Thank you for the birthday wishes, friends! We spent the weekend in Leavenworth, at the Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. It was the perfect place to celebrate another year of existence.
On the top of my wish list, was snow. A reach, since winter weather has been unusually mild this season and snow has been relatively non-existent, even in the mountains. While driving over Steven's Pass, we lucked out with an unexpected storm! I was giddy in the passenger's seat, snapping photos as we cautiously drove through a mad fog of flurries. But as we descended down the mountain, the snow turned to heavy rain. Our destination was not a winter wonderland as I hoped, but that didn't stop the fun.
I originally discovered the Sleeping Lady while researching wedding venues. It's a luxury sustainably-designed eco-resort set on 67 acres of ancient Native American lands. But as you know, we got married in my parents' backyard, so I filed the location in the back of my mind as a place I'd like to visit in the future. Since then, I've heard nothing but rave reviews about this magical mountain escape.
Upon arrival, we checked in at the main office, eagerly snatched an activity book with crayons, and trampled through a light layer of melting snow to find our cozy cabin equipped with with heated towel racks and velvety robes. Soft music played as we entered the room - such a nice touch!
There was a surprise satchel of goodies on our bed from the previous day's wedding. It wasn't meant for us, but since the celebrations were over, we gladly accepted. Sarah + Jake, congrats! I'm so sorry your guest canceled, but rest assured, your welcome gift was put to good use.
We explored the wooded grounds, discovered hot rock pools, and took shelter from the rain in a cozy little library.
Then we found the play barn. And play we did.
After some warm winter drinks at the Grotto lounge, we were ready for dinner, which is included with the stay. We'd heard great things about Kingfisher Restaurant. Chef Joshua Holmes invented an out-of-this world menu using fresh local ingredients from the resort's 2-acre organic garden. And it's all served buffet style. We're not talking Souplantation here, but all-you-can-eat fine dining.
I felt like a kid in a candy store, piling up my salad plate with foraged mushrooms, roasted red peppers and chunks of rare cheeses. For dessert, the waitstaff surprised me with a birthday sampler of mini creme brulee, cheesecake, chocolate mousse and assorted berries. With a card!
In the morning, we visited the Aspen Leaf Spa for a massage. Props to my therapist, Gardenia, who knows how to treat a blogger's shoulder blades and traps! She gave me one of the best massages I've ever had.
We bid Sleeping Lady adieu and spent the remainder of the day in the charming Bavarian town of Leavenworth, visiting shops, buying fudge, smelling pretzels, and munching on schnitzel and veggie wurst.
The original plan was to stop and snowshoe on our way home over the pass. But the weather had other ideas. The high elevation snow storm turned into a rain storm. And who wants to snowshoe in the rain? Instead, we did the next best thing: stopped at the ski entrance, snapped a few pics on the ice, and did donuts in the parking lot.
Ah, it was a wonderful birthday. I wish I could have stayed longer. Thank you to the kind staff at Sleeping Lady for making our stay truly unforgettable.
This post is sponsored by Sleeping Lady. The content and opinions are all my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep Happiness Is running!
