Super Saturday

It's not that Super. Just the day before some big football game. Like anyone watches THAT.





Yes, I'm a tad delusional, but no one's perfect.





On to random spa thoughts. Right now, even in the relative warmth of Tucson (relative compared to frosty Sea Cliff, New York, for example) I am always amazed how beautiful the natural world is. The birds, the mountains, the desert...all forces that inspire, motivate and keep me keeping on.





Especially when days are filled with aches and pains of, you know, the usual. Which is why a good spa can bring so much pleasure and solace despite physical limitations. For instance, I've often had to deal with a sometimes-debilitating condition that prevents me from enjoying the simplest of pleasures.





Like taking a hot bath or drinking some warm tea. Yet, somehow, if I'm in the right environment, the right spa, surrounded by others seeking health and relief from stress, the pain takes a back seat and all's well.





These are the spas that employ compassionate healers, (licensed, natch) understanding therapists and enough space to encourage good health. It sounds like I have a glam "job" but trust me, tain't always so. Not that I'm complaining. Just reporting. Some spas are amazing-fantastic and others are, well, awful. Like a recent day-spa I visited that had a changing "room" the size of a small walk-in closet. No privacy to change. Just a bunch of wealthy designer matrons disrobing their Juicy jeans and banging into my knees with their over-sized bag-of-the-month.



This was a day spa of stellar repute and it was awful. No privacy, teeny weeny sink areas, stuffy and crowded. The facial was good, but the stress of getting to it, "relaxing" and then having to deal with the locker room ladies again, well, it undid any benefit previously gained.



Couldn't wait to get out of that place, which reeked of scented candles (too much in confined spaces=bad smells) and expensively nauseating perfume. Have yet to go to a day spa I'd recommend, with the exception of one particular Red Door at the Westin La Paloma which is housed separately from the resort. Fantastic therapist--Denise--gave the best massage and was hilarious on top of that. So there's the "exception-to-the-rule" clause about day spas.



But, of course, it wasn't a typical day spa. Moving on.....





Without getting all preachy-dramatic, there have been a few of those I would whole-heartedly recommend. Of course, some of those spas may be different now, be under renovation or change-over. All I know is what I experienced and I wanted to share some with you now.





When I visited Miraval a while back, it was everything I looked for in a spa. Vast, unspoiled desert, welcoming and open-aired entrances and delightful staff. Although there were some problems with the spa set-up (...you had to ride an elevator to get to the treatment rooms! Elevator light! The Horror, the horror!) I still remember getting one of the best massages ever from Manny. But the shared (unisex, yuck) relaxation area was anathema to feeling relaxed and the layout of the place was less than stellar.



Regardless, the other programs offered here at the time (an amazing Equine adventure with this cowboy guy Wyatt, for one) and the unbelievably delicious and healthy (!) cuisine just trumped any negatives. If I had some druthers I'd be back there in a heartbeat, but apparently there's some big re-do going on, so who knows when that will happen.



But this spa typified to me, at the time, everything I was looking for: privacy, respect, professional staff and compassionate personnel. Plus some fantastic mountains, the desert, the sweatlodge experience, the whole big. It was, in fact, a tremendous factor in my family's relocation to the Southwest. Compared to living in New York, it wasn't a hard decision. Difficult to bring to fruition, but inevitable in its conclusion.



And learning to Be Here Now (sorry about the hippie-dippie stuff) is still one of my greatest challenges. Along with dealing with occasional unsavory types in the industry. But I persevere, knowing that at least someone is out there struggling to get through the day, looking for a laugh, learning about a cool spa or even searching for common ground.



Before I dash to the Super Market (bad football joke, sorry) here's one more spa to check out. As I've mentioned before, anytime you see Willow Stream and Fairmont linked together, go and ye shall be healed. I recently returned from Newport Beach's Fairmont (California) and for a place that's not even near the water, it has alot to offer. Details another time. Just make sure you have the therapist adjust the room temperature immediately. Don't be shy, it's your right.



Am I rambling? Yes. But it's Super Saturday and if I can't go to a spa today, at least I can ramble my heart out.



Get your chips on! Go Giants! I mean Go Patriots!