I remember the first time I set foot in the Willow Stream Spa at the Banff Springs Hotel. It was an experience like no other, and I feared ruined every spa experience from then on. Really the spa could really have been dog poop and still rank high in my books, I mean really how many times do you actually have to walk through a historic castle to get to a spa? But, to walk in, get handed your little key to a room filled with oak lockers, put on your plush robe and slippers, then to find a whole buffet of treatments and facilities like a salt pool, waterfalls, and a steam room. The whole experience gave me just a taste of how the other half lives. How could that not ruin a person?
I’ve been lucky enough to go to this spa three times in my life, all before having kids and so now post childbirth and well into child rearing I have now recalibrated to find experiences that are both kid inclusive and accessible and I have been pleasantly surprised to find what I was looking for right here at home.
Making of the local spa experience
Back in September my friend saw that I was suffering from mom burnout and suggested we book a pedicure in town. For anyone who has seen my nails you know that this is not a treatment I do often. She booked us a spot at Vi’s Nails, and by us I mean me, my daughter, and her and her daughter. When Ruth found out she was going she pulled Mina into her room, “Come on Mina we have to get ready!” Getting ready meant doing up her hair, putting on some makeup (aka lip chap), and putting on a dress.
The pedicure was wonderful and they were very accommodating to the little ones. Ruth couldn’t pick out just one colour and so picked out ten, one for every toe. Mina was a little gun shy so they did her feet while she sat on her mom’s lap. An hour later, after foot massages, hot stone rubs, cuticle cleaning and painted toes, our feet looked sandal worthy and just before the weather turned to shoes only.
The local (Drayton Valley) spa scene though is within reach, very diverse and the higher frequency actually provides therapeutic outcomes.
This prompted me to wonder what other hidden gems we had in Drayton Valley that could be used to make an at home spa day. That led me to a facial at Beyond Beauty. Obviously those who know me know my face hasn’t aged a day since, well… whenever I looked young and beautiful, pick an age. I don’t care. Beyond Beauty as it seems is not just a hair salon they also offer spa treatments. My facial aptly called ‘Radiant Rescue’, was the wake up call my skin needed. I was snuggled in under a heated blanket while different hot towels and facial creams were applied and removed from my face. Starting to finish the whole experience took 45 minutes to an hour and it was blissful. Then back to the rat race of picking up kids from school.
I apologize I am not going in chronological order, just before my facial, I stepped into One Therapy where I was treated to an hour massage. A gift certificate experience, purchased by my friend, was a welcome change to my typical Wednesday afternoon. The massage was both therapeutic, relaxing and deep. Some time during my lay about I wondered, “Why don’t I do this more often?”
This gets me to my point. While Willow Stream Spa was the Disneyland spa experience, it is also not something that can be done with any sort of frequency to provide lasting benefits. It is a mini trip that, let’s face it, parents of young kids cannot always get a way to do. The local spa scene though is within reach, very diverse and the higher frequency actually provides therapeutic outcomes. Your providers will get to know you and your body which means local “spacations” are great for both mental health breaks and your physical health.
Winter time at Buck Lake
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Try these DV100 training routes
Just beyond the western borders of Drayton Valley is a series of township roads and secondary highways that creates an amazing training ground for anyone looking to tackle the DV100, DV60 or the DV40, this September.
To market, to market: Shopping downtown Drayton Valley
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Tips for beginner mountain bikers
Rocks, berms, extreme pitches, however you slice it, mountain biking is not for the faint of heart. But with a little can-do attitude and grit it can become a fun pastime during any age or stage of life. This summer Rae and Bell decided that they wanted to try something new. Although they were no strangers to road cycling, the purchase of a e-mountain bike got them off the asphalt onto the trail.
Three trips for your winter wonder list
Snowshoeing is a fun way to get outside, stretch your legs and add a little interest to your snowy winter walks. With the Eagle Point Provincial Park and Provincial Recreation area right on our doorstep there are endless places to explore by snowshoe. But for those of you who are just getting started here are three of my favourite places to get you going.
The rugged and refined in Alder Flats
So I have been telling you to explore your backyard and check out places like Evansburg, Breton and Eagle Point Provincial Park. But what about Alder Flats? What the heck is there to do in Alder Flats? To answer this question I have visited Alder Flats five times since July to have a new experience, discover a new place and give you guys some actionable ideas.
