All posts filed under: Wellness & Spas

Wellness & The City: 10 Wellness Temples for Spa Worshiping New Yorkers

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Living in one of the busiest cities in the world means we love escaping to the spa whenever we get the chance. At the start of the pandemic we naturally worried about the industry and its employees. We missed our community! This year, the International Spa Association re-launched its conference in Vegas, and the industry reunited. The International Spa Association has been the voice of American spas since 1999, and is known all over the world. Their latest statistics on the industry’s recovery prove that people value wellness more than ever. A Power Session at the 2022 ISPA Conference revealed the Big Five Statistics with the help of a study commissioned by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The US Spa Industry revenues grew from $12.1 billion in 2020 to $18.1 billion, an increase of more than 49 percent and just below the industry’s all-time high of $19.1 billion in 2019. The number of spa visits grew from 124 million in 2020 to 173 million, while the total number of U.S. spas fell only slightly from 21,560 in 2020 to 21,510 …

Upstate New York Experience At Kenoza Hall, An Upscale Wellness Retreat In A Class Of Its Own

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These Are Not Your Grandmother’s Catskills Before airplane travel became the norm, New York families sought easily accessible refuge in the Catskill mountains. Then the grandkids stopped going. My own immigrant family settled in the Catskills in the 1960s, acquiring property that would help the slavic community vacation. Even though I live in New York City I consider upstate to be my personal refuge. Today’s upstate continues to reel in a new kind of visitor – younger generations from all over the world come to the mountainous region for relaxation and inspiration. Fortunately, some things remain the same. From blueberry picking and hiking, to nighttime campfires and vintage shopping, some aspects of upstate still remind me of childhood. It is safe to say that the Catskills are in their heyday once again. New and restored hotels sprouting all over Upstate New York have plenty to offer to new and loyal visitors alike. Among the many new retreats, Kenoza Hall is in a class of its own. Not only is it awe-inspiring and well-preserved, it has …

Quaint ‘Land in the Sky’: The Best Upstate New York Getaways For All Budgets

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The vastness of New York State beckons travelers to choose their own adventure. It is no secret, Upstate New York has a lot to offer and the recently renewed popularity of the Catskills is undeniable. The young and old alike go upstate in search of natural tranquility, lake cabins, fishing, hiking, historical site tours, art fairs, laid-back summer bungalows, Woodstock site concerts, skiing, and who can forget about nostalgia of the Borscht Belt resorts. The state has a history of being enjoyed as a vacation destination since the early 1920s, but it was not until the 1940s when the State Division of Commerce made it a part of their mission to attract even more tourism. The 1939 New York World Fair, held in New York City, took the opportunity to promote upstate with the help of the Barlow Advertising Agency. They suggested visitors to the city take a tour of the Catskills on their way to and from the Fair. Their catch phrase described the Catskills as the “Quaint ‘Land in the Sky’ where Rip …

Water Is Life: 10 Powerful Benefits of a Bath Soak

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Water is a precious resource. Treat it with respect and take a bath like you mean it. Whether you call it self-care, spa life, time-out or me time, bath soaks are real medicine for the soul. We consider ourselves quite the bath aficionados and firmly believe in using baths as spa therapy for all types of ailments. While balneotherapy deserves more studies, the evidence that baths have powerful benefits has been there for years. In fact, studies have shown that being near water is good for our mental health because it helps soothe anxiety and boost our mood. The father of medicine himself, Hippocrates, prescribed and documented hydrotherapy as a powerful treatment. When you enjoy meditating to the sound of waves, swimming in the lake, drinking water, or playing a water sport, you are taking part in healing and nurturing yourself with the powerful force that is water. Think a bout it, in times of stress, we are often offered water as a calming antidote. Water is a life source, and bathing in water helps …

Your Ultimate Guide To Spa Etiquette & Basic Know-How

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Whether you are seasoned spa-goer in need of a refresher or a spa virgin, there are certain universal rules to getting the most out of your spa experience. Visiting a spa for the first time can be intimidating. Here is everything you ever wanted to know. Avoid any shyness or mishaps with our must-know spa commandments. BEFORE YOUR ARRIVE Check your spa’s website for their tips, rules and FAQ. Spa Appointments You have an appointment. Now make sure to confirm it. Not only is this a polite way to let the spa know that you intend on keeping your appointment, it is also a good way to make sure there are no appointment mix ups (it happens). Find Out Treatment Details The staff answering your initial call is typically well educated on all spa matters. They can let you know the name of your esthetician or masseur (let them know if you prefer male or female in advance), what amenities the spa provides, and how to prepare for your treatment (ex: if you are getting …

Cultivating an At-Home Spa, Part III

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For our complete At-home Spa Guide read Part 1 and 2. Featured Image, Audrey Hepburn/Breakfast at Tiffany’s  Taking care of the mind, body and soul can seem like a never ending job, however when you immerse yourself in the spa lifestyle, self-care becomes a lot more doable. The trick to cultivating an at-home spa is the set-up and welcomed repeated rituals. Take the hard work out of self-care with regular routines (such as dry brushing, or hanging a eucalyptus in your shower) that eventually become second nature. Think of your body as your temple and your home as your house of worship. From the moment you wake up to the moment you drift off to sleep, devoting time to your wellbeing happens with a decision on the inside. Let us get you practicing more self love with our at-home spa guide. It is time to learn that wellness is not a luxury. It should not be reserved for just the privileged, but be made widely accessible. Whoever you are, wherever you are, know that you …

Health & The City: Best Places to Find Wellness & Community

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Editor Note: For many, the New Year means making resolutions. My mantra is to take it easy on myself and not make promises I might not keep. You should always try your hardest to accomplish what you wish for but be kind to yourself in the process.  If you are looking towards a healthier and happier year, I highly recommend you find a wellness community.  It’s a good starting point. I myself had to accept that in order to begin on a path of wellness I had to be trusting and accept support from others. As a spa and beauty editor, my wellness adventures bring me to places you might not even know exist. The right place and healers could be right under your nose.  Wellness & The City (New York City that is) In the city that never sleeps you can order takeout in the middle of the night, have most things delivered at a snap of your finger, find a speakeasy in the most unusual of places and a “secret” garden might be …

Finding Solace at The Osthoff Resort’s Aspira Spa

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This article was originally published on and written for Insider’s Guide to Spas. It seemed like a perpetual summer, and Elkhart Lake was my liberator. There are some getaways you just know will stay with you forever, and for me getting to experience Elkhart Lake was one of them. I’ll start at the very beginning: Back in the spring I found a lump in my breast. As you can imagine worry set in, but worry took a back seat to the frustration of attempting to find accessible care for women under 40. I can tell you now, that is no easy feat. Someone out there was looking out for me because I did find help, in the form of an organization called PROJECT RENEWAL . Their mammogram Scan Van was parked right in front of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, a patron saint of poets. The universe was speaking in signs, but this did not ease my worry. An elderly woman in the waiting area noticed my nervousness and held my hand while I waited. She touched …