Glen Eden – Hunter Valley
Our 5th escape retreat 2024 and 3rd at the beautiful Glen Eden in the Hunter Valley.
When I first decided I’d love to host retreats the thought process behind it was creating a space for women to connect, step outside their busy lives, be educated, while filling their cup and getting spoilt. As well as for me being able to connect with women in real life. For an online business owner my clients are all over zoom, and remote, and for someone that is as social and extroverted as me, having that face to face contact was really special and important.
To make changes that enhance their lives, to know what they need to do to feel the best they can. To give them an understanding of what is needed. To also – allow them to dig a little deeper to find out core reasons they feel, act and behave a certain way. Then give them the opportunity to commit to positive change for good. My Escape Retreat is the perfect place to do this.
With our busy lives it’s easy to get on the hamster wheel and just let life pass us by – while looking after everyone else’s needs but our own. Weekends away, girls weekends, and even nights out sometimes feel few and far between if at all. At my retreats, I open a space for women to not only relax and de stress, not have to worry about getting up to kids, making everyones meals, breaking up tantrums, but to embrace themselves with knowledge to fuel their lives forward in a positive way.
Day 1 – Thursday 5pm
On arrival we always do a l little cocktail party. For a lot of women it can be overwhelming coming to be vulnerable in front of new faces. Those coming alone and not knowing anyone as well – it’s a nice time to meet each other, relax and enjoy a cocktail and some beautiful food.
We always do a introduction so everyone has a chance to say whey they’re here and a little about them – it breaks the ice and let’s the vulnerability start from the onset.
Our beautiful food is always catered for by Feast Catering. Tracy is absolutely amazing and her values around food are the same as mine – meaning we always have fresh whole foods, locally sourced and are just delicious.
After dinner which is a fun cocktail party style dinner, of grass fed beef sliders, goats cheese tartlets, slow cooked lamb and veggie bowls and dessert of the lightest cheesecake you’ve ever tasted – I handed out the goodie bags to the ladies- and WOW were they in for a treat.
Goodie Bags
When reaching out to sponsors for our bags the goodies HAVE to align with my core values. I also love to support small Australian Businesses where possible (or New Zealand with my Kiwi roots).
The Bags consisted of:
- Salted almond butter from 99th Monkey – discount code Danni99
- Skin brightening serum from Antipodes
- Socks from Avila
- Coconut water from Cocobella
- Cans of Etch Sparkling – discount code thefigure10
- Protein travel packs from Happy Way – discount code HAPPYD
- An Intimo piece from Intimo and Courtney Deandre
- Spice mixes from Mingle Seasoning
- A tin of Collegan Beauty from Nutra Organics – discount code the figure
- A handmade candle from Studio McKenna– discount code thefigure10
- Body and Face Wipes from Jak Organics – discount code thefigure20
- A Goal setting and life Journal from The Goal Changer – discount code danni25
- Discount vouchers from Your Story Collective- discount code danni10
- Tote bags supplied by Trademark Promotions
- Hydration Sachets from Vitadrop
- Eyelash curler and brow brush from Purely Lashes
- Daily Hustle Planner and Journal from Write to Me – discount code danni20
- LSKD Leggings and my daily outfit
- Rice bundles from From Basque with Love – discount code thefigure10
Day 2 – Friday
We start each day with a workout, and a little sleep in of course – with our morning session at 6:30am. Encouraging and showing the ladies how impactful moving your body first thing is.
It’s then breakfast time – which I provide. I had made 2 loaves of sourdough the day before for the ladies, as well as prepped 2 different home made granolas, and purchased berries, yoghurt and eggs for their cabins.
At 9:00 it’s time for the first session with me around Nutrition, Whole foods, choices and why. I love educating people, and I love the questions and conversations that come from sharing and expanding their knowledge. I could talk forever but this session as important for them as we broke down where our nutrients and calories come from, where our energy is going and the best way to utilise our input and output to reach out goals and be the healthiest versions of us.
We had a delicious nourish bowl style lunch prepared by Tracy, and then into a sourdough tutorial for those who were keen. You can find my sourdough blog and recipe HERE. Which went in to the afternoon as we stretched and folded the bread.
The afternoon was free time and massages. Some girls rested, while others took a walk down to Bare River Flats to purchase hand made soaps, and local olives and produce.
We finished the afternoon with a stretching session and meditation to calm our nervous system following by a small mindset session to give the ladies some tools for when times get crazy.
Dinner was a sit down 3 course dinner with a pork belly and apple salad to start, grain fed beef and local chicken and veggies then a divine Eton mess with yoghurt and fresh berries.
Day 3 – Saturday
We put our bread in the oven then our workout at 6:30 was sweaty. After breakfast the ladies got treated to a session with Sarah, who owns Glen Eden. Sarah is a psychologist and did an introduction to schematherapy which had all the girls engrossed, and a few in tears. Really getting vulnerable with their past, their why’s and the reasons behind their behaviours. It was an epic session.
We wandered over before lunch to Greenway Wines a small local winery who only supplies on site. Those of us not drinking were spoilt to a home made verjuice with fruit. It was a beautiful setting and a chance for great conversation amongst the ladies. We made our way back from lunch which Tracy had prepared. The most delicious salads with delectable roast salmon. Roasted glazed carrots, beets, grains, we all over indulged in the best way possible.
Afternoon free time, followed by our stretching and meditations and then it was on to Ice Baths. Some girls were all for it – some were a hard no. But we had a few that were not sure – with some encouragement from the group hard things were done. Comfort zones were squashed and women did things they had never done before. The support was amazing to watch.
Before dinner I did a fun little trivia with questions around things they’d learnt over the weekend, instilling the information in another way. We then enjoyed our last dinner together of an asian banquet ending with the yummiest brownies and ice cream.
Day 4 – Sunday morning
Our workout was at 7am to give the girls a little more sleep after a later evening. After breakfast we sat around and I gave the ladies a chance to reflect and write down their learnings and commitments moving forward.
The love and support you see by the end of the retreats is just heart warming. The bonds formed, the hearts that have opened and changes already made are amazing.
Next retreat
Join our retreat waitlist to be the first to hear about our next Escape Retreat. Join HERE.
Making time for YOU for YOU and future YOU!
