my happy body consort jessica give me a great birthday present, but it was a total surprise until last night! even though my 30th was a month ago - we just could never work our schedules out to make my surprise evening a reality.
well, i must say i learned that surprises are so hard for me. as you may imagine (from the previous post of becoming a scheduling goddess) i really like to be in control. what i learned about myself was - sometimes i've gotta learn to let it go and love it! all day long i was so anxious to know what was going to happen. i was to call jessica after i finished at the "office" at 4pm. i called and she told me i had to meet her at the oh-so-gorgeous grove park inn for a glass of vino in front of the fireplace! i am so excited to meet up and catch up that i completely spaced on taking a photo of this beautiful hotel lobby. i got these photos from their website - it's so historic and beautiful! the hotel opening in 1913 and has had many famous guests:
During the summers of 1935 and ’36, author F. Scott Fitzgerald resided in our Room 441. He’s just one of the American luminaries to have stayed here, a list that includes Harry Houdini, Will Rogers, George Gershwin, Thomas Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt and Henry Ford. Not to mention presidents — William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon, George H. W. Bush, William J. Clinton and Barack H. Obama.
pretty cool - huh?!? i forget how close this is to my house! i should go more often and pretend to be a tourist and enjoy this amazing spot! you can read more about it's history here.
the view from above in the fall in breath taking!
ok - here's the best part of the surprise. i am thinking we are going to leave the gpi until jessica informs me the surprise is here! we are going for an evening at the spa!!!!! they have a most incredible spa! we were escorted in, given a locker and oh-so cushy robes - doned our suits and off we went to explore. (with a bottle of merlot!) i tried to sneak my camera in to get a few shots, but was politely told "no cameras allowed." no fair for this blogger gal....boo!ahhhh...the spa! it was marvelous. hot tubs, hot sauna, dry sauna, cold plunge, cold wash clothes with peppermint essential oils, aromatherapy room, mineral (yes - salt water!) pool and the best was going outside in the cold to the hot tub surrounded by fireplaces. oh-la-la!
we stayed until they closed at nine! there was hardly anyone there and it was so wonderful to just girl talk! we talked about how it should be a once a month routine for us! just to reconnect, detox and relax! all my worry about what the surprise could be melted away as i soaked away. thanks jessica for a wonderful amazing super duper fabulous evening!!!!!on another exercise junkie note:
i just found the best ab challenge on this fun blog oh she glows. oh how i wish i would have found this earlier and could be participating the whole time! i am going to challenge myself to keep up with this for the month of december starting today. i feel like i get the blahs during december as the weather changes, but this december i am focusing on feeling good and that means exercising and lots of home cooking!
CORE WORK: 6-10 minute core workout, 5 days a week, doing the following exercises:
- Plank
- Side plank
- Plank with elbows on stability ball
- Stability Ball Jackknifes
- Stability ball roll out
- Plank Rotations
check out angela's video and progress here. i'm going to get going with it this morning after a little walk and cardio. wishing you all a happy weekend!
Posts
While I'm the opposite of one who exercises (I guess you could just call me lazy), I also have a hard time with surprises and relinquishing that control.
ReplyDeleteLooks like it definitely worked out for you this time, though! That place is gorgeous and has so much history.
They'd have to knock me down with a shovel before I'd leave it willingly.