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| Post-traumatic spa day - with exclusive slideshow | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Marija Potkonjak, Get Out | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| January 3, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Click here to view the slideshow of many more pictures from Spa Avania and Healing Arts Day Spa. The downward spiral begins with Thanksgiving (the first round of food and relatives), continues through the physical, mental and emotional stress of Christmas shopping (hunting for that elusive Wii, clawing through the sales racks), and ends with New Year’s Eve (overindulgence followed by a wicked hangover). “It’s cumulative,” says Margo Zelinski, a managing member of the Massage Studio in Scottsdale. “Three or four weeks of going to parties and drinking and overeating takes its toll.” So before you embark upon fulfilling those resolutions, consider giving your body a break at a local spa. TRIGGER POINTS They don’t call Terrell Lynn Kukla the “Blonde Amazon” for nothing. Kukla, the senior massage therapist at Healing Arts Day Spa in Mesa and Chandler, has a reputation for tapping those trigger points and relieving muscles of pent-up tension and toxins. “It hurts so much it feels good,” says Kukla, as she works the neck of client Peggy Glynn, a middle school teacher. “Oh, it feels wonderful,” Glynn mumbles, her eyes closed and facial muscles completely relaxed. A smooth, heated stone sits on Glynn’s stomach. In the La Stone Treatment ($70 for 60 minutes) the heat of the stones and the manipulation of the muscles forces toxins out and into the lymphatic system (also known as the body’s sewer). Cool stones are added to ease inflammation. Those toxins are flushed out after the treatment (clients are encouraged to drink at least 20 ounces more water than normal post-treatment). Kukla then attacks Glynn’s trigger points (hypersensitive areas found in tight muscles) and releases the tension. “The power of touch is the most healing modality there is,” says Kukla. “They walk out of here feeling 200 percent better.” Glynn, who has been quietly enjoying her treatment, pipes up and adds: “I leave here feeling 20 years younger. This is the biggest gift I give myself.” Details: The Healing Arts Day Spa, 1845 S. Dobson Road, Suite 110, Mesa, or 5055 W. Ray Road, Suite 12, Chandler. (480) 897-2146 or (480) 893-2826 or www.the healingartsdayspa.com. NEW YEAR, NEW YOU Don’t confuse Take Me to Heaven with a bad Christmas movie or a pink drink you imbibed during New Year’s revelry. Take Me to Heaven is a 75-minute hot stone massage that “draws out the toxins and increases circulation,” says Zelinski. Aroma therapy and a peppermint foot massage are included for $95. To rejuvenate tired and sallow looking skin, add the Pick Me Up Facial for $55. If you’re concerned about puffy, tired eyes, try the Angel Eyes treatment for $30 (which includes gentle cleansing and exfoliation, a pressure-point massage to increase circulation and diminish dark circles and a hydrating mask to eliminate puffiness). Details: The Massage and Esthetics Studio, 20511 N. Hayden Road, No. 105, Scottsdale. Reservation required. (480) 874-8000 or www.themassagestudio.com. MALE FRIENDLY Even the manliest of men needs a little pampering now and then. Spa Avania is unveiling the OptiMale Experience, a package you can enjoy in the private gentlemen’s room, which features a plasma television and a mini-bar stocked with beer. “When it comes to guys, what really matters to them is privacy,” says Dzeneta Arslanovic, director of the spa on the grounds of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch. The detoxification includes a 60-minute aroma mineral massage (a combination of Swedish deep tissue massage and stretching, 60-minute OptiMale facial and a 30-minute spa barber shave (which promises no razor burn, inflammation or 5 o’clock shadow) and a straight razor (product samples are included with the package). “These days we are adding more and more to the male experience,” says Arslanovic. “The barber shave plays a major role. ... More and more we are going back to these old-fashioned ways to shave.” Before having the treatments, guests are encouraged to take a dip in the French Celtic mineral pool and do hot and cold plunges. “If you are a guy and you’ve had a little too much (to drink), this can help with the detoxification process,” says Arslanovic. Details: Spa Avania at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch, 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Road. $386. Reservation required. (480) 444-1234 or http://scottsdale.hyatt.com/hyatt/pure/spas. NATIVE TRADITIONS Sometimes rejuvenation isn’t just skin deep. Desert Purification, a treatment inspired by American Indian culture, “renews the skin as well as the spirit,” says Jill Eisenhut, director of Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. The 90-minute treatment begins with a “smudging” or purification of the room. The aesthetician cleanses the air with lighted herbs. “It’s very purifying and healing,” says Eisenhut. A full-body treatment follows with a body mask of cornmeal, clay and oats to exfoliate the skin (an ayate cloth made of cactus fibers is used), a shower, then a and massage with oils featuring sage and cypress. “It’s very detoxifying and cleansing,” says Eisenhut, who encourages spagoers to arrive early and take advantage of the spa’s other amenities including the sauna, waterfall and inhalation room. Details: Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Drive. $279. Lunch is served for an additional $28. (480) 585-4848 or www.fairmont.com/scottsdale. Spa etiquette Knowing how to behave at the spa helps avoid uncomfortable situations. • Arrive at least 20 minutes early for some treatments, to give yourself time to switch into spa robe and put your own items into the provided lockers. • Turn off your cell phone. A spa is supposed to be an oasis of tranquility. No one wants to hear you squawk in the middle of a massage. • You may want to shower before a massage or other body services such as wraps. Some spas have locker rooms with showers available. Ask in advance. • Tips usually aren’t included in the cost of service. A good rule of thumb is 15 percent. Spas usually provide an envelope for gratuities at the front desk or in the treatment room. Source: www.dayspaassociation.com Contact Marija Potkonjak by email, or phone (480) 898-6818 |
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Leigh Woodward
GREAT ARTICLE --about the Owner of Healing Arts Day Spa-- Terrell Kukla-- she is the BEST, and really knows her stuff! She can stop a 3 day migraine with intensive trigger point therapy very quickly. It's great you showed how the massage therapist works and the reasons behind it. She has so many talents!! .. and ways to rejuvenate people, make them healthier and happier. Suggest removal of this commentJanuary 3, 2008