I got up off the table after my 90-minute hot stone massage, and I was so woozy it’s a miracle I was able to stand up. Now I know why they have mirrors in the treatment rooms. They’re to make sure you don’t leave with your underwear on the outside. Hot stone massages feel nothing like traditional massages. No fingers…
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 entries.
The Nose Knows: Are Aromatherapy Massages Worth the Cost?
Last week, I touted the deliciousness of all things crème brulee. Today we’ll discuss the aromatherapy massage. Last year, at Mohonk Mountain House, in New Paltz, New York. I chose the 50-minute “aroma massage,” where I was given the choice of which essential oils I wanted rubbed on me. The choices were pure breathing, relaxation, or clear mind. It took…
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Spa Travel on a Budget
Spa lovers who want to nab those massages, facials, scrubs, and jetted tubs without having to auction off your firstborn must read this. I’m going to save you money doing what you love most, and you can thank me by sending a treatment to me, Val the Spa Gal. (Or, you can just post something nice.) Book Off Season Your…
Hooray for Creme Brulee
I am consumed with all things creme brulee. Whether it’s the one the Santa Fe Italian bistro Pranzo serves, with a perfectly browned paper-thin crust that conceals the warm licentious cream underneath, or whether it’s in my shampoo, body scrub, or hand lotion—doesn’t matter. Even as I write this blog, I am inhaling Laura Mercier’s Creme Brulee Souffle right out…
The Price of Needing a Kneading at La Costa Resort and Spa
So, guess what? I just got back from a week-long meditation retreat with his majesty, Deepak Chopra. While staying at the La Costa Resort and Spa (where the Chopra Center is located), however, I got a massage. This set me back $160, but I wanted to see how it rates compared to the average rubdown at half that price. The…
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Homemade Body Scrubs and Facials…There’s No Place Like Home
Welcome back! I’ve been thinking about you all week, and am going to help you save some dimes today. True, I buy every body scrub, lotion, hair treatment, facial mask, and massage doo-dad I can find, but I do that only because I’m insane. The truth is, creating homemade body scrubs and facials is inexpensive and easy. For a luxuriant…
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Welcome to Val The Spa Gal
Since this is my first blog post, I’ll set a few ground rules: I will discuss all things spa, including product reviews. I will not hold back. I will answer questions you post. I will not keep my neuroses in check, and I reserve the right to fall into reveries that are only remotely spa related, because I want more…