Scrub-a-dub dub in a Korean tub

Today I had my first visit to a Korean Spa and I can tell you it will not be my last. I'd heard about this spa from a close family friend years ago who had been stationed in Korea for a couple of years and would visit these spa's regularly. Since being back in the states she has her favorite spots in a few different cities in the US and Imperial Day Spa in San Francisco is one of them.  I decided that I would kick off my birthday week with a visit to the spa for a full body scrub and massage; complete with a cucumber mask, hot tub, wet sauna and scalp massage. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds.

The only photo I could find of the spa..

First off, if you visit one of these spa's don't be shy 'cause no one else is. You gotta just strip down to your birthday suit and be proud of what God gave you. Bathing suits are of course welcome, I was feeling a bit shy at first so I sported my VS bikini into the hot tub and got some funny "she must be a prude looks" but all in all everyone was very nice in all their nakedness. (PS the place is split into the men's side and women's side, two completely different wings of the building) The spa's main area is set up with hot and cold spa's and wet and dry saunas for relaxation before and after your treatments. Upstairs is where the magic happens. Your masseuse calls you by your number and takes you to a massage table where the shy part of the program ends. Pull out that birthday suit. No need to worry your masseuse will always be the same sex as you and honestly nothing to be shy about this is what they do and they are great at it.  She starts by pouring hot water over your body as you are laying on the table face down and then proceeds to scrub down your entire body, every last inch. It takes her about 20 minutes of scrubbing front and back and just when you start to feel like you are getting a little chilly, the hot water splashes to the rescue and all is well again.

This is exactly how I felt...

Next stop, massage. She has you towel dry your body and then you are back on the table covered in warm blankets as she massages, once again, every inch and every tight muscle until you are lulled into submission. She started with my back and then when it was time to flip over she covered me with a hot towel and wrapped my hair and face with a hot wet towel before applying my cucumber seaweed mask. Ahh sweet heaven. Then she proceeded to finish the rest of the massage on my front half as I dozed into light comma . And as if all this wasn't enough, the session ended with a scalp massage,  shampoo and condition and a small prayer that it wasn't really the end. I decided to relax a bit more in the hot tub before rinsing my body and beginning to primp for our family dinner this evening. What a wonderful experience! I can't wait to go back and next time I'm bringing friends, who's with me?! I see a November spa day in the works. :)

Booses, 

Shenine joon