This past weekend two very good friends and I took a trip to Montauk, New York for a pre-birthday (mine) celebration.  A few days of relaxing at the beach, wandering around the piers, window-shopping, drinkporn and foodporn at some excellent seafood restaurants and of course some spa time for total pampering.

The forecast was a bit hit or miss – some clouds, some rain, maybe some sun but we three have traveled all over the world so weather was not going to be an impediment. Using many alternative and sometimes side-stepping roads to avoid holiday and rush hour traffic we arrived in Montauk late afternoon and checked in to our lovely beachfront suite at Gurney’s Resort and Spa – guess you could say we were having a “Weekend at Gurney’s” (let’s see how many of you get the reference.

Even in drizzly rain our views were wonderful:

After a Prosecco cocktail (since the suite came with a kitchen/refrigerator we brought plenty of “supplies”) we enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at the hotel’s Scarpetta Beach Restaurant and settled in for a blissful sleep.  You may not be able to see much in this video since the night was still rainy, but with my deck door open all night I had the best sound machine lull me to sleep:

We awoke bright-eyed and ready for fun – well maybe after we brewed some coffee and had a quick breakfast and since it was still raining we decided to drive into town and browse in a few stores. However, there seems to be a certain dynamic when I am with my friends – they browse – and I end up purchasing items they find for me.  I am not complaining.

Early afternoon we wended our way to the spa for our treatments.  I had decided to splurge and go for 90 minute full body “Active Green Argilite Mud Therapy.”  Here is the description from the spa’s website:

This ultimate therapy begins with an exfoliation using our signature seaweed scrub followed by a warmed mineral-rich argilite mud “body mask wrap” mixed with bioactive herbal extracts. While you rest, receive a gentle scalp massage using rich oils of frankincense. This treatment ends with an application of our signature seaweed laminaria oil. Excellent for increasing metabolism, and reducing fluid retention while it softens and nourishes the skin. This treatment is enhanced with our detox-Tisana blended tea. 90 minutes

Ahhhh.

I have to mention that between each application I was guided into a shower room to wash off. The first time, the therapist asked if I minded getting my face and hair wet.  My hair is quite long and had just been washed so I opted for a shower cap, but said I didn’t mind my face getting wet, especially since it was getting unguents and oils as well.

Into the shower – and the next thing I felt was water propelled from every single corner of this large stall – a 360 degree deluge.  Wow.  I kept turning to find a place where there were no water jets (there were none) so when the therapist came to bring me back to the treatment room I was facing backwards, having become completely but pleasantly disoriented.

The rest of the treatment was sinfully relaxing and I even enjoyed the Tisana tea, which the therapist said did not taste particularly good (disagree).

Dinner at Muse, a new seafood restaurant was amazing – despite the few working-out-the kinks-mishaps (wrong drinks and meals served). No problem.

Thinking we would have some nightcaps before retiring I went into my bedroom to ditch my purse and shoes – and came out to this:

My wonderful friends set up this birthday treat – the cake was chocolate with cannoli cream – and I didn’t forget to take the cannoli on top.  In addition to some amazing gifts that were totally color coordinated despite the fact that they had not colluded I also received a box full of ChapStick tubes – those who know me will get the joke.

And now to the heavens – as I went to open my deck door to listen to the waves – the sky began to clear – and the nightsky gave me a magnificent birthday display (of course I had one of my cameras with me).   These are time-lapse photos to gather as much moonlight as possible:

Not to be outdone by the full moon, the sun also put on a show at dawn:

 

Even the ocean and some passing seagulls added to this glorious new morning:

Thank you, my dear friends, for a very special weekend.

To the moon, stars, sun and beach – based on what you just showed me I think it is going to be a great year to come.

 

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