Pure Aveda Salonspa presents: Relay for Life

The very first Sweepstakes Winners & their Mount Dora experience.

I finally caught up with Joanne Stevens from Venice, FL who was our very first Mount Dora Play, Shop, Dine & Stay Sweepstakes winner.  She gave me some details of her July visit to Mount Dora when she came with a best friend and her daughter for a girlfriend's get-a-way weekend.

Joanne has been to Mount Dora before and was delighted when she was randomly selected from thousands of entries as the very first winner of the Sweepstakes.  She immediately booked her accommodations at her favorite "home away from home," the Mount Dora Cottages owned and operated by Jim & Ana Tuttle.  Though her lodging portion of the winnings was just enough to cover a one night stay she decided to book another night in addition.

Joanne told me that she started her visit to Mount Dora with cocktails on the deck at Pisces Rising overlooking beautiful Lake Dora.  She had dinner there and then went into town for some shopping before retiring for the evening.

Joanne dined at Chew Chew Express Sandwich Depot three times during her stay.  She says it is always very good and she really appreciates the family style atmosphere provided by Mark & Tracey who own and operate this local favorite.

Day two of her trip was highlighted by a visit to Pure Aveda Salonspa where her group went for the "full treatment."  Joanne indicated they would be returning for many more visits to Pure Aveda Salonspa!

They rounded out the day with some serious shopping at our many fabulous shops, cupcakes at Mount Dora Cupcakes on 5th Ave. and finally cocktails in the Viking Lounge located above the Frosty Mug Icelandic Restaurant.

Joanne wanted to do even more shopping but because she was the very first to visit Mount Dora with the contest winning "Dora Dollars," many of the merchants unfamiliar with the program turned her away.  We have hopefully solved any of those problems for the future as the Sweepstakes expands into 2010.

Joanne ended by saying, "We had a wonderful time in Mount Dora.  My best friend Charlene and I spent a girls weekend together. We met up with my daughter who just moved to Mount Dora from Texas. We shopped all the stores,and ate and ate and ate!  I love staying at the Mt Dora Cottages, it's just like home.  Jim and Ana are the best.
We had a blast, a lot of fun and laughs."
Joanne Stevens

Register now for your chance to win the Mount Dora Play, Shop, Dine & Stay Sweepstakes.

Brian

Sweepstakes Winners & their Mount Dora experience.

I had the opportunity the other day to interview the winners of the Mount Dora Play, Shop, Dine & Stay Summer Sweepstakes via email and wanted to share their comments and experience with everyone. The getaway sweepstakes is a promotion sponsored by the Mount Dora Village Merchant's & Business Association, Inc. in conjuction with WhatToDoInMountDora.com in an effort to create awareness of our fabulous town as a destination.


Frank & Arlene Miracola from Northport, FL were the July sweepstakes winners chosen randomly from nearly 2000 email entries at that time, there are almost twice that many entries as of today. Frank & Arlene won a lodging, dining, shopping & activity spree in Mount Dora worth $600. I will share her comments as she provided them.

A big thanks to all of the participating merchants who have made this program a big success for Mount Dora. Some of you are well thought of as you will see from Arlene's comments. Congrats on receiving such a glowing report.







Dear Brian,

We are more then happy to reply about our wonderful "weekend" in Mt. Dora as the Getaway winners. We got to Mt Dora on Saturday and were greeted by our gracious and very accommodating hosts John and Arthur proprietors of the beautifully appointed Adora Inn. To say it was a serene and calming home is an understatement.

We left our bags and proceeded to Pure Aveda. The staff immediately had us defrazzled with their attention to our needs. We each had 1 hour massages( h e a v e n) What a way to start our weekend. We definitely will be booking another round when we return in December.

We wandered around our fave shops for a while and went down to Goblin Market to inquire about their menu and late dinner reservations. The hostess Diane was just so happy to hear we were the weekend winners and made our dinner plans for us. The dinner was above and beyond what we expected and we now have a new cocktail suggested by Diane " Ruby Red Grapefruit Martini" yum yum yum!!!

We then strolled over to the Frog and Monkey to listen to a great band and had a couple of Blue Moon drafts. The evening ended with a walk in the full moonlight back to Adora. We had the Tree House room with roman bath. We both slept like very sated, pampered and spoiled babies. Breakfast was superbly prepared the next morning by our hosts who made us feel like family. John and Arthur are truly genuine and unpretentious.

Sunday was shopping day and I think we hit every place in town. Wine from Maggies Attic, Coffee, candles and caviar from Dianes Tasteful Indulgences, Jewelry and candles from Emz on 5th. Lots of trinkets and gifts from Whispering Winds. We revisited One Flight Up and the best Cuban we ever ate at Chew Chew express. Every one of these aforementioned places were just so nice and happy to hear we were the weekend winners.

Of course we always visit Timeless Keepsakes and the owner there is a very nice woman and didn't have a problem when we asked if she participated in Dora dollars. We can't say enough about what a glorious time we had. We sincerely thank everyone for all the attention and good will we felt.

We love Mt Dora and can't wait to return to our favorite escape. We would like to make one suggestion, It would be really helpful if the winners were given a list of merchants who accept Dora Dollars with the packet. A few times it was embarrassing for us as some shop keepers didn't know or had to ask someone and it was a bit tense in a few situations. Otherwise IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!!!

Thank you again,
Fondly.
Arlene + Frank Miracola
North Port Florida

Great Package deals at the Lakeside Inn

Health & Fitness Retreat -- The ultimate girlfriend getaway!

April 5 – October 5, 2009

4-Night Spa Package (Sunday through Thursday) - $799 plus tax, per person

$629 plus tax for each additional person in room

May 29 – October 5, 2009

7-Night Spa Package (Friday through Thursday) - $1199 plus tax, per person

$959 plus tax for each additional person in room

For details and more information, see our Event Packages page

New Spa at the Historic Lakeside Inn...

New spa services at the Lakeside Inn. Check out the Orlando Sentinel Article.

This Historic Landmark is celebrating it's 125th year in operation.

Fresh Perspective

I've had the wonderful opportunity to be a tourist in my own backyard this week in a much different way then the day trips I've been taking and blogging about this year. I was invited along with the rest of the WhatToDoInMountDora.com team to spend the night at two of our town's distinguished b&b's; The Grandview and the Mount Dora Historic Inn.

At first I thought it might be strange sleeping only three blocks away from my home, but what a fresh perspective it gave me. I think we sometimes get stuck in similar routines and schedules and we loose that first pure outlook that we have when we first visit a place that we've never explored before.

To make the experience well-rounded, we walked around town doing what visitors usually do, all the while I was trying to avoid being lured like a magnet back to my home and office where a ton of work waited for me on my desk. After all, I'm supposed to be "vacationing" in my hometown, right?

We had lunch, went shopping, got caught in a rainstorm and popped in for a spontaneous waiting-out-the rain pedicure. It was nice being welcomed in without an appointment.

The pedicure we had a Synergy Salon & Spa was the experience that finally tipped me over the edge into vacation-mode. Their pampering and waiting on us hand and foot (no pun intended) finally allowed me to relax.

After doing some new things in town and spending extended time with fellow innkeepers Mel & Andy and Jim & Ana, I fell in love with Mount Dora all over again.

Stay tuned for our in-depth stories about The Grandview and Mount Dora Historic Inn featured on the Innkeepers Blog: InnSide Story. To be posted soon!

--Rachelle

Experience the Synergy

A new salon & spa has moved to town ... Synergy. Originally from Winter Park, Lisa & Stephan have brought their panache and style to the corner of 3rd and Donnelly in downtown Mount Dora. Very hip and modern with a full service salon and separate spa with a pedicure room and three massage rooms to fulfill all of your primping and pampering needs.

I tried their Dermalogica facial. I have no photographic evidence ... my policy is "no makeup, no photo." But, I was told later that I was "glowing." Glowing is good.

I was such relaxed putty afterwards that I don't remember much else. Except for their fabulous selection of complimentary teas and beverages and the inviting little piazza-style courtyard complete with cafe tables and a trickling fountain for lounging about and relaxing even more. I can't wait to get my tootsies prettied up and polished next week while mellowing out in their super massage chairs.

--Rachelle

Self proclaimed junkie ...

Noting takes the edge off of stress like getting stoned ... that is ... with a hot stone massage. I had the opportunity to take advantage of a gift this week and treat myself to a hot stone massage at Sole Spa. I guess you could call me a bit of a spa junkie. If there is ever an opportunity to be pampered then I am there in the middle of it all. I can't think of a better addiction to have. In fact, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to create stress just so that I have an excuse to get a massage or facial.

Sole Spa provides a wonderful atmosphere for relaxation. Up stairs from Karen's Gifts & the Amish Cupboard, this little place is quietly tucked away with soothing music, the trickling of a zen fountain and the clean scent of scentsational natural soy candles burning. These candles are particularly my favorite because you can dip your finger into the wax and use it has a hand moisturizer. It's a way to multi-task while at the spa. Gotta love it.

The hot stone massage is particularly my favorite because the heat and pressure of the stones combined with traditional deep tissue massage really leave you feeling like jello. Since it's little hard to walk out of the spa when your feeling this way, the girls at Sole treat you to some hot tea, cookies and dark chocolate to awaken your senses before leaving.

Aaaaaah. Spaaaaa.