National Sauna Week Prize Winner: Meet Laodice, Cedar and Sol Sauna
Written By:
Finlandia Foundation
By Laodice, founder of Cedar and Sol
My name is Laodice (pronounced Loud-EECE). I’m a mother of two living in Littleton, Massachusetts. Sauna has been part of my life in quiet ways — some of my earliest memories are visiting the community gym with my mother and siblings and sitting together on the lower bench of the sauna (picture attached — I’m in the Mickey suit). Over time, after personal losses and life changes, I naturally sought out spaces that allowed me to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with myself — whether in nature, wellness practices, movement, or moments of quiet pause. These experiences shaped a personal rhythm of care, presence, and intentional living, and eventually drew me back to sauna as a space to share with others.
Professionally, I’ve spent the past ten years working in hospitality as a private chef, hosting intimate meals, community-centered workshops, and gatherings. That work has always been about creating thoughtful environments where people can slow down, share conversation, and feel cared for. In many ways, Cedar and Sol feels like a natural extension of that path — another way to bring people together through warmth, presence, and shared experience.
Over the past three years in particular, I’ve been on a deeper journey of learning how to slow down, heal, and truly show up for myself and the people around me. What began as a quiet personal practice gradually grew into a bigger vision: creating space where others could experience that same sense of pause, clarity, and connection.
The National Sauna Week Prize from Touch of Finland
Cedar and Sol is a mobile wood-fired sauna based in Littleton, Massachusetts. We officially soft launched on May 2 at a holistic outdoor market, and our website is now live and fully up and running. The idea is simple but meaningful — bringing restorative sauna experiences directly into the community. Whether through private backyard rentals, small gatherings, or collaborations with local businesses and wellness events, the goal is to create welcoming spaces where people can slow down, breathe, and reconnect.
I’m especially excited about community-centered experiences — things like post-race recovery after local 5Ks, wellness gatherings in parks, and partnerships with local organizations that value connection and well-being.
The inspiration behind Cedar and Sol is rooted in warmth, pause, and shared experience. The name reflects two elements at the center of the experience: cedar for warmth, and sol for light. Our logo is inspired by the TaÃno symbol for the sun, honoring my Caribbean roots and the energy of gathering in community.
Sauna has such a powerful way of bringing people together, and my hope is to help introduce more people here to that culture of slowing down and being present.
I’m incredibly grateful for the work the Finlandia Foundation does to celebrate and share Finnish culture, and it means a lot to feel connected to that community as this project continues to grow.
