If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you know that I’ve been ridiculously stressed out recently.
My arms recently started hurting again and my shoulders and neck were completely locked up from the stress.
So I booked a massage.
This is not something I normally do, but when I was in severe pain earlier this year from my mystery illness (that no one has yet diagnosed), massage is what helped reduce my swelling and my pain, first and foremost.
When my arms were swollen, it pushed the fluid in my arms out of place, allowing my arms to “shrink” back to their normal size and allowing my Physiotherapist at Unique Physio to start applying treatments that would help the pain and stiffness that I was experiencing.
Then, later, when we figured out that for some reason my faschia was stiff, massage helped loosened up my faschia so that it would allow my muscles to relax a bit more.
Needless to say, massage has been a great help to me this year (as well as acupuncture, but that’s another post)
So, anyway, I booked this massage, but I had to find one close to work because with the traffic I sit in everyday, I reach home (earliest) at 6 pm. At which point I collapse, drag my laptop into bed with me and write on my blog (see? I make an effort for you guys!).
I had noticed that the Double Tree Hotel on Dixon had a spa, and maybe I could just go there since it is a 5 minute drive from my workplace. I booked a massage at Zen Spa.As I reached, I was pleasantly surprised to see a very simple, but modern decor and a lovely lady at the front with a smile on her face. She checked me in and led me to a lovely, yet small changeroom and the lounge.
That’s where I met Sandy. Sandy who would be massaging me for the next hour.
When we started I was a bit nervous because she was so thin that I thought that she wouldn’t be able to get through to my stiff muscles.
I wanted to ask, but was too tired, about what type of massage I booked – because when I called to book, all I stipulated was a one hour massage. When I lay down I started wondering if it was a Swedish massage, Deep Tissue? I guess I’d have to wait and see.
Imagine my surprise when I felt the weight and heat of stones on my body.
A good surprise.
The mixture of heat, kneading and the “plinky plonky music” (as one of my best friends calls spa music) completely relaxed me. I pretty much fell asleep until she lifted the sheet into a tent and asked me to turn around.
I have to tell you. Sandy is one really caring, knowledgeable and lovely lady. And she gives one hell of a massage.
And, it was not too expensive. I feel almost like it’s worth it for me to drive out to the Double Tree in Etobicoke for my spa experiences – because not only was it a fantastic experience, but it felt comfortable, classy and comfortable and was cheaper than the typical downtown spa that gives half the service (I’m not saying all of them are like that, I’m saying the ones I’ve been to are like that!).
So, Zen Spa has not paid me to write this blog post. In fact, they don’t even know about it (unless they follow me on Twitter which I doubt…I don’t even know if they have a Twitter account!) . It was that good. That I felt obligated to share this wonderful spa with you.
I have to tell you, at some point (maybe before Christmas, maybe after…) I will be seeing Sandy again.
Thank you Sandy and Zen Spa, for helping me to feel a bit more like myself again….just in time.