Our Unified-Field Theory: Ladies' Spa Weekend!

This past weekend, I met a couple of wonderful girl friends (Jenn and Tanya) up at a spa in Calistoga to celebrate our 30th birthdays! Boy, did I have a blast!!!

When we got there, Tanya and I checked in for our bud and herbal baths. I had never had a mud bath before or been to a spa, for that matter, so this was a totally new experience. We were led into our own private room where we spent an hour submerged in Calistoga mud and hot spring water and then a jacuzzi tub full of herbal-scented spring water. The mud was awesome!!! They mix peat moss with the mud, effectively rendering your body weightless in the bath. You "float" in the mud as it's heated from the walls and floor of your Japanese-style concrete tub. Sooooo relaxing! While we were getting dirty, the attendant put clay masks on our faces and poured us generous glasses of lemon water. I felt like a queen!

After the mud and herbal baths, we were led to a second room where they placed cold towels over our faces and under our necks while our bodies were wrapped in hot, heavy blankets. They dimmed the lights in the room and allowed us to lay there where Tanya and I nearly dozed off to the hypnotic sounds of the waterfall and ambient flute music being piped into our room. After our "naps", we are escorted to a third room where we met up with Jenn. We all received hour-long facials and full-body massages. I don't remember much of this time. I think I DID fall asleep! The experience was magnificent, and it was a joy to share it with two truly awesome women!

After the spa festivities, Jenn and Tanya and I drove into downtown Calistoga and had lunch. We finally decided (with the advice of locals) to dine at this little Italian place on the main drag through town. There, I had the greatest Italian food I've had outside of Italy. (Side note: going to Italy truly does ruin you for future "Italian food"escapades in the U.S....the Olive Garden is just never the same again). We split a wonderful spinach and prosciutto salad and a bottle of chianti. I had a pesto cream linguine, and then we all split cheesecake and a chocolate confection for dessert! The dessert (arranged by Tanya) was brought to our table, aflame with birthday candles and a serenade by our waiter in celebration of Tanya and my 30th birthday!

L to R: me, Tanya, Jesus (our awesome waiter), and Jenn

The three of us ladies then returned to the inn and got ready for the real party to begin! Jenn, being the responsible oncology nurse she is, had to return to Oakland for work the next day. Tanya and I stayed on for the evening and took full advantage of the spa's facilities. We cracked open a bottle of wine and sat by the pool and jacuzzi for hours. We are both totally water babies, so we spent forever in the pool. Afterwards, we retired to our room and our own private jacuzzi for some more wine and great conversation. Both lasted into the wee hours of the morning. The next day, we awakened late (I love sleeping in!) and went for yet another swim! Afterwards, we reluctantly packed our bags and then drove back into Calistoga for a lovely brunch.

It's so great to have female friends who truly see life the way you do, who can share in your joys and comfort you in your sorrows, who know what it means to be a kind and gentle soul, and who value life in the same way that I do. I love being around Jenn and Tanya. They are a beautiful source of friendship and a wonderful link that I have, by-proxy, to Paul's youth. They took great care of my husband when he was going through high school and all the tumultuous years surrounding. I'm so very fortunate to call these ladies my own!

I also took a few photos on the drive home. The surroundings driving through Napa, St. Helena, and Calistoga are just breathtaking this time of year. The mustard is blooming, the hills are green, and everything is coming alive with spring. I couldn't have thought of a better way to ring in my 30th year!!!

Thanks, Jenn and Tanya, for a weekend that will go down in the record books!