It’s over! Months of planning, way too much stress and what’s probably the worst job in the world: Being a bride. The cake’s eaten, the flowers have dried and the dysfunctional family members have been sent packing. I’ll probably post a few pictures of our Korean wedding ceremony and let people know about a few of the traditions we observed b/c I had the worst time trying to find that stuff out online… I’ll try to make it easier for any future clueless Korean brides out there…
I woke up this weekend with my neck and shoulders a big mess and was determined to find a good massage somewhere in Paris town. Back in NYC, I’m under the extremely capable and caring hands of Eric Carlsson, but so far, I haven’t found his Gallic counterpart.
I’ve tried the sports massage at the gym (l’Usine), which was standard, not bad, not great. I headed to l’Espace Weleda for an organic massage and facial pre-wedding, but again, it didn’t really address my needs fully. In France, people seem to prefer soft massage, while the Korean New Yorker in me needs something strong and quasi-painful. Is it wrong to have the “no pain, no gain” mentality when it comes to massage?
Today, I went to Dragon & Phenix, which is a Chinese tea shop and massage place. At this point in my life, I’ve learned to approach new masseurs/masseuses with a low- to no-expectation policy. I’ve been disappointed too many times and quite frankly, there’s nothing worse than feeling stressed during a massage b/c it’s not what you were expecting. Far better to go with the flow.
Anyway, I arrived at D & P, which is a small shop, set up with tables for their masseur/calligraphist to work on his calligraphy. It’s quite pretty inside with what may be (or just passes for) Chinese antiques and plenty of teas and tea services to look at/buy. The young gentleman stopped his calligraphy to take me to a small room upstairs with your standard massage table set-up. He asked if I wanted oil and if I wanted to be clothed. Yes and no.
After explaining my issues, he went to work on me and at first, I was resigned to another massage that wasn’t particularly to my liking. But he thoughtfully asked about the amount of pressure and actually listened when I told him exactly where I wanted him to focus on. I think he spent a good hour just on my shoulders and neck, which was exactly what I wanted. Plus, he used plenty of pressure. Strong hands! My favorite.
Now I feel a little sore and a lot relaxed, which is just what I want after a good massage. He also gave me a cup of delicate tea after. All this for just 90 euros (for an hour and a half.)
But I’m not quite convinced that this is the perfect fit. I’ve got a list of therapists to try and will keep you posted if I’ve fallen in love over the next few weeks.
ADDRESS:
Dragon et Phenix
71 rue des Gravilliers
75003 Paris
Tel: +331.42.72.17.53
