Girlfriend get-away: Spa-time, shopping, perfume party during Jacksonville ...

Upon arrival, my friends and I checked into the Crowe Plaza-Riverfront. The hotel is located in the heart of downtown Jacksonville close to boutique shopping, art galleries and restaurants in the historic San Marco district. The hotel features a riverfront pool deck and two onsite restaurants.

The room was great, the view was magnificent, but what really set this hotel apart was the exceptional service from the Crowne Plaza team. So if you plan to visit the city, I highly recommend the Crowne Plaza Riverfront. You will not be disappointed. To find out more, call 904-398-8800 or check out the hotel website at www.cpjacksonville.com.

When I think of getting away with a group of ladies, I think of pampering. So on our first night, we took pampering to a new level. We reserved a massage with Body Tech Mobile Massage Services. The unique aspect of this massage is they came to us. Cami Sutton, owner, showed up at our room with her massage table, candles, and music to set the atmosphere of walking through the doors of a spa.

Body Tech Mobile Massages offers all the services you’d expect from a first-class spa. I chose the Swedish/Deep Tissue Combo Massage and I had a relaxing experience beyond my imagination right in my hotel room. I added on the PerfectSense Body Heat treatment for my hands and feet. This Soyaffin treatment helps create a protection seal that continues to renew, soften, and protect skin for days. What a way to start our trip!! Once Cami finished my treatment, I was totally relaxed and didn’t have one care in the world. Massage therapy is truly an art and Cami is a master at what she does. For more information, call 866-438-8495 or log onto www.bodytech2u.com.

The next day we were feeling a little adventurous so we decided to explore Fort George Island on a segway. Greg and Maren Arnett, owners of EcoMotion Tours, were eager to share the island’s fascinating history as we explored the island’s wild maritime forest, original structures from its plantation days and the hay day of Kingsley Plantation, and one of the last unspoiled wetlands along the Atlantic. The scenery was spectacular as we meandered through the sandy paths of coastal wilderness of dunes, salt marshes, and island.

No experience is necessary. It was my first time on a segway and I traveled on it with ease and this experience made me realize this is the way to go. That particular ride is something special. It is a unique opportunity to ride a segway on Florida’s state park trails through their natural, untouched island habitat. For more information on EcoMotion Tours, call 904-251-9477 or visit www.EcoMotionTours.com.

PERFUME PARTY

Talk about bonding with your girlfriends, how about creating a perfume exclusively for you? That’s just one of the options Irene Saltzman has in store for girlfriends who visit Irene Parfums and Cosmetiques Lab, Inc.

Mrs. Saltzman and her daughter, Arlene Hanly, can make any perfume fantasy come true. They offer perfume parties where guests can sample and select from their fragrance collection, take a guided tour and hear the history of perfume, and even have an opportunity to create their own of a kind perfume.

During our visit, we were offered a truly unique opportunity to smell history when we toured this perfumery. The mother and daughter duo walked us through a History of Perfume Time Line. We took a step back in time as we learned about the ancient Egyptian oils from the days of Cleopatra to modern day perfumery.

This history of perfume is quiet mesmerizing, but even more, is the lady behind the business, Mrs. Saltzman. She is a Florida native but, as the wife of a gentleman who served the United States Air Force, she found herself living in Casablanca, Morocco. Her neighbor was an elderly, retired Egyptian parfumer. That’s when she began her lifelong study of perfumes. She became his apprentice and he taught her all he knew. One of the things that captivated me the most was that she took that knowledge and created four historical, sensual, magical fragrances she calls the “Time Capsule Collection, Exotic Fragrances of the Ancient World.” Another favorite of mine was “Florida Breezes.” She created this scent as her signature scent of Florida.

Mrs. Saltzman does it all. She can create, bottle, box, and ship perfumes from very affordable to the one of a kind fragrance created just for the customer. Mrs. Hanly brings her talents into the business as well. She is an artist and offers a selection of greeting cards as well as her own original artwork.

I walked out of the shop that day with a new appreciation of what perfumery is all about and a great deal of respect for the lady with a passion for perfume. So if you are looking for that one of a kind experience, take a little time and visit Irene’s. For more information, call 904-641-5171 or visit www.ireneparfums.com.

SHOPPING

What woman don’t want a little retail therapy? We had a chance to enjoy Jacksonville’s outdoor shopping mecca, the St. Johns Town Center, which encompasses 1.2 million square feet and over 120 retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Banana Republic, Anthropologies, BCBG, and DSW Shoes, just to name a few. Other features include a koi pond, arboretum and several restaurants. For more information, call 904-998-7156 or visit www.simon.com.

Florida’s largest, weekly arts festival is the Riverside Arts Market, which is held each Saturday, April- December, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The market is Jacksonville’s high energy, free weekly arts, farmers, crafts and foods market nestled along the St. Johns River. Here, we had the opportunity to browse hundreds of local artistic creations including pottery, paintings, jewelry, photography, clothing and so much more. It was amazing to see the artists come together in one place and showcase their work. It’s a one-stop shop for just about anything you can imagine and a great way to spend a Saturday. For more information, visit www.riversideartsmarket.com.

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

A trip to Jacksonville would not be complete with a trip to a museum. We chose Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. It is a must-see attraction in Jacksonville. Their mission is to engage and inspire through the arts, gardens, and education. They do that, and they do it well.

The Cummer is the largest fine arts museum in Northeast Florida with 5,500 objects in its permanent collection spanning from 2100 B.C. through 21st century and more than two-and-one half acres of historic English and Italian gardens along the St. Johns River.
The gardens gave us a chance to walk under the wisteria arbors and spend a few restful moments near a fountain and reflecting pool which we enjoyed the beautiful flowers and the magnificent live oak with a canopy of more than 175 feet.

The museum is also noted for its creation of Art Connections as a national award-winning art education center, which enhances the cultural learning of more than 50,000 students annually. Visitors of all ages can expect to experience and participate in exhibitions, concerts, lectures, films, gallery talks and dozens of exciting educational program year round. To learn more, visit www.cummer.org.

DINNER THEATER

Most ladies love theatre and we found ourselves at a first class Broadway performance in Jacksonville. We spend one evening of our trip at The Alhambra Dinner Theatre and were treated to a performance of Rodger & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” The show was complete with elaborate costumes, beautiful sets and a professional cast.

It was a truly magical experience for us in this intimate setting. More importantly, it was an unforgettable experience for one little girl. We were fortunate to attend a performance that included making a wish come true for a young girl battling an illness. It was her dream to be a part of this production. The theatre, along with “Dreams Come True,” made this dream come through for this little girl. Tears welled up in my eyes as the cast and crew treated her just like one of the gang. She danced, sang and moved around the stage like a true star. And I can’t forget that smile. She beamed from ear to ear during the night. I believe this is the mark of a cast of true professionals. They have the limelight each and every night. It was her night to shine, and they were sure to make it happen.

The theatre was built in 1967 and is one of the few remaining dinner theatres in America. It is nationally knows, and actors come from all over the country to audition. If these walls could only talk, they would tell about of the extraordinary performances of stars such as like Betty Grable, Dorothy Lamour and Martha Raye. Yes, this dinner theatre has a significant place in history and is still delighting theatre goers today.

The theatre has recently undergone a complete renovation and is still going strong, delighting fans young and old and fans from near and far away. They have a new menu created by local, renowned chef, Matthew Medure. The evening we attended, the meal started with a salad, followed by herb roasted turkey with sage gravy, grilled chicken breast on penne rosette, and Salisbury steak slow cooked in caramelized onion broth. The vegetables included broccoli with cheddar cheese sauce, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. We topped off dinner with chocolate mousse and blueberry cobbler.

You must put the Alhambra Dinner Theatre on your list of things to do in Jacksonville. You will not go away disappointed. They have a great line-up for the rest of the year. “Amorous Crossing,” starring Loretta Swit who played Hot Lips Houlihan in the television series “MASH,” will be featured August 11 through Sept. 5. Other shows include: “The Wedding Singer,” Sept. 8 to Oct. 10; “The King and I,” Oct, 13, Nov. 28; and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Dec 1 to Dec. 24. For more information, call 904-641-1212 or visit www.alhambrajax.com.

WHERE TO EAT

There is something for every palate in this fine city. If you want to be treated like a queen, I have the perfect suggestion. It’s The Capital Grille in St. Johns Town Center, and it looks like a place when the locals celebrate as well. During the course of our evening, I watched patrons celebrate birthdays, couples having an anniversary toast and many friends who seemed to gather for a night on the town. Good food and good fun is a great way for friends and families to make memories together.

I’ll be honest I’m not sure where to begin with the exquisite menu, so I’ll just start from the beginning. We started our evening with oysters on the half shell, fresh from British Columbia. We savored every one of these with a variety of fresh baked breads. Next, came the lobster bisque. It was creamy with succulent chunks of lobster. Now on to the main course. If you know me well, I eat seafood and only seafood when I go to the coast—but not on this evening.

When our waitress, Brianna Borrelli, described a filet mignon they were featuring that evening, I had to go for it. It had been aged for 28 days, and I just couldn’t turn it down. Brianna told me I could cut it with a butter knife, and that’s no lie. We complimented our meal with sautéed mushrooms and onion rings. We ended the evening with chocolate flourless espresso cake and coconut cream pie. Yes the meal was fit for a queen, but Brianna’s attention to every detail and flawless service made it an evening to remember.

To check out their menu or get more information visit www.thecapitalgrille.com.

We also had dinner one evening at Taverna in San Marco Square. This is another superb place to dine. Here, we started with Gazpacho, a soup with shrimp escabeche, lime, avocado and cilantro. Our entrees included the linguini and clams and snapper. The snapper was pan seared, with sweet corn puree, bacon, roasted corn relish and topped off with corn foam. Every bite seemed to melt in my mouth. We finished the evening with chocolate pave with whipped mascarpone and candied pistachios.

To check out their menu of get more information, visit www.tavernasanmarco.com.

We couldn’t leave San Marco Square without visiting Peterbrooke Chocolatier, a permanent fixture in Northeast Florida since 1983. Originally, there was just one store in this historic neighborhood, but the company has now grown to over 15 retail stores with additional stores and products in the works. Peterbrooke uses creativity in its chocolate offerings and is dedicated to using only the highest standards for quality and freshness it its ingredients. Be sure to try their signature item, chocolate covered popcorn. You can check them out on the Internet at www.peterbrooke.com

On this particular evening, San Marco was celebrating the neighborhood with “Affair in the Square.” We strolled through the square as we heard live entertainment and browsed the specialty boutiques and shops only found here.

Without a doubt, Jacksonville is a great destination for a girlfriend getaway. To start planning your trip, call 800-733-2668 or log onto www.visitjacksonville.com.