We got the priviledge of getting our hands on the next Emily Giffin book and once I did I couldn’t get my hands off of it! I read it cover to cover on a roundtrip flight. I even had the flight attendent say, “Ooh is that the next one? How is it?” So, how was it? Here’s my quick teaser for Where We Belong.

Marian Caldwell is a thirty-six year old television producer, living it up in Manhattan. She seems like the perfect version of how I’d like to see myself; the New York City dream. She has the perfect boyfriend that reminds me of Big from Sex and the City – only likeable. But Marian’s life isn’t as perfect as she portrays. One night Kirby Rose, an awkwad eighteen-year-old girl (a girl I more easily relate to) is the blast from the past that Marian thought she had left there. From the moment Kirby enters her picture perfect life, Marian’s life forever changes.

Of course, like any good Emily Giffin novel, there is more than one story. The chapters alternate from Marian’s first person account to Kriby’s. From Kirby’s point of view, the encounter throws her into a world of self discovery and acceptance. She is forced to grow up and find out who she is. Something everyone has at some point struggled with.

The story of the two women and their disconnected connection is both heart-felt and real. It’s a tale of life, love and the past and what happens when they all meet. It left me evaluating where it is that I belong. Also, I immediately called my mother.

In addition to loving her new book (on shelves July 24th), we loved hanging out with Emily at the 2012 Sping Spa Week Media Party. And besides her time, she’s also letting us borrow some of her favorite things, and we’re giving them away! There is STILL time to enter for your chance to win a prize package worth over $2,500 – all hand picked by Emily herself!

We hope you haven’t fallen too badly into a post-spa depression (PSD) because Spa Week Spring 2012 has officially ended. But cheer up buttercup because the spa-rty isn’t over yet! There’s an after party going on and you’re invited! The celebration continues with hundreds of spas extending their #50dollartreatments. We’re also inviting you to share your spa stories, because what better way to relive your spa experience than by taking a walk down memory lane (or a soak, scrub or massage down wellness gain)? Reliving your spa treatment could also do more than take you back to that euphoric place, it could get you back to the spa – for free!

We bet you shared your experience with family and friends but now WE want to hear! Whether you went for a microdermabrasion that you had to Google before you booked, or you left behind some unwanted years during an anti-aging treatment, or just if you got firmed, wrapped, polished, soaked, massaged, Botoxed or detoxed… we want to know all the steamy details!

THE CONTEST

Tell us about one of your $50 Spa Week experiences. Photos and videos are encouraged! But not mandatory.

Your story can be as short as two lines with a photo, or as long as 400 words describing your decadent spa day in full. Or – if you have a blog of your own, you can post about it on there and send us the link. Be sure to include the name of the spa, the city and state, and the treatment(s) you received. You may submit more than one story. Stories MUST be from Spa Week Spring 2012.

THE PRIZE

The top 5 favorite blog-worthy stories will be published on Spa Week Daily, and each of the 5 winners will receive a $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Card by Spa Week to put towards their next spa visit!

Gift Cards are redeemable at 5,000+ spas nationwide, all year-round, and never expire.

DETAILS

DEADLINE: Sunday, April 29^th at 11:59 PM EST
SUBMIT TO: daily(at)spaweekmedia(dot)com with subject line: MY SPA STORY

Do not write your story in the comments section of this post. Winners will be notified via email. All submissions are subject to being edited and published on Spa Week Daily.

Nothing really. Although you should demonstrate caution when operating an iPad while consuming wine, in particular the intoxicated use of Facebook, Twitter and any form of instant messaging. (Friends don’t let friends drink and use social media.) But the one thing the two do have in common is that our ingeniously delicious 2012 Spring Spa Week wine sponsor Rioja Wine wants to give away one! Whether you’ve been whining for an iPad or could just use some wining and dining, Rioja wants to help!

Rioja offers nothing but a truly inspired collection of wines and they also want to offer a lucky winner the choice of a Rioja Wine Dinner for 2 or an iPad2 (I have one and its name is iCan’tLiveWithout and I take it everywhere).

Enter to win!

Rioja wines are aged at the refinery so you don’t have to wait to enjoy them, and thank goodness because we enjoyed several bottles (tons) at the Spa Week Media Party last week. Guests flocked to keep their glasses bottomless and Rioja poured wine all night.

As you know, we launched a head-to-head health showdown last month, aka The Spa & Wellness Challenge. With so much star power on SpaWeek.com, our regularly scheduled Spa Week Daily Health Challenges have been put on hold to accommodate the awesomeness that is Joy Bauer, Dolvett Quince, Elena Brower and Dr. Michelle Copeland, combined. The Spa & Wellness Challenge ends on April 30th (have you entered for the chance to win a $1000 Spa & Wellness Gift Card, yet?) and that’s when we’ll pick up right where we left off with a new expert and a new 10-day challenge. So, just to whet your whistle with what’s to come, we are overjoyed to introduce to you, Design and Organizational Expert, Bobby Berk.
As you may recall, last fall Spa Week tapped Bobby to deck out our first-ever social media lounge at the Fall 2011 Spa Week Media Party in NYC. With killer comfy couches and sexy side tables, Bobby transformed a completely empty space into one of the chicest, most relaxing spots at the event. Many of our media guests camped out at the lounge for an hour or so, sipping Seagram’s and tweeting away… and we’re so excited to announce that for our upcoming Spring Media Event, Bobby will be back to add his accessible yet sophisticated flare to the media party once again.
Who is this Bobby Berk you might ask? And why do we love him so? Bobby, a Texas native, started his career at powerhouses Restoration Hardware and Portico Bed & Bath. He is known for his midcentury style and playful use of acrylic, stainless steel, and wood. You’ve probably seen his designs on HGTV, Bravo, Extreme Home Makeover; the list goes on and on. Best of all, Bobby has truly bridged the gap between the ridiculously high priced yet innovative designs you oh-so desire and the lame cheap-o pieces you find at super stores with zero wow factor.
With Bobby Berk Home store locations in New York, Miami and Atlanta (and an online website/showroom you could spend hours perusing); Bobby is taking over the world, one orange throne-ish chair at a time! And did we mention he was just named one of Miami’s most fashionable men by Miami Magazine? Yes, he just oozes style and creativity and we can’t wait for him to share his lifestyle tips and tricks with you during his challenge.
Sneak Peek: Next month, Bobby’s savvy styling will segue into a full-on design meets organization meets wellness challenge, given to you, exclusively by Bobby himself. We can’t tell you the challenge just yet but let’s just say you’re home and your health will be in excellent hands!

It’s spring, the sun is out, and Spa Week’s Spa & Wellness Challenge is really shining! With the sunny days ahead of us, we are happy to see people taking time to lather on the sunblock and protect their skin. The Skincare Team is taking proactive steps to great skin with Dr. Michelle Copeland. Dr. Copeland is leading the Skincare Team and she’s challenging her team to give their skin the love it deserves by wearing SPF everyday. Dr. Copeland urges that sun protection is the most important step you can take to improved skin. Skin is your largest organ so get to work!

Dr. Copeland’s Skincare Challenge:

Wear SPF every day

If you also want to get your skin ready for summer, it’s not too late to sign up! You can also join the Nutrition, Fitness or Yoga teams if those are more in tune with your wellness goals. (We won’t tell Dr. Copeland.)

So far it’s a close race, but there will only be four lucky winners of a $1,000 Spa & Wellness Gift Card by Spa Week, although everyone will win improved health and wellness as a consolation prize!

So far here are our favorite and top-voted submissions from The Skincare Team:

Maria: “I wear an SPF of at least 15 every day, no longer bake in the sun, and protect my skin by using appropriate skin care products!”

Whitney: “It was so easy to remember to wear SPF when I was on vacation in Mexico. Fingers crossed I can keep up in my daily routine.”