From Jetlagged to Red Carpet Ready in 60

Lie flat seats and liters of water can help offset some of the effects of jetlag, but even these cushy perks don’t guarantee that trans-con doesn’t screw with your body clock or sap your skin. Upon touching down on any trip, feeling energized and looking alive can take daysss. Lucky for us, we’ve discovered Los Angeles’ beautiful people go-to for looking and feeling paparazzi-ready in just 60 minutes: Leaf MD’s signature Vitamin IV Facial.  

The Hack: IV Vita-Infusion facial at Leaf MD, Beverly Hills

HOW IT WORKS

The skincare and medical teams at Leaf MD developed the combo Vitamin IV and facial treatment to help busy execs, celebs and travelers look and feel their best in just 60 minutes. The vitamin IV is a tailored Meyers Cocktail combining vitamin C, B-complex and boosters such as calcium, magnesium and glutathione; the facial is customized based on skin type and often includes microdermabrasion, facial massage, extractions if necessary, serums, a customized mask and cryotherapy.

THE EXPERIENCE

Upon checking in at the buzzy but discreet office, resident RN Joy Edwards administers the nutrient IV drip, while in-house para-medical aesthetician Maya Zeineddine preps your skin. Once you’re hooked up and those anti-jetlag nutrients are direct lining (you’ll know when you taste the B vitamins), Joy will leave you to your facial and check in every 10 minutes or so to make sure all is okay. The nutrient IV drips for about 45 minutes, but you forget it’s there after the first five or so minutes and just relax and let Maya do her magic.

THE RESULT

I tried this facial after returning from a long haul in economy. In-flight I tried my best version of Lisa Eldridge’s brilliant plane beauty routine, but stepping off the plane my skin barely looked alive and my energy reserves were I think down to fumes. The treatment itself was really relaxing, and afterward I felt a little sleepy from the magnesium, and still super relaxed from the skin treatment. I did not feel ready to run a marathon at all, but my skin felt so soft and looked plumper than it had in a long time. After a casual dinner with a friend and an early night in, I woke up the next morning feeling like a new woman: extra energized and body and face both felt hydrated and majorly glow-y. Hydration, check. Energy, check. And bonus: you would never have been able to tell my face has spent 12+ hours in Economy.

WHERE TO FIND IT

The buzzy Beverly Hills office is discreetly located at 436 North Bedford Avenue, #104, naturally tucked away along Beverly Hills’ posh cosmetic dermatology row and just behind brow guru Anastasia Beverly Hills. It’s just under 13 miles from LAX, which means about 30-48 minutes, depending on traffic. Also, walking distance from nearly any Beverly Hills Hotel. How much? $295

WHERE ELSE

New York

Dr Virginia Wade offers a IV Vitamin Fusion and Oxygen Therapy
How much? $300

We’ll keep an eye out for other cities!

A healthy escape to Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay

Welcome to The Weekender, our weekly discovery of unexpected, active-luxe weekend destinations to recharge and not apologize for dietary restrictions.

Credit: Alexis Daggett

Seaside tennis and clean fine dining less than an hour from SF

Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is home to all of the resort luxuries we never knew we needed: personal fire pits, a Crossfit instructor chef leading a fine dining restaurant and award winning tennis courts perched right above the ocean. Just 25 miles south of San Francisco International Airport, 30 miles south of San Francisco proper and 43 miles from Mineta San Jose International airport; Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is not much further than most people’s morning commutes.

Settling In

Book a Guest House Fire Pit Room, Check in on a Friday afternoon to settle in and watch the sunset over the water at the property’s Ocean Terrace. Grab your glass and head to the room for a moment of peace and quiet, fireside. Throw on your resort casual best for dinner and head to The Conservatory, a gorgeous open dining room with floor-to-ceiling views of the water.

Clean Eating

Chef Dela Cruz prepares traditional California farm-to-table cuisine using community grown produce and, because he moonlights as a Crossfit instructor, is more than happy to whip up super clean off-menu dishes for the dietarily restricted. Dine on a tweaked version of menu items that depending on the season may include a vegan sauteed red quinoa pilaf with carrots, spinach and sunchokes topped with a wonderful spicy garlic aioli made super creamy by blending mixed tofu with roasted garlic. Naturally, the wine list is a perfectly curated selection of mostly Northern California wines. More surprisingly, many of the cocktails are made using live herbs grown on The Conservatory’s living wall, just one of many nature-luxe elements in the dining room. After dinner, walk back to the in-room fire pit/private patio for a little cocktail nightcap or a glass from Eno wine bar and nod off to total quiet.

Getting up and out

Open your eyes just enough to whip up a pot of in-room coffee, then perk up, suit up and head down to weekly Saturday morning Surfset class on the Ocean Lawn. Cooler weather moves class to the Observatory Room. After class, check out Navio’s breakfast spread whose plant-based options include a green smoothie, oatmeal and local fruits. Or head 10 minutes inland to the local Half Moon Bay farmers market. Grab some fresh as can be produce (this is an ag town, after all), and a few healthy treats, like vegan truffles.

Cardio with a view

Head back to the resort for a running map, a set of complimentary bike rentals (book these in advance), or guide to local hikes recommended by the property. A short, scenic choice might be the Devil’s Slide Trail, which is 1.3 mile area of up and down Route 1 to breathe in the coastside air and get a peek at the local marine life.

Checking out the town

The hotel seems to have a solid monopoly on solidy health fare in town, but for an afternoon escape try lunch at Half Moon Brewing Company for a local vibe, but bring a protein if you’re plant-based, as vegan options are limited. Or try the newer Via Uno for the kale salad and wood-fired pizza. If it’s gorgeous outside, pop back to the property to rent complimentary rackets and tennis balls from the front desk and check out the six on-property tennis courts, reservations are included in the resort fee.

To reward yourself for a match well-played, check into the resort’s spa for a bodywork session or the signature Tatcha Pearlescense facial. Take a steam, head back to the room and nap it out for a few. Don’t worry about getting ready for dinner - keep the robe on and order in-room dining from The Conservatory or Navio.

Checking out

Sleep in, read, then after checking out, try a walk down to Main street for a coffee like the locals do it. Head back to the airport or drive home about 1000% more rested than when you arrived.

What to pack

The property supplies complimentary bikes, tennis rackets and maps for running and hiking.

If you're planning on dining off-property at all and happen to be vegan, bring some bars and/or protein powder as it’s tough to find vegan protein in town. It’s easier to be gluten-free here. Bring your best resort casual: long skirts, dark jeans, flats and sweaters for the oceanside chill at night.

The World’s Healthiest Cocktail

 

Myers’ Cocktails are not just a handy solution for too many vodka sodas in Vegas, though they can be an awesome way to kick a hangover. John Myers developed his namesake cocktail in Baltimore to help treat chronic health issues by intravenously administering megadoses of nutrients. Devotees claim benefits like hydration, energy and supercharged immunity, which to us sounds like a perfect antidote for travelers looking to shake the jetlag haze.

We sought out San Francisco Myers’ Cocktail expert Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer of San Francisco Natural Medicine, a naturopath working in SF for over 20 years, to fill us in and let us take one for a spin.

How it Works

The whole process takes around an hour. Depending on the amount of fluid being administered and the body’s absorption speed, you could be sitting with your IV and dripping anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. It would be easy forget your veins are being pumped with nutrient goo if not for the slightly sleepy feeling the magnesium can cause, and more strangely being able to literally taste the drip contents once they hit your bloodstream - it’s the B vitamins, and they taste sort of metallic.

What’s in the bag

The Myer’s Cocktail has no one size fits all recipe. The balance of vitamins is dependent on the patient receiving the drip, but it generally includes some mix of Vitamin C, glutathione, magnesium, B complex and a handful of supplemental nutrients. The ratios of these and other nutrients are customized based on the patient receiving the drip.

Many naturopathic doctors, including Hangee-Bauer, can offer a totally tailored Myers’ Cocktail for regular patients, and for visitors traveling through SF a travel-specific mini-Myers’ that would include a blend of nutrients for immune support, fatigue and balancing energy levels.

How does it feel?

Awesome. After the mini-Myers I tried (which dripped for about 30 minutes), I felt a little sleepy for the first hour. Then fine. The next day I felt amazing - lots of energy, powered through workout and felt that I had a particularly easy time getting to bed. I traveled the next day and though it was just a short trip I felt pretty energized. I would totally do it again, especially before departing on a long haul trip, or the day after returning from one.