Sunday
For me, every trip has a purpose. Traveling is a feeling of freedom; it’s exciting, enticing and shifts the way I continue to move forward, with greater awareness and insight. Every now and then, I simply just need a change of scenery; to experience a different kind of day – a different routine, sunrise, walls, tastes and smells. I was so grateful to be in the presence of a dear, close friend of mine, celebrating our latest personal and professional achievements, as well as the next stages of our lives that are beginning to blossom.
This was our last full day together, as Andi had to go back to work the next day, but I was grateful that she took off Friday to spend some time with me. I was honored to share space and be a part of one another’s joy and growth.
Prior to my arrival in this unique state, Andi had informed me that she made reservations “at the best brunch spot in town.” Speaking my lingo – I typically find restaurants and other things by searching for “the best.” The eatery, Campo, was located at the Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm. The land was originally inhabited by the Ancestral Pueblo Indians, many of whom were thought to have roots in Pueblo, Mexico – where their citizens are called Poblanos. Poblanos is also a type of pepper, by the way. The farm has been home to rams and milk cows, and seedlings of oats, sugar beet, and alfalfa; but now, the 25 dynamic acres are filled with lavender – an ingredient that is infused in the cuisine (with its farm-to-fork ethos), body treatments at the spa, and a plethora of other offerings from their on-site and online shop.
“Ooh–!” I exclaimed when she told me the location. After we were unable to make massage appointments at the Ojo Resort, I had done my own (“best”) research and booked a service at the Hacienda Spa, which is also located on the Los Poblanos property. Comparatively, it has a small menu, with 5 choices of massages; however, the selections are all enticing, and the overall experience and relaxation ritual that is facilitated detracts from the fact that there aren’t packages or an extensive list of treatments. If you’ve been following along with me, you know by now I don’t find much use for a 60-minute or less massage, which was only offered for the basic massages (the therapeutic and deep tissue ones). I was lucky to get a booking a week in advance, but had to pay a deposit since I was not a guest at the Inn.
Despite the “casual”-fine dining atmosphere, there is still an air of “posh” that lingers through the aesthetic. Relative to the community, it’s clearly not quite a fully accessible environment. I had planned to wear a super cute outfit I’d been eyeing for a while and (Lola Skirt Set, size medium) purchased for the trip. I walked through the home into Andi’s room, clothes in hand. As I walked in, I noticed the floral pattern on her pants. “Phew! Okay! Florals are a thing today!” We laughed.
Around 10:30, we all gathered into the car – women in the back, the men in the front, and began the short drive to the serene setting of the ranch. Los Poblanos is kind of tucked away from the main street. Passing the security check-in station, we made our way down the tiny entrance road, lined with whimsical trees. It was a stunningly manicured environment with pebbled stone and dirt pathways.
El Campo is next to the lavender fields and gave me a luxury picnic vibe – with its high ceilings and open floor, warm woods and sleek white colors. We were seated at a table towards the middle of the room.
“I may allow myself to get brunch tipsy,” I joked with my friends. “Please do!” Andi encouraged me, as I did not have any responsibilities to be concerned with. For the record, I only had two- that was enough, haha. “Have what you want!” I chose to indulge in the champagne cocktail ($12) that, of course, had lavender syrup in it. Ron and Dez each sipped on a lavender latte ($6), which I also sampled and enjoyed. I could not wait to try the Blue Corn Sonora Wheat Pancakes ($16) – I substituted the meat (there were no non-pork options) for the crispy potatoes with herbs de Poblanos.
As our food settled into our bellies, we ended up having some kind of existential, reflective conversation about our next steps in life, the energy of and response to change, building confidence, and so many other connected topics. Here, I felt at ease; grateful for the time and energy given and received throughout the weekend.
After we paid for our delicious meals, we wandered the main courtyard and into the gift shop. Honestly, if I could try every product, I would have. For now, I ended up buying two candles ($20 each, 2.5 oz.) for my Self, and the Campo Cocktail Set ($70) as a gift for someone. As we were headed back to the car, we noticed a peacock roaming the lands. We followed it around for a few minutes, but sadly, were not able to spot it as it flared its feathers.
Once back to our dwellings, we all hoped the heavy wind and dark clouds rolling in would hold off for the afternoon; as we had planned to spend that time in the pool. Thankfully, the sun peeked out. “Sun hat time!” I announced.
The next three or four hours was the cherry on top of an ideal Sunday. Andi sat poolside, reading a book, Ron played the guitar and sang a few songs, Dez lounged around, and I just frolicked in the pool until I started to shiver from the cool air brought in by the setting sun. I hugged Dez and said we’d keep in touch as he packed up and started the next leg of his journey – he definitely also had some exciting adventures in his near future. Once again, I quietly made my way to my quarters after dinner.
Monday
I was up before the sun, resting in solitude and with a mind of ease. As soon as I heard Andi moving about, preparing herself for work, I arose to give her the biggest squeeze. I knew I would see her again in no time, so it was a pleasurable exchange. Soon after, Ron also began working (remotely). I planned my day so that I would not have to rush and could relax as I made my way back home. I ate some berries and a piece of baguette Andi had bought from the Los Poblanos cafe. I washed it down with fresh squeezed orange juice that we had all shared and delighted over days before – truly, it was the most purely refreshing and tasty beverage.
Around 11:15am, I took an Uber back to Los Poblanos to spend a little time at their renowned Hacienda Spa. Arriving at the main courtyard, I first stopped at the guest check-in area to get a little assistance in finding my way around.
“Thanks!” I acknowledged, as I made my way down a dirt path, past the lotus pond where two folks were enjoying one another’s company as they sat on a bench. Passing some guest suites, I made my way to a historic Santa Fe style home. The reception area was bright with sunlight beaming from the almost floor-to-ceiling windows that ran from wall-to-wall. A calming eggshell white color palette was complemented by rich, warm, dark woods. As I walked in, to the right was a small gift shop area, and to the left was the welcome counter.
“Good morning… I have a noon massage appointment.”
“Yes. Ms. Woods?”
“Yes, indeed!”
“Your outfit is so cute!”
“Thanks,” I blushed.
I filled out a little bit of paperwork and then I was led to the changing rooms and shown how to use the lockers and where the lounge was to wait in once I was ready. The ladies’ changing room was simply exquisite! The cream walls were accented with pretty pink tile and intricate panels painted by Paul Lantz in 1936. Besides the spacious lockers, there was also a vanity, shower and restroom. I removed my clothing and changed into a plush robe and spa-provided slippers and made my way down the hallway to the waiting lounge. This space set the tone and invited me to begin entering a purely tranquil mood. The room was full of beautiful textures in neutral tones, and there was complimentary infused water and tea to enjoy.
After about 10 minutes, a staff member came into the room.
“Hi. Please help me with your first name; I don’t want to mispronounce it.”
“Skukura. It’s all good,” I smiled.
“Thanks, Skukura. I’m *Carrie. I’ll be taking care of you today.”
She led me through the double doors and out to the beautiful tile and brick courtyard. It had a lovely star-shaped Moorish fountain and a few lounge chairs in each corner that were shaded by umbrellas. From here, we walked into one of the six treatment rooms.
After much pondering before booking, I had decided to receive the Herbal Poultice Massage ($225 for 80 minutes, plus tax and 20% gratuity). The website’s description says it “combines the nutrient-rich benefits of seasonal plants, flowers and herbs foraged from the farm to create a unique and therapeutic massage. The warm poultices are steamed to release the plant’s fragrant healing properties and are then used to rhythmically knead the body. The warmth and fragrance work in tandem to provide deep muscle release while calming the body and repairing tissue.” So, yeah… that’s what I wanted. The treatment began by selecting one of their signature essential oil fragrances to be used as aromatherapy during my rejuvenation time. I was asked if I wanted an add-on of some post-treatment under eye pads that… did something – I really don’t remember. I said, “Sure!” The eye pads were about $20. I tend to kind of fall asleep when I get massages, so no detailed review, but definitely top 3 of any massage I’ve ever had. Once the service wrapped up, the masseuse stepped out of the room to allow me to place my robe over my soft, tender body. I took my time – slowly bringing movement to my limbs, stretching for a few minutes before snuggling back up into the robe. As I exited the room, she handed me a warm, clay cup of tea, which tasted like a literal cup of relaxation. Carrie explained that I could go into the Sala Grande – another lounge – or I could soak up the fresh air and sun in the courtyard. I opted for the courtyard and made myself comfortable on one of the cushiony, beige chairs. After a few minutes, I began to doze off. I was awakened by a small group of women walking through, and realized it was about time to head out. Gracefully, I found my way back to the changing room and gathered my belongings.
I sauntered back to the welcome counter to pay for my services. This time, there were two staff members in the area.
“Your outfit is so cute!”
“Right! And she has a matching sweater, too!”
“What’s a vacation if you don’t get a few new outfits,” I laughed.
“Where do you shop?”
I informed them where I get most of my clothes and we chatted for a few minutes.
Heading out the door, I decided to give in to my urges and buy just one more thing. Los Poblanos offers several teas, but the one served in this space was the Hacienda Spa Tea ($20), which I couldn’t resist buying a bag to take home with me. It contains lemongrass, cinnamon, cherry bark, sage leaf, eucalyptus, orange peel, cedar tips, chamomile, lavender and calendula. I grabbed a bag and asked the attendant to charge it to my card, which was on file from purchasing the spa services.
Strolling along the pebbled pathways, I soon noticed a peacock perched on top of a wall. I admired it for a few moments. As two other patrons walked past, I pointed out the stunning creature.
“Oh – we just saw one earlier. Have you seen the back of its feathers?” One lady asked.
“No, not yet; I was hoping to catch it showing off before I head out.” I replied.
“Are you staying here?” The other older woman questioned.
“No – just using the spa here; it was really nice!”
We bid another good day and I sat in a courtyard as I waited for my Uber. With about 5 minutes until my ride arrived, another peacock decided to give me the pleasure of witnessing its glorious fan of feathers. I reveled in its beauty before going to meet my driver in the parking lot.
Back at the house, I had about an hour before I needed to go to the airport. I scheduled another Uber and arrived with about an hour and some change before the flight left. This time, it was more pleasant – quiet, quick and without any issues. Once I landed back in Pittsburgh, an officer helped direct me to the shuttle stop. I made it on right before he pulled off! There was one other couple aboard, that was dropped off first, and then I directed the driver to my car’s location. As he pulled up to the bus stop, the driver asked, “What row did you say your car was in?”
I was happy he was thoughtful because even though there seemed to be no one out, it was late and I was alone.
“Oh, thank you! I was just about two or three rows over,” I mentioned. “I’m pretty sure this one,” I said as we approached a nearby row of cars. He slowly drove down the aisle as I searched out the windows for my vehicle. Suddenly, a thought came to mind to set off my alarm. Just as I did, I realized we had just passed it.
“Here it is!” I exclaimed. I gave him a cash tip and scurried to my car.
Once home, I found myself smiling. It was such a wonderful getaway and another testament to the life that I am creating for my Self; an affirmation that I am on my right path, that the decisions I have made over the past couple of years made space for me to welcome in new experiences and to nurture novice, but safe connections. I honor my Self by cleansing and releasing that which weighs me down, brings delays to my forward movement, and disturbs my inner peace. I find gratitude for the past because it helps me appreciate exactly where I am right now; and, I can be excited for where I will go.