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Laura Thieme

Bizresearch President – 10 years - 2007

Fisher College of Business Lecturer on Search Marketing

OSU Russian Studies Grad – 1993

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17th July 2007

A Little Pampering - Spas, Massages & Pedicures

When Was the Last Time You Had a Massage? A Pedicure?  Shiatsu?
by Laura Thieme

Do you know what Shiatsu is?  I didn’t several years ago, but now love it, in addition to many other types of spa treatments I’ve received over the years.  As mentioned on the Bizresearch search marketing blog post today, I just landed SpaFinder magazine and met with them in New York yesterday.

I mentioned having deep tissue massages when I trained for the 26.2 mile Columbus Marathon in 1995  - these massages hurt like hell, really bad.  You will detox after the intense pain of a deep tissue massage so it’s strongly encouraged to drink lots of water afterwards.  Don’t go out dancing and drinking if you want that $80 to work for you.  There is absolutely nothing relaxing in my personal opinion about a deep tissue massage.

Swedish massages and aromatherapy massages are all good - relaxing, and always interesting to get different massages in different parts of the world.  I can actually say I’ve had a genuine Swedish massage in Stockholm, Sweden.   In 2004, I was at the SES Stockholm conference speaking on web analytics to a group of about 100 companies.   After long trans-Atlantic flights I tend to need some natural detoxing, so I always elect massage, or shiatsu shortly after I arrive.  I stayed at Sheraton Stockholm.  Always inquire ahead about massage, shiatsu or other spa services before you travel.  Even if their website does not indicate spa services, email or call ahead of time.  Stockholm is such a super cool city.  Their airport has hardwood floors - how cool is that?  Sheraton has in-room massage services.   They’ll bring in a massage bed, but typically it’ll be a mat on the floor.  50-90 minutes of genuine Swedish massage.  What a way to detox from jetlag!

When I travel to London (yes, the UK, not London, Ohio), I stay at Landmark Hotel.   I have spoken there at the SES London event three years in a row.  I did not speak there this year, or last year, due to pets and business responsibilities.  That said, in the previous three years, I fell in love with the Landmark.  I of course indulged in their spa services.  Let me tell you something - masseuses know things about your body after they’ve worked on you.  They know things about you, whether you like it or not.  I find this fascinating.  I am a bit of a talker, but I love letting the masseuse figure out what’s up with me from my body.  I’ll never forget the masseuse at the Landmark Spa.  You HAVE to check out their website - they know web design and merchandising!  I had the aromatherapy massage.  Divine.  She told me I had something going on with my kidneys - who knew!  The chiropractor at the Stockholm Massage & Spa facility off of the Promenade in downtown Stockholm - she was young, hip, divine, inspiring, and good, very, very good.  She knew stuff about me too - I denied it, of course.

I took my mom to Sonoma Mission Inn a few years ago, which is a an hour or two from San Francisco.  I didn’t know it had become a Fairmont property.  The Sonoma Mission Inn was one of the most romantic places I’ve ever been to in my life.  I also had spa treatments that I talk about and now write about to this day.  I had an herbal treatment, combined with reflexology at the same time.  Wow - that’s all I can say here.  If you’ve ever had this at the Sonoma Mission Inn, you know what I’m talking about - whew!!!!! Amazing, amazing, amazing.  However, try finding their spa services on the Fairmont Sonoma website - ……

The most interesting massage I’ve ever had - well that was in Ft. Worth Texas.  I was working on-site at Pier 1 Imports on a search marketing project.  The stress was kinda intense, with research and presentations.  I got dizzy one day and turned to a local massage parlour not far from downtown Ft. Worth.  It was interesting - and divine - and well, ya gotta go there to find out.  A Perfect Touch.

The worst story I ever heard on a massage - was in Las Vegas.  I heard from my in-room masseuse about servicing execs in Las Vegas - I was there for a conference.  Turned out the woman was from Columbus, Ohio.  Wild small world.  She worked at one hotel where you are not allowed to say no to anything on the weekends.  Anything the guy or gal wants - he or she gets.  I can only imagine what people are asking for in Vegas.  They don’t call it the city of sin for nothing.  As a Christian girl, that city is way too tempting for even the best of us.  What an emtpy world - fantastical - but nothing good that comes of it.

In Columbus, I get massage and shiatsu.  The latter I turned to a few years ago after buckling from the pressure of travelling worldwide, speaking in front of hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, preparing presentations, research, analysis and having to be the “it” girl in front of mostly men, highly intellectual, etc.  I refused to take a “drug” for health, so I asked my doctor for alternative solutions.  He suggested therapy and shiatsu.  I elected the latter.  Well, yes, I had a couple of therapy sessions but the day the doc didn’t show for my Saturday morning session, that was it for me.  So, shiatsu - now this became a weekly obsession of mine for over four years.

I love shiatsu.  You keep your clothes on, get pressure applied (accupressure) in various spots on your body, all of which tell you and the practitioner if you have something going on in your body that you didn’t even know about.  Feel pain on a particular pressure point?  Well that’s because of something toxic in that part of your body.  I’ve been going to Patricia Bright for years, although not as much recently due to schedule.  Some of the cranio-sacral work that Patricia has done has been amazing.  I’ve turned friends on to Patricia and they’ve adopted her religiously as well.

I typically go to Mario Tricocci for day spa massage, but recently I’ve been going to Kenneth’s at Mill Run for a few reasons.  I love their spa, although neither of these are part of the SpaFinder gift certificate program, but perhaps I can change that. I’m all about the entrance - how are things when you first walk in to a spa?  Now, granted, I would say that the entrance at Kenneth’s could use a little improvement in terms of spa feelings.  But the spa itself, is enjoyable.  You walk into the spa area, and it has that subdued, quiet, traditional spa feeling.  You can’t describe it - but you know what I’m talking about if you’ve experienced the spa feeling before.

Today I had a massage and a pedicure.  The massage was great.  The biggest challenge with getting a massage?  Well, tune in tomorrow night - I’ll add some more juice to this story.

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