It burns calories and loses weight for you. It helps people with chronic pain, injury, arthritis, fiber mialga and even cancer. It reduces acne, scarring, discoloration and cellulite. It turns up your libido. It cures hangovers. Equipped with NASA technology and LED lights, it’s called The Pod – a spa machine that seems to have traveled through time, landing UFO-style on 59th and Madison in NYC just a few months ago, for those who need it most.

Let me first introduce you to the “Pod Guru” Amalia “Amy” de Mier who owns and operates The Pod Spa, a one-podded room located in the sleek and modern Office of Integrated Medicine.  She has not worked out in 3 years, yet has defined muscles and tight abs courtesy of The Pod. Amy showed me scars that have diminished thanks to the Pod, although she’s been podding less as of lately, because she is actively trying to gain weight so that she can do a fat grafting from her stomach into her butt. “I’m Brazilian, but right now you would never know it.” Amy recently moved her business from Florida to New Jersey and now to New York in hopes to get her Pod noticed in a grandiose way.

Amy is a character for sure, filled with undying passion for the Pod way of life and the way she has been able to help others with it over the years. She’s one of the sole distributors of The Pod nationwide—you can find them at Planet Beach locations among others as DIY spa treatments. But Amalia is a very smart and highly creative woman - hers is the only location that provides one-on-one service while in the Pod, making it not just a manually operated slim-down or healing session, but a full, head-to-toe spa experience.

As you’ll see in the video, I left a pretty happy camper. What you don’t get in the 5 minute clip (taken on my iPhone) is that this was a full hour and a half spa treatment with an array of lotions and scrubs and fat-burners applied, in between which I was left to doze off in a state of deep Podding relaxation. There was also a collagen lip and eye treatment (above left), a CO2 mask (right), an oxygen facial, and Amy also gave me oxygen in a tube to breathe, which heightens alertness, boosts energy, promotes healing and is vital to your immune system. Now how often do you get that in a spa treatment!

In the video you’ll hear all about the benefits, but if you’re like me and thinking it sounds a like a gimmick and too good to be true, ladies and gentlemen, The Pod Guru’s testimonials speak for themselves. Her clients are loyal and ever-grateful for the way she’s helped them lose weight, get their libido back, clear acne, heal from injury faster than doctors thought possible, and overcome various disabilities. Read these below, in all their unedited glory:

I have to say I was a little skeptical at first. My lower back was killing me. I had 3 sessions in the Pod. I must say it took my back pain away. I felt more energy the entire day. my body felt energized!!!!! I would recommend the Pod to any person with nagging injuries. Oh did I mention it also helps you lose weight. – Bobby Gator

First let me say that i am a personal trainer for over 20 yrs. A couple of years back I was preparing for a bodybuilding competition and was trying extremely hard to expell some water i was holding in my lower back . i had tried everything extra cardio suanas and steam room and even wrapping my midsection in saran wrap at bed time. just 3 weeks out from my show a friend recommended i try a place called the pod spa. I was skeptical to say the least. much to my surprise the pod sucked that water right out in only a few sessions and even tightened up some lose skin i had in my abdomen which at the age of 44 i thought was impossible to do. amazingly that was just the tip of the iceberg I was recovering faster from my workouts and my body was going longer and longer into my training sessions without running out of gas and building up lactic acid . I 100% recommend the POD SPA and its POD MASTER or as i call them my secret weapon.  - EDDIE RODRIGUEZ-NSCA-CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER/ 2011 NGA MR.GARDEN STATE MASTERS CHAMPION

Amy, my session was amazing.!!!!!.. I still feel like I am walking on a cloud!! One of the side effects of My particular Chemo was the light numbness of hand and feet, insomnia, water retention, poor circulation,.etc. You made me feels my hands again… and took away all my discomfort that I have been dealing with for almost 4 years. You saved me a lot of money,wasteful visits, aggravation going to all these doctors to see no absolutely NO results. I Really cant get over it!! OMG – and my facial-wow…. I feel & look like I had botox .(without any needles of course)..My skin feels silky smooth..I slept really well and no back aches.,lost 1 lb. Feel rejuvenated. I especially love the fact that I am getting rid of all those deadly toxins out of my body from all that Chemotherapy! I will be seeing you tomorrow & Thursday!!I am hooked!! – Roxy Fales!

Amy – I feel fabulous! I had my first session today and I have so much energy….I have not stopped since I got home and am still going. My facial was fabulous. I cannot believe I dropped 2 1/2 lbs in such a short time frame and I can’t wait to come back for more! The POD party was great! Good friends, good conversations, and PODDING, what more can one ask for? – Marisol De La Paz.

I have been to 5 sessions at The Pod and when I first went I was in terrible shape, my back had been hurting me and I wasn’t able to walk. After just 3 sessions I was walking straight and was able to go back to work. I have a skin disorder and my skin has cleared up 100%, I also noticed that I had more energy and slept better. ***** Carlo Oropesa

Read more on her website and on The Pod Spa’s Facebook page.

Treatments range in price depending on what services you’d like to include, and how long you want your treatment to be.

SPA WEEK DAILY DEAL: Mention this blog post, and Amalia will give you DOUBLE the podding if you use a Spa Week Gift Card. So, you can get $100 of podding with a $50 gift card. I recommend it, truly!

Fashion is an extension of self, but what of that “self” underneath? Your skin, your muscles, your energy, your balance and your body as a whole? Spa and fashion interplay every single day: You style yourself with the handbags, jeans, anti-aging serums and body scents that give you confidence. Your passion for great skin and style alike are reflected in your everyday choices and appearance. Your deep yearning for the latest It-Shoe is not too dissimilar from your desire for an indulgent deep tissue massage at the hottest new spa in town. And may I ask… where did you get that goddamn gorgeous glow?

The idea came to me about a month ago to partner with fashion bloggers for spa fashion shoots; it spawned from my daily Google-image searching  for “facial” and “hot stone massage”—was there no creativity out there? Does everything spa have to be so similar? And suddenly I felt all fingers pointing back at me; if I’m indeed the editor of the biggest spa blog (in the world?), not to mention the founder and once-editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, is it not my job to change the status quo? Mission: realized.

I tapped the fashionable duo Abigail Breslin and Emily Bache of LovelyWanderlust.com to kick things off with a spicy spa photo story—these girls are a total trip. They blog together, live together in a one-bedroom (with their photographer/graphic designer/sidekick Scott), they style and model in campaigns for clients together, and they’ve been sharing a closet since eighth grade when they lived across the street from each other.

I chose the decadently decorated Spa Martier (of 24K Gold Facial fame) as the Wanderlust photo shoot location. The spa not only has a full salon for hair, nails and makeup, it also just so happens to be conveniently tucked underneath Caffé Martier for your spa day appetite, and Martier Boutique, a high-end fashion destination with all the gorgeous clothing, accessories and jewelery a stylist could ever want.

WanderLust photography: Scott Kosiorek
Models: Emily Bache and Abigail Breslin of LovelyWanderlust.com (wander over to their Facebook page too)
Styling, Creative Direction: Michelle Joni Lapidos (Spa Week Daily) with Emily Bache and Abigail Breslin

Location, hair, makeup and nails: Spa Martier
Chocolate Mousse mugs: Caffé Martier
All clothing, jewelry and accessories (except sunglasses): Martier Boutique
All jewelry is 24 Karat Gold by Mediterra

Sauna:
Romper by Alexis
Dress by Ra Mana La Rue
Shoes by Sergio Zelce

Massage:
Shoes by Sergio Zelce

Pedicure:
Belts by Motif
Shoes by Sergio Zelce

Couch/Relaxation Area:
Dresses by Alexis
Shoes by Velvet Angels

Day 3 of Spa Week, who’s ready for a boost of vitamins?

At Noon EST I’m going to be getting the 60 minute Vitamin Boosting Facial with Susu at Soluna Skincare, one of their $50 treatments this week, and you are invited to watch on today’s Live Spa TV epidosde. My good friend Bryce Gruber of The Luxury Spot previewed this facial and loved it. I can’t wait to get blueberries put on my face and look like a spa ghost too, followed by some great glowing skin.

Soluna Skincare’s philosophy is simple, old fashioned and holistic based, and their goal is for you to achieve radiant skin, vibrancy and well-being. Let’s see if that’s possible for me in the midst of our busiest week ever. Tune in at noon for your some A, C and E in your daily dose of video vitamins.

Post Vita Facial Update:

I’m glowing. Susu has been doing facials since her grandmother taught her everything she knew about natural skin care when she was a teenager, and this made her the go-to girl for every acne-ridden teen in town. Today, she heated up my face then cooled it down with a mix of tingling, soothing and revitalizing serums, masks, creams and techniques. After the first step it felt and looked like I’d been laying in the sun all day or just came back from a workout—totally flushed. And that was the plan, serving as the precursor to the next steps, which infused the goodness of fruit extracts and vitamins into my skin. Once the blood was brought to the surface, the products were able to act more efficiently, which is what makes her treatment so effective.

As the final mask settled, Susu delighted me with a 10-15 minute massage on my arms, neck, shoulders, upper back and scalp. You can always tell when your esthetician is also a masseuse, and this was most certainly the case here. I recommend Susu for her thorough treatments and extremely vast knowledge on the subject of skincare. Chat her up! She is delightful, and I learned a lot of interesting things during our hour long session.

One major skincare tip Susu stressed was: Don’t forget about your neck. Treat it like you treat your face—cleansing, toner, moisturizer, the whole nine, otherwise it will show signs of aging before your face does.

Check out the live recording here:

About the product line: Eminence Organic Skincare is crafted using several generations of herbalist knowledge to treat various skin conditions, and contains advanced active anti-aging treatments. Fresh herbs and fruits are still hand picked and hand mixed in small batches and combined with thermal hot spring water to create products that retain their natural potencies to heal and smooth the skin.

Soluna Skincare
22 East 21st Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10010
646.441.1912

$50 Spa Week Treatments (It’s not too late to book… call Susu now!)

• 60 Min Therapeutic Aroma Massage with Custom Blended Essential Oils Geared Toward Creating Balance within the Body
• 60 Min Vitamin Boosting Facial
• 60 Min Back Cleansing Facial with Extractions

If you live relatively close to New York and have a penchant for tennis, squash, cool massages and/or divine views of our pretty city skyline, CityView Racquet Club in Long Island City, NY is your new spa spot.

Step into the sprawling 80,000 square foot, prestigious, members-only sports club, an easy 10 minutes from the city by train, and feel the vibrant energy ricochet off the walls and envelop you upstairs in the CityView Spa.

Now, there was a time I thought I didn’t like people walking all over me. Turns out, I love it. I experienced Ashiatsu for the very first time—and the more appropriate term to walking would be gliding. It was the spa’s 60 Min Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, which uses the therapists’ weight and bare feet to deliver deep compression and gliding strokes to your entire body. The smooth flat surface of the foot is able to produce a consistent and firm pressure without the sharpness of, say, a finger or elbow. The feet glide over warm oil and penetrate deep into your muscles in a different way than any other massage does. Watch the video:

Recognized as one of the top instructors and innovative pioneers in the massage industry, Ruthie Piper Hardee developed Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy® in 1995, and it was trademarked 3 years later. Why did she invent it? Ruthie had scoliosis (like me!)— she was always hunching over clients and using her hands to massage, and it became taxing on her bad back. She and her team developed specific therapeutic techniques and a DeepFeet training program, and sure enough, massage therapists around the country became trained to use their feet as their modern massage instruments.

Members and non-members alike have access the CityView Spa, which offers a wide variety of treatments designed with the athlete in mind, and during Spa Week they are offering Ashiatsu as well as a Swedish Massage in their $50 treatment offerings.

I suggest you leave yourself a few hours to enjoy the facilities; anyone who uses the spa has access to the sauna and steam room, and additional access to fitness equipment is included with your Spa Week treatment. Bring a friend and play a few rounds of tennis or squash—it’s $24-$36/person/hour depending upon singles play, doubles play, peak and off peak time. Book in advance, because this is the most premier racquet sports club in the New York metropolitan area—seriously, all the other nearby contenders are now shut down.

Depending on what time it is (or what mood you’re in) when you’re done with your sporty spa day, get a refreshing juice and salad from the juice bar, or opt for a stiff cocktail at the upstairs lounge with one of their healthy-ish meal options. I had the grilled salmon with veggies and the hand cut sweet potato fries over a few glasses of wine, and my day was deliciously complete. I was so relaxed that I didn’t even want to go back into the city… and that’s saying a lot!

CityView Spa
43-34 32 Pl Penthouse
Long Island City, NY 11101
718.389.6252

Spa Week $50 Treatments:

• 60 Min Swedish Massage-Soothing Massage Promoting Rest and Relaxation + Additional Access to Fitness Equipment
• 60 Min Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy-Therapists’ Weight and Barefeet Deliver Deep Compression and Gliding Strokes + Additional Access to Fitness Equipment

Ask about their special Spring Spa Week perks, many of which I mentioned above.

Ashiatsu image via bodyworkbydesign.com

Perhaps this blog post is part of a self-fulfilling prophesy, but I’m telling you… the 24 Karat Gold Facial at Spa Martier in New York City will be the first $50 Treatment to completely book up for Spa Week when booking starts on Monday.

Why?

I visited the chic Manhattan spa (located underneath the lust-worthy Martier clothing boutique) last Friday, one of the exclusive spas across the country to offer 24kt gold treatments, and my initial thoughts were exactly what you’re thinking: A pure 24 karats of gold on my face? Gimmick! Well… as it turns out: Not so.

Here’s why it works: The chemical properties of gold happen to complement human skin quite perfectly: The negative ion from pure gold is on the same wavelength as that of a bioelectric current, and most skin problems are due to a bioelectric current imbalance, bad blood circulation and build-up of waste in the body.

24kt gold is extremely soft and malleable in its pure gold foil form, which makes for a smooth application. It’s hydrating, removes impurities, improves elasticity and promotes blood circulation.  Applying pure gold’s negative ion to skin rejuvenates the cell structure, stimulates metabolism and improves the natural healing process.

All this chemistry talk melts down to one thing: I left the spa with a beautiful golden glow, it visibly evened out my skin tone a great deal, and a week later I can still see and feel the effects.

The facial did not include extractions or many of the traditional steps of a facial, but as though a 24kt gold mask wasn’t enough, they used a serum with gold flakes in it. I jokingly asked, “24kt Gold, that’s all you got?”

“Actually no…” and then they applied the finishing moisturizer: made with platinum.

They are only taking a limited number of $50 Spa Week appointments, and this facial costs $250 when it’s not Spa Week. So if you’re in New York and want to get your gold glow on April 11-17, I suggest you call and book it first thing Monday morning when the $50 Spa Week Directory goes live!

Spa Martier
1012 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10022
646.781.9758