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Vip Tours | 1
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| Texas,
USA receives |
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Extraordinary - Society |
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5 Stars
& 6 Stripes
Hotel & Service |
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The Ultimate
Award:
Seven Stars and Stripes™ |
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Suddenly, I saw myself walking down a straight path,
rising slightly through a dense Texas live oak forest. It was me alright, I
could tell by the relaxed way that I usually walk and from my vantage point
somewhere up in the treetops, I could tell that I wasn't really walking on the
path but about six inches above it. There was a deep red glow filtering through
the arboreal forest and as I floated over the approaching rise the glow became
more intense and garnet red. Although I heard the pulsating beats of a Tabla
drum, I couldn't tell where it was coming from; this was followed by the
rhythmic, cobra-like sounds of a flute, which together seemed like they were
competing for my attention. My out-of-body experience was pleasant, I thought
as I glided towards the deepening glow on the horizon.
"Turn yourself
in my direction" came a gentle voice, the words spiraling downward from
somewhere above my head. My consciousness struggled to regain itself and I
arrived to find myself looking up at a large unfolded towel next to me. It
seemed like it just floated there until I noticed the two hands at the top that
were holding it in place. I listened while I received further instructions;
"Lift up your legs just a little" didn't seem so hard and I felt the soft
support of a pillow being placed under them. |
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| It was then that I remembered
the unique special treatment I had arranged earlier at the
Lake
House Spa situated on the banks of the peaceful Colorado river. I was in
the midst of the "Coffee Scrub & Massage", one of the signature treatments
at this holistic center known for its unique approach to body-mind wellness. I
recalled reading the description of 'an invigorating scrub and massage' using
coffee grounds to exfoliate the dead skin cells while 'preparing your skin to
drink in a soothing blend of olive and hemp sea oil' and other exotic elements.
The reality of it was infinitely better than one could imagine just by reading
the brochure and left to the talented, healing hands of therapist Kate, it was
an other-worldly experience. |
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| Lake
Austin Spa |
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"Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind
brought about by a serenity of soul.
Peace is not merely the absence of
war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful
people."
~ Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 - 1964) |
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With the all the treatments now being performed in the
newly opened
Lake
House Spa, a multi-million dollar addition to the resort, one can
experience a plethora of creative and exciting spa services either inside or
outside in a screened veranda overlooking the tree-covered
hillside.
Some signature treatments:
- Texas Starry Night - Lavender
oil application, massage and body wrap using fresh herbal oil made from plants
in the garden.
- Gift of Our Garden -
Exfoliation, shower, massage, body wrap and herbal elixir using therapeutic
herbs cultivated on site.
- Pumpkin Body Wrap - Body masque,
wrap, shower and massage using the goodness of pumpkin.
- Star of India - Ayurvedic scalp
and neck massage with full body herbal treatment, balancing body, mind and
spirit. Gentle herbal pressure is applied to the famous "third eye" for
soothing your "vital energy".
- Texas Pecan Scrub - Using
locally grown pecans to exfoliate and condition the skin.
- Coffee Scrub & Massage -
Coffee grounds mixed with olive, hemp sea oil, shea butter and herbal extracts
exfoliate and moisturize the skin while refreshing muscles and protecting from
oxidation, sunlight and pollution.
We finished our expertly
performed treatments within minutes of each other (Phyllis had the Pumpkin Body
Wrap) and bounced off each other as we made our way through the elaborate rock
and flower gardens, down to the main building in our robes. We were ready to
experience the award winning spa cuisine of Food Services Director Terry
Conlan. Chef Conlan prides himself on featuring an innovative menu that changes
daily, offering bright, fresh colors interwoven with diverse textures to
produce 3-dimensional creatively tasty cuisine. His philosophy emphasizes the
importance of combining healthy nourishment with concentrated flavor profiles.
Chef Conlan loves building his menu options from soup to nuts based on many
courses of small portions, giving you a lovely experience of sampling various
items while ending your meal with the perfect feeling of contentment.
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Sleep came quickly on Lake
Austin and we drifted off to a deep zone peacefully while the wonders of a huge
Texas starry nighty illuminated the quiet grounds of the resort. Our plan was
to end our stay here with visit to the local greenbelt nature preserve by
"boat, hike & picnic" and we were not to be disappointed. I diplomatically
excused myself from Phyllis's suggestion to sign up for "Bikini Boot Camp" and
although it sounded great for her I didn't think I needed to target my upper
thighs, glutes and other 'trouble spots'. |
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| I highly recommend taking this excursion as we
thoroughly enjoyed seeing a little bit of the surrounding Texas hill country,
populated with pecan, cedar and bald cypress trees. The event was handled
superbly in keeping with the well managed overall experience of staying at
Lake
Austin Spa Resort. |
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| A special thanks goes out to
the caring, environmentally sensitive commitment to nature we learned from
Ronnie & Nate while our lovingly prepared picnic was punctuated by the
addition of fresh picked flowers and bright cheery colors through the concerted
efforts of Katherine. Sadly, our unpretentious, all-encompassing, regenerative
visit to
Lake
Austin Spa Resort was coming to an end and upon returning from our nature
experience we sought out General Manager Tracy York to give thanks for hosting
us in this exceptional corner of the world. |
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| Terry
Conlan & John Lomitola & Tracy York |
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by
Phyllis & John Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme
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| © 2005 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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Vip Tours | 1
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