Getting All Misted Up

Getting All Misted Up

It was all Cathy's idea. She likes hot, and I mean really hot, weather, which is obtainable in Scottsdale Az. in July. She also likes comfortable places and she discovered this spa about 3 years ago. This year she decided to invite her friends to join her and I am so glad I did.

Scottsdale is indeed very hot in July. Temperatures were over 100º F every day. It is also monsoon season, when thunderstorms stream up out of Mexico and dump their precious water on the desert, assuming they have water to dump. We saw no monsoons this time, which was not good news in view of the ongoing drought and fire danger.

However, this is the best time of year for really cheap hotel rates. The Radisson Resort and Spa, on Scottsdale Road, is just over 24 years old and the second oldest spa in Scottsdale. There are palm trees, cactus, palo verde trees, other trees, geckos, birds, and rabbits living in the shrubbery. It has huge rooms in the main building and bi-level casitas scattered on the property. Our reservations were made under the "Go" package, at $67.50 per room per night, which included an upgrade to the best available room at check-in and breakfast coupons valued up to $10.50.

After some initial confusion, Cathy wound up with the Diplomat Suite, the second best room on the property. It was a bi-level casita with fireplace, 2 small refrigerators, coffeemaker, desk area, breakfast bar, living room, bathroom and patio on the main floor. The sleeping area, featuring a king size bed, was on the upper level along with another bathroom and balcony. All of it shaded by trees.

My mornings were given to walks, starting at about 5 AM. The Radisson will provide you with walking maps. Cathy and I took the 3.5 mile walk, which encompasses a local golf course and several housing developments. It also just happened to swing past a Starbuck's that was conveniently located across the parking lot from the hotel, and open at the when we came by. Morning coffee and muffins were never so good.

The same center that housed Starbuck's also included a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and a Roy's. Roy's is an experience all by itself. It is a chain opened by an Hawaiian chef. You have to try it to appreciate it. The chocolate soufflé was heaven. We also had dinner at Thai Foon, which can best be classified as Thai fusion and is located down Scottsdale Road at a nearby mall. It was excellent.

Next door to the Radisson is The Mist Spa, all of about 3 years old. This spa was built using Feng Shui principals by its Japanese investors. Just walking into the premises produces a sense of comfort. Teresita, Reyna and the other front desk personnel are helpful with all questions and willing to work with clients in making schedule adjustments.

The spa has 12 tennis courts, a lap pool, exercise room with the usual equipment, a room used for various classes, a full service beauty salon, a small store featuring the products used at the spa, the Zen Garden that is the locale for the treatment rooms, and separate facilities for men and women.

The women's facilities include a private patio with lounge chairs, 68 lockers constructed of wood, a whirlpool, sauna, steam room, showers, a bank of sinks, a row of toilets with wooden slat doors, a relaxation room where you wait to be called for your treatment, and enough fluffy, terry cloth wash cloths and towels to equip a small army. The relaxation room is equipped with loveseats, stuffed chairs, fresh fruit, iced tea, hot tea, and iced water. A tray of washcloths on ice is available also.

When you enter you are issued a locker key and spa slippers (plastic) by the attendant. Daphne, from South Africa, is a veritable mother hen. A former professional tennis player, she takes a personal interest in your well being. Mia, from Indonesia is more restrained but equally attentive to the environment. Both will do whatever they can to assist you. In your locker is a robe for your use throughout your treatments. Off with your clothes, on with your robe, a quick shower and you are ready for whatever you signed up for.

My preferences were massages and body scrubs, but you can also get all manner of package deals. Check the spa's website for information. Cathy signed up for the Rejuvenation Retreat, which included hotel room and six spa and salon services over 3 nights. It was a great value. Since the spa has a relationship with the Radisson all services can be charged to your hotel room or the usual major credit cards. Pricing for individual services varies based on the service and how long it takes.

I had a total of six massages, including a Shiatsu massage that was wonderful. I also had two body polishes, which are accomplished with the help of a Vichy shower. This is a set of 8 shower heads in 4 pairs on a long arm that swings over you on the bed. After the application of exfoliant and soap the shower is turned on to rinse you off. I was told that some spas have you stand in a corner and you are literally hosed off.

Readers should understand that the spa has male and female therapists and all massages and body scrubs are done with the client nude, but draped. For some of us, a treatment delivered by the opposite sex could be intimidating. Make sure you specify any preferences when you make appointments. Lauren, who has been a therapist for 20 years, told me that over the past 10 years men are becoming more visible. They often view spas as 'girly' but quickly change their minds once they are in the middle of a treatment. I have a male friend who honeymooned at a spa, and that is exactly his reaction. He is definitely a convert to the spa experience.

If the life of a sybarite strikes you as boring, there are other attractions in the Phoenix area. Scottsdale is home to Taliesin West, the winter camp of Frank Lloyd Wright, who is considered America's greatest architect. The home is built according to Wright's most important principle, which was to integrate the house with the land. It still features canvas ceilings, and was remodeled about 10 years ago for modern heat and air conditioning. The house includes an entertainment room featuring a piano niche that accommodates a grand piano with a closed lid. The niche accomplishes the same effect as if the lid were opened during play. Much of the outer walls were built using local stone, measured in terms of the number of men (2, 4, 6 etc.) needed to carry it. But this is not just a museum piece.

Taliesin West serves as the winter home for an accredited program in Architectural Science. Both Bachelor and Master's degrees are awarded. There are no more than 35 students at a time, and new students live in tents in the desert. All spend time in the kitchen and two Saturday's a month are given over to formal receptions with visiting guests and celebrities. Wright wanted his students to be well rounded and to understand how architecture must fit with the reality of daily living.

Tours at Taliesin West are available throughout the year, check the web site for more information. One treat is the Night Lights on the Desert tour, which is an evening tour. Along with the rabbits and quail (and snakes) we saw bats. Country girl that I am, I was entranced. Cathy on the other hand is the quintessential city kitty and was ready to leave upon the first report of flying mice.

If shopping is more your style, the Fashion Square Mall features all the usual suspects, including Nordstrom. You can drive a block or two further and check out Old Town Scottsdale which is littered with souvenir shops featuring Native American and desert themes. Shops with excellent Native American designed jewelry and artifacts are also to be found. Check with the concierge. I went to Sewell's Indian Arts and bought a lovely pendant set in 14kt gold and featuring manufactured opal and coral titled The Healer. It is quite beautiful

Cathy is headed back to the spa for the Labor Day weekend. I will probably return next summer. I walked out of the spa feeling much better about myself and I like that feeling a lot.