Autumn....in Tucson (as opposed to, say, New York)

For the two of you who read this (and you know who you are) I once again throw myself on the mercy of the court for my negligence. Consider computer glitches, health problems and assorted other the-dog-ate-my-homework-excuses and you'll sniff a semblance of my recent situation.



However, that doesn't preclude me from recommending some amazing places recently checked out. A recent trek (get it?) to Los Angeles by way of Beverly Hills, brought me to the compact Bliss in the W Hotel nearby. While not a resort spa, day-spa Bliss has numerous satellites and my first encounter with Bliss was in New York. Would I go back? Yes and no.



The Bliss I experienced (on W. 57th St. before the change) was jammed between two mega-office buildings and lacked a kind of coziness associated with quality spas. However, this place had the BEST locker room set-up (small but with every little amenity you'd expect in each locker) and rest area. Why? Because the rest area had cool furniture, great nibblies and current magazines! Even the gossipy ones we pretend not to read.



And the facials! Omigod, the best, why even bother describing them? Good ingredients, top therapists, people who care about your comfort ... why can't they open a resort spa?????





Anyway, the LA-area Bliss was phenomenal, but mostly because of my top-notch aesthetician Kathryn S. A talented, skillful facial artiste, Miss Kat did the requisite scary bright-light examination with kind comments. Hint to future facial therapists: be nice when examining pores. No one likes that "Tsk, tsk" attitude and we all appreciate being told our skin is "Great!" Even if you mean ("... for your age" or "... considering your breath is 100% proof) because having our faces probed, scraped and exfoliated (we called it "scraping nubblies") isn't all that pleasant.



So, take Miss Kathryn's lead: always say nice soothing things to clients. Here's a sample: "Your skin is very smooth" or "You obviously take good care of your skin" or "I wish my face was that fabulous!" or tell your own white lie...we love to hear it, especially when we're at our most vulnerable: sans make-up! The horror! The horror!



Another note: Have I mentioned the Four Seasons recently? I had occasion to find myself in Beverly Hills not long ago, at the aforementioned la-de-da land of uber-celebritydom.



If you start saving now, you can splurge on next Christmas' present to self: a weekend at the hotel that Unfitney Spears calls her second home. Wait, make that fourth home. Regardless, the spa there is one of the most relaxing, ideal (yes, cozy!) sites I've been to. Any treatment you choose will delight, because, hey, if the Four Seasons can't get it right ....



Trust me, they got it right.

A quick sum-up: Bliss does facials the right way. Go to Westwood. Ask for Kathryn.
Quick disclosure: even if Kathryn didn't happen to be my niece, I would still praise her skills and recommend her without a second thought.



I've learned it's not the name of the treatment that matters, it's the person who's messing around with your face that counts. In general, go with a "signature" treatment (massage as well) if you want something unique to the site. Otherwise, ask some questions before you book and try to get a senior therapist (a good idea regardless of spa treatment).

Next time: the Renaissance Hotel & Spa in Glendale, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix. Across from the Jobing.com Arena. Hockey and spa. Heaven for two.

Stay tuned.