The Farm at San Benito - Unplugged

Tagged with:

health, wellness

Published Oct. 29, 2007 at 12:34 p.m.

There was something about going to the Farm at San Benito that felt like I had come home. Yes, the grounds are spectacularly designed—feng shui’d within an inch of its peaceful and serene being. (Have I mentioned how inadequate I feel writing about the beauty aspect of spas and wellness retreats? To me, the experience is sublime and visceral, yes, but these are feelings that don’t lend themselves sufficiently to a block of words on a page. They are better experienced through stillness and

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

The Unbearable Lightness of Spa-ing

Tagged with:

hair, massage, salon, spa, treatment

Published Oct. 17, 2007 at 6:42 p.m.

Now that I’ve described my least favorite spa experience while I was in the Philippines, here comes the more difficult task—attempting to pick a favorite, which I already know I cannot do. So maybe let’s go for the second least favorite. Maybe process of elimination is the only way to do this ... At the risk of sounding incorrigibly spoiled by too much of a good thing, I have to tell you that I was not at all impressed with Chi Spa, in the Edsa Shangra-La Hotel. I know, five-star hotel,

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

Spa-ing in Asia

Tagged with:

massage, spa

Published Nov. 6, 2007 at 11:43 a.m.

Spas are woven even more firmly into the Asian culture. No surprise since so many of the spa treatments we enjoy today originated there. This is a photo of Boracay's Caticlan airport. These massage stations are a common sight at airports for "quick fixes." ...

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

The Unbearable Lightness of Spa Writing

Tagged with:

spa, wellness

Published Jan. 8, 2008 at 2:59 p.m.

Bear with me. I promise I will soon come round to discussing spa, the theme of this blog ... The other day I saw a most original documentary called "Helvetica." It’s a thoroughly entertaining feature-length film about the font. That’s right. The filmmakers took a subject that just as easily could have appealed to only a demographic sliver of geek designers and art snobs and turned it into an enlivening and playful pleasure. Plus I learned a lot. So, win-win! ... While reading one of the many

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

Where Are We Going in Spa Land?

Tagged with:

health, spa, wellness

Published Dec. 2, 2007 at 5:48 p.m.

I heard an unintentionally funny story while at the International SPA conference in Orlando, Florida in mid-November, one that is both telling and thought provoking ... I was talking to an Asian spa entrepreneur who I admire and like a lot. He was telling me that he was recently diagnosed with a gallstone. He decided to treat it with Chinese herbs as part of his ongoing research on the efficacy of the treatments that he promotes, to live his beliefs. It took ten days for the TCM cure to dissolve

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

Spa Trends 2008

Tagged with:

massage, spa

Published Feb. 4, 2008 at 9:23 a.m.

As soon as the calendar flipped to 2008, spa publications and other experts began rolling out their predictions of what spa goers would be asking for in the upcoming year. (But as these things go, what they are really doing is telling spa goers what the industry is telling them they should be asking for.) ... Within the various lists there was some overlap, but also striking opposites ... One prediction said we’d see more luxury spas with designer “labels.” There is now an Armani-branded

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

Stanford Medical School Graduation Speech Alludes to Welcoming Spas

Tagged with:

spa

Published June 21, 2010 at 12:01 p.m.

I received a link to the commencement speech given  to the graduating class at Stanford’s School of Medicine last week.  The link was sent to me by Dr. Ken Pelletier, one of the popular keynote speakers at this year’s Global Spa Summit in Istanbul, who “gets it” about the value of spas to medicine.  The graduation remarks were [ ... ] ...

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

Tips For Planning a Spa Vacation on a Budget from Travel Expert Nicole Hockin

Tagged with:

spa

Published Aug. 4, 2010 at 7:00 a.m.

I could seriously take a spa vacation right about now. But having never planned one myself…least alone with my budget in mind, Hotels.com’s travel expert Nicole Hockin of their Travel Smart Blog, offered up some great money saving tips along with her picks of a few spa resorts nationwide:With the increasing popularity of spas, resorts [ ... ] ...

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

A Girl’s Gotta Spa! (sm) Partners with iCityCerts for Spa and Salon Discounts

Tagged with:

salon, spa

Published July 22, 2010 at 5:36 p.m.

If you are anything like me, then you enjoy going to the spa and salon. And if you are anything like me, you like to save money. Now you can do both at participating spas and salons via iCityCerts.com using an exclusive code for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! (sm) readers. (This is me doing the [ ... ] ...

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback

The Spa Brandwagon

Tagged with:

spa

Published July 12, 2010 at 11:15 a.m.

The Spa BrandwagonWhat a stark difference I noticed between two spas I visited recently. Before I tell you which two they were, here is some of what I experienced: Spa #1: Peter and I walk up to the front desk in a lovely reception area that had amazing views. There were four women working behind the reception desk. [ ... ] ...

Read Article Read    Post Talkback Post Talkback


Featured Advertiser: