Aug 3: Pampered Times

We live in times that call for a little pampering now and then. Next month, you'll get the chance to treat yourself  - for a bargain price. How does a break at a spa sound to you right about now? The way I see it is this: we're all up to our ears just making a living in a challenging economy along with managing our other daily responsibilities. Not to mention cellphoning and texting and status updating and now, good grief, even tweeting. What next? I figure it's only a matter of time before some whiz kid invents a social networking website that allows 25 characters to inform friends what we're carrying around in our pockets or something. Call it "PocketTwit." I dunno. But I do know that most of us could use a nice break from the hectic thrum of our plugged-in lifestyle.

Enter Lauderdale Spa Chic. Doesn't just the word "spa" kind of make you relax a bit? Ahhhh. Here's the deal. From September 1 - 30, you'll be able to trundle off to some of the best spas in South Florida for a $99 treatment. I'm told that's as much as half off the normal prices.

The really nice thing about this fall promotion is the variety available, the range of choices and locations. The list of participating spas includes places all up and down Broward County's coastline, from Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach to Hollywood and Hallandale Beach. You can relax at such hot spots as Bliss inside the new W Fort Lauderdale, a trendy hotel that's attracting lots of attention. For your $99, you'll get something they call a "Rapid Rub Massage" that works on specific problem areas for a half hour along with their "Oxygen Blast" that will treat you to another special massage and a "quick fruit acid wash" and a "five minute oxygen spray." Whoa. Or you can go a bit more traditional at, say, the Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale, where you'll savor the 50-minute signature Ritz massage. I've had this treatment and let me just say again, Ahhhhh. Most of the participating spas are at hotels, actually, and these hotels are offering "Spa Chic Stays" that give you a spa treatment and a discounted nightly room rate too. All I know is that I could really use a lovely spa session sometime soon. I'm hoping I'll get the chance to enjoy one of these Lauderdale Spa Chic bargains next month. Because I really am a big believer in relaxing massages - and hey, I'd better do something to chill out before I've got to cope with my new PocketTwit page.