BEST NATURAL FOODS MARKET
A gourmet heaven and macrobiotic haven, Erewhon makes it easy to eat well. Throughout the store, signs like “low carb” and “wheat alternative” demystify lesser-known foods like quinoa, spelt, and seitan. Most meats are entirely hormone-free, grain-fed, and free-range, while freshly made entreés, soups, and sandwiches are all available to go. Knowledgeable staffers are always available in the homeopathic health and beauty section to field questions about alternative therapies and supplements. Fifteen-minute complimentary shopping consultations are available with Melissa Abehsera, a Natural Foods Consultant. She’ll raise your food consciousness and improve your eating habits. Before leaving, pick up the thorough Macrobiotic Shopping Guide and other newsletters about the benefits of functional foods . . . then treat yourself to an L.A. original: Uncle Eddie’s gourmet vegan chocolate chip cookies. The best in the west! Contact (323) 937-0777 or visit www.erewhonmarket.com
BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY
In autumn, when things begin to cool down along the coast, it’s time to soak up the sun in the desert. The town of Indian Wells, just twenty miles past touristy Palm Springs, boasts championship golf courses, untouched natural settings, and the ultra luxurious Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa – all within a two-hour drive from Los Angeles. Couples will enjoy the La Cruz Duo massage, which starts with a private whirlpool bath scented with organic mineral crystals made locally by The Body Deli (www.thebodydeli.com), and is followed by a sixty-minute massage with cocoa butter to rehydrate desert-parched skin. Another good option is the oxygenating facial that features Kerstin Florian’s line plus a hand/foot massage. Since clients pay up front, there’s nothing to interrupt your after-treatment relaxation in the sunny, outdoor, co-ed Spa Garden with whirlpool, or your time in the oversized saunas and eucalyptus steam room. And fall is the perfect time to request your treatments outdoors in the open-air canvas cabanas. Head to Native Foods in nearby Palm Desert, a casual snack bar that offers vegetarian food “the way it should be.” Be sure to try the Chinese Save the Chicken Salad, the BLTease and the Jungle Boogie Bars (oats, bananas, chocolate, coconut, almonds, and vanilla). If the kids are along, don’t miss The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens – 1,200 acres of scenic nature trails, featuring a botanical park and wildlife preserve with coyotes, Bighorn sheep, mountain lions, Mexican wolves, and endangered African cheetahs. Contact Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, (760) 773-4444; Native Foods, (760) 836-9396; The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, (760) 346-5694
BEST INDUGLENT BODY TREATMENT
Hailed by everyone from celebrities to beauty editors and locals as L.A.’s ultimate day spa, Ole Henriksen Face and Body is sure to satisfy. Their 6-Step treatment relaxes, soothes, polishes, and rejuvenates – all at a price that even non A-list actors can afford. Start with a jet tub soak in a room where one entire wall is covered by meditative hanging candles, then enjoy a sea salt scrub infused with oils like lavender and eucalyptus, followed by a clarifying body wash with signature Ole Henriksen products, a wrap (choose from seaweed to detoxify or mud to soothe aching muscles), and a cranial massage with a scalp treatment. Round everything out with a full one-hour massage that includes hand and foot reflexology. The eucalyptus steam room is complimentary with any treatment, and take a few minutes to savor the bliss in the cozy, Asian-inspired meditation room before heading back to the real world. Other innovative treatments include the Salt-Butter n’ Mango, a mineral scrub and effleurage massage (long smooth strokes) with mango and cocoa butter to heal and soften skin, as well as fade stretch marks. Contact (310) 854-7700
BEST HEALTHY TAN
Maybe you’ve heard of Mystic Tan, the safe bronzing treatment that keeps Hollywood glowing, no matter what the weather. Just exfoliate the skin, strip down, and step into a booth that blasts your body with a moisturizing self-tanner spray that reaches just about everywhere. Well, leave it to Los Angeles to take tanning to the next level. Uvasun now offers Liquid Sun, a self-tanning mist that lasts longer (about 5 to 9 days) and smells better (citrus-scented) than the competition. Perfect for all skin tones, Liquid Sun reacts with the skin’s proteins to make everyone (even pale red heads) look like they’ve spent the day in the sun – all without any UV exposure. Pick up some of Uvasun’s signature Golden Glow Tanning Solution to prolong your tan, and use the SkinShine Pineapple Exfoliant to prepare the skin for its next tanning session. Getting married? Walking down the red carpet to claim your Oscar? Book ahead since award-show season is busy, and don’t be surprised if you’re sitting next to a starlet in the funky waiting room. Contact (323) 651-4540
BEST WALKING STREETS
Far away from the freeways, laid-back Manhattan Beach can make you forget L.A.’s strip malls and smog. Surf shops coexist next to ethnic restaurants, featuring Greek and Indonesian cuisine. The 928-foot-long historic pier at the end of Manhattan Beach Boulevard houses the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium (two dollar donation), a great place to learn about local marine life, conservation, and water quality. Good Stuff Restaurant features healthy food and an ocean view, and don’t miss the Manhattan Beach Creamery, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor with 100% homemade flavors like root beer, cotton candy, and bubble gum. Contact Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab, (310) 379-8117; Good Stuff Restaurant, (310) 545-4775; Manhattan Beach Creamery, (310) 372-1155
BEST YOGA STUDIO
Since 1978 Bikram Choudhury has been teaching his special brand of yoga in the heart of Los Angeles. At Bikram’s Yoga College of India, the studio is heated to 105℉ to warm muscles and increase flexibility and detoxification through perspiration. Bikram yoga focuses on twenty-six asanas, or poses, that build strength and increase the body’s range of motion. Each posture is done two times, so you always get a second chance to try it, and the order of asanas never varies so as not to strain the spine before it’s fully warmed up. Beginners shouldn’t feel intimidated by regulars who perfectly execute Standing Bow poses – all levels are welcome in every class, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors help students to improve their form. According to Bikram, one doesn’t “do yoga,” but rather “tries it” and what better place to get started than at the master’s studio. Outside L.A.? There are 350 certified Bikram yoga studios worldwide from Tokyo to Tulsa. Contact (310) 854 5800 or visit www.bikramyoga.com
BEST HERBAL APOTHECARY
If you suffer from chronic colds, want to quit smoking, or just want more mental clarity and better memory skills consider traditional Chinese medicine and tonic herbalism. Licensed to practice acupuncture and herbal medicine by the Medical Board of California Acupuncture Committee, Elixir Tonic and Tea’s professional herbalists can recommend tonics and teas to help with a variety of ailments. Located on trendy Melrose Avenue, the shop’s hidden botanical garden is the perfect place to enjoy a Virtual Buddha tonic, which “awakens creativity and joyful serenity” with its mix of peaches, Asian ginseng, epimindium, and reishi. Stop in for an outdoor poetry reading or meditation class, or stroll across the courtyard to Elixir’s House of Little Pleasures for a drop-in chair massage or reflexology treatment. Sessions are $30 per twenty minutes. Can’t make it to L.A.? Then shop the vast catalog online and email an herbalist with any questions. Contact (310) 657-9300 or visit www.elixir.net
BEST NATURAL FOODS MARKET
A gourmet heaven and macrobiotic haven, Erewhon makes it easy to eat well. Throughout the store, signs like “low carb” and “wheat alternative” demystify lesser-known foods like quinoa, spelt, and seitan. Most meats are entirely hormone-free, grain-fed, and free-range, while freshly made entreés, soups, and sandwiches are all available to go. Knowledgeable staffers are always available in the homeopathic health and beauty section to field questions about alternative therapies and supplements. Fifteen-minute complimentary shopping consultations are available with Melissa Abehsera, a Natural Foods Consultant. She’ll raise your food consciousness and improve your eating habits. Before leaving, pick up the thorough Macrobiotic Shopping Guide and other newsletters about the benefits of functional foods . . . then treat yourself to an L.A. original: Uncle Eddie’s gourmet vegan chocolate chip cookies. The best in the west! Contact (323) 937-0777 or visit www.erewhonmarket.com
BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY
In autumn, when things begin to cool down along the coast, it’s time to soak up the sun in the desert. The town of Indian Wells, just twenty miles past touristy Palm Springs, boasts championship golf courses, untouched natural settings, and the ultra luxurious Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa – all within a two-hour drive from Los Angeles. Couples will enjoy the La Cruz Duo massage, which starts with a private whirlpool bath scented with organic mineral crystals made locally by The Body Deli (www.thebodydeli.com), and is followed by a sixty-minute massage with cocoa butter to rehydrate desert-parched skin. Another good option is the oxygenating facial that features Kerstin Florian’s line plus a hand/foot massage. Since clients pay up front, there’s nothing to interrupt your after-treatment relaxation in the sunny, outdoor, co-ed Spa Garden with whirlpool, or your time in the oversized saunas and eucalyptus steam room. And fall is the perfect time to request your treatments outdoors in the open-air canvas cabanas. Head to Native Foods in nearby Palm Desert, a casual snack bar that offers vegetarian food “the way it should be.” Be sure to try the Chinese Save the Chicken Salad, the BLTease and the Jungle Boogie Bars (oats, bananas, chocolate, coconut, almonds, and vanilla). If the kids are along, don’t miss The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens – 1,200 acres of scenic nature trails, featuring a botanical park and wildlife preserve with coyotes, Bighorn sheep, mountain lions, Mexican wolves, and endangered African cheetahs. Contact Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, (760) 773-4444; Native Foods, (760) 836-9396; The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, (760) 346-5694
BEST INDUGLENT BODY TREATMENT
Hailed by everyone from celebrities to beauty editors and locals as L.A.’s ultimate day spa, Ole Henriksen Face and Body is sure to satisfy. Their 6-Step treatment relaxes, soothes, polishes, and rejuvenates – all at a price that even non A-list actors can afford. Start with a jet tub soak in a room where one entire wall is covered by meditative hanging candles, then enjoy a sea salt scrub infused with oils like lavender and eucalyptus, followed by a clarifying body wash with signature Ole Henriksen products, a wrap (choose from seaweed to detoxify or mud to soothe aching muscles), and a cranial massage with a scalp treatment. Round everything out with a full one-hour massage that includes hand and foot reflexology. The eucalyptus steam room is complimentary with any treatment, and take a few minutes to savor the bliss in the cozy, Asian-inspired meditation room before heading back to the real world. Other innovative treatments include the Salt-Butter n’ Mango, a mineral scrub and effleurage massage (long smooth strokes) with mango and cocoa butter to heal and soften skin, as well as fade stretch marks. Contact (310) 854-7700
BEST HEALTHY TAN
Maybe you’ve heard of Mystic Tan, the safe bronzing treatment that keeps Hollywood glowing, no matter what the weather. Just exfoliate the skin, strip down, and step into a booth that blasts your body with a moisturizing self-tanner spray that reaches just about everywhere. Well, leave it to Los Angeles to take tanning to the next level. Uvasun now offers Liquid Sun, a self-tanning mist that lasts longer (about 5 to 9 days) and smells better (citrus-scented) than the competition. Perfect for all skin tones, Liquid Sun reacts with the skin’s proteins to make everyone (even pale red heads) look like they’ve spent the day in the sun – all without any UV exposure. Pick up some of Uvasun’s signature Golden Glow Tanning Solution to prolong your tan, and use the SkinShine Pineapple Exfoliant to prepare the skin for its next tanning session. Getting married? Walking down the red carpet to claim your Oscar? Book ahead since award-show season is busy, and don’t be surprised if you’re sitting next to a starlet in the funky waiting room. Contact (323) 651-4540
November/December 2003
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