• Home
  • popular
  • Events
  • Submit New Event
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • News
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Home + Design
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • Innovation
  • Sports
  • Charity Guide
  • children
  • education
  • health
  • veterans
  • SOCIAL SERVICES
  • ARTS + CULTURE
  • animals
  • lgbtq
  • New Charity
  • Series
  • Delivery Limited
  • DTX Giveaway 2012
  • DTX Ski Magic
  • dtx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Your Home in the Sky
  • DTX Best of 2013
  • DTX Trailblazers
  • Tastemakers Dallas 2017
  • Healthy Perspectives
  • Neighborhood Eats 2015
  • The Art of Making Whiskey
  • DTX International Film Festival
  • DTX Tatum Brown
  • Tastemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • DTX McCurley 2014
  • DTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • DTX Beyond presents Party Perfect
  • DTX Texas Health Resources
  • DART 2018
  • Alexan Central
  • State Fair 2018
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Zatar
  • CityLine
  • Vision Veritas
  • Okay to Say
  • Hearts on the Trinity
  • DFW Auto Show 2015
  • Northpark 50
  • Anteks Curated
  • Red Bull Cliff Diving
  • Maggie Louise Confections Dallas
  • Gaia
  • Red Bull Global Rally Cross
  • NorthPark Holiday 2015
  • Ethan's View Dallas
  • DTX City Centre 2013
  • Galleria Dallas
  • Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Homes in Dallas Texas
  • DTX Island Time
  • Simpson Property Group SkyHouse
  • DIFFA
  • Lotus Shop
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Dallas
  • Clothes Circuit
  • DTX Tastemakers 2014
  • Elite Dental
  • Elan City Lights
  • Dallas Charity Guide
  • DTX Music Scene 2013
  • One Arts Party at the Plaza
  • J.R. Ewing
  • AMLI Design District Vibrant Living
  • Crest at Oak Park
  • Braun Enterprises Dallas
  • NorthPark
  • Victory Park
  • DTX Common Desk
  • DTX Osborne Advisors
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • DFW Showcase Tour of Homes
  • DTX Neighborhood Eats
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • DTX Auto Awards
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2017
  • Nasher Store
  • Guardian of The Glenlivet
  • Zyn22
  • Dallas Rx
  • Yellow Rose Gala
  • Opendoor
  • DTX Sun and Ski
  • Crow Collection
  • DTX Tastes of the Season
  • Skye of Turtle Creek Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival
  • DTX Charity Challenge
  • DTX Culture Motive
  • DTX Good Eats 2012
  • DTX_15Winks
  • St. Bernard Sports
  • Jose
  • DTX SMU 2014
  • DTX Up to Speed
  • st bernard
  • Ardan West Village
  • DTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Taste the Difference
  • Parktoberfest 2016
  • Bob's Steak and Chop House
  • DTX Smart Luxury
  • DTX Earth Day
  • DTX_Gaylord_Promoted_Series
  • IIDA Lavish
  • Huffhines Art Trails
  • Red Bull Flying Bach Dallas
  • Y+A Real Estate
  • Beauty Basics
  • DTX Pet of the Week
  • Long Cove
  • Charity Challenge 2014
  • Legacy West
  • Wildflower
  • Stillwater Capital
  • Tulum
  • DTX Texas Traveler
  • Dallas DART
  • Soldiers' Angels
  • Alexan Riveredge
  • Ebby Halliday Realtors
  • Zephyr Gin
  • Sixty Five Hundred Scene
  • Christy Berry
  • Entertainment Destination
  • Dallas Art Fair 2015
  • St. Bernard Sports Duck Head
  • Jameson DTX
  • Alara Uptown Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2017
  • DTX Tastemakers 2015
  • Cottonwood Arts Festival
  • The Taylor
  • Decks in the Park
  • Alexan Henderson
  • Gallery at Turtle Creek
  • Omni Hotel DTX
  • Red on the Runway
  • Whole Foods Dallas 2018
  • Artizone Essential Eats
  • Galleria Dallas Runway Revue
  • State Fair 2016 Promoted
  • Trigger's Toys Ultimate Cocktail Experience
  • Dean's Texas Cuisine
  • Real Weddings Dallas
  • Real Housewives of Dallas
  • Jan Barboglio
  • Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
  • Hearts for Hounds
  • Okay to Say Dallas
  • Indochino Dallas
  • Old Forester Dallas
  • Dallas Apartment Locators
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
  • PSW Real Estate Dallas
  • Paintzen
  • DTX Dave Perry-Miller
  • DTX Reliant
  • Get in the Spirit
  • Bachendorf's
  • Holiday Wonder
  • Village on the Parkway
  • City Lifestyle
  • opportunity knox villa-o restaurant
  • Nasher Summer Sale
  • Simpson Property Group
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Dallas
  • Carlisle & Vine
  • DTX New Beginnings
  • Get in the Game
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • Dallas DanceFest
  • 2015 Dallas Stylemaker
  • Youth With Faces
  • Energy Ogre
  • DTX Renewable You
  • Galleria Dallas Decadence
  • Bella MD
  • Tractorbeam
  • Young Texans Against Cancer
  • Fresh Start Dallas
  • Dallas Farmers Market
  • Soldier's Angels Dallas
  • Shipt
  • Elite Dental
  • Texas Restaurant Association 2017
  • State Fair 2017
  • Scottish Rite
  • Brooklyn Brewery
  • DTX_Stylemakers
  • Alexan Crossings
  • Ascent Victory Park
  • Top Texans Under 30 Dallas
  • Discover Downtown Dallas
  • San Luis Resort Dallas
  • Greystar The Collection
  • FIG Finale
  • Greystar M Line Tower
  • Lincoln Motor Company
  • The Shelby
  • Jonathan Goldwater Events
  • Windrose Tower
  • Gift Guide 2016
  • State Fair of Texas 2016
  • Choctaw Dallas
  • TodayTix Dallas promoted
  • Whole Foods
  • Unbranded 2014
  • Frisco Square
  • Unbranded 2016
  • Circuit of the Americas Dallas
  • The Katy
  • Snap Kitchen
  • Partners Card
  • Omni Hotels Dallas
  • Landmark on Lovers
  • Harwood Herd
  • Galveston.com Dallas
  • Holiday Happenings Dallas 2018
  • TenantBase
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2018
  • Hawkins-Welwood Homes
  • The Inner Circle Dallas
  • Eating in Season Dallas
  • ATTPAC Behind the Curtain
  • TodayTix Dallas
  • The Alexan
  • Toyota Music Factory
  • Nosh Box Eatery
  • Wildflower 2018
  • Society Style Dallas 2018
  • Texas Scottish Rite Hospital 2018
  • 5 Mockingbird
  • 4110 Fairmount
  • Visit Taos
  • Allegro Addison
  • Dallas Tastemakers 2018
  • The Village apartments
  • City of Burleson Dallas
  • Choctaw Dallas 2018
  • Love In Motion
  • CultureMap Dallas Holiday Pop-up Shop 2017
  • Stylemaker Awards 2017 - Dallas
  • Dallas Charity Challenge 2017
  • Top 100 Restaurants in Dallas 2016
  • Brown Forman Cocktail Chronicles Dallas
  • Stylemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • Texas Traveler Dallas
  • Dallas Charity Challenge 2016
  • House of DIFFA 2016
  • Learn more about Holiday Pop-up Shop
  • Unbranded 2015
  • The Innovators
  • Ghost Tequila
  • Events and Adventures
  • Dallas Bike Ride
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2018
  • Woodchuck Cider Dallas
  • Anderson Canyon Dallas
  • Uptown Dallas Inc.
  • MidiCi
  • State Fair 2018 editorial series
  • Center for Disc Replacement
  • Tony's Restaurant Dallas
  • Huffhines Art Trails 2018
  • Partners Card Dallas 2018
  • Ida Mae Home
  • Greystar Novel Bishop Arts
  • Boss Women
  • Fresh Arts Dallas
  • LVL 29
  • Cirque Du Soleil Amaluna Dallas
  • GiftingMap Dallas
  • Sixty Five Hundred
  • Balcones Dallas
  • Holiday Pop-Up Shop Dallas 2018
  • Education Opens Doors
  • Alto
  • Omni Dallas Fame Fest
  • Cantabria at Turtle Creek
  • Junior League Dallas 2019
  • Galveston 2019 Dallas
  • Sunnyland Furniture
  • Dallas Tastemaker Awards 2019
  • Vivian's Boutique Spa
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2019
  • Omni Barton Creek Dallas
  • Wildflower 2019
  • Woodford Reserve Dallas
  • Bank of America Kaaboo
  • Bryan's House
  • Weekend Event Planner Dallas
  • Fredonia Hotel
  • Choctaw Country
  • Valencia Group Hotels Dallas
  • Turtle Creek Conservancy
  • American Heart Association
  • Visit Fredericksburg
  • State Fair of Texas 2019
  • Vine Connections Dallas
  • The Post Oak Hotel Dallas
  • Summer Getaways Dallas
  • Dallas White Party 2019
  • BestHotelRates.com Dallas
  • VRBO Dallas
  • Fairmont Dallas
  • Texas Wine Talk Dallas
  • Clean Origin
  • FIG Finale 2019
  • Dallas Chocolate Festival
  • Real Weddings Dallas 2019
  • Oskar Blues Wild Basin Dallas
  • DIFFA 2019
  • PY1
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2019
  • Huffhines Harvest Fest
  • City of Addison
  • Aloft Plano
  • Deep Ellum Brewing Co
  • Park and Palate
  • Partners Card 2019
  • Natiivo Dallas
  • The Statler
  • Felix Culpa
  • Cigar City Margarita Gose Dallas
  • Visit Plano Dallas
  • AT&T Performing Arts Center
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Dallas
  • Gift Guide 2019 Dallas
  • Hilton Anatole
  • Winestyr Dallas
  • Skyhouse Frisco
  • Crook Marker Dallas
  • Getaways Dallas
  • Waterford Market
  • Educational First Steps
  • Divvy Homes
  • Dallas Tastemaker Awards 2020
  • Strike and Reel
  • CBD Take Out Dallas
  • Father's Day Gift Guide 2020 Dallas
  • Matthews and Associates Dallas
  • Methodist Health System
  • Trinity Falls
  • Calibrate Dallas
  • Cornershop
  • Travel Juneau Dallas
  • Nine Banded Whiskey Dallas
  • Grandes Vinos Dallas
  • Dallas Museum of Art
  • Cutwater Spirits Dallas
  • Realty Austin Jean Bruns Dallas
  • Babe Wine Dallas
  • Fit in the City
  • RV Share Dallas
  • Recovery Resource Council
  • Fine Art America Dallas
  • Regen IV Wellness
  • W Austin Dallas
  • Inwood Village
  • Pinstack
  • Brixos Dallas
  • Foxtrot Dallas
  • Omni Dallas 2020
  • Lalamove Dallas
  • Gift Guide 2020 Dallas
  • Auction Section
  • Samsung 2020 Dallas
  • Greystar Eastline Residences
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Dallas
  • Wrangler Dallas
  • First-time Homebuyers Dallas 2021
  • Dogfish Head Dallas
  • Texas Original
  • Thirdhome Go Dallas
  • LovBe Dallas
  • WHITE RHINO COFFEE
  • Visit Frisco
  • Where to Eat
  • SOUTH PADRE DALLAS
  • Plaza at Preston Center
  • Pioneer Dallas
  • Claire St Amant podcast Dallas
  • West Village
  • Byron Nelson
  • Pilates Methodology
  • The Other Art Fair
  • Nasher Dallas
  • San Marcos Dallas
  • DALLAS TASTEMAKER AWARDS 2021
  • CENTRAL MARKET
  • Luck Springs Dallas
  • Bandera Dallas
  • PORT ARANSAS DALLAS
  • Milan Laser
  • Testing Testing
  • SINGLE PROMOTED TEST
  • SINGLE PROMOTED TEST 2a
  • Arden testing editorial series dallas
  • eventdetail
  • Promo Alerts
  • promoted
  • Rectanglo.com Dallas
  • Texas Motorplex Dallas
  • Addison Restaurant Month
  • Proximo Spirits Dallas
  • River Blues Festival
  • The Neighborhood Guide
  • Greystar Broadstone Knox
  • Bordeaux Dallas
  • Total Events DFW
  • Modelo recipes Dallas
  • Watters Creek
  • Gift Guide Dallas 2021
  • Music Lane Dallas
  • 2022 Tastemaker Awards
  • Athletic Brewing Dallas
  • Bud Light Next Dallas
  • EnerGenie Dallas
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit Dallas
  • El Paso Dallas
  • Grandscape
  • Highland Park Village Dallas
  • Visit Lubbock
  • JW Marriott San Antonio Dallas
  • Waco CVB Dallas
  • Richardson
  • Texas Restaurant Association Dallas
  • Travel Texas
  • Blossom Hotel Dallas
  • Visit Garland
  • Assembly Park
  • test series aug 23
  • The Tailgate
  • Bourbon Takeover
  • W Dallas Hotel
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • js-test-1
  • JS-TITLE
  • jacob test (title)
  • js test 3 (title)
  • js test 4
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Jobs
  • Suggestions
  • Arden test series
  • This needs to be the internal name for the series
  • Authors
  • PTO US Open
  • The Louise
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2022
  • Log in

Theater Critic Picks

The 6 most memorable Dallas-Fort Worth theater experiences of 2021

Lindsey Wilson
Dec 23, 2021 | 12:50 pm

Last year, it was a little easier to write this list. That may sound strange, considering the theatrical world was so out of the norm due to COVID, but it was still a welcoming environment for experimental productions. One way or another, art continued on in Dallas-Fort Worth.

And so it did this year, though in many different ways. We weren't restricted to streaming only, and several theaters opted for outdoor productions. National tours even resumed, though extra precautions were often taken.

What follows below are the six theatrical experiences from 2021 that have stuck with me:

Come From Away, Performing Arts Fort Worth
This 9/11-based musical was the last show I saw before the pandemic shutdown in early 2020, and one of the first "normal" theatergoing experiences I had this year. Of course, the audience wore masks throughout, but besides that it felt like we had never been gone. That was also the case for the cast, which had been "on hold" for the previous 18 months and was overjoyed to return to the stage. A special treat at this performance was the chance to hear from Capt. Beverley Bass herself, the pilot portrayed in the musical. She currently lives near Fort Worth, and regaled the audience with further stories from her career as the first female commercial pilot.

Southern Boys, Jubilee Theatre
Another special guest surprised audiences at Bass Hall, this time before Jubilee Theatre's debut production there: Opal Lee, the teacher and activist who helped Juneteenth be recognized as a federal holiday. Giving this hero a standing ovation before settling into Kathy D. Harrison's play with music about recently emancipated men and women in the post-slavery South added an extra layer.

The Cube, Ruben Carrazana and Jeffrey Bryant Moffitt
Nearly a year to the day of the shutdown, I was doing something that felt unthinkable: I was entering a theater to watch a show. Indoors. Granted, the only other person seeing the show with me was my plus-one, and the original work was performed in such a way that whenever Carrazana spoke his dialogue, he was facing away from us, but still. Theater! Indoors! Unheard of! Carrazana and Moffitt created a piece that dealt with the loneliness, uncertainty, and fear we were all experiencing, yet emerged triumphant in its uniqueness.

The Music Man, Theatre Three
Jeffrey Schmidt likes taking risks, and Joel Ferrell likes delivering feel-good musical moments. Combined, they created a scaled-down, let's-put-on-a-show version of Meredith Willson's Golden Age musical that's pretty much the exact opposite of the splashy, by-the-book revival that's about to open on Broadway. Good. From its three different al fresco settings to its versatile cast (and multi-hyphenate champion Cody Dry), this production was fresh, funny, and full of feelings — no extra frills required.

Lucha Teotl, Prism Movement Theater
After more than a year of Netflix and streaming from home, some theaters knew we wouldn't be able to just go back to sitting primly in the audience and not making a sound. So Chris Ramirez and Prism Movement Theater said, "Great, please make some signs, stomp your feet, and holler until you're hoarse." They recreated the atmosphere of a luchador tournament, rowdy spectators and all, for this original play that was part telenovela, part ancient myth, and all excitement. The fact that it was in the Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center just made it all the better.

Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare Dallas
It's no secret that I was a big fan of Jenni Stewart's 1980s setting for Shakespeare's most tragic romance. The big hair matched the big emotions, and the rockin' soundtrack channeled nostalgia while moving the Bard's story along. But I adored how the periphery characters stole the show, from Marcus Stimac's metal Mercutio to Constance Gold Parry's wacky Nurse. This was Shakespeare for everyone.

Rubin Carrazana invited us into The Cube.

The Cube at the Latino Cultural Center
Courtesy photo
Rubin Carrazana invited us into The Cube.
theaterlists
news/arts

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Dallas intel delivered daily.

We will not share or sell your email address.

most read posts

7 spectacular surprises inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Fixer Upper castle in Waco

Where to eat on Thanksgiving at Dallas restaurants: 2022 edition

Dueling piano bar to depart longtime Addison home for Star in Frisco

Applause for Plano

Kid-friendly Dallas neighbor named No. 1 U.S. city for families in new report

Stephanie Allmon Merry
Oct 26, 2022 | 9:17 am
Plano Artfest
Photo courtesy of Visit Plano

Kid-friendly Plano Artfest happens each spring.

Here's good news for the 33 percent of Plano families who are raising children: A recent report names the Dallas suburb the No. 1 most family-friendly city in the United States.

In StorageCafe.com's recent analysis of 100 large and mid-size cities to raise a family, Plano places highest.

“Plano, TX, Virginia Beach, VA and Lincoln, NE get to the front of the pack of the most family-friendly cities, with a great mix of family-oriented amenities, a reasonable cost of living, and good schools," the report says.

StorageCafe, an online platform that provides storage unit listings across the nation, evaluated 29 factors including public school rankings, childcare cost, neighborhood safety, and community amenities to determine the best cities to live in for families with children. When all factors were considered, Plano ranked number one.

On its way to the top spot, Plano earned outstanding grades in the area of education. Of the cities considered, Plano’s public schools were rated the highest, and the city claims a 96 percent graduation rate.

“Additionally,” the study says, “close to 60 percent of Plano residents aged 25 and over hold a bachelor’s degree, one of the highest shares of college graduates among the adult population in our ranking.”

City amenities also contributed to Plano’s high score. The city came in third nationally for luxury apartment construction over the past decade and offers 4.7 playgrounds per 10,000 people, well above the average from the study (2.9/10K). The report also mentions year-round pleasant weather, a significant number of swimming pools, and family-friendly local events like the Plano Balloon Festival.

Another factor that raised Plano’s profile is affordability. While home prices are above average in Plano ($533,000), the median income ($116,000/year) is higher, as well. Healthcare availability was another factor, with Plano boasting the second highest number of healthcare establishments per capita.

“Plano has long been recognized as one of the country’s most family-friendly cities. We’re proud to offer all the amenities families seek in a place to live – a top-tier education system, a reasonable cost of living, a fantastic parks system, all in a safe and clean environment," says Mark Thompson, executive director of Visit Plano.

Mid-size cities like Plano dominated the list, and Texas cities snagged five of the top 20 spots.

Austin and Lubbock edged into the top 10 at ninth and 10th place, respectively.

No. 9-Austin ranked second for public school ratings, and touted a mid-range affordability factor, with child-care costs rated as “moderate.”

"As one of the favorite moving destinations in the U.S., Austin’s real estate scene is by no means cheap, but compared to other buzzing urban hubs, it still provides access to comfortable living," the report says. "Zooming in specifically on the cost of homes, prices are in fact above average, hovering at about $642,000. However, family incomes are some of the most generous on our list ($121,000/year), thanks, in part, to Austin’s status as the tech and innovation hub."

Lubbock ranked 25th in public school ratings and among the lowest prices for groceries, childcare, homes, and apartment rent.

El Paso and Laredo, with overall rankings of 12th and 15th, also offer low cost of living, although it’s offset by lower median income. Public education in both cities was rated in the top third. Laredo scored above average on the number of parks per 10,000 people (3.4) and seventh out of 100 cities for the number of basketball hoops (9.5) per person.

Judging by this report, it looks like bigger cities aren’t necessarily better for families with children. San Antonio (55), Fort Worth (56), Dallas (63), and Houston (69) ranked in the bottom half of the 100 cities considered, while Irving (24), Garland (48), and Arlington (49) were in the top half.

rankingsfamilies
news/arts

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Dallas intel delivered daily.

We will not share or sell your email address.

most read posts

7 spectacular surprises inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Fixer Upper castle in Waco

Where to eat on Thanksgiving at Dallas restaurants: 2022 edition

Dueling piano bar to depart longtime Addison home for Star in Frisco

Palatial pampering

Texas' dreamiest destination spa unwraps exclusive $1,000 Swiss facial for 25th anniversary

Stephanie Allmon Merry
Oct 25, 2022 | 3:53 pm
Texas' dreamiest destination spa unwraps exclusive $1,000 Swiss facial for 25th anniversary
Photo courtesy of Lake Austin Spa Resort

A red light mask is part of the $1,050 Regal by Valmont facial.

When the Lake Austin Spa Resort went shopping for a 25th-anniversary gift for guests, it aimed higher than traditional silver and picked treatments that incorporated gold, diamonds, and caviar. As a result, the dreamy destination spa now offers some of the most opulent, exclusive, and — at upwards of $1,000 — most expensive facials in the world.

In anticipation of its milestone anniversary in 2022, the Lake Austin Spa Resort’s LakeHouse Spa partnered with Swiss luxury skincare brand Valmont to introduce the new facials, which are as cutting-edge as they are indulgent.

Creme de la creme among them is The Regal by Valmont, which costs a jaw-dropping $1,050. The Regal was designed in Switzerland exclusively for LakeHouse Spa, and Austin is the only place in the world to get it.

“It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a lot of people,” says Becky Bence, Lake Austin Spa Resort lead esthetician. “And it’s definitely worth it.”

The 135-minute facial begins with the high-tech deep cleanse of the HydroFacial and proceeds with seven masks, including four collagen masks, a papaya enzyme, and a medical-grade LED light mask. Every single product from Valmont’s ultra luxe “masterpiece collection” called l’Elixir des Glaciers is used; some products are made with an uber anti-aging essence of gold sturgeon fish. All are applied using a Valmont signature “butterfly” motion that helps to lift and sculpt the face.

What puts the Regal over the top, though, are 35 minutes of choreographed massage, including a 500-year-old technique called “kobido,'' developed for the empress of Japan. Touted as a “surgical facelift as a massage," Bence says, kobido was once reserved only for nobility and the empress, then later handed down from masters to disciples.

So rarified is the Regal facial, that just six of the 21 LakeHouse Spa estheticians are trained to perform it. They learned at a weeklong “bootcamp” conducted by two Valmont experts who flew in to Austin from Switzerland.

“It was kind of like the Navy Seal program of facials,” Bence says. “It was kind of like being handed down something from a true master.”

The $1K price tag hasn’t kept people away. Since the Regal was introduced several months ago, guests have come from all over the world — and from all corners of Texas — to experience what the spa calls “the ultimate in anti-aging perfection and cellular renewal.” (After all $1,000 is still far less than an actual facelift or even regular nick-tuck-plump-ups by a cosmetic surgeon.)

Why reach all the way to Switzerland for the palatial new treatments? After emerging from COVID shutdowns, Bence says, LakeHouse Spa personnel “auditioned” just about every single skincare line out there. The estheticians voted, and Valmont won.

“We wanted to add something really special, something luxurious but yet something out-of-this-world amazing that truly benefited the skin,” Bence says. “Something almost to replace Botox and fillers …that gave you basically a natural face-lift without being invasive but still being relaxing.”

In addition to the Regal, other new Valmont facials introduced in this 25th anniversary year include:

  • The 150-minute Gold & Diamond Trifecta Facial that involves three massages, four masks, infra-red LED, and a hydrogel mask with micronized gold and diamonds, which costs $990.
  • The Golden Aura Rose & Caviar Facial, a 100-minute treatment that incorporates marine products containing caviar extract and Diamond Collagen, costing $790.
  • Energy of the Glaciers, a 90-minute facial that features rare ingredients from Switzerland and deep, structural massage of the face, stimulating muscles to tone and lift; $750.
  • Luminosity of Ice Facial, a 90-minute treatment described as a “toxin-flushing, facial reflexology-inspired facial” that uses a cocktail of seven plants organically cultivated at high altitudes; $650.

The spa also has a complete menu of non-Valmont facials and dozens of other signature treatments.

Luxe but laid back
Lake Austin Spa Resort’s Dallas-based co-owner, Mike McAdams, says the new facials are indicative of how high the spa wanted to aim for its 25th anniversary.

“Our guest demands a luxurious, more refined experience, and Valmont helps us deliver on that objective,” he says.

And yet, Lake Austin Spa Resort remains a place where robed guests can emerge from a $1,000 facial and step over geckos skittering along the sidewalk while a speedboat whizzes by pumping Beyonce through the speakers. It’s upscale but unpretentious, luxurious but laid-back — almost like “spa camp.”

“We never wanted to create the ‘zen’ spa with stark lines and absence of color – we aimed to create just the opposite,” McAdams says. “Your surroundings absolutely have an impact on how your wellness journey can unfold and influence your daily life. The colors and textures that surround you mimic the vibe of the Texas Hill Country and pay homage to nature.”

The top-rated spa and resort is a far cry now from the place McAdams purchased on January 1, 1997. Located along the shores of scenic Lake Austin in the Texas Hill Country, the property had lived previous lives as a fishing camp, nudist enclave, rodeo ranch, and diet camp.

McAdams — at the time a commercial real estate developer for Dallas-based Trammell Crow — experienced a personal work-life-balance crisis that's wholly relatable in today's post-pandemic, "great-resignation" world two-and-a-half decades later.

“I was living on a plane, traveling a lot. It was high stress, and high energy and I loved it,” he says. “In 1984, I found a place that changed my life — the Ashram in Calabasas, California. It was a true bootcamp, with physical activities and dietary restrictions that were very intense… This experience forced me to come down from my hectic lifestyle of traveling, eating, drinking, and not exercising."

After adopting healthier habits in his own life, he and an LSU fraternity brother, Billy Rucks, seized an opportunity to buy and transform the Lake Austin Spa Resort; they still co-own it today. “It was a diamond in the rough," McAdams says.

More 25th anniversary offerings
One of the biggest challenges running the spa the last 25 years (besides navigating a global pandemic), McAdams says, has been continually evolving in an industry dominated by fleeting fads and headline-grabbing gimmicks.

“The changes in the last 25 years in the spa industry have been monumental,” McAdams says. “The global wellness industry is now a $4.5 trillion economy, with ‘spa’ being one small part of the bubble. We are all seekers looking for ways to look and feel our best, and I think the growth is due to a demand in wanting to take our health into our own hands.”

One of the resort’s newest touts (proudly stated on their home page) is that they’re Texas’ only destination spa on a lake. Recently they’ve introduced a full range of water activities, including a water taxi that transports guests to the spa and back.

“When we bought Lake Austin Spa Resort in 1997, our guests would put a toe in the water — but we’ve also evolved and now understand the power of being near a moving body of water and how it affects your health, happiness, and even alleviates depression,” McAdams says.

Along with the new fancy facials and lake programming, the resort has also added new classes and activities and upgraded amenities for its 25th anniversary. Befitting its location in the “live music capital of the world,” Austin-area musicians now entertain guests nightly around s’mores pits. There’s new artwork around the campus, too.

“My favorite part of celebrating our 25th anniversary this year has been to watch a very special piece of commissioned art be installed in the first few months of the year,” McAdams says. “A local Austin artist created a 64-foot long, 400-square foot abstract mural of stone, glass, and tile designed to honor our magnificent natural location on Lake Austin.

"Within the creation, I wanted to honor all of the amazing past and present people who helped get to where we are today. Their names are included in this mural, discreetly placed within this homage to nature. Because of these special people, Lake Austin Spa Resort has enjoyed many wonderful accolades through the years.”

---

To mark its 25th anniversary, Lake Austin Spa Resort is offering 25 percent off stays of at least two nights or more, through January 31, 2023. Reservations must be booked by October 31. Some packages include generous spa credits, but sadly, the $1,050 Regal facial is not 25 percent off. Find more information at www.lakeaustin.com.

Red light mask, facial

Photo courtesy of Lake Austin Spa Resort

A red light mask is part of the $1,050 Regal by Valmont facial.

texasluxurybeauty
news/arts

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Dallas intel delivered daily.

We will not share or sell your email address.

most read posts

7 spectacular surprises inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Fixer Upper castle in Waco

Where to eat on Thanksgiving at Dallas restaurants: 2022 edition

Dueling piano bar to depart longtime Addison home for Star in Frisco

I'm so fancy

Whataburger and iconic Texas jeweler add new keepsake charms to collection

Hannah J. Frías
Oct 25, 2022 | 3:15 pm
James Avery
Courtesy of James Avery Artisan Jewelry

The age-old debate continues: fancy or spicy?

Two Texas powerhouses are teaming up to combine food with fashion: Whataburger's newest collaboration with James Avery Artisan Jewelry will produce two new keepsake charms for its most popular condiments.

Fans of both brands can now choose from a "Whataburger Fancy" Ketchup Charm and the "Whataburger Spicy" Ketchup Charm in sterling silver, hand-enameled designs. Or, for those who struggle to make that Sophie's choice at the drive-through, you could always just get both.

They're both priced at $84, available online and in James Avery stores.

Much like their edible counterparts, the ketchup charms make the perfect companions to existing charms in the ongoing collaboration between Whataburger and James Avery, especially the Enamel Whataburger French Fries Charm. Other selections in the line include the Whataburger Charm with a Flying W, Enamel "Whataburger" Heart Charm, and Enamel Whataburger Cup Charm.

The two beloved Texas brands were founded within four years of each other, with Whataburger's first Corpus Christi store opening up in 1950 and James Avery's first designs dating back to 1954 in Kerrville.

Fans can explore the full, collaborative collection of James Avery Whataburger at the Whatastore.

news/arts

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Dallas intel delivered daily.

We will not share or sell your email address.

most read posts

7 spectacular surprises inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Fixer Upper castle in Waco

Where to eat on Thanksgiving at Dallas restaurants: 2022 edition

Dueling piano bar to depart longtime Addison home for Star in Frisco

Loading Next Story...