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Brentwood
April
2003
Body Spice
A Spa with an exotic taste
Kathryn Harris
Kinara, which means "on the edge" in Hindi, is a day spa with an innovative
twist – an aesthetic refuge where you can eat, shop and unwind in style,
a perfect blend of healthfulness and hedonism, created by unlikely partners Christine
Splichal and Olga Lorencin-Northrup. Splichal spent the last several years running
the front of house for husband Joachim’s Patina restaurant while Olga worked
as a star facialist at Ole Hendriksen. Pooling their talents, they’ve conjured
up a contemporary-with-lush-tropical-accents setting with the help of architect
Hagy Belzberg.
The two-story glass building sports a vibrant orange front door
that’s
as hard to miss from the north end of Robertson Boulevard as it is to determine
what’s inside. Bamboo floors, swaths of white fabric, silver beads over
doorways, and dark Eastern-inspired wooden furniture balance out vibrant orange
and pink soft furnishings and colored decorative doodads. Perky staff, kitted
out in beige and white casualwear, welcome you inside Kinara’s world of
beauty.
Once you’ve relieved yourself of street clothing and stepped into a lush
robe and sandals in the intimate but perfectly equipped changing rooms, you’ll
wait to be summoned into an Indian-inspired anteroom with light filtering from
a towering skylight above. Candles and mysterious crystals adorn the treatment
rooms along with gentle music and whispering voices. We propose that you soak
away your cares with a serenity herbal bath in a giant hydrotherapy tub, followed
by a Turkish salt glow and a hot stone massage that’s superior to any others
we’ve sampled.
This will undoubtedly leave you with an appetite. Fortunately, chef Elizabeth
Mendez’ healthful seasonal cooking made with primarily organic ingredients
was designed in conjunction with Joachim. The restaurant features a wall of glass
that opens onto a lush tropical patio with a cobalt blue wall. A sandblasted
glass kitchen window sports a clear portion through which you can view the chefs
concocting appetizers such as a dense kamboch squash soup that arrives with roasted
seeds and a tranche of crostini, or tabbouleh salad served warm with a sprinkling
of parsley. Tartines (open-faced sandwiches) such as Scottish smoked salmon with
a dollop of creme fraiche and topped with poached farm egg and fresh morning
herbs are another specialty, as well as a hearty wild salmon with artichokes,
tomatoes and zucchini.
Glass panels that appear to be propped up with live green bamboo framed in aluminum
serve as screens, offering privacy and spatial interest. A farmhouse kitchen
table dominates the room, and wicker couches offer alternative seating along
with banquettes around the perimeter. After lunch, browsing the gift shop reveals
objects and clothing collected by Splichal from around the world – everything
from Egyptian cotton pajamas and silk Moroccan slippers to baby wear and bridal
gifts. On Sundays the entire spa is given over to private bridal or baby-shower
parties.
After lunch, a truly customized-for-your-skin-type facial by Olga is unforgettable – it’s
both informative and a spiritual experience. Afterward, a blow dry and makeover
with their signature IQ line and a visit to the nail salon comes replete with
foot and lower leg scrub. Here you can gaze nonchalantly onto Robertson Boulevard
while reading a magazine and munching on homemade biscotti with a glass of champagne
or strawberry flip (strawberries and low-fat organic yogurt). What could make
you feel grander?
Kinara
656 N. Robertson Blvd. in West Hollywood
(310) 657-9188
Copyright 2003 • Brentwood
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