Spa-Experience

Five of the Manhattan’s best spas

Fog or rain? You choose in the amethyst crystal steam room at the Mandarin Oriental spa in New York

Manhattan therapists are incredibly well informed about their trade and customer service is their primary concern. They are usually accommodating to your every need, constantly checking whether the music is too loud or too soft, if the room temperature is comfortable and they wouldn’t dream of leaving you alone when you’re cocooned in a heat-based wrap in case you feel claustrophobic.

They use words like “pore congestion”, “pore extraction” and “smart vitamins”.

A re-hydrating facial is the best tonic after a long-haul flight and facials, which locals take very seriously, are the most popular treatment in New York.

Best view - MANDARIN ORIENTAL
80 Columbus Circle at 60th Street, New York 10023

You’ll want for nothing at the Mandarin Oriental Spa, and if you do you’ll get it instantly. A destination spa in the middle of a city where the only thing absent are real live geishas.

WALLET WATCH The Vitamin Infusion Facial 1 hour 20 minutes – $320. Time Rituals can be booked in blocks of time as opposed to specific treatments starting at $450 for 1 hour and 50 minutes. An Executive Suite costs $2,400.
Best rooftop pool - COWSHED SPA
Soho House Hotel is open to the public, but The Cowshed Spa is only open to hotel guests and members. Cowshed Spa at Soho House, 29 9th Avenue, New York 10014

Cool treatments for both sexes in a retro-modern spa at a members’ club in the Meatpacking District with a roof-top swimming pool and restaurant overlooking the West Village and Hudson River.

WALLET WATCH My Cowshed massage lasted 60 minutes for $125; a speedy 30-minute facial costs $75; a Cowshed body wrap using sea salt and a choice of wraps, including spicy warming honey and mango wrap, costs $160 for 75 minutes. The 90-minute Cowgroom including a foot scrub and forehead pressure-point massage costs $300.

Best day spa - BLISS SOHO
568 Broadway 2nd Floor, NYC NY 10012

The first of the renowned spa chain and skincare brand, Bliss SoHo succeeds in offering super-effective services in a fun, “no attitude” atmosphere.

WALLET WATCH The Fully Loaded Facial is 1hr 40min and cost $195. The Bliss Basic Facial is 1hr and costs. The Love Handler treatment tackles the spare tyre and cellulite with a vacuum-assisted massage and adipose-assaulting essential oils.
Best for Bling - LA PRAIRIE AT RITZ CARLTON
50 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019

The ultimate in cosmetic bling - a facial infused with 24-carat gold developed by Swiss skincare company La Prairie – the perfect antidote to a hard day’s shopping in New York. This Central Park hotel exudes classic opulence and its spa is as elegant as its townhouse home.

WALLET WATCH Pure Gold Radiance Facial and Caviar Firming Facial $275 – 90 minutes. Refining Microdermabrasion Facial $275 – 60 minutes.
Best bar spa - G SPA AT HOTEL GANSEVOORT
18 Ninth Ave between Gansevoort St and 13th St.

A red-glossed basement den with treatment rooms that transform from a spa by day into private club alcoves by night with flat-screen televisions and resident DJs.

WALLET WATCH The Double Happiness Reflexology Treatment costs $75 ;Pillow Talk Massage $400. Cheaper standard treatments including the aptly named bikini waxing options of “Go”, “Going” or “Gone” – from $35 to $85.

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Best NYC Spas?

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What on earth is the Bali spa ritual?

The Bali ritual originates from Indonesia and was given to princesses for 40 days before their wedding day.
The treatment is aimed at beautifying and softening your skin.

But that’s not all. It also claims to:
• Nourish, rejuvenate and refine, and cleanse the outer layer of the skin
• Remove impurities
• Enhance lymphatic flow and blood circulation

The ritual begins with a deep, full-body, Balinese-style massage, a combination of pressure point movements and gentle stroking using heady jasmine essential oil. The jasmine essential oil leaves a feeling calm and peaceful.

Thereafter tropical magnolia oil infused with marine salts was applied to exfoliate the skin, remove dead cells and lighten the skin’s texture.

The next step was a brief yogurt wrap. The active enzymes in the yogurt act as a natural moisturizer for the skin.

After the wrap, relax in a warm bath filled with water, rose milk, moisturizing lavender and flower petals. This relieved remaining tension and relaxes the muscles.
In Indonesia flower petals are referred to as “mandi su su”. It is believed that flowers inspire the spirit and also soothe the eyes and calm the emotions.

The final phase of the treatment consisted of being lathered with ylang ylang-infused body lotion. The lotion relaxes you even further and enhances your senses.
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Spavelous Spa treatments

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While surrounded by the relaxation of Sonoma’s wine country, take advantage of The Lodge’s acclaimed Raindance Spa. Pamper yourself with their signature seasonal Olive Oil Body Ritual.

Made in Sonoma, this scrub is the perfect balance of olive oil and a variety of salts to buff away skin damaged by daily living. Essential oils that are custom blended exclusively for Raindance Sonoma Spa calm the senses, while a moisturizing olive oil application completes this exfoliation experience. Following the scrub, receive a full body aromatherapy olive oil Swedish style massage.*

Turn the olive inspired package into a mini vacation or a Northern California romantic getaway at The Lodge at Sonoma. Check out the local olive festival that highlights the olive with olive-infused activities and events.
Uncover the secrets of olive curing and taste dishes by local chefs made with local olive oils.

Indulge in an exquisite Northern California spa resort offering complete tranquility at The Lodge at Sonoma, A Renaissance Resort & Spa. Fed by natural mineral waters, the world class Raindance Spa offers the utmost in relaxation, reflection, revitalization, and romance.

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Spavelous Northern California Spa Resort

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In the midst of the bustling city lies soothing solitude – The Spa at New York-
New York. Reopened this August, the redesigned spa incorporates the fundamental elements of nature, offering guests an ideal way to escape the urban hustle and bustle and ground themselves in ultimate relaxation.

Nature surrounds and soothes the soul immediately upon entering, with an earth-inspired color palette of rich dark browns, warm tans, subtle grays and sea greens. Above, soft crystal lighting sparkles like dew drops on a sunny day. Cool slate graces the walls while glossy wood and polished river rock weave paths for weary feet. In the resting room, water flows lightly down the fountain wall, quietly splashing the rocks below and bringing bubbling brooks to mind.

The Spa at New York-New York is the only spa in Las Vegas to feature the Tha’lion line of spa products by Thalasso Cosmetics a leader in marine cosmetics. The only company to fully manage the seaweed from harvest to final product, the Tha’lion process results in exceptional quality with high concentrations of active ingredients. Seaweeds, considered by some the origin of life, have been used in beauty products since antiquity and are believed to restore the skin’s radiance, firm and tone, and replenish vital energy to the skin and body.

The spa’s new menu of signature services evokes thoughts of sanctuary from the strains of everyday life with treatments such as the Environmental Escape, where vitamins are used to create a super-charged cocktail for the skin; or the Traffic Stopper, a facial designed to combat the harsh effects of stress with vitamins and oxygen.

While many Las Vegas spas and salons offer manicures and pedicures, services often are conducted in a common room, with guests sitting side-by-side. The Spa at New York-New York’s new manicure/pedicure room offers such services as the New York Minute Manicure or the Complete Restoration Pedicure in complete privacy, allowing guests to be truly pampered from sole to soul. In addition, a choice of scented spa products makes personalization possible for each treatment.

For those seeking a more extensive experience, packages are available, such as the Hampton’s Getaway combining a Hot Stone massage with The Classic Facial and The Signature Pedicure. Couples may delight in a Shared Escape which features a massage individually customized with elements of Swedish, Deep Tissue and Aromatherapy to meet each guest’s specific needs, followed by an Intoxicating Sugar Scrub to renew the skin’s natural glow.

Each month, The Spa at New York-New York will feature specials not found on the day-to-day menu providing guests the chance to experience the latest products and unique spa treatments During the next few months, The Spa at New York-New York will celebrate the seasons with such options as the Jack-o-Wrap, which uses the pumpkin’s active enzymes as a naturally powerful antioxidant to fight the effects of aging; the Berry Thankful, a gentle, foaming cranberry body buff; and the Peppermint Manicure/Pedicure, which gives hands and feet relief from winter’s dry, harsh elements.

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Las Vegas Resort Spas

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When it comes to a luxurious weekend getaway, most of us don’t think of heading to Charlotte, N.C. However, this “Queen” city beholds one of the jewels of the South: the Ballantyne Resort. Opened in 2001, the Ballantyne makes every guest feel like the royalty this city was named after. Thankfully, though, you don’t have to wear a crown to book a stay here.

The floor-to-ceiling windows opposite the front entry showcased the manicured golf course out back, inviting visitors to take a closer look. Attentive staff members welcomed guests to the property and quickly saw to their needs. In short order, I had my room key and headed upstairs.

A marble foyer with high ceilings and crown moldings gave way to the carpeted interior. The floor-to-ceiling windows showcased a panoramic view of the 18th green as well as the Lodge at Ballantyne, a 40,000-square-foot private group retreat with 35 guest rooms.

The bathroom rivaled that of any master bath found in a palatial estate. The glass-enclosed shower, sunken tub and marble vanity gave the illusion that I was in my own personal home rather than a large resort with hundreds of guests. Plus Ballantyne Resort robes added to the decadent feeling of the room.

The Spa at Ballantyne Resort.  stone massage,  combines massage techniques with warm stones to reduce stress and restore balance while improving energy levels. Simply put, it is heaven!

The spa, ranked as a Top 3 finalist for 2004 “most outstanding spa in North America” by Conde Nast Johansens.

Perhaps the most amazing fact about Ballantyne is its history. Located on the site of undeveloped family hunting land, Sara and Smoky Bissell decided to change the landscape and create a self-sustaining community homes, corporate offices, retail, and the Ballantyne Resort & Spa.

It look five years of planning, research and construction, but they have succeeded. The Ballantyne Resort & Spa received the distinguished honor of a AAA Four Diamond rating. After my visit to this upscale yet relaxed retreat, I certainly can understand why.

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Spavelous Resort Spas

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Romantic Getaways Site

El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa, nestled at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Taos, NM, is an environmentally friendly spiritual experience that nurtures the soul.

El Monte Sagrado was developed around a Native American sacred site, The Sacred Circle. A few years ago, my good friend told me about her amazing visit at El Monte and how it will always stay in her heart. There were 32 rooms during my friend’s visit, but they just unveiled 48 new guest rooms and a spa expansion.

I am writing this from one of the new rooms, which has a large soaking tub, perfect for couples, an oversized shower, and luxurious bed. The fireplace provides a romantic ambiance and the view from my balcony is phenomenal. The room is decorated with suede, river rocks, and turquoise accents. The room is just made for snuggling. I did take a peep into the casitas and suites, each decorated in their own worldly theme. Some of them have their own private courtyard and hot tub.

On my walk to the The Living Spa, I stepped into the enclosed pool area, which was similar to a grotto. Guests can swim year ‘round, so if you should plan a visit, be sure to pack a swimsuit. I had previously looked through the spa menu, which offers intriguing and unique specialties. Their special offerings include such treatments as Spiritual Cleansing with Grandmother Jean, The Soul’s Blueprint with Julie Kelly, Egyptian Anointing with Maria Mikhailas, and Trauma Recovery with Terri Picard.

I was led to one of the new treatment rooms, a round, Native American style room with a skylight in the wooden ceiling. It reminded me of the kivas of the pueblos. The treatment began with a Zuni salt exfoliation that included a special oil blend of indigenous plants and flowers. The next step was a wrap of volcanic ash mask that draws out the toxins in the body. It was completed by a gentle massage that left me renewed in spirit and mind. I don’t write this lightly, but this was truly the best spa treatment I have ever experienced.

Couples also look for fine dining during their romantic getaways, and El Monte Sagrado covers the cuisine aspect, as well as the spiritual well-being.

 Fortunately, local artist Stephen Lang offers customized guided tours through the property’s gift shop. He can take couples to Taos Pueblo, escort them around the art galleries, or even bring them to the nearby hot springs hidden in the mountains. Stephen took me to a few notable historic sites, but I was anxious to get back to El Monte and relax on the grounds. I took a quiet walk and noticed a couple sitting at the Sacred Circle, holding hands. Another couple was sitting on their verandah sipping champagne. Even a famous celebrity couple  spent a weekend here and enjoyed a couple’s massage.

El Monte Sagrado is not inexpensive, but well worth the visit. I would encourage couples looking for that special romantic getaway to make plans to experience a personal couples retreat in the arms of this beautiful and intimate property.

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Spavelos New Mexico Spas

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From bad sausage to brow raiser, a poisonous path to pretty

Ashlee Simpson is getting “Botox at 23!” an In Touch Weekly headline screams. BFFs are vying for a chance to win a trip to New York — complete with a wrinkle-treatment consult — the grand prize in “The Botox Cosmetic Ultimate Girlfriend’s Weekend Getaway” sweepstakes. Casting directors are complaining that “robotoxed” actors are no longer able to lower their eyebrows.

It’s been 15 years since researchers first intimated we could eliminate those eye crinkles and forehead wrinkles by injecting ourselves with botulinum toxin and just five years since this beautifying little bee sting received its official government OK.

But the wrinkle-smoothing wonder that is Botox Cosmetic didn’t just spring forth like Athena leaping from Zeus’ ultra-smooth forehead. No, the “little neurotoxin that could,” as USA Today dubbed it in 2003, has a long, illustrious, and surprisingly lively history, particularly considering that whole immobilized muscle thing. Herewith, a few frozen moments in the Botox timeline:

The 1820s — The “wurstgift”
No one really understood the biological basis for food poisoning until Dr. Justinus Kerner began to study a batch of improperly prepared blood sausages responsible for the death of several dozen Germans.
The 1890s — Deadly funeral
Dr. Emile Pierre van Ermengem of Belgium was asked to investigate an outbreak of botulism following a funeral dinner where three people died and 23 were paralyzed. A raft of studies followed and seven strains of botulinum toxin were eventually identified (A through G); four of them (A, B, E and F) would be shown to cause illness in humans.

The 1940s — Toxic temptresses
With the outbreak of World War II, the U.S. began researching biological weapons, including botulinum toxin (the nerve toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum), considered to be deadliest substance in the world. According to the authors, a batch of gelatin capsules filled with botulinum toxin was produced, but the project was abandoned before the poison pills could be put into action.

The ’50s and ’60s — Beneficial botulinum?
With the war over, researchers began focusing on the more beneficial aspects of this powerful toxin, particularly after Dr. Edward J. Schantz and his colleagues were able to purify botulinum toxin type A into crystalline form. In 1953, physiologist Dr. Vernon Brooks discovered that injecting small amounts into a hyperactive muscle blocked the release of acetylcholine from motor nerve endings, causing temporary “relaxation.” In the 1960s, ophthalmologist Dr. Alan B. Scott started injecting botulinum toxin type A into monkeys, theorizing its muscle-relaxing effects might help in the treatment of crossed eyes (or strabismus).

The ’70s and ’80s  The birth of Botox
In 1978, Scott received FDA approval to inject tiny amounts of botulinum toxin into human volunteers and soon, the results started rolling in. In 1988, drugmaker Allergan acquired the rights to distribute Scott’s batch of botulinum toxin type A (or Oculinum, as it was then known) and a year later, the FDA approved botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of both strabismus and blepharospasm (spasms of the eyelid muscle). Shortly thereafter, Allergan acquired Scott’s company and changed the drug’s name to the compact, catchy “Botox.”
The 1990s — Botox is the new black
As research continued, other potential uses came to light. Bladder spasms, writer’s cramp, excessive sweating, even cerebral palsy in kids all were alleviated — at least for a short time — by injections of the neurotoxin. But by far the most earth-shattering discovery came about by accident when Canadian ophthalmologist Dr. Jean Carruthers noticed her blepharospasm patients were starting to lose their frown lines. In 1992, she and her dermatologist husband published a study in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology stating that though temporary, “treatment with C. botulinum-A exotoxin is a simple, safe procedure” for the treatment of brow wrinkles. Dermatologists from Hollywood to Hoboken immediately took note (and took advantage of this “off-label” use) and by 1997, Botox use spiked so high the country’s supply temporary ran out, causing panic among its devotees and prompting the New York Times to announce “Drought Over, Botox Is Back” once a new batch received FDA approval.

2000 and beyond – The good, the bad and the ubiquitous
In 2000, Botox got the FDA’s nod for the treatment of cervical dystonia (neck and shoulder spasms); in 2002, Botox Cosmetic (the frown-line fixer) got its official government go-ahead, greenlighting Allergan to begin a multi-million-dollar marketing campaign to boost its already healthy Botox sales, which had reached $310 million by the end of 2001.

In 2004, Allergan received yet another FDA approval, this time for the treatment of severe underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis), but for most people, the therapeutic uses of this nimble neurotoxin were just icing on a pretty, well-preserved cake.

By the end of 2006, Botox sales had soared past the $1 billion mark, with cosmetic uses accounting for about half of sales.

But as this wrinkle cure has continued to shoot up in popularity (it’s the No. 1 non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the country), a Botox backlash is also brewing.

The pretty poison has been used as a method of torture in “Nip/Tuck” and a murder weapon on “Law and Order: Criminal Intent.” It’s been the subject of at least one addiction study and its misuse and/or overuse has brought new meaning to the words “poker face” and “joker face” and raised concerns about the training and/or technique of the folks who are doling out shots at malls and medi-spas. Even Ashlee Simpson has turned her back on it (Me, use Botox? No way!).

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Medical Spas

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