SERENE AWAITS

Spa Amira is different. It’s far away from the world, yet nestled nearby. The dazzling colors of nature, majesty of Lake Michigan, and serenity of the National Lakeshore inspire treatments and melt troubles.

Come. Listen to the birds. Watch the sun sizzle into Sleeping Bear Bay. Be serene. Relax and recharge by yourself or…with your daughters or best friends. Serenity packages available. For reservations, 231-334-5100.

What kind of woman doesn’t bring her family to a well-appointed lakeside resort stocked with all the essentials of a good old-fashioned vacation—think: classic Beach Club, clay tennis courts, a par 3 golf course, ski hills and opportunity for memorymaking galore, from playing with clay and kayaking to swimming, stargazing, snowshoeing, fishing, biking and hiking?

The wise kind. The kind who, in my case, is a 48-year-old working mom of an 8-year-old girl, 6-year-old boy, and, perhaps somewhat less wisely, new puppy.

In short, the kind of woman who needs a break. And no, a 20-minute bubble bath during which small humans and canines whine outside the door does not count, nor (dads, take note) will it ever.

For two blissful, affordable offseason days, I’m trading caretaking for self-care. My destination: The Homestead, a historic resort on the northwest edge of Lower Michigan’s fabled Leelanau Peninsula.

A petite pocket of pools, ponds and vacation rentals of all kinds tucked into hillsides, The Homestead sits between the sparkling blue of Sleeping Bear Bay and the sandy swales and deep woods of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The moment I enter my lamp-lit room at The Inn, a classic yet cozy hotel that hails back to The Homestead’s origins as a 1920’s-era wilderness camp, I gasp.

From my window, I can sit by the fire and watch seagulls battling the wind blowing off Lake Michigan’s white-capped waves. But I resist. Something even more relaxing awaits: a one-hour massage at the resort’s Spa Amira.

Twenty minutes later, my massage therapist, Brenda Albrecht, lays a warm wrap over my shoulders and says the words every mother of young kids longs to hear: “We can talk if you like, but