Ah, the magical days of summer will soon be upon us. Summer vacations, eating watermelon on the front steps, enjoying days at the beach and pool…which all mean I must rid myself of my winter jiggle (aka: get in shape). I have taken well to this idea and have started going to pilates classes. The instructor and classes are great (more in a future post), but the fall-out is stiffer muscles and new aches — at least until my body ramps-up. The plus side of that is the need for a visit to the Burbank Spa and Garden.

The Burbank Spa and Garden is a hidden gem smack in the middle of fast paced Burbank, CA. With studios, hospitals, and airports all close by, this is an oasis for pampering and relaxation. They have an authentic Finnish sauna (the originators of the sauna) along with the whole gamut of spa services: massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, etc.

The owners are Finnish so you can practice your Finnish with them (do you know what hyvaa means?). As a side note, did you know that in certain towns in Upper Peninsula Michigan the signs are in English and Finnish? Okay, I digress, back to our pampering…

The Burbank Spa and Garden is not as fancy as say Burke Williams, but it offers high quality services at better prices with less crowds. That is a winning three punch knock-out in my book.

The relaxing process begins as you enter the spa through a quaint courtyard. The lobby has refreshing fruit and/or herb infused water for the taking along with a selection of spa products to browse. Then it is off to the locker room to change and continue on to the sauna where you will be collected for the spa service of your choice (or come just to enjoy the sauna).

In between services you can relax at the outdoor patio or head back to the locker room or sauna. I tend to get their way before my scheduled massage to enjoy the sauna. After my massage I head back to the sauna and follow it up by a relaxing rest in the locker room with a refreshing glass of water by my side (it is good to fully hydrate after the sauna or a massage), a piece of whatever fruit is offered that day and a stack of magazines to flip through from the rack. Suffice it to say, I am usually the last guest to leave the place.

Let me know your review after your visit.

Details: Burbank Spa and Garden, 2115 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506, www.burbakspa.com