Cooking studio and spa are coming attractions at Wind Creek casino complex at Atmore

The casino and hotel, which opened last month, are central to Wind Creek, a 17-story glass structure on a 35-acre site off I-65 in Atmore.

But plans, management says, include much more than fine dining and a first-class place to rest your head after playing one of 1,600 electronic gaming machines in a 225,000-square-foot casino.

The Cooking Studio at Wind Creek, featuring Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, is scheduled to open in July, and will offer cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes from Wind Creek chefs. You can book the cooking studio for an event, as well, with a chef as your host.

The 2,000-seat Amphitheater at Wind Creek, which will overlook a “lake feature,” is scheduled to open in July, too. The Spa at Wind Creek, “where you can lose yourself in treatments that are `comfort food’ for the body and mind,” should be ready for business then as well. And they’re not kidding about the food part. Spa offerings will include chocolate body wraps, vanilla butter massages and Cabernet Sauvignon baths.

The hotel includes 236 rooms, with down duvets, 42-inch flat-screen TVs and complimentary Wi-Fi, as well as 42 to-die-for suites and villas (with nine-head showers).

All of which is transforming this southern Alabama town.

“I was born and raised here,” says Lori Sawyer, a tribe member and advertising and public relations director for PCI gaming, which operates Wind Creek. “I moved away for three years, lived in D.C. Now I can live here and have meaningful employment.”

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Alabama Spas, Casino spas, Spa Business, Spa Openings Alabama Casino Spa, Spa Openings

Refresh Laser Spa, specializing in non-invasive anti-aging aesthetic laser treatments, announced the grand opening of its spa in Denver.

“We are excited to bring the very latest laser technology to Denver,” remarked owner Kimberly Hall. “What makes us stand out is that we offer each client personal, individualized treatment, and our cutting edge lasers provide the very best result with minimal to no ‘downtime’.”

Refresh Laser Spa offers Elite laser hair removal, MediDerm Laser ReGenesis Therapy, teeth whitening, and many other laser aesthetic and skin care services. Most importantly, the spa features two revolutionary aesthetic services: SmoothShapes from Eleme and the Affirm CO2 fractional laser from Cynosure.

The spa is the first provider of the SmoothShapes system in Denver. Used by Dr. Patricia Wexler and other top dermatologists, the system was created for longer-lasting improvement in dimpled skin known as cellulite. More than 85 percent of women will develop cellulite at some point in their life, and it can’t be controlled or improved through diet or exercise.

“After evaluating the technology and the clinical results, we found that SmoothShapes is an effective treatment for cellulite,” said Hall. “Patients enjoy it because it frees them of cellulite without downtime, discomfort, or side effects.

The unique combination of laser and dynamic light therapy, in addition to contoured rollers and suction, give results that provide longer-lasting cellulite reduction, without the need for monthly maintenance.”

SmoothShapes, a new pain-free treatment, uses a combination of dynamic laser energy and mechanical manipulation to rejuvenate collagen and improve the appearance of cellulite.

“Patients of every age are concerned about this problem, but until recently we’ve seen technology that wasn’t specific for treating the enlarged fat cells and inflexible collagen that contribute to cellulite,” explained Hall.

“SmoothShapes actually liquefies the fat in cellulite areas and moves it out of the body via the lymphatic system resulting in smoother, tighter skin with improved appearance of cellulite.”

CO2 fractional micro-ablative laser resurfacing is the ground-breaking method for non-surgical facial rejuvenation and resurfacing. For micro-ablative laser resurfacing, Refresh utilizes the Cynosure Affirm CO2 laser; Cynosure is a leading developer and manufacturer of light-based aesthetic and medical treatment systems.

“Affirm Fractional CO2 can smooth deep wrinkles, coagulate tissue to tighten and firm skin, and make patients look and feel younger in as little as one session,” said Hall.

Delivering two treatments in one—skin resurfacing and collagen regeneration and rejuvenation—the laser can also treat significant sun damage, keratoses, poor skin texture, age spots, hyper-pigmentation, and a wide variety of other challenging skin conditions.

Refresh Laser Spa is proud to offer Denver’s finest facial and skin rejuvenation, hair removal, laser aesthetic treatments, and skin care products available today. The highly trained, medically supervised and certified staff ensures patients’ privacy in an intimate spa atmosphere. Dedicated to providing complete and full service care for patients’ skin, Refresh offers the highest quality skin care products and monthly educational seminars.

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Massage therapy addresses host of health conditions

The latest addition to the Searcy Athletic Club, the Wellspring Spa, will bring a holistic approach to wellness. The spa is all about rounding out the wellness circle and completing the often-forgotten emotional gap in the equation of fitness. Research continues to reveal the benefits of massage therapy and mind/body exercise in overall physical fitness.

Studies show that massage therapy addresses a host of health conditions, the most prevalent being stress-related tension, which experts believe is the precursor for 80-90 percent of all disease.

“Having a massage does even more than relax the body and mind, especially when it is utilized as a preventive, frequent therapy, and not simply a mere luxury,” said Mandy Dismang, Searcy Athletic Club fitness director.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, massage is helpful for patients with cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and diabetes. For the general population, massage is known to increase circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissue and vital organs. Massage also improves range of motion and flexibility, releases endorphins, relieves headache pain, and stimulates the body’s natural defense against toxic invaders.

“At Wellspring Spa, relaxation is top priority,” said Dismang.

Upon entering the spa, a guest is surrounded by an environment, of woods and artistic decor. A cup of tea or an iced beverage accompanies the complimentary consultation in which each guest may confer with a licensed massage therapist to create a personalized treatment according to his or her goals.

“Customers can customize any spa visit by adding aromatherapy, a blend of essential oils specific to one’s needs and preferences. For example, while lavender provides a calming, peaceful effect, the essential oil peppermint soothes, and citrus lemon invigorates,” said Dismang.

Services available at Wellspring Spa include simpler techniques, including:

n Luxury Shoulder Release, in which aching shoulders and tense neck muscles are relaxed with British sports massage.

n Head & Neck Relief Massage, which eases sinus pressure, TMJ pain, and discomfort from migraines or tension headaches.

n Healing Stone Massage utilizes warm, flat river stones applied to the body’s trigger points to balance energy and bring about lasting relief.

n Classic techniques such as the Swedish Massage and Deep Tissue Massage are mainstays for restoring proper range of motion, releasing stress, and soothing tired muscles.

“For the ultimate service, a guest may choose Wellspring’s Signature Offering, a 90-minute session including a customized blend of aromatherapy, the use of moist heat, a brown sugar exfoliation, and a deep tissue massage,” said Dismang.

The Yoga Studio at Wellspring Spa is a setting with hardwood floors and low lighting. Participants receive the opportunity to engage their minds along with their bodies, to release tight muscles and alleviate stress.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, yoga creates balance in the body, improving range of motion, pulmonary function, muscular endurance, and strength. In fact, yoga is so individualized that no two participants will leave a class with the same benefits – it is structured in a way that targets one’s weakest link.

“Women often see tremendous gains in strength due to yoga, whereas men tend to see releases in their lower back and hamstrings, making it easier to sit straight at their desks and to bend down and pick up something off the floor,” said Dismang.

At Wellspring Spa, yoga participants can attend different classes offered each week. Each instructor at the Spa and throughout Searcy Athletic Club is fully certified within his or her area of expertise, as well as CPR and AED-trained, to insure the safety of members and guests.

The Searcy Athletic Club offers state-of-the-art resistance training and cardiovascular equipment, as well as the group exercise trends, certified personal trainers, an indoor walking track and the full-size basketball court. Members may bring their young children ages 6 months-6 years to the state-licensed childcare facility, and their kids ages 7-12 years to Kids’ Club, a specialized after-school care and fitness program. All members have access to Searcy Athletic Club’s programs and classes, such as Silver Sneakers, Bodypump, and Zumba, as well as the smoothie bar and swimming pool.

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Spa reopened under new name in Fort Walton Beach. Tonya Ekstrom is excited to see her extended family again.

“I’ve known some of these women for 20 years,” Ekstrom said. “I am ready to see their faces back here.”

Ekstrom had been a member and then general manager of American Woman Fitness Spa on Racetrack Road since 1989. Now she’s the owner of a new spa in the same location.

A New Day Fitness Spa opened Wednesday after American Woman closed unexpectedly Nov. 19. Members said they showed up at the gym and found a note on the door that read, “Spa closed.”

Ekstrom, her mother Deborah Hansford and friend Rachel Hoffman decided to go into business together and honor the contracts members had with American Woman.

Po Young was a member of American Woman, which had been in businesses for at least 25 years.

“I’m excited,” Young said. “It’s cleaner, fresher, something different.”

Young said she likes the atmosphere because it is a ladies-only facility and she’s come to be friends with Ekstrom and many other members.

“It is a family. It is a social place. There are different crowds and different shifts during the day,” said Young, who added that she works out mid-day when the gym is quiet.

The building has been upgraded, with fresh paint and new ceiling tiles and flooring. Ekstrom said the swimming pool is even getting a saltwater filtration system that is healthier for her clients.

A New Day has a Turkish steam bath, Swedish sauna, hydrotherapy whirlpool and fitness equipment built for women. Classes such as belly dancing are free for spa members.

“We’re not nearly done,” Ekstrom said of the improvements. “We’re just beginning.”

The spa is open from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Ekstrom said one- and two-year contracts are available, as well as month-to-month plans.

“The camaraderie is a huge thing here,” Ekstrom said. “It’s nice to be back here.”

SPA HOURS
A New Day Fitness Spa is open from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Ekstrom said one- and two-year contracts are available, as well as month-to-month plans.

Florida Day Spa, Spa Closing, Spa Openings

After six years of planning and design, Crystal Mountain will open the doors to its $5.5 million Crystal Spa on Friday, Jan. 30.

With a design inspired by the natural beauty, art and culture of northern Michigan, the 18,500-square-foot facility is the only LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) spa in the Midwest and one of six in the nation.

The spa will offer a full menu of services, including massage, body treatments, facials, manicures and pedicures. Theme treatments include the Signature Crystal Balance, Crystal Stone and Crystal Body Polish. Or check out the expresso mud body scrub, aromafusion or deep forest massage. Seasonal offerings include the moisture drench facial and winter glow. Treatments tailored for men and pregnant women also are available.

In conjunction, the Crystal Peak Fitness Center’s staff of trainers offers a host of fitness programs, including ski and agility training, golf-specific fitness training, Pilates, yoga and a Beach Body Boot Camp that complement the relaxing and rejuvenating services offered within the spa.

Several spa packages, starting at $199 per person, include lodging, treatments, meals, fitness classes, access to spa amenities and downhill and cross-country skiing

Michigan Spas, Resort Spa, Spa Openings, Spa Resorts

Closed San Mateo spa gets new owners

The owners of a beauty supply store are taking over the space previously occupied by an spa that closed in October.

Mostafa Karim and his wife, Monir Zarrin, have leased the two-level Third Avenue facility that was home to the Sandra Caron European Spa until its closure. The couple, who own the California Beauty Center, decided to take over the space after losing their lease on Fourth Avenue at the end of December.

They plan to start selling beauty products by the middle of next week and hope to offer spa services before Valentine’s Day, Karim said. Those services will include massages, facials, waxings, mud and foil wraps, as well as access to a steam room and sauna.

Karim and Zarrin took over all of the equipment and merchandise left at the spa, including massage tables, washers and dryers, facial creams and an assortment of dancing gnomes and Betty Boop dolls.
Sandra Caron closed its doors after failing to make its October rent, and employees say they weren’t paid or given notice.

The state Department of Industrial Relations said last month that two former employees filed claims against the spa for unpaid wages. One is for three months’ work valued at $6,000, and another is for $270, the department said. Former clients have also complained to the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown San Mateo Association about unredeemed gift certificates.

Karim said he plans to offer former Sandra Caron customers gift
 certificates and significant discounts on spa treatments. He will probably give those who don’t want services some of the closed spa’s merchandise.

“We know that people are kind of pissed off,” Karim said. “They took money — it wasn’t so pleasant. We’re trying to bring a different image.”
Karim noted that his relatives were members of a massage membership program at Sandra Caron and lost $700 when the spa closed.

Six women filed lawsuits last month accusing a masseur who worked at the Sandra Caron spa of inappropriate touching during massages. The spa settled a previous civil lawsuit, in which the plaintiff accused masseur Kevin Bradshaw of touching her breasts and pubic region without consent during a May 2007 massage, for $500,000.
Bradshaw was sentenced to one year in San Mateo County jail for that crime and for inappropriately touching a second woman at Massage Envy in San Mateo.

Karim said he will take the time to review candidates’ applications carefully before making hiring decisions to avoid similar problems. “We are going to screen them,” he said.
“That’s why we don’t want to rush things to open. We have an obligation to the landlord and the public, so we want to do it right.”

California Day Spa, California Spa, Spa Closing, Spa Openings

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Hilton Anaheim Health Club reopens
The 25,000-square-foot full-service fitness and wellness facility is open to area residents and workers.

As pat of the hotel’s $60-million renovation, the Hilton Anaheim has just unveiled the city’s newest and most upscale health club. The facility features state-of-the-art equipment, an indoor swimming pool, group exercise classes and a full menu of spa services. Daily, multi-day and monthly memberships are available at reasonable rates.

The new Health Club at Hilton Anaheim offers Hilton Fitness by Precor cardio equipment with individual entertainment systems and an extensive selection of new weight training machines and free weights in a modern setting.

High-energy group exercise classes include Spinning, yoga, muscle conditioning and Rowbics, which is making its Anaheim debut at this facility.

Hilton Fitness by Precor offers cardio with personal TV screens and headphones, free weights, water, courtesy towels and stretching areas. Every Precor elliptical, treadmill and bike comes with its own TV screen, so guests can watch what they’d like while working out.

Rowbics utilizes advanced interactive technology to deliver a balanced series of isometric and traditional rowing movements to build strength in the body’s four major systems. Taught by trained instructors and set to high-energy music, Rowbics will likely be the next fitness craze.

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Day spa continues growth with move to new location

Starting out in 2004 as a “one-woman” operation in an old 8×12 file room, Palestine native Jamie Pettiette-Rhone began achieving her dream of bringing a state-of-the-art day spa to her home town.

Just one year later, Rhone expanded Jamie’s Therapeutic Touch for the first time to include an additional room and a secretary. After another 18 months, she purchased a building on Palestine Avenue — adding two massage therapists, a nail tech and hair dressers.

And now, just three years after her last expansion, Rhone has upgraded again to a 2,000-square-foot building on Crockett Road that includes eight treatment rooms housing six massage therapists, three estheticians (skin care therapists) and two nail technicians.

“I started with nothing and I feel like we have almost everything now,” Rhone said in a recent interview. “When I started, I didn’t have any clients and didn’t know if I make it or not, but I jumped in it with both feet forward and have never looked back.

“I can’t believe that was almost five years ago — time has flown by so fast, and I love every minute of it.”

Along with the growth of her facilities and staff, the services offered at Jamie’s Therapeutic Touch also have expanded profoundly since opening.

“When I first started I just did a basic facial, microdermabrasion and weight loss body wraps,” she said. “Now we offer a variety of facials, peels, wraps and massages and provide treatments like Lamprobe, AquaDetox and Ionithermie.”

Permanent make-up, manicures and pedicures, spray-tanning and product lines such as Dermalogica (skin care), Jane-Iredale (make-up) and Tahitian Noni are also offered at Jamie’s.

“We are always looking for the next greatest and best thing to offer our clients,” Rhone said. “All of our therapists are licensed in their fields and we encourage continued education.

“We are always attending trade shows, and seminars to be able to stay on top of the ever changing market.”

With their expanded facility, the local day spa is now better able to accommodate small groups for parties, ‘girls night out’ events, children’s birthday spa parties and bridal parties for the bride and her whole bridal party.

“We can get the bride’s face and body ready for her big day to make it less stressful,” Rhone said. “We offer couples treatments and spa packages that range from two hours to eight hours at the spa with lunch and champagne provided.”

Rhone’s plans for growing her business are not quite complete, she said, as an expansion to her new building is already in the works.

“Right now our five hair dressers are still operating at the Palestine Avenue location,” she said. “We will be adding space for the hair dressers and another treatment room as well.”

Rhone cannot take all the credit for her success, though. Without her loyal and always-growing customer base, none of the dreams she has achieved for the spa would have been possible, she said.

“We have a wonderful client base that we are blessed to have as our clients and friends,” she said. “Some of my clients have been with me the whole five years in business, which I thank God for everyday.

“Palestine has everything to offer that the bigger towns have, and we strive to always bring them the best service possible,” she added. “I just want to give back what God has blessed me with.”

Jamie’s Therapeutic Touch, is holding a holiday open house Dec. 12 and 13. The public is invited to tour the spa, meet Rhone and her staff and enjoy a selection of desserts, champagne and coffee.

“Dermalogica educators will be available to answer questions and we will offer microzone and skinbar treatments,” Rhone said. “A Jane-Iredale make-up artist will be demonstrating the latest looks; and we also will offer hand and arm massage.”

Therapists at Jamie’s include: Kathy Klauser, licensed medical massage therapist; Christine Pennington, nail technician and licensed massage therapist; Monika Comancho, licensed massage therapist; Christy Parish, licensed massage therapist; Brandy Leblanc, licensed massage therapist; Amy Gordon, esthetician; Diane Wakeland, esthetician; Jolonda Freeman, permanent make-up artist; and Charlie Yaunk, assistant.

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Nordstrom gets RHEAL

Nordstrom Skin Care and Day Spa is changing the name of its business and will soon be changing its location as well.

Owner Rhonda Nordstrom announced this week that she is changing the name of her business to RHEAL Day Spa. The name reflects her personal line of skin care and anti-aging products.

She noted that she had to change the name from Nordstrom after a legal challenge from a large, national business with a similar name.

The name change is effective as of Dec. 1.

In addition, the spa is moving from its present location at 389 Main St. down the street to 453 Main St., into the former Downeast Diversified building, which is being renovated to accommodate two businesses and three condominiums.

Nordstrom said she expects to complete the move by mid-December. The spa will be on the first floor of the building.

The owner said the move will double the company’s space. As a result, it will offer more treatments, offer manicures and pedicures, and add a relaxation lounge where clients can sip tea and relax before and after treatments. The business offers facials, massage, body treatments and hair removal. Eventually, she anticipates offering yoga classes as well.

The firm has six employees now and may add three as part of its expansion.

Nordstrom said that with tough economic times, people are going to need spa treatments and time for themselves more than ever.

Nordstrom has been busy. She was recently in the news for having purchased Calm Moments Day Spa in Damariscotta.

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