Serenity Now (Better Yet, Yesterday): AIRE Ancient Baths

Peeps. It seems that now is a time when everyone wants everything from me. And while I'm often a proponent of the thinking that you're only as busy as you choose, that simply doesn't feel true at the moment, you know? SO, on Friday, I carved out a few hours - just a few! - to catch up with the lovely Marina in the most relaxing respite imaginable in Manhattan (at least by my measure), AIRE Ancient Baths.

Tucked away on Franklin St. in TriBeCA, and conveniently neighboring fellow water-focused venue AQUA Cycle, AIRE is a dreamily lit haven of thermal bath chambers, ranging from hot, hot, hot (over 100F) to cold, as in bone-chilling cold, (46F). You flit from pool to pool in a classic bathing ritual revered by the Greeks, Romans (and now New Yorkers) for its physical and mental relaxation properties. While there are other baths in the city - Turkish, Russian, Korean - none are as luxe or as beautiful as AIRE. 

Sessions at AIRE Ancient Baths are 90-minutes long and an affordable $75. You can add on a massage of your choosing, though, truth be told, I was not impressed with mine on my last visit. Explore more and book your temporary retreat from hustle, bustle and the like here.