What women over 40 want

Cheryl Reid, founder of Spa Week and owner of SPA MEDIA LLC, launched the first Spa Week in October 2004 as a way to educate New Yorkers about the benefits of spa services while providing an affordable way to enjoy them. Spa Week gained such industry hype it quickly expanded nationally and caught the attention of major corporate sponsors. (Saab, Allure, etc.) Now Cheryl aims to introduce a new generation of spa goers to wellness benefits they can take part in, at least bi-annually. Maybe it’s for “wellness benefits” or maybe Spa Week is just a genius marketing idea. After all, Reid formerly owned a New York City public relations firm. Either way, Spa Week allows the average Josephine great treatments for just half a hundo – AKA $50.
How to participate? Visit http://www.spaweek.com. Register your name, email and other optional information. Then click on your respective territory. An index of results will appear with – at least for New Yorkers – an overwhelming amount of spa participants. Here it helps to have a specific spa in mind. Ask rich friends which spas they frequent. Each spa lists the Spa Week services they are offering. For instance, Completely Bare offers laser hair removal for bikini or underarm, Fresh in Soho offers a 60 minute Balance and Nourish Face Treatment, and the Salon & Spa at Saks Fifth Avenue offers a 60 minute Therapeutic Massage amongst other services.

How to book? Fall Spa Week runs October 12-18th – as in next week. Make a list the spa/services you intend to book complete with back ups as services do fill up during Spa Week. Try for days when your schedule is more flexible as you want to maximize the benefits of your relaxing services by pairing them with a relaxing day.  Call individual spas to book. Spa Week does not book through their website, but if you sign up on their email list, they do provide spa specials throughout the year.
Emma Dinzebach

Remember when I said the mac and cheese at Delicatessen hurt my stomach. Well, they must have read that and laughed in my pretty face because the creative masterminds behind Cafeteria and it’s Soho sister have launched their newest ode to America’s cheesiest staple – Macbar. Between Delicatessen and McNally Jackson on Prince street you will find a glowing orange light. If you’re distracted trying to catch a glimpse of Chuck Bass, you could very well miss it. It’s teeny tiny.

Macbar sort of reminds me of the Rice to Riches of mac and cheese, albeit smaller and more futuristic. There are three, maybe four two top tables on the left, a standing bar or trash section on the right and you order due south. A flat screen menu highlights the day’s mac and cheeses, and your order shoots out on the right. They have duck confit mac and cheese, lobster mac and cheese, chicken mac and cheese with chipotle or cayenne pepper or something spicy that has since slipped my mind. There is a pizza-esque mac and cheese with basil and tomato sauce. Pick that one. That one is good.

Then you can add some ranch (gross) or bacon and breadcrumb (gross again) or pepper (okay, we’ll take it) and head out. Yeah, you have to head out because it’s teeny in there. So why love Macbar? Mainly because it’s open late, so after you have too many cocktails you can stuff your face with noodles rather than tacos. When you have on six inch heels La Esquina seems very far away. However, no guarantees you won’t wake up with a belly ache.

Macbar 54 Prince Street between Lafayette and Spring; 212-226-8877

Emma Dinzebach

Bright colored lips, structured up do’s, and smoky eyes graced model’s faces as they swaggered down the runways during Fashion Week. It might be a bit early for statistical calculations – we’re still lacquering our nails in varying vampy shades – but for those of us who plan ahead, we need to know which beauty trends will stay and will likely fade away.

Designers have two main views on make-up during runway shows: A lot – use it to play up your collection or None – keep the model blank so the clothes are the main view. (See also: expressionless runway models.) After the Spring 2010 shows, bloggers were rushing out to tell everyone Marc Jacobs says natural save your pout! ADAM says sun-kissed! Tibi mixes color on eyes, cheeks and lips! When you read about runway shows baring the minimum in regards to make-up, it’s likely the designers attempt to draw your attention away from the face. Other shows, like L.A.M.B. and Versace, sported thick eye make-up – a nod to their edgier designs. Make-up for creative sake, likely won’t last. There is no point in wasting time and money on pounds of shadow for elaborate eye make-up.

But smoky eyes will stay. (They are pretty much a staple of evening sex appeal. Plus, Sephora has it’s own kit dedicated to achieving the perfect smoky eye.) Red lipstick will stay. Bright cheeks will go. And colored eyeshadow will remain for Manhattan’s 19 year olds who can pull it off. Fierce up do’s like the severe twists we saw might re emerge depending on Spring’s mood. While apparel requires designing, production and other time conscious practices, make-up can change with the wind. So you can like Spring 2010’s runway make-up, but wait a bit before you marry any one trend.

Emma Dinzebach

Riding the green wave are restaurants screaming from their bamboo surfboards, “Eat local, Dude! Buy local, man! Cowabunga.” Tasting Table toots that it’s been suggesting local since it’s launch. Dude, wasn’t that like last year? Okay true, shoring the gap between what we eat and where it is grown lends to sustainable restaurant practices, supports local businesses and reduces heavy carbon emissions created from distant transports. In fact, eating locally has been a goal of many area restaurants way before green was the new black. Furthermore, choosing local produce is a better, more earth-conscious approach than choosing organically. (For more information on how eating locally as opposed to organically helps our planet and your health, click here.)

Restaurants like Mas Farmhouse, Five Points, and Blue Hill have been serving local ingredients for nearly a decade. These pioneers use seasonal ingredients, and talent, to achieve culinary artistry that tickles our tastebuds and touches our hearts. New Yorkers – and surrounding area farmers – realize that out of everything bad, comes something good, and are happy that the alarming state of our planet has at least awoken minds to the joy of eating locally.

How can you celebrate? Several area chefs are celebrating September by highlighting where their food came from. You can find a detailed PDF of how area chefs are celebrating this month at Tasting Table. Or, cook something yourself. You’re long overdue to host a dinner party, right? Hit up Union Square Market, New Amsterdam or the 77th Street Sunday Flea & Green Market and pick up some local ingredients to cook up some splendor of your own…dude.

Emma Dinzebach