Snow Spa
Imagine this. It’s a very cold, snowy, wintery east-coast day.
You enter into a world of elegant, white décor and remove your shoes. You are then led to a changing room, are supplied with a long, white robe that ties at the waist and a white towel, and free reign to indulge in the heaven of SoJo Spa Club. As you enter the aquatherapy pool, hot steam clouds rise all around you, obscuring sound and sight. You’re immersed in a cloud of delicious warmth and comfort. You’re in water warmer than body temperature, and you float easily and comfortably wherever the waves take you.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of water jets in this heavenly place. When you go through it from beginning to end, you can experience a complete body reset and rejuvenation. You will be soothed in mind, body and spirit if you allow it.
So – I got to enjoy a spa day the other day. It was kind of a hassly day, after kind of a hassly week, and I needed to refresh my peace and tranquility, and to take some time to remember how very lucky I am.
My first stop was the very hot, hot tub. The billows of steam on this day were like giant cumulous cushions, and I loved how they muted everything. My earplugs also helped. I soaked in the hot bubbles and I was lucky enough to have it all to myself. I bobbed about in the hot water like a potato in hot water. Maybe a frog? Maybe I was a sweet potato. Maybe a rutabaga. Still don’t know what a rutabaga looks like.
From there, I entered the world of the heavy duty back massagers. Newbies who come to the spa usually scream, squeal, groan, or make other annoying sounds when experiencing these strong jets (thus, the ear-plugs). But this day was blissfully empty as the snow was falling. I personally love few things more in life than the high-pressure back and shoulder massagers, and spent an inordinate amount of time there.
Once I was thoroughly massaged, it was next to the wall of jets, each at a different height to massage thighs, lower thighs, knees, upper calves, calves…every achy place you ever have. There are hot pockets, and cooler pockets, but every pocket is exactly what I needed.
From there, heaven on earth as I progressed through the various pools of paradise, the silk pool, the carbon rich pool, the lemon grass pool, then the Himalayan sea salt sauna, the charcoal sauna and the radiant heat sauna. Escaping to the ‘quiet room’ where quiet spa music was playing, and there was no other sound, and ending up in the infinity pool on the roof. The water was bath-tub warm, and snow was falling on my hair and melting immediately. It was heaven, I tell you. Heaven. And joyfully, this is right at my fingertips.
Truth be told, last year right now, I was deciding whether or not to move here from my home of 50+ years in Utah. I knew I didn’t want to live in NYC, so my son very cleverly invited me to this spa in New Jersey with him. It was at this very spa that I made my decision that it was going to work, that I could see myself here, and I was going to establish a life here on the other side of the country – and take as long as I needed to heal, regain strength and hope, and become the most amazing future me I can possibly be. I am grateful every single day for that decision.
Woo hoo!
Now, for baby news! Our little darling learned how to sit up by himself this week! Suddenly, he is much less a baby and much more a young man. His first birthday is in 2 days. His parents are keeping it all pretty calm (another thing I love about them). I will give him a ‘tactile toy’ that I found at FAO Schwartz (another nice thing about living a mile from NYC).
I am so overwhelmed with happiness when I see that little guy. He breaks out in a grin when I arrive, and we just play, play, play for the whole day. I’m so happy I’m able to plop down on the floor with him and lift him and be able to carry him as needed. The snuggles are the best. Yesterday, we were reading Little Red Riding Hood together when he fell fast asleep in my arms. I just sat for a long time, holding him, and drinking in the joy and happiness that gives me. My gosh – it was everything. It is everything, and I’m so grateful.
