It is hard to beat a holiday by the sea, especially when the balmy weather in Santa Monica calls for December beach days and cocktails by the pool. Add in our curated line-up of wellness-inspired holiday gifts, and you will be celebrating the season in true Southern California style.
Here are our favorite gifts for the holidays, including luxe spa treatments available right here at Shutters on the Beach and Casa del Mar – all chosen with personal wellness in mind.
Healthy Cooking Classes
Locally sourced and sustainable ingredients are at the heart of SoCal cuisine. They are also the focus at The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories, where experienced chefs and complete beginners can create delicious fare ranging from seafood to European specialties.
Located on the third floor of Santa Monica Place, The Gourmandise hosts 3-hour cooking classes and extended series courses, with offerings such as traditional tamales and pizza in the Naples style. The cooking school instructors also have a sweet spot for desserts, including rustic French pastries and the art of making chocolate all the way from bean to bar. Sign your friends and family up for an introductory course or a full series.
$85+ for adults, $65+ for children
A Day at the Spa
Pamper your loved ones this season with a nourishing treatment at ONE Spa or Sea Spa. Our winter wellness rituals include the Peppermint Latte Body Scrub, a detoxifying full body scrub and massage that the restores skin to a radiant and glowing complexion, and the Even Brighter Hydropeptide Facial, a soothing treatment that uses LumaProC to combat hyperpigmentation and age spots with the latest in drug-free technology.
There are also packages created for those in search of ultimate relaxation. At ONE Spa, enjoy ONE To Remember (including a 60-minute massage, 60-minute hydropeptide facial, manicure and pedicure, lunch at Coast, and complimentary valet parking) or ONE For Me (60-minute massage or hydropeptide facial, lunch at Coast, and complimentary valet parking).
Then at Sea Spa, choose A Day at Sea (60-minute massage, access to the pool, a glass of sparkling wine, and complimentary valet parking) or gift yourself and your loved one with Friends at Sea (two 60-minute massages or facials, a bottle of sparkling wine, and complimentary valet parking).
$160 – $550
Meditation Classes
For mental wellness, look no further than the mindfulness meditation courses at InsightLA. Designed to bring balance to daily life, the classes teach participants to reduce stress and increase happiness by developing healthier relationships with their thoughts, balancing emotions, and becoming more in touch with body and mind.
There are basic, intermediate, and advanced offerings with courses such as Mindfulness for Beginners spanning 6 weeks, as well as specialized classes for working with pain and classes with a Buddhist focus.
$185 – $250 for an introductory course
A Sustainable Dining Experience
There is no shortage of healthy dining in Santa Monica, with local and sustainable eateries lining the streets and more vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options opening all the time.
Give the gift of clean eating and incredible flavor with a dinner at Golden Mean Café, a hole-in-the-wall vegan and gluten free restaurant with offerings like natural smoothies and the famous “Works” Burger, made with 27 ingredients and topped with smoked tempeh bacon and special sauce. Or opt for one of Kye’s well-known Kyeritos, burrito-wrap combinations with locally sourced ingredients like house-smoked wild salmon and grilled Portobello topped with farm fresh vegetables. (They can accommodate any diet from vegan to paleo.)
Then on Main Street, there is Thai Vegan for refreshing takes on Thai cuisine like the Spicy Mint Noodles, a selection of tofu curries, and sticky rice with mango. And for coffee aficionados, Urth Caffé on Main offers delicious fresh roasted whole bean organic coffee, plus locally sourced and farm fresh fare.
Prices vary
Wellness Essentials
To bring the gift of relaxation home, shop for wellness essentials for friends and family in the spa gift shops at Shutters and Casa.
There are facial cleansing and toning products from NuFACE and Foreo, LALICIOUS body products, and luxe Wrap UP robes, as well as gifts suited for mental wellness such as scented candles and Subtle Luxury sleepwear. For the chocolate lover, choose Esthechoc, a box of delectable chocolates created to promote healthy skin from the inside out.
$25 – $400
Personal Training Sessions
A wellness routine would not be complete without an energizing experience for the body. Gift your loved ones with a personal training session or private yoga class with the talented instructors at Sea Spa. Our fitness studio is equipped with a TRX suspension system and Kinesis wall, and outdoors, a pristine stretch of beach awaits for training sessions by the Pacific.
The workouts can be customized from challenging circuits to revitalizing yoga practices that enhance strength and flexibility. In any case, participants will be left feeling refreshed and invigorated for the season.
$110 – $160 for individuals, $180 – $220 for couples
