Nirmala NatarajSF Station Writer |
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Nirmala Nataraj's Articles
 | Treatments Worthy of a Splurge With all the unrelenting media coverage of bailout scandals, foreclosure fiascoes, and the generally dismal state of affairs, it seems a bit half-baked to justify emptying our wallets for pleasant yet inessential creature comforts. But while I’m all for downgrading to basic cable or saving your pennies instead of springing for a latte, some things are just too important to pass on: a damn good massage, for instance. More » |  |  | Pampering Without Excess Simplicity is the order of the day, economic stimulus plan or no. Cutting down extraneous costs and adopting a more introspective approach to your spending is the imminent result of the current financial debacle and the so-yesterday American raison d’être of mindless luxury. But getting mindful doesn’t mean giving up pampering. It just means trading in your regular ol’ day spa -- debutantes, amenity-packed locker rooms, pretentious ‘tudes and all -- for a place like Avra Organic Spa. More » | |  | Romantic and Family-Friendly Solvang isn’t your typical road-trip stopover. Founded in 1911 by a group of Danish educators, it’s filled with architecture reminiscent of Copenhagen’s cobbled streets and quaint European charm. Solvang is also where you’ll find Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort, a getaway that has become a rustic home away from home for harried city dwellers, especially of the LA variety. More » | |  | The Best Facials New Year’s resolutions are no longer a novelty, but for lots of indulgence-deprived folks, facials are. Certainly, juggling your beauty needs against a mile-long list of other priorities (beating the recession, for one) is going to take some practice, but as seasonal wear and tear takes its toll, you might find yourself using those Starbucks dollars for a loftier cause. Here are three aestheticians whose innovative approaches to skincare have many a guy and gal thanking the gods of glowing complexions. More » | |  | Seeing is Believing I’m not sure if it was my mild claustrophobia or the prospect of soiling the sequined evening gown I foolishly chose to don that evening, but I was feeling more than a little apprehensive as I walked down the narrow staircase into the Crimson Lounge, which doffs its red cape every Thursday through Saturday night and becomes Opaque “Dining in the Dark". It’s a dining experience like no other that may indicate a sea change in the epicurean raison d’etre -- it also requires a dollop of courage and maybe a few extra napkins. More » | |  | Gifts for the Naughty and Nice Yep, it’s that time of year again, and if you’re anything like me, the hedonist in you will spring for only the finest products and services for loved ones and obligatory giftees alike. Certainly, it’s the thought that counts…but what could be more thoughtful than exclusive spa treatments and beauty items that don’t scream “mass production”? Your generosity will be remembered for years to come… More » | |  | Vanity Beauty Lounge and Silk Nail Salon Guys and gals, take note. We all know beauty must-do’s like trimming the topiary even when it isn’t bikini season and keeping bright colors in our wardrobe despite the descent into dismal weather are no-brainers. So why do so many of us think it’s necessary to wait till porch-lounging, margarita-sipping conditions roll around before we pay attention to our tips and toes? No matter how you spin it, cracked, callused feet and hangnails shouldn’t be part of the seasonal doldrums. Here are two nail spas that specialize in making it feel like sandal weather year round. More » | |  | Systematic Landscapes The 49-year old sculptor and architect Maya Lin is best known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a monument that attests to the artist’s ability to elicit emotion from a viewer through minimal attempts at representation, and a concurrent reliance on the associative factors of vision and memory to create the desired response. Lin’s monumental approach to her sculpture can also be found in her recent exhibition at the de Young Museum, “Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes", which follows on the heels of her recent installation at the new California Academy of Sciences. More » | |  | Rustic Perfection The Northern California resort town of Calistoga is known for its historic hot springs (whose therapeutic properties have been soaked up by locals and vacationers for centuries, dating back to the indigenous Americans who discovered the springs’ healing potential) and Main Street soda-fountain charm, which makes this unassuming little hamlet of hedonism all the more appealing. And when it comes to luxury getaways in Calistoga, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Nestled in a private canyon with a view of the majestic Mayacama Mountains, Calistoga Ranch is an exclusive resort that tips its hat to the location’s built-in rusticity. More » | |  | A Brilliant Meditation Playwright Jane Anderson’s “The Quality of Life", currently at the American Conservatory Theater, is a brilliant meditation on a morass of issues: love, loss, grief, Red State v. Blue State, spiritual transcendence, and the possibility of shared understanding in times of crisis. Given all the issues that snake through the story with the mathematical complexity of a Moebius strip, Anderson, who also directs, displays tremendous skill in weaving her plot points together with seamless ease and opting for relatable, believable characters rather than a grand metanarrative about the human condition. More » | |
Nirmala Nataraj's Articles
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