The Big Splurge

Dining Pour Deux

Private dining at the Ritz-Carlton is the pinnacle of great gastronomy, offering contemporary American cuisine with global influences and an extensive list of fine vintages. We asked the staff to help us dream up an ultra-private dinner for two. Start off by reserving the resort's 20-seat private dining room (found just off The Dining Room, Southwest Florida's only AAA Five Diamond restaurant). Begin with a French red, 1929 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, priced at $10,500, and a trio of caviar and frozen vodka, $100 per person. Savor courses infused with truffles and caviar, including Kobe beef served with baby asparagus and truffled mashed potatoes. For dessert, indulge in the chocolate passion dessert, decorated with 24k gold. It doesn't get more memorable than this. 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, (239) 598-6644.

Cocktail Cruising

The Sweet Liberty is Naples' ultimate party boat. Available for private sunset soirees, sightseeing, shelling excursions and checking out the posh back yards of Naples' premier property along Naples Bay and in Port Royal, the 49-passenger Sweet Liberty is often booked up to six months in advance. Consider throwing a party for 30 of your family or friends while admiring some of Naples' Venetian-inspired architecture. The perfect complement: authentic Italian cuisine prepared by executive chef Alberto Varetto of Marco Ocean Beach Resort's Sale e Pepe.

For $200 per person Varetto will prepare a menu of Italian specialties and local delicacies. He suggests starting with a 10-item passed hors d'oeuvres menu (truffled paté of foie gras, tartelette of soft cheese, bruschetta with bagna cauda and legumes, and rosette of Parma prosciutto with fresh goat cheese). Also featured: a chilled seafood station with stone crab, littleneck clams and oysters; a selection of cured Italian meats; a pasta station offering fagottini of scallop and artichoke crepes, lobster consommé with quenelle of jumbo shrimp; plus carving stations and a display of Italian cheese. Each course will be paired with wines specially selected by Sale's sommelier, and handmade Italian pastries and chocolates provide the grand finale.

A four-hour dinner cruise will cost about $13,550 for 30 guests. (This includes tax, gratuity, waitstaff, chef's fee, food and a selection of nine different Italian wines.) Sweet Liberty, 330 12th Ave. S., (239) 793-3525; Sale e Pepe, (239) 393-1400.

Soothe the Spirit

Tasty adventures and tasteful acquisitions are excellent, but to totally rejuvenate yourself, take time to nourish your soul.

Sybaritic Spas

Spas have become one of the most popular resort amenities, and Southwest Florida hotels have some of the best. Here are three special treatments that regularly win rave reviews from guests.

For the perfect beach-themed indulgence, try the Spa at the Ritz-Carlton's signature Champagne of the Sea experience (starting at $135). It combines essential elements of earth and sea-a deep-penetrating, full-body thermal mask and exhilarating effervescent bubbles. The 30-room spa, available only to members and resort guests, offers a number of packages and full-day treatments, including a spa package for two-one night's coastal accommodations, a 50-minute massage for two plus breakfast for two, starting at $659 per night.

Perhaps because of our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, water, with its restorative, healing powers, is central to many of the treatments at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort's Stillwater Spa. It's one of only eight in the country to offer a Watsu pool, combining Shiatsu-style massage in water warmed to body temperature. As part of the spa's three-hour Soothing Serenity package, you'll get a Watsu session, reflexology and a moisture-drenching intense hydration facial. The spa is open to guests or the public, and the Watsu package is $393.

Whether you're hot-blooded honeymooners or longtime lovers, the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa's Day of Indulgence for Couples could fire up some sparks. It includes side-by-side massage, pedicure, four-layer facial and spa lunch. As part of the $840 package (hotel accommodations are extra), couples also enjoy the ultimate in togetherness and quality time: the Caloosa Experience, a one-hour session in a private steam chamber. After initial instruction from a therapist, couples tend to themselves and each other, sharing body treatments and an invigorating steam bath.
Information: The Spa at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples, 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, (239)514-6100; Stillwater Spa, 5001 Coconut Road, Bonita Springs, (239), 390-4360; and Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, 17260 Harbour Pointe Drive, (239) 466-2156.

Angelic Advice

No, it's not rocket science-or any kind of science-but for a fun psychic interlude, consider a session with Naples tarot card reader and channeler Barbara Wood. Known to some of the local socialites who seek her advice as the "Angel Lady," Wood is both problem solver and peacemaker, showing clients different paths through her tarot readings. She also claims to communicate with lost loved ones. Many clients find her readings therapeutic and revealing. "I help them understand why something is happening and how to change it," she explains. "I make them see that nothing's written in stone." Whether you're wondering about your financial future, or just want something to gossip about with girlfriends, Wood, who charges $75 an hour, is the one to call.(239) 530-0800.

Vacation Property

It's official: According to several recent studies (see "It's About Lifestyle," page 200) Southwest Florida is the most sought-after second-home destination in the country, and most experts predict the red-hot property market will continue to sizzle. Owning your own little piece of the Gulfshore is a great investment, as well as providing a place to visit-or live. And as long as you're acquiring property, why not go for the gold? At press time, the highest-priced home in Southwest Florida was a $21 million, six-bedroom, nine-bath estate in Aqualane Shores, complete with bungalow, private tennis court and a prime 2.67-acre lot on Naples Bay. With more than 9,200 square feet, you'll have plenty of room to spread out.Contact Bill Earls at John R. Wood Realtors, (239) 777-6622.

Share the Wealth

Receiving is rewarding, but any philanthropist will tell you that the greatest joy in life comes from giving. Leave your mark upon the Gulfshore with a gift to one of the hundreds of altruistic organizations and worthwhile causes that passionately work to make this region a better place. To find one that suits your selflessness, check out Gulfshore Life's Charity Register. You can view the magazine and its list of causes online at GulfshoreLife.com; or we'll be happy to send your own personal copy free of charge. E-mail senior editor Tracy Jones (tjones@gulfshorelifemag.com) or write her at 9051 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 202, Naples, FL 34108.