What a girl wants
Busy women benefit from time away with friends
(Article was truncated for the Blog, to see the full article go to http://www.torontosun.com/Travel/USA/2008/01/13/4770417-sun.html ) - lg
By ROBIN ROBINSON, SUN MEDIA
Juggling the demands of children, spouse and a career can be a bit like running a marathon -- every single day.
Once in a while it's liberating to slip the bonds of responsibility and share some laughs with friends. And nothing can recharge a woman's batteries more completely than a getaway with a few close gal pals.
Realistically, most of us can only say adios to our family for a few days so it makes sense to pick a destination with activities to suit everyone's style, such as Palm Beach County
,
Fla.
In Florida's largest county you'll find all the ingredients for a winter getaway that pampers your inner girl: Sunny skies, great beaches, chic hotels, smart restaurants, fabulous shopping, rejuvenating spas, loads of diversions -- from high culture to kitsch -- and a touch of glamour.
SET THE SCENE
Every great getaway needs a great setting. Here are two ideas:
Between Boca Raton
and West Palm Beach
, Delray Beach
has a decidedly retro feel.
The town's main drag -- Atlantic Avenue -- is home to boutiques, bistros and art galleries. There is a full roster of events -- everything from an annual Garlic Festival, Feb. 8-10, to the Delray International Tennis Championships, Feb. 9-17, which attracts top-rated players.
Bostons on the Beach -- where seafood and ocean views are the house specialities -- is a local institution. (Reserve a table on the open Upperdeck and try their signature drink, the Boston Strangler -- a killer combination of rum, apricot brandy, orange juice, pineapple and grenadine.)
Delray's wide swath of coast is among the best and most pristine on Florida
's Atlantic
Coast
.
The nonsmoking Delray Beach Marriott is steps from the white sand beach and within walking distance of downtown. Rooms are generously sized --many have sea views and balconies -- and there is a pretty outdoor pool.
See delraybeachmarriott.com.
Up the coast, the Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa is the only hotel on this fabulous stretch of coast. Its secluded, 300-metre private beach is bordered by a state park and although only 20 km from West Palm Beach
, the hotel feels far removed from the hubbub of the surrounding area.
A recent renovation added dark wood panelling, Turkish marble flooring and other luxury finishes that make the property feel more like a country home than a hotel.
See jupiterbeachresort.com.
A TOUCH OF GLAM
Palm Beach
County
takes its name from the tiny barrier island known for its ultra-rich residents.
In addition to wealth (Palm Beach is home to 24 billionaires), what makes America's richest community go 'round is "the season" -- the months from November through April when everyone who is anyone is in town, and the glittering parties and must-do fundraisers reach their zenith. While your group may not be invited to any $2,500 per plate events, you can get an insider's take on the action with Leslie Diver's Island Living tour.
The stockbroker-turned-tour operator and longtime resident dishes a little gossip on fabled Palm Beach personalities from the past and present (Donald Trump is currently out of favour, Jimmy Buffet travels with a bodyguard, Rod Stewart rides his bike around town) during three-hour tours that take in Billionaire's Row, Worth Avenue and Royal Palm Way, described as the Wall Street of Palm Beach.
In case you wondered, the rich are different. Diver says the 20-km island, which is about 1 km wide, has three fire stations, two police stations and garbage pick up five days per week.
"There is no crime ... and they'll even come to your backyard to pick up the trash," she says.
See islandlivingpb.com.
SPAAAAAAAH
When it's time for serious pampering there is no need to look any further than your hotel spa.
The pretty, new two-storey n.Reagan Spa at the Delray Beach Marriott has 12 treatment rooms, a salon, fitness studio, his and her lounges and ocean view terraces.
Owner Nancy Reagan's philosophy is to make the spa a "comfortable oasis" and a place where "real people come to retreat from the pressure of daily life."
Services include beauty treatments with whimsical names such as the First Lady Facial and Walk The Red Carpet Pedicure, couples' massages in private outdoor cabanas and a spa menu prepared by the hotel's chef, Adam Savage.
See nreaganspa.com.
The new spa at the Jupiter Beach Resort puts the emphasis on "health, well being and finding your true essence," spa manager Jaimee Searle says.
Treatments range from SweThai massage, a blend of Swedish and Thai techniques, to Shirodhara, a massage that incorporates warm herbal oil flowing over the third eye, to Tropical Sugar body wraps. The Spa, which has six treatment rooms, is moving toward using more organic products, Searle says. See jupiterbeachresort.com.
OUT AND ABOUT
Between beach bumming, spa wraps, eating, drinking and laughing out loud, you may want to take in some county attractions.
You can easily spend an afternoon at the Morikami
Museum
and Japanese
Gardens
, a true hidden gem. The Journal of Japanese Gardens ranks Morikami 8th among more than 300 Japenese gardens outside Japan
.
Built on 80 hectares of land donated by George Morikami -- a Japanese immigrant who came to the U.S.
in 1906 with the Yamato agricultural colony -- the centre tells the little-known story of the failed settlement.
It's a pleasant stroll through the six gardens, where highlights are rock gardens, a Bamboo Grove, a bonsai collection and a koi pond. The history of the colony is detailed at the Japanese villa-style Yamato-kan, the centre's original museum, while the main building has an excellent film, revolving exhibits and a tea house, where tea ceremonies are held monthly.
The centre's Cornell Cafe -- noted as one of the best museum cafes in the U.S.
-- offers selections such as a Bento box with chicken and salmon teriyaki, Asian eggplant, red shrimp over golden tofu, pork and vegetable dumpling, and sushi.
See morikami.org.
The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, a 55-room Beaux Arts mansion that was home to the Standard Oil tycoon, provides a glimpse into how Florida's other half lived in the Gilded Age. Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway and his glam hotels such as The Breakers brought real estate development to Florida
, which in the late 1800s was something of a swampy frontier.
Audio guides provide details on the mansion, originally called Whitehall
. After, tour Flagler's private rail car then tuck into a traditional tea in the Pavilion Cafe.
See flaglermuseum.us.
Other options for touring include a climb up the 105 steps of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse for a panoramic view at the top. Or charter a yacht like the SeaLimo for a sunset cruise along the calm waters of the intercoastal waterway. Don't forget to BYOC (bring your own Chardonnay).
SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP
It goes without saying that no girlfriend's getaway would be complete without a dose of retail therapy.
You can give your credit cards a major workout in the designer joints -- Hermes, Giorgio Armani, Brooks Brothers, Bulgari, Van Cleef and Arpel, and Tiffany & Co. -- on Worth Avenue.
If you've blown most of your cash on your getaway, at the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach
Gardens
you'll find five department stores -- Bloomingdales, Macy's, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sears -- designer shops like Burberry, Gucci, Chanel, etc. and more budget friendly chains such as Forever 21, Gap and White House/Black Market.
---
MORE FUN
GIRLS' NIGHT OUT
Hire a limo and head to Palm Beach
for a night on the town.
There's live music at the Chesterfield Hotel's Leopard Lounge. Known as a hangout for old guard Palm Beachers, it also attracts visiting celebs. See chesterfieldpb.com.
