#WhistlerUnfiltered
Posted by: Feet Banks
Life is all about balance.
Yin and Yang, sun and snow, chocolate and vanilla—balance means that for every ridiculously awesome day of shredding in the mountains, we need an equally fantastic chunk of relaxing downtime. Truly enjoying Whistler means knowing when to take your Boots Off.
“It’s important to find a balance both physically and mentally.” says Filipa Batalha, director of The Spa at the Four Seasons Whistler. “After a day on the hill at altitude and high speeds it’s nice to be able to shift the flow into a smoother ambiance to relax the muscles and increase blood circulation.“
This is why hot tubs are so popular in ski towns and also why “hitting the spa” is quickly becoming Whistler’s second-favourite après-ski activity. (Second behind actual Après-ski, which is drinking and listening to music and making fun of your friend’s epic wipeouts that day).
Filipa adds that while a Whistler spa session will balance the body, Après is an effective way to bring balance to the mind. “I find being on the hill, you are so focused that it’s a great mind escape because you don’t really think of anything else but what you are doing. Then you come down and it’s nice to relax the mind in a more social way. Enjoying a good Après can also be a good healthy balance.”
Of course Whistler locals have the added bonus of being acclimatized and used to skiing multiple days a year. For guests on a one-week trip, it’s even more essential to just kick back and give the adrenaline gland a rest. (And yes, lengthy nightclub dancefloor sessions do count as mental relaxation).
Whistler is full of real-world examples of how well two opposites can coexist in harmony and balance— wine and cheese, nachos and beer, caramel apples and gummi bears, hot tubs and snow storms. And science backs it up too: it was Isaac Newton, in his third law of motion, who said, “For every action there is an opposite and inverse reaction.”
To help you get those boots off and find a balance of your own, here are 5 great, lesser known Whistler activities that don’t require winter boots to enjoy.
1. Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre
From live singing and dancing to films, art, history and more. It’s easy to spend an entire day learning about the local First Nations and the SLCC is one of Canada’s top cultural museums. The Smoked Salmon Chowder in the cafeteria is also fantastic.
2. Art and Artists
The Whistler Arts Council offers many great events and workshops and features local artists in monthly exhibitions at the Scotia Creek Gallery in Millennium Place. Whistler also has tons of commercial art galleries featuring top works of art from around the globe.
3. Eat, Drink, Eat Some More
There is food that nourishes the body and there is food that nourishes the soul. Whistler has plenty of dining options for both sorts but after eating at top spots like Araxi, The Rim Rock, The Bearfoot or Sidecut you leave feeling full, but also more fulfilled.
4. Library and Museum
Both are sources of incredible knowledge. Both throw great seminars and presentations almost weekly, and the Whistler Public Library and Whistler Museum also happen to be located right beside each other on Main Street. Learning has never been easier.
5. Zone out at the Movies
It seems almost like sacrilege in such an active community to go sit in a dark room and stare at a screen for two hours but that is also part of what makes it fun. Whistler’s Village 8 Theatres show all the latest Hollywood hits (including 3D) on 8 screens right in the heart of the Village. Sometimes an escape from reality (and the people you’re vacationing with) is actually the perfect way to kick back and enjoy a holiday.
Regardless of where you find it, just remember happiness is all about balance and sometimes the best part of the day might be when you take your boots off (and if that is literally the case, you might need help with your how your ski boot fits. Check out these ski boot secrets).
Article source: http://www.whistler.com/blog/post/2013/02/12/WhistlerUnfiltered-Boots-Off.aspx
