Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa @ The Hotel Chatwal

I would like to start off by saying I am so sorry for my hiatus from kellmenow. Life happened, aka graduate school and an insurmountable work load took priority. The good news, finals have commenced and I am back :) I've missed you all so much. I hope you are having an absolutely lovely holiday season - I can't wait to read all about it!

On the topic of holidays, 'tis the season of giving! However, don't forget to give a little something to #1 (you!) I am all about rewarding yourself for accomplishments, big and small. In your mind, if you feel you have completed something worthy of celebration, you go ahead and celebrate it. You teach others how to treat you by how you treat yourself. If you don't celebrate your achievements, why would anyone else? In my case, a celebration came in the form of a facial at the illustrious Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa @ The Hotel Chatwal.

The Red Door Spa I selected is located within The Hotel Chatwal @ 44th St. Yes that's right, 44th St. Time Square. A haven for tourists, and a deplorable place for New York natives. I guess I understand the draw: big, shiny, bright, neon lights and overpriced items. A New Yorker would avoid this place unless you've had one too many cocktails @ PhD Rooftop lounge overlooking the damn thing and exclaim, "Let's go to Time Square!" Odds are, a fully functioning brain would never pose such an idea. Time Square is also arguably the loudest place in the loudest city in the world. Despite this fact, The Red Door Spa was a vacant ghost town. You completely forgot where you were. A hard thing to accomplish in New York.

Upon arriving I am greeted by a slightly hungover, slightly British attendant. A 5-star spa that is empty due to it's less than desirable location, I am presuming since everything else is fantastic. Whatever, all those snobby individuals loss is my ultimate gain! After my hungover buddy shows me to my room I am confronted with a shower that doubles as a steamer/sauna, lotions that smell of cherubs, and access to an ethereal blue lit pool.

After I thoroughly enjoyed the lazy blue pool, I adorned the greatest robe ever made. That's right. It's that good guys. *hint*hint* my birthday is in march* I then ventured into the gym where my eyes immediately caught the gaze of a chair made of tennis balls. Instantly, my design aesthetic side was inspired and in total admiration of it! Despite reminding me of my WASP-Y heritage (smh), the thing is totally rad. It's happening guys. Tennis ball chairs are a thing now.

Time for my facial. I am reluctantly (but not really) pulled away from all the amenities by the facial whisperer, Agnes. Agnes was tremendous. You could say the elevated levels of pollution in New York, accompanied with the almost intolerable stress of moving your entire life across the country by yourself, left my skin wrecked. To put it nicely, Agnes had her work cut out for her. The facial itself was thorough, but I also felt I should have ordered a more in-depth treatment. After it ended, Agnes didn't push expensive spa products on me but instead suggested affordable ones I could purchase at a local drug store. A friend she is. I spent an hour after the facial ended just talking with her about life. I've noticed that since I moved to New York, I spend more time talking to people than would otherwise feel comfortable or appropriate. I learned she is also in graduate school, and a mom! A feat in and of itself.

Overall, I would say that YES, The Red Door Spa is synonymous with red carpet minus all those annoying pesky people! If you ever get the chance, please do check it out and request Agnes! Cheers my dears! XOXO

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