I am a staunch believer that the best things in life are free. You know, like life-long friendships, toothless grins babies give you at the supermarket, that retro-chic mid-century modern chair you scored off of Craigslist and, if your stars are aligned, spa massages.
So when I heard that Hela Spa would be “hosting an exclusive day of food, drinks, and relaxation at their Chevy Chase location” on Saturday for WTD customers, I signed myself and a friend up like there was no tomorrow. With perks like free polish changes, mini-facials, chair massages and brow waxes, who could say no?
The Pinot & Polish event started at noon, and my spa virgin friend Wakako and I hit it up shortly after. I thought we were being fashionably late, sauntering in a cool 20 minutes past the hour, but…it turned out we were the first ones to walk the magenta carpet. Yes, apparently, red is so 2008. After quickly marveling at the mouth-watering spread that Ruth’s Chris Steak House had prepared for the occasion in the welcoming lounge/lobby area, Wakako and I were whisked to the back for a skin consultation and an incredibly painless brow wax with Sedi. After brow waxes, I usually look as though I’ve just caught Terms of Endearment on cable, but with Sedi’s technique, I shed not a tear. It was really nice of her to allow Wakako and I to be in the same room as she worked her wax magic—it was Wakako’s first time under the brightly lit magnifying glass and I just had to document the moment. Hey, that’s what friends are for, right?
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
We emerged from the modernly accented treatment area with perfectly arched brows to find that the party had officially started. Wine, champagne and even cognac was flowing, while sushi rolls provided by the ever popular SushiKo were being snapped up by dozens of newly manicured hands. Not ones to miss the action, Wakako and I feasted on Ruth Chris’ crabtini’s (a scrumptious crab meat salad sitting pretty in a small plastic martini glass) and beef tartar and bruschetta hors’deouvres and samples from the cheese and veggie plates, all the while sipping red wine and feeling fabulous.
Fabulosity, of course attracts fabulosity. Wakako and I made some great friends in that lobby area, including Bonnie and Martin, (Hi, y’all!) as we schmoozed and/or waited for our names to be called for additional services. The wait list was long, but so was our patience. Shots of the not-for-sale-yet-surely-expensive cognac sangria certainly helped in that department as well. I felt like I could drink that marvelous peachy-pineapplicious concoction (courtesy of Trey Wheat, of BarStars Bartending) for hours, it was that good.
I just wished there had been more chairs or stools—save for the three that early birds Wakako, Bonnie and I occupied, people were left standing; their hands full from double fisting drinks and/or plates and cocktail napkins heaped with sushi rolls. It did make for a lively party scene though.
After a while, Wakako and I were called to experience a little taste of nirvana through Alma’s chair massage. I slumped onto the contraption like a sack of potatoes and after some rhythmic kneading, stood up 15 minutes later feeling shiny and new.
Next up was the polish change manicure. Wakako and I went in bare-pawed, but we encountered no problems. I received a wonderful hand massage and a perfect-length square nail shape I somehow always failed to “nail” on my own…(sorry, bad pun), not to mention two coats of a very come-hither, barely work appropriate nail color I won’t name here. I was beyond happy.
Before I knew it, our free spa-day was winding down to a close. Martin looked dapper with his newly groomed brows and Bonnie was glowing from her nearly full-session facial. Wakako and I never managed to receive our mini facial during the promotion hours, but Hela Spa graciously gave us a voucher for a free skin consultation session to use at a later date. I was impressed. Here was an extremely upscale spa delivering excellent and unpretentious full price service for nada throughout the day, willing to go the extra mile for WTD customers. Wow!
All in all, I must say that Hela’s Pinot & Polish event was a wonderful opportunity for these two girlfriends to catch up, bliss out and make new friends. Wakako and I are already consulting our calendars for our next spa day. Thanks, WTD and Hela Spa! You reaffirmed my beliefs that the best things in life are indeed free.
– Mineko, deal-disseminator and WTD enthusiast
0 Responses to “Hela Spa Pinot & Polish event—Hela Good!”