Around the World in a Spa: Day One, East Coast

We are so ahead of the curve that we jumped on someone’s trademark! Our apologies to the most awesome idea of SpaWeek which officially begins April 11th. Check it Out!

So let us begin our Pixie Trip Around the World in a Spa in the epicenter of the free world, NYC — or at least according to New Yorkers. Oh yeah, and Washington DC — whenever I’m there in the summer I wonder what they were thinking building the nation’s capital in former swamp land. (Oh and Katie just added on her two favorite Florida favorites in a very “Organic Freedom” Way!)

One of my Cleveland friends who moved to NYC and then back to Cleveland loves the Silk Day Spa in New York. And after I visited the website, I am now desperately searching for some reason to justify a visit. She says to ask for Luis, the masseuse — I’ve no idea if he’s still there — but according to her, “He gives the best deep tissue (untie that knot massage), yummy snacks and great ambiance.”

Our other favorite NYC spa was brought to my attention by my friend Aerin — Great Jones Spa — and then was seconded by my yoga instructor. It’s a great place to go with a group, get a service and then hang around for the water amenities. They have a massive hot tub with a cold water pool next to it to dip in afterward — I didn’t dare do the latter. We did a girl’s get together there for Katie’s 40th birthday bash followed by dinner at DBGB’s nearby. It was divine. But, I will say the afternoon/early evening crowd was very coed and had a certain Swingers type vibe whereas according to Aerin, the morning crowd is mostly women, which I’ll do next time. Oh and Katie says to ask for Nikolai/Nick. He literally fixed a two month neck and shoulder problem with one visit. A miracle worker. Ask for a Sports Massage from him.

One of my best friends from college threw in a DC spa, the Mandarin Oriental. “It has amazing water rooms with all kinds of ‘water experiences’ and the services are pricey but excellent.” Frankly, ditto what she said for the Mandarin Oriental in NYC — insanely expensive but the best spa experience EVER. Queen Elizabeth I never even had it so good. Oh and Katie has had two lovely experiences with the Mandarin Oriental in Miami.

Oh, and Katie also had a magnificent experience at the Golden Door spa in Naples Florida. Incredible massage. And the resort itself was top notch. Had just been renovated about three years ago. They went with their two and five year old girls, hired a babysitter to watch the kids in the water, and had a grand time poolside for three days. It has one large kidney shaped pool — a wading pool on one side that gradiates slowly into a deep pool on the other side, separated by a sweet little water slide in the middle. The Naples Grand Resort.

As for who enjoys spas, this is unchartered research for us — so feel free to let us know if you’re not a regular spa user — my instinct is that Classic Structures, Fun Structures and Smarts rarely go to spas. Obviously, money/time plays into it as well so I’d say that if money and work were not factors, Fun Freedoms and Organic Freedoms would use spas daily followed by Classic Freedoms and Fun Freedoms. Classic Structure, Fun Structures and Smarts would likely say, “That’s ridiculous, when are money and work NOT factors??!”