Miranda's Spa Day!!!

Last Christmas, my boss and his wife gave me a gift card to Escape Day Spa for a half-day spa escape. I've never gotten to use it - I've needed it quite a few times but we are so busy that I can't ever find time to do it!

Yesterday, Saturday, I got up and showered and fixed my hair for the first time after getting my new haircut and started a couple loads of clothes...nothing too stressful! Then I went to Tiffany & Co. to look at some pieces of jewelry that I had found online...FYI - they looked totally different in the store than they did online - much better so I'm glad I went and looked at them in person. I'm picking out my birthday present for Stephen to buy for me!!! I had a hard time coming up with something for him to get me, but once I started looking at Tiffany and especially after seeing them in person - I'm pretty excited about them - regardless of which of them he gets me! I picked out two necklaces and two pairs of earrings!

After Tiffany & Co. - I headed to the spa. I had a facial, a massage and a scrub scheduled for a span of 4 hours...plus you can come early or stay late in the relaxation room if you need a little extra peace and quiet. So I got there about 30 minutes early and got to enjoy the relaxation room a little bit.

I was supposed to see Lily for a facial, David for my massage and then Lily again for my body scrub. All of these were reccomended by my friend Sydney - as well as Lily was Syd's recommendation. There was a mix up in scheduling so David came for me and asked if I minded getting my massage first - so I did! I would say it was great - but he spent most of the time working on these muscles in my shoulder, back and neck that have been hurting me soooooooo badly for about two years now...they literally make me cry sometimes because they start hurting so bad...usually when I'm at work sitting in front of my computer ALL DAY LONG working on a deadline. It's just terrible! Problem is that about three and a half years ago I was having the same problem and went for a massage (in MS) and she worked an hour on the same area and couldn't relieve them...she didn't know what to say about how tense those muscles are. They bother me a lot when I'm driving to MS (or any long distance). So David tried to work some of the tension out but when I left he stated that on a scale I rank in the top 50% of tense mucscles...they are bad...he couldn't get them out either...and quite honestly, by the time I drove home that night my muscles were burning and painful from the treatment of trying to work them out. He really did a great job I think...it's not his fault that most touches in those areas are painful anyway! He was gentle and did some really great long stretches with my arms and down my back that felt great!

Then he said that since we had the conflict earlier that Vida was going to be doing my facial and body scrub...not Lily. So being relaxed and all from my massage I went for my facial...and immediately the stress started creeping back in...because she started quizzing me on my face and skin to know what to do to me...there were lots of questions that made me think and reflect on all the times that I had really bad skin problems...which isn't relaxing at all! But I understand why she needed to ask. Next time, I will definitely get the facial first so that it doesn't mess up my relaxed state of mind and body again. Later - at checkout - come to find out she did some special treatment on me that cost more than the regular facial I had booked so it cost me $25 more than I expected...and she didn't warn me that what she was going to do was going to cost more. But I let it slide because my face felt nice and clean...I will probably try Lily again one day - since Syd and the girl at check out said she is sooo great, more relaxing and less clinical - but I will definitely require it to be first...other than trying Lily for a facial, I probably wouldn't worry with a facial again. It was nice and all, but my practical side has trouble with that kind of money for washing and moisturizing my face.

Next came the procedure that I am still benefiting from today! The body scrub! This is not for the bashful!! They provide disposable panties and then an optional hand towel to cover your breasts if you like...assuming she's probably seen people in MUCH worse shape than me, I pushed away my bashfulness! So after adjusting the shower water to the temperature I wanted - pretty hot - I crawled up on a table in the center of the room, with my disposable panties on - one size fits all/most (they were kind of big on me) - the shower heads all spraying down on me...IT WAS AWESOME!!! She let me lay there a while before she came back in. When Vida returned she began my scrub...I was nervous at first - with the broken walnut shells and such, I was afraid it was going to hurt and I was going to have to stop - but it felt GREAT!!! She scrubbed my arms, neck and chest, stomach, legs, hands and boody cheecks! Then she sprayed all the scrub off and let me lay under the shower for a bit longer. Once I dressed and made it to the other room, she lathered me with this wonderful feeling lotion - thick coats everywhere she had scrubbed - to moisturize!!! When I left, I skipped the shower in the locker room because I didn't want to wash off the lotion...it felt soooo good - but trust me, with all the oils and lotions in my hair from Vida and David massaging my hair - it looked pretty rough by the time I left - but I was coming straight home so I didn't mind! After my body scrub, I sat out in the relaxation room for about 30 mintues (it felt like an hour or more so when I got back to the locker room and checked my watch, I wished I had stayed longer! They had low light and very peaceful - yoga type - music playing and have delicious cucumber water and some awesome little cookies (man, I could have eaten a whole pack of them)!

I felt fairly relaxed on my way back up the elevator until I checked out and then was dissappointed about the additional cost of the facial - especially seeing as it broke up my relaxed state of mind from my massage - but I didn't want to cause a scene on my first visit so I told her not to worry about it...Vida did a great job with the scrub and my face did feel very clean and refreshed. I just made a mental note for future visits...so as I'm sitting in my car driving home, my shoulders and neck started burning very badly so I was a little grumpy when I got home. It was around 7:00. I fixed something to eat and immediately started getting ready for bed and was in the bed by 8:00! I woke up this morning feeling nice and relaxed and my skin still feels amazing to the touch from the body scrub...even this afternoon! Although, all this blogging this afternoon has my muscles burning again...so I'm about to shut this down!

I know it sounds like I had some set backs...but I would definitely go back again - and HOPE to get to go back for another body scrub one day!!! I've lost all hope in massages relieving my pain, but I still like getting them for the rest of my body!!!

I would recommend Escape to you...just be weary of Vida with the facial...not so relaxing!! Do it first!!