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As a birthday gift from me to me,  I opted for  Canyon Ranch, in Lenox MA, a top of the line,  all inclusive. health/ spa resort .It looked gorgeous and interesting on the website (Canyonranch.com) but  still, I    expected to see  a lot of  folks going from   massage to manicure to  Spartan meals.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

Many guests were in very good shape, used to  exercise regimes at. home and spent much of the day  going from  aerobics, to pilates, to yoga  Mean age was about  45-50, though there were people  of all ages. , During the week,   guests were mostly women. On  weekends the  men showed up..  About 30%  were couples. 

Everything at Canyon Ranch is luxe, the accomodations, facilites, gracious, exellent  staff.The focus is on health and fitness,  A medical staff is  on site, practicing alternate and conventional medicne.

There is non stop   hiking, biking, swimming ,   fitness classes,  meditation,  manicures, facials and treatments that I can't pronounce. .  Lectures dealt with  wellness of mind, body, spirit. Weight  loss  and stress reduction were   components of staying healthy, but  not the primary focus. ... The food is wonderful;  with calories, fat, and fiber listed next to everything on the menu.

The first few  days, I  kept on a busy schedule, racing from class to class, from treatment to treatment,  but , if finally sunk  in about calming down, and I cut back on the jumping, stretching, jogging, pilates  and settled  into  the lounge,  curled up by the fireplace reading  a best seller or chattinig with other guests,

Good vacation? No it was a great vacation  The one problem? Canyon Ranch is not in  the IHG family.  Just think of the points I could have racked up. on Priority Club.

Although no one has asked, it is time to clue you in of the  Contessa's lineage.  . .

There is not royal heritage. .  She was born in Brooklyn. NY,  to an ordinary middle class working family and was named Marlene.

  Earlier ,in this communty, she used her true name,-- first, maiden and surname,.

  and particpated  fully  telling  much of her life and lifestyle.

Then,  paranoia set in. . This is an open forum, and  who knows what crazies  lurk out there.  Marlene had clearly identified who she is, what she does, where she lives. She's even in the phone book.  And so it was time to be more  anonymous,if not more discreet and  find a nom du plume.

  A plain Jane kind of name is boring . No,  it needed more pzaazz.  And so  Contessa Vanessa was invented.

   She replies to either name.

Respectfully,

Contessa Vanessa aka marlene