For me, Palm Springs is that place. It’s a two-hour drive, door-to-door and every time I get off the freeway, I literally feel a shift in my body and a silent “aaahhh” follows as I make my way past palm trees, cactus and rugged desert landscape to my condo in the Coachella Valley.
On a recent trip, I went spa hopping and was lucky enough to revisit the glamour of another era.
Above photo courtesy of The Parker Palm Springs (screen shot from video)
My first stop was The Parker Palm Springs, a boutique hotel that went through a multi-million dollar renovation over a decade ago with Jonathan Adler at the helm.
Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa
On day two of my desert getaway, I hopped over to the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage.
The hotel is larger and gives off a more family-friendly atmosphere compared to the chic and eclectic Parker. There is a 450-foot lazy river and water slides (two things that I had no interest in trying… but it’s nice to know they’re there if I ever go back with friends who have kids).
After walking through the Spanish-Colonial inspired lobby area, I made a bee-line to the newly refurbished spa.
There were no kids and only a couple other women as I changed and made my way upstairs to the waiting room where I met my massage therapist, Joanna, who became my best friend over the next hour.
The tall blonde with strong arms and hands seemed to know exactly what my body needed even though I stayed mostly silent through the massage.
She gave me one of the best therapeutic rubdowns I’ve had in awhile and she had no qualms about pushing, prodding and stretching my sore muscles until I politely said, “that pressure is perfect.”
She gave me a combination treatment including deep tissue, sports therapy, and stretched my aching muscles to their limit. By the end of the 60 minutes, I felt loose, open, relaxed and refreshed… ready to step back into the rat race.
#takemeback #bestmassageever
My Healthy Lunch: Veggies & Hummus + Salad with Seared Ahi Tuna
