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Walter Cronkite, Spa, Wellness and a Good Life

Walter Cronkite, Spa, Wellness and a Good Life
By Susie Ellis
SpaFinder Insider

Being “of the moment,” I can’t help but weigh-in on today’s headlines which are all about Walter Cronkite’s life and death. Although I never actually met the man who became the most trusted voice of TV news, I feel somewhat connected to him through two people close to me who did get to know him.

Walter Cronkite 4 709342 Walter Cronkite, Spa, Wellness and a Good LifeThe first is my twin sister, Katrine. She met Mr. Cronkite when he was on board the QE2 as a lecturer and she was on the cruise ship managing the Golden Door Spa at Sea. That was in 1986. When I called Katrine this morning to see if she still had the photo I remember seeing of the two of them (memorable because they were both on exercise bikes with their arms on each other’s shoulders), she was able to email it to me in a few quick minutes.

I asked her what she remembered about Cronkite to which she immediately replied, “that he was so kind.” Apparently Mr. Cronkite would work out regularly in the gym on the QE2 while he and his wife were passengers and was always gracious with everyone and more than happy to pose for photos – even with the fitness instructor who was wearing “double legwarmers” at the time – what were we thinking back then?

The other connection with Mr. Cronkite is through my housekeeper. The great gal who cleans my apartment here in New York two mornings a week was also one of Mr. Cronkite’s caregivers these past few years. Although she never betrayed any confidences, it was about 3 weeks ago when she said to me,”he’s not looking good; it may be any day now.”

I remember gasping in horror saying, no! no! bad timing! You see Michael Jackson had just died and that news had swiftly trumped Farrah Fawcett’s death earlier that very same day… and the Hollywood circus was just starting up. Had Walther Cronkite died at about the same time, I am afraid that it might have precluded the fitting tributes his distinguished life deserved.

Fortunately, the timing of Mr. Cronkite’s death turned out to be much like his life – at the right place, at the right time.

Walther Cronkite died yesterday, Friday, July 17th, and all the headlines in the papers and on TV are filled appropriately with rememberances. Barring any other catastrophe, we will at least have a weekend of memories which will allow us to think back to a time when a man’s life could be summed up with such words as trusted, respected, authoritative, competitive, authentic…and yes, kind.

The news doesn’t talk as much about his personal life although I understand he had a very good and lengthy marriage, three children and four grandchildren. He lived to be 92 and although suffering from dementia in the past couple of years, it appears as if the way he led his life – including working out regularly – served him well.

Well, I guess it is fitting to end with the tag line he made famous, “And that’s the way it is.”

However, sadly, it feels more accurate these days to say, “And that’s the way it was.”

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New York ISPA Event: Spa Treatment Trends Indicate Customization Trumps Basic Massage, Pedicure, and Manicure

As promised here are my thoughts regarding the presentations by the various vendors at the ISPA media event. Tomorrow I will talk about the research that was presented.

25 spas had booths each showcasing something special. I think that 25 might be a tad too many as I wasn’t able to get around to see everything despite staying the entire time from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. I suppose I could have gone more quickly but everyone’s booth seems to have interesting ways to keep you engaged. Here is what stood out to me:

sundara 731298 New York ISPA Event: Spa Treatment Trends Indicate Customization Trumps Basic Massage, Pedicure, and Manicure1. Since Spa Finder predicted the sleep health trend for 2007 it was especially gratifying to see Sundara Inn & Spa’s presentation since they really have made sleep health a cornerstone of their program! Sundara Inn & Spa brought in one of their famous featherbeds dressed with great sheets, duvet, pillows, etc. They were showcasing their new “Insomnia Relief Dream Facial” – an 80 minute facial with massage that relieves tension especially around the jaw. The guest can then sleep right where they are for another 30 minutes – or all night if they are in their room.
Sundara also gave out a little booklet titled, “Longing…for a good night’s sleep” which includes tips and testimonials from their hundreds of guests who write them saying things like “I don’t think we’ve slept that well since our son was born,” “The bed itself is worth the trip,Sinc” etc.
2. Since they had a Harley in their booth (and my hubby is a major motorcycle fan as you can see from recent posts), Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa got my attention. They now have a 40% men/60% women split of clientele which is great. (Most spas are more like 30%/70% and many day spas 20%/80% men to women.)
lodge at woodloch 700004 New York ISPA Event: Spa Treatment Trends Indicate Customization Trumps Basic Massage, Pedicure, and Manicure3. The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa had someone doing handwriting analysis and they gave out a beautiful journal. The analyst was quite accurate saying, among other things, that I am a detail person. (As my husband says, that’s a blessing and a curse.)
4. Mandarin Oriental, Miami demonstrated a massage with a bamboo stalk, tuning forks, and gem stones. I liked the idea of the bamboo stalk but it seemed like matching it with tuning forks and gem stones put a bit too much into the soup. The bamboo stalk massage could have stood on its own in my opinion.
5. Montage Resort & Spa presented its signature Surrender Retreat, a Personal Journey. They’ve been doing that for years now but you can’t argue with success. They are the only spa to have received the five star diamond award 2 years in a row. Kudos that they invest so much in their therapist training.
williamsburg 768238 New York ISPA Event: Spa Treatment Trends Indicate Customization Trumps Basic Massage, Pedicure, and Manicure6. Spa of Colonial Williamsburg was interesting because I learned that Sylvia Sepielli created their treatment menu along the lines of various centuries. Since the spa used to be a museum, each century has a unique treatment. I always love the way Sylvia creates interesting spas and menus.
All in all, if someone were to ask me what trends I was seeing, I would say that there were a lot of “customized” treatments. This seems in line with what spas are really about… meeting individual needs.

I wonder if I will begin seeing the term “Bespoke” replace customized in the future. Bespoke is an old term used in tailoring which refers to something being customized exactly for you. I see this quite often now on European spa menus.

willowstream logo 769166 New York ISPA Event: Spa Treatment Trends Indicate Customization Trumps Basic Massage, Pedicure, and ManicureAnd in terms of future trends, I think the Willow Stream Spas at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts were right on the money – literally. They showcased a luxurious and expensive facial using real gold leaf as well as a “Generosity Massage” with proceeds going to a local charity.