^TM

Pampered Traveler’s Guide to Half Day Holidays in Boston

By Brooke Cunningham

We can sometimes afford a vacation, but who has the time? Even a long weekend makes the previous days schedules so compressed, and catch up after returning as to be hardly worth it. But a half day can be done without too much stress before and payback later. My friends and I enjoy making a half day holiday of spa visits followed by fabulous food. In terms of planning at work, it really isn't any more difficult than fitting an afternoon meeting into the day, but the level of refreshment that you get leaves you energetic, enthusiastic, even inspired at work the next day!

On a good day half day holiday the morning is spent clearing off the desk a bit, having a snack sized lunch before surrendering to the luscious ministrations offered at a chosen spa followed by a relaxing dinner. A fabulous half day holiday includes a few extras like pedicures and haircuts in the afternoon with a luxurious steam shower before changing into something spectacular for an elegant dinner. It’s not inexpensive, but not more than the per day cost of a vacation without the hassle of airports. Still, we all need to clear our minds on occasion, and a half day holiday done properly it is a bit of scheduling well spent.

The trick is to make it as easy as possible. For that reason, we are sacrificing ourselves for the team, and exploring several options for you in close proximity. Not far from your desk to the spa, not far from the spa to the restaurant, and not far from there back to your home. That's the formula for a great half day holiday. Beyond that it is simply personal preference. If you are lucky enough to be around Boston this is your lucky day.

We will be visiting other areas soon and we DO take requests!

G2O Day Spa, 338 Newbury St, Boston

G2O is energizing when you first enter. Full of light through tall windows reflected in bright mirrors. Men and women are in the lounge waiting with eager anticipation for everything from manicures to massages to make up sessions. We had come for a pampered afternoon of treatments in the spa and then haircuts in the salon later. After registering we were directed to the spa, with its soft enveloping colors, gentle sounds and soft robes.

I was greeted by Shalyn for a Rasul Signature treatment as a skin detoxifying session after spending days in the brilliant sun and salty wind of justly famous beaches all the while slathered in sun block. I am not sure that the chemicals in sun block are damaging, but my skin always feels better after I get it thoroughly detoxified. Shalyn gave me a tour of the Moroccan tiled steam room, and instruction on the process.

Then she helped me cover all parts of my skin with different muds, one for my face, another for my arms and yet another for my legs and feet. Then I was seated in a heated and padded chair, the lights were dimmed as the tiled steam generator in the corner began to do its thing. I really liked the fact that it didn’t get too hot, or too damp to breath comfortably but it kept the mud from dying while it wicked toxins from the skin. A very nice 25 minutes. The chair stayed warm, and in the steamy semi darkness the Vichy shower over head came on to begin the process of rinsing off the mud. That job was completed under a conventional hand held shower with silica grains as a scrub. I was a bit surprised that there was no application of moisturizer after this treatment, but my skin felt great even so, and I was completely refreshed by the experience.

Audra had opted for the warm stone treatment, a new experience for her. She was uncertain of her expectations, but being a masseuse herself they were high. Karen Bowen, her therapist, carefully explained the process and put her completely at ease in the warm room. Hot stones were rested on top of a towel covering her back. "Warmth flooded through my muscles from each stone until they all merged together to form a delicious comfortable pressure and deeply penetrating heat, soothing all muscles.” Karen even put stones in the palm of Audra's hands, wrapping her fingers around them. She began massaging with the stones and that is the last thing that Audra remembers. She rested that way for a few minutes, and when she emerged she was greeted with cool water to drink. Audra says that she thinks she might have to try this again, just to be thorough of course!

Doreene had the Soft Pack treatment which included floating weightless on a temperature controlled pressure free cushion of water. “It was warm and made me feel like I was formless and drifting.”  The hot lamps made the room feel like a perfect summer day. “I imagined the Caribbean with me floating in the warm sun, right next to a cold beer.” After a long winter the goats butter crème used on my skin “felt like relief from an itch that I didn’t know I had.” My therapist Liz made me feel comfortable and pampered.  “I would highly recommend staying in the shower with the massage heads as long as possible.  I felt superbly clean and completely nourished after my treatments and I did forget that I was in the city.”

Even in a otherworldly state of relaxation the inevitable comes – hunger! We spent an hour doing our hair and makeup in the comfortable ladies dressing room because we had made late lunch reservations around the corner, at Boston’s famous Top of the Hub. As we entered the Prudential Tower headed for the 52nd floor, we laughed about the fact that as “airy” as we felt the elevator might be redundant! We were escorted to table 19, a remarkable spot with windows looking East over the Charles River until the earth curves away, and also past the John Hancock building all the way out to the barrier islands and down to Cape Cod! There were sailboats on the Charles, long golden shadows across the Commons, and “Level 52” martinis in blue deco glasses on the table in front of it all.

Then to be served an absolutely “hope this never ends” lobster bisque followed by their lemony cold lobster salad sandwich with avocado, peppers, onion and cheese really capped this luxurious day. We had no room for desserts, but then one must look! Next time we might just start with dessert. To walk off this feast we did a tour on the observatory floor, which gives huge insight into Boston’s past and present. The headphones come in different sizes, telling the story of the history and current areas around Boston in adults and kid ways relative to where you are looking out the windows

A Better Place To Be Spa, 336 Main St, Charlestown, Ma

This is a wonderful neighborhood storefront kind of spa. No intimidating solemnity here, just great friendly practitioners.  Melanie Marsden, owner and founder, was born not four blocks from the site of A Better Place To Be Spa, and is dedicated to delivering the Newbury Street experience at neighborhood prices. She serves tea in the lobby, and does a really fine job of doing what she has set out to do.

First I had a Massage with Salvatore in a nice small room lighted by only one candle. He did a lovely job of sensitive relaxation, and as his perceptive fingers found tighter spots he lingered there leaving my body completely at peace. 

My next treatment was with Dawn who offers a very nice Glycolic Foot Treatment which encompasses everything from relaxation massage, to exfoliation, to paraffin wax to moisturizing massage in about 40 minutes. She was good company as she worked her magic on my tired feet, and I enjoyed it.

This was Doreene’s first facial. “Dawn Baker was my Medical Esthetician/Age Management Consultant and she explained each step of the treatment and what it does for your skin. I enjoyed the cool feeling of the whipped egg whites and honey mask.  My face felt clean and light. I was relaxed with the face, neck and hand massages in-between each treatment. My eyes were covered with cold pads and my body wrapped in warm blankets. It was difficult to raise my head from the soft pillow. I was melting!” Lovely and educational.

Audra had the Herbal Body wrap.  The first thing she noticed was that the room felt cold.  She said that she warmed a bit under a towel that they had on the table until the therapist came in when she wrapped her in gauze and proceeded to pour hot liquid over her.  “The sensation of the hot liquid hitting my skin felt wonderful until she moved to other areas of my body and the liquid quickly cooled.  She had covered my body with the liquid she then wrapped a heated blanket around me and I warmed up again.  The therapist fed me water from time to time during the treatment but I felt very disconnected.  Something seemed to be missing.  If she had placed her hands on my face or done something to show she was involved in the session it would have been a better experience.  It felt to me as if she was reading a book behind me while the session was going on.”  When it was over, the therapist took the hot blanket off and started taking the gauze off. Audra said that she got very cold quickly and did not find this treatment relaxing or soothing.

There is nothing fancy about A Better Place to Be Spa, but they deliver very nice treatments at reasonable prices in a relaxed environment with walk ins welcome. I think that everyone can have a bad day, and I am sorry to report that they had one with us. Their friendly neighborhood approach to spa treatments is a thing that will have me visiting again when I am in town.

For dinner that evening we chose to “graze” at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. There is a huge diversity of offerings as you walk through the South Market. Being constantly stimulated by enticing smells and inviting displays of delectable options it is hard not to get carried away. We each chose different types of dinners, and then passed bites around. Sitting in the rotunda you are in a prime “people watching” situation, comfortable at a table with a wide variety of tastes, nicely refreshed from an afternoon at a spa, life is pretty good. Of course we were working on creating the perfect half day holiday, so we decided to go up to Finale for dessert.

$7 spent on a taxi had us walking in the door of the ultimate dessert emporium. Mine was described on the menu as “A chocolate-lover’s dream. Black Forest Torte with Morello cherries; White Chocolate Dome with strawberry liquid center; and Molten Chocolate Cake with butterscotch sauce. Also features banana gelato and four hand-made chocolate candies (praline, espresso, nougat and dark chocolate chew).” You really have to see it to believe it, but that works because each dessert is made fresh at the dessert bar while you watch. The other two desserts were as extravagant, but you really need to experience this decadence for yourself. We each ordered one but it took two days to finish them.

Le Pli Day Spa, Charles Hotel, Harvard Square, Cambridge, Ma

There is a manicured court yard behind the Charles Hotel which serves as the entrance to Le Pli and helps you change state from walking up the bustling streets of Cambridge to the serene quiet of the spa. Latonia greeted us as we entered and escorted us to the dressing room and lobby as we waited for our practitioners. Soothing colors and soft light filled the space and the intended serenity began to settle in.

Jackie Bettencourt came to meet me in the lobby for the Le Pli Specialty Facial. We entered a small and efficient peach colored treatment room that had more bottles of lotions and elixirs than I could imagine a purpose for. While my face was covered with warm towels she massaged my hands and then inserted them into heated mitts as the moisturizers soaked into the skin. She then cleaned my face with cool towels, applied something that smelled fresh and green with another warm towel. Waiting for that to penetrate she massaged my feet and leaving them in heated mitts while she finished cleansing and replenishing my face. As I lay on her treatment table her smooth relaxing strokes and clean scented skin products blended into an hour that I barely recall. My total escapist relaxation was filled with variety of pressures, textures and temperatures leaving my skin glowing, perfectly balanced and fresh to the touch.

Lisa had requested a Marine Wrap. Bethany was her therapist and greeted her warmly as we waited in the relaxation room. “The exfoliation was done with just enough pressure and motion to be stimulating without being rough followed by a delicious smelling gel massage. The temperature of the room as well as the texture of the products were perfect.” When she was bundled up in the wrap she slipped of to sleep for the 20 minutes of wrap. When Bethany unwrapped her the shower was already running at a perfect temperature. The soft robe was already warmed for her after her shower. “There were no temperature transitions at all, everything just flowed beautifully from one phase to the next leaving a lingering euphoria”. A week later she told me that her skin still felt the best that it ever has.

Doreene requested a Body Contour Cellulite Treatment which is all about legs and thighs. “Lynn was my Esthetician and she placed hot stones under a towel on the table.  The warmth from the stones made my neck and shoulders relax.  One of the lotions used in the treatment had cayenne pepper which I could feel working on the circulation.”  My legs were tingling for hours after. Much of this treatment is detoxifying and I felt as if my skin was purging something that I was glad to have gone.”  Lynn explained how diet, exercise and supplements play an important role in keeping the body firm and toned.  “There is a lot of massaging and scrub in this treatment and learning more about your body.  Lynn gave me a recipe for an Antioxidant Smoothie drink which will help firm and tone the body.” 

In only 2 hours we felt as if we had been on a vacation. It was kind of surprising to be back in the bright sunlight and general romp and folly of the city, but after our refreshing break we fit into the flow like children on school break.

That evening, dressed in jeans and dress shirts we walked into the North End and found our way to La Dolce Vita. What a delightful evening we had there. Not only is the food robust Italian but the atmosphere is energetic and fun like the old neighborhood. Troubadours sing and play while strolling between tables greeting guests like old friends. Waiters and waitresses chat and make suggestions about the menu, and I would have thought that Mama really was in the kitchen as heaping bowls and plates arrived at our table. On top of that the prices are more than fair in this “stepping into the old country” restaurant in the north end.

Bella Sante, 38 Newbury St, Boston, Ma

We walked by the door the first time. No huge flashy sign here on Newbury street, just an elegant brass plaque on the door as our first hint of the subtle grace of Bella Sante. Exiting the elevator we were greeted by several practitioners who were friendly and relaxed as they gave us a tour of what would be a nearly out of body experience for all three of us. The waiting area was furnished with large cozy over stuffed chairs. Tall windows frosted with the name Bella Sante gave gentle light into the room and a top down view of Newbury street. Large pitchers of iced water with dozens of lemon or line slices sat next to glasses on a small wet bar next to the changing room. The changing room had showers, and a steam room which we all enjoyed immensely before our treatments.

My treatment was called the HydraVie Ritual and was actually one of the very best facials that I have ever had. Sarah worked with soft smooth strokes on my face through gentle applications of different products, and while she was allowing time for different phases to do their magic she massaged my hands and then my feet. She spoke a bit about the philosophy of this treatment and then announced that she was going to stop talking because she wanted me to simply receive. I guess I did that pretty well because it is hard to remember the parts of the HydraVie Ritual other than they flowed easily and comfortably from one sensuous experience to the next, one extremity to the next, culminating as a memorable relaxation and a delicious renewal of my skin. This is really much more than a facial, it is a calming of the spirit and a treat for the whole body.

The Reparative Facial Treatment given to Lisa by Alex was a revelation to her. She has had facials before but this one she stated was her all time favorite. She told me that she couldn’t remember much because she was so relaxed, but she enjoyed resting on a heated pad during the treatment which left her whole body feeling soothed. Being surrounded by the scents of lavender and mint gave her a sense of being removed from daily life. During the treatment Alex gave her guidance about how to take care of her particular skin type, and afterwards gave her a written list of the particular products that she had used during the treatments. Lisa bought several and weeks later reports that her skin continues to feel fresh and wonderful.

While Lisa and I were being extravagantly massaged during our facials, Doreene was enjoying the Golden Artemisia Pedicure. “I felt like a princess sitting in the massage chair with many different lumbar controls with my feet soaking in warm bubbling water.” At the end of the day all of the load comes down to the feet, and Doreene’s had been subjected to ski boot compression regularly for months. “Marina is an artist and very detailed making my tired feet feel pampered and look beautiful. My feet looked and felt younger.” Putting on shoes for our dinner at near by McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant she told me that “This is the Cadillac of pedicures”.

McComick & Schmick has 200 or so restaurants nation wide, and their big statement is that there are no freezers on site at the restaurants. Everything is very fresh, the extensive menu is reprinted on the fly as the fish guy is delivering to the back door! We chose the one right next to Bella Sante at the Park Plaza for this particular evening we had a truly remarkable dinner in a 6’ x 10’ booth with wood paneling floor to ceiling and a thick green curtain hanging which could be drawn across for privacy. The walls were covered with whaling prints, antique boat parts, paintings of fish and all sorts of interesting eye candy. The menu is difficult in that it presents so many enticements, all of them sounding irresistible. We finally did arrive at our orders, and each of us felt that this was one of the very best fish restaurants that we had ever been to.

EMERGE, 275 Newbury St, Boston

You walk off the chic street scene of Newbury street and into a reception area that has floor to ceiling displays of spa products and a large circular desk in the center. Up a few steps behind the transformation to urban resort spa begins. The elevator is stylish and clean lined, kind of city sharp, but when you come out on the spa floor it is a new world filled with soft colors, softer towels, cozy robes and plush furniture. At the elevator turning left takes you to the ladies changing area and turning right takes you to the only men’s spa lounge that I have found in Boston. On this particular half day holiday my daughter Lauren, her godmother Lili, and my brother Seaver and I were taking a break together.

We arrived at 3PM, but next time I will certainly arrive earlier because when you visit EMERGE you have all day use of a truly remarkable roof top garden, complete with trees, chaises, umbrellas and a wonderful view of the Boston sky line. You reach this garden by passing through a comfortable lounge which offers fireside seating in huge overstuffed chairs, a lunch menu and a large selection of fruit smoothies and vitamin drinks. Next time I will bring a book, a bottle of wine and come way early for my treatments.

Seaver disappeared into the men’s club lounge for his Ultimate Shave and Scalp Treatment Hair cut. Since I wasn’t invited I asked what it looked like. “There is a small foyer with a locker and shower area off of that. The accommodations are stylish, clean and well laid out. The men's lounge is a sitting room of fine quality comfortable furniture adjoining a one chair barber station. It is small without being confining. There are windows overlooking Newbury street. Nice place to hang while awaiting treatments.”

“Though a hundred bucks sounds like a pricey shave and a haircut, the actual treatment goes way beyond the comprehension of a corner barber shop regular”. After a hand cut hair trim, the shave is something not easily imagined by the uninitiated. “Laying back with a hot beard softening wrap I found it as relaxing as it was effective. By the time Carl applied lather and razor, all apprehension was gone. He used disposable one-use straight razors for cleanliness which eliminates any chance of contamination. The result is the closest shave imaginable.”

The facial skin is treated with a salve containing nutriments that are applied after another hot face wrap to open the pores and allow for deep infusion. Then a cold face wrap closes the pores again and the effect goes way past skin deep. “Even the most skeptical will see and feel a remarkable tightening of the skin that is even noticeable in the mirror. I was not ready to be as impressed with the experience as I in fact was. Though it goes at a bit more than two bits, pampering oneself is not just for women anymore.” All that evening I noticed that Seaver kept running his hand along his face, shaking his head and smiling. It was his first spa experience and I was glad to see him so enjoying it.

Lauren had requested the Rain Drop Therapy which was described as a series of ultra pure therapeutic oils sprinkled like rain followed by long smooth strokes to gently massage them into the back and shoulders. Bill used eight oils in sequence, with the aroma changing with each application. When he had done this lovely smooth treatment on both sides of her body she flipped onto her stomach again and hot rocks were rested along her spine and legs to radiate heat through her system. “It was very pungent as I felt warmth spreading through my muscles. Bill told me that the relaxation usually lasts for 5 days after the treatment. My muscles felt unlocked and peaceful.”

Alla greeted me in the beautiful celadon colored ladies lounge and brought me to the HydroStorm. I had selected 15 minutes in the HydroStorm Shower followed by the Rejuvenation Therapy Facial. At first I didn’t know what to make of the free standing green glass enclosure with 10 shower heads in it, but it sounded so unique that I had to give it a try!

Larger than my whole bathroom at home, it has 4 shower heads down each side, two large rain heads on each side of a steam jet at face height in the center of the back wall. Each element is temperature and pressure controlled from inside the blue green glass containment. Water is everywhere, and since the walls are clear there is no sense of confinement at all. Lights changed as the shower went on. An interior shelf held EMERGE’s specialty shampoo, conditioner and body scrub which releases aromas into the steamy warm space. I felt completely purified inside and out, moving between the two rain showers of slightly different temperatures, putting my face in the steam, and feeling the water massage from the sides from my shoulders down.

Leaving the shower area, Alla handed me a warm robe and took me to her treatment room for her signature facial. I was squeaky clean and happy to be bundled onto the flexible contour table. She placed warm towels on my face and then began with my hands and then my feet, which were placed in warm mitts to soak up the nutrients that she had massaged into my skin.  I was so relaxed and so comfortable that I can’t even remember the sequence of gentle treatments that she went through, but I think I counted about a dozen. Bar none, it was the best facial that I have ever had and as you know by now that is no small statement coming from me!

We all wanted a casual dinner, but each of us thought that McCormick & Schmick’s was worth another go, so we went to the one at Faneuil Hall. It had the same spectacular menu but a very different atmosphere. Younger, less “spend the whole night over fine wine” and more “cold beer, excellent fresh fish, and the Red Sox” kind of place. There is a beautiful dark wood dining room but we really did want to see the game. The chowder was perfect and each entrée was shared around the table and totally great. Not only that, the Sox won. Perfect Holiday all the way around!

So these are a few of the choices that we made in search or a perfect Half Day Holiday around Boston.  Searching for your own perfect one will be a most pleasant quest!

Back to TravelLady Magazine