Spa, Beach and Brunch at the Loews Don Cesar, St. Pete Beach #GirlsDayAtTheDon

Friends, I cannot tell you how stressed out I am right now. Everything about this wedding has been very easy and stress free, until last week happened. Then one after another, things I thought were taken care of due to my type A personality weren't going as planned. I had two mini crisis last week and one nearly crucial crisis. Those three items made my week extremely stressful but I was able to end it with a relaxing day in paradise - also known as the Loews Don Cesar. I will admit that there were a few times this trip wishing we got married locally at The Don vs. going to New Orleans.

If you remember, I have written about "The Don" a few times already. This trip was a little different as it we were going just for the day, for some sun and fun. My best friend Keri and I woke up early on Sunday and were one of the first people on the famous Loews Don CeSar beach. We rented two chairs and a beach umbrella and started relaxing. One of the things I love about the lounge chairs at Don CeSar is the flag on the back. You lift it up and a server promptly appears to take your food or beverage orders.

The rental prices for Chaise lounges are $10 a chair for a full day. They also have half day rates. This was not a bad price at all. Other options are Beach Cabana's ($30), Luxury Day Bed ($100) and Sand Chairs ($8). I loved not having to lug my chair down to the water!

After a few hours in the sun, we headed up to Spa Oceana. I had the chance to check out the spa earlier this summer, you can read about that experience here.  We arrived a half hour early to spend some time in the whisper room, glass of rose sparkling wine in hand. Talk about the perfect way to start unwinding.

Next thing we knew, it was time for our 60 minute aromastone massage. We had multiple options to choose from for the aromatherpay. Keri went with an oil for working out and I chose the lemongrass scented unwind. Perfect for what I wanted. There is one thing for certain, this was the most spectacular, perfect spa day. The massage was amazing, I was so relaxed and tranquil that I fell asleep for about 5 minutes which is rare. Sometimes going to the spa can further stress me out as there are times I cannot turn my mind off....and trust me - there is a lot going on up there right now. Thankfully, this was not one of those times.

Following our spa treatment, we headed up to Spa Oceana's rooftop where a group of ladies were celebrating a birthday. Note to self for the future - what a killer location for a bday party. We enjoyed the last of our champagne and headed down to Sea Porch for a late Brunch.

This was my second time dining at Sea Porch. After a spectacular dining experience in May, I knew going in that I would love their brunch. Keri and I have completely different taste palates. She prefers sweets and salads, where I prefer savory and burgers. However, the Sea Porch Brunch menu was something we could agree on. We each picked out a few dishes that both of us would enjoy so we could get more out of our meal. First up was Monkey Bread ($6). Good Golly Miss Molly. It was warm, covered in cinnamon sugar and covered in a warm toffee sauce. It was delicious. We ate all but one piece. Wedding diet who?

Speaking of breaking wedding diets, I went off the deep end and ordered a Bacon, Egg & Cheeseburger ($16) with Nueski bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, arugula, chipotle mayo and a sunny up egg. Cheating on my diet was worth every bite for this burger plus Keri split it with me so I didn't fee too guilty.

While we both really wanted the Chicken and Waffle at Sea Porch, we decided that would be a bit much with the other two dishes we consumed. Instead, we ordered Hand Made Burrata "BLT" ($14). Literally anytime I see Burrata on a menu, I cave. It is my favorite cheese on earth. The deconstructed salad came with a nice piece of burrata (which looks like a poached egg), fried green tomatos over arugula with peppered bacon and balsamic syrup. This was a perfect brunch option.

Finally, we ended with a glass of Save Me Sangria ($8) with merlot, gin, agave nectar, fresh lime juice, cranberry, pineapple and orange juice. The sangria was fruity and refreshing. We quickly poured it into a plastic glass and went back to the beach.

We couldn't have asked for a better day. The weather, spa treatment and brunch really were amazing. It's also great to know this gem is a 30 minute drive from Tampa. There will be plenty more girls day's at the Don in our future. Spa Oceana has a great Labor Day special this Saturday and Sunday ONLY! Book Any 60 or 90 minute Massage, Facial or Manicure/Pedicure Combo and Take $25 Off! Call (727) 363-5029 to book today!