Have you heard of the Ice City of Harbin in China? It’s misspelled in the video below, but it’s still pretty magical. Happy #TravelTuesday.

Some people love gambling.

Some people gamble on love.

To do both of these things at once, your Valentine’s Day destination is clearly Las Vegas.

One of our Travel by Spa Week partners, LVH – Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, is doing up Valentine’s Day dinner at Casa Nicola and TJ’s Steakhouse with a special offer at either restaurant. Couples dining on February 14th will be treated to a complimentary champagne toast and chocolate truffles, PLUS a chance to win their Valentine’s Day Escape Drawing, which includes a one-night stay at the LVH with a special room amenity and dinner for two at Casa Nicola.

Which restaurant to choose? Let him pick (guys love to think they’re in control) between Casa Nicola, an authentic Italian restaurant boasting robust, flavorful (manly man) dishes, and TJ’s Steakhouse, a sexy, Rat Pack-esque restaurant with only the finest USDA beef hand-cut and broiled to perfection over an open mesquite flame (need I say more?). Guys love steak and Italian food (most likely) just as much as they love you.

Casa Nicola

TJ's Steakhouse

If you win the Valentine’s Escape Drawing, you and your man can enjoy all of the exciting goings-on at LVH during the month of March:

Watch the games: From March 15-18, the LVH Theater transforms into Hoops Central, where you can watch the best in college basketball battle it out on giant HD screens. They have over 1,500 seats, $2 beer/$2 hotdog specials and free t-shirts.

Catch a concert: The Isley Brothers (3/2-3) and Chicago (3/9-10) are rocking the LVH Theater only in March.

If you’re not in Vegas but looking to go, be sure to check out Spa Week’s exclusive 3- and 4-night packages at the LVH, which you can use for travel through March 2012.

So far (knock on wood) this year’s winter in New York City has been marvelously mild compared to years past. I am pretty sure Arizona has seen more snow than us. If you’re feeling a little snow-deprived this winter, a ski and spa trip to a lovely Vermont resort spa would definitely do the trick. (Michelle’s going up to Golden Eagle Resort this weekend!) To help prep you for the wintry wake-up call you’re sure to receive after leaving luke-warm NYC and arriving in blustery Vermont, I’ve found 6 winter travel accessory essentials that will make even the iciest of ice queens (like myself) enjoy putting on extra layers of long-johns and hitting the slopes.

1. Texting Gloves

Wizgloves Touchscreen and Texting Gloves are the best way to text your friends about the wicked fresh powder on the slopes without getting hypothermia. These gloves are compatible with touchscreen phones, iPad, eReaders and other touchscreen devices. Overtsock.com: $13.99

2. Fleece Rain Boot Liners

Convert your rain boots into cold-weather-repelling snow galoshes with Wellie Warmers from LL Bean: $16.96. It’s cheaper than buying another pair of boots and, added bonus, you can keep the fuzzy liners on as an extra pair of socks when you have to take your shoes off to through security at the airport!

3. Pajamas Warming Pouch

You won’t even be able to tell you’re in Vermont (are we in the Bahamas?) once you snuggle into heated pj’s with the Pajamas Warming Pouch.  This pouch has a thermal satin lining that retains heat up to 118º F for toasty warm pajamas in 10 minutes. The  pouch can heat anything from hats, towels (travel-friendly spa treatments anyone?), or gloves and folds to half its size for convenient storage. Hammacher Schlemmer: $39.95. Winter weather travel tip: The night before your departure, heat up your under layers (undies, camisole, etc) and get a good night’s sleep knowing you have toasty warm clothes to wake up to in the morning.

4. Heated Socks

The 12 Hour Heated Socks. Need I say more? Avoid cold tootsies on the plane, in the car, in the ski lodge and heck, even at work. These  battery-powered thermal socks have both a low and high setting for perfectly customize-able comfort.  Hammacher Schlemmer: $24.95. I’m not sure how these would fare in ski boots, but I’m sure they’d feel wonderful with a cup of coffee after a long spa treatment.

5. Heated Travel Mug Set

Speaking of coffee… The worst thing about a delectable, full-bodied cup of coffee is when it gets cold in your travel cup half way to the airport. Never again will your to-go-mug loose its warmth with this Heated Travel Mug Set from TravelProducts.com:$15.99. The set comes with two travel mugs and a car adapter. The stainless steel mugs hold their temperature for up to 8 hours after being unplugged. Winter weather travel tip: Fill one mug with coffee and one with a hearty soup — coffee and lunch on the go!

6. Waterproof Gadget Pouch

How happy will you be that you can now text in the snow (texting while skiing not recommended) without fear of dropping your phone in a drift and having to side-line it on rice for hours on end? So happy I’d bet! This Waterproof Pouch is perfect for protecting your personal electronics in and around snow, ice and water. It fits almost all smart phones, MP3 players and digital cameras and allows you to use your devise through the soft, see-through plastic surface.  TravelProducts.com: $7.95

Sand in my toes, frozen Piña Colada by my side, sun beating down on me in a tropical, exotic third world beach town: THIS is how I like my massages.

Welcome to Roatán, the largest bay island of Honduras, one of the beautiful ports of call on my festive holiday Caribbean cruise. Although a vacation destination, Roatán is quite impoverished in most parts of the island. Tourism is an important part of their economy, and part of that economy, as  I found out, consists of BEACH MASSAGES. You thought Spa Week massages for $50 were a good deal, BUT, if you’re willing to sacrifice quality, privacy, etiquette, sanitation and technique, the beach massages in Roatán are the way to go.

Before I tell you how my boyfriend scored an 8-handed massage for $8 (and I, thrilled and apparently ripped off with a 40-minute 2-handed massage for $20), take a look at some of the photos I snapped as we sailed the colorful, broken-down waterfront villages of Roatán:

After a day exploring the small island by van, boat and foot, our clan of ten ended up at Bananarama Dive beach. Within 30 seconds of stepping foot on the sand, I learned just how easy it is for anyone – perhaps the very same people who waved to us from their open-air homes – to become a “massage therapist” in Roatán. A local woman approached and asked if I’d like a “$10 for 20 minutes massage.” Faster than I could take off my flip flops, I said YES, PLEASE. I told my boyfriend Ray he should get one too, but the thought of some unknown, unprofessional local woman touching him with oil of indeterminate origin did not sound appealing to him at all. He politely declined.

On a bed sheet a few feet from the shoreline, I laid down and the massage began. Nothing mind-blowing or even methodical, but I was being pampered in the beautiful sunshine, and couldn’t have been more in my element! It was a few minutes into it when I heard another “massage therapist” trying to convince Ray to let her massage him. “No thanks,” he resisted. “I really have no cash anyway.” It was true – he only had $8 on him. Well, after some back and forth, “No, no, PLEASE no!” and “Yes, yes, yes, just one minute!” I heard silence.

When I looked up, this is what I saw:

Four women massaging my boyfriend, and 3 by-standing spectators. With no remote hint of technique, over loud conversation and some old man flirting with the girl in charge of Ray’s left leg, it was the opposite of a spa experience. And I was SO excited for him! EIGHT HANDS! That is like, the grand slam of massages! That doesn’t even exist in real life. I don’t care that it was the worst massage (of all the 3) he’s gotten in his life, it was still an 8-handed massage. In tropical paradise.

If you ask Ray he’ll tell you he hated every second of it, but I don’t know… he looks pretty darn relaxed for someone being “harassed,” “assaulted” and “honestly just being polite.” With only $1 per hand to offer for his 25 minute treatment, it was pound for pound the best massage deal anyone’s ever gotten.

There are beaches all over the world like Bananarama where anyone and their mother (literally) can turn themselves into “massage therapists” to make what for them is a LOT of money. I look at it as supporting the local economy! I dream to be able to support local economies all over the planet! Random beach massages may not get any sort of “Spa Week seal of approval,” but it’s one helluva way to get pampered on the cheap.

Photos by Michelle Joni Lapidos, except for the first one, via Bananaramadive.com

"I AM a boat!"

I’m on a boat! We’ve heard of some pretty unique spa experiences, but a historic floating hotel tops the list. We’re excited to welcome The Queen Mary ship to the Spa Week Gift Card Program! The ship was named after one of the Queens of Britain (can you guess which one?) and offers an experience like no other for spa go-ers. Step back into time when you board this fully restored historic 1930s cruise liner. The Queen Mary used to carry high-society elite passengers all over the world. But alas she had to lay down her anchors and retire. Now she is permanently docked in the harbor of sunny Long Beach, California. Let’s take a look at her in all her glory!

There are 314 rooms – 305 standard staterooms and 9 suites. No two rooms are alike as they each feature retro Art Deco inspired design and decor. Accommodations include 11 dining options – 3 signature restaurants, 4 casual eateries, and 4 bars. Proving there’s something for everybody – there is a main hall filled with over a dozen shops for you to browse.

And what ship would be complete without a spa? The Queen Mary Spa offers a wide range of  services and treatments. These include facials, massages, manicures, pedicures, waxing and chiropractic services. The ship also provides a beautiful backdrop, and weddings are permitted on board. Why not visit the spa for special occasion hair and make-up on your big day? You may use your Spa & Wellness Gift Card by Spa Week to enjoy these packages:

Princesses Royal Day of Beauty – Features a one hour massage, European Nobility Facial, Royal Body Polish, and Royal Bath. This three-hour spa body package is designed for the busy Princess looking for the finer things in life.

Queen For a Day – A five hour glamour experience, which includes a 1 1/2 hour massage, the European Nobility Facial, Royal Body Polish, the Queen’s Royal Bath, and special occasion make-up and hair up-do.

There are even spa packages for your prince!