Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Review: Male masseur + me (A perfect combination at Heritage Spa)

Sometime back, I had the pleasure of doing some spa and beauty parlor reviews for Living magazine but the list I was given was too far and wide, I ended up choosing just one and delegating the rest to the other writers (everyone deserves some free pampering!) and because I was just too tied up with too much to finish, I chose the one nearest to my office. I have never looked back ever since. Before I found Heritage Spa, Sanepa Heights (on the way to Kiran Bhawan), I used to get my pampering done at a few spots, going back to them only when I was really in a horrible state. They were all dreadfully expensive, and the service wasn't up to how much money I was forking out each time. But, I have a very bad back and money comes second when it comes to attending my needs besides, I have horrifying posture and I am even a tad bit hunch backed, so every time I booked an appointment, it was more for medicinal-recovery purpose than pampering.

I had woken up with a really sore, tensed shoulders a couple of days ago but I just didn't find the time to book for an appointment but hey, it was Christmas yesterday and I really needed for someone to give me the release. My neck and shoulders were in terrorising pain. I was feeling completely drained out of whatever chi was in my body. Plus, yesterday, I was celebrating five glorious years in Nepal. With fingers and toes crossed, I sent a message to one of the partners of the spa asking if they were open for business and if they were open, do they have any opening for a booking. They did! I was expecting a surplus of customers for some Chrissy pampering, like me. Good they didn't.

While I waited for my room to be ready, sipping on piping hot yummy Nepali masala tea, my muscles were all screaming for help. I could feel them all feeling so down and sad, probably crying the reddest tears of absolute discomfort. I couldn't wait to go in. I was feeling so lethargic but I made a mistake of making a small conversation with the receptionist, telling all about my aching raw shoulder massage. He tried convincing me into some other massages than I asked for, particularly the Dry Thai full body massage and I wasn't really in the mood to be kept off my track and convinced into something else. My usual is the Raw Coffee Bean full body scrub (hey, its winter and I am too lazy to do at-home scrubbing myself), followed by a European Swedish full body massage and the Bio-Fruit facial (hey, I need to be pampered!) If you know me well enough, you would know I hate changing my mind and routine. I hate not knowing what I am in for and what I am supposed to expect. I lack the 'spontaneous' bone. I was also not feeling particularly adventurous at all to try anything apart from my usual, and breaking a bone or two on Christmas day was far from what was on my agenda and rushing to an emergency room to fix a broken hip, just no. I was already almost convinced by the receptionist's suggestion after all, they should know better than me and then. Reena came, she is the owner and Principal (all masseurs in-house are trained on site by her), all she had to say was, "You should try Dry Thai, it is really good!" I was about to politely turn her down again, but because she is such an absolute sweet heart and so very caring and charming and all those nice things, and just then, my back just screamed more, I gave in. Maybe twisting and turning and contorting my body into a funny little pretzel would do some good. I was finally okay going off my routine.

And then, another hmmm moment. "Would I be fine with a male masseur? The guy you were talking to you gives excellent Dry Thai." Ahhhhh. First thing on my mind; gentleman would not at all be pleased with this (and he wasn't when I told him much later) but hey, he was just doing his job and I was just getting pampered. No kinky, pinky, freaky in the massage room where I laid naked in a pair of disposable underwear. Surprisingly, I felt at total ease. He was just very friendly and very professional about making me comfortable first. I will admit I was smiling cheekily with my face down as he started warming up my body for the session. Come on, I had to! The second reason why I almost hesitated on a male masseur was because of their roughness. I am very intolerant of pain. Every time gentleman tries to give me a rub down (the softest he can go), I am always screaming in pain and he gives up. I assumed the same. And then, he started scrubbing me down. Was I wrong! His touches were more defined, more pronounced, less ticklish, and unusually gentle unlike any other female masseurs I ever had. As cheesy as this sounds, he made a temple out of my body and he had me saying 'Sweet Heavens' under my breath a hundred times.

With the hour of scrubbing dead, dull skin away over, I took a quick warm shower to wash off all the raw beans to show off my now very polished, baby smooth and refreshed, wonderfully smelling skin. I changed into the most comfortable pair of pajamas-like pair of hemp made top and pants (its called Dry Thai for a reason) and I was ready to charge out of the room and change my package but I was too late and thank god, I was too late. He started from my foot and traveled his hand up my thighs and pressing all my pressure points and kneading into them, softly. Oh, it was twitchy painful like five to eight big needles were poking right into my open flesh. I was all red and frightened and again, I was this close to charge out of the room to change my package. But I just clinched my jaws as tight as I could and just withstood the (initial) pain. He was just working on finding how much pressure I could take. He was very receptive of my needs and not once was he complacent, and just placed focus on doing what he had to do to put cash to his pocket. His primary job was to make sure I was relaxing and not freaking out and then, doing his actual job of releasing all the stiff knots in my body. He asked me if I was comfortable a million times with his reassuring voice. I guess why I keep going to Heritage Spa over and over again is that they genuinely care to place customers' comfort first and everyone is always so nice and bright and just so delightfully pleasant to be around. Surely enough and shortly after, my body was stretched and turned into all kinds of weird shapes. I was in a fetal position and soon, I was a starfish and the most awesome one was when he basically lifted my legs and almost my entire body off the bed with just my head and the last of my shoulder blades still on the surface. It felt like I was defying gravity for real. It was just too blissful. I was making funny faces when he started doing that but I found myself saying yes to a second time. I kept asking him how much more time do I have because I just didn't want it to ever end by second half of the session and finally he ended it, he had to with a cute little namaste and more of, "How do you feel?" Sweet lord, I felt and still feel like a new woman! Good bye knotty knots, well, most of it anyway.

Another review I really want to do on is their Bio-fruit facial which I didn't have time for yesterday but this is one bit of heaven you just have to try. When I first did it, they told me that 99% of their clients who has done this has slept and I convinced them, the 1% is me. I never sleep even when they do those soulful head massages, I am an extremely light sleeper and all my senses are always awake but, I don't remember much of what happens during the facial because, ha! I fall under the 99%. I sleep and wake up with moist skin all the frigging time, even when I say, nope, not going to snooze this time. I know they apply lots of honey (which you would think is a perfect breeding base for pimples, it is not) and almonds. A lot of facial types leaves my skin red and peeling, especially when it comes to exfoliating. I am a Capricorn and as far as my know-about go, Capricorns have very sensitive skin. But this Bio-fruit facial is tremendously gentle. Trust me when it comes to knowing gentle and safe-care products, out of self loving and self defensive protection, I know the ins and outs of what is good for the sensitive skin. The only downside of this is that not all your blackheads are removed, which is the chief reason why I go for facial to be hones but give it the next day and you are literally glowing. I love looking on the second day after I do this facial, this glow is a lot different from the glows your other beauty parlor gives and while I am at it, the 1% who didn't sleep was a guy, some kind of expert who was trying to figure out their techniques and products used.

Besides the four, I haven't tried most of their packages, because well, I have a routine but if you are not as boring as me, I suggest you give this spa a visit and try their manicures and pedicures and fancy massage names like Pichu (is that even a massage?) and trekkers massage and I will promise you a superb and fancy time. They can be contacted at 552-4442. If you are keen on knowing their prices first, do leave me a comment and I will get back to you as I only have a wordfile with me and I have next to no clue how I can upload it here. I know the next time I am going there, I am choosing between a Dry Thai and a Swedish (yay, an expansion on my usual flavor) and I am definitely using a male masseur. And if I were to just push the praising to yet another level, it feels a little at home every time I am there.

So, I am just thinking of two Christmas later. I will be getting my Christmas massage from gentleman because next Christmas, I will give him the perfect present to me by signing him up for a spa and beauty course and the next, next Christmas he will be qualified enough to give me his signature Christmas massage and he will no longer have to fuss about another man is touching his woman's body. On a second thought maybe, I will just give him a pair of shoes or watch or some fancy dumb badass jewelry because I like that he is all fussy and not happy that I let another man touch me. I like when he is sooooooo, "No one has the right to do anything to you and with you!"

Love,
Genisha

3 comments:

  1. Haha! I really enjoyed this post!
    I didn't know you had a blog! A lovely blog you have going on here.. :D

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    Replies
    1. This is so exciting. The first comment on the blog itself! And it's from one of the last few person on earth I expected one from. Been blogging for a while now, continue reading it....cheers. X

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    2. Thanks Genisa for writing such a nice blog. I appreciate your writing. Thanks again and if possible would you mind writing few things in http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g315764-d2689231-r155338932-Heritage_Spa-Patan_Lalitpur_Kathmandu_Valley_Bagmati_Zone_Central_Region.html

      It will be more helpful.

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