Maple Syrup, Did Someone Say Spa?

If Pancakes are your way of life, than maple syrup is what gives your life meaning! I just returned from the Avanyu Spa located within the Equinox Resort nestled at the base of Mount Equinox Mountain in Manchester Vermont. This is the heart of maple syrup country surrounded by the beautiful Green mountains an enticing outdoor paradise at 3,800 feet above sea level.

We flew into Hartford, Connecticut airport; rented our trail blazer Jeep and we were on our way. Two hours of easy driving thru 19th century backdrop towns with spiring steeples and stately maples, lead us up into the Green Mountains. I was amazed how beautiful the drive was. Even better, my cell phone did not work. For those of you, who want to escape, come up to Manchester!

As we were approaching Manchester, I noticed all the sidewalks were paved with marble. You see back in the late 1800’s, Most of the tycoons who owned and operated the railroad lived in Manchester. Other notables as Norman Rockwell, Ethan Allen, and Charles Orvis all chose to make their home here.

Everywhere you look there is a sense of history dating back to the American Revolution. Today Manchester offers world class fashion outlets, antique shops, galleries, bookstores, gourmet shops, historical landmarks, skiing, canoeing, and golf.

At the center of this affluent village stands the 200 year old the Equinox Resort & Spa Hotel. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted warmly by a longtime elderly gentleman and whisked away to our room. Our room was located in the main building which houses 136 rooms. The hominess décor of the room was the perfect setting for being in the Mountains.

With just an hour to spare before my Spa appointment, I inquired about the other activities that the Equinox offered. Off-Road driving school, features lessons in Land Rover discoveries, for adults and children” The British School of Falconry, where guests can take their Falcon to the hunting field with a special trained dog.

The Avanyu Spa is located on the grounds of the Equinox hotel. It is located in the courtyard. The 13,000 square ft, full service Spa houses an indoor swimming pool, saunas, steam baths, and a relaxation room. The cozy relaxation room has overstuffed chairs placed in front of the fire place. For those seeking exercise, the Avanyu offers state of the art equipment and a movement studio for Yoga, Pilates and meditation. The Spa offers indigenous treatments. Some of these unique treatments are the Mountain Man facial- a deep cleaning and softing facial just for men. Another interesting treatment was the pure Vermont Maple Scrub! As you know Vermont is the capital of Maple Syrup. Image having Maple sugar scrub rubbed over your body as an ex-foliate. It was extremely invigorating. (But I did feel like a piece of French toast!)

The next day I decided it was time for a facial. Not just any facial. Avanyu Spa had the Carita Progressif facial. This particular facial is taught by Carita Specialists. In order to administer the facial, you have to be trained by a Carita technician. Carita is a very famous Spa in Paris and has been around since the 1950’s when the Carita sisters made a name for themselves by dealing with a number of American Movie Stars.

I tried the Carita Progessif facial (which I also experienced in Paris), but wanted to try it again in Vermont. The esthetician began by analyzing my complexion. She than agreed this was the right facial for my type of skin. One of the secret ingredients Carita’s uses is Sun Flower seeds. It truly minimizes your pores and softens as well as exfoliates the dead skin cells.

The last night of our stay we ate lobster on a deck overlooking Gleneagles golf course. As the sun slowly set during our clambake, a lone Scottish bagpiper appeared from the surrounding woods to welcome the last several foursomes to the 18th green. That is Vermont style.