Blossom Massage

Since I moved to the West End, I have been getting massages by Ilan at Blossom Massage — first at its original location on Blossom Street and now, thanks to Hurricane Ike, at its new place on Roy Street.

In pursuit of a good massage, I've been to places from expensive resort spas (once, and it was terrible) to very nice suburban salons (OK but impersonal and overpriced) to massage schools (pretty darn good massages from very eager students), but Blossom is the first place I've found that's authentically eclectic and personal. You're a real person there, a valued client — not some stressed-out walking wallet.

The decor is cosy and modern. The music Ilan plays is fabulous. They even leave you a little chocolate on the massage table. Once, when Ilan was unavailable, Gina gave me a massage, and she was great, too.

I have a monthly membership, which means I get one 60-minute massage a month for $65. They don't accept tips there, so you know what it's going to cost you up front, which I like. Tonight, for my August massage, I tried a 90-minute massage for the first time, as it's a new membership option that Ilan is offering. I loved it; an hour and a half is a luxurious amount of time to lie down with relaxing music while a therapist is rubbing natural oil into your muscles.

Plenty of other massage venues exists in the West End and surrounding areas, of course, but I haven't tried any of them, so I can only speak about Blossom. But I've always had a nice experience, and I truly enjoy the time I spend there each month.