As much as I can’t imagine myself elsewhere besides NYC for the time-being, life here is honestly a tumultuous love/hate relationship romanticized by movies and social media. Everything is mercilessly fast-paced that you can easily forget to take care of yourself mentally. One week, you might skip down the concrete sidewalks, heart full of love and awe for the life you’ve built here in the glittering city that never sleeps. A week later, you might sit alone on the train home, eyes sunken, feeling entirely defeated by everything from the biting cold winds and overflowing garbage outside your door to the apparent ulterior motives that everyone in the city seems to have.
It was not much longer than a couple of weeks ago that I had felt entirely discouraged. I had just spent a week in the hospital and recovery bed rest. Work was sinking my spirits, and certain people in my life were leaving without explanations nor goodbyes. As someone who had once been a victim to mental health frustrations a long time ago, I knew it was important to take a break, and that’s why I was so grateful to spend an afternoon at the Red and White Spa Midtown healing my body and mind with a full body Swedish Massage treatment.
The location is on 56th Street, which is a little higher on the map than where I usually prefer going in Manhattan, but as it is located just steps away from Central Park, I didn’t mind the trek coming from Brooklyn. From the first moment I stepped through the glass doors, I immediately started feeling a little relaxed. A lounge beyond the front desk offered a cozy waiting space with light beverages and snacks, although I didn’t have to wait long for my masseuse, Andjelina, to take me into my plush room downstairs.
I can’t recommend Andjelina enough. With amplified stress and a 9-to-5 desk job, my muscles had knotted themselves in all kinds of form, and she was able to gauge all of my trouble areas from neck to legs, pushing strongly into the knots yet still remaining aware of sensitive spots and tailoring the pressure to my liking. An optional hot towel and fresh-scented moisturizer were just added comforts to the experience, and of course I happily opted for those. And so, for 50 minutes in that comfortable, clean and aromatic room, I let my mind go blank and learned how to fully relax my muscles – a feat I had apparently forgotten how to do ever since moving to New York City – while Andjelina worked on untying my knots and letting my body breathe to its own tempo for the first time in a while.
I walked out of that massage room feeling so much more refreshed and with renewed energy. With one more visit to the sleek waiting lounge for some water and couch relaxation, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t treated myself to a massage earlier. Andjelina had given me some stretching tips before we said our goodbyes to help with the tension in my neck and shoulders, so I knew I was walking away with much more than just a 50-minute massage treatment.
I had chosen the Swedish Massage because it was what my body had needed, but Red and White Spa offers so much more than that. From couple’s massage to lash extensions, facials, manicures and more, you too can do it with 40% off any treatment at this location when you mention JOSEPHINE during booking or check-out with the front desk at Red and White Spa Midtown on 56th St & 6th Ave. Take a breather and let your mind and body rest. It’s more important than you might realize.
Red and White Spa Midtown
39 W 56th Street
(Between 5th & 6th Avenue)
New York, NY 10019
646.649.5324
info@redandwhitespa.com
10AM – 9PM, 7 days a week
Thank you Red and White Spa for sponsoring this post, as well as giving my body the therapy it needed in the midst of a discouraging month.
