4 Ways to Gift a Little Chill
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If sensory deprivation sounds like a dream, it's time to relax with Float Seattle.
Image: Float Seattle
What do you get someone who's stressed about everything—including the detrimental environmental effects of our viciously consumerist society?
Soothing experience gifts: floats on Lake Union (or in a sensory deprivation tank), escapes to Woodinville Wine Country (or a solitary yoga studio). From hour-long getaways to weekend-long jaunts, there's a local pick out there for everyone who could use a little chill time.
Boat Rental, Hot Tub Boats Local
$441–$551 per session
Image: Hot Tub Boats
Hot tub boats have a strange reputation—the company has even made merch poking fun at the common assertion that the joystick-driven pleasure crafts are "obviously fake." Reader, they are real. And, given few enough people in the boat (they hold up to six, which is really just too many legs for one little hot tub), they're a one-of-a-kind experience, with a view (and a scenic post-soak shower). The ideal hot tub boating atmosphere? A clear, chilly evening where you can zone out on those city lights.
First-Time 60 Minute Float, Float Seattle Local
$49
Image: Float Seattle
What if the best experience gift is the gift of experiencing nothing at all? Float tanks filled with extra-salty water give participants all the buoyancy they need to be deprived of (most) senses—even those who find it supremely difficult to turn their brains off will at least be bestowed with the rare sensation of, uh, not being on their phones. Add a pre-float sauna session for full benefits.
Yoga, Meditation, and Breathwork Credits, Sanctuary Studios Local
$160 for four private sessions
Image: Sanctuary / Carina Skrobecki
Yoga classes can be soothing! They can also be an irritating exposure to strangers' bodily functions—each snore or grunt a visceral reminder of potential Covid exposure (which can really mess with your zen). Sanctuary Studios, which serendipitously opened in Lower Queen Anne right before the pandemic, offers private studio sessions in addition to group classes. There's not even a teacher present, and nary a mirror in sight—the pre-recorded class is projected onto a wall—meaning yogis can drop all social awkwardness and really get in the flow. Each solo class costs five credits; find more on pricing here.
Tasting Passes, Woodinville Wine Country Local
$45–$90
Image: Woodinville Wine
Humans have been relaxing with wine from time immemorial. Pay tribute to our ancestors' self-soothing techniques with one of a dozen tasting passes from Woodinville Wine Country, offering discounts on tours organized around neighborhoods, wine varieties, even women vintners. More wine, less decision-making, more chill time.
