Sparty!

Sometimes the best party you can throw is the one where you don’t need booze, conversation or fight outfits. Sometimes all you need is a candle and a couple of highly skilled hands to make an otherwise dull afternoon extra special.

If your thoughts are trailing down south of the border, I suggest you get your mind off the gutter.

I treated my friends to a delightful weekend at Urban Spa, a sanctuary that I hold dear in my heart because it does not have that annoying faux Balinese feel. It’s a luxe city retreat that is the perfect place to soothe your nerves after a crazy afternoon burning your card at Homme et Femme.

My friend Miguel got a foot rub because he just had his hair done, while my friend DJ indulged in the signature massage. Both Marcel, my boyfriend, and I went full-on and had massages and facials. While Marcel had his favorite Shiatsu treatment done — he swears it’s the best in the city — I had my Pinatubo hot stone therapy to melt those tiresome lumps off my back! Of course, this was a rewarding treat because, when I use my Citibank card, I get a free chair massage on my next visit. Talk about paying it forward!

Marcel and I both had detoxifying facials to remove the grime and pollution that our skin has ingested living in cosmo Manille! All this inspired by a program that aims to pamper.

Dubbed the next-generation privilege program, Citibank World Privileges offers a wealth of exclusive offers like discounts, complimentary gifts, upgrades and a wide range of exciting rewards to Citibank cardholders. Exceptional services and superior benefits await cardholders in over 1,000 merchants locally and in over 17,000 merchants across Asia Pacific and the world, through Citibank’s comprehensive local, regional and global knowledge and partnerships.

So next time you find yourself in a tense situation, always know that Citibank goes beyond credit.

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Urban Spa is at the fourth floor of Shangri-La Mall. For reservations and inquiries, call 687-6196.