Without proper vacation time, the approaching months of October, November and dare we think, December, are anything but a wonderland. By the time autumn’s fallen leaves are under a blanket of white (don’t worry, we still have time before scarf weather hits), the question on everyone’s mind is: “What’s a New Yorker to do?” Based on my recent experience, I would advice my fellow city dwellers to, rather than cross their fingers for an early spring, jump a plane to Aruba and revisit the bliss of the summer months behind you: sun and serenity on an island that was, owing to brilliant and lovely geography, created for weekend escaping.

If like me, your work schedule will only permit a 3 day absence from the office, Aruba is a nearby trifecta of R&R: 1. always hot (only 7 days of rain annually) 2. direct flight from New York is just-over 3 hours in length 3. spa after spa line the miles of beach.

From the moment I stepped off the plane, I’m blown away by the quiet beauty of the region with its clear sea and desert-esque terrain; I had truly escaped.

Lunching on the terrace over looking Palm Beach, I could sense the bustle of the ultra commercial ‘upscale’ area of Aruba stretched before me. Where I was, the vibe was something cool: a place where the old-people, children and hot kite-surfers hung out.

But still I needed something even more low key — something even less taxing on my mind and body then people watching amongst beautiful islanders. I needed a visit to the spa.

From the comfort of the massage table at the Intermezzo Day Spa at The Westin Resort, the stress of trekking through SoHo to an eruption of work at the office everyday began to fade into a memory, and the massage had yet to start. The ‘Eternita’ spa package I signed myself up for, bought me 4 blissful hours being scrubbed, soaked, rubbed and polished, essentially an entire trip to Aruba compressed into a single spa treatment. Starting with a refreshing exfoliating scrub to eliminate the dead skin cells and awaken the body, the exfoliation is followed by a refining mud wrap to revive ones sore and lackluster limbs with the help of seaweed extract. By the time the actual massage came to an end, my stress and city cares were so far behind me that I, the beauty maven, wanted to skip the manicure to follow and set up poolside with a large icy cocktail. But then who can resist having their cuticles cleaned and nails filed and polished by such experts. For those looking for something quicker with a beach view, head to The Divi Aruba Hotel on Manchebo Beach and look for their luxurious beach side massage stations.

After a day of indulgence at the spa, a poolside seat at The Papiamento Restaurant, a 175 year-old Aruban farmhouse, is where to transplant the marathon of R&R.

Writing this and reminiscing about my Aruba, the current heat in New York City becomes too much to bare, the A/C is never cool enough and the mere thought of waiting underground for the F train makes me start to sweat. And so, as my mind does, it begin to wander into the future and fantasize about a fall wind that brings with it fall fashion — something to look forward to — and then there’s something more— something even more desirable than wool capes and trousers: a winter sun getaway. I have exactly 3 months to get my next 3 day weekend in Aruba sorted before snowfall. Let the countdown begin.