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How to relax and unwind at West Baden Springs Hotel and French Lick Resort

STORY & PHOTOS BY ANGIE FENTON

The last time I went to French Lick was anything but relaxing , though it was a lot of fun . After watching Kenny Rogers perform , my fellow revelers and I went to the casino , where we danced , gambled , imbibed and stayed up way too late . It was a ball .

So , I was a bit hesitant when invited to be a part of the Neace Ventures Women ’ s Retreat – thanks to John and Penny Neace – which included a weekend stay at West Baden Springs Hotel with 11 other ladies . Worn out in every way , what I needed was a bit of R & R . But , I also knew I ’ d benefit from a weekend away from responsibilities and work , too . So , I went , and I ’ m so glad I did .

glorious shower with separate bath and was more than roomy . It didn ’ t hurt that I had the choice of using toiletries by Gilchrist & Soames and Malibu Wellness ( the latter of which are 100-percent vegan ). I lounged around for a while , taking my time , as I also planned how I would enjoy the weekend : I was going to use it to “ detox ” from social media and the news , while also ( mostly ) making choices that were good for my body and mind .

That evening , all 12 of us met at Ballard ’ s in the atrium for cocktails ( club soda with lime for me ) before heading to Pluto ’ s Pizzeria inside French Lick for dinner and a bit of friendly competition . I am a horrible bowler . Absolutely abominable . But , I spent so much time laughing and enjoying the experience , it didn ’ t matter . Thankfully , several of my fellow bowlers were rockstars who more than made up for my lack of scoring . Oh , and speaking of scoring … the lanes are old school . Don ’ t expect them to tally up scores for you . We had to do this on our own with a pencil and scoresheet , which was somewhat refreshing .

At about 9 p . m ., I said goodnight to the gals – who were headed to the casino – and took the trolley back to West Baden . I ’ d abstained from eating the pizza , though I ’ m told it was delicious albeit no-nonsense , and instead ordered room service . It felt daring , decadent even , to order a delicious salad accompanied with a perfectly cooked salmon filet and colossal shrimp cocktail . Pricey ? Yes . Worth it ? Oh yes .

none of my fellow guests were milling about , I had sheepishly started to explain to the folks at the front desk that I wanted to take photos of the famed dome but would need to lie on my back smack dab in the middle of the atrium on the carpeted floor . One of the attendants cracked a smile . “ Guests do that all the time ,” she assured me , “ and usually when the atrium is filled with people .” ( So , go ahead and take all the on-thefloor pics you desire .)

A bit later , I headed to the workout center , which features MATRIX equipment , and pushed through a cardio-n-weights session that would have made my trainer proud . My motivation : knowing as soon as I was done I was going to order a small Skinny Vanilla latte from the Xanadu Coffee & Creamery inside the hotel and sip it on the veranda as I watched the sun rise near the Sunken Garden . Breakfast at Café Sinclair ’ s was a delicious Rolled Omelet ( onions , bell peppers , mushrooms , tomatoes , bacon , spinach and Swiss cheese , hold the ham and cheddar that come with it ) and a fruit cup . I refrained from trying the complimentary loaf of strawberry bread but don ’ t encourage you to make the same mistake .

After showering , I headed to The Spa at West Baden , which encompasses 28,000 square-feet in a two-level natatorium layout . As part of the retreat , we were gifted a spa service . I chose a massage and enjoyed the 50-minute indulgence before heading back to my room for a nap .

That afternoon , Sara Fazio – one of my cohorts – and I walked to the Stables at French Lick Resort

DAY ONE

I checked in to West Baden about 4 p . m . and was delighted when I walked into my room . Not only did it feature the most comfortable king-size bed , but it also overlooked the gardens , had a

DAY TWO

I awoke just after 5 a . m . and was about to jump on Twitter to see the latest news but stopped myself . Social media could wait until after the weekend . Instead , I dressed and headed to the atrium to write and take a few photos . Although to enjoy the fall foliage and animals . While we didn ’ t partake in the available horseback riding , there are plenty of options for kids and adults . Later , we explored the grounds and enjoyed a bit of the self-guided tour and learned about the history of the resort . I won ’ t ruin it for you , but

14 EXTOL • DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018