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Urban
Renewal |
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LOCATIONS: A list of other local spas. Remember the commercial with images of a cranky boss and a crying baby swarming around a frazzled woman's head, provoking her to throw her hands in the air and scream, "Calgon, take me away!"? My reaction to stress isn't (usually) so dramatic, but I know what it's like to feel overworked, overtired and out of tune with my body. As someone who writes about both health and music, I cope erratically: I find myself doing yoga and drinking fresh carrot juice one day, swilling Pabst and breathing cigarette smoke at a crowded rock show the next. I don't have the time or money to jet off to überspas like Canyon Ranch for a tune-up, but there is hope. A wealth of day spas in Portland provide relaxation and rejuvenation more affordable than posh getaways and infinitely more decadent than a simple bubble bath. In the interest of the collective well-being of haggard Portlanders, I recently volunteered for the arduous task of experiencing local spa services firsthand. The first spa on my list was Pleiades (1122 SE Ankeny St., 238-8089). A Russian massage at a cooperative spa in Southeast Portland might sound less than luxurious, yet this experience was nothing but. The worker-owned and operated spa is in a renovated Victorian house and is run by six women who specialize in everything from ayurvedic-based facials to individually tailored massages. Most are in the $30-$80 range. But this isn't just another spa rooted solely in self-indulgence--Pleiades is PC all the way. It even offers discounts to Industrial Workers of the World members and people who use alternative transportation to get there. (I'll bet they recycle empty massage-oil bottles, too.) I pulled up to the house and wondered if I'd be required to fill out a questionnaire about my politics as opposed to my skin-care routine. I was greeted by Tara, a massage therapist with toned upper arms and a reverent expression. Tara recommended a $60 Russian (or neurohumoral) massage, ideal for muscular distress like aches and pains caused by overexertion or repetitive movements. It would entail rapid, heat-inducing strokes using a non-oily lotion to increase circulation. Sounded good to me. I was left alone to disrobe and slip beneath the sheets in a tranquil room with pale, eucalyptus green decor. The sound of ocean waves and Spanish guitar music eased my mind, and soon it didn't seem all that odd to be hanging out naked in this cozy, yet unfamiliar, house. When Tara returned she applied hot water packs to loosen the muscles in my back--a treat I'd love to experience every day. Meanwhile, she firmly massaged my arms, legs and feet. Next came the back work, vigorous "sawing" back and forth and "plum blossom" motions, which entailed applying pressure in a flower-like pattern (evidence of Chinese medicine's influence in Russian massage). In the span of one hour I had gone from tense and achy to feeling like a wet noodle. I started to sniffle, and Tara explained that the massage was stimulating my lymph system to clear out toxins. This histamine-inducing effect, or congestion, made my head swim (hence the box of tissues conveniently located beneath the headrest). Finally, I turned over and was treated to a soothing face and neck massage. Driving away contentedly, I planned to return to this friendly, comfortable haven as soon as my budget allowed--but next time I'd leave my beat-up Saab at home and take the bus (or maybe sell the piece of pollutant-spewing junk altogether and bike everywhere). The following week, I decided to go corporate. Aveda Lifestyle Store and Spa (5th Avenue Suites Hotel, 500 SW Washington St., 248-0615) is quite a departure from Pleiades. Founded by hairdresser Horst Rechelbacher in Minneapolis in 1978, Aveda was one of the first beauty-product companies to capitalize on an environmentally conscious image, with recycling programs and the use of natural compounds in its products. Twenty years later, there are nearly 70 Aveda stores and spas in the United States and more overseas. The downtown Portland location is a clean, almost clinical environment, and I was greeted (but not very warmly) by a woman in a white lab coat. I considered the menu of offerings, everything from the dreamy Himalayan rejuvenation body treatment to purifying body wraps. (Plan on spending $60 to $150 for services here.) I settled on the loftily titled "self-renewal facial" for $75. After I begrudgingly confessed my cheap skin-care regimen on a form while sipping herbal tea, the esthetician, Melanie, led me to a private changing area where I was given a locker, a simple robe and sandal-like slippers. I was anxious to ditch my worn black Levi's and thrift-store garb after eyeing the polished, Donna Karan-clad women strolling around the place. I lay down, and Melanie gently cleansed, then swabbed my weary skin with toner (to close the pores). My worries over deadlines at work dissipated as my arms, legs and scalp were gently massaged with aromatic potions. A purifying herbal clay mask with exfoliant to remove toxins permeated my pores, with the help of a mini steam bath. All this opening and closing of pores sounds confusing, but the ameliorating procedures felt curative. I tried to ask questions about each step, but Melanie seemed reluctant to divulge much, as if talking might disrupt the experience. My state of calm ended abruptly when she started the "extraction," a process of cleaning out clogged pores with a metal implement. It's about as fun as getting stitches. Just as I started to quietly fume, Melanie slathered cool, rich lotion on my tender face, and I forgave her. After a steam bath and hot shower, I couldn't help but pile on more plant- and flower-essence Aveda products from a vast selection of beguiling brown bottles: confixor, elixir, hydrating lotions, firmers, toners and everything in between. I looked in the mirror and saw a rosy, long-lost glow in my complexion. The service had been very discreet and almost snobby at times, but these women knew what they were doing. I secretly vowed to take better care of my skin from then on (with fewer than 10 products, if at all possible). If Pleiades is a Tri-Met bus and Aveda is a Lexus, the spa at the new Nature's is a Volvo. The InsideOut Spa (17711 Jean Road, Lake Oswego, 635-9615), located in the Nature's mezzanine, exudes an aura of secure calm despite the bustle of customers purchasing portabello mushrooms and loaves of Como in the aisles below. A curved staircase in the middle of the store (complete with New-Age CD listening station) leads to the spa above. Donning the familiar robe and slippers, I padded from the locker room to the secluded, cushy lobby (more earthy, eucalyptus green decor, in the form of plush couches and chairs this time), where Connie, a cheerful, rosy-cheeked esthetician led me to a tiled room. For this experience, I chose a $75 detoxifying sea plant wrap. First, Connie dry-brushed me to get rid of dead skin and stimulate the lymphatic system, stirring up the toxins to be flushed from my body. Once I got over feeling like a show horse, it was heavenly. Next, Connie picked up a paintbrush, coated me in green seaweed paste the consistency of clay and wrapped me in foil, followed by a waterproof electric blanket. Left alone to relax on the metal table, I felt the soothing algae seep warmly into my pores, as if I were adopting a new layer of skin. When the door opened again, I half-expected to see agents Scully and Mulder coming to investigate this odd human experiment, but instead Connie appeared in a vinyl apron and unwrapped me. A multi-headed shower hanging from the ceiling above me was turned on full-force, and the seaweed was washed away while I lay reveling in the high-pressure Vichy shower, which sent hot water flying everywhere. Connie sealed the deal with a coat of moisturizer over my clean, damp body. If only every trip to the grocery store included this kind of nurturing, utopic experience. Sadly, my spa adventures had come to an end. I hadn't been forced to
listen to the crooning of Enya, I felt like a million bucks, and I was
even thinking about painting my room a soothing green color. I had a
renewed determination to take better care of the detoxified, moisturized,
glowing, relaxed me. And if I slip back into self-neglect, I'll just
have to convince an editor it's time to do a follow-up story.
LOCATIONS A NEW DAWN, 5512 SW Kelly Ave., 244-3437 ATLANTIS SPA AND SALON, 1126 SW Morrison St., 721-1576 BEAUTY À LA CARTE, 4455 SW Scholls Ferry Road, suite
3, 292-1873 BELLA TOCCA, 117 NW 21st Ave., 295-4055 BODY & SOUL, 343 N Main Ave., Gresham, 669-3009 HICKOX SALON, 711 SW Alder St., 241-7111 PARADISE DAY SPA, 2905 NE Broadway, 287-7977 SALON NYLA, Embassy Suites, 319 SW Pine St., 279-9000 SASSÉ SALON & SPA, 630 SW Alder St., 228-8266 SYLVIE DAY SPA & SALON, URBACA SALON & SPA, 120 NW 9th Ave., 241-5030
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