stimulate the immune system and help prevent tumour growth, particularly as it relates to breast cancer.
Cordyceps: The Supercharged Parasite
Cordyceps is a unique mushroom that parasitizes insects and takes over their brains and bodies (fun!). In the human body, this mushroom enhances athletic performance by improving oxygen utilization and reducing fatigue. Additionally, it's believed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, supporting immune function, and overall well-being. Most commercial varieties are grown a lab (Cordyceps militaris), and are far more affordable than wild varieties (Cordyceps sinensis).
Easily incorporate mushrooms into your diet by adding mushroom extracts like Harmonic Arts’ 5 Mushroom Concentrated Powder into your coffee, hot chocolate, or warm drinks. You may also consider taking a medicinal-grade mushroom supplement that contains fruiting body (not myceliated grain) like 5 Defenders by Real Mushrooms or 11:11 by Rainbo Mushrooms.
To learn how you can integrate more medicinal mushrooms into your supplement stack, schedule an online herbal consult here.
For a medicinal hot cocoa recipe with Reishi mushroom, check out Nurture and Flo’s most recent Instagram post!
Note: If you are foraging, always be 110% sure that the mushrooms you’ve picked are edible. For a great guide on identifying mushrooms, check out David Arora’s book “All the Rain Promises and More”.
pearls for your venusian soul
Emmalines, Quadra Village, Victoria: I recently had a wonderful friend date here with my acupuncture colleague Jessika Chabot. We enjoyed a charcuterie board with prosciutto, bresaola, hot coppa, gorgonzola dolce, manchego, seasonal jam, fruits, marcona almonds, and other goodies followed by a delicious pesto and mushroom pizza. Emmalines has a vintage Italian vibe, and the staff was attentive and kind. Would return.
Wildflower Daily Bliss Grilled Pineapple CBD Gummies (30mg): Your girl has been booked, busy, and slightly stressed these past few months. I might be late to the party on this one, but let me tell you - CBD gummies have been a godsend. When I need support winding down after a busy evening in the clinic, I take a gummy and I’m guaranteed to be in bed sleeping within the hour. Herbal magic!
The Macarons Project: I’ve been really loving acoustic cover songs lately and stumbled upon The Macarons Project, a musical collaboration between Canadian-based Indonesian brother and sister duo, Dito and Ree. They cover classics like Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon,” The Cranberries’ “Linger,” Radiohead’s “Creep,” and Hozier’s “Too Sweet” in their signature acoustic style. Rediscovering some of my favourite songs through their melodic lens has been so enjoyable.
YINA, San Francisco, California: I featured YINA in my last newsletter, and their shipment has finally arrived! I’m now using their Bioadaptive Cleanser, Essential Mist, Decolletage Treatment Balm (a fave), and Botanical Serums in the Venus Delight Acupuncture Spa Facials, and I absolutely love all of their products. They smell amazing and leave your skin feeling moisturized and rejuvenated while being gentle enough for sensitive, rosacea-prone skin. Book a treatment, or snag your own at Opal Wellness.
Thank you for your readership, and stay tuned for the next instalment of Venus and the Pearl.
The information provided in this newsletter is for general informational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting any new diet, exercise program, or supplement/herbal regimen, and reach out to your doctor about any questions you may have regarding medical conditions.