On Christmas Day when my wife presented me with a gift card for a spa day for the two of us I was openly thankful but quietly unenthused. We need a vacation, not a spa day. It’s on a Sunday, who’s going to watch the kids for us? We should be going to church. These were just a few of the naysayer thoughts that initially registered in my head.

Having two schedules that rarely meet in the middle and two kids always in the forefront of our minds, my wife decided a simple recharge on the first weekend of the new year was a perfect, simple and cost effective solution. And the place she picked was Oasis Day Spa.

With East Side locations on 34th Street and Park Avenue we opted for Oasis Westchester, their newest location off the beaten path, located approximately twenty-five minutes north of New York City in Dobbs Ferry, New York. It’s an easy commute to this location, visibly situated just off the Saw Mill River Parkway and sharing a building with a Starbucks and New York Sports Club. Physical fitness, relaxation and pampering and coffee, all in the same space. What more could anyone want? Parking. Expect to either be patient or drive around the facility a couple of times before finding a space.

Once you’re inside, the stress of parking becomes a distant memory once you enter the bright and inviting waiting area and are greeted with a smile at the front desk.

There is a full menu of services at Oasis Westchester from your expected health and beauty options — facials, massages, scrubs and manis/pedis — to your not so expected facials for teens, CosMedix peels and on site consultations from a board certified plastic surgeon (Saturdays only, from 10 am to 2 pm). The prices are very reasonable, another surprise considering the range, depth and quality of services offered. There isn’t a single spa package that tops $500.

My spa experience with my wife consisted of side by side full body massages, a full body scrub and a facial. The staff was attentive and pampering to the point of almost nurturing. The only time I didn’t doze was during my scrub. The facility was simple and clean with dimly lit spaces, soft cool grooves pumping throughout and aromatic but not perfumed. Relaxed, thankful for my wife’s thoughtfulness and thoroughly hydrated with tea, orange and cucumber water, I had no desire to leave and reenter the real world.

If you’re looking for something to do whether it’s with the girls, with your spouse, for your spouse or you simply need some alone time to recharge, Oasis Day Spa Westchester in Dobbs Ferry is the retreat you’ve been waiting for. Give them a call. They’re waiting to hear from you.

Oasis Westchester
Saw Mill River Parkway Exit 16
(in service road with NYSC & Starbucks)
50 Livingstone Ave.
Dobbs Ferry, NY
914.409.1900

Photo credit: Oasis Day Spa

When we’re celebrating a family event or in the mood for something different, one place on our short list is Mount Fuji in Hillburn, NY. A hibachi restaurant with a view (Oh, what a view!), it is a special experience from the second you see the sign and gigantic imperial red gate (Torii) to head up the spiraling drive to the restaurant atop the hill. (Imagine the ride up the mountain to visit the Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.) If you’ve ever driven the NYS Thruway near the NJ/NY state border and wondered what the pagoda and large American flag are doing up there just off the highway, this is it!

Mount Fuji is a Japanese steakhouse serving sushi and hibachi with Japanese-inspired decor: complete with statues, a waterfall, koi pond, bridges, et al. I almost expect to see Roger Moore walk through the place, straight out of a 1970′s James Bond movie. For seating, you have a choice of a booth with an amazing first-hand view - which requires you to remove your shoes before sitting at the lowered table,  a seat at the sushi bar, or a more public hibachi table where you are usually seated with strangers to share the experience.

I’m not sure which I anticipate more: the spectacular views overlooking Ramapo Valley, or the hibachi show at our table. Dining with kids so often includes planning ahead to placate or occupy them while you wait to eat, so it’s nice to not have to worry about it as the Mount Fuji table-side chefs are experienced with tricks and means of entertaining kids and adults alike. Some of our favorites include catching an egg in the chef’s hat, the onion volcano and arranging the food to spell out “I heart U.” Everytime we’ve been there, the staff and service have been excellent. The servers are friendly and we haven’t had to wait for drinks to be refilled or answers to any questions that we’ve raised. They often include a special umbrella in drinks for the kids.

Perhaps what they are most known for are their expansive Sunday brunches which  usually fill up for the brunch holidays like Easter and Mothers Day. They also offer murder mystery dinners and honor birthdays or other celebrations with “Banzai” treatment including a server wearing a dragon mask and sparklers. Valet parking is mandatory and included in the experience.

While I mentioned taking children to Mount Fuji, the major drawback with taking children is the cost, with the children’s menu set at $19.95, and the hibachi entrees between $23-$45 each, which is why most people reserve this place for celebratory meals. Mount Fuji in Hillburn is a fantastic place to visit when you’re feeling on top of the world, or just want to be on top for a change.

Mount Fuji Restaurant & The Views at Mount Fuji

296 Route 17

Hillburn, NY 10931

845-357-4270

Looking for something festive to do Upstate with the kids this weekend and the next and the next and the next? The Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm in Yorktown Heights has it all — apples, pumpkins, Christmas trees and donuts!

With a harvest season that begins in September, Wilkens Farm has a whopping twelve varieties of apples available for picking. These include Gala, McIntosh, Cortlandt and this writer’s favorite, Fuji, just to name a few. Pumpkins are available for picking beginning in October and their Choose-N-Cut Christmas trees are ready just after Thanksgiving. There are walking trails to the orchards and pumpkin patch or you can opt to hitch a quick and happy hayride to them. Then let the picking begin! There are only a few things more serene than picking apples and pumpkins with family amid the backdrop of all the beautiful colors of the changing leaves of fall and the dramatic mountainous terrain of Upstate New York.

Located in Yorktown Heights, the farm is an approximate 40 minute jaunt from the city, traffic permitting. But be warned, approaching the farm is not for the impatient. Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm is popular with a capital “P” and with only one access road onto and off the property, your approach will most certainly slow to a crawl, especially on weekends. Taking in the sheer volume of people and the length of the lines can be discouraging at first, but rest assured, the workers do a great job of quickly moving things along.

Wilken’s Farm owns and operates three markets:

The Red Farm Market which sells 40 varieties of apples, plums, pears, peaches and nectarines as the season permits along with apple chips, apple cider, preserves, honey and maple syrup.

The Appleseed Gift Shop, a place where you can buy knickknacks for your friends, neighbors and kids’ teachers. These items include their signature t-shirts, mugs and tote bags as well as kitchen products and Christmas ornaments.

And last but definitely not least, Tricia’s Treat Shop. In this heavenly place they sell apple cider by the cup, hotdogs, popcorn, lemonade, snacks, candy and baked goods. As you might imagine the baked goods fall into the usual categories, pies and cookies, but it doesn’t stop there. Add candy apples, strudel sticks, muffins and their famous, made-from-scratch, freshly fried apple cider donuts that come piping hot, crispy and dusted with sugar. I bought a dozen of these melt-in-your-mouth rings for a mere $8 and my family and I went through them in about five minutes.

With Halloween a couple of weeks away and the holiday season kicking into full gear, why not bypass the big box, warehouse stores for a change and pay Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm a visit? With items and fun for all, it’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm
1335 White Hill Road
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
(914) 245-5111
www.wilkensfarm.com

Photo credit: Eric Payne