New Spa
Book a treatment at the Evan Todd Spa & Salon at the Conrad, and you’re in for a VIP experience, starting with free valet parking. Even those who book just a chair massage at $2 per minute are welcome to stay and pamper themselves for hours. The posh sixth-floor retreat has an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi—bring a book and camp out on a thickly cushioned chaise—and a sun-drenched fitness room where the machines are always prepped with a bottle of water rolled up in a towel. 50 W. Washington St., 524-2575
Blow Outs
Beauty-school dropouts get a second chance with lessons on blow-out technique from The Spa at French Pharmacie. Choose from a $50 private clinic using your own tools (the fee applies to a purchase), or invite up to 15 friends—wine and cheese provided. 823 E. Westfield Blvd., 251-9182
Bargain Gel Manicure
Friendly service and a big selection of lacquer colors make Allure Nail Salon the best provider for the gel manicure, a trendy no-chip treatment that lasts two weeks. And it’s only $35 for the standard shellacking. 1560 E. 86th St., 575-9248
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*READER’S CHOICE*
>> BEST BIKINI WAX: Absolu Spa, 5252 E. 82nd St., 578-8607
“Mariam is hands down the best waxer in town.”
—Megan Saur, Fishers
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Beginner Yoga Class
Instructor Keema Walden doesn’t breathe a word about a traditional yoga pose in the Integrative/Restorative Yoga session at Peace Through Yoga (right), located right on the water in Eagle Creek Park. Instead, she leads the small Friday-evening class through extended basic stretches and breathing instructions, just enough for first-timers to do and think about without getting confused. 6040 DeLong Rd., 679-1168
Foot Massage
The name captures only half the indulgence. Every 60-minute session at Foot Euphoria actually includes a full-body massage in a deep-cushioned recliner that lays flat, and for just $30. Nothing in the name foreshadows the curious little techniques involved, either. We won’t spoil the surprises, but make sure your masseuse is light enough to kneel on your back. 6348 E. 82nd St., 570-7055; 9655 E. U.S. Hwy. 36, Ste. A, 271-6800
Men’s Grooming Goop
Confidently ensconced in the Fashion Mall, Indiana’s first location of The Art of Shaving stocks moisturizers, gels, and pre- and post-shave products packed with lots of good-sounding stuff—none of which you’ll appreciate until you look in the mirror and see someone who resembles Anderson Cooper. Geek out on the gadgets, like silver-tipped badger brushes, but don’t leave without facing your fears in the skincare section, too. 8702 Keystone Crossing, 819-0233
Gym
You can work up a sweat simply assessing the options at Life Time Fitness, which goes beyond the familiar cardioscape with a rock-climbing wall and a pool area complete with an indoor mushroom fountain and water slides. 8705 Castle Creek Pkwy., 595-9700
Fitness Studio
You can’t imagine all the ways to use an exercise ball to your benefit—and that’s where Studio 49 Fitness comes in. Owners Mark Morgan and Christie Thrasher-Rudd, local pioneers of the fitness-studio trend, come up with imaginative workouts for personalized, focused training. “Functional fitness” is their motto—and here that could mean TRX suspension, Power Plate Pro 6, or cardio ballet. 4913 N. Pennsylvania St., 847-7624
Photography by Tony Valainis.
This article originally appeared in the December 2011 issue.
