Bella Tosca Day Spa

Bella Tosca Day Spa is part of the Town and Country Hotel, located in the heart of Mission Valley, between Fashion Valley Mall and Interstate 8. Upon arrival, it looks like nothing special, but the facilities are quite nice once inside. The Town and Country is a San Diego classic hotel, and has been around since Mission Valley really was a valley, and on the edge of both town and country.

Bella Tosca offers a full service hair and nail salon, and a complete day spa. After check-in, you are given slippers and a robe, a nice amenity not provided at some day spas. The locker rooms are separate for men and women, and have a dry sauna and a large hot tub, as well as multiple showers and a well stocked counter area. One down side is that the indoor hot tub makes the rest of the facilities smell strongly of chlorine. You can also use the workout facilities and attend classes if they have any running (but these are rare).

All the facilities are included with a spa treatment (but not a salon treatment). The price for day use is very reasonable, at only $25. Treatments are averagely priced for spa services, at about $100 for an hour.

Town and Country is particular good for groups, as they can accommodate many people within an hour or two hour time range, sometime most spas can not do. Everyone can use the sauna and hot tub as they wait for the group to complete their treatments. Be sure to schedule ahead.


500 Hotel Circle
San Diego, CA 92108
866-91Relax (866-917-3529)
www.bellatosca.com

Mission Valley Library

Mission Valley hosts a huge number of shops and restaurants. It can be a good palce to go shopping because of the variety of options, although it lack’s the personality of other shopping areas, like the Gaslamp, Little Italy, Hillcrest, La Jolla, or Pacific Beach. Still, Mission Valley draws lots of visitors, both tourists and locals alike.

One gem in this shopper’s paradise that is often overlooked is the new Mission Valley Library. Locals have the added benefit of being able to check out library books, which is nice because everyone loves free knowledge. But tourists will also enjoy sneaking a peek at the modern design and simple décor. The modern industrial outside boasts engine-turned polished stainless walls, and an illuminated clock tower that changes color at night.

Inside the library the décor is impressive, with high ceilings and water-jet cut decorative steel plating. The organic patterns are detailed, with outlines of leave and cut-outs of leaves, both. The complex design is accentuated by the front lighting that casts shadows on the ceiling.

The landscaping is minimalist, with clusters of reeds and ricer stones lining the path to the entrance. The parking lot is small, but ample for library visitors. However, the library is located in the Fenton Parkway Shopping Mall, and some visitors to the mall will occasionally park in the library lot. (By the way, if you see this happening, report it to the parking lot security agent, who will ask them to leave.) When this happens tha lot can become too full, though I’ve never had to wait more than just a couple minutes, and that was on a weekend.

Another added perk to the library is that it is located at the Fenton Plaza trolley stop. The library is a beautiful site to behold as you exit the trolley into this Mission Valley stop, and the library offers a memorial site to trolley riders who pass by. The other side of the trolley line there is the San Diego River, making the green line a fun to ride just for the view!

Libraries across the country, San Diego included, are experiencing a revival. Beyond the modern architecture making this library a place of substance, the library also hosts numerous community events on a weekly and even daily basis, whether it’s hearing a guest speaker, looking the art and collections on display, or joining in on a local club meeting, libraries offer much to their local communities and visitors alike. Check out the schedule of events to make an interesting stop into a special afternoon.

http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=SANDIEGO

I definitely recommend stopping by the Mission Valley Library when passing by on the trolley or if you are at nearby IKEA, Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks, International House of Pancakes (IHOP), Lowe’s Harwarde, or even Qualcomm Stadium down the street. Even if you can’t check out any books, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the impressive design of this San Diego Landmark!

Yoga , Pilates, and More at the YMCA

Now you might not expect the YMCA to be listed as a destination on a traveler’s website, but it’s just the place to look if you want to squeeze in a yoga or Pilates class while out and about in San Diego. There are many studios around San Diego, and many of them offer great classes. But the YMCA offers classes all day long, very extensive when compared to the limited evening classes of most studios. And the YMCA charges only $10 to visitors, compared to the $12-15 that most studios charge.

The place to look for yoga or Pilates classes through the YMCA is at their Mission Valley Hazard Center location, 7610 Hazard Center Drive. This location is in the heart of Mission Valley, a central San Diego location. They offer a huge variety of classes including: eclectic blend yoga, fitness yoga, gentle yoga, hatha yoga, iyengar yoga, kundalini yoga, mat-based Pilates, NIA, power yoga, stretch, tai chi, and other specialized classes for back health, athletes, cancer-survivors, arthritis, Parkinson’s, and more.

The teachers are as diverse as the classes, with some of them taking you through rigorous workouts, while others are more relaxing. When you pay to take a class you are welcome to use the facilities as well. Every location has all the basic workout equipment, including cardio machines like treadmills, bikes, and cross trainers, as well as weightlifting circuits, as well as locker rooms with showers. In this sense the Hazard Center location is the most limited, as the other locations also have pools, saunas, basketball courts, childcare, snack bars, and other amenities.

The classes run pretty much from 6 or 7 AM until 8 PM Monday through Friday, and about 8 AM to noon or 1 PM on the weekends. The YMCA also has locations in Mission Valley on Friars Road, in La Jolla, in Kearny Mesa, and Downtown, though the yoga and Pilates classes at these locations are more limited. Check with each location for details on what they offer.

The San Diego County YMCA website is: www.ymca.org

Mission Valley YMCA at Hazard Center
7610 Hazard Center Drive
619-298-3576 X2202

Mission Valley YMCA
5505 Friars Road
619-298-3576

Toby Wells YMCA in Kearny Mesa
5105 Overland Avenue
858-496-9622