I dread choosing gifts for my wife. Birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s – each one is another occasion for me to flop. But this year I had a concierge service arrange the most over-the-top package of spa experiences. And as we sit in the Mud Lounge of the Solage Spa – slathered from head to toe in “a mineral-rich blend of clay and volcanic ash mixed with essential oils” – I know I’ve redeemed myself.
Day One
We are on Day One of a three-day journey taking us from Calistoga to Carneros to Kenwood, covering the three best Napa and Sonoma spas. Having rinsed off the mud, we’re now soaking in oversized tubs filled with mineral water heated by the geothermal spring that runs beneath us.
We had spent the morning hiking the Oat Hill Mine trail. Three and a half hours up, up, up to 1,800 feet above the valley. But right now I can’t conceive of doing anything more physical than lifting a wine glass to my lips. Perhaps a glass of Kelly Fleming Sauvignon Blanc, a teeny winery we passed on the way up here.