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New York's Juvenex spa offers respite from city stress

WORDS BY TIFFANY MEYERS

New York City’s Koreatown, a raucous few blocks east of Herald Square, is an unlikely place to find relief from the pressures of modern life. But tucked away on the fifth floor of a rather ramshackle building is Juvenex Spa, as tranquil as the surrounding streets are frenetic.

Just past the gurgling waterfall at the door, the spa’s zigzagging redwood footbridge eases you into the elegant surroundings. “We’re in the middle of Manhattan,” says cofounder Michael Midori, “so walking over the bridge is a symbolic journey, where you leave the city and all your cares behind to enter this oasis of calm.”

Midori and his partner Miss Lee spent two years researching international spa cultures to develop their unique blend of Eastern and Western holistic therapies. At the heart of the experience is the Juvenex Jade Journey, a $65 series of treatments that begins with the spa’s crown jewel—a dry-heat igloo sauna made of 20 tons of semi-precious jade stones. The choice of materials has a function beyond its beauty, as many believe jade’s healing powers are potent enough to relieve the aches and pains of arthritis.

Once the stones have worked their magic on your tired bones, luxuriate in the spa’s Japanese Soaking Ponds, filled with aromatic, all-natural infusions such as seaweed and the Tahitian fruit noni. The warm Ginseng Pond balances pH levels and provides an invigorating boost of energy, while the cool Rice Sake Pond softens the skin.

Thus primed, you’re ready for a polish. The spa’s Korean Style Scrub isn’t for sensitive types, although its loyal fans—said to include Tiki Barber of the New York Giants—swear by the results. This exfoliating treatment puts your birthday-suited self at the mercy of women wielding abrasive mitts, who buff you all over—and really, they don’t miss an inch—in a process that borders on painful. Should you brave the buff, however, you’ll emerge more silky smooth than ever before.

Thalassotherapy with algae, mineral-rich facials and seaweed body wraps are a few of the other options on the spa’s menu. A cadre of certified therapists expertly administers acupressure, shiatsu and Thai massage, as well as the signature Four-Hand Dream Massage, during which two therapists knead away knots through gentle, rhythmic movements. Or try the Eastern European Mosht-O-Maul, which stimulates muscles through deep-tissue manipulation. Pronunciation shy? Ask for the Turkish Sports Massage.

It’s appropriate that in the city that never sleeps, Juvenex should avail itself to night owls and early birds alike. The 24-hour spa is open only to women by day, when clothing is optional, and you might rub velvety shoulders with Sofia Coppola, who is a regular. Juvenex goes coed from 9pm to 6am, when bathing suits are required. No wonder Juvenex draws from the A-list: from dawn to dusk, the sanctuary provides just the boost you need to take on the urban jungle that awaits you at the door.

Juvenex Spa, 25 West 32 Street, 5th Floor, 646-733-1330 www.juvenexspa.com

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