For me and my friend Mike, fridays mean Russian. I'm not entirely sure how I stumbled upon this Alphabet City oasis on 10th Ave, but whether by providence, accident, or just a simple twist of fate, i've been going for about two years now. The Russian Turkish Bath House has been in operation since 1892, and has soothed the minds, and relaxed the bodies of thousands of people ever since. Many celebrities have walked through three levels of the Russian over the years, and it was one of Frank Sinatra's go to hangouts back in his new york city heyday. I myself saw ?uestlove, the famous afro'ed drummer of the hip hop greats The Roots, on his way out on my first trip there.

The deal is this: for thirty dollars you are given all day access to the club, which a safebox, bathing suit, towels, sandals, and locker all included. The club consists of a red wood, and a turkish sauna, a standard and an aromatherapy steam room, which pumps in invigorating plumes of eucalpytus for your breathing pleasure, an ice cold pool (emphasis on the ice cold), several showers, a open air roof top with benches and chaise lounges--and the jewel of the establishment-- the Russian Room, a huge room that is heated overnight with 20,000 pounds of rock over night, to create a sweltering, one of a kind experience. When the heat becomes unbearable, there is a basin flowing with ice cold water in the center of the room, from which you dip buckets to be poured over your head. The feeling is sheer delight, that leaves every inch of your body tingling.

Going to the Russian on Fridays has become somewhat of a tradition for me. Not only is it a great place to unwind and release all the stress from the week, as well as get your mind ready for the next, after you're done, and sit back enjoying a freshly squeezed cold warrior(grapefruit, orange, and lemon juices) on the sun roof, you just feel all around phenomenal. 

http://www.russianturkishbaths.com/enter.html