Sunday, May 12 is Mother’s Day. And Sherry Tuck, Pasadena resident and mother of four, is glowing. Yes, of course, she’s kvelling with pride over her youngsters ages 2 through 13. But a recent visit to Chuan Spa at the Langham Hotel also contributes to the feel-good-feels.
Booking a luxurious session here for any mom on your list (including yourself) guarantees a long-lasting glow and good vibes. The effect: similar to how Mom felt when you gave her that jewelry box encrusted with gold spray-painted elbow macaroni.
Tuck says, “Life is rushed and hurried with four children. Because my youngest is a fitful sleeper, I may not always get enough sleep. As mothers, we give so much, and during this carefully curated experience, I felt the fatigue and stress leave my bones and my head in just a few hours. It felt medicinal, and I went home feeling recharged and refreshed.”
Tuck experienced one of The Langham’s premium Mother’s Day spa offerings, “Mom Glows Best.” The CBD-infused body massage potion eases tension and relieves fatigue, followed by a hydrating facial. The finishing touch: a diamond-infused collagen lip mask to exfoliate and plump lips that spend much of the day kissing away boo-boos. Tuck’s visit also included the add-on “Mom’s V.I.P. Tea,” a special Mother’s Day offering, scaled down from The Langham’s year-round afternoon tea but still elegant and deluxe, finished with a flute of chilled bubbly.
A spa expert weighs in
Before switching gears to become a full-time mother, Tuck earned her licensure as an esthetician and worked in spas. Her senses, including olfactory and auditory, are finely tuned: she commented on the noiseless spa doors (no latches).
“Sounds affect both the therapist and the guest,” she says, “Also, the plush robes here are high-quality. Most spas use those cheap terrycloth or waffle-weave robes, which get crispy and scratchy from frequent, hot-water laundering. I also recognized and appreciated the quality of the bed and the richness of the high thread-count, cotton sateen sheet,” she says.
Of the facial, she comments, “The HydraFacial wasn’t obtrusive. There was no discomfort or burning,” explaining that the glycolic solution applied through a wand is exfoliating “…but not as rough as microdermabrasion.” She appreciated that none of the topical products felt heavy or hard to remove and commented that the well-balanced air-filtration system kept the treatment room from being too warm or too cold. To quote Goldilocks, just right.
After the treatment, she retreated to the Dream Room, to a heated waterbed separated from others by diaphanous floor-to-ceiling curtains. “I felt like I was floating on a lily pad, looking up at the clouds,” she says. Between the soft lighting, barriers to outside noise, soothing waterfalls, delicately scented teas, refreshing mint leaf-spiked ice water, and a raspberry sauce that “wasn’t too sweet or too syrupy,” Tuck says, “this is a well-thought-out environment, and they really went the extra mile.”
We caught up with Krysta Novo, a spa therapist at the Chuan Spa. Trained in kinesiology, she is skilled in sports massage as well as relaxation-style massage techniques.
“My mom had four of us,” says Krysta. “For moms, it just never stops. You can’t take a day off. And moms tend to put themselves last. I tell my clients, fill up your own cup. Because you can’t pour from an empty cup.”
In addition to the standard spa menu, other special Mother’s Day treatments include “Mom’s Restful Retreat” (massage with a warming blend of ginger, cardamom, clove and vanilla chai, followed by cooling, pore-minimizing facial peel) and “Golden Glow Collagen Enhancement,” with exclusive 24k Gold Repair Collagen mask.
Other Spring treatments at Chuan Spa through May 31, 2024, include the “Spring Illuminating Facial” with two enzyme peels, the “Calming Lavender Massage” (which we highly recommend for anyone experiencing menopausal insomnia), the “Cleansing CBD Salt Glow,” the “Renew and Refresh Wrap” with dry brushing and a Spirulina algae head-to-toe mask, and the “Awakening Collagen Enhancement” with de-stressing amethyst powder.
Idea: Why not blow Mom’s mind and book one of each, one session per month? And the perfect setting to present the gift is, of course, Mother’s Day Brunch at The Langham, offered on Mother’s Day, May 12, between 10:00 AM and 3:30 PM in the Huntington Ballroom. On the menu: Poké bar, seafood on ice, eggs benedict station, artisanal charcuterie with smoked salmon, cheeses, honeycomb, fig chutney, baguette, crostini and crackers, an array of spring salads, a carving station with prime rib with bordelaise and roasted pork loin with persimmon chutney, a chocolate fountain with cakes and fresh fruit, and bottomless Mimosas and Prosecco. And for the little darlings: carrot and celery sticks, mac and cheese, battered chicken tenders, Funfetti cupcakes, Jello, brownies, and M+M chocolate chip cookies. (Yes, you can enjoy items from the Kids’ Corner: you’re their mother.)
The Langham Hotel
14011 South Oak Knoll Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 568-3900
Laissez Les Bon “Bloom” Roulet!
Look no further: whether a special bouquet or a frankly fabulous monthly floral subscription delivery, Tillie Burke’s Southern Roots has got you covered (they even have cards, gift wrap, plant-related gifts, and – something we can’t ever, ever get enough of —cool earrings!). Southern Roots offers creative workshops on various plant-related projects and displays the works of local artists in Burke’s breezy and inviting space.
Tillie Burke is a New Orleans-born floral designer who owns the botanically blooming boutique Southern Roots. In November 2023, she relocated from Washington Boulevard and Hill Street to her current, expanded corner location, where Altadena meets Washington.
She says, “Some of my favorite flowers are dahlias, scabiosa, gloriosa lily, and all the rest!” Okay, since you asked, “Scabiosa” does indeed have an itchy, even scabby history, but it looks much better than it sounds. In ancient Rome, the extract of this plant, now known to us as the plush “pincushion” family, was used to treat prickly skin irritations. Thus, the word’s origin is from the Latin “scabere,” meaning “to scratch.”
But forget about all that—these are gorgeous blooms in candied shades of scrumptious. Burke organizes her custom floral arrangements, including those for weddings and other events, by colorways: blush and pale tones, deeper jewel tones, and monochromatic bowls of blossoms, bustin’ out all over with lots of sweet pastels and pristine whites and creams artfully gathered into jazzy, loose, natural clusters of deliciousness in unusual, art-quality containers. And for those craving the raw power of primary colors, there is even a dramatic red arrangement called “Rouge.”
Southern Roots is the only local florist we know of that’s open seven days a week and delivers locally seven days a week. Burke’s bodacious boutique truly lives up to its rep as a “gifty, florally, homey, botanical kind of place.”
At this point in life, we say go big or go home. Burke’s shop offers floral subscription plans guaranteed to melt the heart of even the frostiest Steel Magnolia. The monthly delivery plans are themed to the sweet-talkin’, well,-hush-my-puppies conversational ways of the American South, varied pricing depending on the size of the arrangement:
- HONEY: 3 Month Plan ($210 – $600)
- SUGAR: 6 Month Plan ($420 – $1200)
- DARLIN’: 9 Month Plan ($630 – $1800)
- QUEEN BEE: 12 Month Plan ($770 – $2200)
Floral subscription gift cards are also available. And just in time for Mother’s Day, Burke extends a special offer to our readers: on a single order, one-time single delivery, restricted to Mother’s Day week, mention “LOCAL NEWS PASADENA” when you order, and Southern Roots will deliver to Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, La Cañada, Glendale, San Marino and Arcadia (only), free of charge! Thank you kindly, Miss Tillie!
Southern Roots
2523 East Washington Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 486-2260
