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| photography by Dan Sellers |
Russian-born TONY GOLDSHMID, otherwise known as Tony G, has always loved to sweat. He has visited saunas since he was 4. And not just any sauna, but Russian Banya, one that’s centuries old and uses heat and massages with eucalyptus, birch, or oak branches to cleanse oneself of aches, congestion, and stress. Last summer his son Francis won the NBC reality show Treasure Hunters (he was a member of SMU’s “Geniuses” team), and the family used Francis’ winnings to open the Russian Banya Family Spa & Café, Tony G’s lifelong dream. The banya is the first of its kind in Texas. The 17,000-square-foot space in Carrollton, in a former gym, is home to saunas, an ice-cold plunge pool, game rooms, a restaurant (with dishes like khachapuri, a Georgian-style pizza with cheese and egg), and an on-site medical aesthetician offering waxing and laser treatments. For $25, you and the kiddos can visit all day. But be forewarned: the banya itself is hot. Its temperatures exceed 200 degrees, with humidity up to 65 percent. “It’s not about how long you can stand it, it’s about how much you sweat,” Tony G says. 2515 E. Rosemeade Parkway, Ste. 401, Carrollton. 214-483-5050.
