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(c) 2005 All photographs and commentary are copyrighted material of Cody Williams and cannot be reproduced without permission
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Spa Me By chance ten years ago I met a man while naked on a business trip to a Hilton seaside resort and spa in Long Branch, New Jersey and it literally changed my life. (There’s something about meeting someone naked that side steps a whole lot of pretense) For years doctors had treated a reoccurring muscle spasm in my upper back with a steroid injection about every six months. Then I met Matt, a deep tissue massage therapist who during a one hour session got under the muscle and kneaded that knot away and since then I have not had that pain at all. Massage therapy, 1, modern medicine, 0. Since meeting Matt, the masseur, I’ve been so hooked on this health spa phenomenon sweeping the country that now I jump at the opportunity whenever it is presented to spend a day, a weekend, or a week at a quality resort and health spa and I recommend everyone else should too. What I’ve noticed however, is that 94 percent of the time I spend being pampered, patted, rolled, relaxed, moisturized, exfoliated, hydrated and rejuvenated I’m the only black man being hooked up (with one exception that I will mention later). Most of the people taking advantage of being relaxed and pampered in these places wafting with aromatherapy, tranquility and calm are white women – the 'desperate housewives' set. I believe (unscientifically, of course) there is a direct correlation between their willingness to venture into health spas and the fact white women have the longest life expectancy of any other group of Americans. |
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Get Spa-ed, live longer One of my best buddies, a frat brother and all around macho, straight, sports loving guy recently went through a divorce that left him bitter, angry and tense. I treated him to a trip to one of New England’s best day spas. Dude looked at me funny for most of the morning as we sat through brunch at the Inn at Norwich, CT. His arms were folded so tight and his lips were clenched that I could feel blood pressure rising. I could almost hear the voice in his head saying, “what kind of homosexual crap is this?” We separated right after checking in and getting our locker key, slippers and terrycloth robes. When we met up at the end of our day he was mellowed, still my best friend and couldn’t wait to bring a girl he was dating back for the same treatment. A husband and wife couple and friends of mine recommended and arranged for me to spend a week at Rancho La Puerta, a health spa and resort in Tecate Mexico. Visitors stay a week at this ranch that focuses on the health of the whole person. The food served there is organic and healthy. In addition to a countless number of different types of spa treatments the facility has eleven workout gyms, offers morning hikes through desert mountains, horseback riding, African dance classes and spiritual enlightenment seminars. The week I stayed there over 150 women and only two men were registered. At the end of the week the women had bonded having helped each other work through life issues ranging from personal bouts of breast cancer, divorce, the death of a loved one, career challenges and the onslaught of menopause. Some of the women came with their mothers and daughters hoping to strengthen already tight relationships. Brothers sure can use that type of support. |
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Rancho La Puerta’s Men’s Health Center has massage/therapy rooms, lounge, hot tub, sauna, locker room, showers, nude sunbathing. Its Beauty Salon offers a complete hair salon for men and women, manicures and pedicures. It has three “Sunbins” in its vineyard, for very-private sunbathing. Guest at Rancho La Puerta stay in individual bungalows set in secluded woods. Each bungalow has a wood burning fireplace and stacks of firewood are kept outside your door. Desert nights can get chilly. With a total of 22,742 square feet of workout room and state of the art training equipment, Rancho La Puerta offers the most complete program of any fitness resort and spa: over 70 different indoor and outdoor classes and activities—a total of approximately 325 instructor-led clinics and classes to choose from throughout an entire week. They provide over 50 health and wholeness lectures, discussions, and special presentations each week. If you have the resources to get to the Mexican / Southern California border and a week to devote to the betterment of you, then I recommend visiting Rancho La Puerta at least once in life. Those who go, get hooked and come back year after every year. Last week I was on a photo shoot outside of Charleston, South Carolina at The Sanctuary, a new family resort and spa located on Kiawah Island. The hotel is grand to say the least and located in an idyllic beach setting. It has two world class restaurants and the staff has the southern charm and friendliness you’d expect in the south with and additional flavor; hundreds of Jamaican workers imported for the season to provide a Caribbean Island charm to its personality. The Sanctuary is Five-Star and you can expect comparable pampering. My masseur there was a local young brother who received a degree in massage and physical therapy. He was excellent and if you go there ask specifically for David. |
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I mentioned that men tend to stay away from spas in droves. Well, that’s not true everywhere. Monte Carlo and The Senturius in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are hybrid health spa and gentlemen’s clubs. Like many US spas when you enter you exchange your clothes for slippers and a terrycloth robe. Saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and massages are available, but in the tradition of the sensual city of fun and uninhibited sexual expression you can sit naked or in your terrycloth robe in a lounge, enjoy music, sports TV and your favorite libation while being erotically entertained by some of the most beautiful women on the planet. And with prostitution being legal in Brazil these clubs provide rooms where you can take any one or two of these girls of your choosing and continue your entertainment privately. Sheraton has a hotel and spa in Rio that does not provide the erotic options these gentlemen clubs do. The service at Rio’s Sheraton is as professional and first class as the best spas anywhere. I had both masseurs (men) and masseuses (women) in Rio and what I found there and in Mexico, while every bit as professional, outside of America nudity was less an issue at the spa. Often during my treatment abroad nothing came between my therapist and me. If they didn’t have a problem with my being naked, neither did I. Spa Party, Anyone? Another husband and wife couple living in a Connecticut home with a hot tub, dry sauna, private gym and home theater in their basement hires a private masseur, serves their best wine, fruit and cheese and host separate men and women 'Spa Parties' during the year. Jose, their masseur of choice is popular with guests and noted for what he does with his fingers and massage oils to your toes. His toe technique feels really good. Once I had to look back to see if he had my toes in his mouth. He didn't. Get Spa-ed. Get Touched At any rate, often between the times when you find yourself in that really good relationship where physical intimacy is more than coming together just to have sex, spending time at a health and fitness spa can rejuvenated you in ways that can allow you to go out and conquer the world, or just endure the stress of it. |
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