Virtuoso Insights - February/March 2009 - (Page 48) texas | a lone Star Slowdown in the Heart of Hill Country Learning to go with the flow at The Lake Austin Spa Resort. By Joel Puglisi “ R ELAX. SLOW DOWN. TAKE A DEEP BREATH.” Our greeting, the first words my girlfriend and I hear upon arriving at The Lake Austin Spa Resort, sounds more like a mantra, though one we’re clearly in need of learning. We’re rushing, as always, and late for our planned meeting with our hostess Pam, who must sense immediately that we’ve carried the haste of the outside world here with us. Approaching, she motions for us to take in the natural beauty and quietude of our new surroundings, and then gently insists: “Calm down. Let your tensions slip away. You’re here.” One of the premier wellness retreats in all the world, this temple-like sanctuary in the Texas Hill Country caters to mind-body-soul pilgrims seeking balance and restoration, and with our laptops at home and busy schedules on hold, Adrienne and I have come in search of the same. Our mission: to see how much stress we can shed during our three-day stay. It’s clear that if we can follow Pam’s example, this won’t be too difficult a task. Before leading us to our room and departing for her own spa treatment, Pam walks us along the lake (a placid portion of the Colorado River) while pointing out native flowers along the way. As we heed her call to take time to smell the newly bloomed bluebonnets and mountain laurel, the pace of this place begins to set in. We see super-relaxed guests clad in white bathrobes emerging from the spa and others in workout clothes glowing after a recent cardio class. Other guests, opting for an even slower pace, laze in hammocks or stroll in monastic silence through the organic gardens. Upon bidding us adieu, our gracious hostess (who was inspired to stay and work here following her own visit 20 years ago), hands us a list of activities scheduled during our stay. Formerly of the mind that we’d spend some of our weekend exploring nearby Austin, the thought of leaving the resort, if 48 Virtuoso insights
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