I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about New York City: 1. It never sleeps, and 2. You can get anything there.

Well, I can confirm that both are true. That’s why I went on a very serious mission to find the most relaxing day spa in Manhattan (trust me, there are thousands).

My search led me to lots of serene spots, but my favorite, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental New York, comes with a birds-eye view of Central Park. Another perk – it’s next door to The Shops at Columbus Circle making the MO Spa a perfect place to unwind after a day of shopping.

I splurged on the Oriental Harmony Signature Massage. At $625 it’s definitely the most I’ve ever spent on a spa treatment, but it’s also the most pampered I’ve ever been. Not one, but two massage therapists (that’s four hands ladies!) performed what seemed to be a choreographed routine. I was relaxed from beginning — a soothing foot bath, to end — a simultaneous head and foot massage.

If you’re not ready to part with that kind of cash don’t worry, Mandarin Oriental offers plenty of other more affordable treatment options. So, until I win the lottery, I’ll be sticking to them!

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day I’m giving my toiletry bag a romantic makeover to prepare for my journey ahead.  Check out the pretty yet practical beauty loot that made the cut.

Noodle & Boo All of My Heart French Milled Soap, $15, NoodleandBoo.com

I don’t always trust hotel soap as I occasionally find that they leave a film on my skin. That’s why I suggest BYOB — bringing your own bar. This holistically-made and hypoallergenic heart-shaped soap is my favorite. Plus, I don’t have to check any luggage.

Marc Jacobs Limited Edition Rollerball Trio, $38, Sephora.com

What’s Valentine’s Day without flowers? This year I’m trying a bouquet of peonies, violets and daisies. Roll-on fragrance is a must-have for any girl-on-the-go!

Essence Kiss Care Love Lip Balm, $2, Ulta.com

I can’t very well have dry lips on February 14^th (or any day for that matter). So, I’m stocking up on these inexpensive tinted lip balms. I plan to stash one in each carry on so I’m always prepared.

Lush Sex Bomb, $6.50, LushUSA.com

I’ll have no problem smuggling this bath bomb through security. Good thing too! While it’s almost too pretty to drop in the tub, I’m convinced a bubble bath is the only way to unwind after a busy day exploring a new city.

Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush, $29, TooFaced.com

Whether I’m hitting the slopes or lounging poolside this is my go-to blush. The trio of colors (rose, coral and peach) makes it a just right for any skintone. In other words, whether pale or tan I can still get a perfect rosy glow.

Gillette Venus & Olay Sugarberry Razor, $10.99, PGEstore.com

This razor has a built in shave-gel bar so I don’t have to pack shaving cream! The real reason I’m sweet on it? I’m obsessed with the new sugarberry fragrance. Mmmm.

Urban Decay Naked2 Eye Shadow Palette, $50, Sephora.com

How about a bit of travel porn? This all-in-one kit may have a risqué name, but the palette is definitely PG. It’s got twelve neutral shadows – some matte, others shimmery – so I can do a day to night makeup switch without heading back to the hotel.

Always wanting to be a chic resource to fellow travelers, a friend of mine, Ellie, came to me recently with a packing challenge for her 3 day ski getaway to the Fairmont Chateau on Lake Louise.

I’ve teamed up with Somewear To Be to create another edition of Excessive Baggage, packing and fashion recommendations to keep Ellie chic and comfortable while hitting the slopes “luxury style”.

Happy Skiing!!!

Arriving at Le Blanc Spa Resort slightly bruised and battered emotionally from a crazily stressful week of meetings and physically rough around the edges due to too many consecutive late nights of partying, I was concerned I’d feel a little out of place.  After all, this pristine, white enclave is Cancun’s only AAA Five Diamond Award recipient resort, and I was rolling up in a rented Mazda.

Well, I can’t say if it were for the large Louis Vuitton bag in my hand or the smile on my face, but not one employee even seemed to make notice of my being a little worse for the wear.   On the contrary, arriving at Le Blanc felt more welcoming than your typical Ritz Carlton, and with the treat of the most delicious coconut milk to sip on while going through the check in process.  In my dehydrated state, I actually drank two…Isn’t coconut milk good for hangovers?, oh, wait, that’s coconut water!  Really though, this stuff was amazing…the best non alcoholic beverage that I’ve tried in the past decade and so flavorful that I ordered a glass daily to satisfy my post lunch sweet tooth!

As I was guided to my suite and was being shown all of the glitz and gadgets by my personal butler, I took a moment to sit down on the bed and honestly had it not been for his presence in the room, I probably would not have gotten up from the bed until the morning.  This room was perfect, and the bed was the piece de resistance in my opinion.  Just soft enough and with buttery smooth sheets that made going home at night almost the highlight of my day, well, not really, as there was so much more to enjoy.

Luckily I had the motivation of a pending a dinner reservation at Lumiere, the intimate French fusion restaurant that not only boasts the title of the top dining experience on the property, but also quite possibly the top restaurant in Cancun, so I knew I’d have to clean up for this extravaganza.  Culinary extravaganza and then some was what I experienced at Lumiere, having tried the “highly recommendable,” seven course tasting menu that changes seasonally per the executive chef.  Each unique course was paired with a wine that the in house sommelier suggested and even stopped by to share commentary throughout the meal.

The cuisine and overall experience at Lumiere was so fantastic that I ended up returning a second time, for my last night at Le Blanc.  Of course my excuse being the necessity to try some of the a la carte options this time around.  I sampled mini portions of nearly half of the menu and the choices that came up on top, for starters, were the “melt in your mouth” lobster carpaccio with grapefruit and the carmelized scallops with cocoa.

As for the main courses, the classic duck magret was perfectly prepared, yet one of the most unique plates of the evening, the pork loin with foie gras stuffed ravioli, not being a natural choice, but being that one dish that was still on my mind as I walked back to my room later on.  A few other not to miss items are the house made sorbets, served between courses, specifically the rose pepper with lemon, which was refreshing and had just that spicy kick to pleasantly surprise me. Of course being one to always save the best for last, I never forget desert, and the chocolate spheres were to die for!

Although throughout your entire stay at Le Blanc you’ll feel like a complete VIP, there were a few moments where I sat back and just allowed myself to take it all in and recognize that even a slightly jaded luxury traveler such as I, could still be in awe.

I absolutely loved the private cabana service on the beach during the daytime, which allowed for plenty of my own personal space and not only did I have my cabana with a butler, but also a variety of lounging chairs and tables, just in case I needed a change in position from my bed.

At my cabana one day, I actually met with the “Mixologist”/ Bar Manager of the resort to discuss some unique cocktails that I’ve tried around the world and for him to experiment at recreating some of these, resulting in my leaving with a recipe for one of my favorites and having enjoyed a few of the Perfect Mexican Martini’s that afternoon.

Before hitting the beach each day, I clearly had to take advantage of Le Blanc’s gym to work off the calories that I was about to consume, and then decompress in the spa prior to the, ahhhhh, yawn, “hectic” day on the beach that I had ahead of me.  One of the more unique offerings available for my morning health ritual was the aqua spinning class, which was both invigorating and challenging at the same time.  If my gym in the States had this class, I would be doing it daily!

The most VIP moment of my stay was allowing for a Jacuzzi full of aromatherapy oils and bubbles to be drawn for me in my suite by my personal butler, and having a chilled bottle of champagne waiting by it’s side.  This special treat I had saved for the night that I dined at Blanc Italia, their very authentic and on point Italian restaurant.

Having gladly overindulged on hand made pasta, fresh fish and the best chicken parmesan that I’ve ever tried (I know, cliché and something I would NEVER order, if it weren’t for the waiter catching me eyeing my neighbor’s plate and simply delivering a small portion to my table), naturally a relaxing bubble bath was in need.

My final night, after another exquisite dinner, was the only night that I was less than happy to be heading to this delicious bed, as I knew that when I woke up in the morning, I’d have to check out shortly and return to reality.

Well, at least I knew I would have one last glass of coconut milk waiting for me in the lobby to drown my sorrows of departing this serene oasis, before passing through the front doors for the first time since arriving 5 days ago, and making my return to the real world.

I’ve always considered Club Astoria as a neighborhood “go to” club over the winter months.  Weekend nights typically generate a nice crowd of people, the majority locals and young professionals, who want to be out for a fun night of dancing.

The setting itself is quite ornate and expansive, with sumptuous velvet lounging spaces and seductive lighting, yet the less stuffy crowd make it more of a laid back clubbing experience in Barcelona, where dare I say, you actually have plenty of room to dance.

Depending on the night you can find a chill after work party or a pull a late night bender on the dance floor.

However, in all honesty, yes, I feel like I’d be lying to you if I don’t divulge this bit of information, as I haven’t returned to Club Astoria since February of 2012. That was when a woman dumped her entire rum and coke over my head, for a minor misunderstanding.  Really…I had just stepped down onto the dance floor from my VIP space and literally didn’t even have enough time to make eyes with a guy and this incident happened.  She was very unapologetic and the bouncers who were very helpful to me, did not choose to throw her out in the end.

Not being high the high maintenance type, I didn’t allow this incident to ruin my night. I merely stuck my head in the sink and slicked my wet hair back into a ponytail and kept on partying.  However, I also don’t plan on returning to Astoria anytime soon!

Phone:  934 144 799

www.clubastoriabcn.com