FALL 2008

 

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At Play
Pg 48 - AT PLAY WITH KAREN COSGROVE

A self-described “nature girl” has found a sense of place—and a sense of play—on California’s golden Central Coast.

Who: Karen Cosgrove, Director of Spa at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
Where: The secluded valley of Ojai, California, 35 miles south of Santa Barbara
Why: The five-diamond property is a landmark in Southern California and a favorite escape for Hollywood stars, consistently voted one of the top 10 spas in the U.S.

Organic Spa: You have a great accent. Where are you from, and how did you find yourself in Monterey?
LISA CRAIN: I came to the spa as a massage therapist eight years ago. I moved from Perth, Australia, with a great love of the coast and the sea. My father was a fisherman, and I grew up with a natural appreciation of a slower-moving life, a near-constant sense of serenity and natural environmental beauty.

OS: How playful is Monterey?
LC: Very! The sky and the sea dwell at the doorstep of the spa here. The climate is so temperate that you can perform activities like kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, golfing, and surfing all year round. If you like to run and bike as I do, there are magnificent trails stretching 27 miles long, from the Castro Valley artichoke fields all the way to Pebble Beach. You can play outside all day long!

OS: How do you encourage lightheartedness and playfulness in the spa?
LC: We are in the process of launching all-new services outside of our regular treatments that will be even more playful, including new tai chi programming and new guided hikes along the coast at Big Sur. Another cool thing we're doing on property in 2008 is hosting an Iron Chef Competition in May. Let's talk about a sense of fair play and competitiveness with all that!

OS: You have a great attitude. What makes you so playful?
LC: Life is meant to participate in, to get involved with in every level you can. To look out of this rooftop spa and stare into the Bay underneath us and literally watch whales breaching and the otters playing-wow! The sense of calmness infiltrates our way of life in Monterey. It sort of envelops and surrounds us in every way. This corner of the world epitomizees the northern California coastal experience: relaxed and casual, yet elegant.

OS: What is so special about the Vista Spa?
LC: We only carry non-chemical, naturally-based lines for our spa, including Naturopathica and Jurlique. We believe in the influence of herbal medicine and pure botanical ingredients, so there are neither parabens nor petroleum in our products. One of our stand-out treatments is the simple and soothing Bay Salt Glow, which consists of lemon and citrus aromatics which are effective without being too abrasive. The elemental massage is an energetic and playful treatment, a non-invasive way to remove the body's toxins. You might say that we believe our spa represents the synchronized relationship of deep and spiritual people who love this land and this Bay, and our guests must absolutely feel that. Plus, most of our therapists are deeply rooted in the community with a vast local knowledge of the area.

OS: How important is physical fitness in your life?
LC: Moving my body regularly has become an inherent and vital part of my life as an adult. I came into it later in life, but have quickly realized all of the huge health benefits and emotional gains in a potentially stressful management job. I'm a runner, and I think that's like a moving meditation. It restores and invigorates me.

OS: How has the hotel kept up with the sustainability strides of the spa?
LC: The Monterey Resort and Spa has several on-going green initiatives. They include the discontinuation of any foam or plastic containers on site. Recently the hotel added an additional waste basket in every single guest room explicitly for all recyclable materials. We have switched to new laundry detergent which has reduced energy and water consumption by 20 percent. The chef uses only local and sustainable seafood. Also, in the spa itself, all of our sheets are hemp, which helps because we launder so many oil-based sheets. We all try to support local businesses as well.

OS: What do you think is next in the exciting world of spa?
LC: I think we all need to look closely at the high-performance and efficacy of organic ingredients and the sustainability of them. We can do better for the environment on a grander scale. Globally, we need to minimize chemicals, support local farmers and sustainable business practices. Every little bit helps.
-N.D.S.