Been a bit quiet this week, haven't I? I've been working like a mad thing on Slim the Ogre interactive flipcharts and other writing stuff in my spare moments at home. I'm supposed to produce 12 by the end of the month - yikes!
To make matters easier, I thought I'd take a few days off and go slumming it in a spa near Usk in Wales with my TWDB and then spend a couple of days in Bath. I haven't been there since, oooh, I was a teenager probably.
Anyway, it's unlikely I'll be blogging much from inside a mud wrap or a city mooch, so it'll remain quiet around here until the middle of next week at least.
This morning I thought I'd take a peek at the weather and guess what... it'll be raining this weekend. There's a surprise! I'll be going from the mid-30s to low to mid-20s in a crash of temperature doldrums. Mind you, I'm looking forward to freshening up.
Must remember to paint my toenails tonight...
Showing posts with label Spa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spa. Show all posts
Friday, July 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Back to Earth
I collected my mother from the Hotel Verchant in the pouring rain today. The weather might have been miserable, but she was perkiness personified.
She has spent a marvellous couple of days there, relaxing in the wonderful welcome of the staff and soaking up the revitalising ambiance of the place. This morning she enjoyed a face massage, emerging détendu de chez détendu. Big hugs to NG for setting that up!
Yesterday the weather was much better so she spent it outside walking amongst the vines, in the listed park and the rose garden. A quiet time was had reading in the pool house which overlooks the pool towards the hotel.
After the massage today, she explored the rest of the spa, including the luscious pool, jacuzzi, and sauna.
On Sunday evening my TWDB and I took her to the Chichoumeille restaurant for a jolly dinner (without dotty dad who was being dotty-dad-sat by saintly NG). There aren't many places open on Sunday night, but this one is, and it is a fabulous address. We started with oysters grilled with foie gras and truffle juice. They were very lightly grilled and the combination was wickedly decadent. This was followed by a lasagne of home-smoked salmon with lobster and a langoustine sauce. We washed it all down with a light but full-bodied red wine from Domaine Henry (at St Georges d'Orques). I'm not a great one for dessert, but my mother had a samoussa of raspberry and cognac cream which was warm, light and absolutely divine (I tried some!).
We stayed very very late, and had a blast.
A well-deserved rest then, for my mother who is now en pleine forme and able to tackle dotty dad with equanimity. For a totally relaxing, revitalizing break, there really is nothing like staying in a heavenly place, and Hotel Verchant really is the tops. I hope I'll be able to send her there again.
Happy Birthday Mother!!
She has spent a marvellous couple of days there, relaxing in the wonderful welcome of the staff and soaking up the revitalising ambiance of the place. This morning she enjoyed a face massage, emerging détendu de chez détendu. Big hugs to NG for setting that up!
Yesterday the weather was much better so she spent it outside walking amongst the vines, in the listed park and the rose garden. A quiet time was had reading in the pool house which overlooks the pool towards the hotel.
After the massage today, she explored the rest of the spa, including the luscious pool, jacuzzi, and sauna.
On Sunday evening my TWDB and I took her to the Chichoumeille restaurant for a jolly dinner (without dotty dad who was being dotty-dad-sat by saintly NG). There aren't many places open on Sunday night, but this one is, and it is a fabulous address. We started with oysters grilled with foie gras and truffle juice. They were very lightly grilled and the combination was wickedly decadent. This was followed by a lasagne of home-smoked salmon with lobster and a langoustine sauce. We washed it all down with a light but full-bodied red wine from Domaine Henry (at St Georges d'Orques). I'm not a great one for dessert, but my mother had a samoussa of raspberry and cognac cream which was warm, light and absolutely divine (I tried some!).
We stayed very very late, and had a blast.
A well-deserved rest then, for my mother who is now en pleine forme and able to tackle dotty dad with equanimity. For a totally relaxing, revitalizing break, there really is nothing like staying in a heavenly place, and Hotel Verchant really is the tops. I hope I'll be able to send her there again.
Happy Birthday Mother!!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Verchant Spa - the Opening
I already thought the Hotel Verchant was practically perfect, but last night I discovered it was even more practically perfect because it now has a brandy new sparkling Spa. The word 'spa' conjures up delicious associations of pampering, well-being, luxury, and bodily ecstasy. I was therefore seriously committed to the idea of attending the opening of the Verchant Spa and was delighted when my invitation plopped into my letterbox.
I went with my TWDB and a small group of pals; the boys were safely home creating mayhem in the kitchen with the babysitter. We were welcomed into the hotel's function room with a freshly squeezed fruit juice and the programme. A healthy start. They were keeping the champagne for later, obviously...
We went on a tour of the Spa which had been specially decorated with loads of candles and rose petals everywhere to enhance the smoochy atmosphere. My initial impression upon leaving the lift down was very positive - a good sign. You move into an ambiance of soft colours, noble materials such as pale marble, and that unmistakable feel of luxury.
We were invited to poke our noses into all the treatment rooms, kitted out as they are with the latest in high-tec spa equipment, and were introduced to the coach in the gym who also has all the trendiest gym machines of torture including the vibrating one.
The most impressive feature for me, was the pool. It was decorated on that day with candles sitting on huge lily leaves floating in strategic spots. When turned on however, the water apparently rises a little to flow over the stones which line the edge all the way round. On the wall at the far end is a mosaic which covers the entire surface depicting a local scene, the quality of which is representative of the overall quality of the Spa.
There is a VIP room which you can hire à deux where you can enjoy your treatments in the privacy of your own area. Ng was commissioned to do a painting for this room and it greets you as you walk in - a lovely soft-coloured painting depicting a deserted beach and a gentle sea. Verchant's owner, Pierre Mestre was delighted with it.
The Spa lures you, makes you want to stay and be pampered, to be swathed in essential oils and delicious-smelling creams and potions, massaged, de-stressed and de-toxed. It's an exclusive club, open to hotel patrons and a limited number of Spa members which of course makes it even more desirable.
It was only the prospect of a buffet by Didier Germain that made me leave that haven of peace and tranquility, and the arrival of the next set of visitors. We went back up the greeny glass steps to reality and non-requited muscle strain into the welcome embrace of skewered scallops and fresh oysters. Oh, and gallons of Veuve Cliquot.
The party was fabulous, the buffet divine, as ever, and the champagne copious. There were even fireworks.
My TWDB is now contemplating becoming a member of the Spa. I'm encouraging him, like mad.
I went with my TWDB and a small group of pals; the boys were safely home creating mayhem in the kitchen with the babysitter. We were welcomed into the hotel's function room with a freshly squeezed fruit juice and the programme. A healthy start. They were keeping the champagne for later, obviously...
We went on a tour of the Spa which had been specially decorated with loads of candles and rose petals everywhere to enhance the smoochy atmosphere. My initial impression upon leaving the lift down was very positive - a good sign. You move into an ambiance of soft colours, noble materials such as pale marble, and that unmistakable feel of luxury.
We were invited to poke our noses into all the treatment rooms, kitted out as they are with the latest in high-tec spa equipment, and were introduced to the coach in the gym who also has all the trendiest gym machines of torture including the vibrating one.
The most impressive feature for me, was the pool. It was decorated on that day with candles sitting on huge lily leaves floating in strategic spots. When turned on however, the water apparently rises a little to flow over the stones which line the edge all the way round. On the wall at the far end is a mosaic which covers the entire surface depicting a local scene, the quality of which is representative of the overall quality of the Spa.There is a VIP room which you can hire à deux where you can enjoy your treatments in the privacy of your own area. Ng was commissioned to do a painting for this room and it greets you as you walk in - a lovely soft-coloured painting depicting a deserted beach and a gentle sea. Verchant's owner, Pierre Mestre was delighted with it.
The Spa lures you, makes you want to stay and be pampered, to be swathed in essential oils and delicious-smelling creams and potions, massaged, de-stressed and de-toxed. It's an exclusive club, open to hotel patrons and a limited number of Spa members which of course makes it even more desirable.
It was only the prospect of a buffet by Didier Germain that made me leave that haven of peace and tranquility, and the arrival of the next set of visitors. We went back up the greeny glass steps to reality and non-requited muscle strain into the welcome embrace of skewered scallops and fresh oysters. Oh, and gallons of Veuve Cliquot.
The party was fabulous, the buffet divine, as ever, and the champagne copious. There were even fireworks.
My TWDB is now contemplating becoming a member of the Spa. I'm encouraging him, like mad.
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