With a Girlfriends’ Getaway

by Andrea Busche

If there is one thing I can rely on my best friend for, it’s a good laugh. Laughter and friendship are a few of life’s most beautiful treasures. Like mine, most female friendships revolve around intimate conversation, laughter, and plenty of fun. But with the busy pace of modern life, it can be tough to squeeze in more than a quick phone call or text.

Now imagine the joy of spending an entire weekend with your best friends (or sisters, daughters, nieces, etc.). Add in a dose of spiritual healing, or a glass of wine and a massage, or a fun crafting activity, and you have the perfect “girlfriends’ getaway.” To make it a true girlfriends’ getaway, there is one simple rule: no men or children allowed!

Yoga/Spiritual Retreat

In addition to their regular yoga classes, Duluth’s Yoga North offers several options for a lengthier retreat. During the week of July 6th – 10th, well-known Yogi Indu Arora will be a featured guest teacher at Yoga North, and she will lead an informative week about therapeutic Yoga and Ayurveda. Par ticipants can sign up for one day, several days, or the entire week, and friends are encouraged to attend togeth er. Evenings/ overnights will be unscheduled so you can spend time with your companions and explore everything Duluth has to offer.

Yoga North also offers help planning personalized yoga weekends. Director Jodi Christensen shares, “If you live in town or are staying in a hotel, let us know; we are more than happy to bring Yoga to you. We’ve also held weekend retreats at Camp Miller (in Sturgeon Lake, MN), and Camp Amnicon (located just outside of Superior), where we can teach Yoga to you and your friends, or help you learn how to prepare vegetarian or Ayurvedic meals.”

Luxury Getaway

Perhaps you and your favorite ladies are looking to step out of the daily grind for a few days and enjoy a taste of the good life. Consider booking a stay at Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior.

Lutsen features a full restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, an on-site spa, and plenty of outdoor activities. They offer guided tours ranging from sea kayaking, hiking, biking, paddle boarding, cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing, and every night year-round, Lutsen warms up with a huge bonfire on the beach. Many Lutsen guests make a day trip up to Grand Marais for shopping and dining. If you are feeling more low-key, however, you could simply relax with a glass of wine and some sparkling conversation.

Owner Nancy Burns shares, “We offer a women’s getaway package that includes dinner, champagne in your room, a one-hour massage, along with a two or more nights stay. Or, you can feel free to create your own!” Lutsen’s accommodations range from simple lodge rooms to a large townhome that can comfortably sleep eight to nine people.

Crafty Weekend

Many women bond over their love of crafting. Heritage Place, located three miles north of Hinckley, was built about twelve years ago. Owner Nancy Devine shares that it is a regular house, but has been specifically designed with scrapbooking in mind.

“Heritage Place is primarily a

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“We can accommodate sixteen overnight guests at one time.” While Heritage Place offers all the comforts of home, guests should plan to bring and prepare their own food.

The former three-car garage has been converted into a craft room, featuring long work benches, scrapbooking tools, a computer and wireless printer, and high speed Internet. With their combination of hand tools and lightning-fast Internet, Heritage Place offers something for old-fashioned crafters as well as those who prefer online scrapbooking options, such as Shutterfly.

In addition to crafting weekends, Heritage Place has hosted family reunions, holiday celebrations, and groups of business people. Devine shares that she recently hosted a group of male business owners when they needed a space to hold a board meeting.

Whether you and your BFFs enjoy the soul-nourishing aspects of Yoga, the posh amenities of a full-service resort, or the satisfaction of creating something beautiful with your own two hands, the perfect girlfriends’ getaway is waiting just for you. Fun and laughter are almost guaranteed. So, call your favorite ladies today, and make yourselves a date! D

For further information:

Yoga North - contact Jodi Christensen at jodi@yoganorthduluth.com, or visit yoganorthduluth.com.

Lutsen Resort - lutsenresort.com.

Heritage Place – heritageplacemnnet. Heritage Place will also offer a 10 percent discount if you mention that you saw this article in The Woman Today!

Dr. Mary Boylan

Whenwe think of women’s health, we might first consider breast cancer screenings or an annual physical. And those are both very important. What we sometimes forget is that heart disease is the number one killer of women, and that some lifestyle choices can have an impact on that statistic — if we make heart health a priority.

For St. Luke’s Cardiologist Dr. Disha Mookherjee and Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Mary Boylan, heart health is always on their minds, especially when it comes to female patients.

“Women often set the standard for health in their family,” explains Dr. Boylan. “But at the same time, they’re also more likely to focus on others’ health first.”

The key to getting women to prioritize their health, says Dr. Mookherjee, is to educate them about their risk. “My goal is to prevent a first event. The nice thing is there’s a lot you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease.”

Staving off Heart Disease

Prevention starts with knowing yourself and what changes to make. As Dr. Boylan states, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Here are some steps you can take to help lower your risk.