I recently returned home from the quickest getaway ever—less than 24 hours in Montauk—to celebrate my birthday. While it may have been a short stay (ahh, the life of a caregiver), it was a much-needed change of scenery.
On Saturday night, I decided to book a last-minute overnight stay at Gurney’s, a beautiful beachside resort in Montauk, NY. In the weeks leading up to my birthday, I thought about spending a weekend in the Catskills in Upstate New York. But I was worried it was too far to be away in case an emergency arose with my grandmother. Then I thought about booking a day pass to the SoJo Spa Club in Edgewater, New Jersey, but remembered that I am not a massage person. So, in a last-ditch effort to plan something close enough to home, but that still felt special, I looked at the hotel offerings in Montauk. I had my heart set on a little rest and relaxation, so Gurney’s was the first place I checked for accommodations. Their seawater spa offers facials and massages, and has an indoor pool and sauna area. Fortunately, they had a winter discount and room and spa availability on the night I was looking to stay.
I decided to visit my grandmother earlier than I normally would on Sunday, leaving me with plenty of time to make the two-hour drive out East later in the day (and hopefully catch the sunset upon check-in). Staying close enough to home meant that I didn’t have to entirely miss a visit with her, which is critical to me nowadays. During my lunchtime visit, I told her about my birthday plans and let her know that I would spend my actual birthday with her on Monday evening. As a caregiver, it was important to me that she felt she was also part of the celebration. But as a granddaughter, she had usually been the one to take me out to breakfast on my birthday in past years.
On Sunday afternoon, I packed up the car (with way too much stuff for such a short stay). Traffic was light, but it wasn’t looking like I would arrive at the hotel before sunset, so I decided to pull over at one of the overlook spots to catch a glimpse of the sky before the sun faded away for the night.
Upon my arrival at Gurney’s, I caught one last view of the ocean before checking into my room and slipping into a bathrobe. I had nothing on the itinerary, so ordering dinner via room service and relaxing in my room seemed like the perfect way to pass the time.
The next morning, I had a HydraFacial booked at Gurney’s Seawater Spa, which was a short walk from my room. It was the first time I had ever had this type of facial, but after hearing rave reviews about the treatment, I decided to try it myself. I have very sensitive skin, so I am always hesitant to go for facials (this was probably only the second one I have had in my life). The HydraFacial, as the name implies, uses suction and water to remove debris from the skin and leave it smoother and more hydrated afterward. While I wouldn’t say that I found the facial relaxing, my skin needed a little TLC with all the stress lately, and my face looked noticeably brighter and smoother after the hour-long treatment. Would I go for one again? The jury is still out on that, but two days later, I am impressed with the difference I see in my skin.
After the facial, I took a sanity stroll on the beach. It was 42 degrees and sunny with little wind, so it was the perfect weather for a walk. It’s hard to believe that this was my first trip to Montauk all year. If you recall my excursions in past years, I was out there regularly. I guess that goes to show how much times change.
By early afternoon, it was time for this birthday girl to pack it up and hit the road. I had one last celebration of the day to attend—and an eager 94-year-old waiting to celebrate with me.
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