Thai Massage round two

Took myself for a massage as a post birthday treat.  Went back to Sukho Thai Healing Center in Glendora.  I really enjoy calling ahead to be at a place and having them say "see you in 10 minutes."  Hooray for semi-instant gratification! 

Lois was my therapist for this session and she twisted me up like a little pretzel.  I heard my back crack from positions I would not have thought possible, which is not something I would generally go for but I was okay with it.  Don't get me wrong I'm all for the the gentle ease of a Swedish style massage...but there is something about leaving from a Thai massage where your muscles and knots feel all wrung out of you.  It's relaxing, but also energizing....if those can be simultaneous.  


Based of this little guide to benefits, I would have to agree.  This is not a regular massage with a lot of soothing strokes, you'll get some of that but there is a lot of twisting and pulling which is what I think is really helping with relieving tension.  It's almost like assisted Yoga in some positions, like a way to get deeper into the stretches.

I went for a Thai massage once before, see post  Oh my Thai for that experience. I liked my second visit a little more, maybe because I knew what I was getting myself into...but also because I really felt like my whole self more relaxed. 

why you need an acupressure facial

This week I took a Chinese Acupressure class at the International Dermal Institute...while it was only a two day look into a massive subject it was AWESOME.  We learned a technique that focuses on 21 points of the face and neck area and I am hooked.

I've always had the basic European massage in facials before (it's the standard that most of us learn for state board testing).  It's all fine and dandy, I mean it feels nice and relaxes you but sometimes you want something a little different...enter acupressure.

It is also very relaxing, which I wasn't sure it would be at first (being so used to the European style).  Turns out that it is relaxing but somehow in a different way.  Maybe because the focus is on breathing and overall wellness so the relaxation comes secondary.  Based off of this class I'm super excited to attend the IDI Reflexology course and the Chinese Diagnosis: Face and Body Reading.

If you have the option of trying it, I would highly recommend it! 

oh my thai...a massage experience

I've been working some crazy hours this month (as I do at the end of a quarter)...and decided to treat myself to a massage before month end.  I'd been looking into Thai massage and liked the idea of being stretched into relaxation.

I Yelped a bit, looking for a place with good reviews in my area. I was in luck, as there were a couple of places with rave reviews.  I opted for the Sukho Thai Healing Center in Glendora. I called as I was leaving work, hoping to snag an appointment that evening.  I was in luck and headed right over.  Drove right past it, thinking I knew exactly where they were.  Called them back, circled around, found their little place.  A very friendly older gentleman greeted me.

Being new to the Thai massage experince, I didn't completely know what to expect.  A petite little lady greeted me (I easily stood a foot taller).  She showed me to our small curtained off space and directed me to a box to place my clothes and left me to get to it.

I laid down in the very dark yet calming space.  My massage therapist came back and went to work.  She used oil, and had a very firm pressure.  It began as a pretty basic massage but with some added stretches here and there, I could feel her resting her weight on the back of my thighs which I think gave her better leverage on my back.  I turned over (face up) and she crossed one leg over the other and stood on the table to help stretch the back of my leg...with my leg up on her shoulder I realized very suddenly that I now had nothing covering my lower half. She half asked, half told me that I was okay...and then we repeated it with the other leg. Perhaps modesty is not my thing when my aim is to relax...but she didn't make me feel awkward for one second (maybe one..but not 5 seconds).

I really enjoyed the whole experience.  I also really like that we started off with a warm towel to give me a quick overall cleanse (I spent the whole day in flip flops, so it was super nice to have clean feet!), we finished off with another warm towel with a little essential oil to refresh the senses.  It's maybe a bit of a hole in the wall from the outside, but I would totally go again.

spa day (July edition)

After a very long work week I went for some relaxation at Wild Earth Spa in La Verne, CA it wasn't quite what I expected but ended up okay. I've always had a good experience in the past, but based on this trip I don't know that I'll go back.

I opted for one of their spa packages with a wrap and massage...apparently it's available on their website but is no longer on their in store menu.  The guy up front kept asking me if I was a new client...which was weird as I kept telling him "No".  The therapist who worked with me didn't seem to know what I was there for (maybe no one at the spa checks their website).

She walked me out to the sauna...and was about to leave when I asked how long she recommended I stay in there.  "About 30 minutes?...Um, or however long you want." I did 20 minutes.

We moved on to the wrap...she rubbed some tingly gel/cream on my upper arms, upper legs, and stomach.  I asked about the ingredients that make it tingle, she didn't know.  At this point I figured she must be new...nope, she said she'd been there for two years!

I will say the massage went alright, not stellar.  Very relaxing in spots...and I'm not one to complain about going over time on a massage, but the treatment was supposed to be 2 hours and altogether I was there for almost 3...partly because we started late.  It just wasn't that much fun and only semi relaxing.

Oh well, in plus news we're going out to Palm Springs in August with work and get 10% off spa services at our hotel.  Here's to trying again!!

Cheers!

Update: I contacted the Wild Earth regarding my service.  Management did not reply until I reposted my e-mail to their website (for all to see).  At that point the manager let me know all the personal details of her life as reasons why she didn't respond before.  She didn't address any of the issues I had with the service, but she did offer to let me come back for a free service.  She came across as super unprofessional, and I let her know as much...and that I was no longer comfortable coming back to her spa.

a very merry unbirthday

Tomorrow is my best friends birthday...so we celebrated it up this weekend.

Saturday began at the Voda Spa  in Los Angeles.  The outside really doesn't prepare you for the inside.  You enter into a peaceful little paradise.  You check in, get your locker, go upstairs to hop in your robe and sandals and you're ready to go...in your swimsuit, as this is a coed place.  There had been some discussion about visiting a "naked" spa, but that's been postponed for a bit.

We visited the different saunas and steam rooms, took a dip in the pool and had our treatments.  I got the aromatherapy massage, and the therapist took a lot of time working on the knots in my neck and shoulder area, which I appreciate greatly because I've been told that's where I hold my tension.  It did feel a little rough in spots, but hey, whatever works sometimes.  The BF had a pretty amazing facial.  So good she got her card and plans to visit her again.  Our other friend went for deep tissue massage and really felt like she got a good one...I'm more for Swedish styles, but maybe that's why I have knots.

Later we did the lunch thing at Gracias Madre also in LA.  This is a Vegan/Mexican restaurant and pretty tasty.  They have a great patio, perfect for drinking.  In the mood for a super fun outdoorsy summer drink? Let me recommend their "La Quinceanera" it's pink and yellow and has tequila and a snowcone...now I wish I'd taken a picture.

We finished up the day with mani-pedis at Limon Nail & Spa Boutique super friendly ladies at very small shop.  $35 for a mani-pedi combo, I call that a score.  I went a mermaid type of route with my color choices.

For Sunday we did our volunteer shift with the kitties at BFLA.  Best Friends Animal Society is an amazing organization doing great work for the adoptable cats and dogs of LA. While there is nothing glamorous about cleaning cat cages, it does give your heart a boost knowing that you're doing good.

While it wasn't my birthday, being able to see hang with a friend having fun all weekend long felt like a very merry unbirthday for me!