Texas two-step
At Austin resort, the western motif meets spa indulgence in a weekend getaway that features fitness and Texas Hold 'Em classes, decadent massages and the opportunity to pose on a steer
When I hear the words "Cowgirl Camp," I picture wearing spurs, riding horses, eating beans out of a tin cup and smelling a bit like a barn when it's all over.
That's why I signed up for Lake Austin Spa Resort's Urban Cowgirl Camp, the key word being urban.
(Courtesy)
No worrying about whether this holster makes my hips look big; this cowgirl's get-up would consist of a terry cloth robe and slippers. Instead of hopping on a palomino, I'd be climbing on a massage table. Substitute the beans for locally sourced spa cuisine and send me home smelling like a lavender field in Provence.
In other words, urban cowgirl camp is a lot more John Travolta than John Wayne, and that was just fine with me and my city-dwelling friend, Katie. We flew to Austin, Texas, earlier this month for the resort's new Urban Cowgirl weekend, a three-night getaway that's being offered four times next year.
Our "camp" happened to be voted the No. 2 destination spa in North America this year in Conde Nast Traveler's readers' poll. Set in Texas Hill Country on the shores of Lake Austin, which actually is a dammed portion of the Colorado River, this former nudist colony is now a cozy resort with only 40 guest rooms.
It's one of those places that takes away all your excuses about why you don't exercise or eat right. Fitness classes, hikes and kayak outings are yours for the taking. The resort's menu is loaded with healthful options. Each dish lists a detailed breakdown of fat content and calories, which rarely top 300 per entree.
But yoga classes and grilled salmon aren't what really lures the women, a few men and would-be cowgirls to this Austin resort. They mainly come for the LakeHouse Spa. And quite simply, it rocks.
Guests can choose from more than 100 treatments in a country setting that's a refreshing change from the Asian-inspired, Zen-centric spas that are more concerned with being cool than comfortable. At Lake Austin, you wait for your spa appointment curled up with a cup of tea under a crocheted blanket in front of a limestone fireplace.
A sprawling garden on the property grows herbs used in various body treatments, some of which are based on ancient principles of Ayurveda and Thalassotherapy. I have no idea what that means, but it feels darn good. I indulged in the decadent 110-minute Tour of Texas treatment. It kicks off with a prickly pear scrub to exfoliate the skin, followed by an aloe vera wrap and a body massage using cactus lotion. Giddy up!
Thoroughly enjoying spa treatments is one of several skills one must master to be a true urban cowgirl. Other necessary talents include the ability to play Texas Hold 'Em, which you get a crash course in during a one-hour poker lesson, and the ability to sit on the saddle of a real live Texas longhorn for a photo. Bonus points if you pose for said picture in your robe.
Austin artist Bob "Daddy O" Wade, whose work is featured in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, dropped by one afternoon to help us decorate T-shirts. Pistol Packin' Paula also made an appearance to crack bullwhips and twirl guns for our entertainment. Poor Paula normally shoots primers during her routine, but gunfire is frowned upon at spas.
We cowgirls had the chance to learn how to do the Texas Two-Step in preparation for a Saturday night outing to the Broken Spoke dance hall, an Austin institution. The 44-year-old live-music venue is full of men (mostly of the older variety) wearing cowboy boots, hats and big belt buckles in a completely un-ironic way.
I like to think we were a little too urban for these cowboys' tastes, because none of us was asked to put our Two-Steppin' dance skills into practice. But after all that healthy spa cuisine, we were too busy wolfing down the Broken Spoke's chicken fried steak to mind.