The Green Valley Spa Experience – Day 4. More Hikes, More Spa Food Tips, and Killer Community (as in “great” not “Dexter”).
6.30 am Wake up – once again – in my lovely room. Blog etiquette: After how many blog posts is it appropriate to show someone your room? It may seem “excessive” to be at a spa in general, and especially right now. I’ll give you my philosophy on that, as well, in this post. Here it goes…the boudoir.
Welcome Post Intro Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4 Post 5 Post 6 Last Day The Afterparty
THE ROOM
Here is the entryway to the Grand Suite
The living/dining area
Please see pictured on the dining room table the ever-important spa item which I had shipped out here in advance: Baja Bob’s Sugar Free Margarita Mix. We’ll see if it’s any good.
Here is the bed. There has been about a 50% down reduction since I arrived. A girl can only take so much down.
Here is the bathtub. Black slate. Very cool.
Also a black slate shower. Walk-in closet. It’s kind of ridiculous.
6.45 am Breakfast and Hike. Today we went to Paradise Canyon, again with Bill. There are 62,000 miles of reserve for desert turtles. Who knew?
At the top of paradise canyon
Bill the guide thinks this rock formation looks like Jay Leno
This rock is splitting right down the middle. My kids would say it looks like a "Chicken Butt."
11:00 pm Pool. I hang out at the pool for a bit. Roses everywhere. Blue water. Reddish brown adobe casitas. Life is good. Sun is out. People are happy.
12:00 pm Lunch. They serve smoked roast turkey on a salad with fruit and jicama. I have my reduced calorie meal (scallops and spinach). It is great.
This is Carlie and her MOM Tina. That's right, her mom. We think she had her when she was 5.
Diana, Roz, Eydie, Sharon, and Selma - Green Valley Guest
Green Valley Spa has an amazing sense of community. Starting with Alan and Carole who own the spa, the many of their children and extended family who work here, and the staff – in general – who are so nice, welcoming, and know who you are. The guests are very laid back. I really like getting to know everyone over meals and on hikes. If you want to be a loner, that is easy enough. All is possible out here.
1:00 pm Microfit with Mirium. I get an assessment of my bone density, flexibility, yada yada. It was actually really great. I walked out of there knowing exactly what I want to work on and – hey, I’m at a spa. I’m already working on it. I also realized I have a very good cardiovascular capacity, which is always good since I like to breathe. Mirium complemented me on my bone density. Awwwww. Snaps for Kathy’s bone density!
Mirium - A trainer at Green Valley Spa
2:00 pm Stretch with Bonnie. This was great. I always love this class. My I.T. bands are crying out, “Heeeeeelp meeeee!” like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz. Bonnie tells us a story of how she can do her make up without looking in the mirror, except for the time she used a blue eyeliner as lip liner. The class is howling over this. Bonnie is also a Celine Dion impersonator. I’m not kidding. She looks just like her.
3:00 pm Heart Math with Mike. I normally don’t do this much “assessment” stuff and am just exercising all the time out here. However, since I am trying Green Valley Spa’s hormone-based diet, I have three extra assessments I need to do. Also, as you can see from the first couple of posts, I’ve been very busy watching infomercials. Mike teaches meditation most days, which I’ll describe in a future post. He makes meditation okay and doable instead of an unattainable goal that I can only reach if I wear crystals and dress like Stevie Nicks. Mike sat me in front of a computer screen and clipped a monitor to my ear. I was then – via the computer screen – led through a type of guided meditation. I said, “Do you have Pac Man?” And Mike said, “No, but we have this cool game where the longer you control your breath, and rainbows and unicorns appear.” And I said, “Rainbows and unicorns!? I’m in!” Actually, this really did happen. I controlled my breathing and heart rate enough such that all the creatures and greenery and water appeared on the computer screen. Afterwards, I gave Mike the Vulcan hand gesture and said “Live long and prosper.” No, seriously, I felt very relaxed after the meditation computer game thingy. Bottom line: It is about breath control and heart rate and having the ability to calm yourself. You could also probably learn how to cheat a polygraph off of this thing.
4.00 pm Massage with Kim. Next in my very challenging life at Green Valley Spa, I get a massage from Kim who ROCKS! She has the best mojo, is a fabulous massage therapist, and you walk out feeling like you owe her another $150 for a psychological consult.
5.00 pm Lecture by Dr. Reynolds. Dr. Reynolds is well-known and I need to find a link to his information. He talked with the group about the hCG diet (the hormone-based plan) and addresses question. He has seen it work for hundreds of people, and seems to like the fact that it targets fat and not lean body mass. Apparently, in most diets, 60% of what is lost is lean body mass.
6.00 pm Dinner. I have my reduced calorie dinner of fish and asparagus followed by a baked apple . The rest of the spa-goers had salmon and vegetables and gazpacho. The main difference between what I and they are eating is portion size. Apparently the spa serves the guests 1500 calories per day. There are always snacks, teas, and fruit for the guests between meals. It is all anti-inflammatory (see spa food posts), because it is being made clear to us that SO MUCH of the American diet has inflammatory properties, and inflammation is responsible for most major diseases (think, inflamed arteries, inflamed joints.)
7.00 pm Sharon and Eydie’s room. Tonight, we watch American Idol. It’s the finals! Eydie thinks Adam should win. Eydie is very confident about this, and just stated the following: “He’s going to win.” Fighting words! Eydie says, “He has beautiful eyes.” My aunt responds, “For a woman.” Eydie says, “I wike him!” Well, we’re all at the pinnacle of culture and social maturity folks. Join us, won’t you?
PARTING THOUGHT:
Question – How can I pull off going to a spa for a week?
Answer: Here is how I do it/rationalize it/arrange it.
1. The dollars
Use frequent flyer miles to Vegas. I use frequent flyer miles – always – to fly to Las Vegas then take a shuttle down or drive down with Sharon and Eydie. I have never paid for a flight to Las Vegas.
Budget for it. To me Green Valley Spa each year is a must have. I really don’t spend a lot of money on other stuff. This is “my thing.” My aunt and Eydie are on their 14th year here. I plan to follow suit.
Realize that it’s actually a great value. I am pretty financially conservative, so, I have thought about this a lot. It costs, per night, what a four star hotel would cost. At Green Valley Spa, however, you also get food, daily treatments, hikes and classes for that price.
2. Negotiating/arranging for this time.
Plan in advance. Come with friends/spouse or alone. If you want to be here when Sharon and Eydie and I are here, you should come the last week in April / first week in May. We come the same time every year. Having time scheduled in advance is key. Come by yourself, or with a friend. It doesn’t matter. By total coincidence, my friend Wendee came out here by herself for four days from DC. It just so happens that I was here – so, now she knows someone. But, you see, it was completely okay for her to come by herself. The staff and guests make you feel completely at home.
You are owed this time. My husband goes on golf weekends with his buddies two or three times per year. He also plays golf and baseball and”does his thing” throughout the year. So, when I add up all this time – plus the colossal amount of time he spends locked in the bathroom (what are you doing in there?!?) – I figure I am owed a minimum of 1,435 hours. You get the point. The first time will be the hardest. Then, it’s a “tradition!”
Things coming up:
- Part 2 of Laurie’s spa food lecture.
- Whether the hCG plan is working.
- Mind Mapping and Meditation info and how tos.
