Get a Taste of Wellness at Four Seasons Westlake Village

July 29, 2016 by 16 Comments
The Taste of Wellness package at Four Seasons Westlake Village is a great one-day immersion into the spa and wellness experience at the property’s California Health & Longevity Institute.

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Yoga class on the lawn at Four Seasons Westlake Village

Did you know that at the Four Seasons Westlake Village there is a whole wellness center? It’s called California Health & Longevity Institute (CHLI) and it’s one more very big reason to visit Westlake and the Four Seasons. CHLI offers medical and dental treatments, nutritionist consultations, healthy cooking classes, dermatology, fitness classes, and so much more that I wasn’t even aware of. People travel from all over to experience their services with top medical professionals in the serene and luxurious surroundings of the Four Seasons property.

Taste of Wellness

Working in partnership, the hotel and CHLI have introduced a new package for guests that introduces you to what the center has to offer. It’s called Taste of Wellness, and it only takes a half a day – or longer if you can spare the time to chill out in the spa or pool when you are done. You can choose from three different themes: Detox + Disconnect, Relax + Recharge, or Shape Up + Slim Down.

Relax + Recharge

The center and hotel invited me to try out Taste of Wellness, and since I was between a long trip and back-to-school coming up, I chose the Relax + Recharge package, which includes:

-Life Strategies Consultation
-Somadome Meditation
-Tranquility Massage

Those words all look great to me, but I didn’t know exactly what it all entailed, so I arrived and checked in near the spa (which is already my happy place) with curious optimism. I had no idea how blown away I was about to become.

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Check into CHLI in the south wing of the hotel, across from The Spa

Life Strategies Consultation

Dr. Ilana Kukoff is a fixer. She’s not a therapist, there to listen to you vent and cry and walk out of her office with puffy eyes, feeling like you got hit by a train, but so much better since you unloaded your problems. No, Dr. Kukoff is there to give you action steps to make your life better. I hadn’t prepared myself for meeting her, since I hadn’t known it was coming. After she introduced herself and described her background (she runs The Center for Child & Family Wellbeing at CHLI, grew up on the east coast like me, and has two grown and successful children, plus a book coming out this fall, etc.) she asked me what I needed help with.

After a moment of thought, I told her about my current crossroads: my older son is going to middle school, my duties as PTA president are over so I have time to work more, but I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up! Dr. Kukoff didn’t miss a beat. She immediately gave me a pad and pen, and said “Write this down. Number 1…” and gave me two pages of action steps that covered not only my career path but also my children’s school challenges, the name of an agent I should meet when I finish my novel, titles of books and magazines I should read, and some quotable bits I’ll have to use in another post!

My head spun pleasantly with all the new ideas in the wake of Dr. Kukoff’s personable energy. At that point I could have used that buzz to work out, because in addition to the services I experienced, the package includes access to daily exercise classes offered by CHLI, like yoga, pilates, cycling, barre, and “Aqua Blast.” Since I had to get back to my children in a few hours, I skipped the exercise. At least, that’s my excuse. Besides, it was time for lunch.

Ahi Poke Bowl

Ahi Poke Bowl

Sustained Living Lunch

The Taste of Wellness naturally includes lunch from the Wellness Kitchen, served in the main dining room at Four Seasons. Menu items were designed by Paulette Lambert, the nutrition director at CHLI and author of the cookbook by the same name (which is really fantastic – I went home with a copy and already made 2 dishes from it, which my whole family loved).

lunch plate four seasons

For lunch during my day at Four Seasons I had the 1, 2, 3 Lunch! entree and chose tomato & burrata salad, the quinoa garden bowl with pistachios and blistered tomato, and, not exactly super healthy but it has fruit, the most incredible peach melba I’ve ever had. The Taste of Wellness package includes non-alcoholic beverages only, but I had to go outside the box and try the Antioxidant Mojito. It’s for the story, right? Conclusion: I heartily recommend.

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Somadome Meditation

After lunch I checked into the spa, which is really just the best place on Earth, and got a locker, a robe, and slippers. The spa clerk showed me to the Somadome, which is a giant futuristic egg stationed in a classically decorated wing of offices around the corner from the spa. The juxtaposition of the plush, cozy room and the new-agey egg was striking.

somadome four seasons

What followed was a 20-minute suspension of reality. Inside the egg, there’s no visual stimulus except for the glowing white interior. I donned headphones and chose the “Success” meditation, during which a calm female voice uttered motivational mantras, echoing herself, over thrumming electronic beats.

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About to meditate in the Somadome

It was super trippy at first, and I had to take photos, too, but after a few minutes I relaxed into it and completely zoned out. Just as the meditation track was ending, the clerk returned and knocked on the egg to transition me back to the ladies’ spa for my massage.

Tranquility Massage

You’re going to get the top of the line at Four Seasons’ Spa no matter what service you choose, but the Tranquility Swedish massage is what comes with this package. It’s a 50 minute relaxing massage with pressure as you like it. I added a foot scrub to it, too, since I’ve been traipsing around in flip flops all summer and my feet needed a little tune-up. My therapist, Roe, was a total pro and I left there feeling relaxed and ready to soak in the spa or lounge by the pool…

…except that whole parenting thing. My time was up and I had to head home. But the food for thought I got from Dr. Kukoff, the meditative state of mind from the Somadome, the relaxed muscles after my massage, and the nourishing food I put in my belly all conspired to give me a peaceful, slightly energized feeling when I got there.

Book Your Taste

I absolutely recommend this experience, especially as you’re gearing up for a change in your life, or you want to kick-start a fitness program or come down from some hard summer partying. If you’re a parent and you can set aside some time once the kids go back to school, a Taste of Wellness day will be perfect!

To book, call 818-575-3000 or visit the hotel’s website here.

The day package is only $299 per person, and it includes everything I mentioned above. That is a slam dunk amazing deal, considering the spa services alone! It would be a really nice gift, too. You can schedule your day as you like with the people who make the reservations – and I would even go so far as to say get your massage before lunch to avoid any unpleasant digestion noises that might embarrass you.

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This package is available to overnight guests, of course, so make it a staycation and keep that pleasant buzz with you all day and night and into the next morning. The Four Seasons Westlake Village feels like a world away from the rest of the area. A stay there is restful and good for the soul.

I experienced Taste of Wellness as a guest of Four Seasons and CHLI. All opinions are my own.

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I’m Taking the EVER Skincare 30 Day Challenge

February 25, 2016 by 17 Comments

The EVER Skincare kit is made up of four steps to take morning and night, like a workout for your skin. I’m going to use it morning and night for 30 days to get in the habit of taking care of my skin. 

ever skincare kit

EVER Skincare is the recently launched line of skincare products with natural ingredients from the same company that sells Stella and Dot jewelry. EVER Skincare products are sold through reps, known as “specialists,” who are trained in how to use the products and answer your questions. I met Bianca Sanderson at an event recently. She’s a local business woman who found a special talent representing products she loves, and turned that passion into a business that helps support her family while also allowing her to have a flexible schedule while her sons are still school-aged. I love hearing stories like that!

Bianca demonstrated the EVER Skincare regimen for me, patch testing the products out before I committed to the challenge. Each product is made of natural ingredients and smells and feels great on my skin.

What is the 30 day challenge?

EVER challenges you to follow the steps, each morning and night, for 30 days. You need to stick to the regimen to see the full effect on your skin. After all, to stay in shape you need to keep working out and eating healthy, right? Well, your skin is the same way: unless you take care of it, your skin will age faster!

To help demonstrate the change, I took close up photos of my face that I will compare to photos I take 30 days later. Here’s a ridiculous video of me telling you why I am doing this:

So. Every night I have to use the following products:

1. Cleanse: Since I have dry skin, I use the LUMINOUS Cleansing Balm, which feels like a cream or ointment, and rinses off feeling smooth and silky vs. squeaky and dry.

2. Exfoliate: The REVEAL Biomimetic Peel Pads gently remove old dead skin cells. Since my skin is very sensitive, I don’t use this every time. I’ll be building up to it gradually.

3. Treat: YOUTHFUL Quattro Peptide Face & Eye Serum goes on next to treat fine lines and wrinkles (and for you younger types, keeps your skin youthful).

4. Moisturize and protect: In the morning I use Daylight moisturizer with SPF, and in the evening a more intense cream called Hydralift. When my skin is feeling especially dry in the morning I can use a thin layer of Hydralift and then use Daylight for the protection from the sun.

Here is another ridiculous video in which I point out for you the things I find especially cool about the products:

I don’t mind doing all the steps, unless I’m rushing, or exhausted, and I don’t feel like dealing with it. But I am committed to the process, and I want to take care of my skin. Stay tuned as I report my progress! And if you are curious about EVER Skincare, check them out and tell Bianca I sent you!

If you like this post, pin it for later!

EVER Skincare 30 Day Challenge

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What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Nauseous and Woozy: A Burn 60 Workout (CLOSED)

May 28, 2015 by 5 Comments

Update: Burn 60 is closed.

A workout class that involves 60 minutes of circuit training at Burn 60 can be fun, if you don’t pass out or vomit first. 9/2016 UPDATE: The Thousand Oaks location of Burn 60 is closed, but you can still get the same killer workout in Brentwood and West Hollywood.

After an hour-long workout at Burn 60 I breathlessly interviewed the instructor, Nick. He described the philosophy of the studio and his own methods, and said “It doesn’t get easier.”

I must have looked particularly horrified, because he quickly followed that with “Well, the nausea and the burning in your lungs gradually goes away…”

Oh, great. Good.

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Listen, Agoura Hills. I do these things for you, not just for myself. If there’s a new restaurant/spa/experience in town and someone invites me to try it out so I can share it with my readers, I’m game. But as I told the nice people at Burn 60, I hate to work out and I hate running. You all know I love to hike: low impact, no bouncing. Aerobic exercise is the opposite of that, but it turns out that’s what my body actually needs.

So even though I was nervous about the possibility of passing out, throwing up, or both, I headed to Burn 60 on a recent Friday morning. Because the gym is so new, the classes are not yet crowded – there were only three other people in the one I took, which was just fine. The gym has capacity for many more, which meant I got to suffer in my own little corner.

IMG_9375Have courage, and don’t pee your pants.

When the class time came, (8:15 AM), Nick started the big countdown clock on the wall. 60:00. For the first fifteen minutes he led us through interval training on the treadmill. Faster, slower, more incline, less incline. From 15-30 minutes we did weight and resistance exercises on the floor. Back to the treadmill for 30-45, and back to the floor for the last 15.

burn 60 interior

After about 5 minutes of a brisk jog, I had to hop off the treadmill to go pee (see above – I can’t handle the bouncing. Sorry, I know that’s TMI, but mah ladies who’ve had a baby or ten know what I’m talking about). After 15 minutes, I thought I was going to die. I was smart about it and didn’t push myself too hard, because I was starting from zero endurance. My lungs were burning and I couldn’t catch my breath. I used the change from treadmill to floor get a few extra gulps in.

burn 60 interior 2

During the floor parts, Nick would give us an exercise to do for a minute or a few minutes. When we got to the last seconds he would count them down. Every time he did this, I was about to give up and call it a day, but somehow his voice, and the fact that this would end in 10 seconds, inspired me to eke out one more rep of whatever it was – a situp, a lunge, a medicine ball pound. Even though my body was screaming, my lungs were on fire, and my muscles groaned, I found a tiny bit of energy to keep going.

When it was all over, I had to take a few minutes to rest. The thing is, my brain really enjoyed this workout. If I was in shape even a little bit more, the continuous changing would be entertaining to me and I wouldn’t get bored. Nick said that no two of his classes are ever the same. That’s when he said the thing about it never getting easier. Basically, you go at your own pace. Even though I was doing the exact same workout as the other three members, the 17-year-old athlete was just as exhausted as I was because he did as many pushups as he could handle, just like I did. He just did a lot more.

IMG_9384After. Still alive.

For someone like me starting from scratch, Nick recommended three days a week at Burn 60. And then once I get into a groove, four. I can see myself getting in shape, and slimming down, really fast with that kind of schedule. I might also have a better attitude about life, and more energy, too!

Nick told me that his classes at the Brentwood location of Burn 60 are always packed, and the collective energy gets everyone going and motivated. At sleepy little Thousand Oaks, the loud music and Nick’s voice were plenty of motivation for me, but I can see how a crowd can help. As more people sign up for this gym, the better it will get.

Burn 60 is brand new at The Lakes and the facility is gorgeous. It’s small, with room for about 28 total people per class, but the average class size at the time of this writing is 6-10. There are charging stations for your phones, cubbies for your stuff, a hydration station, brand new equipment, and surprising amenities in the restroom including toothbrushes and scent for your underthings. How considerate.

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Right now you can try classes for a week for free (until June 3), but otherwise your first class is only $10, a single class is $28, and packages are sold for volume discounts. If I compare it to working out with a personal trainer, this is a great deal, because that’s exactly what it’s like with class sizes so small. Get in there while you can, Conejo Valley!

Burn 60

2200 East Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
805.409.4375

 

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