Speedy Spa Getaway

I was taking some vacation days from work and I needed a quick getaway. I was feeling completely burned out from the 9 to 5, the capricious weather, and life in general.. I am one of those people that believe that sometimes you have to leave your domicile to have a real vacation. Staycations don't always cut it.

A picture from outside the hotel

We opted to take off to Kohler, WI to visit the Kohler Waters Spa in the middle of the week. After reviewing the hotel options on Trip Advisor  we chose the Inn on Woodlake. They had a great deal called the Red Carpet Treatment which included our hotel room, 20% off spa treatments for both of us, a free movie, amenities, and a $50 food credit for any of the local restaurants. Who could beat that?

The gorgeous pool

After getting settled we took the complimentary shuttle to the spa. Now, do you know about Kohler? I'm sure you do. They are famous for their plumbing products-toilets, tubs, faucets. Well, I guess they decided to take plumbing and make it sexy. Mission accomplished. The spa is amazing! It has several whirlpools including one on the rooftop; a sauna, steam room, and waterfall swimming pool. There are comfortable chairs and couches throughout the spa.  The locker rooms and bathrooms are stocked with comfy towels, complimentary sandals, toiletries (some of the best I've tried), and those amazing showers.



Both my friend and I chose the Avacado Wrap for our spa service. A sublime exfoliation, followed by a massage of heavy oils, a scalp and facial massage, and a cooling eye mask. Of course, I drifted in and out of consciousness during the whole treatment. After our treatments we stayed at the spa for another two and a half hours. Melody, my friend, ate about a pound of their almonds and yogurt covered raisins. I drank what seemed a pitcher of their water. It wasn't normal water, it was better.

Market on the resort property

Afterwards, we went to the market to gather up a few snacks just in case we didn't like the amenities for the movie. This was no ordinary market. I forgot that Wisconsin is famous for their beer and I know they had at least 100 different selections. More importantly (to me) they had a fantastic selection of chocolates in their bakery and you just don't see that every day. It was a beautiful market and I had to take a few pictures.

The next morning we took advantage of the complimentary continental breakfast before saying goodbye to the Kohler village. The trip was a worthwhile getaway to help lift my spirits and start the rest of my vacation.

The New York Saga Pt. II: My Hotel and Love on the Streets

In my last post I told you how I decided to take a trip to New York alone. New York is full of so many great memories that it may take several posts to share it. Let me tell you a little bit about my hotel and how I navigated the city streets.

The Hotel

My little boutique hotel. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name but it was truly hilarious staying at this little gem. First, it was smothered between two other buildings, and it was so inconspicuous that I walked past it every time I tried to return after a day of sightseeing. I knew that if I reached the alley I had gone too far and promptly turned around. Second, I had heard that New York was notorious for its’ small hotels. However, I didn’t expect my room to be so small that I could lie on the bed and cross my ankles on the toilet. Oh and whenever I took a bath or shower my entire room steamed up so that I had to wait until it all cleared to take down my hair. Plus, there was one “engineer” that fixed everything from the TV to the heater.  I didn’t care, hell, I was in New York!  The service was great and I had no intention of being in my room except to sleep and bathe. It was safe, cute, clean, and a few short steps from Broadway.

The Streets Pulsate

Part of the allure of New York is that it lives up to its’ reputation as being the city that never sleeps. One night after I checked in with my friend to let them know I was safe, I decided I needed some Haagen Dazs ice cream. This was about 11:30 p.m. on a Wednesday. I put on my coat, waived at the desk clerk, and headed out. Everything was jumping and bustling. Since nothing seemed to be closing anytime soon I figured I’d pop into the bar on the corner and have a quick drink and then go get the ice cream. That’s just what I did. I had a drink and made small talk, which I am not good at, with a few people in the bar. It was fun. The ice cream was only slightly better than the bar company.

Exploring the City on Foot

On my first day there I couldn’t handle my excitement so I threw my bag on the bed and almost immediately headed out to explore. I had just made it to the corner of a busy street when I met a man. Yep, not in New York for two hours and already approached by a man; one staring at me so lustily and with a huge smile that my golden cheeks were actually blushing pink. He asked expectantly if I was married. I am not, but I nodded yes that I was married. He looked up at me with a big smile and said “damn”.  You might have just noticed that I wrote he looked up at me. This is unusual as I am only 5”2.  My admirer was a dwarf, I think, or maybe a midget. I have nothing against dwarfs at all, but I am partial to men that are taller than me. Consider it a character flaw.

Ice skaters at Rockefeller Center

Anyhow, after that fun experience I kept walking and stumbled upon Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, and later Rockefeller Center where I saw a postcard picture-perfect scene of people ice skating. Later that week on my third day in New York I went back to Rockefeller Center to Top of The Rock which was glorious. The ticket booth salesperson warned me that it was cold, but I assured him that I would be fine. “I’m from Chicago”, I said boastfully (for some reason strangely proud of my ability to withstand frigid weather). He said, “Oh, you’ll be okay then.”  The view of Manhattan was amazing and definitely worth it.  It was so cold that day (to NewYorkers) that the only people up there were me and the security guard. He was a sweetheart who offered to take a picture of me. I wonder if he thought I was alone because my friends abandoned me because I was crazy enough to want to go up there in the cold?

Times Square-Check out P.Diddy

During and after both of my tours I wandered around Manhattan. I can honestly say that it’s my second favorite city to get lost in after Paris. I walked up and down upper Manhattan window shopping at high end stores. I didn’t bother to go in-I just waved and smiled at the security guards. I didn’t see the point of creating unnecessary heartbreak for myself. I ventured over to Barneys and challenged myself to go on every floor. It was worth it. Even though it was winter I saw lots of women wearing Juicy Couture sweat suits and bared belly buttons holding tea cup dogs while appraising clothes and fragrances.

I also had fun pretending that I was going to buy a purse from the street vendors. I have to say that those purses looked pretty darned good-and I do know my purses- but I’m a purse snob and didn’t want to own an inauthentic anything. I did buy my cousin Aaron two of the nicest silk ties I’d ever seen from an old Jewish man for $10.

Did I buy any food on the streets? I didn’t. However, I did eat in a deli. Remember New York is a city full of delis and I wanted to try one. Question: Were they eating in a deli on Seinfeld? Anyway, it was pretty good. I had a sandwich that was so damned big I had to take half of it back to my room. Now that I think about it I also bought a muffin that was as big as my head and I was able to eat it for two days. You can probably tell I didn’t spend a ton on food.  My one food splurge, if you can call it that, was at Virgil's for barbecue and it was very good. When I told my father this he thought it was hilarious. He’s a food fanatic and travels to do two things: eat and gamble. The fact that I was in New York City and not eating like a mobster was beyond crazy to him. Hey, I had my priorities……shopping.

Next Post- C.Bradshaw, shopping tours, and Broadway

The New York Saga: How I Ended Up Solo In NYC

Time to Stand Alone

 The advertisement by Jet Blue listed $49 each way from Chicago to New York for several dates in February. I almost fell off the Blue Line "L" platform because it seemed too good to be true. I rushed to my desk at work to tell my friends that this was it-the NY trip- and we couldn’t pass it up. I waited for the excitement level to match mine. It never did. I was deflated and confused. Didn’t they understand? This is a round trip flight to NYC for a $100!!!  Unfortunately, it was a bad time for everyone else. Or in hindsight maybe no one was as fixated on New York as I was.  I was so disappointed. I had been thinking so much of New York especially after becoming obsessed with Sex and The City. And, of course, I love fashion and wanted to see the stylish New Yorkers up close and personal. Well, after much internal agonizing and talking my co-workers ears off about it, I made a decision.  I was going to New York alone. This was a big deal for me at the time.  I tended to base all my decisions around the opinions and support of my friends. Everything seemed to be less interesting, exciting, or important if they weren’t involved. Yet, I just couldn’t get pass the nagging feeling that I needed to take advantage of this chance to go to Manhattan.

NYC On the Cheap

I went to Border’s and bought a book, Frommers: New York on $99 A Day.  Through Frommer's  I learned that going to New York between January and February was a great way to save money on hotels. Sure, it was going to be cold as you know what, but I was a single girl working on a private college salary and I needed all the savings I could get. Plus, I’m from Chicago and figured that I could withstand the cold with the right tools. By tools I mean thermal underwear, tights, and my trusty Timberland boots.  I perused the book to get dining recommendations and learn about the best places to shop.

After booking my flight I found a deal for a boutique hotel in the Theatre district through Expedia.com. I chose the hotel based on the price and its’ proximity to a few major attractions. I knew I didn’t want to have to spend a ton of money on taxis. So, I was definitely hoping to walk most of the time. I also purchased a voucher for a shuttle to and from my hotel. Finally,  I went online and booked the Sex and The City tour (an obvious necessity) and a shopping tour of the garment district. My entire four day trip came  to a little over $550 with tours included.

Making a Safety Plan

While everyone seemed a little surprised I was taking the leap to go alone, they were also worried about how I would stay alive on the “mean” NY streets particularly my Uncle Keith. He said I needed to be careful because it would be like an episode of Law & Order “where the last footage they will have of is of you getting on the elevator.” He was adamant that I stay in Manhattan and not venture into the boroughs. I also figured that I would only wander the streets until no later than 9:30 or so.  I told my friend Melody and my aunt to expect a text from me every night by 10p.m. and if they didn’t receive it to call the police. I  was NOT kidding.

The plan was set. Everything was in motion and there was no turning back (I mean really no turning back because nothing was refundable).  I was about to head to New York city and I was doing it alone. I was so excited, but not just about the trip; it was liberating to do something just for me and not to base it around other people.  This trip was a big step forward for me.

Stay tuned for more about my NYC trip.