I work in spas so I'm always interested in the "behind the scenes" aspects -- the kinds of things that a lot of people don't think about. And one of the things that impressed me about Miraval, a destination spa in Tucson, is how they allow individualexperts to create their own special treatments, like Dr. Tim Frank's Spirit Flight.

This is highly unusual. Most spas want to have several people who can do whatever is on the menu of services. Spas don't like to say, "no, you can't have the Spirit Flight on Tuesday because it's Dr. Frank's day off." But management decided that Read more...

I've been thinking about how different people use the destination spa experience since I got back from my trip to Miraval in Tucson. A lot of people still don't know the term "destination spa" - they think it's a spa in a beautiful place, or an overnight spa (called a resort spa).

But a destination spa IS different. It is essentially a health spa that serves healthy spa cuisine and offers lots of exercise classes (which range from kick-ass cardio to yoga and meditation), hiking, wellness lectures, cooking classes, adventure activities and of course, spa treatments.

I tend to do a little bit of everything, so I can report back to you. Still, I tend to gravitate to certain activities that I love, especially hiking (that's me in the beautiful Catalina Mountains behind Miraval.) I love to learn, so I always go to lectures. (In fact, I tend to spend a little too much time in lectures and too little time relaxing.) Read more...

I'm back from my trip to Miraval in Tucson, AZ, one of the best destination spas in the country, but still thinking about all the experiences I had. Miraval is known for its outdoor adventure course, where you can challenge yourself SAFELY with support from a guide.

I had already done The Equine Experience and Quantum Leap, where I jumped off a 25-foot telephone pole.But I still wanted to do a challenge called A Swing and A Prayer, where you're hoisted 35-feet in the air -- and let go of a rope so you swing like a big pendulum. You're also supposed to think about something you want to let go of in your life as you do it -- that's the prayer part.

Like many people, I wanted to do A Swing and A Prayer because that's what Oprah did when she took 60 women to Miraval and filmed a whole show there. It looked pretty dramatic on the show -- her best friend Gayle was terrified! But Read more...

A special two-hour "Beauty Workout Holiday Boot Camp" is going on in November at lots of spas across the country. But don't expect to work up a sweat! This boot camp is two hours of one-on-one demos and coaching in how to take care of your skin by eating well, reducing stress and using the right products in the right way. There are four "circuits" and you spend about a half-hour at each one:

• Nutrition -- Tastings of skin-healthy cuisine and nutritional drinks, with recipe cards.
• Lifestyle - Learn simple at-home techniques for reducing stress, which ages you.
• Beauty Regimen - Mini-treatments and interactive demos to show you how to take care of your skin.
• Home Routine - Take-home skin care products recommended for your skin.

It costs $45, but includes a subscription to Spa Magazine, a $25 gift certificate for Skin Authority products, a spa music CD, a 30-day "beauty work-out plan" with recipes and tips, and on-going support from your "personal skin-care coach."

Some of the list of participating spas is pretty impressive -- Read more...