Massage Mecca

Like most girls, I like being pampered. But when I pamper myself it is typically the budget version. Going for a weekend in New York involves a bus trip and sleeping on someone’s couch. Waxing starts by heating the wax on the stove. And when I treat myself to a massage, it’s no different.

The first time I visited the Massage Arts Center was for the shiatsu clinic, where you’re in a room with two or three other people all receiving massages. You’re fully clothed and it’s a bargain at $35. This was a great introduction for me as it was nothing too intense and I liked the concept of the massage actually treating ailments with pressure points and magical plinky music.

On my second visit I went for the more forceful, private and slightly more expensive ($50) Swedish massage. I have to say that this was not as therapeutic as I had anticipated, but this is considering that in my imagination I would be pummeled into relaxed submission. To be truthful, it was no $150 spa massage, but it was still a glorious hour to myself with someone paying attention to only me. ME ME ME! I also decided to invest in their “gold card”, costing $45, which gives me 25% off student massages and various other discounts. Being offered a card that gives my budget indulgence a discount advantage too has made the Massage Arts Center my new pampering Mecca.

Massage Arts Center of Philadelphia, 714 Market Street, (267) 321-0200, www.massagearts.com/