The second half of my day started with a scrumptious 3 course meal for lunch. I was seated in their main dining room with a relaxing view of the estate. The beautiful snow covered hills with the lake Ontario waters hiding behind were my table mates. St. Anne’s is lucky to have Christopher Ennew C.C.C. head their kitchen staff team. Chef Christopher has been awarded the Individual Gold Medal in the ExoGast ’98 in Luxembourg and was a Regional World Champion with the Ontario Team.
To start off, I helped myself to the salad bar and enjoyed a lovely salad with cranberries and nuts which was dressed with a delicious champagne vinaigrette. Next was a delectable chef soup of the day – Creamy Spinach soup. I could not help but finish every last drop of the wonderful soup. My main course was a savoury steak and button mushroom rotini pasta. There were other delectable dishes on the menu which included vegetarian options.
Dessert included a choice of key lime pie, fruit salad or chocolate mouse cake. I am a chocoholic and had to go for the third option. It was so light and refreshing with a hint of sweetness from the mouse. To accompany my dessert I enjoyed a White Tea infused with vanilla and grapefruit. This soothing and tasty tea was supplied by Harney & Sons – Master Tea Blenders. They have an extensive selection of the finest tea leaves from various estates throughout Asia and India. You could pick up a box of your favourite tea in the St. Anne’s boutique on your way home to take a little bit of your spa day back with you.
As I said before, I am a new mom with a 5 month old at home. This was my first time away from my little one for so long. I am still nursing and was worried about where to pump at the spa, but the friendly staff at St. Anne’s were very accommodating. St. Anne’s has set aside a small room just for instances as nursing or other matters requiring some privacy. So, if you are a nursing mother do not be afraid to head on down to St. Anne’s for the day.
After lunch and my little nursing pit stop, I headed out for my fitness class. When I originally booked my day I requested a Ball Exercise class. On my orientation I was shown the fitness class. What I was not told though, was that classes can vary daily and you need to check the board near the class or with the staff for any changes to the schedule. I showed up at my 2:45 Active class and found no one there. When I went to the front desk I found out that it was changed to a Nature Walk. I was scared I missed out on the walk, but luckily the guide had not left yet because no one had shown up for the walk. This was the only mishap that occurred all day, and it still worked out in the end.
Arlene was my nature walk guide of the day. St. Anne’s did supply snow shoes if we wanted to walk in the hiking trails, but I was unprepared for a walk and did not have the proper outdoor gear. So, we opted for a walk around the grounds, which was still nice to have. Arlene, a yoga and meditation specialist took me out for a 30-60 minute walk which included an overview of the 550 plus acre lot. I was in awe over the immense area of the land. What amazed me even more was the growth potential. St. Anne’s currently occupies only a fraction of the land. They do have plans for expansion, such as a spa village and potential real estate fractional ownership opportunities. I thoroughly enjoyed my hike around the bountiful grounds and look forward to seeing the estate grow in the future.
After my hike, I wanted to take full advantage of the water therapies. I headed out to the outdoor grotto which includes a lap pool, hot tub and cold plunge pool. I met another new mother who convinced me to jump into the 65 F cold plunge pool. The frigid temperature followed by the 104 F hot tub not only give you a tingling feeling all over your body but is actually good for you. It is said to help with the circulation in your body. I prescribe contrast baths to patients to help with circulation problems like swelling, but have never done a full body contrast bath. It felt really invigorating and I would recommend it to others. After a few small laps in the 85 F lap pool, I was off to the eucalyptus steam room for total relaxation. I just love the aroma of eucalyptus. It is so soothing to the senses.
After my water therapies I was off to the dining area for Tea Time. This is not just a simple tea and crackers kind of tea time. St. Anne’s offers you nothing but the best in teas from Harney and Sons, from white tea to black tea to decaffeinated herbal teas, they had it all. I chose the ‘Wedding Tea’ which is a mutan white tea blended with pink rosebuds, vanilla, and lemon for ‘long lasting happiness’. It’s making your mouth water already, isn’t it? Instead of just crackers, St. Anne’s carries delicious cranberry scones with mixed fruit jam, cucumber sandwiches, a beautiful array of fruit, and delectable cookies and tarts.
After that scrumptious tea time, I couldn’t help but take a little snooze in the warm sun room where I waited for my last service. I saved the best for last – a Swedish massage. I didn’t really think I would fall asleep, but the soft sofas were so inviting and comforting and the warm sun beating down on me just nestled me right to sleep.
As I said earlier, I saved the best for last....You can read about my wonderful treatment and end thoughts to the unforgettable day at St. Anne’s in my next and final post of this series.
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