Happy birthday to Tranquil Space! Celebrate with founder and tranquilista Kimberly Wilson tonight at the 17th St. studio from 7-9. The free event features music from PS24, lots of veggie food, massages, yoga demos, and 10% off everything in the boutique.
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Tags: Tranquil Space
A few weeks ago I posted DC Spa Pricing Part I, featuring a cost-per-minute breakdown of deep tissue massages at five spas around the District. You think deep tissue massages are a frivolous luxury in these economic times? Perhaps, but if you need one every so often, as I do, you can get a good deal if you know what you’re doing. Here, the price breakdown for five more spas in the area.
Celadon, 12th and F St.
60 min, $105 ($1.75/minute)
90 min, $140 ($1.55/minute)
Tranquil Space Yoga, 17th and R St.
60 min, $100 ($1.67/minute)
Andre Chreky, 16th and K St.
55 minutes, $95 ($1.73/minute)
SomaFit, 2121 Wisconsin Ave. (Glover Park)
50 minutes, $110 ($2.20/minute)
Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave SW
80 minutes (weekend), $250 ($3.13/minute)
80 minutes (weekday), $225 ($2.81/minute)
The overall cheapest are Tranquil Space, BodySmith, and the 90 minute massage at Celadon. None of those beat the deal that comes with the six-session package at Nusta Spa, although that involves a $475 purchase up front. And Mandarin Oriental breaks the $3/minute mark, wow! Although, my understanding of the Mandarin is that once you have a treatment appointment you can hang out all day in their luxurious spa facilities, which include tricked out saunas, baths (”vitality pools”), and steam. The also have “zen room,” whatever that is. It’s probably not worth it to go on my own dime, but it would make a great gift! Hint, hint.
Tags: Andre Chreky, Celadon, Mandarin Oriental, SomaFit, Spa, Tranquil Space
Dupont Circle is a challenging place to get in a satisfying short run. By “short run” I mean 3-5 miles, the type of run that could easily be squeezed in before or after work. Go north from the Circle, and it’s uphill the whole way. Go south or east, especially during the week, and it’s stop and start due to traffic. The Mall and the C&O Canal are great places to run, but they’re better for longer distances since it eats up mileage just getting there (and coming back).
The solution? The route through Georgetown charted above. It starts at Dupont Circle, goes across the Q St. bridge and through Georgetown along R St., around and back to the Circle. As pictured it’s 3.8 miles, but it’s easy to tack on a little extra. The run is beautiful! Much of it is shaded, and the route goes right by Montrose Park and Dumbarton Oaks. The far west end of the route runs along an old Georgetown University practice track, so if you’re feeling especially ambitious you can sprint a few laps. (No idea of whether this is actually allowed. I’ve done it and no one’s said anything, so . . . .) Also on the route are beautiful old houses, including that of former WaPo publisher Katherine Graham. There are a few hills, interspersed with some nice rest. You can see other information about this run (including elevation) and map other routes at Map My Run.
Tags: Running
In my world, an occasion deep tissue massage is a necessity, not a luxury. I (happily) don’t have a car, so I walk long distances with bulky handbags, hefty laptop cases, and overflowing grocery bags. I work hunched over a computer for 9+ hours a day, and I’m a runner. So. Every 6-8 weeks, I make time in my weekend and room in my budget for a tune-up. This can get expensive, so I do my best to maximize the value of my sessions. But spas in the District are tricky! The time periods and pricing are all different and it’s hard to tell what’s reasonable and what’s overpriced.
Here, Dupont Darling breaks it all down so you don’t have to. I present Part I of a cost-per-minute breakdown of deep tissu
e massages at spas around the district. The list is like the price-per-ounce tags at Safeway, but more relaxing. If you prefer Swedish massage the cost would be less, but the relative pricing probably still holds true.
Spa at Mint Fitness, Florida and U St.
50 min, $105 ($2.10/minute)
Nusta Spa, 20th and M St.
50 min, $95 ($1.90/minute)
80 min, $140 ($1.75/minute)
Package of 6 sessions, 50 min each, $475 ($1.58/minute)
Bliss Spa, at the W Hotel
30 min, $70 ($2.33/minute)
75 min, $165 ($2.20/minute)
Erwyn Lyght at BodySmith, 14th and Q St.
60 min, $100 ($1.66/minute)
Tara, M St. in Georgetown
60 min, $115 ($1.92/minute)
Of the above, I’ve tried the Spa at Mint, Erwyn Lyght at BodySmith, and Nusta Spa. They are all good and get the job done. Erwyn is the best, and also affordable, but he is hard to get because he works a limited schedule. (You could probably get someone else at BodySmith, but I’ve never tried.) Caveat: the atmosphere is not very “spa-like.” It’s a cozy room in a gym.
The Nusta package of six also seems like a great deal, but it involves forking over $475 at once and I haven’t had the nerve yet. I’m dying to try Bliss, but yikes! $2.20/minute is steep. I’ll save it for a special occasion.
I’ll post Part II soon, with five more spas from around D.C.