la vie ZEN s.p.a.

Profile

In feeling and in fact, there’s no less Zenlike location than Madison Avenue and 48th Street. Yet mother-daughter spa owners Nancy and Bernice Luk have brought a dose of serenity to Brooke BlackBerry and Brad Briefcase amid midtown’s office towers. Every detail of this relaxation station has been thought out, from jade-bracelet locker key chains to calligraphied name tags on clients' snack plates to indecently soft white robes. The spa’s compact but uncramped space, done in soothing shades of sea foam and driftwood, offers two lounges for sipping organic tea, munching on fruit and nuts, and flipping through fashion magazines before, between, or after treatments. The Luks have sought out well-qualified, experienced personnel, and patrons may anticipate a first-rate massage or thorough, pore-cleansing, Romanian-style facial. (Face treatments utilize issues-oriented Skinceuticals products or gentler Yon-Ka potions.) Waxing and mani-pedis complement the full range of face and body services, and many are given in 30- or 60-minute versions for clients on the go. — Karen Tina Harrison

This small spa caters to brides looking for serene and exotic treatments (packages from $80). After the Green Tea pedicure ($70) or the Vichy Shower hydrotherapy wrap treatment ($150), the second-floor French garden is a perfect spot to unwind.