Can you believe it’s already the first week of June? For most people, June is associated with warmer weather, pool parties, and family barbeques. For me, it means something else: June is the month when my “To Do” list grows longer than at any other time of year. Remember to water the garden, re-fill the propane tank, have the repair man in to fix the dishwasher, clean eight-months of winter out of the gutters, call my Great Aunt Rose on her birthday (she’ll be 92 on Thursday). It’s exhausting! But year after year, the number one spot on my “To Do” list remains the same: spend a day at the spa with my girlfriends. On a sunny Saturday in June, my girlfriends and I head to our favourite spa to be rubbed, scrubbed and polished.
With my upcoming spa day in mind, I introduce our July issue of Story Starters. This month the theme is “Health and Wellness” as we present a few of the best ways to revitalize your body and spirit while visiting the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region. From traditional spa treatments to spas that offer a unique, West Coast touch, our region is home to a host of outstanding spas and health retreats. So, add an afternoon of serious pampering to your “To Do” list. As you sit back, relax and give you toes a treat, promise to think of your friendly media team at Vancouver, Coast & Mountains!
Have you heard the good news? The International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) has selected British Columbia as the “2007 Golf Destination of the Year” for North America! From championship, designer courses to dramatic natural settings, BC is a golfer’s dream. In Mighty Fraser Country - where towering Douglas Firs and rolling greens frame impressive golf courses - the joy of golfing doesn’t end at the 18th green. Golfers looking for the whole experience can sooth their weary muscles or replenish their competitive edge with an after-golf spa treatment. Pair a round of golf at Harrison Resort Golf Course or nearby Sandpiper Golf Course with a pure relaxation treatment at Harrison Hot Springs Resort’s Spa. Whether you are preparing for a day on the course or relaxing tense muscles after the round, every golfer must experience the Harrison Resort Spa’s Mineral Hot Springs Bath. Combining Mighty Fraser Country’s spectacular golf and Harrison Hot Springs Resort’s rejuvenating water treatment is truly a whole in one. For more information contact www.harrisonresort.com and www.sandpipergolfclub.com.
Once upon a time, travellers had to visit Italy for Italian gelato, Mexico for Mexican tortillas, and Japan for Japanese sushi. Not any longer. Nowadays it’s just as easy to find sushi in Omaha as it is in Osaka, so travellers have to dig deeper to find an authentic, local experiences that cannot be duplicated. With that in mind, the Spa at Four Seasons Resort Whistler has created a unique Sea to Sky spa experience with a special West Coast touch. After a long day of hiking on Whistler Mountain, retreat indoors to enjoy an invigorating and nourishing BC Glacial Clay Wrap. This 90-minute treatment features products made with pure British Columbia glacial clay, used for centuries to nourish and detoxify the body. A mixture of rockweed and ocean mud is used to exfoliate your entire body, which is then rinsed off in the soothing rain-bar shower. Next, you’ll be wrapped in a vitamin-enriched combination of warmed clay and fresh wild seaweeds, all indigenous to the beautiful province of BC. The experience is enhanced by the Spa’s natural surrounding, the stunning snow-capped mountains and alpine meadows, which can only be found in Sea to Sky country. Emerge from The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Whistler feeling refreshed, glowing and – most importantly – ready for another day of fun in Whistler! For more information on refreshed, The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Whistler and the BC Glacial Clay Wrap visit www.fourseasons.com/whistler/spa.html.
Imagine yourself wrapped up in a cozy blanket listening to the calming ocean waves, a bottle of fine wine rests on your private deck as you and your partner take turns wishing on the shooting stars. On the Sunshine Coast, where the stars do not compete with harsh city lights, you may be hard pressed to find enough things to wish for because right now, life is good. Upon returning to your room, you’re greeted by two spa practitioners who are here for your couples massage treatments, preformed in the privacy of your suite. Sound too good to be true? A Place by the Sea Bed & Breakfast and Spa on the beautiful Sunshine Coast is the perfect getaway for anyone looking for a little romance and some time to indulge. Hide away in one of the luxurious, adult-oriented suites with amenities that rival most hotels. Fresh flowers, chocolates, candles, towelling robes and jetted Jacuzzis for two are just a few of the features that make your stay memorable at A Place by the Sea. The only thing you’ll be left wishing you had is more vacation time.For more information visit www.aplacebythesea.com.
If you’re like I am, you’ve always wanted to spend a day in a supermodel’s shoes: walking a few inches higher than everyone else, wearing all the latest fashions, and exerting the type of confidence and attitude that only a supermodel can. At the Kat Walk Spa, the newest day-spa on Vancouver’s North Shore, you don’t have to be a supermodel to make an appointment but you can certainly expect be treated like one. The Kat Walk Spa in North Vancouver has a full shiatsu massage built into their beautiful Naugahide leather thrones. Guests are able to control the preasure of the massage and the area of their body that they would like massaged. As if chairs that massage aren’t persuading enough, guests also receive a chocolate parafin dip for their hands and feet. You choose the flavour of chocolate you’d like: from mint chocolate to Swiss cherry chocolate, the Kat Walk Spa has all of your favourites! End your day at the spa sipping green or jasmine tea, munching on special cookies, flicking through the channels on your personal TV. It’s enough to believe you truly are a supermodel! For more information visit www.thekatwalksalon.com.
Eat your greens. Wash behind your ears. Eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away. Mothers are always quick to pass along sage advice that helps to keep us healthy and happy. Arbutus Bed & Breakfast on scenic Bowen Island agrees with Mom’s advice… as long as that apple is organic! The philosophy at Arbutus B&B is that a healthy well-being starts with a nutritious diet. All food served at the Arbutus B&B is organic, GMO-free, fairly traded, and vegetarian. Your environmentally-friendly hosts incorporate herbs and produce from their own garden, buying what they cannot grow from local island farmers, the food co-op, and local stores. The Arbutus B&B’s owner operator is a quadrilingual trained ecologist and oceanographer who can take guests on nature outings that rival the excursions of David Suzuki or Jacques Cousteau. You’ll leave from your stay at the Arbutus B&B full of deliciously nutritious foods and an understanding of local Bowen Island ecosystems. A healthy body and a healthy mind? Mom would definitely approve! For more information visit www.arbutusbnb.com/food.htm.
