Lulu Martin personifies calm. I had a sense that she was enlightened but until I sat down with her for our interview, I had no idea. I have known Lulu in passing for more than a year but I never had a chance to spend time with her; I was missing out. What is hard to believe is that she maintains an elevated sense of awareness despite the challenge she has undertaken to own and operate her new venture (or should I say adventure), The Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary.
Her new undertaking makes perfect sense – for her. She was presented with the opportunity to purchase and remake, if you will, what used to be La Petite Comfort Day Spa, a salon that has been in Coronado for more than 15 years. And like most things she has done in her life, she jumped at it with an outward appearance of serenity. But just as the adage intimates, “still waters run deep.” And while her goal for Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary is to create a “sanctuary” to which clients can escape, run is the last thing Lulu has done.
“I was so excited to be presented with this opportunity, with my partner, Gene Kemp, yet I had no idea what a daunting undertaking it would be; it is quite outside of my comfort zone and it has been quite an education,” said Lulu. “Running a small business and being accountable to others is much different than running your own practice. This has been quite the task but like anything in life, nothing of worth comes about without hard work.”
Lulu articulated during our discussion that the she wanted to create a unique location on Coronado where clientele can receive a host of wellness experiences. And while hairdressing and nails are merely two of the services provided by Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary, Lulu made it clear that she envisioned DBSS as a place that offers holistic modalities to address both the “internal and external.” Hence the reason for the multitude of other services such as Colon Hydrotherapy, Creative Therapeutic Bodywork, Crystal Bowl Sound Baths, Colorpuncture and Vibrational Raindrop Therapy with others in the offing. For now, however, she is focused on details such as remodeling, permits, a logo, signage and so much more that comes with starting a new business.
Despite the plethora of work Lulu is undertaking to make Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary a quiet destination for San Diego residents, she is doing so with a vision that will make it an oasis and knowing that it will be a success. “I have no doubt that DBSS will become a one-of-a-kind location where clients are comfortable, relaxed and walk away feeling wonderful. I want people to feel like this is an escape for however long they are here and regardless of what services they receive. I can guarantee that every person who comes to Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary will be treated well and cared for with respect and love. When they leave here, my wish is that they feel more connected with themselves.”
When you walk into Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary it is like the feeling of a cool breeze hitting your face on a warm summer day. Metaphors aside, DBSS exemplifies the essence of Lulu – calm. Not surprising, the walls are deep blue and are ordained with breathtaking pictures of the ocean. If a makeover was what she was looking for, mission accomplished. New floors and light fixtures have brightened up the place and the excitement among the tenants is palpable. Speaking of tenants, this is where Lulu believes she has found the “sweet spot.”
“I think the strongest asset we have are the people that work here,” said Lulu. “They are wonderful, good, thoughtful people without whom this would be a tough job. It is because of who is here that we invested in Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary. Ladan at Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy is fantastic, as are Karrie and Richard Humphries, who have been cutting hair on Coronado for years, Bahman of Global Holistic Solutions, Lee Vo, and Heidi Reiner are all steady reliable people in the industry who work hard to take the best care of their clients. I feel blessed to be a part of this collective of quality long term practitioners.”
Lulu herself is a massage therapist, reiki practitioner, yoga instructor – and a whole lot more. Her holistic practice, Blue Lotus Healing Arts, offers a multitude of untraditional therapies that emanate from Eastern medicine. One of the more intriguing is Esogetic Colorpuncture, which entails targeting acupuncture points on various organ system meridians as well as reflex zones and running color into them to help balance and harmonize the flow of internal energy. Per Lulu, this process relieves stagnation in the body and is especially effective in helping rebuild energy in those dealing with debilitating health issues.
According to her website, Vibrational Raindrop Technique “is a process by which essential oils are layered along the spinal reflexes of the feet and the full length of the spine using various energetic applications with tuning forks, vitaflex strokes, and anointing. It is a powerful combination that has potential to release physical and emotional pain, open energy blockages, and bring about deep relaxation, as well as improved overall well-being because of its detoxing ability.”
Lulu wanted to be clear that nothing at DBSS is designed to heal people. This comment got me thinking that she and the other practitioners at Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary may not be curing anyone from chronic ailments, but from the looks of clients walking out, they are healing an awful lot of souls. And most of them seem to have received a little extra gift from DBSS that has all the earmarks of Lulu Martin – a sense of serenity and peace.
Deep Blue Sea Sanctuary is located at 1309 Ynez Place (upstairs) in Coronado. Lulu can be reached at 619-435-9200.
