VANCOUVER VIEW
October 2008
You can read the article below or online at www.vancouverview.net
Vancouver’s Top Spas
BY DANA MAHON
Despite the ever-growing trend toward chic spas, pampering and luxurious treatments are not new phenomena. Spas have been around for centuries, and have often been viewed not as mere indulgences but rather as necessary to living long and healthy lives. Each of the following three spas is individually gratifying; all three offer valuable, healthy and relaxing experiences.
Nefér Spa
Rooted in the beautifying practices of ancient Egypt, this spa is the first of its kind in North America. You will feel yourself transported to this mystical place and time as you sink into a deep state of relaxation. Practitioners will give you their undivided attention as they diligently melt away the stress accumulated from the busy world around you. Nefér Spa, which specializes in vinotherapy and hot stone therapy, is truly one-of-a-kind.
One of the most unique spas in Vancouver, Nefér Spa offers state-of-the-art spa services in a warm, intimate and extraordinary setting. From the moment you enter the space you feel the positive energy that surrounds you as you become fully immersed in your experience.
Fascinated by Egypt for as long as she can remember, Nina Gart always dreamed of opening a spa. Not until she saw the physical space of what is now Nefér Spa in Coal Harbour did it become unmistakably clear to her how much of a role Egypt would come to play in her life and in the lives of those who would come through her door.
Not only did Nina want to bring clients a space where they would feel welcome, relaxed and pampered, she wanted to offer a sanctuary where people could experience true healing.
Literally meaning pure and beautiful, Nefér Spa pays homage to Egypt with authentic Egyptian artwork gracing the walls and Egyptian artifacts and pyramids at every corner of the space, offering healing positive energy while sending away any impurities or negative energy. These were ingredients Nina insisted be part of the space, and ones that were not easily created here in Vancouver, or even in North America.
As Nina pondered the type of treatments she might offer at her spa, she envisioned something to do with wine—but what, exactly, she wasn’t yet sure. Then, one night while preparing to teach her hot stone therapy class, Nina came across a magazine given to her by a dear friend in Portugal. As she flipped through, there it was—vinotherapia. It was kismet—at that moment she knew this was going to be one of the very special treatments she would offer. Imported Egyptian marble baths are filled with the ancient elixir of red wine, brimming with anti-aging properties, minerals and moisturizers. The vinotherapia treatment which results is exclusive to Nefér Spa and the only one of its kind in North America. Another delicious therapy is the rare custom of wrapping the body in cocoa, using the natural elements of the bean, shell and powder for a cleansing blend of emollients. Nefér Spa also offers stone therapy—one of the most natural ways of self-healing with the electro-magnetic energy of the heated stones treating every cell in the body.
Treatments are carried out by certified practitioners who are hand-chosen by founder Nina, a certified aesthetician, massage therapist and Reiki master who integrates therapies such as reflexology and aromatherapy into her practice. She is also the founder of Stone Therapy School and is one of only two stone therapy practitioners recognized by The Massage Therapists Association of BC.
An avid stone collector, Nina found great inspiration from two very extraordinary stones. One she found at her doorstep one evening, in the shape of a heart. This stone seems almost to infuse the spa with an aura of love and compassion. The other, which Nina refers to as her most precious gift, has guided and inspired her to create a tree of life in the centre of the spa; a tree which continues to grow and spread kindness, generosity and healing. This second stone is a guardian stone, watching over Nina, the spa and all those who experience it.
Nefér Spa is open from Saturday to Monday 10:00 AM–6:00 PM and Tuesday to Friday 10:00 AM–9:00 PM.
Nefér Spa
571 Cardero Street,
Coal Harbour, Vancouver, BC
V6G 3L2
604-696-0222
neferspa.com
AIR CANADA ON AIR
September 2008
You can read the article below or online at http://www.aircanada.com/en/onair/september2008/top5.html
Relax: Nefér Spa
In the Egyptian pharaohs’ quest for eternal life, they soaked in wine baths to avoid bacteria and inflammation. While it didn’t exactly work for them, you can try oenotherapy yourself at Nefér Spa Boutique, near the Stanley Park seawall. Hand-carved in Italy, the spa’s monolithic marble bath (marble is reputed to possess healing properties of its own) is filled with warmed Bordeaux wine, to which owner Nina Gart adds her own blend of ingredients, including mineral salts. Let the serum release its antioxidants while you gaze at the twinkling heavens (a.k.a. LED lights on the ceiling). The not-so-divine intervention sadly comes when the lights go back on.
(Amanda Ross is a Vancouver-based writer and the editor-in-chief of HomeSpa magazine.)
WHERE.CA MAGAZINE
April 2008
You can read the article by clicking on the link below.
www.neferspa.com/where.ca.pdf
VANCOUVER MAGAZINE
March 2008
You can read the article by clicking on the link below.
www.neferspa.com/vancouvermag.pdf
INFAMOUS MAGAZINE
January 2008
