Art of the Spa

Welcome to our first 007 Spa Style mixpod inspired by the film of the month – January’s is Dr. No. (If you missed the articles, just enter Dr. No in the search box.) Instructions: To move track: use >> or

Every year I throw a New Year’s Day Resolution Bowl where we lounge and doctor our New Year’s Eve hangovers. The crown jewel of this event is the “Resolution Bowl”. As each guest arrives, he/she completes a slip of paper with a goal they want to achieve in the upcoming year. The slip goes in [...]

My recent visit to Golden Door Spa got me wondering how Japan celebrates the holidays.  Though Japan doesn’t officially celebrate Christmas, they do love our western seasonal traditions with decorations galore but add Japanese flair. Take the Christmas Tree, many Japanese festoon it with wishes on festive paper instead of ornaments. . . a loose [...]

With Thanksgiving upon us (and a whole lotta rain here in Cali), we decided to go see Tower Heist with Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller (always so fun!), Tea Leoni and Alan Alda. I’d classify Tower Heist as a cross between Wall Street, 48 Hours, and Night at the Museum. It’s a comedy about a rich baddie [...]

Even if you’re serving (or eating) traditional Thanksgiving fare, that doesn’t mean the table needs to be all pilgrimified! I’ve never really been a fan of the usual gratitude gala accoutrements.  I mean fall leaves?  Really?  How boring is that? Inspired by one of our favorite Moroccan spas, La Sultana, and the autumnal tones of [...]

Countdowns are the bomb! Advent calendars are sort of like the New Years Rockin Eve of Chistmas and sooo much fun! As a kid, I loved opening the little doors for each day before Santa’s arrival! Many have pockets for each day too, each spot filled with candy. But who needs more sugar this time [...]

Don’t you just love cuddling up with a gorgeous book? At one of our favorite cafes in Pasadena, Fiore Market Cafe, they not only have craveworthy treats like fennel salad and vegan cupcakes, but they keep stacks of design & fashion books piled on benches and tables! Paradise. Today whilst lunching there, I started flipping [...]

The underpinnings of this ground “quilt” are what takes the work here.  How to achieve this look with low maintenance results: 1.  Determine where this landscaping will go, the pattern of the filling and map it out on your lawn with ribbon or tape. 2.  Measure the size of the sides of each box of [...]

Doesn’t a sunny cycle through Caudalie’s sumptuous vineyards sound (and smell) di-vine right now?  Good news, you don’t have to travel to France to enjoy a relaxing, rejuvenating ride.  And winter weather?  Who cares?  Our Virtual Vineyard tour leaves from your living room daily: Choose a Bike  1. A stationary bike can be a reluctant [...]

Thai kickboxing is a martial arts form that evolved from ancient battle practices. In the boxing ring, it can be quite brutal – an unlikely candidate for spadom right? Well, Chiva Som has a workout that vibes the cardio and strength building capabilities of this sport, without the gore. It’s a superb way to burn [...]