2/21/2005
Donald Miserandino
 
Red Mountain Spa

Take the class on menopause. I did.

At times, Michael, the assignment editor, has a dark sense of humor. Sending this "old timer" to a health spa was like redoing the statue of David. We are both caste in stone and have not changed in years. David just stands there and looks good, but I agreed to travel eight hours to be redesigned. Yes, the Restaurant Man agreed to become a Renaissance Man by eating sprouts and pumping iron --as Al Bundy said "Let's rock."

The Red Mountain Spa is easy to get to, once you get out of the Las Vegas airport, but I was not told of the slot machines right in the terminal. Each one seemed to be as the sirens of Odysseus trying to distract me from my goal, but I was committed ...or should have been. After all, I was in a plane for almost five hours, and now I had to get on a bus for ninety minutes more. Yes, there is nothing like being cramped up for almost eight hours to get to a spa in order to exercise and hike the stiffness away.

After check-in, the first hike I took was an orientation tour given by the registration staff. It gave me an overview of the resort's facilities and a review of the week's scheduled activities and special events. Then I grabbed a cup of coffee in the cafeteria, took out the schedule and planned out the week. The schedule was the most important item, since it organized my day and helped me to try as many activities as possible. The basic outline of the daily program would be the same: early breakfast and a hike; afternoon: lunch, an educational topic and exercise; dinner and then a "self-awareness" experience or health topic. The office staff at TheCelebrityCafe.com decided what courses I would take, what hikes to do and what treatments I would receive. All of them should be thrown to the wolves!

The wait staff in the cafeteria was so friendly that I thought they owned the place. A staff member even took time to make suggestions as to what classes, hikes and spa treatments I should take. The spa encourages the staff to learn about all the various facilities "on campus," so they can make suggestions from experience.

Since the daily meal times were already set up, I confirmed the spa treatments I would take, added the hikes (like an easy trekker 1), the classes, and lastly put in other activities. It looked complicated, something like a college class schedule, but it actually was easy with the scheduling grid and the help the staff provided. Some activities fall into a good timeline. Others would have to be switched or put off until the next visit. A few activities could even be arranged "out of schedule" for an additional fee. I learned that the website of the Red Mountain Spa, is the key to an advanced notice on the activity schedule. Next year, when the time for vacation gets close, I'm going to have to go on-line, view the schedule, and plan ahead.

While I arrived too late for the afternoon events I still was able to take advantage of a self-directed hike along the lava lake behind the resort. It is a preserved area that has been set up for a short forty minute easy hike. The ground was level, and the guidebook described the various rock formations and explained what I was looking at.

Dinner was next on the schedule, and I was hungry. I had had nothing to eat since New York, and I was anxious to try the "rabbit food." Tonight I had the mixed meat grill which is under the title "Call of the Wild." That means it has a little more energy for those who had a really rough day -- I qualified. Part of the attraction to this Spa is the fact that one can try anything. The variety is across the board, from vegetarian meals, to dietary courses and special requests. Breakfast and lunch is buffet style, while the main meal is served.
First stop-registration



After dinner, there was to be a Star Gazing class, but the rain cancelled it. It seems that in Utah there had been a drought until the past few months. The news service says it has rained more now than in the past several years. Nice. Rain on my parade! Generally, all activities took place during my week, except the stargazing because it had started to rain.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Read more from Donald Miserandino

Red Mountain Spa

2/21/2005
in

Take the class on menopause. I did.

At times, Michael, the assignment editor, has a dark sense of humor. Sending this "old timer" to a health spa was like redoing the statue of David. We are both caste in stone and have not changed in years. David just stands there and looks good, but I agreed to travel eight hours to be redesigned. Yes, the Restaurant Man agreed to become a Renaissance Man by eating sprouts and pumping iron --as Al Bundy said "Let's rock."

The Red Mountain Spa is easy to get to, once you get out of the Las Vegas airport, but I was not told of the slot machines right in the terminal. Each one seemed to be as the sirens of Odysseus trying to distract me from my goal, but I was committed ...or should have been. After all, I was in a plane for almost five hours, and now I had to get on a bus for ninety minutes more. Yes, there is nothing like being cramped up for almost eight hours to get to a spa in order to exercise and hike the stiffness away.

After check-in, the first hike I took was an orientation tour given by the registration staff. It gave me an overview of the resort's facilities and a review of the week's scheduled activities and special events. Then I grabbed a cup of coffee in the cafeteria, took out the schedule and planned out the week. The schedule was the most important item, since it organized my day and helped me to try as many activities as possible. The basic outline of the daily program would be the same: early breakfast and a hike; afternoon: lunch, an educational topic and exercise; dinner and then a "self-awareness" experience or health topic. The office staff at TheCelebrityCafe.com decided what courses I would take, what hikes to do and what treatments I would receive. All of them should be thrown to the wolves!

The wait staff in the cafeteria was so friendly that I thought they owned the place. A staff member even took time to make suggestions as to what classes, hikes and spa treatments I should take. The spa encourages the staff to learn about all the various facilities "on campus," so they can make suggestions from experience.

Since the daily meal times were already set up, I confirmed the spa treatments I would take, added the hikes (like an easy trekker 1), the classes, and lastly put in other activities. It looked complicated, something like a college class schedule, but it actually was easy with the scheduling grid and the help the staff provided. Some activities fall into a good timeline. Others would have to be switched or put off until the next visit. A few activities could even be arranged "out of schedule" for an additional fee. I learned that the website of the Red Mountain Spa, is the key to an advanced notice on the activity schedule. Next year, when the time for vacation gets close, I'm going to have to go on-line, view the schedule, and plan ahead.

While I arrived too late for the afternoon events I still was able to take advantage of a self-directed hike along the lava lake behind the resort. It is a preserved area that has been set up for a short forty minute easy hike. The ground was level, and the guidebook described the various rock formations and explained what I was looking at.

Dinner was next on the schedule, and I was hungry. I had had nothing to eat since New York, and I was anxious to try the "rabbit food." Tonight I had the mixed meat grill which is under the title "Call of the Wild." That means it has a little more energy for those who had a really rough day -- I qualified. Part of the attraction to this Spa is the fact that one can try anything. The variety is across the board, from vegetarian meals, to dietary courses and special requests. Breakfast and lunch is buffet style, while the main meal is served.
First stop-registration



After dinner, there was to be a Star Gazing class, but the rain cancelled it. It seems that in Utah there had been a drought until the past few months. The news service says it has rained more now than in the past several years. Nice. Rain on my parade! Generally, all activities took place during my week, except the stargazing because it had started to rain.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

0
No votes yet
Your rating: None