I love this so much, I had to share—so here’s an excerpt from our newest spa review, featuring La Quinta Resort & Club, written by Contributing Editor, Becca Hensley.
“I rush to find Studio One. It takes me a moment to locate it, I expect a normal workout room. When I cross the threshold, however, I awaken instantly. That’s because this is no ordinary exercise space. Rather, it possesses monumental artwork, the sort which ignites the room. Two walls gleam and glimmer, alive with Buddhas—perhaps a hundred of them. The room feels as sacred as a church. Painted by California-based artist and yoga teacher, Amanda Giacomini, the embellished walls comprise a portion of Giacomini’s artistic crusade to paint 10,000 Buddhas, many of them gilded, in public places.
Painted by California-based artist and yoga teacher, Amanda Giacomini, the embellished walls comprise a portion of Giacomini’s artistic crusade to paint 10,000 Buddhas, many of them gilded, in public places.
“The artistic mission, called 10,000 Buddhas, still in progress, was inspired by a pilgrimage to India, where Giacomini embraced the idea to send love and light via this work—a kind of installation piece with simultaneous moving parts. Currently on display from Miami to California, her various creations range from large scale murals to tiny 22-karat gold portrait-style works; they include screen prints on paper and replicas of vintage wooden Tibetan prayer wheels, as well. In Studio One, the Buddha walls welcome and warm my practice. As background, they enhance the wisdom offered by my teacher. They set a mood that finds the harmonic yes spot between calmness and focus. The Buddhas absolutely take me deeper, lighting a flame that had felt blown out.”
Mary Bemis
A pioneering voice in spa and wellness journalism, Mary Bemis has spent four decades chronicling, championing, and helping shape the modern spa industry. As Founder and Editorial Director of Insider’s Guide to Spas, she brings a distinctive editorial perspective informed by a career that has helped define the language and landscape of spa media. Mary launched American Spa magazine in 1997, co-founded Organic Spa, and helped launch Luxury SpaFinder and NewBeauty. Her industry leadership extends to board service with ISPA, NYSPA, and WSPA, the latter two organizations she helped establish. She has also served as Special Advisor to the Balneology Association of North America. Today, she serves as Special Advisor to Global Wellness Day and sits on the board of the International Sauna Aid Foundation. Recognized among Medika Life’s Top 30 Influential Voices Transforming Wellness, Mary is also a recipient of the prestigious ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award, an inaugural Folio Top Women in Media honoree, and an American Spa Wonder Woman of Wellness. Her mission remains as steadfast as ever: to keep spa culture alive and relevant, honor its roots, challenge its shortcomings, and inspire an industry to live up to its promise.
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