Spa Magazine's 9th Annual Fall Media Event - reasons to say "Ahhhhh!"

Today I had the pleasure to attend the 9th Annual Fall Media Event, presented by Spa Magazine, at the Pierre in NYC. I attended Spa Magazine's 10th Anniversary event last year and it was so fabulous, I was eagerly anticipating this one. It didn't disappoint, either.

You might think that a spa-oriented event would be completely relaxing, but these events are action-packed. More than 30 different spas, resorts, and related services and product lines were represented in the large ballroom. Getting to see, experience, and speak to everyone is actually, a bit stressful (but in a good way, of course).

One of the things that is so great about the Spa Magazine "showcase" is that it gives editors new ways of thinking about a product or service. Although most of us think of spas as a place to be pampered and massaged into oblivion, what would a spa experience be without healthy and delicious food? On hand to share a tidbit with us was Chef Jesus Gonzalez, of the Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort & Spa Cooking School and Culinary Center. I learned that spa-goers can attend hands-on classes with Chef Gonzalez and other guest chef/teachers Set with the kitchen set in the spa's organic farm. This type of activity is a great souvenir you can take home, and use every day and it also reinforces all the good dietary habits that you have acquired during your stay.

The event space was so large, I couldn't get a good shot of even a reasonable portion of it. Here is the Lakeway Resort and Spa booth. The resort is on beautiful Lake Travis in Austin, Texas and it features the San Saba Spa, a full-service spa that was opened just this year. There are classes in water aerobics, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, fitness walks, fitness assessments, training and nutrition consultations (in January). Of course, if you want to slow down and just relax, you can do that, too!



One of the things I really like about spas is that you can do a little, or do a lot, and if it's in a beautiful location (e.g. Bermuda) it is a wonderful way for singles and couples to unwind, de-stress, and focus on each other. Bermuda has traditionally been a favorite of honeymooners, of course. Zeudi K. Hinds, in this photo, told me that The Mandarin Oriental Spa at awesome Elbow Beach, Bermuda has two treatments that use elements from the Bermudian environment in their unique, Ocean Wave Ritual. The treatment uses marine extracts and Bermuda's famed pink sand from the property's own 1/2 miles (I've been there and it's the most beautiful sand I've ever seen) in a full-body treatment, enjoyed to the sound of ocean waves (played to induce alpha waves of relaxation). The powder-soft, pink sand has got to be a fabulous exfoliator. I'm ready to fly to Bermuda right now and experience this! The Mandarin Oriental Spas in Miami and in NYC were also represented. Both made the list of Favorite Resort & Hotel Spas in the United States on Spa Magazine's 2007 Silver Sage Reader's Choice Awards (readers cast more than 25,000 votes this Summer for the magazine's first annual award). The November/December Issue of SPA Magazine will highlight these note-able spas. It's on sale at newstands and bookstores nationwide on Octber 23rd. I spoke to Susan Rimer-Torn about the upcoming Wellness Series Workshop at the Mandarin Oriental in NYC on November 6th and about Scentient Beings aromatherapy enhalers. Fantastic!

One new resort that's definitely on my list to visit, is the St. Regis Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It's the first really luxe spa/resort in the area, and it's right on the ocean. There are 10 treatment rooms, a private couples treatment suite, all sort of unique treatments, Jacuzzis on a tropical pool deck, a spa boutique and a fitness center with Technogym equipment and yoga, spinning, and aerobics studios---whew!

There are so many unusual and enticing options for spa-goers, I can't mention them all. But if you can't get to a spa right now, you can still try a lot of spa products that will help you create a more relaxing environment in your own home. On display were products from some of the AdviceSisters favorite beauty and spa lines, including Elemis, June Jacobs, SkinCeuticals, Creative Nail Design, and Pevonia Botanica. I also got a chance to check out celebrity favorite Kate Somerville, and discover some new brands I wasn't familiar with, including Aromatherapy Associates, Being TRUE, Spa Revolutions self-heating LavaShells, and Anakiri Bioenergetic Skin Care. I hope to be able to review some of these lines in our upcoming January/February What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column focusing on Skin/Body/Wellness--the first column of 2008! Check the AdviceSisters FEATURES page regularly to see what's new, and when this column is available.