#HotSpaMoms Party Hard! Hot Mom Spa Night Spr.12

April 6, 2012 | By

You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself.

The day-to-day of being a good mom requires sleep and it requires strength. It requires a clear head to break up sibling battles, to figure out dinner, to balance checkbooks and soccer schedules, and to make life-changing decisions for people whose lives depend on you.

It requires frequent momME time.

Motherhood requires spa.

Spa Martier Couples Room

This past Monday night, April 2nd, we gave NYC mamas ZERO excuses to put off momME time by hosting our 2nd biannual Hot Mom Spa Night at Spa Martier. (Talk about a Hot Mom Monday.) Top mom bloggers from our Hot Mom Spa Squad and beyond joined us for an evening to indulge and celebrate the upcoming week of $50 Spa Week treatments. Some had not been to the spa in years (yikes!!) and relished this time for themselves, vowing to pass along the message of health and wellness to every mom they know. Many even booked Spa Week appointments for themselves right then and there to ensure a momME time day was in their near future.

Our #HotSpaMoms have doubled in size and prowess since last Spa Week, and this party showed it! Let’s check it out. We’ve got more pictures on Facebook too.

Dr. Amir Sheibanie (with me above), the spa manager and skincare pro who recently took over Spa Martier, made sure every mom got pampered properly. Back massages by Karina were the talk of the night and Phytomer mud foot wraps gave everyone’s high-heeled tootsies a much-needed break. Francisco tousled and sculpted hair with this extremely intense, unblinking “hair face” (see below). Those cheekbones! That steady gaze! An artist at work, my friends.

With wine and cheese in their freshly blinged-out and massaged hands, our hot moms made some new friends, learned about skincare, and even did some dancing with the super-cute estheticians! They’ve got mooooooves.

The Spa Martier staff is not only talented when it comes to nails, hair, massage therapy and beautiful skin, they sure know how to throw a party. Wine flowed steadily and cubes of golden cheese were almost as rich as the 24kt Gold Facials they’re offering for Spa Week.

Everyone dropped their business cards in for a chance to win a $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Card, and at the end of the night we drew the winners: Congratulations to Rachel Ferrucci and Kimberly of Foodie City Mom scored themselves some extra spa lovin’!

We got a little silly with HASHTAGS… as in, hashtag HotSpaMoms… and it seemed totally cool (hot?) at the time.

Dr. Amir Sheibanie swooped in as the spa hero he is for one more shot!

And then we sent everyone home with Phytomer skincare goodies for continued hotness.

Team Spa Week thanks you for coming!

Thank you for joining us, hotties! We were joined by the #HotSpaMoms behind Sex Lies and Bacon, Love That Max & SELF Magazine, Staycation Mama, Lady & The Blog, Mommy’s Links, Mommy’s Mingle, Mommy Posh, The Posh Parent, Beamer Buzz and her blogger mom Rachel Ferrucci, Mommy Delicious, Primetime Parenting, Foodie City Mom, NYC Single Mom Reviews, Raising Three Savvy Ladies, Boyz Rule Our World, Beamer Buzz, My Two Cents Count,  and others.

Be sure to check out Spa Martier for Spa Week:

55 Min Rolling Stone Massage – USUALLY: $125, SPA WEEK: $50

60 Min 24 Karat Nano Platinum and Gold Facial by Cosme Proud – USUALLY: $175, SPA WEEK: $50
75 Min Calgel or Bio Sculpture Gel Manicure and Unlimited Art Design – USUALLY: $150, SPA WEEK: $50

But did you know… it’s not just a spa?

It’s an empire! Just above the underground spa is Caffé Martier serving sandwiches, salads, desserts and delicious dishes, and Martier Boutique, a high-end clothing and jewelry shop. They’ve got locations popping up all over the country, with a big presence in Miami. My jumpsuit is by Robert Rodriguez, courtesy of Martier Boutique. Thank you Bobby for dressing me moments before the party started. I needed that.

And very special thank you to our event photographer whose Twitter name I aptly created myself: @BEST_MOM_EVER. Love you mom! :)

Filed Under: Events, Hot Mom Spa Squad Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Whoah! That’s a LOT of Money You Can Save.

April 4, 2012 | By

Things you need to get rid of: Stress, pain, dry skin, dead skin, signs of aging, acne and bacne.

Things you need to keep: Your money.

Is your piggy bank looking not so plump? Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself. Spa Week’s mission since 2004 has been to spread the wellness lifestyle to the masses and make high-end spa treatments available to everyone. But how high end? As it turns out, the spas we partner with have the very same mission, which is why they go above and beyond to offer not just any old treatments, but the creme de la creme of their spa menus for just $50! From April 16-22 get the most bang for your buck and get some incredible spa treatments that deliver results as big as their original pricetag. Spa-cation, anyone? Go to spaweek.com to book a makeover that won’t overdraw your account.

Here’s a look at the kind of dollars you’ll be saving…

WAS $125, NOW $50: 50 Min The Instant Lift: A Non-Surgical Face Lift Verabella Skin Therapy, Beverly Hills, CA

WAS $135, NOW $50: 60 minute Aromatic Energy Massage, Hotel Valley Ho – VH Spa, Scottsdale, AZ

WAS $150, NOW $50: 75 Min Calgel or Bio Sculpture Gel Manicure and Unlimited Art Design, Spa Martier, New York, NY

WAS $150, NOW $50: 75 Min Oxygen Facial, Red and White Spa, New York, NY

WAS $150, NOW $50: 50 Min Asian Healing Massage, Reliquary Water Sanctuary & Spa, Las Vegas, NV

WAS $160, NOW $50: 90 Min Sudatonic Infrared Weightloss Wrap, Wrapped in Wellness in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, TX

WAS $199, NOW $50: 3-5 Shades Whiter LED Professional Teeth Whitening, Skin Spa Austin Lounge, Austin, TX

WAS $200, NOW $50: 50 Min Arasys Slimming Treatment, Adara Spa, Boston, MA

WAS $200, NOW $50: 60 Min Tone Up, Lymphatic Drainage, Muscle Toning and Skin Tightening, Joanna Vargas Salon, Skin Care Sanctuary, New York NY

WAS $300, NOW $50: 50 Min Alpha Beta® Peel with LED Light Therapy, Dennis Gross MD Dermatology, New York, NY

WAS $450, NOW $50: Zerona (Lose up to 6 inches in 2 weeks) Skin Solutions Laser Spa, Staten Island, NY

WAS $525, NOW $50: IPL Treatment, choice of Photo Rejuvenation, Skin Tightening or Hair Removal of the Underarms, Lip, Chin, Sides, Upper Back, Shoulder or Lower Back, Vida Emanuel European Day Spa, Beverly Hills, CA

Instead of one treatment, book NINE! And hopefully your Spa Week will look a bit like this:

Filed Under: Spa Week Event, Spas Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wellness Gone Wild! The Spa Week Spring 2012 Video

March 16, 2012 | By

From perming my lashes to cleansing my colon, it’s safe to say I’m a spa addict. Have you watched the official Spa Week Spring 2012 video yet? Wellness has officially gone wild:

A trip to the spa is always an adventure – especially with a camera in hand. Okay, Michelle: don’t let the camera get under the Vichy shower… keep your hand steady even though this is the best scalp massage of your life… oh no, move the tripod a little more left because your butt is most definitely showing. I may not be entirely relaxed and zenned out on my many filming escapades, but I’m definitely still enjoying myself and reaping all the benefits of each therapy.

YOU, on the other hand, have only one thing to think about during your Spa Week adventure April 16-22: YOU. Your health, your bliss, your moment. Spend an extra half hour reading VOGUE in the relaxation room, tell your massage therapist HARDER if you want it, and learn about skincare from your esthetician, even if you can’t understand half of what she’s saying.

This season I had a full Saturday of beauty at Spa Martier, where Yuki, my favorite nail artist in NYC, created a glittery manicure masterpiece while Murad gave me a gorgeous blowout after delivering THE greatest hair wash/scalp massage of my LIFE. I discovered how much I never knew I wanted a lash perm at Skintology (home of vacation-like tropical walls). Mascara shows up so much better now! I downward-dogged with Stephanie Eris, the mind-body manager at Exhale Spa and she taught me the nuances of achieving the best upward dog possible, and at Perfect Spa I learned that freshly shredded apple makes for an extremely natural scrub – and that Vichy showers are really difficult to film by yourself. Bunya Citi Spa Thai’d me up in a dynamic mixed-modality massage then purified every last pore on my face, including that sweet spa rave.  Completely Bare lasered off my unwanted bikini hair, and Laser Cosmetica lit up my face with a photo facial to smooth out unwanted redness. Andddddd I pooped again.

Book your $50 appointments, and get ready to turn OFF your phones – unless you feel compelled to Instagram it all like I did…

Filed Under: Spa Treatments, Spa Week Event, Spas Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spa Week Media Party Recap – Fall 2011

October 13, 2011 | By

As Spa Week continues to grow, our biannual parties for the media have no choice but to follow suit. And THAT is a good thing. Last week on October 5th, we held our Spa Week Media Party at The Altman Building, a space double the size of last year’s party! We welcomed 400 of our closest friends like we were Kim Kardashian. It’s our favorite night of the season, and we were truly touched at everyone who came out to celebrate the week of #50dollartreatments, and to thank them, we touched them back. Touches in the form of massages, acupuncture, hair, makeup and more, and from what we understand, it was a good time had by all. Everyone in the business from TV producers and radio personalities to magazine editors and top bloggers, even weather men came out to celebrate Spa Week!

Now take my hand and come with me – let’s a take a tour of the par-tay:

First, a stop at the Carefree Refresh Lounge.

Pink was in the air as the Carefree girls welcomed guests to sit and relax, or learn some new stretches you can do at your desk. In the spirit of feeling fresh, guests learned about their new super-absorbent Acti-Fresh liners, great for busy women on the go. Enter the Carefree $1000 refresh sweepstakes.

Now, the hair. If you see party girls in pretty curls, it’s because Ouidad, “the curl experts” were styling ringlets all night long. They took to locks with curling irons, and also did one-on-one consultations (plus sampling!) on how to embrace your curls, waves and kinks with their amazing products for curly hair. Enter the Ouidad sweepstakes.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics glammed out our guests with mini makeovers by Pauline Youngblood and her skilled artists. They introduced their new fall product, Incredible Wear Gel Liner. And when it comes to making a statement, according to Ms. Youngblood herself,  it’s all about bold lips for fall, ladies. Enter to win $500 worth of their all-natural makeup products.



Dole passed out samples of their Real Fruit Bites (which we are addicted to here in the office) and their oxygen bar offered fresh O2 in the flavors of their hearty, good-for-you snacks:  Mango, Apple and Pineapple. Enter Dole’s Fall Bliss sweepstakes.


Vdara Hotel & Spa, a non-smoking, non-gaming destination oasis, gave away a Vegas vacation to one of our lucky guests. (Not yet announced – hang tight!) But you didn’t miss a thing here, because we’re giving away a 3-night Vdara getaway with penthouse suite, spa treatments and limo for YOU too.

American Laser Skincare taught guests about how to obtain beauty through technology, such as photo facials, skin tightening and Velashape, and conducted onsite skincare analyses. Enter to win their Back to Beauty sweepstakes.

BREAK! Let’s grab a bite and go for a dip in the infamous Spa Week chocolate fountain.

Spa Chicks On The Go, our go-to girls for pop-up party high-quality spa treatments, did eyebrow shaping.

Red Door Spa pampered guests with small tastes of their coveted $50 Spa Week treatments.

Spa Martier flexed their nail art skills with Yukie, who co-owns both Martier in NYC and her nail school in Tokyo. Check out the p-p-p-poker hand manicure by Yukie and her team.

For the first time in Spa Week Media Party history, Village Wellness Project brought acupuncture to the scene. Guests, and many for the first time, experienced the power of the needle that’s been healing folks for thousands of years. Cupping is fun too!

LifeSpa, that brilliant spa located in LifeTime Fitness centers nationwide that’s offering 2 hours of free childcare with your Spa Week treatment, massaged all the kinks out.

The Bobby Berk Home Lounge provided a refuge from the, uh, refuge of the Spa Week Media Party. Using his modern, high-quality furniture and designs, Bobby created a large homey space, carpeted with statement-making Plank Yoga Mats.

Doreen Hing, owner and designer of Plank Yoga Mats at left, next to Bobby Berk himself, with Michelle and Bobby Berk’s crew.

La piece de resistence: Last season we had a Spa Week ice  sculpture… this season we upped it to a full-on Spa Week ice bar and luge! It kept Seagrams Smooth chilled all night, even with all those cameras flashing.

Cocktails by Given Liquor and Reve Vodka kept the crowd buzzed and feeling beautiful.

Guests also sipped on Honest Tea and Hint Water as a refreshing alternative to alcoholic beverages.

And of course, those famous goodie bags of ours. We hear they were really worth the weight. Literally. Wendy of Nitrolicious weighed hers and it was 15 pounds! You’re welcome. (Full post on the contents of these coveted bags coming soon.)

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate! We were thrilled to have guests from: ABC, CBS 2 News, Access Hollywood, EXTRA, Fox & Friends, Fox 5 News, Good Day New York, Good Morning America, HBO – Creative Services, Inside Edition, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, News 12, NY1 News,  PBS, The Early Show, The Martha Stewart Show, The TODAY Show, Z100 Morning Zoo, American Spa Magazine, BizBashMedia, BUST Magazine, CITY Magazine, Essence Magazine, Family Circle Magazine, Fitness Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine, HGTV Magazine, Men’s Journal, Metro New York, Metrosource Magazine, MVP | NY, Next Magazine, OK! Magazine, Parents Magazine, People Magazine, Shape Magazine, Style 1 Media, The Daily Buzz, The Daily Mail, The Atlanta Post, The Huffington Post, New York Post, Town & Country Magazine, Travelocity, US Weekly, Women’s Health Magazine, Zink Magazine, TheFrisky.com, Lifescript.com, GuestofaGuest.com, TheLuxurySpot.com, FashionIndie.com, Examiner.com, SociallySuperlative.com,  Eye4Style.com, MommysLinks.com, GreenBeautyTeam.com, Nitrolicious.com, PageDaily.com, LadyAndTheBlog.com, KittenLounge, JohnSimonDaily.com, LoveThatMax.com MakeupLovesMe.com, KittyBradshaw.com, PrettyConnected.com, Second City Style, StyleITonline.com, Glamazon Diaries and so many more.

samantha lim, katrina mitzeliotis, mcarthur joseph, michelle joni lapidos

Photos by Tanya Isaeva, and also by Sunny Norton of Guest of a Guest.

To see more photos of the party, check out the album on our Facebook page or the coverage on Guest of a Guest.

Filed Under: Events, Spa Treatments, Spa Week Event, Spas Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

P-P-P-Poker Hand Manicure

September 16, 2011 | By

The only thing better than all aces in your poker hand… is all aces on your poker hands.

I’d like you to meet Yukie Natori, co-owner of Spa Martier in NYC, who spends half her time here, and the other half on the other half of the world, teaching at her very own Empire New York Nail School of Tokyo. At their popular nail and spa destination in Midtown East (this is home of the 24K Gold Facial) Yukie oversees a team of 3 nail technicians who can execute just about any nail design imaginable.

At our FashionIndie/Spa Week Break Room party on Monday, we were lucky to have Yukie and one of her assistants creating artistic masterpieces on our overworked fingertips. Some guests went for Chanel or Dior polish (Martier only uses the finest), some opted for some of the patterned gel designs, and I decided to take a gamble. I wanted Poker Hands.

This was no quickie 20 minute mani. My Poker Hands took both Yukie AND her teammate over an hour to complete the manicure. They used long-lasting gel polish by Bio Sculpter, known as Cal Gel for short. Martier also offers Shellac.

The manicure was done in many layers of color, art, glitter and crystals. In between each step I dried that particular nail under the UV light for about 10 seconds.

Ready for my closeups!

blackjack nail art

This manicure in no way matches the yellow flowery dress I’m wearing to my friend’s wedding tomorrow, but I’m committed for 3 weeks. Committed to unchanging poker hands… and all the compliments that come with it.

Nail art at Spa Martier ranges from $80 – $130.

Visit Spa Martier for Spa Week! For $50 they’re offering…

  • 55 Min Rolling Stone Massage
  • 55 Min 24k Gold and Amber Facial
  • Shellac Gel Manicure and Pedicure

Spa Martier
1012 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10022
646.781.9758

Filed Under: Beauty & Style Tagged With: , , , , , , ,