LEARNING TO DESTRESS

STRESS IS A PERSONAL THING, LIKE LOVE- One person’s thrill is another’s anxiety. One person is driven to distraction by a schedule full of deadlines; another worries without enough to do. Dallas has day spas to soothe every nail-biting, list-making, over-achieving angst-ridden personality. D sent a dozen tension-filled reporters to test the stress-busting effects of spas all over town.

G Here are their de-stressing discoveries.

KIM

A veteran writer who attempts to avoid stress by sticking to a regular regimen: two hour workout daily; lunch-same time, same place, same salad. Sometimes a break in routine is the key to relaxation.

Question No. 5 (“Have you ever experienced claustrophobia?”) should’ve lipped me off. But because I was running late, I raced through the Greenhouse Day Spa’s multi-page “client profile” without stopping to ask about the relevance of whether or not I am claustrophobic. So here I lay: Mummy-like, on a massage table, my entire body covered in a murky-gray, seaweed paste, the smell of which is meant to transport me to a faraway, sandy beach (but. in reality, only makes me crave sushi). As the paste hardens into a mask, the massage therapist wraps me, first, in a human-size piece of foil, and then in a blanket that is so heavy I feel my heart beating faster. The lights are dim; the sound of waves crashing against the shore has been piped in. I am told to remain perfectly still for 20 minutes to allow the seaweed to extract toxins from my body (Question No. I: “How many caffeine beverages do you drink a day?”’), The spa’s Thalassotherapy, as the treatment is called, promises to réhydrate my dry skin with its mix of seaweed, citrus, chamomile, geranium, and lavender.

Therapists at The Greenhouse-trained in Swedish, sports, deep tissue, and neuromuscular techniques-tailor the massage to the client’s individual needs. (Question No. 7: “Posture assumed most of the day?”) I have requested “deep tissue” to work out the knots in my neck and back. From past experience, I know to expect more than a little pain, but I am so relaxed at this point that I fall into a deep sleep. Afterward, the therapist gently shakes my right ankle: “Did you like it?” Thoroughly relaxed, I nod yes. At last, a question with an easy answer.

SPA: The Greenhouse Day Spa, 5560 West Lovers Ln., 214-654-9800.

DE-STRESS PLAN:! Thalassotherapy, $80; Standard massage, $90.

VIBE: Oasis-like tranquility.



SHERRI

She graduated from college last May. Two weeks later, she was working double time and wishing she was back in class. Deadlines change daily. Her psychology degree helps, but not that much.

ShShhh..don’t tell the suits-but the 50 minute European facial massage was all I needed to remove every trace of stress.

I walked through the oversized double doors of the spa at 10 a.m. with the morning Tollway traffic and three weeks of late nights at the office (along with a severely stunted social life) resting on my back, my face, and most definitely on my spirit-No, I am not being sensitive!

Imagine: a tiny room, illuminated by a small vanilla candle, easy-listening music (not Kenny G.), and me tucked under a heated blanket, hands marinating in rich lotion inside heated mitts, shoulders being kneaded by strong hands, as a cleansing mask and steamer work together to rejuvenate my skin. After a day of being spoiled and pampered like the true princess I always knew I was, the monkey on my back received his over-due walking papers.

Ilelt like a princess. I didn’t say I looked like one. A stylist, who evidently thought it was tension that made my hair curl, painfu-ly straightened it against my will. Give me back my heated blanket.

SPA: Grand Spa International, 5100 Belt-line Rd? Ste. 620, Addison, 972-392-9393.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Grand De Stressor, six hour hydrotherapy treatment, full-body Swedish massage, European J facial cleansing, manicure, I pedicure, scalp treatment, ’ and styling, $240.

VIBE: Modern, ethereal.



GLENNA

Investigative journalist, author, and mother of two boys-if Glenna’s not at the computer, she’s at a Boy Scout camp-out or a meeting of her investment club. There aren’t enough hours in the day.

Confession: I love stress.

Deadlines make me feel focused and pro-ductive.Without stress, life would be boring. But last summer, in addition to a full-time job, my son started high school and my cat Chester died. Plagued with insomnia, for-getfulness, and tightness in my throat that I was certain was cancer, my doctor diagnosed me as “stressed-out” and prescribed a glass of wine and perhaps a massage. I began going to Marci Novak Winter once a week. Her hourlong ministrations worked wonders. The tightness in my throat disappeared, and my insomnia improved. (I wish I could say that I never forget things.)

Recently, when things revved up even more, I retreated to Four Seasons for a full-day treatment where they deployed a whole army to battle my stress. After a warm-up treadmill walk, personal trainer Randy put me through a short resistance training session before stretching my large muscle groups-like facilitated yoga stretches. Then, I slid into an “aromatherapy bath,” a private hot Jacuzzi fragrant with lavender bubbles. I visited Sondra for an hour-long aromatherapy massage with matching lavender-scented oil.

After a light lunch (grilled shrimp with papaya and avocado) and a short sauna, Gertrude gave me a detoxifying seaweed body mask. First, she “stimulated my lymph system” then dimmed the lights while I, wrapped like a baby in swaddling clothes, sweated the stress out. Finally, facialis* Jackie massaged my jaw line and between my eyes-and though 1 never felt the stress actually build up in my earlobes, she took care of that, too.

SPA: Four Seasons Resort and Club, 4150 North MacArthur Blvd., Irving, 972-717-0700.

DE-STRESS PLAN:Aromatherapybath, $20; aromatherapy massage, $95; detoxifying body mask, $175; facial. $90.

VIBE: Quietly elegant.

MASSAGE THERA-PIST: Marci Novak Winter, 214-321-1300. $55 an hour.



DAWN

Dawn has a 2-year-old and a baby on the way. A freelance writer, she has insane deadlines that must he met during her son’s naps, preschool, and the zillionth viewing of The Aristocats.

I was a little nervous about the Texas Buff and Polish Massage, thinking it sounded more like something I’d do to my Mazda than to my body. But the lovely Tekla assured me this was all about pleasure-not pain.

She rubbed me down with the spa’s best-selling product, the Pecan Body Polisher, which contains spearmint, rosemary, sage, and Texas pecans. While the pecans exfoliate parts that have never been exfoliated before, the spearmint gets hot and tingly. After a shower, my skin felt as smooth as a baby’s newly washed bottom.

I could’ve left and been a sane woman. But Christina soothed my hormonal face with a milky cleansing lotion, steam, mud mask, and then, put chamomile oil under my nose for an aromatherapeutic boost.

Lunch (a key feature for any pregnant woman) was a salad I still crave: deep green lettuce with herbed chicken, chunks of a mild blue cheese, walnuts, onions, and mandarin orange slices topped with a mandarin orange vinaigrette.

1 spent the next 20 minutes on the spa flotation bed-a single-person water bed with jets underneath (he plastic cover, pounding and jiggling my entire body.

The mood manicure by Tammy made my hands look great, and the mood pedicure is an amazing relaxer. You sit in a massage chair while your reel get Whirlpooled, scrubbed, masked, lotioned. and prettied up. Of course, the fact that I almost passed out from a weird mix of heat and chemicals- something only a pregnant woman is likely to do-stressed out everyone involved. But if you do have such a crisis at The Mood Spa, no less than five people bearing cool rags, water, and concerned faces will be at your service.

SPA:The Paula McClure Mood Spa, 2723 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, 214-303-1223.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Make-over Day Package includes , mood massage, facial, lunch, spa flotation, manicure, and pedicure, $280.

VIBE: Flowers, yummy smells, and calming music.

VALERIE

She spends thirteen hours a day staring at a computer with writers rushing in to tell her that “the” should be “that” or “who” should be “whom” (no, take that back, it shouldn’t). Valerie realized that “Control Help” was no longer a function of her computer, but a cry for tension relief.

As I walked through the red door-my hair artfully upswept, and my shoes matching my bag-I had an anxiety attack. I was spending my first day as a lady of leisure at the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon and Spa. Was I presentable? I imagine ladies who attend “spa days” are the fashionable type who lunch at the Zodiac.

My therapist. Kristin, informed me that is common; many of her regular clients had first arrived anxious and gift certificate in-hand. But after receiving the French seaweed masks, paraffin body wraps, salt glow body polishes, and experiencing the swirling fragrant water of the hydrotherapy spa, most decide a spa day isn’t just a luxury-it’s a necessity for getting unplugged.

As soon as I slipped into the signature spa wear. I felt instantly pampered. Kristin quietly stepped in to place a glass of water on the ledge, (not from the tap-it’s puri-fied waterwithacucumberslice).Hertreal-ment was the perfect blend of attention and discretion.

Relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to battle Central Expressway, my computer, and any number of tricky pronouns. I walked out through the red door.

SPA: Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon and Spa, 7700 West Northwest Highway, 214-373-8338.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Spa Retreat, which includes hydrotherapy, French seaweed mask, parrafin body wrap, salt glow body polish, $235.00.

VIBE: Polished elegance.



RICHARD

Richard drives from Ft. Worth to downtown Dallas every morning-he could write an exit’-by-exit treatise about 1-30. Plus he plays golf. He answers the question: Do real men really do spas?

Stress relief for me is stretching out on the sofa-the one my wife hates, but my dogs love-with TV remote balanced perfectly on my belly, the latest Sports Illustrated gripped loosely in one hand, with one of those made-for-TV golf events flicking on the screen, while I nod in and out of nap-land, opening an eye only in time to catch the replay after crowd cheers startle me to semi-consciousness.

The idea of going to a day spa to relieve stress just wasn’t on my radar. What do I need with a facial, a manicure, a pedicure. and lunch in a “tearoom?” The only massage I ever remember was at Suzi Kim’s Massage Emporium and Opium Den on some Bangkok back street during an R&R 30 years ago. Come to think of it. 1 don’t recall the massage.

Well, the staff at the Elysium Spa and Salon in Arlington changed my mind. Julianna’s facial was a little weird (“Would you like me to take care of those eyebrows?” “Uh, sure. Ow! That hurts.”) But Mahnaz buffed my fingernails and toenails enough to make my wife extremely envious. And the massage-I didn’t know what I was miss-ing. Amber has the greatest hands since Jerry Rice. Now 1 understand why corporate chieftains put that perk in their contracts. The tearoom lunch was the healthiest meal I’ve had since Mom made me eat beets, and a lot tastier, too.

Overall, it was a worthwhile experience. Where else can you spend a half-day wandering around in a bathrobe while women who know what they’re doing work on your body? But at $155 plus tips, that’s a lot of beer. Still, after four hours, stress was gone, and 1 was ready for … a nap.

Where’s my remote control?

SPA: The Elysium Spa & Salon, 1008 N. Bowen Road, Arlington, 871-795-7575.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Four hour aromatherapy massage, facial, spa tub, pedicure, manicure, and tea room lunch, $155.00.

VIBE: Low lights, strange scents: jarred by a bright tea room facing a convenience store.

WARNER

Sure. Warner goes dove hunting and takes fiddle lessons and sometimes you can hear him practicing his turkey call in his office. He’s a 2417 man, and sometimes a turkey call doesn’t cut it for relaxation.

The spa experience is much sweeter when you realize you could be working out. The door to the spa at the Cooper Fitness Center overlooks a glass-enclosed exercise room, and the sight of all those men and women straining on their exercise bikes, sweating amid the cacophony of whirring tires and techno music, made me feel better about embarking on an assignment that seemed so … feminine. With my plush robe and slip-on shoes, I gave up my macho fixation in a hurry.

Elizabeth, my therapist, ushered me down a long hallway and a set of stairs, marked with “Whisper Zone” signs, to the massage room. Using a mixture of sandalwood, patchouli, and ylang-ylang oils, she kneaded the kinks out of my legs and back, explaining as she went along, but never making me feel like I had to be chatty.

I followed up the massage with the osage-rub facial. An oxygenating machine emitting gentle waves of steam, as my skin was analyzed, cleansed, and rubbed with plant oils. By the time I was sitting upright, I was floating, and I didn’t really care what my skin looked like, as long as I could feel this relaxed for a little longer.

But next came the most unmanly of treat ments–the pedicure. Frankly, I was afraid. I pictured myself surrounded by North Dallas grande dames discussing the Chanel fashion show as my toes were clipped and buffed. The pedicure room was a startling contrast to the serenity of the massage room-with bright lights, manicure tables, and magazine racks. Fortunately for my self-esteem, the warm foot bath and vibrating chair were distinctly manly pleasures.

SPA: Cooper Fitness Center, 12100 Preston, Rd., (972)392- 7729.

DE-STRESS PLAN:! Rain Forest Rejuvenator; body wash, contouring seaweed masque, and massage, $205; aromatherapy massage, $75; osage rub, $70; spa pedicure, $45.

VIBE: Serene taupe walls.



SHANEEN

Known as “Sunshine” around the office, Shaneen is the single indispensable-she knows everything about everyone’s job; she’s the last to leave; she can even fix the copy machine. Nothing stresses her out more than having to relax.

You want me to do what?

Until I signed up for a massage, facial, and back facial at the Riviera Spa-I was a spa virgin. My notion of an “essential oil” tended to be olive or com. But after an awful week, I was ready for the first spa that would have me.

When I explained to my massage therapist that this was my first time, she looked at me with disbelief. I shot the look right back at her when she asked me to take off all my clothes. I slipped beneath a cotton sheet, and she began her pink-toed dance around me. She slowly proceeded to work out every knot in my body using various “essentia] oils” that would rejuvenate me and aid my body in lymphatic drainage. Things draining from my body didn’t sound so great, but if that meant I would be relaxed, I could live with it. By the last time her toes circled the table, I knew 1 could get used to this.

Two facials, exfoliation, and another massage later, I had a new feeling about day spas. It must be afterglow.

SPA: Riviera Spa Total Beauty, 4445 Travis St., Suite 102, 214-521 2112.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Hour massage, $70; facial, $75; back facial, $65.

VIBE; Small island water falls and soft white noise.



SHAYLA

The office den mother, Shayla spends her days chanting her mantra, “Can I connect you with voice mail?” This is harder than it sounds, and Shayla, not surprisingly, has TMJ, a stress-related jaw disorder.

At Renee Rouleau Skin Spa, I was treated like royalty. I began my day with someone else saying to me, “Can I help you?” which immediately transported me into another zone. My TMJ- cramped face began to relax into a smile as I was escorted to one of the private facial rooms. Mary massaged a combination of oils and lotions over my aching jaw muscles. Her “cooling eye pads” were a bit of an eye-opener-shockingly cold against my warm skin. But I forgot the discomfort as my hands and arms were massaged with oil, and my seaweed peel-off mask dried.

I left my modesty at the door of the next candle-lit room. After a light exfoliation with loofah mitts, silky warm ginger oil was poured over my body, I was loosely wrapped in plastic and left to marinate in warmth for the next 30 minutes.

Seasoned to perfection, Genna unwrapped and tenderized me with an hour-long Swedish massage. I began to feel like “Shayla Kung Pao” when Genna gave me a honey tangerine nib, followed by a salt rub-down. Where’s the parsley?

I opted for the peppermint foot scrub and rub which put my stress level, temporarily at least, ’on hold.’

SPA: Renee Rouleau Skin Spa, 19009 Preston Rd., Suite 206, 972-248-6131.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Ginger rub-down, $125; aromatherapy massage, $80; cold/ allergy relief massage, $85; Swedish massage, $70; reflexology, $45; stress” recovery facial, $90.

VIBE: Cozy.



LAURIE

D-stress. De-stress. Distress. Laurie’s a graphic artist who spends long hours creating dazzling detailed layouts. Trust us, that can be more than a little challenging for your psyche and body.

I am not your typical spa attendee. I don’t like anyone doting on me, and knowing that the people at Estée Lauder knew I was coming to review their services, I expected a big fuss.

Before I knew it, I was lying in a dark room for my hour-long Tension Relieving massage. Funny how an hour at the computer never slips by that fast. Then, wrapped in my comfy white robe and slippers, I met my spa therapist, with intimidatingly flawless skin, for my first-ever facial. She told me the Jet Lag Facial with Aroma Spa Leg Therapy is perfect for dehydrated, tired skin, and thoroughly explained every detail of the process. 1 found it comforting to know about what was being done to my body. As my face was steamed, aromatherapy-soaked gauze was placed on my legs, which were then slipped into “moon boots.” When the boots were zipped up and plugged in, they began to inflate and massage away the remaining tension. The facial finished with a clay mask, which hardened while my hands were moisturized and placed in warm mitts.

Don’t get me wrong-my spa day was wonderful. But I need weekly relief, and it’s less distressing to de-stress in the comfort of my own home. My regular masseuse, Ginger Mensik, brings her table, oils, and music to my house and re-aligns my back and shoulders. And the cost of one day at Estée Lauder equals four sessions with Ginger.

SPA: Estée Lauder Spa, Neiman Marcus NorthPark, 214-891-1280.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Tension relieving massage, $70; jet lag facial with aroma spa leg therapy, $ 120.

VIBE: Open and airy with gold accents.

MASSAGE THERAPIST: Ginger Mensik, 972-846-2037. $50 an hour.

VIBE: Your living room and the sound of her anklet bells.



STEVE

He faces a crisis a day: The photographer botched the shot; the stylist showed up with the wrong color body paint; Fed Ex lost the film. (Again.) Art direction leaves little time for making art. Steve has a home life, too, or so he says.

I’m always running against the clock. Always have. Always will. I am not altogether a red neck-I’ve been to spas like Canyon Ranch and The Homestead and Baden-Baden.

But the Ayurvedic massage and herbal body wrap at The Spa at The Crescent was a first. Ayurveda is considered the oldest healing science, maintaining that all life must be supported by balanced energy. This is best achieved by minimizing stress, as well as optimizing and equalizing the flow of various energies in the body-kapha, the energy of the body structure and its lubrication; vata, the energy of movement; and pitta, the energy of the metabolic system. Earth, wind, and fire. Once I was identified as pitta, or fire, my therapist applied herbal-infused body oils, including chamomile, rose, and sweet almond oil in a soothing clockwise motion.

The only time I felt insecure in this pampered world was when my hands were slipped into heated, square gloves. Call me old-fashioned, but a man’s hands should be ready to catch a bail or a grenade or a mamba snake.

Next time, no square gloves.

SPA: The Spa al The Crescent, Hotel Crescent Court, 400 Crescent Court, 214-871-3200.

DE-STRESS PLAN: Stress Recovery Package includes à Spa manicure, facia], Ayurvedic I massage, lunch, pedicure, steam, I sauna, whirlpool, personal! hostess, $350.

VIBE: Life of luxury.