Okay, so it’s not completely different, but it’s not Steamworks and mojitos!
Every once in a while, I feel like maybe I should get out and try something different. This worked out well on Monday, when Flare Magazine had their annual event at the Absolute Spa at the Century Hotel. I was alerted about this even via Flare’s e-mail list. Their e-mails also provide regular fashion tidbits, which are really helpful for someone like me who tries so hard to be fashionable and yet probably only achieves a 50% success rate.
As a side note, other e-mail lists that I’ve found particularly lovely are sweetspot.ca’s and
Back to the Flare event, we started out with a presentation from the editor which was well-delivered. She gave a fantastic presentation and seemed like a natural public speaker. I expected to be bored but I wasn’t for a moment.
After the presentation, I stopped at the appy table to get a bite before moving on to the spa. I was late for the presentation, but apparently most of the guests had hit up the snack table beforehand. It was a protein-based appetizer assortment: meat skewers (lamb, chicken, prawn and ahi tuna) and a cheese and cracker platter. Everything I tried was delicious (including blue cheese, which I regretted only because of the damage it did to my breath).
The wine (included!) was delightful and the servers were generous with their pouring. I tried the red, which I tried to remember the name of and then failed. But it was good!
After the wine & cheese, I shuffled upstairs to join all the other ladies waiting in lines to get free spa treatments. First I got a hand massage, which was heavenly! After that I waited for a little while in the foot massage line, but gave up quickly when I saw that there was no line to try out the oxygen facials. They just did the oxygen facial on my hands, but it was incredibly relaxing. After that I headed over to the neck and shoulder massage room, which was probably the most worthwhile ten minutes of my evening.
That was the end of the evening, and although none of the treatments lasted longer than ten minutes, I was thoroughly relaxed. The two glasses of wine may also have been heavy contributors to my relaxation.
By the time I made it home, I already had plans to return to the spa to get an hour of massage done. This is one event that I plan on telling all of my friends about so that they can head there next year!
