Saturday date

Today, I had a long overdue date with myself.

It’s been awhile since I went exploring on my own, especially since I moved out of the house a few months ago. The date came about because I’ve been very depressed these past few weeks and even hanging out with friends over movies wasn’t helping. (No, I did not break up with anyone and I think this feeling has something to do with the movements of the planets.) I recently changed schedules and my weekday will officially start on Sunday (tomorrow) so before I face another week, I decided to lay low and be with myself (and my thoughts) for the whole day.

My first stop was Spa 101, a “hidden” foot and nail spa along Timog Ave., near Tomas Morato circle. The pink sign emblazoned in purple caught my attention--its too girly to be disregarded--and when I stepped inside, the strong scent of jasmine almost knocked me out. On the good side, the people were accommodating and the services were too tempting to pass on.

I acquired the foot spa and mani-pedi, which lasted for an hour. The walls were washed in cherry pink and thin white draperies separate booths that comprised of soft cushion on mahogany wood and wall lamps. Piano instrumentals fleeted through the quiet atmosphere and as Malou, my manicurista, scrubbed my feet of callouses and whatnots, I found myself half-lidded and yawning. My favorite part was when she massaged my lower legs and my feet, relieving the strain acquired from wearing stilletos and wedges and flats in succession.

Her hands are amazing.

At the combined price of P350, I got soft pinkish feet and nail polish that turned from fire-engine red to Barbie-doll pink. I also carried home the scent of vanilla and caramel in my hands and peppermint on my feet.

After the foot massage, I headed straight to Ton-Ton Massage, a parlor 100 km. away from Spa 101 that offers traditional Thai massage. Ton-Ton is along Tomas Morato and it has been famous among the ABS-CBN crowd for some quick lunchtime fixes. I have never tried traditional Thai massage so Ton-Ton is a big curiosity for me. Imagine my reaction too when I found out that it is very different from the previous ones I’ve had.

For one, it’s rough and there are so many positions!

After a brief talk with the receptionist and being given my own slippers, I was ushered into a small massage "room." The room had 2 pillows and a single futon and was only as big as four tatami mats. Each area was separated by katcha white curtains and the masseuse bows before and after starting the drill. They also give you a dark-colored kurta to change into.

Thai massage, as I found out, is a cross between yoga and a UFC match--pulling, pressing, intertwined legs, and lots of pressure are involved. Anna, my masseuse, has such powerful thumbs. She persistently pressed, squeezed, pulled parts of my body while following the bone structure. Her hands were so heavy that whenever she pressed on a certain area, my inner thigh for instance, I could not help but wince. But the good part is that when she lets go, the pain disappears--and so does the hardened muscle.

The back massage was my favorite. Although it almost zapped me out of air when she initially pounded on my back. Not surprisingly, she spent much of the time on my upper back (I told her not touch my lower back because of scoliosis). But aside from the heavy slap, stroke, and kneading done by her hands, I giggled whenever she pressed on the spot between my neck and shoulder blades to release the tension that had been giving me sleepless nights for the last two weeks. Her thumbs are calloused but relieving.

I was in no way relaxed through the whole process since I’m very much aware of what Anna was doing and I was scared she'd give me a back crack, which she did anyway despite my lower back warning. I have no way to compare Thai massage since this is my first time but I don’t think I will get another similar service in the future. The one-hour full-body massage costs P300 and I took home a throbbing temple that eventually became a full-blown headache an hour after.

A little past 6 p.m., I crossed the streets of Tomas Morato and Timog circle to get a haircut. I found myself in Tony & Jackey in CTTM Bldg. It is an institution in hairstyling and I was quite surprised when my hairstylist turned out to be a Korean woman who looked like Marjie. Apparently, Tony & Jackey has Korean hairstylists since 2001. I don’t usually trust my hair to just about anyone so I was somehow relieved the stylist looks like Marj because in my memory, Marj is the pro when it comes to hair styling and make-up.

I wanted to get a Kate Moss cut but the hairstylist advised me to get a style that’s more manageable since I have less time for the mirror in the morning. She opted to give me a layered cut with fringes and I am openly amazed at the gentle fluid way her fingers changed from comb to scissors as she tamed my hair. The end-product reminded me of my college hair when my bob remind me of some F4 dude. I’m still getting mixed feelings but I am positive I will come back after a few months to get another haircut and to get my hair dyed. (One of the attendants said my hair is “too black.”)

After the haircut, I realized that I haven’t been looking after my hair. Even Nica noticed when we last met that my hair lacked the usual wispy bitchy flair. My haircut costs P500, the biggest pay-off I had today. But it was worth it.

The last stop for the day is the Centris Walk, a new area beside Lucio Tan’s buildings in Quezon Ave. I have always been intrigued by the funnel-like UFO-ish lights I always see from the MRT and since I’m in the mood for exploring, I decided to drop a visit. Apparently, there wasn’t much to rave about the Walk since its not fully-done yet. The dining establishments are the usual: Starbucks, Shakey’s, Italianni’s, Asya, and Zone.

The area is not as big as I expected and there was a Mitsubishi car show earlier. There were some pet owners and an out-of-place merry-go-round. The only attraction is the funnel lights that look better from afar and the fireworks that didn’t come tonight. In short, I did not stay for long and immediately crossed the MMDA footbridge for a ride home.

All in all, it was a fun date. I learned more about myself, my fixation for hands, for instance. I realized that I love watching how people’s hands move and how they can change a person’s mood. My depression has not fully disappeared but my brief trip around the place where I work improved my endorphin level. Thanks for friends who can’t come and for a rant-free day with minimum Internet access.

And the best way to cap the day is to gulp on McDonald’s Coke Float with Tabs using Genesis's built-in camera. :)