things i'll miss about san diego #9

Two years ago, on my birthday, Charlie gave me a gift certificate for a massage at a spa located less than two miles from our house. A year and a half later, I gave him a gift certificate for a massage at the same exact spa because I thought for sure that if he was tempted with such a luxurious gift, he'd exert the effort to schedule an appointment for the two of us.

Alas, while we've had these awesome plans to hire a sitter and go spend a day together at the spa, those plans haven't come to fruition. Our matching gift certificates have been sitting in a little wire mesh basket on my desk and once every few months, I'd pick them up and gaze at them and dream about the day we'd go sit in comfortable chairs, holding hands, sipping tea and soaking our feet in a warm bowl of water infused with eucalyptus oil and sea salt.

Last week, we realized that if we didn't use our gift certificates, we'd lose them once we moved. So, we scheduled our appointments. Mine was tonight, Charlie's is tomorrow afternoon. The timing, as it turns out, couldn't have been more perfect.

(Have you pampered yourself lately? It truly is an incredible thing to do for your body and spirit. Although, I must admit, I'm not sure if I'm even awake typing this blog post, because it feels like I'm floating away in some faraway place where the air is soft and smells of pomegranate.)

My night at the spa started off with me putting on a cozy robe and therapeutic slippers. Then, there was a nice cup of hot green tea and a foot bath. A woman who looked like an angel put something fragrant and warm on my shoulders and then, a woman named Sheena led me to a room where there was soft music and a candle and a fountain and in a few swift moves, she magically dissolved every ounce of stress I've apparently been harboring in my shoulders for the past two months.

While I was laying there, face down on the table, with the little cut out so I could breathe, I was staring at Sheena's shoes and willing myself to keep my mouth closed because I was really worried that I would drool on her feet. And that would be awkward.

(I wonder if it's ever happened?)

For over two years, I've held on to a gift certificate for this spa. Now, I'm wondering how I can fit it in my budget to go at least once a month.

Maybe we can do without milk and bread?

Or dare I say ... wine and chocolate?

California is the mecca of spas. There are the mud baths in Calistoga*, They're all over the place in southern California and while I've been to a few, I've never been to one as nice as this.

(Or maybe, I've never been in such dire need of 90-minute deep relaxation?)

Regardless, if I can't find something comparable in Virginia, I seriously might have to rethink this move. Or, see if I can convince Sheena to come along with us.

(Ohhh ... I just discovered this. Maybe there is some hope after all!!)

(*Edited to Add: I published this post before I wrote what other amazing spa resorts there are in California. Sorry, I was distracted. Mmmm. Pomegranate.)