Sunday Special (cum Review)! (part 1)

This is going to be a boring entry for people who don't like reviews and endless jabberings about things to do and see and eat, but I'm gonna do it anyway because it was a special day for me and signified the kind of effort I don't normally make. And money I most certainly don't normally spend.

It was my parents' anniversary yesterday. 34 years. And my daddy was out of town. So I decided to dedicate a day to my mom doing things I know she's been wanting to do for a while, and things we dont get to do when my dad is around. First of all, and the thing that I was MOST excited and apprehensive about, I made them a card. You need to know me to realise what it takes for me to drag my ass out - buy an artsheet and paint and actually MAKE a card (the fact that my fave store has closed down and I don't like cheesy cards with rose bouquets, table linen, champagne and pens, with grammar and spelling that are slightly off or ridiculously mushy). Besides the fact that mom and I had had a tiff that morning so it was just FAKE to buy a card about the meaning of her in my life and the love i will show her everyday etc.

So I browsed for a poem online, washed the artsheet a sky blue and tried to keep it even (didn't really work). My biggest quandary was whether the lines I needed to draw to write straight would show on the paint, or if the paint would get rubbed off and messy if I tried to erase the lines. Can anyone solve these technical and stupid queries? Therefore, unwilling to experiment, I simply decided to KEEP the lines. I drew them with a rainbow-leaded pencil, you know... which has all different colours in one - so it looked really pretty on the sky blue, and kept the line lengths uneven. I was sure that if I tried to be artistic it would spell utter and total disaster and so refrained from trying to make any flowers or stars or paisley prints, or the yawning temptation of writing Live long life Sing sweet song etc.

But I could not resist drawing VERTICAL rainbow lines on the empty left inner page, to signify the gardual merging of energies :p. Or a company name at the back. Henceforth all my handmade cards shall be products of Creative Chaos Productions. (:p*umpteen)

AFTER that test of love equivalent to Sita walking through the fire, except mine was longer-drawn out, and spent in the pleasant online company of Adrasteia and Jinal, I slept like a baby (or exhausted new mother).

Sunday morning heralded a Swedish Massage at the Thalgo Aquamarine Spa for my mother and a Reflexology one for me. This is a French company that uses marine algae and related mineral products for its treatments, which range from massages, professional make-up, to masks, wraps, peels, facials and slimming and sculpting treatments. It's located in Mumbai at the Hilton Towers, the JW Marriott, and 2nd floor, Patel Sadan, Bomanji Petit lane (better known as the Parsi general Hospital lane), Kemps Corner.

Here are some pictures of what their spas look like, though this one was MUCH nicer.

You get the idea. Except that i liked the interior design of this one we went to MUCH better. I really wish I had pictures. One traverses a rather dingy passageway to get to the lift and then when one gets up, one enters a pastel heaven! Haven, even.

There's a reception area, and onto the right, a small seating area for four on a raised rosewood platform comprising 4 semicircular rather odd white seats with blue cushions, a magazine rack anda coffee table. Beyond the seating area, a door led to a cozy enclosed garden with a fountain and rainbow coloured sunchairs and poufs, facing a wall of rocks. Beyond the reception area towards the back is a small consultation room and the assorted massage rooms with attached showers and a hydrotherapy room, which is a GORGEOUS room comprising a shiny royal blue jacuzzi type tub, dim yellow lighting, and a ceiling that twinkles in gold blue and silver like stars at night! On the other side, next to the main door, is a small salon and facial room, where my reflexology was to take place. The entire spa had not a single sharp edge in it, except for shelf corners. It was built in undulating curves, even the panels, even the cavities in the walls, even the platform had rounded edges. The colours are what make spas spas. Thalgo is characterised by a rich cobalt blue, which used to be my favourite colour when I discovered it in art class, and thats what the accents in the entire place are coloured. The rest of it is done up in soothing shades of teak, cream, blue, sea green and peachy pink, and white, with fake marble flooring thats slightly slippery for fancy sandals. The cavities and shelves were tastefully arranged with Thalgo products and pouches, most in blue, such that one felt one was in a posh boutique.

The funny part was we met my cousin masi whose anniversary was also yesterday! Her husband and sister had given her a spa present. Even funnier, considering that we had all bumped into each other in the same restaurant for their anniversaries LAST year! Anyway I went for my reflexology after a brief consultation in the salon. I sat on a massage chair that kneaded my the entire length of my back, but unfortunately not my shoulders. I was offered a variety of teas (for heavy legs, water retention, constipation and detoxification) and quite predictably, chose the slimming one. It was YUMMMM!!! With a hint of mint and mediterranean fragrances, and citrus. I had 2 cups. Then I was also offered a chopped apple, which was crisp and of excellent quality, but all this eating and massage chair stuff interferes with the hand massage so I'll suggest you just concentrate and zone out.

For those of you who don't know, reflexology is a massage therapy that originated in Asia, China, I believe, that concentrates only on the feet and through the application of pressure on specific points on your feet, is able to ascertain the condition of one's kidneys, lymphatic drainage, circulation, digestion etc. When pain is felt in a particular point upon pressing, it denotes lack of health in the area associated with that pressure point. My mother said it hurt like hell, as did others, but that it felt AMAZING afterwards. It really does feel amazing. I love massages. I love how one area pressed leads to cloudy surf waves of blood rushing like a squid escaping in a cloud of ink towards another part, or exploding like a mushroom cloud at the base of my neck sending fumes into my skull, like this one. The masseuse said that i was the first person who had NOT screamed in pain. I enquired as to the age of the clients, and she said most of the reflexology ones were young girls and men. Considering how skinny and tiny these girls are (which I always assumed was a result of exercise and correct diet), I was pretty surprised to hear that. I guess Id rather be healthy the way I am with my internal organs in order. The only thing that hurt a bit was my circulatory point, which I knew from the beginning anyway. She was well-trained, as she could tell from the points themselves if there was a problem. That's what a good masseur should be.

I tipped her after and she was so profusive in her thanks!!! I was really surprised. I wonder what other people must be tipping - chingoos types I'm sure. I bet they gobble up everything in sight and demand more, and have a crass attitude towards getting their money's worth (This is a controversial statement. I think everyone should get their money's worth - I just get disgusted at the cheap behaviour and attitude of some people in the process)

When my mother came out we were served slice fresh sweet pineapple. Glad they're taking care of quality, given the price they charge, and samples of tea and lotions. They said its really healthy to pee (that sounds random, but I know its connected to being sufficiently hydrated as to actually have stuff to pee out and hence detoxify). My mother complained about the size of the bathrooms and robes (too small).

Oh yes - prices - Reflexology - 30 mins - Rs. 1500.

Swedish massage - 1 hr - Rs. 3000.

I die when I see such prices. But they're standard spa prices (Kaya is cheaper though) Anyway treats happen very rarely and now that Im working, I can afford to splurge a bit on my parents, who give me everything anyway.

I love spas! I love how everything is frugal (that really is the right word for the feeling I get) and healthy and crunchy and wholesome and natural in them! I know we dont need to go to a spa to get all that but still! It's a feeling that someone is concerned about both your innner and outer well-being you know?!

I was very pleased and sleepy after! But there's more to come!