My best friend and I spent a good portion of the day in the world of wealthy women. And I must say, we blended beautifully…
For Leslie’s graduation, her mother gave a gift to her AND to me, saying that it was as if I were graduating too. I don’t think I put nearly the hard work into the master’s degree that Leslie did, but I never look a gift horse in the mouth. She gave us each gift certificates for hot stone massages at Grandover Spa .
If you’ve never experienced a spa like Grandover, start looking at the prices and saving your pennies for it now. Ike and I are planning to do this for our seventh anniversary this year. I would definitely recommend going with someone you love; it was perfect being able to share the experience with Leslie today.
I arrived at Grandover at 10:30 this morning. And when I say “arrived,” it certainly feels like a significant arrival when you get there. The drive from Groometown Road along Grandover Parkway is long and beautiful. Trees line the drive, with large houses on the right to dream about. By the time I reached the gates of Grandover, I felt as though I’d stepped out of the real world, into a fantasy.
I walked the meandering corridors and down the spiral staircase to the spa itself. Leslie hadn’t arrived yet, so the receptionist handed me a (warm, inviting, luscious) white robe and flip flops. She showed me to the locker room to change and pointed me to the waiting room.
Oh…the waiting room was so nice…I told Leslie I’d like to make my bedroom look like it, but I suspect Ike might not dig on it like I do. Long comfy couches, big fluffy pillows, sensuous colors, and the largest meditation water fountain I’ve ever seen. Mmm…could’ve sat there all day, but there were even better things coming.
Soon after Leslie sat down in the waiting room with me, my masseuse came to get me. She explained how the hot stone massage worked, then left the room while I settled myself modestly under the sheet. More than the nakedness, I always worry in situations like this (or the doctor’s office) about farting or snotting on the person. Anyway…
Gaye (the masseuse) started by placing a row of stones on either side of my spine and a small hot stone on my forehead, between my brows. The sensation was a little like my head was sinking in from that point (but in a good way if you can imagine it). I started wondering if Sara could relate to this with her first acupuncture experience. Gaye then placed three large stones on my stomach and ribs. Before she began, she mentioned that she would place stones on my chakra points, but I know too little about that to know if that’s what she was doing. She placed stones under each hand (mmm, warm), and after massaging my feet with lotion, she placed tiny stones between my toes. This was distracting for me, as I have curly toes that do not like to separate, so I found myself concentrating on whether she’d be able to get those stones to stay (I think she did).
Gaye then moved to my favorite part of the massage: my legs. First she rubbed massage oil over them, massaging them with her hands. She then used a medium-sized hot stone that she rubbed over each leg, using both the flat surface and the edge. Wow, what a crazy sensation! The stone seemed SO hot when it was on my flesh, but each place she passed with it seemed cold immediately after.
She then lifted my head to use stones on my neck and just below it. I believe this was Leslie’s favorite part of the massage, and I have to say, if I could wake up with someone doing this everyday, I’d be a much more relaxed woman.
At this point, after removing the stones, Gaye helped me turn to my stomach. She placed three large stones (I think it was three, at this point, I was pretty much in my own hot stone world) on my back and massaged the backs of my legs. She used stones to massage my shoulders and back, then suddenly we were done. I know it wasn’t as abrupt as it felt, but I had started thinking that maybe it wouldn’t have to end…ever.
Leslie and I met back in the waiting room after our respective massages. We talked a little, then continued on our journey into the world of wealthy women. We ordered lunch that was delivered to us poolside. (Of course, Jake and I could eat lunch baby poolside any time we want in the backyard.) While we waited for the delivery, we sat in the hot tub. After we ate, I had a dip in the pool then stepped back into that warm, inviting, luscious robe. We capped off the day with some time in the sauna…
Ahhh…Wealthy women. They’ve got it made. I would like to say that this afternoon made me a better mom and wife…but Ike will probably read this, so I won’t lie. It will help me sleep much better tonight. And I look forward to doing it again.