Inside Reecess, Newport Beach’s New Wellness Destination

I was recently invited to check out REECESS in Newport Beach, and I honestly didn't know what to expect walking in. It's unlike any wellness studio I've been to, and I've tried a lot of them.

Founder Rambo Garcia built this as a hidden, high-end wellness escape, and the flagship experience is called the Biohouse Reset. It's a two-hour, fully guided protocol built around one idea: restore your energy and reset your nervous system in a single visit.

The session starts with baseline diagnostics, including blood pressure, grip strength and a body composition assessment. From there, you move into what they call a Biothermal Ritual™, a guided sequence of breathwork, cryotherapy, hot and cold plunges and sauna bathing. You can also add on technology-based enhancements – like Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, an Ammortal chamber session or lymphatic compression – or treatments for Bodywork (i.e., massage, acupuncture) and facials.  

I experienced their restoration called Ground 80, which combines the 60-minute Biothermal Ritual™ with an 80-minute bodywork session that includes cupping, acupuncture, gua sha and massage. It's designed for stress relief, muscle soreness, inflammation, detoxification and deep relaxation, and it delivers on all of it.

 I've done cryotherapy, cold plunges, saunas and plenty of massages before, but this was a completely different experience. It's guided and personalized from start to finish, and by the end you feel calm, clear and genuinely restored. Yes, it's a splurge. But REECESS isn't trying to be typical spa. It's positioning itself as a true Biohouse for Restoration™, and it earns that title.

Beyond the Biohouse Reset, REECESS also offers a menu of advanced, non-medical and medical diagnostic testing for people who want a deeper look at their health and performance:

• Origin: A comprehensive assessment covering blood pressure, body composition, grip strength, posture and gait, resting metabolic rate and VO2 max.
  
  Resting Metabolic Rate Testing: Measures how many calories your body burns at rest, with a program and follow-up consultation included.
  
  VO2 Max Testing: Often called the gold standard for aerobic fitness, this measures how efficiently your heart, lungs and muscles use oxygen during intense exercise.
  
  Bloodwork: Screens more than 180 biomarkers to evaluate brain, gut, immune, metabolic and nutritional health.

REECESS also offers vitamin IV drips, signature IVs and vitamin shots, along with other modalities like facials and acupuncture.

Memberships are available and come with preferred pricing, members-only hours and access to exclusive events. REECESS also hosts private events, so it's worth considering for a corporate gathering, birthday or celebration with friends and family. Gift cards are available too, if you're looking for a wellness gift that goes beyond the usual.

REECESS is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 4301 Birch St., #131, in Newport Beach. 

For more information, call 949-803-8485 or email connect@reecess.com.

Voluspa Brings Luxury Home Fragrance to Irvine Spectrum Center

Luxury home fragrance brand Voluspa has opened its newest boutique at Irvine Spectrum Center, bringing its signature candles, diffusers, fragrances and home scents to the popular shopping destination.

The new store features Voluspa's full collection, including its handcrafted coconut wax candles, reed diffusers, perfumes and the brand's latest summer fragrances: Nāpali Passion Fruit, Kalahari Watermelon and Tahitian Coconut Vanilla.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Voluspa is located in Suite 747 at Irvine Spectrum Center, 747 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine.

For more information, call (949) 522-5627.

Image Courtesy at Irvine Spectrum Center 

Alisal Ranch Marks 80 Years with a Summer of Celebration

Alisal Ranch, the 10,500-acre working ranch and resort in the Santa Ynez Valley, is celebrating its 80th anniversary this summer. The property first welcomed guests on July 16, 1946, and has spent eight decades building a reputation for Western hospitality and family tradition. I've never stayed there myself, but I have friends who have, and they can't stop raving about it. It's firmly on my bucket list.

To mark the milestone, the ranch is rolling out a summer's worth of experiences and keepsakes. The centerpiece is the 1946 Legacy Package, a two-night stay for six adults priced at a symbolic $19,460. It includes a private stay at the Jackson House, a candlelight dinner in the historic library, a falconry and whiskey tasting experience called "Wild at Dusk: Birds & Bourbon," a sunrise hot air balloon ride and a private horseback ride through the ranch's hills.

On Nov. 8, the ranch will host its Chapter & Hearth Dinner, complete with a haywagon ride, storytelling from a local historian, a Western cookout, live music and dancing under the stars.

The anniversary also brought a few new collaborations worth knowing about. Alisal partnered with Goleta's M.Special Brewing Co. on a limited-edition 4.7% ABV lager called 1946 Alisal Beer. There's also a new 1946 Collection of retail goods, including caps, tees and a crewneck sweater, plus handmade ceramic mugs from a local ceramicist featuring artwork of the ranch's oak-studded hills.

A commemorative coffee-table history book traces the property's roots back to 1843 through eight decades of Jackson family stewardship, with archival photos and guest stories throughout.

The retail collection, beer and history book are available now at the ranch and at shopalisalranch.com. The ceramic mugs arrive later this summer. For details on the 1946 Legacy Package or the full slate of anniversary events, call (805) 688-6411 or visit alisalranch.com/1946-2.