Jackie's had some serious massage boot camp. Don't let the long braids and the lip-ring fool you. After my 90 minutes with her, every muscle had been given a thorough talking-to. I walked out and said, "I feel a foot taller," and meant it. She said, "That happens all the time. People always tell me that. It's because when you work out those neck muscles it really helps your posture."
After the massage, I felt energized rather than relaxed, and really guilty for drinking so much two nights ago at a party. That glass of Chardonnay that kept filling up without my having to get up from the table had created a little "toxicity," as they say in massage school. Her action plan for me? "Drink more water. But you know that."
Tucked into a low, steel box of an office building, Rising Spirit Institute of Massage in Dunwoody is located near the intersection of Chamblee-Dunwoody Road and I-285. Formerly New Life Institute, this school has expanded to include a Marietta campus as well.
When you call they will ask if you have a male or female preference, and if you've been there before. (I know, the kind of personal questions asked when you book a massage is outrageous. I thought these things were don't ask don't tell.)
But here's the kicker. A 90 minute massage costs $55. Paid with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, cash or check. Here are their hours, which were read to me over the phone:
- Mon./Wed./Thu. 4-7:30
- Fri. 9:30-3
- Sat. 9 to 6:30
- Sun. 12-6
What worked:
The massage technique was impeccable. The work she did on my neck sent goose bumps all the way to my toes, and she discovered places in my legs that needed desperate attention.
Her manner was professional and kind.
There was my chart, which showed an image of a woman's body, and she circled the places on the chart which I requested to have worked. I liked the chart. It made me feel special. She circled my hands, my neck and my knees.
She asked me what I wanted to get out of the massage. I answered "To have my hands and neck and knees massaged." She wrote down "Relaxation." It felt good to be asked.
I got every second of my 90 minutes.
I loved how inexpensive it was. It's like going to a really great hole-in-the-wall restaurant where the food is out of this world good, but they have no patience for frills. The kind of place where you stumble in and someone shouts at you, "How many?" (House of Nanking in San Francisco is my favorite.)
What I would do differently:
The piped-in Japanese flute music was shrill.
You can't really expect a spa environment, but having to listen to the door of the clinic open and close kind of bursts my bubble.
The massage table is not padded. We're talking bare-bones massage establishment gear. I should have asked for a blanket. By the end of the massage, I was a tad shivery.
The decor leaves a little to be desired. Have I said this already? The industrial carpeting, standard-issue blinds and particle-board furniture takes away from the overall experience. But this is not a spa, it's a massage clinic. And you can get a 60-minute massage for 40 bucks. for rates, hours and directions.
Vital Stats
- Spa Name: Rising Spirit Institute of Massage
- Address: 4536 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd Suite 250
- City/State/Zip: Atlanta GA 30338
- Phone: 770-457-2021
Location: Dunwoody
Specialties: Massage for Pain Relief
Fees: $25 for 30 min/$40 for 60 min/$55 for 90 min/$70 for 120 min
Surroundings: Clean and Official
Products Used: Aura Cacia Massage Gel
Touch Expertise: Expert and Kind
Extras: All clients get a chart which shows all the places they're hurting.
Spirit: Professional, Kind, Down-To-Earth
Spa Goddess Rating: mmm (Highest: mmmmm)
About the Author: Hadley Richarde is The Spa Goddess. She is a woman addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses who lives in Decatur and secretly wants to reign over a minor principality. In the meantime, she reviews spas and runs her own massage therapy and relationship coaching practice.