HAVEN SPA may have the bustling New York City skyline as its backdrop, but inside, it’s the ultimate tranquil escape. High ceilings, exposed brick walls and large windows recall SoHo’s industrial loft roots, but the candlelit hues, soft hum of instrumental music, and stone finishes create a welcoming escape, far from the over-the-top pretension common with lush day spas.
“Maintaining a vibe of a friendly neighborhood place is an important part of our original vision,” says co-founder Gabrielle Ophals. “People would tell us, ‘I love coming here because I feel like I’m hanging out in my friend’s living room.’ We really identify with the ‘local place’ persona.”
And creating a friendly, welcoming vibe is exactly what Ophals and her co-founder Audra Senkus did. Thoughtful pampering touches like robes, slippers, a relaxation room, and rose petals in pedicure basins offer guests an experience, rather than a one-and-done treatment.
“Our newest massage, the Harmony, is an entirely new concept, and we think it transcends the normal massage treatment,” says Ophals. “In fact, we hesitate to call it a massage; it’s an experience.” Incorporating ancient Ayurvedic massage techniques, aromatherapy and sound therapy with tuning forks, the treatment restores the body’s electromagnetic field and balances the heart chakra, marmas, and vital meridian points. Haven’s two new facials, Timeless and All Clear, “focus on the effects of aging and acne, respectively, and we use Eminence products exclusively in these treatments,” notes Ophals, of the natural, organic skincare line. “We will be introducing a new pedicure designed for people who are on their feet a lot, particularly athletic clients, called the Player Pedicure, which uses a unique massage technique with T-Spheres, which work on pressure points,” says Ophals.
The full-service salon offers a range of treatments and therapies, from solution-oriented facials and detoxifying and nourishing body wraps and massages, to more traditional salon services, including hair and hand care and waxing.
“Our most popular treatment this time of year are the ones that include a wrap phase, or what I like to refer to as the ‘marination phase,’” says Ophals. “Our Surf & Turf is a luxurious journey of exfoliation, a mud wrap and moisturizing. The Hammam and Island Wrapture are also popular.”
The spa boasts curated MEs—Mini Escapes— with a busy New Yorker in mind. These express treatments provide a spa experience in a quarter of the time. Guests can also go all in on one of their six packages that offer a full day of indulgence.
“Someone criticized us as ‘just two girls from Queens who own a nail salon,’ and I have to say, I kind of love that!” says Ophals. “We are, in a way, just that. We are native New Yorkers who love the city, our neighborhood, and our clients.” DT
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 3: Kevin Krim, Marina Krim and Victor Cruz attend Choose Creativity Awards at Edison Ballroom on June 3, 2019 in New York. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Krim;Marina Krim;Victor Cruz
By Dan Metz, Associate Editor
Donors, friends, and “SuperArtists” gathered at the Edison Ballroom in Midtown to celebrate creativity in the first annual Choose Creativity Awards. Five recipients received recognition for creativity in fields ranging from music composition to paleobiology. Winners were judged based on Choose Creativity’s ten principles: being Authentic, Resourceful, Curious, Unconventional, Patient, Expressive, Present, Intuitive, Inventive, and Inspired.
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 3: Grimanesa Amoros, Sutan Amrull and Paulina Porizkova attend Choose Creativity Awards at Edison Ballroom on June 3, 2019 in New York. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC) *** Local Caption *** Grimanesa Amoros;Sutan Amrull;Paulina Porizkova
The winners came from diverse fields, part of
Choose Creativity’s decision not to focus on set categories. Winners for the
night included Sutan Amrull, Aka Raja Gemini, a drag queen and makeup artist;
and Aimee Eubanks Davis, CEO of Braven, which supports disadvantaged youth
through college and their careers.
The awards are part of The Lulu & Leo Fund a non-profit charity which helps children foster confidence and build resilience through programs centered around the Principles of Creativity. The founders, Kevin & Marina Krim, started the foundation in the wake of the tragic loss of two of their children. They credit their drive for creativity with their ability to heal. Through their program, they hope to create SuperArtists: people who “choose creativity” in every aspect of their life. “Our wish,” they say in a message to the press, “is to inspire families and individuals to use the innate creative energy within them…to bring hope and light to the world around them.”
The Choose Creativity Awards was a new venture
for The Lulu & Leo Fund. Since its founding in 2012, it has focused on
sharing its Choose Creativity Curriculum. They train leaders and provide
supplies for applicants. So far, they have reached 400 teachers and 10,000
children. “Creativity,” Kevin said, “is not a small thing. It’s a
very big umbrella that can handle a lot.”
From here, The Krims and Choose Creativity are
looking forward. Kevin says that the 60-second video portraits shown for each
winner will likely continue. “We think there’s a lot more to be told in
terms of the stories of these awardees…we think there’s a real series of
mini-documentaries eventually about the backgrounds of these folks.” He
also says that he’s looking forward towards next year’s winners. There were
nearly 100 nominees this year, and next year will likely have more.
In the end, however, the focus is on children
and the continuation of the program. According to Krim, Choose Creativity hopes
to continue to expand until their program is in the hands of every kid and
every parent and every educator in America. As “Inventive Music” award winner
John Zorn said in his acceptance speech, “Children are the future. They’re
our future. And they need our support.”
Proper planning before pregnancy sounds good, doesn’t it? But the majority of the time, women get pregnant unexpectedly. There are contraceptives available, of course, like condoms and oral contraceptives, but what do you do when you have an important career on the line? Do you have to choose between sacrificing your thriving career as a physician to be a mother or can you have both, a thriving career and a vibrant mother-to-be?
Well, the truth is, it depends on your lifestyle. There are female doctors in the world who have been pregnant and still practiced medicine during their pregnancy, had their baby, and returned to work to continue practicing medicine, so you can do the same! But just to be on the safe side of things, there are a few considerations you might want to think about before going down this road.
Women Do This All the Time…
Working during pregnancy is something women have been doing for many years, even doctors! The pregnancy options have changed drastically over the years to better accommodate women with busier lives who want to work on their career but still have the option to conceive. The National Center for Biotechnology Information talks about the challenges associated with being pregnant physicians and the decision-making processes that come with it.
For example, some physicians opt to freeze their eggs to preserve their fertility, especially if they’re getting older but have no prospects of a sexual partner or sperm donor. So don’t be afraid to get pregnant, just think ahead about a few things before you go down the pathway to motherhood as a physician.
Job Considerations
When it comes to getting pregnant, as a physician, there are definitely some major considerations you will need to make. Whether you’re in a doctor’s office or a hospital, you’ll need to have some type of plan of action in motion.
Establish Credibility as a Physician Before You Go On Maternity Leave
Although you can’t really predict when you will get pregnant, a good rule of thumb to have is to establish your credibility as a physician before you try to get pregnant. Why does this matter? Because you want the location you’re practicing medicine at to know what they can expect when you go on maternity leave and when you come back from it. This is especially important when you want to return to the same job location.
Some physicians have their baby and want to start completely fresh with their careers in medicine. Luckily, there are resources available for doctors that make it easy for physicians to find positions in different areas of medicine, whether they’re just starting out in their careers or wanting to change locations.
Letting Your Patients Know of Your Plans
Being a physician, you’re going to build a relationship with your patients and as your pregnancy progresses, they’re going to notice that you’re pregnant and ask questions. They’re of course going to be happy for you and want to know what you’re having but they’re also going to want to know answers to these important questions as well:
When are you coming back?
Who will be taking your place?
Are you coming back? If not, where will you be going to?
When your patients ask those types of questions, it shows that you’re not only doing a great job as a physician but it also shows that they like the service you provide. If you do decide to go to a different healthcare facility, sometimes your patients will follow you because you’re just that amazing of a physician… when that happens that’s how you know you’re good!
Sharing this information is totally up to you but when you serve patients with optimum care, they’re not going to let you go as their physician… the least you could do is let them know of your plans so they can make proper plans for their future healthcare endeavors.
All in All…
Pregnancy is a beautiful thing. Your pregnancy will, of course, be a little bit easier when you have to plan for it before conception but things don’t always happen in that order so you just have to roll with the punches of it all.
The point is to enjoy your pregnancy and motherhood in its entirety before you go back to work. Don’t stress yourself about getting your pre-baby body back as soon as you have the baby; you need to give your body time to heal and as a parent of a soon-to-be newborn, you need to focus on loving your baby… there are definitely tips out there on how to lose weight after pregnancy that you can look into in due time.
There will always be a need for doctors in the world so just know that you can have the best of both worlds… You can take time away from work to have your bundle or bundles of joy and still have a whole world of medicine to return back to!
A new genetic study has countered claims stating moderate consumption of alcohol can prevent strokes. According to the research, drinking one or two glasses of alcohol a day increases the chances of having a stroke.
The study, which was published in Lancet on Thursday, April 4, links low levels of alcohol consumption with increased blood pressure than can lead to stroke. Also, the study revealed one to two drinks a day increase stroke risk by 10% to 15% and that four drinks a day increases the risk of having a stroke by 35%. According to study co-author, Zhengming Chen from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, there are no protective effects of moderate alcohol intake against stroke.
“There are no protective effects of moderate alcohol intake against stroke. Even moderate alcohol consumption increases the chances of having a stroke. The findings for heart attack were less clear-cut, so we plan to collect more evidence,” he said.
According to researchers from Peking University, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the University of Oxford, the impact of alcohol on stroke was discovered by following 500,000 Chinese people for 10 years. A professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Sheffield, Tim Chico, said the study uses a novel genetic approach to try to determine the effect of alcohol consumption on risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Although it has previously been suggested moderate alcohol intake may reduce risk of stroke or heart disease, this new study adds to recent evidence that finds no protective effect even at low levels of intake,” he said.
No matter our size or food preferences, we all have complicated relationships with food. Certified Eating Psychology and Nutrition Expert Elise Museles created the Food Story platform to help individuals understand that relationship with food and make sure it’s one they feel good about. We chatted with Elise about her work, her new podcast, and where she likes to eat in NYC!
Downtown: What even is a certified eating psychology and nutrition expert?
Elise Museles: Most people think of nutrition as the food on their plate and see an expert to learn “what to eat.” I realized early on that the “what” is only part of the nourishment equation, so I studied at the Institute for Psychology of Eating to empower people to think about how they eat and who they are as eaters. My training provided me with a strong skill-set and the ability to work with the most commonly seen and important eating concerns of our times: weight, body image, overeating, binge eating, emotional eating, endless dieting, digestion, fatigue, immunity, mood, and much more. In a nutshell, I help people with what’s on their plates and what’s in their minds.
Downtown: What are some key things to think about when figuring out your food story?
EM: Understanding your food story is the key to lasting change. Even if you’re reading this and thinking, I don’t have a Food Story, you do! We all do. Unlike your relationship with food, which is just YOU and FOOD, your Food Story is multi-layered and written over years and years. And the beautiful thing about a story is that it is always changing and evolving.
So, when you have behaviors and habits that you would like to release, discovering where those unwanted challenges came from can help you heal them. Because when your stories remain unprocessed, they can zap your life force energy, literally draining you of your vitality. But understanding the root cause, empowers you to release what is no longer serving you and enables you to write a new chapter! When you go back in time and make that connection, you can say, “well that’s not my story anymore, and I have the power to change it!” That awareness will propel you forward to change.
Downtown: When someone comes to work with you, should they expect to totally disrupt their current way of eating?
EM: I always meet people where they are instead of pulling the rug from underneath them. The only solution that I’ve found that works is to make small changes over the course of a long period of time and to focus on all the “do’s” as opposed to the “don’ts.” Instead of telling my client to “quit all dairy tomorrow” I suggest using almond milk in their coffee every morning for the next month. Instead of talking about the negative impact of some the processed foods they are eating, I help them add inlots of fresh colorful choices so they lose their desire for the less ideal foods. Nobody likes being told what they “can’t” do, and I find it much more effective to focus on all the awesome habits and meals that they canhave.
Lasting results usually come from consistent actions and subtle, meaningful shifts. It really is so much more sane and sustainable to be realistic and take it slowly with positivity. It all adds up, and those good habits are likely to stick around when you adopt this approach!
Downtown: What are the most important eating habits healthy people should practice?
EM: Every person and every single body is unique. Here are some ways that we can all benefit:
Eat more plants, which leaves less room for the not-so healthy choices.
Add lots of color to your plate.
Make sure to balance all your meals and snacks with a combination of good carbs, protein, and healthy fat.
Think ahead of time and be prepared. It is hard to make nourishing meals when you don’t have fresh food around.
Schedule me time into your calendar so you have a better mindset to follow through with your good intentions.
Sit at the table without distraction so you can tune into your body during meals.
Set realistic expectations instead of being so hard on yourself, allowing room for flexibility.
Downtown: What have you learned about yourself since getting into the food and nutrition field?
EM: The biggest takeaways that I have since immersing myself in this field:
Healthy eating is never black and white. I like to say there are many shades of green. I have released my rigidity and now allow space for flexibility and give myself permission to EVOLVE. That means, my habits and food choices might change with the seasons, my hormones, with age, and activity level. Saying goodbye to all the crazy food rules has made eating a lot less stressful and even helped me maintain a better weight!
I also now realize that you can eat all the kale, quinoa, smoothies, and superfoods in the world, but if your mind is filled with toxic thoughts, then you’re never fully nourished. I pay equal attention to what I eat and what I think.
Downtown: You started a podcast this year, what would you tell someone who wants to start their own?
EM: While it might appear to be easy, hosting a podcast is a big responsibility that takes a lot of time and effort, but it is also extremely rewarding. I decided to start Once Upon a Food Story as a different way to share my message and to be able to go deeper in conversation than I can in a blog post or social media caption. What I didn’t realize is that there is a lot of behind the scenes that takes place before an episode goes live, from interviewing a guest to editing the conversation to writing show notes to getting social media graphics and content ready.
Having said that, my best advice is to make sure that you have the bandwidth to take on the demands. Get clear on your why behind it. Have a message or niche carved out. Be consistent with your episodes. (Many podcasts publish weekly.) Most importantly, have fun with it!
Downtown: What’s your favorite recipe?
EM: My favorite recipe changes with each season since our bodies naturally crave different things in the cooler versus warmer months. One of my favorite meals any time is a sweet potato loaded with lots of veggies, spices, and plant protein like my Fiesta Stuffed version. And I always have a supply of a healthy (and vegan) chocolate chip cookies ready and waiting to satisfy my sweet tooth. Try out the recipes for yourself!
Downtown: Where’s your favorite place to eat out in NYC?
EM: I feel like a kid in a candy store in NYC because there are so many incredible restaurants and innovative places to eat. I love ABC Vbecause I can go and get a plant-based meal that is creative and satisfying even to people who aren’t as heavily plant-based!
Figuring out a well-rounded fitness routine can be hard, especially in New York City. There seems to be a new boutique studio around every corner offering the latest trends in exercise and wellness. The key to seeing changes in your body is consistency, so here is the rundown on what our perfect workout routine looks like for the rest of the year:
We know cardio is important for overall health and stamina, especially when you have to walk up those subway stairs every day, but did you know it could be super fun, too? 305 Fitness is “an addictive cardio party” with a live dj, light show, and tons of energy. It doesn’t matter if you have two left feet, 305 will get you moving, grooving, and having so much fun you forget you’re working out.
305 is the kind of place where people take selfies in the locker room. They even have a photo booth on the stairs down to the classrooms. You’ll definitely be feeling yourself by the time the class ends, so make sure you dress for full range of motion and to feel like your best self. 305 also just announced a brand new video series for at home workouts featuring Tiësto, who just so happens to be an investor in the fitness concept. The videos are free and you can find them on their YouTube channel so you can get your dance on in the comfort of your own home.
While cardio has many benefits, the key to long, lean muscles and fat loss is strength training. That doesn’t just have to be lifting and lowering weights at the gym. SLT (which stands for Strengthen, Lengthen, and Tone) has been shaping and toning New Yorkers since 2011 and will not only help you get those abs, but also develop core strength. The workout, which follows the Lagree Fitness Method, fuses strength training and cardio with the principles of Pilates, and is anything but easy.
Within the first couple of reps of the warmup, your muscles will be shaking. One minute of Megaformer burpees are no joke, and it sets the tone for what is to come the rest of class. What’s great about this workout is that the resistance from the springs allows the body to increase flexibility while strengthening muscles at the same time. You basically get two for the price of one, and not a single part of your body is overlooked. SLT’s instructors are also great at helping with modifications should you need them, so don’t be afraid of speaking up and discussing any injuries or concerns you may have.
Stretch*d has a great approach to recovery: come in, lay down, and have an expert stretch you without you having to do the work. What’s not to love about gaining flexibility and preventing injuries without having to do the work? Stretch*d takes an dynamic approach to stretching, meaning that rather than holding a stretch for a period of time, your body is moved through varying ranges of motion to improve flexibility and mobility. This is necessary for functional movement and safety, and it’s also great for recovering from any fitness class.
Prior to your session, your Stretch’r (the therapist) will take a couple of minutes to talk to you about your body and tailor the session to your needs. While held in place with a belt across your lap, your body will twist and turn from a light stretch, to a medium stretch, to a deep stretch, leaving you feeling open and more mobile after just one session. Definitely come regularly to keep yourself injury-free!
If you are looking to get into meditation, look no further than Inscape. Walking into the studio, the storefront is a wellness mecca filled with crystals, self-help books, journals, and all-natural body care and beauty products. Classes take place in the back of the space, and the front desk staff kindly greets you with a small dosage of CBD (completely optional) to help promote further relaxation for class. Meditation occurs in a dome-like structure, and the relaxation classes take place in the alcove, which looks like a cave from Avatar. Classes are either lying down or seated.
Go all-out and opt for the 70-minute sound bath session with the optional CBD supplement. Fully immersed in sound, the class is lightly guided and gives gentle directions to focus on the various layers of sound created. After drifting in and out of a light sleep, which seemed to last about three minutes, the class is concluded seated. You leave feeling lighter, clearer-headed, happy, and grounded. It’s a great way to conclude the weekend, prepare for the week ahead, and fight off the Sunday Scaries. It is sure to become part of your weekly routine.
Wondering what to wear? Workout clothes are best, especially for 305 and SLT, where you will sweat a ton. We love Michi, a fashion-forward activewear brand that is flattering for all shapes and sizes and can be worn anywhere, anytime (believe us, we do it).
To top it all off, tie back your hair with Teleties! We’ve been obsessed with these fashionable, waterproof hair ties for months. They don’t leave marks, look cute on your wrist, and, best of all, when they stretch out you can pop them in hot water and they’ll shrink back into shape. They come in two sizes and tons of fun colors, like this pink pack. Once you try Teleties, you’ll never use another type of hair tie again.
