Last week was the opening of the new medi-spa at the Woodmark in Kirkland. The Northwest Face Spa offers a full range of spa treatments in addition to skin analysis from medically trained aestheticians. To put it simply, you can have a complete facial analysis, your toenails painted and a hot rock massage, all within the Woodmark.
I was invited over for a treatment and to tour the remodeled facility just prior to their grand opening and I chose to have a Body Wrap. It was a good choice because 1) not only did I get to experience something new, but 2) I had a conversation with the therapist, Nancy, that has stayed with me for 2 weeks now.
First, about the body wrap. For the uninitiated, this is where your body gets slathered up with a series of scrubs, butters and oils to hydrate your body. You’re then wrapped in mylar (yes, like the balloons) and left to absorb all the hydration from either the fruity-smelling or chocolate lathers (I went with the fruits preferring to eat my chocolate). You lie on a heated bed so it’s all quite warming (and not far from burrito-like).
Once you’re unwrapped, all those oils and scrubs are gently rubbed off. Somewhere in there I received a head massage too. It was truly relaxing and my skin felt great afterward.
The lasting effect, however, came from the conversation I had with Nancy during the wrap process. We got to talking about eating healthy including the benefits of raw foods and coconut juice. She eats raw meals (nothing cooked) for breakfast and dinner and has a big (meat) lunch. She went into some detail about special herbs she buys in the International District. I was really impressed with her knowledge and she explained that she’s part Chinese and grew up surrounded by this sense of which herbs, vegetables and juices were good for you.
She also mentioned the guru of the raw food movement, David Wolfe, and suggested that I look him up on Youtube. Which I did.
And now, I’m hooked on coconut water and have been incorporating raw food meals into my diet. It’s not something I will likely eat 3 meals a day, but I’m intrigued enough by the health benefits that I’m now doing more exploring. Thanks, Nancy!
So, would I recommend a wrap? Well, it’s pricey at $125 for 60 minutes though I’d pay that for a full-on body massage. But, if you wanted to treat yourself, it’s worth the price. Plus the whole experience at the Woodmark Spa is first class all the way including staff and facilities. Drop by and see for yourself!
Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa
1200 Carillon Point
Kirkland, WA 98033
425-822-3700