The Sheva Royal Thai Spa concept originated at The Hilton Hotel In Tel Aviv by owner Naomi Hurvitz who had a vision of bringing authentic Thai spa culture to Israel. Born in Thailand herself Naomi envisioned the Thai Spa methods of healing the mind and body through holistic treatments. The spa in NYC is an express model where a busy New Yorker can pop in on his/her lunch hour and get a 5 star express treatment that will leave them feeling refreshed and revitalized.
The decor and color scheme is authentic Thai and the staff is trained by Naomi’s team to provide customers a first class experience in a short period of time. On the menu is a full list of customized foot treatments using top shelf products as well as a sleep mask and an iPod shuffle for total relaxation.
Every chair has a heated shiatsu massage pillow designed by Zarin Home and the future plan is to offer consumers the ability to purchase these pillows for home use. A variety of manicure options are available and there is currently a room in the spa devoted to full body massages that must be booked in advance.
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The spa offers monthly memberships for unlimited foot treatments and nail services. For more info call (646) 838-1121 or visit http://www.shevaspany.com 500 Lexington Ave between 47th & 48th st.
April 2016 was historic in the cruising industry for several reasons including a finalization of a cruise ship, The Adonia ,to be the first cruise ship sailing out of a US port to dock in Cuba. However, In mid- April we were fortunate to be part of a group of journalists to be invited to sail on a week long inaugural cruise to Amber Cove, a $85 million dollar port built by Carnival Cruise lines, the parent company of Fathom Impact Travel and to experience a different type of travel that will socially and financially impact the local communities in Puerto Plata, on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic.
The Brainchild behind this vision is Entrepeneur Tara Russell along with support from Donald Arnold, CEO of Carnival Corporation and plc., and a team of devoted personnel who plan on adding a social and environmental aspect to the cruising industry. With over 20 years in the public and private sector , Tara understands that in today’s global climate, giving back and making a difference is crucial and that the billion dollar cruise line industry needs to partake.
The Adonia is a 740 passenger cruise ship acquired by Carnival from Renaissance Cruises and has recently sailed as part of the UK P & O group. Having gone into dry dock and refurbished, this vessel is designed for cultural immersion travel with many locations on board for meetings, classes, discussions, and a few salsa and merengue classes as well. For trips to the Dominican Republic, a Dominican chef was hired to create a menu with regional dishes to accentuate the experience and the same will be done on the Cuba cruises. Regional cocktails like the Cuba Libre, my favorite, and the Mojito are prepared by the friendly bartenders on board. A note to Carnival, a beverage plan like the ones available on your other ships would help us enjoy many of these specialties at an affordable rate. Cabins are comfortable, pretty spacious and are based on double occupancy. Some can accommodate a third guest and are either inside, outside or featuring a balcony. A few suites are available as well.
The Adonia sails from The Port of Miami and spends one full day at sea, allowing passengers to enjoy regular cruise ship amenities , but the schedule is jam packed with many immersion and learning activities to prepare for the days ahead in port. Amber Cove, alone is a destination in itself and serves as a perfect jumping point to the Social Impact activities. With a huge resort style pool complete with waterslides, a swim-up bar, luxury cabanas that can be rented for the day, and many retail shops it is a great place to unwind after a day spent in the local communities of Puerto Plata.
Some of the Social Impact activities include teaching English to the families in the surrounding towns, Reforestation and visiting a local Cocoa Coop, where along with the local women chocolate is made and wrapped and put out for sale. These social impact activities are vital to the economic development and self sufficiency of the local people. Families are encouraged to bring children along on this cruise, because as I witnessed personally with my colleague’s daughter she got as much education and a genuine respect for giving back as the families she read English to! Snorkeling and Beach excursions are available at an additional cost.
For more info on Fathom Impact Travel and to Book your cruise visit http://www.fathom.org #TravelDeep
The Iluminage Precise Touch is a compact professional at home hair reduction system that with new technology and equipped with 150,000 flashes can help permanently reduce unwanted facial and body at a fraction of the cost of going to a professional spa. Unlike predecessors and other competitors on the market this device has proven effective on a much wider range of hair colors including blonde and red tones. With all my other devices that I have tried, dark hair was pretty much the norm for them to work.
The precise touch is meant to be used once a week for 7 weeks and then maintenance is required monthly or can be adjusted depending on hair type and strength. Clinical results show a 94% hair reduction in 7 weeks and 46% after just 2 treatments. (more…)
This Weekend the Makeup Show returns to NYC with over 75 brands including brand new product launches from top brands including Nars, Smashbox, MAKE UP FOR EVER, and Obsessive Compulsive. Iconic Photographer Mick Rock as well as top makeup artists and industry leaders are set to take the stage to discuss the newest trends and the latest news in the beauty industry.
This year the Makeup Show is debuting The Makeup Show Icon Gallery, featuring work from two industry leaders: Dany Sanz and Linda Mason.
HTC has finally moved into the same category as The Samsung G7, Samsung Galaxy Edge 7 and the LG5 with the arrival of the HTC 10 Flagship Smartphone. Struggling for years to come out with models that can compete with the other top of the line smartphones, the HTC 10 offers features that rise above the competition with extended battery life, a great camera, and user friendly features.
The all aluminum design and composition that is curved for easier handling and maneuverability feels thinner than it actually is and the glass front along with a fingerprint scanner on the home button, comparable with the S7 Edge, makes the HTC 10 look sleek and stylish. Equipped with a selfie camera , 5.2 inch HD LCD Screen, a 12 mega pixel, ultra pixel camera, and 32GB of memory along with room for a 200gb microSD card this smartphone has qualities that rival the leaders.
The HTC 10 uses Qualcomm’s newest processor, The Snapdragon 820, which makes gaming, multi faceted app use, and video streaming simple to use. The battery on the HTC is expected to last 2 days with standard use and includes a 3.0 enabled Rapid charger that will charge the device up to 50 percent in 30 minutes.
The HTC 10 will come factory unlocked and available for Tmobile and AT&T and will be priced at $699
Natsumi Tapas merges Italian and Japanese cuisine with dozens of small plates from hot to cold like sashimi rolls, a spicy tuna caviar flatbread, seared salmon toro don with caviar and avocado and heartier dishes like the ciao meatballs and the short ribs. Surprisingly similar in textures and ingredients these cuisines fuse quite well and the results are delicious. Haru owner Barbara Matsumura created this concept in her desire to expand the traditional flavors of Japanese cuisine. Natsumi Tapas 323 Third Avenue (212) 889-2182
Saffron On The Upper West Side (320 Columbus Ave (212) 724-6363) is an authentic family friendly Indian Restaurant within walking distance of Lincoln Center and The Museum of Natural History. The chef incorporates spices, herbs, and exotic fuits to create traditional Indian dishes with a twist. The Sunday Brunch offers a huge selection and is priced around $15 bucks.
Alfredo 100 took over the space of Bice at 7 east 54th street. (212) 688-1999 Owner Russell Bellanca, formerly of Alfredo of Rome, relocated his Al Hirschfeld lithographs to the new space and will once again focuses on the generous portions of hearty pasta dishes such as their famous fettuccine alfredo and our favorite, the whole lobster with linguini in a spicy marinara sauce. The wine list is extensive and the lounge area has a nice vibe.
Frankie & Johnny opened up their new location recently at 320 west 46th st. (212) 997-9494. The bi-level 140 seat restaurant with a private dining room and an expansive bar houses their historic photo and poster collection of celebrities who used to frequent the restaurant. The menu is traditional steakhouse with a few Eastern European flavors like potato pancakes and calves liver with sautéed onions. The Ribeye that was perfectly cooked was our favorite! Top shelf spirits and a large wine list make this restaurant a favorite especially for theatre goers with a 3 course $30 pre-fixe menu.
Photos by Noah Fecks:
Salma Hayek originally partnered with CVS in 2011 to launch a Body, Skincare, and Makeup line. However, last month Salma revamped her entire collection and changed up the formulas to be more botanical and includes ingredients found in ancient beauty secrets by women all over the world.
A big believer in science and chemistry Salma is very involved in the formulations of her collection and is quite a perfectionist when it comes to rolling out a line of products. Being on the red carpet for a large portion of her life she has experienced every product and has learned what works on certain skin types and what doesn’t.
Every product in the makeup collection is under $20 but maintains quality ingredients and pigments. The Flawless finish liquid foundation ($14) is creamy and light and is easy to apply and I found the shades to be easily blendable. The Naturally Luminous Concealer ($12) is light and doesn’t cake up when applied under the eyes and the shades complement the shades of the foundation.
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In the 1960’s and 1970’s The Mount Airy Lodge was the epitome of cool with a huge year round resort known to be “The honeymoon getaway” with first class entertainment with the likes of Bob Hope and Milton Berle and many more.
Like every destination it is difficult to keep that hype alive so when the 1980’s saw an economic downturn and East Coasters discovered other weekend destinations such as The Hamptons and weekend getaways to Las Vegas and beyond ,Mount Airy lost its stride and officially closed in 2001. in 2004 developer Louis DeNaples realized the huge potential of this huge and beautiful piece of land so his company tore down the aging property and rebuilt The Mount Airy Casino in 2007.
Throughout the last few years and a total redesign of the rooms, outdoor spaces, and the opening of the indoor/outdoor pool and entertainment center called “Get Wet” a new era was born in the Poconos that brings in a younger and trendier demographic to the region without losing it’s appeal to the customer base that made Mount Airy what is is today.
Last month BARNEYS reopened in their original 1923 location at 101 7th avenue and 16th street. Coming full circle with a new look and sleek design they had their Grand Opening Party last week. The Flagship store celebrated with A leather jacket charity auction through Christies Auction House to Benefit The LGBT Center in NYC @LGBTCenterNYC http://bit.ly/21G6oey @christiesinc
You can bid on these one of a kind jackets through March 22nd.
Eric Javits previewed his Fall/Winter Collection to editors last week and it was a beautiful display of elegant hats in rich colors and textures as well as detailed embroidery from India. Studded handbags in metallics, rich greens and purples are a trend we are seeing for fall.
Paula Begoun has been a skincare guru and best selling author for over 20 years and has introduced several collections of Paula’s Choice Products all with her expertise and knowledge of ingredients that belong in skincare products and ones that do not. With a belief that everyone has sensitive skin to some degree whether it’s genetic, hormonal, or environmental ,Paula just launched her brand new “Calm” collection to tackle these needs. The line consists of six products that deals with redness and skin sensitivity and is available for normal to dry and normal to oily skin. The regimen which can be used together or paired as needed is: Available at PaulasChoice.com
Henry London recently launched a new collection in the States that is vintage inspired with British Charm but with an updated and trendy look ,and just recently launched nationwide at Nordstrom and Anthropologie.
Known for their Personalization service with custom engraving on the case back these watches are going to be a hit for gift giving with a price point that’s affordable ( $160-$280) The collections are all named after iconic locations in London with a focus on quality craftsmanship such as soft leather straps and bracelets made from stainless steel Milanese Mesh.
Estee Lauder has been a global giant in the beauty industry for over 75 years so they know a thing or two about what the business model should look like. These days it’s all about The Millenial generation and offering products with the quality backbone, but with a focus on trendy products that deliver instant results and are packaged and priced to a engage a younger demographic.
The Estee Edit is an 82 piece skincare and makeup collection that launched on Sephora.com March 1st and will be available in Sephora stores on March 15th. Guest Editors Kendall Jenner and Korean Model and Social Media star Irene Kim post pictures and beauty tips on the Estee Edit Blog and with their combined huge social media reach have created an interactive universe between the brand and consumers.(@theesteeedit) #beautyattitude
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Just in time for Spring when it’s finally time to shed our winter layers and to get our skin ready for spring and summer Jane Iredale has launched her brand new BeautyPrep line. Awarded with the ECOCERT Natural Cosmetics Certification this three step skincare regimen is good for all skin types, easy to use and contains nutrients that provide protection from environmental pollutants and free radical damage. The three products are:
As a beauty and lifestyle writer I am always intrigued at how many new products are introduced that promise new technology and great results so I was very excited to try this new at home facial exfoliator.
The concept behind DERMAFLASH is inspired by Dermaplanning, an in office procedure where the aesthetician uses a sharp blade or scalpel together with light feathery strokes to remove dead skin cells and peach fuzz to achieve healthier and younger looking skin. I decided to try this product because Dermaplanning or shaving the top layer, has been a technique used for ages, even though many women would not admit to shaving their face.
Jeremy Scott known for his elaborate and colorful collections debuted his most recent collaboration with Melissa’s Shoes during his recent fashion show for the Fall 2016 season of New York Fashion Week. Titled “Cowboys and Poodles” Jeremy created the knee-high, stiletto cowboy boot specifically for the runway. Supermodels Karlie Kloss and Anna Cleveland walked the runway in the vibrant and embellished boots.
Photos Courtesy:BFA
Selfie Junkies and there are many of you are now able to take the perfect selfie without having to hold that annoying selfie stick by mounting this product to most smooth, glossy, flat and vertical surfaces. The case is flexible and the construction is made to withstand shock and impact.
Can also be used to mount in cars for hands free GPS navigation and for hands free videos and phone calls. Available for iPhone 6/6plus. $29.99 #sponsored
http://www.monsterselfiecase.com/products/monsterselfiecase
FashionsWeek: Beauty, Fashion, Travel, Tech & Dining By Maya Litovsky 