One of my favorite urban spas is the Ummelina International Day Spa on Fourth Avenue in Seattle. Its Asian-influenced décor, soothing complimentary foot baths, tea offerings, incredible shower rooms and attentive aestheticians make any visit a treat.
Now Ummelina has moved to the country — wine country. I can’t wait to check out the new Yakima Valley Spa Retreat, 399 East Yakima Avenue in the town of the same name, the next time I visit my brother’s family or cruise around the local vineyards with Pacific Northwest friends.
Nina Ummel, founder and president of the eponymous Seattle spa, grew up in a rural area and wanted to get back to her roots with her newest venture. She chose the Yakima Valley location near the Hilton Garden Inn to open her second day spa.
The new spa is designed to continue Ummel’s commitment to nature-inspired themes and use of natural and recycled construction materials as well as products and treatments that reflect the local area, including a wine collection, hops collection and locally made organic tea.
As interesting and therapeutic as Ummelina’s treatments are, my loyalty stems from a single product: the tiny, half-ounce pump bottle of clear liquid called Liquid Gold.
Just a drop of two of this elixir glides soothingly onto skin and is quickly absorbed to create a soft, protected surface. It’s perfect for my mountain and ski resort life in Colorado where cold temperatures, bright sun and occasionally strong winds combine to wreak havoc on a middle aged complexion.
Liquid Gold, available for $35 from the spa’s web site, www.ummelina.com, includes St. John’s Wort, apricot kernel, horsetail, ginseng, chamomile, vitamin A and vitamin E to lock in moisture. I don’t know how I used to get through winter without it.
That’s great news, Janet! Thanks for the info — I hadn’t heard about their Yakima venture, and being a Washingtonian, I’ll make sure to get over there once the snow stops flying. I’ll also check out the Liquid Gold, too.