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A self-proclaimed beauty junkie, Tara Oolie was frustrated with the city's spa selection—everything seemed more stuffy or medicinal than cozy and personable—so she abandoned her career as a publicist and opened Just Calm Down. The Flatiron spa boasts a small, knowledgeable staff and charming, sometimes quirky details: A Moroccan tent lets couples enjoy pedicures side-by-side; bejeweled vintage lamps and votive candles adorn wooden tables; and milkshake glasses are stuffed with Twizzlers, which clients can snack on during treatments (or slip into their purses for later). Guests appreciate the spa's intimate feel, the use of all-natural products, and the opportunity to customize every aspect of their services, from the oils and lotions to the music. (Oolie has over 250 CDs.) Manicures and pedicures have whimsical themes like "The Grape Gatsby" (involving red wine and grape seed oil), and "The Chocolate Wars" where digits get submerged in chocolate fondue, invigorated with an oatmeal chocolate cookie scrub, then coated in mint-chocolate lotion—all while you sip hot chocolate from a vintage glass. Massages, facials, wraps, and waxes are also available. Products by EmergenC, as well as clothing and jewelry, are stocked in the small reception-area shop, and paintings by Oolie's artist-husband are displayed throughout the space. — Leah Black

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Best of New York Awards

• Best Stress Reliever (2007)
• Best Pedicure (2003)

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