staycation : part 4

Haven't been keeping up with "The Staycation Chronicles"? Realizing you've just clicked on part 4 in my little series documenting our adventures in Colorado in the last week? No worries - you can catch up here :) 

Tuesday morning began with a bang --- quite literally --- when we woke up to the sound of protestor's marching beneath our hotel room window! 

So that was interesting! Because we didn't feel like paying $10.95 to use The Brown Palace's internet for 24 hours {lame!!!}, we decided to pop down to Starbucks {like 100 feet away} to grab some bagels and chai, and to take advantage of free internet. I thought you might enjoy seeing the interesting way the cashier came up with to spell my name! haha

 And yes...I am checking in on my puppies on the Camp Bow Wow website :) They have puppy cams available online 24/7 so you can watch your furbaby during the day while they play with other dogs! Love it!

After our quick breakfasts - the time had finally come to venture to the Brown Palace Spa! I made appointments for us to have 50 minute Swedish Massages in the Couples' Suite, and had high expectations given the Brown Palace's reputation --- and let's just say that my expectations were totally beyond met! This was my first spa experience ever --- and it was amaaaaazing! Everything about the Brown Palace Spa is synonymous with LUXURY. I was escorted by a spa staff member to the ladies' spa lounge, where there was bottled water, yogurt-dipped pretzels, mixed nuts, delicious hot tea, and current magazines awaiting me. Before the massage began, I was invited to spend a few minutes in the steam room --- which I totally took advantage of! I had the spa lounge all to myself, and I totally reveled in having that time and space! The ensuing massages were so wonderful! My masseuse was soft-spoken and had serious skills! I usually find myself squirming a little as the masseuse finds the right pressure for my back, but this woman nailed it! What a relaxing hour it was, and it was so nice for us to both be getting massages together! Total splurge of our staycation - but I'm glad we did it!!!

After our massages, we went back to our private spa lounges again. I took a few more minutes in the steam room and then enjoyed the fun products they had for clients. The most amazing lemongrass shampoo and conditioner, silky lotions, and complimentary hair brushes and hair products. You had me at complimentary. 

 We said goodbye to our beautiful palace, in total states of zen, and hit the road to head to our next adventure --- INDOOR SKYDIVING!

On the way, we stopped for lunch at the Irish Snug - a fun little pub I have been wanting to try for over a year! I am that girl who orders eggrolls whenever it is on the appetizer menu --- Southwest Eggrolls, Avocado Eggrolls...I get them every time! The Irish Snug had Corned Beef Eggrolls! Essentially Reuben Eggrolls --- Yum! Had to try them. They also had the cheesiest, spiciest, yummiest, worst for you appetizer I have ever had --- Spicy Buffalo Waffle Chips! Mmmmmmmm

After that delicious lunch, we had a few hours to kill before our skydiving appointment, so we went shopping at Park Meadows. We had great shopping success at Marshall's, including these cute new shoes for me :)

Next --- we actually got to our adventure destination of the day! Indoor Skydiving!!! I first got the idea to go indoor skydiving from this website that lists "100 things all Coloradans should do" --- and so it has been on our list for over a year, and we finally did it! Tyler has done real-deal skydiving (for his 18th birthday), but this was my first taste of  skydiving! This facility has these incredible wind tunnels with simulated winds of 120 mph and it is used by novices and professionals to improve their skydiving skills. It was SO. RAD. 

 After indoor skydiving, we headed back downtown to check in at our second hotel - Hotel Monaco. As fate would have it, we arrived JUST in time for the hotel complimentary wine tasting! Score! They had a WONDERFUL watermelon sangria that I could drink by the bucketfull!!! But I didn't. They were out of buckets. 

For dinner, we decided to go to Marlowe's. I had eaten there once before, but Tyler had never been, so that's where we ended up! Marlowe's included some fab happy hour --- including this delicious melted bacon mozzarella appetizer!!! Delish.

Next stop --- Jazz@Jack's - a jazz lounge we have been wanting to try! It had a great atmosphere, some awesome funk music, and the most incredible frozen hot chocolate drink I have EVER had! Okay maybe it was the first and only frozen hot chocolate I have ever had --- but it was delicious!!!

Last stop of the night --- The Tilted Kilt, an Irish bar, and got a few drinks, because drinks had been in short supply that evening ;)

And then there's a chance Tyler was a little energized from all the Happy Hours we had taken part of throughout the day, and we stopped by the hotel gym for some quick hula hooping! And then we may or may not have had a dance party in our hotel room. All before midnight :)

Man, last Tuesday I learned that we really know how to pack 24 hours with fun!!!

Phew and Cheers :)