Jen Chase

We know how it goes: one day you’re loving life in this fine city of ours, the next day you’ve had it with the hustle and need to get away from it all. If a weekend getaway isn’t in the cards, perhaps you can spare a few precious hours for a visit to one of the best spas in NYC. These spas dish out serious serenity in the form of massages, facials and other relaxing treatments so you can be refreshed and on the way to stress-free bliss. Spas are not just for melting away stress (though that’s certainly a welcome side effect) — these spas offer services that can soothe sore muscles, refresh tired skin or get you ready for a beach weekend or big night out. Others offer facilities where you can spend a full day unwinding (girls’ day, anyone?). Some offer or even specialize in couples massages for a romantic date option. NYC spas range from affordable to all-out luxurious. Treat yourself to a pampering at one of these spas — you deserve it.

Calling Las Vegas locals with a penchant for shopping: Do you even tell your out-of-state friends how spoiled you are with your access to endless Las Vegas stores? Do you admit that ogling couture at places like the Forum Shops and Via Bellagio is (almost) as fulfilling as actual shopping in Las Vegas? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. But if you’re considered the go-to Shopping Guide to Las Vegas, here’s what we hope would make your list... And remember: Things in Sin City can change faster than a girl in her closet on club night, so check websites for hours of operation before leaving your home or hotel. Most important? Check these places out for the best in Las Vegas shopping.

Quick: When you hear "Las Vegas," what comes to mind as you plan downtime in Sin City? We bet "go see art" didn't even make your top 10... but it should.There was a time when art in Las Vegas wasn't located in a Vegas art gallery, but relegated to whatever you were lucky enough to see in a hotel room. (And frankly, if you've been at the Four Seasons since its 2013 room revamp, or walked through the Cosmopolitan's dreamily digital lobby art, you know that some of the most beautiful art in Vegas hangs not in Las Vegas art galleries but in the Strip's finest hotels themselves!)The truth is, art in Las Vegas does unexpectedly sneak up on you: the displays at Bellagio's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the Palazzo's seasonal lobby displays, the Wynn's arbors and hanging topiaries with their explosive florals. But with just a wee bit of planning, art in Las Vegas can leave quite the lasting impression.Start with James Turrell's interactive light installation, Akhob (located, of all places, on a hard-to-find floor of the Crystals at CityCenter's Louis Vuitton). A permanent feature of Las Vegas' art landscape, the installation envelops you in colors you can feel.Off the Venetian's lobby is Imagine Exhibitions, the hotel's in-house space for rotating programming like Da Vinci The Exhibition—a hands-on look at da Vinci's life, research and art. (And before you leave the building, hit Madame Tussaud's for a little art kitsch!) The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is a stop for the world'

Craft beer in Las Vegas is becoming so popular that the city sports a fair share of anticipated annual events for Las Vegas craft beer enthusiasts who want to get their brew on (the Great Vegas Festival of Beer is a perfect example). But, if the simple pleasure of sipping good craft beer in Las Vegas is more your speed, there are plenty of spots to sit and enjoy your favorites.Aces & Ales fancies itself the best craft beer bar in Las Vegas, with a live online tap list you can peek at before walking in. The chain Yard House—either at Town Square, Red Rock Resort, or its newest location at the LINQ—has some 150 beers on draft (good food, too).The Freakin’ Frog near UNLV serves nearly 1,200 beers and specializes in the crafty ones. Big Dog’s is an honest-to-goodness local craft brewery in Las Vegas serving its signature and seasonal beers all year. Money Plays is a dive bar with eclectic craft beer offerings. And right on the Strip is the new Double Barrel Roadhouse, with its Southern-inspired craft cocktails and beers. Bottoms up, to sipping something different in Sin City.