Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Vacation - All I Ever Wanted

Sometimes a girl just needs to get away.

This summer I unplugged, dialed down and otherwise tried to hide off the grid. There's something liberating about calling your own shots, and I thought this summer was the perfect time to dip out.

It was delicious.

As part of my unplugging, I decided to employ some R & R. The kind that comes with a trip out of town - when you go to a place where no one knows your name, you have the time to linger over your thoughts a bit.

But my work schedule didn't allow for a full on trek to Tahiti. Instead, I was grateful for an overnight trip to Belterra. I know what you're thinking. What? It's, like, 45 miles away. How can you call that a getaway? 

Sometimes all you need is a spotty cell signal and a poolside lounge chair with frosty cocktails to get away from anyone and anything that's nagging.

The BF and I were joined on this jaunt by Bluegrass Brit and her hubs, Double 0. We met in the bar at the resort's Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse and enjoyed a couple cocktails until we were ready to make our way to our table. I sipped on my well made gimlet and oohed and ahhed over some Lush bath bombs Bluegrass Brit gave me for the occasion.

More on that later.

Dinner started with some appetizers - including Ruby's massive shrimp cocktail. Thicker than my thumbs and bigger than a pedestal on a wine glass, these shrimp were not shrimpy.

Shrimp - Not Shrimpy

Yum.

For my entree, I was served a perfectly prepared Steak Collinsworth - a filet topped with crab, asparagus, and Bearnaise and Bordelaise sauces. It's decadent but worth every penny of its $39 price tag. The dinner was a bit spendy, but we were enjoying a special evening with dear friends, so it was worth it.

Steak Collinswortheverypenny

Double 0, Bluegrass Brit, Yours Truly and the BF

We didn't gamble a dime, and we didn't take in the evening's entertainment (Ed note: Did you know the Chippendales apparently carry a rider that calls for a barrel of baby oil? According to sources...). Instead we retired to our rooms for more R & R.

Beautifully appointed with lots of marble and lavish window treatments and linens of cream, gold and navy, many of the rooms at Belterra offer very comfy King-sized beds and oversized Jacuzzi tubs.

The BF and I relaxed with a long bubble bath, complete with bubble beards and devil horns. The tub was a very indulgent experience and from now on I'll seek out other hotels that offer them.

But enough about that.

Belterra's resort has its own Starbucks, so you don't need to forgo your daily venti-skinny-caramel-half caff-latte, if that's your thing. We grabbed our coffees and made our way to the resort's nicely sized pool. One end of the pool is ringed with draped cabanas that are appointed with televisions and other comfy amenities. There are plenty of lounge chairs in the sun, too.

Pro tip: I'd suggest getting to the pool before 11 a.m. if you're hot on securing your choice of chairs.

We chose a few loungers near the shallow end and enjoyed several cocktails as we soaked up the sun. The cabana can handle most of your frozen drink fantasies, but on this particular day it wasn't well stocked with sodas and other mixers. It may have been an off day; we weren't going anywhere and could afford to be patient. The bartender was pleasant and the drinks were affordable (about $7 each).

All in all, our overnight trip to Belterra was a great experience. I could see Tri-State area couples enjoying its proximity to Greater Cincinnati and the ease of getting to Florence, Indiana. Likewise, local bachelor/bachelorette parties might enjoy Belterra for its Vegas-Like features without the added price tag of a flight.

We are already pining for our next "vacation" to Belterra.


(Disclosure: Special thanks to Belterra for the comped hotel rooms).

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