As a tired tourist in need of some TLC, I decided to give Shiatsu a try. I requested an appointment…read morevia Yelp and Maria, the owner and sole massage therapist, quickly responded so that my travel friend and I were able to see her later that same day.
In our correspondence Maria was clear about the cost of the treatment and what to expect - 1 hour, wear comfortable clothes, Shiatsu is a Japanese pressure point massage. That said, I knew not to expect a feel-good deep tissue massage. For those familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shiatsu is like an acupuncture treatment except it uses fingers instead of needles to treat your ailments (which include many problems besides sore muscles). So to begin the treatment, Maria asked me about any specific issues I wanted to address - tight shoulders, trouble sleeping.
Maria has a gentle touch and she has a beautiful treatment room with Zen decor which makes for a relaxing experience. Though I wanted to stay awake to appreciate her technique, I found myself lulled into a half-asleep trance, just as I do during acupuncture treatments. This is how I know her treatment was effective.
For other non-Italian visitors, Maria is very friendly and speaks English well (she seems to receive many tourists has her clientele). I was her last client for the day and she spent some time chatting with me afterwards. She recommended a nearby restaurant and dishes to try. Thus, that night I both ate well and slept well. Thanks, Maria!
