happy feet

my feet are smiling again. well, they would if they could. after two weeks of looking like they belong in the dark ages i finally had the time to go to the salon and have them scrubbed, massaged and pedicured to perfection. don't get me wrong, my feet aren't pretty. i would have posted a picture of them if they were. but at least now, they look like they are appreciated and loved.

back when i was still on solo flight, i brought my feet to my favorite manicurista, Ate Celia, at least once every 2 weeks. foot spas are my thing. all that scrubbing, foot and leg masks, yummy smelling creams being massaged into my skin and the icing on the cake, a great pedicure, just simply feels like heaven on earth.

i love foot spas so much i even opened a day spa [along with other spa-lover-family and friends] once upon a time. our foot spa was i think the best in the city. not only did you get well deserved indulgence from your knees to your toes but you were assured of the most hygienic treatments in town. at the start, your feet are washed with soap and running water, not the typical soak-in-the basin washing, but heated water from the tap. all our instruments were sterilized after each use. the scrubs, masks, and creams were slathered on generously, and the nail colors were of good, mostly imported, brands. plus the ambiance was very cozy and restful. too bad we had to close it down last year. the really bad location took a toll on it and after much denial i finally had the heart to let it go.

so now i'm on the hunt for a spa or a salon that could match the kind of service we gave. so far i've visited ELEMENTS salon at the Holiday Gym and Spa twice. Fe, was my manicurista again today. I give her an 8 [rating from 1-10, with 10 being the highest], the salon was clean enough, and the chair i sat on was also comfy. they did not have the same hygiene policy as we did though. and their towels looked like they should already be turned into rags, blecch =P. next time, i'll go back to Ate Celia over at HairStudio in SM. they should have services which might make my feet happy again. i'm hoping that someday i won't miss our beloved Spa anymore.

a three-hour holiday

when it was still just the two of us, hubby, who was The Boyfriend, back then, and I would spend most of our dates in this manner:
Three hours in Holiday Gym and Spa Massage Area, usually starting at around 5pm,
dinner at a nice restaurant,
and then probably a movie or if there was nothing we wanted to watch, guzzle beer at MTS.

what the heck did we do in the massage room for three hours, you may be asking. this was our routine:
a hot shower,
15-30 minutes in the sauna,
a 1 hour and 15 minute massage,
another 15-30 minutes in the sauna,
and another shower to prepare us for the evening ahead.

we would usually meet up in the lobby still perspiring from the sauna.

fast forward to getting pregnant and becoming a mother, i had not been in Holiday Spa's Massage room for three years as i couldn't muster the thought of leaving Miguela and be selfish for a few hours.

Having a second baby changes your perspective and with the experience with your firstborn up your sleeve, you become less of a martyr and a bit braver to leave them in the care of trusted people.

and so, one day last week, hubby and i, after a lot of failed attempts, drove over to Holiday Spa for this long awaited ritual. first, i was surprised to find out that the rates did not change, still P450.00 for the full body massage, even after 3 years! and as i entered the women's massage area, i was pleased to find the place neat and clean, and well maintained. The reception area staff were new, but also friendly, and i noticed, more professional.

what got me excited was when i learned that they had a current promo - an hour of full body massage and an hour of foot massage for only P600.00. i decided to upgrade as i am a foot spa freak.

the lowdown:

the massage therapists were nice and attentive, they listened to my requests to concentrate on my back, shoulders, and feet more. they were skilled and knew where to put on the pressure and when to lessen it. i'm not one who likes hard massage as it makes me sore all over the next day, as if i spent an hour torturing myself in the gym. so i guess the therapists were happier, they had a pretty easy time with me. i came out of the spa promising myself that i would do this once a month at the very least, i was still in an altered state, i guess. i'd be lucky if i'd find the time again within this year. >o

hubby was already at the lobby and judging from the look on his face, he was must have been waiting for quite a while. i was right, his hair was already dry. i couldn't wipe the smile off my face even as he complained about my taking too long.

little did i know that he was going to get back at me not long after we left Holiday Spa'a driveway. We were having dinner in another thai restaurant just a few meters ahead. blecch!