The Spa Blog

When you’re welcoming your third generation of customers, Mother’s Day gets pretty interesting. Here’s what’s in store for the Mother’s Day Weekend, or as it should be known, Mother’s Weekend.

Mother’s Day Weekend Festivities at the Spa

Count on us to make you look good! When Mom visits Saturday May 11 and Sunday May 12, she’ll be spoiled with festive treats, bubbles, and expert, professional-grade pampering. (Yes, we’ll be serving those amazing mini bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes. I think a small riot would ensue if we substituted any other baked good.) We’ll have a new yet retro Champagne cocktail in honor of Mother’s Day. Fresh fruit and cheese for nibbling.

Tell Mom that we may not be able to peel her grapes, but we will do virtually everything else. She’ll swan around in a plush robe and experience the amazing treatments we’re famous for. If she requests permanent asylum, we’ll call you.

Mother’s Day Drawing

Whether you’re around on the weekend or not, enter a richly-deserving Mom in our Facebook drawing for a luxe makeover with James Craig Salon and Preston Wynne. Just add a comment to this post with your “nominee”. You can enter in-spa too.

The Now-Traditional Village Wine Stroll

Saratoga Village is making Saturday May 11 especially relaxing and delicious, too, with a Wine Stroll from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Preston Wynne will be hosting a distinctive local winery in the breezeway, and just in case you’re not relaxed enough by the time you get to our end of Big Basin Way, we’re pampering passers-by with mini hand massages (featuring the habit-forming Moroccan Rose Body Butter we’re giving away with Mother’s Day gift card purchases of $150 or more. )

Where to buy a spa gift card (maybe right now?)

Let’s say you can’t be here to share the love in person. Gift cards can be purchased in-spa and online, and instant gift certificates are available 24/7, for the attention-deficient, er, very busy. Check out your gift options here to see which is best for the Mom(s) in your life.

I’m constantly being stalked by representatives of Groupon, formerly the world’s fastest-growing company (and more recently, one of the fastest-shrinking.)

We all love a bargain, me included. It’s pretty tempting to buy a spa Groupon when they show up in your in-box. Hey! It’s cheap! Why not? Let’s give it a whirl!

Here’s the rub.

Groupon and its copycats require spas to discount their services dramatically, usually by 50% or more. Then they give the business 50% of the sales, in lump sums, up front. That means the business is receiving only 25% of its normal revenue for the service. According to one Slate magazine article from last summer, Groupon functions like a loan-sharking operation for small business.

Why does this matter to you, the spa guest?

It’s very, very expensive for a spa to run a “social discount” promotion that offers a discount of 50% or more. That’s because spas have a high variable cost; most of us compensate by employees for the services they perform. (A whale watching boat, by contrast, has the same basic cost whether 3 people or 30 show up.)

So spas that run Groupons generally reduce their employee’s compensation in order to offer them. And Groupons often sell in very large quantities. Which means employees may be providing a lot of facials or massages at a fraction of their normal pay. Groupon users frequently don’t leave gratuities. You can imagine the effect on employee morale! Discounting is not a strategy for retaining great talent.

At Preston Wynne, cultivating a team of wonderful spa therapists is our #1 priority.  Our clients deserve the best, and we work hard to find special people who share our philosophy. Talent and knowledge are key, and so is hospitality and plain good judgement. (The latter quality is rarer than hen’s teeth!)

We go through an average of 20 potential employees before we find one that meets our hiring standards. They even interview with their potential teammates, who have veto power over our finalists. Our goal is to have a harmonious and talented staff–the key to a relaxing spa experience.

Veteran therapists like to work at Preston Wynne Spa. It’s professionally operated. There is a well-trained, positive support team. There are standards and protocols and a passionate commitment to customer service and to the therapeutic work that we do. We use extremely high-quality products in our services. We provide a beautiful, and safe, working environment. We follow sanitation practices that exceed the standards of the Board of Consumer Affairs. We offer medical benefits for employees who work 20 or more hours a week, something that is still a rarity in the spa and salon industry.

Meanwhile, scratch the surface of many a discount-fueled or bargain spa and you’ll find dodgy practices like pretending that staff members are “independent contractors,” or not employees at all. Schemes can be as elaborate as setting up “schools” to bring non-US workers in on student visas to practice in the “clinic,” which is the spa operation.

Why is that a problem? If a spa pretends that a therapist is really an independent contractor, they deny spa therapists worker’s compensation insurance if they are injured on the job, and unemployment insurance if they lose their job. They’re not paying employment taxes. They’re saddling legitimate employers with a bigger burden. They’re competing unfairly and illegally. And the practice is epidemic.

If a spa is willing to flout employment laws, do they bother to obey other laws? Laws about professional licensing, or laws governing sanitation? It’s worth asking.

We’re delighted to have our massage therapy department voted Best in Silicon Valley last month by readers of the Metro. There’s a reason our team earned those accolades. They hold themselves to the highest standards. They love their work. They exemplify professionalism. And they’re really, really nice people.

There are really two “purchases” happening when you visit a spa. First, you’re investing money. You’re also investing something just as valuable: your time. You deserve a great return-on-time-spent.

Bargain-hunting can be fun, but when it comes to your health, appearance and well-being, finding a great value is much more important.

Monday evenings, 7p-9p

The Bad Mommies Social Club invites stressed-out moms to hand off the kids to Good Daddies (or a nice sitter) and sneak out with a girlfriend for a “bedtime” dessert, glass of wine, and a facial, massage or body treatment from Preston Wynne Spa. Pedicures are available as well, in a Duetto Suite with two plush recliners.

Each week, Bad Mommies enjoy wine tasting from different local vintners, including Cinnabar, Cooper-Garrod, Big Basin Vineyards, and the Mountain Winery–along with indulgent cheese and decadent chocolate selections.  Mini trunk shows are coming soon.

Mommies (Daddies are welcome as well) can relax in the spa’s cozy lounge and do a little catching up with a BFF, or enjoy some “me time” courtesy of the spa’s solicitous staff. The spa’s team features talented massage therapists and estheticians, many of whom are veterans with 10+ years of experience.

Busy parents can schedule their spa treatments online at prestonwynne.com, or call a friendly concierge at 408.741.5525 for personal assistance, seven days a week. The spa is open until 9 p.m. from Monday through Friday, til 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Want to get the most out of your bodywork session? “Audience participation” is the key.

• Communicate your needs to your massage therapist, before and during your session. Preston Wynne Spa therapists will check in with you. A good “check in” question is, “How does this pressure feel? Would you like more? Less?” We know you’re reluctant to tell a massage therapist that, uh, what they’re doing to you, as nice as it may be, isn’t exactly what you want. You deserve to get exactly what you want from your bodywork session. Your therapist appreciates hearing from you.
• Try different styles of bodywork. One size does not fit all. Gentlemen, don’t ask for deep tissue massage because it sounds more macho. Men have a lower pain threshhold than women do, and often find deep tissue uncomfortable. Try energy work like Reiki if you’re experiencing extreme stress or if your health is compromised–for example, if you’re receiving cancer therapy.
• What you do in the 12-24 hours following your massage is important. When your massage therapist tells you to “drink plenty of water,” there’s a very specific reason. Massage therapy helps to detoxify the tissues of the body by increasing circulation of blood and lymph, which help to transport the toxins out of your system. Once those little devils are back in circulation, they need to be flushed out. And water, lots of it, is essential. Without copious hydration, you can end up feeling sore and achey. Lack of hydration is the #1 reason that your massage may have left you feeling worse, not better.
• One of the best ways to accelerate the results of massage is to take a warm bath sometime in the hours following your treatment. Our SureCure Bath, a seaweed concentrate enhanced with essential oils, is one of the fastest ways to facilitate detoxification. (The bathtub is your most accessible healing tool.)
• Use a topical analgesic like our cult-favorite AcquaCures Relief Gel in areas where you have pain, or experienced deeper bodywork. This helps move fluid that can cause aching and stiffness. Relief Gel also contains arnica, a botanical that reduces bruising and pain.
• For maximum effect, combine your topical analgesic with heat–the heated neck pillows and heated wraps from Dreamtime can be warmed in the microwave and applied just where you need them. It’s remarkable how much pain relief these gentle topical modalities can provide.
• Don’t get a massage if you think you may be coming down with the flu. It will accelerate the onset of the flu and may initially intensify symptoms. Unlike a physician, a massage therapist is not prepared to treat sick clients and won’t be able to protect themselves and other clients from your hitchhiking germs.

Do you “get” winter? In this era of so-called seasonless living, we’ve lost our connection to the natural rhythms of the year. (My 20-something stepdaughters’ 365-day-a-year addiction to flip-flops comes to mind.) It’s not as if we’re still huddling in caves in January with our dwindling supply of nuts and berries. So why are the seasons relevant? Or are just *so* last millennium?

It wasn’t that long ago that our ancestors were crouched in caves snacking on squirrel jerky, so our mind/body system is still designed to respond to the changing seasons in what Traditional Chinese Medicine calls an “appropriate” manner. In winter, it means slowing down (conserving calories during the food-scarce months) and turning inward (not that much to do in the cave, after all, and too much cave chatter makes for some pretty frayed nerves by spring.) It means eating more warm, cooked foods, things that we can gather and store, such as root vegetables. Not a lot of salad in the ol’ cave.

Before you chug that nice chilled glass of orange juice to ward off a cold, imagine what happens when that cold, raw food, not to mention all that sugar, is introduced into your system. Your body is cooled both by the temperature of the juice and by the inherent property of raw fruit, which is “cooling” to the body. Sugar is particularly problematic during cold season, because it causes mucous to form. A great alternative: a cup of ginger tea with a generous squeeze of lemon, a little bit of real maple syrup or honey, and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Think about the noun, “cold.” It says it all. Cold = colds. Your grandma was right about staying out of a draft and wearing a muffler. Protecting the vulnerable back of your neck is a bit of an obsession in Chinese medicine. So is eating warm food, and using seasonal produce.

Kale, spinach and other winter greens are fantastic sources of antioxidant vitamins like A, C and E. It’s easy to grow these and other winter greens, like arugula. For the most seasonally-attuned preparation, steam or braise them. I love them with a nice filet of wild salmon over high-protein udon noodles, which I use in place of pasta in many recipes.

Some other nutritional tips for staying in balance with the season:

- If you’re prone to sinus problems in the fall and winter, eating warm, moist and oil-rich food is thought to be particularly beneficial; oily fishes, olive oil, nut oils and even ghee (Indian style clarified butter) are wonderful. Applying warm oil or anti-inflammatory, rich shea butter to the skin is also helpful.

- Eat locally and organically. Produce that’s grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, in our area, is in sync with your climate and season-the same natural rhythms that are influencing you everyday. It’s easier than ever to do, with our fantastic farmer’s markets. A chef who worships local produce (and has nearly everything grown locally, at Love Apple Farms in Ben Lomond) is David Kinsch at Manresa. On his plates, you’ll get acquainted with amazing heirloom vegetables you’ve never heard of before.

- For a fast winter dinner, I quickly chop the greens, and then dunk them, some udon noodles and some wet-smoked salmon into Trader Joe’s Ginger Soy broth and cook until the greens are done but still bright green. Voila!…A seasonally attuned meal in a scandalously fast 12 minutes. In contrast, a seasonally attuned summertime dinner would be rich in raw vegetables and finished with some luscious local fruit.

- Drink water. Hot water. Tea is much better for you than cold water. Don’t overhydrate in the wintertime; the season is ruled by the Water element in Chinese medicine. (But if you want to feel weak and weepy, drink up!)

For the social animals that we are, winter is our annual low point. Summer is the natural season for gatherings and celebration. What’s wrong with this picture? Just when nature is telling you to retreat within, turn down the volume, give it a rest, and chill out, you’re pounded with the holiday season and its demands, from shopping to partying. No wonder we get the holiday blues.

One of the best antidotes for our perpetual mind-body imbalance is meditation. Yes, the M word is awfully intimidating, with its image of rigorous practice and stringent self-discipline. But even if you don’t meditate, just sit quietly and breathe mindfully, for 10-15 minutes a day. If you miss a day, don’t worry. If you miss more, don’t worry. Just do it as often as you’re able.

I was recently inspired to renew my meditation practice by a book which explained that would-be meditators often give up because they set too high a standard for themselves. Even if you manage to meditate one day a week, or one day a month, resist the urge for self-flagellation. Occasional meditation is much better than none at all, and semi-regular meditation is downright health enhancing. The lower you set the bar for meditation “success” the more inclined you’ll be to do it. (My lap-averse cat now shows up when I’m meditating, and curls up on my half-lotus, something she’s never been known to do when alpha waves were not present. Though it’s not in the official meditation playbook, I can’t exactly turn her away when she’s seeking enlightenment.)

So as you make your way through this winter, take a page from the cave-dwellers you descended from. Stay as warm as you can, eat food that’s in season, and find a place to hide out from the hectic pace of the holidays, if only for a few minutes. And you’d like to do something a little more evolved, there’s nothing like a spa treatment for reuniting body and soul!

Do you need a BB (“beauty balm”) cream or should you use foundation? Or is mineral makeup the best choice? The answer is…yes.

Think of these makeup options like your wardrobe. You can’t wear the same thing for every occasion. Your workout gear won’t be appropriate at a wedding, and you probably don’t wear a cocktail dress to the office.

BB Cream. When you want to go flawless, Jane Iredale Glowtime BB Cream is a best-in-class miracle worker in this rapidly growing category. It’s an elegant makeup that protects with an SPF 25, provides a flawless and distinctively satiny finish, helps brighten and even out skin imperfections with Vitamin C, and can do double duty as a healing concealer. (One reviewer said she used it to cover a large port wine stain birthmark, which would normally require camouflage makeup!) It takes a lentil-sized drop of it to cover your entire face because it’s loaded with super fine pigment that optically adjusts to your skin color. This is not a no-makeup look and it requires the right application tools, including a brush and buffing sponge. It takes more time to apply than regular foundation, but the results are well worth it.

Remember my comment about workout gear? Well, GlowTime will outlast your Bikram session. Very water resistant, but it doesn’t clog pores. For the ultimate finish Jane recommends starting with the Smooth Affair primer. Both products are non-comedeogenic (won’t clog your pores.) The one downside: just six shades. I expect there will be more. Here’s more info, user reviews and a great instructional video from Jane.

Custom Blend Foundation. This is the most natural look of the three and the most versatile. If you have a hard-to-match skin color, nothing is better than having a foundation custom-blended from scratch. Our makeup artists are specially trained in creating a bespoke foundation that is truly custom-blended–not like the popular blend-two-existing-liquid-foundations-together-and-call-it-custom approach of the major brands.

The lab that makes our Custom Blend foundation ($55) only makes one cosmetic–everything else they produce is a skin care product. The base is customized three ways: 1. For color 2. For texture 3. For coverage. I recently blended a base for a client who had never been able to find a foundation match because of her extremely fair skin. (Think Sargent’s famous Madame X!) The foundation had to be customized with so much pale blue tint that it looked, literally, grey in the bottle. When it was applied to her skin and had fully dried and oxidized, it was a gorgeous pale ivory. The problem is that makeup companies can’t sell you a bottle of liquid makeup that looks grey. They have to make makeup appealing in the container. Hence, poor pale women running around with peach-colored  faces.

Or Asian women forced to wear life-sapping beige shades because cosmetic companies can’t bring themselves to put truly golden makeup on the shelf (yes, it looks scary when wet too.) The best foundation for Asian skin is shockingly yellow when wet, but dries to the perfect beige. Even olive-skinned women have this challenge. There is literally green in olive skin (hence the name!) But makeup companies won’t make foundation that is green enough. We have no such compunction–we pump green tint in until we get the perfect match. We document it all on a recipe card and then make your base from scratch each time you need a refill.

African American skins are among the hardest to match by conventional makeup. Ashy, ugly taupe makeup is the result of products containing titanium dioxide. An opacifier used in makeup, titanium dioxide is white. Period. No matter how much dark pigment you add, that white deadens black skin tones. The secret is to create a base with as little opacifier as possible.

When you create a custom blend foundation you can make it as sheer or as opaque as you like. If you prefer your base matte, we start with the matte formula. If you like it dewy, we start with the moisturizing formula. We can amp up the moisture content with hydrating serum. We can add sunscreen. We can add a touch of pearl. The secret to a truly natural finish is a faint shimmer, which mimics the way the skin naturally reflects light. (Think of the skin cells on the surface of your face as tiny, misshapen sequins.)

There are literally infinite options when you blend from scratch. Clients who have our Custom Blend foundation simply can’t go back to “off-the-shelf.” It’s like going from wearing couture to wearing a uniform. Many of our clients have a “winter coat” and “summer coat” made. Others like a “casual” and “dress” foundation, with different degrees of coverage.

Mineral Makeup. These powder foundations–the best are by Jane Iredale–are portable, convenient, and (generally) easiest to apply. The PurePress Base Spf 20 pressed mineral powder can be toted around in your makeup bag for quick daytime touchup or–my favorite–instant sun protection.  They can be used like a traditional setting powder, over liquid foundation. There are myriad shades–thank you, Miss Jane, for your encyclopedic selection of colors. Mineral makeup gives a satiny finish. It’s best to use a setting spray like Jane’s PomMist Hydration Spray to ensure that it’s not too flat, and to help the minerals cling, if your skin is dry. This is the most hydrating hydration spray I have ever experienced and it’s a good take-along for anyone who has dry skin, to give your skin a “drink” during the day.

Another option in mineral makeup, and one that has been hugely popular in the past ten years, is loose powder makeup like Jane Iredale’s Amazing Base SPF 20. The color array matches their pressed foundations and most of our clients like to have both formulas. A little less convenient (you won’t be toting it in your bag), it gives the a lustrous, silky, satin finish. The quality of this product, compared to the many cheap mineral makeup knockoffs, is stunning. The minerals are milled super-fine, which is essential to a natural look.

Mineral makeup is truly versatile. I like to dash on mineral makeup for a trip to the gym, and I use the pressed foundation to revive my makeup at day’s end if I’m heading out to dinner. It’s like a whole new face. As well, if I suddenly get caught in the sun at an outdoor cafe, I can protect my skin with a few strategic swipes of my sponge. Mineral makeup is forgiving–unliked a mis-applied liquid foundation, you’re never going to look terrible with the right mineral powder shade, no matter how slapdash your technique.

But let’s say you want your mineral makeup to live up to its full, flattering potential. Proper application technique is key to making mineral makeup look pretty, not powdery, so don’t miss this instructional video from Jane if you’re a Mineral Girl. And plan to invest in the right foundation brush. It both applies the pigment and helps burnish and buff the minerals, removing excess and setting them.

I can’t say that mineral makeup has become hugely popular as a standalone makeup for more mature skins. It can make it look dry, and in my experience, it can be a little drying too, unless you use a primer and lots of hydration spray. And once you start getting into that much layering, well, you may want to opt for a liquid makeup anyhow!

To explore your foundation options,  experience an educational makeup consultation with one of our trained and licensed artists.  Give us a call at 408.741.5525 or send us a request at info@prestonwynne.com. We’ll be happy to help you put your best face forward with the right makeup!

Fatigue is one of the main health challenges facing women today. Much of it is due to insomnia–some of it “voluntary,” (trying to squeeze in everything on your “to do” list) some of it hormonal. Sleep is essential to good health, and more research is showing that a naps, properly scheduled, can improve well-being and increase alertness. (Insert “duh” here.)

Visiting a spa may be the one time that our guests actually get to unwind during their busy week (or busy month.)  I know how I feel after a massage. What? It’s over? I have to leave? I was just starting to relax. At the end of a facial treatment, I have heard many clients sigh, “Can I just sleep here for another half hour?”

Well, yes, as it turns out.

When you enjoy a massage, body treatment, facial or pedicure, we’ll tuck you in for a nice 15-30 minute post-treatment nap if you like. And no, you won’t be in a public lounge, where you might worry about disturbing someone with your (quite charming) snoring. Or, heaven forfend, drooling. No, you’ll be in a private treatment room, blissfully alone, ensconced in fresh linens with a comfy pillow. And we’ll be very gentle when we wake you. No need to set that cute iphone alarm.

Spa naps are offered on a first-come, first-snooze basis. You can also reserve a nap when you schedule your treatment, on a space available basis! Best nap practices suggest that late-afternoon-to-evening naps should be avoided because they can disturb your natural sleep cycle. Of course, if you haven’t slept more than five hours this week, that point may be moot anyhow.

Try a spa siesta and tell us what you think.

We’re delighted to welcome Joni Russell, Karuna Reiki Master, to our team. If you’ve experienced acupuncture, you’re familiar with a healing art that facilitates the flow of vital energy, also known as chi, through the body.

Reiki is a gentle treatment that also helps to unblock energy flow. Practitioners believe this facilitates the natural self-healing mechanisms of the mind and body.  When receiving a treatment, clients often report warmth or tingling in areas of the body receiving Reiki. The most common response is one of deep, profound relaxation.

Reiki is enjoyed while relaxing on a treatment table or chair. Loose, comfortable clothing is idea for experiencing Reiki, making it convenient for people of all ages and physical ability. Reiki practitioners do not have to make physical contact and may instead hold their hands near the body. If you’ve never had a Reiki treatment it’s easy to observe a session and think, “that can’t possibly be doing anything!”

Indeed, Western science has yet to document the exact benefits of many energy healing systems–but the reason they’ve become so popular is that people feel extraordinarily good after receiving the work.  Testimonials abound for the health benefits of Reiki. My personal experience has been absolutely marvelous (I’m one of the fortunate individuals that can experience energy movement viscerally–it’s true when I have acupuncture as well.)

If Reiki still sounds too “woo woo”, a consultation with Joni Russell quickly puts skeptics at ease. A former event planner (a stressful career if there ever was one) Joni is smart, articulate, and about as far from a New Age moonchild as you’re likely to find. But just as quickly you’ll realize that she has a lovely, clear and appealing energy that simply draws you in and creates an instant sense of comfort.

Accompanying Joni to a couple of recent events at which she provided ten minute Reiki sessions, I saw firsthand how different people responded to her work. People sat down in her chair with absolutely no knowledge of–or expectations about–Reiki, and stood up ten minutes later as enthusiastic converts.

As you may know, I seek out experts in the healing arts to join our amazing team here at Preston Wynne–though the best seem to find us! Joni was referred to us by a longtime client who has benefited from her work. Joni is a Master Teacher of both Traditional Usui and Karuna Reiki, receiving her training and certification at The International Center For Reiki Training, where she is a Professional Member. Joni has been practicing Reiki for over ten years and teaches classes and certifies students and practitioners at all levels. In her practice, she has worked with patients of chronic conditions, from fibromyalgia and HIV to cancer and infertility, treated survivors of abuse and loss, and believes Reiki is a tool to help relieve individuals of stress, life’s aches and pains, and to find support and serenity.

Karuna Reiki is an advanced healing system practiced by Reiki Masters certified in this system by The International Center for Reiki Training. With its roots in traditional Japanese and Tibetan Reiki, Karuna treatments are powerful in clearing energy blockages while still feeling gentle and energizing. A Karuna treatment is complementary to western medical care and can support clients in:

• Easing Anxiety and Depression
• Releasing Addictive Behavior
• Easing insomnia
• Chakra Balancing
• Creation of Healthy Habits
• Withstanding the stress of Chemotherapy
• Grounding
• Enhancing focus and concentration
• Resistance to Healing

One hour sessions with Joni Russell are $135 and take place in our Wellness Center. Your first session includes a thorough consultation and lasts up to 90 minutes. Reiki treatments are available in a series of six as well.

To schedule your treatment call 408 741 5525

Learn how to UPstyle your hair, wardrobe, jewelry and makeup with fall’s hottest trends.

Thursday, October 18 from 6 to 9 p.m.

In the Plaza Del Roble Courtyard

Presented by: James Craig Salon, Deja and Co Exquisite Jewels, Preston Wynne Spa, Miss Jody, Center for Facial and Body Rejuvenation

Join us for:

• Informal modeling, including new and UPcycled fall looks styled by Miss Jody
• Experience falls’ rich new color palette with PW makeup artists
• New product launches with AcquaCures, Cosmedix, Jane Iredale and Kai
• Personal consults with Spa Lifestylist Mariah Giunta of AcquaCures
• Samples and gifts from our product partners
• James Craig stylists will UPstyle your hair from day to evening
• Get Jeweled at Deja and Co.
• Learn how to turn old jewelry into fresh new looks with a jewel makeover
• Enjoy posh nibbles and sweets
• Wine Tasting with Saratoga Vintners
• Charge UP your vital energy at the Reiki Lounge
• UPcycle yourself: discover the newest facial rejuvenation technology from the Center for Facial and Body Rejuvenation
• Amazing prize drawings (and we

Admission is $35, and includes a FREE treatment upgrade gift valued at $30 when you check in at Preston Wynne! A portion of your admission benefits the Echo Shop and its crucial community outreach programs.

“Pleasure is healing.” One of the best explanations of the power of pampering ever uttered. (It’s one of the “brand pillars” of Auberge Resorts.) Saratoga, California came by its name after mineral springs were discovered here in the mid 1800′s. From that time til the turn of the century, Saratoga was a place people came to take the waters–and the wine.  Winemaking in Saratoga is nearly as old as spa-going. Rejuvenation and relaxation is in our blood.

So I’m happy to say that the Santa Cruz Mountains winegrowing region is finally getting what it has long deserved–a luxury base camp here in Saratoga. With the advent of a group of new tasting rooms augmenting the fabulous ones at our hillside wineries, we’ve become the epicenter of epicurean delights. And a new website has just launched to tell the story: gosaratogaca.com.

Though many of our local spa guests visit us for an hour or so, more are now staging events at the spa for companies or social groups–or foregoing the drive to Napa and enjoying a romantic wine country weekend in (dare I say it?) Silicon Valley.

I just toured one of the uber-comfy suites at the Saratoga Oaks Lodge and fell in love with its gracious, residential details–including a big covered terrace and a luxurious steam shower and separate jetted tub.

Where else can you enjoy fabulous couples massage, meditate in North America’s oldest and most authentic Asian gardens, attend a concert on a mountaintop and dine in a Michelin-starred restaurant in a charming village…all within ten minutes’ drive? We really do have an embarrassment of riches in this small community.

Let the healing begin!