Laying on a beach in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida on a perfect  80 degree day after an amazing seafood lunch and visit to the Salvador Dali museum, I was feeling pretty content and thought there was just no way that life could get any better that day.

Well it did,  as soon as I checked in to the Innisbrook Resort to prepare for an entire day of pampering at the Indaba Spa.  You might wonder exactly how does one prepare for a spa day…well in my case it involved checking into one of their amazing suites, donning the ultra plush robe that greeted me as soon as I entered the bedroom and letting my mind and body completely relax… before my scheduled day of relaxation…it seemed like the right thing to do…

The Indaba Spa is absolutely beautiful, I love and appreciate that it did not have a gimmicky feel nor was it trying to be one of those uber trendy spas that people tend to forget after the hype is over.  It was just very inviting, beautiful and calming, to me everything a spa is supposed to be.

My first order of business was to choose what I wanted for lunch (this is a part of The Indaba Experience), then off I went to my locker to change into my official spa gear…a snugly robe and mildly massaging slippers.  My first treatment of the day was the Signature Facial.  All of the products used for the facial were from a natural and organic skincare line called Eminence Organics and with names such as  Lemon Cleanser, Pineapple Enzyme Peel and Apricot Lip Moisturizer, I felt like my skin was getting the nutrition that my body is so deprived of. The neck, shoulder and foot massage that Jennifer administered (and are a part of the Indaba Signature Facial) left me so relaxed I didn’t think I needed the full body massage that was next on my schedule of services.  Well after Melissa (my masseuse) was finished with me, I realized how silly that notion was.  I wondered if I had morphed into the bad guy from Terminator 2…my limbs felt like liquid!

Next up was my lunch of salad, water and white wine that I ordered upon arriving and which I had the choice of eating inside in the lounge area or outside in the wonderful Florida sunshine surrounded by nature (I also had the option of laying out in the shade or sun on one of their super cute lawn chairs.)

I ended my spa day (or as I now refer to it my outer body experience) with a Coco-Lucious Manicure and Pedicure (I just love saying Coco-Lucious!)  All of the products used for the mani and pedi were also from Eminence Organics and smelled absolutely heavenly…nothing less expected with names like Coconut Scrub and Mango Enzyme.

I highly recommend either arriving early or staying late…or both, to partake of the steam room, hot tub or laying out with a good book or magazine.

In addition to being completely relaxed and pampered from head to toe surrounded by absolute beauty, I also gained some valuable beauty knowledge from my esthetician, masseuse and nail technician.

1)      Brushing my lips with a toothbrush (which I read in a fashion magazine), was not a good idea as there are great lip scrubs out there.

2)      There is a very big difference between a Physical Therapist and a Physical Terrorist.

3)      The nail shape that I prefer has a name….squoval

4)      Try to moisturize your hands after every wash (prevents dryness and hang nails)

5)      And last but definitely not least, people in Florida really pay attention to your hands and feet, especially feet…so keep up with those mani’s and pedi’s on a regular basis…thanks Indaba Spa!