Bask in the Glow of Suncadia

If you’re looking for a “staycation” – a getaway that’s not too far away – you might want to consider Suncadia Resort & Spa (where your Hedonista was hosted some time ago as a media guest). Located 80 miles east of Seattle on the sunny eastern slopes of the Cascades amidst 1,200 acres of pine forests and saddled up next to the Cle Elum River, Suncadia is much more than a mere accommodation; Suncadia is a resort community devoted to wellness that seems to be in constant self-development. Its construction began in 2003; this resort is a 6,400 acre luxury all-season Washington State mountain resort, adjacent to the 2.2 million acres of the Wenatchee National Forest.

Sleep: Suncadia boasts not only a gorgeous Inn of 18 guest rooms & suites that is themed-up in resource extraction industries such as mining and forestry, but also a very view-friendly Lodge with no less than 254 guest suites and penthouses as well as vacation homes and Trailhead condos (available August 2009) up for rent.

Slurp: Portals makes up the main dining room and Fifty 6 Degrees the hipster bar lounge. Both offer breathtaking mountain views and delicious Northwest cuisine that won’t disappoint. Chef de Cuisine Alex Paguaga definitely knows what he’s doing. Their Winter 2009 menu for their Glade Spring Spa is both healthy and filling. Tasting notes follow:

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with toasted pepitas ($9) - kabocha squash, complete with honey, lemon juice, cayenne powder, and chili powder – this soup has a nice bite.

Carrot Apple Ginger Juice ($5) - ginger with carrot and sweet apple – would have liked to taste more apple, less carrot. Still, tasty and oh-so healthy.

Roasted Portobello Mushroom Sandwich ($12) - chevre, mama lil’s peppers, grilled red onions, olive tapenade, and sweet potato fries. If you love chevre, this sammy’s for you.

Grilled Chicken Breast ($12) - herbed polenta, pear apple chutney, and roasted roma tomatoes. Think savory chicken pot means Mom’s apple … pie, that is.

Salmon Gravalox ($12) - black truffle-scented beluga lentils (a personal fav), crisp haricot verts, nicoise olive vinaigrette, and cracker bread. Here, the appetizer becomes the meal.

Charcuterie Plate ($16) – a selection of local and artisan cheeses, sliced cured meats, grain mustard, pickled onion, and cornichons. A nice mix of savory, tart, crunchy, smooth, creamy, spicy, and sweet.

Pear and Apple Granola Parfait ($8) - fresh fruit, house-made granola, and honey-sweetened organic yogurt. The perfect meal at the end of a day at the spa; the honey comb chunk literally melts in your mouth.

Spa: The Glade Spring Spa (completed in the summer of 2008) is a fantastic facility – rural-yet-modern, stylish-yet-cozy. I strongly recommend a body scrub exfoliation, followed by the Vichy hydrotherapy treatment (Vichy Express – 20 minutes, $70), and ending with a massage (the Glade Spring Signature Massage – 50/80 minutes, $130/$185) is a good choice). A Vichy treatment is a specifically-targeted shower that uses a five-to-seven shower head treatment that focuses on several pressure points on the body to aid in lymphatic and circulatory health. Although often described as a tropical rain shower, it’s really more like a flower basking in the heat of the sun that’s nourished by a warm, steady summer rain – with a touch of the cooling water hose thrown in. There are also four outdoor heated mineral pools (of various temperatures). There’s even a swim and fitness facility at Suncadia, too.

Swing: Suncadia offers no less than three – count ‘em, three – courses: 1) Tumble Creek (a private course); 2) Prospector (completed in 2005) and 3) Rope Rider – a course currently under construction but scheduled to be ready in the Fall of 2010.

Shelter: Looking for your own shelter to … well, own? Suncadia also makes shopping for real estate a very … well, real possibility.

In short, although seemingly always under construction, Suncadia has truly something for everyone.

So go on – go bask in the glow!

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.