First Sauna Experience
Danny and I celebrated Valentine's Day a week early because it's a hectic holiday at the restaurant where he works, so he'll be busy cooking all day on the 14th.
Commercialization aside, I can't help but love holidays, and I think they're a good excuse to do something fun that we don't normally do. We have regular date nights throughout the year, but it's not realistic to go out to a nice restaurant or do something special every week, so we like to set aside Valentine's Day as a time when we can share an experience that we'll remember for years to come. We did a tea tasting one year, for example, and last year we went to a horror-themed bar.
This year, we decided to try a sauna! We chose Sage Sauna because it's one of the most affordable options around here and offers a traditional wood-fired experience. You can book it privately, but we decided to go with the social sauna, and I'm really glad we did.
We met three fellow sauna-goers and enjoyed chatting with them and getting to know them. While I'm sure Danny and I would've had a great time on our own, it really added to the experience to share it with other folks. We were even joking that it bonds you in a way, so that if we ever happen to see each other on the street in the future, we'll immediately point to each other and go, "Sauna!!!"
It was both Danny's and my first time ever being in a sauna, although Danny joked that it's not too different from being in front of the wok at work. We sat in the heat for 15-minute intervals and then got out to be blasted by the 34-degree (F) air for a few minutes before going back in. The attendant came in periodically to add steam scented with oils, which felt so nice to breathe in. Danny has been dealing with some sinus issues lately, and he said he felt like he could breathe better after being in the sauna.
I've also heard that sauna helps with inflammation, pain, and healing. I'm still recovering from my wrist injury, so I thought it might be a good addition to the healing process, or at least couldn't hurt.
It was nice to put our phones away, relax, socialize, and sweat it all out for a while. I'm no expert, so I don't know how effective saunas actually are at providing health benefits, but I felt healthier afterward. Even though I was sitting almost the whole time, I felt similar to how I feel after working out, which I'm sure is due to how much I perspired...which was a lot.
After the sauna, we refueled with dinner at 71 South, and it was great! Slightly upscale but relaxed with a cozy atmosphere, and the food was delicious. We both agreed that the tiramisu was the highlight of the meal. Super creamy and flavorful.
I hope you all have a lovely week, whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not, and don't forget that February is Black History Month.
I'll leave you with this poem by the late Nikki Giovanni, a Black poet whose work I love, and who lived in my hometown. It's titled "Knoxville, Tennessee," and it's about our shared home, another great love of my life despite all its flaws, and the place I'll probably always return to in my mind even if I end up far from it.
I always like summer
best
you can eat fresh corn
from daddy's garden
and okra
and greens
and cabbage
and lots of
barbecue
and buttermilk
and homemade ice-cream
at the church picnicand listen to
gospel music
outside
at the church
homecoming
and you go to the mountains with
your grandmother
and go barefooted
and be warm
all the time
not only when you go to bed
and sleep