A little me-time goes a long way.
Your Health
A Weekend for One
Putting daily life — and everyone but yourself — on the back burner helps rejuvenate the spirit.

Watching the sun rise over a placid Lake of the Ozarks in winter is just the opposite of the lake’s typical party hype. But that’s exactly what I was looking for during a weekend retreat with myself. Not one to self-indulge often, I was long overdue for some R&R. I left my office, farm and husband behind and drove the short distance to a place far enough away that the only thing that would get my attention was the biggest sale sign at the outlet mall.

While many lake-goers pack up and leave for winter, the area isn’t the shuttered town it once was. Tons of commercial development and year-round residents keep the pace moving, albeit more slowly. One of the latest additions to the Lake is the Resort & Yacht Club at Toad Cove, where I had reserved a room for one. Positioned on a quarter of a mile of shoreline, the 116-suite hotel offers amazing views of the water from every room. The inside view isn’t bad either. High-end cabinetry, luxurious furnishings and plenty of space pamper guests. Each suite has added bonuses like a fireplace, built-in flat-screen TVs (not just one but three!) with DVD and CD players, a kitchenette, and multiple closets with full-length mirrors and decadent robes.

After checking in, I wandered around to get my bearings. The hotel comprises retail shops, a spa and beauty salon, gourmet dining, fitness center, pool and deck, indoor sand volleyball court, a marina and the Horny Toad entertainment complex. The hot tub was one of my first stops later that evening, protected underneath the structure but open to the brisk air and twinkling lights. Although now solo, I could feel how the energy of a crowd would reverberate in this space during the summer months.

Back upstairs, I spread out in the king-size bed, snuggled in amid high thread count sheets, a heavy comforter and so many pillows I felt insulated in a womb. I awoke in the morning from a restful sleep to a cool, misty morning slowly burning off as the sun began to color the sky pink and lavender then periwinkle and finally blue until I almost couldn’t define the difference between water and sky. A few brave boaters puttered out of the marina while an eerie sense of calm pervaded the atmosphere at the hottest nightlife spot at the Lake.

I had set my alarm for an easy morning, which I planned to spend in a healthy manner. I flipped on something suitable to watch as I did some stretching on the thick-pile carpet. The bedroom was large enough to complete a small yoga class, but I headed downstairs to the gym with its choice of brand new equipment. My heart pumped not only with the cycles of the elliptical machine but at the realization of how good it felt to be in that moment, finally recharging. Plus, I knew my next stop was the spa.

The Aveda Concept Spa offers everything from massage and body treatments to facials, manicures and pedicures. Some of the experiences are as specialized as chakra balancing and as unique as the Caribbean Therapy Body Treatment, which uses the essence of tropical plants.

The soothing environment helps put visitors at ease while they wait for their services in the relaxation area. I zoned out while watching the waves from the deck until my therapist, Tammy, came to get me. She had me smell oils to determine which ones she would use in the process. She then performed a thorough knowledge of my preferred pressure points and sore spots after our initial discussion, spending more time on my pained lower back and less on my foot that had a broken toe. “We work specifically on individual body types. It’s about customization, not protocol,” says Kathy Lea, Spa 54’s manager.

As little as I treat myself, I do understand the power of massage on multiple levels. More than a feel-good service, it relaxes muscles, increases joint flexibility, boosts the immune system, aids circulation, releases opiate-like endorphins and can even improve skin condition.

Invigorated, I emerged from the darkened room where Tammy gave me some final tips to improve my personal well-being. On the way out, I picked up some Aveda products, which I love because they are 95 percent organic. Good for nature is good for me.

Now completely immersed in me-time, I enjoyed a slow breakfast of fruit and yogurt while reading the newspaper before checking out of the hotel. Of course, I couldn’t leave town without doing a little good for the economy, stopping off at the outlet mall for some additional therapy of the retail kind.

Although it was only a brief interlude, the time away was enough. I sought to be alone and shut out the world’s barrages. I didn’t even listen to the radio all the way home.

Book your own reservation at www.toadcove.com.