I have been adventuring a lot lately, discovering dirt roads, camping new grounds, surfing new waves, hiking new peaks. But this time, for my friend Julie’s birthday, I decided it would be nice to get a little less dirty, and a little more sassy, yet classy.
Starting off the day with a scenic flight to Vancouver from Whistler aboard one of Harbour Air’s float planes, seemed like the ideal start to a day of indulgence. So on Saturday morning, after breakfasts of delicious omelettes and mimosas on the patio of Table Nineteen, at Nicklaus North Golf Course, we boarded our Beaver aircraft.
We took off from the calm waters of Green Lake and flew over the town of Whistler, hugging the mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb. As we ascended in a cloudless sky, we noticed below the familiars: the lakes we swim, the trails we hike, the roads we drive. I even spotted my house!
We were left in awe and wonder as we aviated above the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, flying up close to the mighty Black Tusk, a pinnacle of volcanic rock erecting 2,319m above sea level. As we travelled south towards the big city, we looked upon the magnificient Stawamus Chief, a granite dome towering over 700m above water. Ahead laid a picturesque image of the majestic Howe Sound. We approached Vancouver, and admired the sailboats soaking in the sun in the Burrard Inlet, between the city and the North Shore Mountains. We commenced our descent in the downtown’s harbour, where we glimpsed at the spectacular Lion Gate Bridge on our right, and two massive cruise ships on our left, preparing to set sail to Alaska. Our eyes were pleased with splendors, and our hearts filled with joy and gratitude.
Once we landed in Vancouver’s downtown, we decided to rent bicycles and play tourists for the day. We pedaled around the famous Stanley Park’s SeaWall, a 9km waterfront paved path, looping around the urban park. We paused for a quick refreshment where we made friends with geese grazing on grasses in the field.
After a couple hours of cycling and wandering, it felt right to head to a nail spa to rest, relax and pamper ourselves. We walked a couple blocks towards Robson Street and went to Robson Nail & Spa. We had “manis & pedis” while sitting comfortably in a massage chair, sipping on green tea and watching the Montreal Canadian winning desperately against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Our beauty treatments finished, we walked up the street towards downtown. We chose Ebisu for dinner where we splurged on delicious cocktails and wine, and regaled on very unique sushis. With our palates pleased and our bellies satisfied from a great meal, we headed to our hotel room at Le Soleil, a 4-diamond luxury boutique hotel located in the heart of downtown, a complimentary birthday gift from one of Julie’s friends. We popped champagne and cheered for a spectacular day of indulgence.
We live in a world where we tend to spend more time working than living, and find ourselves guilty of forgetting to take care of our own heart, mind and body. Never forget to reward yourself occasionally. Whether they are daily little pleasures, or sporadic extravagant expenditures, pampering ourselves allow us to re-emerge into our daily routines with extra confidence, boosted self-esteem, and increased energy. Not only does pampering enhance the inner glow, but is also makes us feel special and worthy. Every boy deserves to be spoiled once in a while, and every girl deserves to feel like a princess from time to time. So go ahead and pamper yourself, not only because you deserve it, but because you are worth it!
