Fantastic Poor Man's Spa

Based on the reco of 2 spa savvy gal pals, the hubby and I signed up for a few hours at Oriental Retreat & Spa, a fab little hole-in-the-wall of a spa in Kirkland, just off and east of 405. While the name and acoustics left plenty to be desired (like floor-to-ceiling walls), everything else about this place was fantastic. And, for the price, almost unbelievable! I told my husband that I'd like us to go there once a month for the Chinese Healing Massage (or Chigong Tuina Massage), and since it's so affordable, for the 90 min not 60 min session. If you're near Kirkland, or even if you're not because it's worth the trip, check this place out.

Another Poor Man's Spa

Today, because we had a $22 gift certificate/credit that my buddy Stan bequeathed to me, we finally checked out Banya5 located just north of downtown Seattle. This is now the 2nd Poor Man's Spa (PMS) we've experienced in the last month, and can't say I'm dying to go back.

While the massage I had there was pretty good (well, except for the masseuse that made a habit of bumping into the table. Um, isn't that covered in massage school class 101?), the amount of what I call "homework" we had to complete when we first arrived (and had no warning about when I called to book our appointments), set the stage for not-so-greatness.

I'll try to make time to write more about this one later, but since it definitely won't even make my Top 20 list, I might not.