LUXURY LIVING

Experience Russia at this BYOB Shore spa

Liz Dennerlein
@lizdennerlein

You don't have to travel all the way to Boston to get the "Cheers" experience. There's one right here by the Jersey Shore, but it may not be what you expect.

Bear and Birch, a BYOB Russian banya and spa, located at 6 Paragon Way in Freehold, offers guests a social detoxification experience.

Grab your friends and spend a relaxing day at this Russian spa, where you can take advantage of their versatile sauna treatments, bring your own booze and mingle with friends while watching a game on the big screen.

"It's a social atmosphere," Peter Kizenko, the co-owner, said. "People come here on dates on Friday nights. They come here and will bring a bottle of wine. They'll steam, sit in the jacuzzi. Other guys will come in ... they'll sit down, steam, watch the games. I'd come here if I didn't own it."

Before opening up Bear and Birch three years ago, Kizenko spent more than 20 years working in the finance industry, and about 19 of those years in Moscow after he moved in 1993.

While working in Moscow, he said it was a tradition to spend once a week at a local banya with friends, relaxing and socializing. When he moved back to the states in 2012, he said there weren't any banyas in the area where he could detox.

"I decided to build one. Field of steam, I call it. Field of dreams, field of steam," Kizenko said.

A Russian banya is not your typical spa experience. Kizenko said it's a different way to detox.

"It's not like building a pizza place. Everyone knows what a pizza place is. It's a Russian banya and spa. (People will say) 'Well what is that?' and then they come in and they say they had no idea and they're hooked. There really is nothing like this," Kizenko said.

Their most popular service includes the oak or birch branch parka, a traditional Russian treatment that takes place in the Parnaya, which is a cross between a Finnish sauna and steaming Turkish bath. Inside this 200 degree room, you are hit with branches while fresh steam rises around you.

The branch treatment, which costs $20 per "beating," is followed by a plunge inside the ice pool, which is set at a temperature of 45 degrees, and then back inside the Parnaya for another round of branches.

Dare to take a plunge inside this 45 degree pool at Bear and Birch Spa.

"It opens up all the pores, all the toxins escape," Kizenko said. "It quickly promotes a detoxification process. Then you jump into the cold plunge and that gets the circulation going. You come out feeling like a champ.

"I remember when I was talking to the Freehold Commissioner (and) I was explaining the branch treatment. He looks at me and says this isn't a spa, it's a torture chamber," Kizenko said with a laugh.

Kizenko said the first time he experienced the branch treatment, he was hooked. "You come out you just feel like the God of Light," Kizenko said. "You're a new person."

Bear and Birch Spa receives frequent visits from athletes, including many UFC fighters looking to cut weight. Dante Rivera, a professional mixed martial arts fighter, visits the facility regularly to stay fit, Kizenko said.

If you're looking to ease into the Russian spa world, then there are plenty of standard massage services available, including hot stone, aromatherapy, Swedish, deep tissue and reflexology.

Grab a group of friends and reserve one of the VIP rooms, which features a plasma flat screen, a pool table, foosball table and comfy couches where you can relax with a beer and food.

Bear and Birch, an authentic Russian spa in Freehold, offers BYOB spa services.

Bear and Birch isn't just a bachelor pad — Kizenko said many women will host bachelorette parties and girl's day out gatherings with wine and Champagne.

"You can tailor whatever kind of day you want," Kizenko said. "If you want a standard relaxing massage you can come here. If you want to come here and make a bunch of money on the (Cleveland) Cavaliers and have a great time doing it, you can."

Kizenko said guests will immediately feel the Zen when they walk inside Bear and Birch, where they will be greeted by natural earth tones in a custom-built open space facility with 40-foot high ceilings.

After a relaxing day of taking advantage of the sauna and services, guests can enjoy an extensive food menu, which features Western and Eastern foods.

The Western menu includes typical American food, like ribs and hamburgers, while the Eastern menu features traditional Russian food. Try their hand-rolled dumplings or marinated kabobs.

Popular Russian menu items include chicken tabaka, a traditional Georgian pan-fried chicken dish or their Khinkali dumplings.

If you are looking for a light and healthy treat, indulge in the Birch Green Forest from the juice bar, which includes kale, cucumbers, green apples and celery.

"This is a hobby that turned into something more. I love spending time here," Kizenko said. "Everyone comes in and they're in a good mood. It's not like you're working the lost baggage claim at Delta where no one wants to go."

Entrance to the Bear and Birch facility costs $25 weekdays. $35 on weekends. Guests can use the facility for as long as they'd like and additional services cost extra. Visit bearandbirch.com for more information.

BEAR AND BIRCH

WHERE : 6 Paragon Way, Freehold

ENTRANCE FEE : $25 weekdays, $35 weekends. Services range from $20 to $120.

INFO : bearandbirch.com