Silverado Mansion

Now this is a contest.  If you have a love for all things spa, wine and blogging with just a pinch of the misandry, then the “Spa Girl Package” is the prize for you!

UpTake has partnered with the Silverado Resort in beautiful Napa Valley for a blog contest with the prize being a “Spa Girl Package” for you and three of your friends.

It’ll be just like Silverado the movie, but without Kevin Costner acting all goofy.

Prize
One winner will receive a “Spa Girl Package for Four” (valued at $1,140.00.) This is the perfect Napa Valley spa package for you and three of your closest friends. Enjoy all that Wine Country has to offer with this Napa Valley vacation package.
Package includes (per person):

• Shared accommodations in a spacious fireplace suite with kitchen, living room and dining area
• One 50-minute Spa treatment and full use of The Spa at Silverado and 20% off additional select 50-minute spa services
• Wine Tasting at Black Stallion Winery
• Silverado Resort tote bag
• Breakfast in either of our cafes
• All taxes, service charges and Resort Fee

Cheers! It's the wine country.

Deadline
The blog contest begins at Midnight on April 15, 2009 (PST) and ends at Midnight on May 15, 2009 (PST).

Submission

1. Write a post about why you deserve a getaway on your blog and include a link to the UpTake.com homepage (www.uptake.com.) Linking to the home page on the UpTake site is a requirement for entry.
2. You must also tell us you entered by commenting on this post. Please include your email address in the comment field. We will contact you using this email address if you are the winner.

Requirements & Criteria

1. The winning post will be judged upon the quality of its writing, its originality and how well it conveys why you and three of your friends deserve a getaway more than any other entrant. Since UpTake is a family-friendly site, we require the post be “family-friendly” and reserve the right to reject unsuitable or pornographic material.
2. Only one entry per day per blogger. Each entry must be associated with a new blog post. Each participant may submit up to ten posts total.
3. Entry materials may not infringe on any third party rights and you must have obtained permission from the third party if their property or image appears in the text of the post or in any photos included with the post. We can disqualify the entry at our sole discretion if we cannot obtain the necessary permissions for any element or component of the post.
4. Prize must be claimed within one year of the contest conclusion. Accommodations and Spa appointments are based upon availability at time of booking.”

Judging
The winning post will be selected by the Silverado executive team by May 22nd, 2009. Winner will be selected on the above criteria.

Terms and Conditions
Since UpTake is a family-friendly site, we reserve the right to reject unsuitable or pornographic posts or images.

Copyright

1. Copyright for any of your original posts will be licensed to UpTake under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
2. Copyright of the post remains the property of the blogger.
3. Entries must be submitted by the original author. Only posts submitted by the original author will be considered. Do not submit a post written by someone other than yourself. You must be the sole owner of the copyright of any post submitted. Your submission of the post is your guarantee that you are the author and copyright holder of the post.

Official Rules

Please go here for the official rules.

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Is there anything better than girlfriends?

One of my favorite places to get together for a weekend with girlfriends is Orlando, Florida.  The weather is great year round and there is so much to do on a girls’ getaway without having to go too far.

Where To Stay For a Girls’ Getaway in Orlando, Florida:

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando is my first choice for a weekend getaway with the girls.  It’s obviously not cheap, but if you’re splitting the cost with three or four other women, it’s a great opportunity to spoil yourself.  Nobody does luxury like The Ritz and their spa is the perfect place to spend a day pampering yourself with some of your closest friends.

Universal’s Royal Pacific Resort is next on my list of places to stay for a girls weekend in Orlando.  The rooms are beautiful, the staff is amazing, and the location is excellent for access to other things to do in the area.  The best part about staying at a Universal hotel is that you can get to and from Universal’s City Walk at night by water taxi.  It’s a safe way for a group of girls to travel back and forth after a night of drinks and dancing.

Hilton Grand Vacations Club on International Drive is the least expensive hotel on the list.  It still provides a great central location with easy access to shopping and entertainment.  And with rooms at about $98 a night, you’ll have more money to spend shopping!

Speaking of shopping…

Things To Do On A Girls’ Getaway in Orlando:

Outlet Shopping in Orlando

Shopping, of course! What, too cliche?  Whatever.  Girls love to shop together.  And the shopping in Orlando is fantastic!  Oggle things you’d never dream of buying - or splurge on a pair of real Jimmy Choos - at the Mall at Millenia.  Do your power shopping and bargain hunting at one of the two area outlet malls.  Yes, two.  Did I not tell you the shopping in Orlando was wonderful?

Check out the Orlando Shopping Guide for the inside scoop (and details on which outlet mall is better).

Go to the spa! Is there anything more girly than a trip to the spa with your girlfriends?  I can feel my estrogen levels rising at the mere thought.  The best spa in town is at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando.  And the good news is, you don’t have to be a guest to partake in the spa services.

Head to the beach!

I am constantly hounding my girlfriends to go to the spa at The Ritz with me.  My favorite part is that you can spend the entire day there with the purchase of any service.  So once you’ve enjoyed your manicure (or pedicure, or deep tissue massage, or massage where people walk on your back!!), you can spend the rest of the day lounging in the zen like atmosphere.  Soak in the jacuzzi or go for a swim in the pool.  Cleanse your pours in the steam room and then rehydrate with orange water.  The fluffy robes alone will make you feel like a princess.  This place is my own personal nirvana, I swear.

Go to the beach! Sure, your hotel will have a pool.  And you can always head on over to one of the local water parks.  But when I’m hanging out with my girlfriends, I’d much rather lay out on a white sandy beach and watch the ocean.  The closest beach to the Orlando area is Cocoa Beach.  It’s about 40 minutes east of Orlando, but worth the drive if you’re a sun worshiper.

Of course, shopping and the spa and the beach are great things to do during the day.  But when the sun goes down…

Girls Night Out Nightlife in Orlando:

Universal Studio’s City Walk is my favorite place for nightlife in Orlando.  It truly has something for everyone.  Upscale or casual dining, dance clubs, and dueling piano bars can all be found in Universal Studio’s “entertainment complex”.  You absolutely have to stop into The Rising Star, a karaoke bar that features a live band and back up dancers.  The people watching is fantastic and you’re sure to have a great time.

Universal City Walk - Orlando Nightlife for Girls' Getaway

I also think City Walk offers a safe environment for women out on the town.  The entire area is well lit and crawling with Universal staff and security guards.

Downtown Disney is Walt Disney World’s answer to City Walk.  I don’t think it offers quite the same nightlife experience as City Walk and Disney recently closed most of the bars in the Pleasure Island section.  However, Ragland Road - a very popular irish pub with waitresses who river dance on your table - is still open.

The Parliament House is an all gay resort - with a wickedly fun gay bar scene.  Of course, you don’t have to be gay to hit the clubs.  Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, there’s a female impersonation show in The Footlight Theater.  You will laugh until it hurts, and laugh some more.  After the show you can dance and drink and not get hit on if you’re a straight married woman.  I guarantee you will have the most fun you’ve ever had with your girlfriends here.

RuPaul at Parliament House in Orlando

Church Street is the bar district in downtown Orlando.  To be an honest, I’m too old and fat to be hanging out on Church Street, except for the occasional girls’ night out.  Women are younger and thinner in packs.  The biggest concern here is going to be safety.  Try to catch a cab back to your hotel about 30 minutes before closing time if possible.  It’s not top on my list of recommendations, but it’s an option.

See why I love a girls’ getaway in Orlando?  There’s so much to do and a million ways to bond with the girlfriends you don’t see often enough.  Relax, gossip, be safe, and have fun!

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Haven’t we all read the Peanuts books or watched the television specials that showed Snoopy fearlessly flying across the fields into enemy territory? I for one recall sitting in my bunk bed when my grandmother would babysit, and pretend I was Snoopy chasing the Red Baron across France. Ra-ta-ta-ta-tat!

Last spring I got to live out my fantasy and ride in a red open cockpit bi-plane. Vintage Aircraft Company has been around for ages. If you drive to the wine country on a regular basis, you will recognize them because their sign and location is on Highway 121 just before the final turn towards Napa Valley.

They have several different vintage planes including a World War II Warbird. My choice was definitely one of their Boeing PT-17 Stearmans, and on the day I went up they had a bright and shiny red one ready for me! It can accommodate two passengers but I wasn’t about to share this ride, so I had a great time sliding about the 32″ seat.

When we got there I learned they offered aerobatics for an additional fee of $50 on any of the planes including my open cockpit bi-plane. Of course I said yes to that and I think they gave me a “famous Cuban Eight” but I couldn’t tell you because unlike regular planes, you don’t get a headset with a mike connected to the pilot. It is a bit like water skiing, just tap your head to ask them to slow down or give the slashing across the neck if you are done.

My 20 minute tour over the beautiful Sonoma Valley was the best. After I stopped thinking about the reality of my possible death, I loved soaring just a few hundred feet above the fields and vineyards.

If you want more they also offer 40 minute flights:

The Wine Country tour: Catch an Eagle’s View of the world renowned vineyards of the Sonoma and
Napa Valleys, heading east across the bucolic Carneros region to Napa, Turn north to St. Helena, West
to glen Ellen then back south through the lush Sonoma Valley. Grapes galore.

West to the Pacific: Aviate over rolling hills and open pastures of Sonoma, Novato and Petaluma;
then head out to Tomales Bay and absorb the Majestic magnificence of the Pacific Ocean.

Spires of “The City”: Drift south toward San Francisco. A panoramic outlook of the Sausalito and
Tiburon Harbors: outlying views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands,
then circle Mt. Tamalpais en route to Point Reyes and your safe Sonoma return.

And this adventure is also available for kids too. They can accommodate a child about 40 inches tall with their booster cushion, though all kids under 10 years must fly with an adult.

When your ride is over there are lots of great Sonoma Valley restaurants nearby or drive a little further into Napa Valley for world class restaurants or maybe just a slice of pie at Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen.

Here is me "Amelia Snoopy Earhart" in my shiny Boeing PT-17 Stearman

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The Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas.

Looking for a certain je ne sais quoi for your next Las Vegas vacation? Luckily the era of themed resorts added a little French to the center of the Las Vegas Strip. Whether planning a risqué weekend with a partner or a rendezvous with family and friends, the centerpiece of a French inspired vacation is Paris Las Vegas. The resort, along with a variety of French restaurants and stage productions on The Strip, offer vacationers who can’t afford a trip to Paris a taste of the famed City of Light with the added excitement of Sin City, of course.

Upon arrival at the 2,915 room Paris Las Vegas Resort & Casino the essence of Paris is overwhelming apparent as the front facade of the elaborate and luxurious structure is designed to emulate elements of the Paris Opera House and the Louvre. Its architecture also incorporates many of the famous sights of Paris, including a 540-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, now a signature of the LasVegas Skyline, a neon sign in the shape of the Montgolfier balloon, a two-thirds size Arc de Triomphe and a La Fontaine des Mers. This picturesque resort is sure to make any vacationer utter “c’est magnifique!”

The Eiffel Tower
Start your vacation on a high note with a trip up the Eiffel Tower. Don’t forget your camera because the observation deck provides extraordinary views up and down the Las Vegas Strip and a 360° panorama of the entire Las Vegas Valley.

Tickets may be purchased at the Eiffel Tower Box Office located inside the casino. The cost is $10 for adults; $7 for seniors 65 and older and children 6-12; free for children younger than 5. From 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., when the Las Vegas Strip lights up, admission is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children. Family packages (two adults and two children) are available for $30 from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Las Vegas Strip north from the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas

A Culinary Adventure
If you’re like me, you’re really into food. Paris Las Vegas’ restaurants turn vacationers into the bon vivant with an offering of everything from the classical French cuisine to the Pan Asian Parisian.

Popular for its al fresco dining, with an up close view of the impressive Fountains of Bellagio, Mon Ami Gabi French Bistro offers a simplistic French menu with everything from traditional Hors D’Oeuvres to Steak Frites. The restaurant’s desserts, including profiteroles and crème brûlée, are awe inspiring. A children’s menu offers a number of kid-friendly meals, including macaroni and cheese and burgers.

Reservations at Mon Ami Gabi are highly recommended for indoor seating. Unfortunately, seats on the patio are first-come, first-serve. Since they are highly sought by guests, a request may result in a long wait as guest tend to stay a while. Of course, who can blame them for enjoying a café au lait and the stunning view after their meal?

Another great restaurant with al fresco dining is Ah Sin, offering an Asian Fusion menu with a diverse collection of flavors and cooking techniques from the Pacific Rim. Reservations are recommended for both patio and indoor dining.

You’ll say “bon appetite” as you make a toast to the dazzling lights 100 feet below your table at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. Located on the 11th floor of the iconic structure, the restaurant is fine dining with view. The restaurant serves the most acclaimed French cuisine available in the city, including a flawlessly seasoned lamb and foie gras that’s unrivaled. To ensure a seat with the best view, reservations are required.

It’s all about great food and ambiance at the two-story, art deco inspired Les Artistes Steakhouse. The restaurant’s à la carte menu offers a variety of specialties, including grilled rack of lamb, a 50-ounce porterhouse steak, and roasted whole Maine lobster and tasty poultry dishes. Reservations at Les Artiste Steakhouse are recommended.

In all, Paris Las Vegas offers 11 dining options, from the low-cost, no-frills to the epicurean experience. There are also a variety of French restaurants in the Las Vegas resort corridor, including Daniel Boulud Brasserie at Wynn, Alizé at the Palms, Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay, Joël Robuchon at the Mansion at MGM Grand, Le Cirque at Bellagio, and finally the famous Pamplemousse, located at 400 E. Sahara Avenue.

No matter your appetite, you’re sure to find the right French meal for the occasion.

Bring on the Night
After the sun sets behind the Spring Mountains to the west and the neon glows, Paris Las Vegas’ nighttime establishments come to life. From the ultra-chic Risqué Nightclub, to the charming Le Cabaret lounge to the lively Napoleon’s Bar, guests are sure to find the right setting for an all night vacation celebration.

Paris Las Vegas’ location at the center of the LasVegas Strip also provides for easy travel to city’s most popular nightclubs, including Pure at Caesar’s Palace, LAX at Luxor, Tao at the Venetian and Tryst at Wynn. Take a taxi, limo, the Las Vegas Monorail or a walk along the Strip to find your ultimate party spot.

And who can forget the shows of Cirque du Soleil. Okay, the shows are not a product of France, but Canada’s Quebec province, so they are still essentially French. There are now six Cirque du Soleil shows at various hotels in Las Vegas: O at Bellagio, Mystere at Treasure Island, Ka at MGM Grand, Zumanity at New York-New York, Love at the Mirage and the newest show, Criss Angel’s Believe. Tickets for these shows are expensive, but well worth the money.

From the street, the 540-foot Eiffel Tower extends into the clouds.

The Spa Treatment
After a night out, a spa treatment at Paris Las Vegas’ Spa by Mandara provides the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation. Massages and facials, as well as other beautification packages are available. For folks not willing to skip their fitness routine, the spa also features a fully equipped fitness center, personal training and steam and saunas rooms.

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Everyone needs a girls’ night every now and then, and Dallas has lots to offer women of all types.

A women-owned business that considers itself one of North Texas’ premier girlfriend getaway destinations is MD Resort Bed & Breakfast. To help keep costs down, rooms are available from $109 - $299 a night and it’s BYOB and snacks. Bring on the wine coolers and peanut M&M’s. There is complimentary tea, hot chocolate and popcorn, and they offer a full home cooked breakfast and activities such as playing games, jokes, poems, movies, lounging at the pool or just hanging out, and massage and spa services. In addition, occasionally they host scrap booking retreats and murder mystery weekends.

Or you could escape to The Westin Galleria with your girlfriends for a pajama party in luxurious Heavenly beds and pampered in-room spa treatments. This package includes a “superfoods” breakfast for two, $25 spa credit per person, two robes and a 4pm late checkout. You can call 1-866-716-8137 and ask for rate plan WIGRLPKG. This is one of many local girls’ getaway lodging options.

The Spa at The Crescent, on the lower level of Rosewood Crescent Hotel, is a great getaway for women who want to refresh their mind, rejuvenate their body and enrich their spirit. They offer over 77 health and beauty treatments to make you happy in your own skin. Some of these treatments include purifying algae, rare mud and essential oils and herbs for your body. What better way to relax with friends.

Laughing is a fun, happy way to bring people together, so stop by Ad-Libs, an Improv comedy troupe that performs three nights a week in downtown Dallas. The subject matter comes directly from the audience, creating interactive entertainment with a loyal following. It’s fresh, energized and a great way to create wonderful memories for the years to come.

Want a little culture with your girls’ getaway? Dallas Arts District is a 19-block area near downtown and the largest urban cultural district in the country. Explore the arts with your friends by viewing art, enjoying music, watching some theater and dance or just site seeing.

100 acres of land with over two thousand showrooms featuring more than 35,000 product lines makes up the Dallas Market Center. It’s the ultimate spot for buyers searching for gifts, home accessories, men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as containing restaurants and a lounge with panoramic views of downtown. Shopping and bonding go hand-in-hand.

Finally, if sports are more your thing, the American Airlines Center is home to Dallas Stars hockey (NHL), Dallas Mavericks basketball (NBA), Dallas Desperados Arena football, concerts and other events.

Thanks to Saquan for the martini picture!

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There’s three places you can go to for a spa vacation - Palm Springs and Napa Valley in California and South Beach in Miami, Florida. And the best of the lot are in South Beach. These are more like luxury retreats than simply spa treatment providers. Every oceanfront resort on South Beach has a magnificient spa with oceanview treatment rooms and sun decks.

Best part is that these are not run-of-the-mill resorts, but upscale luxury resorts like the Mandarin Oriental, frequented by A-list stars from the West Coast and celebrities who want to getaway from the limelight and relax in the heat and enjoy ‘other’ kinds of heat. The resort is located on Brickell Key, with a private beach and beach club and views of Biscayne Bay. And you can’t enjoy all this if you’re staying in the hotel, or a paying customer at the spa.

The 15,000 sq ft spa at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami has 17 different treatment rooms, with 6 spa suites and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the bay. Facilities at the spa include separate male and female sauna and steam rooms, fully equipped fitness center, manicure and pedicure facilities, and outdoor massages for both single cutomers and couples, which are offered in private cabanas at the resort’s Oasis Beach Club. The spa employs expert masseuses specially flown in from Thailand.

Oh, and one more thing. The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau had organized a ‘Miami Spa Month’ for July 2008. Based on popular demand, the spa month has been extended beyond July, and is now valid until the end of August, with good chances of being extended further. During this period, you can get special treatments for $99 at Miami’s premier spas. Here’s the list of participating spas (includes the Spa at the Mandarin Oriental). If you go through the list, you’ll see what I mean when I say that most all major Miami hotels have a great spa in-house.

Photo copyrights - Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

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When I am in the mood for a big splurge and pamper-fest, I head to San Francisco. In addition to great museums, restaurants and outdoor activities, San Francisco also boasts great places to while away the afternoon with a spa treatment or two, and by that I mean massages, facials and mani/pedis. With over 100 spas in San Francisco to choose from, the decision can be a little overwhelming, but I have narrowed it down to my top 5 choices:

Recharge Spa on Nob Hill

This full-service salon offers a treatment for nearly every part of your body, including parts I did not even know I had (laser hair removal from my glabella?). Located just up from Union Square, and down the street from the Grace Cathedral, this spa is perfect for locals and visitors alike. Note, the spa is closed on Wednesdays.

Tenaya Med Spa

Across town, on Union Street, Tenaya Med Spa, specializes in laser hair-removal treatments and Botox. Great place to go if you are feeling like a facial pick-me-up, something those of us with young children encounter quite a bit.

White Ginger Day Spa & Gallery

A complete spa, along with work from local artists, White Ginger is also the place to take your daughter for Mommy-Daughter Day, with special services for the under-12 set. Both of you can enjoy manicure and pedicure as part of their Mommy and Me package. Dads, don’t feel left out, you are invited too!

PatrickEvan Salon & Spa

Is your hair fried from too much summer fun in the pool? Maybe you need a new style, something sassy for the first day of school? Head over to PatrickEvan, where in addition to a top-notch salon, you can also relax with spa treatments galore. You will come out feeling (and looking) like a million bucks!

Re:fresh, A Day Spa

After a long day of shopping at Union Square, hit this local favorite for a massage from one of their experts, who can get knots out of even the tightest muscles! Reasonably priced, this place won’t break the bank, leaving you enough for a little cocktail at KoKo’s around the corner.

What is your favorite spa in San Francisco? Let’s get relaxing!

Photo courtesy of Thomas Wanhoff. 

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There’s some spas in Napa which take pleasure in treating guests like pigs. Yep, that’s right - you’ll end up wallowing in mud up to your neck. This would be the mud spas in Calistoga, where a mix of volcanic ash, essential oils and water from the region’s mineral hot springs are used to offer a body and skin treatment which, believe it or not, is actually cleansing and relaxing.

Before we get to the spas offering this treatment, here’s a bit of background about why these mud spas are centered around Calistoga. For that, we need to go back 148 years to 1860, when a bright spark called Samuel Brannan had the idea to mix some volcanic ash from Mount St. Helena with the plentiful mineral water from the hot springs in the area  and offer spa treatments at his’Calistoga Hot Springs Resort. The mud bath thing kinda caught on, and now Calistoga is ground zero for mud baths, with a string of resorts and spas offering said treatment. For the record, Samuel Brannan was Calistoga’s founder, and a cottage built by him - The Brannan Cottage Inn - is now a Bed and Breakfast.

The spas offering mud baths in Calistoga include the Calistoga Village Inn & Spa, Golden Haven Hot Springs Spa & Resort, Solage, Oasis Spa, Indian Springs Spa and the Lincoln Avenue Spa.

Of course, spa treatments are not just about minerals and massages, so it helps that Napa Valley in general, and Calistoga in particular, offers a splendid vista and a beautiful landscape for a romantic holiday or getaway. Poking around the wineries and the historical landmarks, with some relaxing downtime at the spa in between, is what really makes these Napa vacations really memorable. And you get to fool around in the mud without anyone telling you to get out of there at once!

Photo copyrights - Golden Haven Spa

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