my lower back was in a lot of pain so i decided to get a massage here based on the good reviews. annie is chinese and doesn't really know how to speak much english. when i first got there, i had to wait a bit because she was still taking care of another client. eventually it was my turn and she got started with my neck. she told me i was in pain everywhere. pain from my head to my legs. she asked me why i didn't come see her any sooner haha. so she started out massaging my neck to loosen my tissues and eventually worked her way to my back. just from examining my back, she could tell that my back was pretty messed up and kept telling me to take care of my body while i'm still young. i had a 60 minute session with her and she did an amazing job relieving the pain in my body. she told me she wasn't applying much pressure even though i felt a lot of pressure haha. she said it's because i'm in a lot of pain so that's why her deep tissue massaging hurts. she was able to pin point all the knots/spots on my back/body that required extra attention without me saying a word! i felt really loose and a lot better after her treatment. annie has been doing this for 18 years so she really knows how to treat her clients! annie is a really nice lady and she really wants heal her clients with her massage treatments. if you're experiencing any pain or need a good deep tissue massage, i HIGHLY recommend booking an appointment with her. after my first session with her, she told me to come back for a 90 minute session and i told her that i will. most of her clients are regulars as well. her rates are $60 for 60 minutes and $90 for 90 minutes. it's a very affordable price for the treatment that you get! make sure you tip her well! the only cons i can think of are: -language barrier (it helps if you know canto/mando) -she's the only masseuse, so if you're trying to book an appt for 2, then she'll have to treat you guys one at a time -her shop isn't exactly appealing and you might feel a bit uncomfortable -cash only read more

Today I came to San Francisco for a massage. The technician did cupping, back scraping and made me feel relaxed. I will come again next time. read more

So I called at like 10:30pm on a Friday, expecting to get voicemail so that I can leave a message. Instead, Annie answers the phone! I ask if I can have an early morning appointment the next day, if she's available. She's like yes, what time? So I say 9am. I ask if I should come 15 minutes early like her website says, she says sure, 8:45, 8:30, whatever I like! Haha. So I get there at 8:45 the next morning, Saturday morn. As I'm going up the street to her location, she's standing outside on the sidewalk ready to let me in. The massage room is down some stairs, in a dimly lit place. She's hard to understand, but the instructions are basically to get naked and under the sheets, face down! She's a nice lady and made me feel comfortable. She asked me where I'm sore, so I pointed to my back and said my legs too! She started at my shoulders, and found knots in my neck, which I really appreciated! I've gotten a bunch of massages and I feel like the neck is often a neglected spot. The neck HURT haha but a good pain, and I knew I'd feel great later. She really worked this FULL BODY massage. From the shoulders and neck, she went down my back, did my BUTT - haha which also feels like a neglected spot when it comes to massages, did some hip action, went down the legs, did my FEET - also usually neglected!, then went back up for arms! Then I flipped around, chest side up, and she did more shoulder area massaging and then the head/scalp. The oil she uses feels/smells great too! She really has a knack for finding knots! I've gotten massages before and sometimes they just say, oh you're fine, and they don't even find the knots. She's really intense in working out the knots, and she warns you that this will hurt hahaha, just think good thoughts, THIS IS GOOD PAIN THIS IS GOOD PAIN, and you will get through it!! This was the most complete body massage and you really can't beat the price! $45 for 60 minutes, tip well people! read more

I'm traumatized and still in pain 3 days later. I've had lots of deep tissue massage and withstood painful pressure on my knots before. This went way beyond that and crossed a line of trust. 1. She pushed down my boxer briefs without asking. (And no, this is not that type of massage place.) 2. Each time I yelped in pain and explained that she was hurting me too much, she laughed and insisted that this is the only way to "get better". She even mocked and imitated other massage places that don't cause pain. 3. She kept pushing deep into the lymph nodes behind my jaw joints, which was excruciatingly painful every time. I didn't ask for lymphatic drainage. After she finished crushing my arms and hands, my body went into defense mode and blood stopped flowing to them. My arms started tingling, my hands turned pale, and my fingers were making an involuntary cone shape (muscles contracting?). This had never happened before, so I sat up and stopped the massage. 4. I showed her my bloodless cone-hands, but she still insisted that nothing was wrong. 5. Then I started tasting something strange and metallic in my mouth, which she insisted was just the oil. I also was getting lightheaded- it just felt like my body was shutting down- so I had to get out of there. (Putting clothes back on was a struggle with my cone hands.) 6. Once I said the word "hospital", she went straight from denial to "ok thank you bye bye" and escorted me out as fast as she could. She wouldn't even help me unlock my phone so that I could find the nearest hospital. (On the bright side, I didn't have a chance to pay.) I managed to phone 911 after getting abandoned outside. I later talked to a doctor who suspected my symptoms were triggered by the excessive pressure on my nerves, and thankfully things settled down with time. It's going to be a long time before I can get a massage again. read more

Nice massage but expensive! She first mentioned 60 minutes was 30$ but then later said it was actually 60$ (and by then I had extended to 90 minutes so it was $90). I wouldn't rank it as 1 $ in terms of how expensive it is, but rather would rank it as $$. But a great massage! read more

I just showed up for an appointment I made with Annie barely 24 hours ago, and was told first that Annie was not there, then that she was sleeping, and that she could not see me because she was going to Reno that night. When I asked how to get in touch with her later to understand the confusion (did she have me down for the wrong day or time?), the man who answered the door mostly tried to shoo me away. Maybe Annie does give great massages, but it seems hard to find out. read more

Massage For Relax - Massage Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been to spas and massage therapy places all over the planet -- and especially all over San Francisco. I've never been to the same person more than twice, and I'm now a regular with Annie. I'm tempted to not even write this review as I don't know if people will appreciate how incredible Annie is at what she does. Yes there is a language barrier, and yes the place is not spa-like on any level (and price is about 50% of a comparable massage at PSOAS or similar place), but Annie knows what she's doing. We're slowly working through all the damage I've done as a runner for 15 years. She's amazing. Healing my body. Cannot recommend highly enough if you have an injury or are an athlete or just have a ton of tension. Make sure to bring cash! read more

Massage For Relax - Massage Near Me - San Francisco, California

Massage for Relax: A 5 star massage mixed with a 1 star vibe. Honestly, the massage that I received here was not only the cheapest, but the most brutal one I've ever had. My husband and I had just spent the weekend moving without help from movers, so needless to say, my body was a total mess. Desperate for some attention to my screaming muscles, I made an appointment with Annie (I live right up the street). My first impression was worrisome, as she could barely speak English and was SCREAMING on the phone. Thankfully I was able to get time and date across. When I arrived, my thought was holy crap this place cannot be up to code. It definitely did not feel clean, nor inviting, as it was a bare space with very mismatched furniture. The massage room itself was a tad frightening as well: a table, desk with a TV from the 70's, and that was about it. Even the sheets on the massage table gave me a bit of the heebie jeebies. Thankfully, the massage that I received was well worth the entire experience. Seriously I do not know where she gets all of her strength, because that woman beat the living crap out of me. Her massage did the work of three or four massages combined. Yes, it was the most painful massage of my life, but it WORKED. I felt incredible afterwards. There is nothing relaxing about a massage with Annie, so beware. With that being said, I do prefer my massages to be more like a beating than a back rub, so I got exactly what I was looking for. I probably spent the full hour gripping the sides of the table in pain/horror, but my body was in total bliss the following day. Side note: My favorite part of the experience, by far, was the fact that every now and then, Annie would whack my back and scold me, saying, "Take better health! Take better health!" To this day, I still mutter that to myself when I'm in need of a strong massage (which is fairly often). read more

I hesitate to write this review because I don't want to let Chinatown's best kept secret out! Annie is amazing, this is by far the best massage I've gotten. Annie brings a whole new meaning to "deep tissue". She has the hands of a 300 pound linebacker and will get any knot out. This is a no-frills type of place-- cheesy Asian instrumental music playing, in her basement, cash or check only, very little english spoken.. you get the picture. But, if you are willing to look past those things and can handle DEEP tissue massage, this is the place for you. $45 for an hour?! Tip well, people. I love this place and will go here as long as it's open!! read more

Holy balls, i just got the sh** worked out of me. Come here if you have serious muscle tightness issues you want to address. ONLY come here if you have the fortitude to withstand any and all pain associated with addressing these issues. I'm serious. All thats-what-she-said's aside, if you've read any of my massage reviews, you know I like them hard and deep. Memorable comments from prior masseuses include "I'm massaging you harder than I do my biggest football players." This place totally blows up the top end of the spectrum that defines hard and deep. Annie only marginally understands the concept of "less pressure" and "that hurts". What she does understand brilliantly is how to detect the knots and areas of tightness and work at them with the relentless vigilance of a woman running around the house waving a broom madly at a stray pigeon that's mistakenly wandered into her home. I whimpered, squealed, and outright laughed at the pain so many times she started making fun of me. I'm not entirely sure whether I have the stamina to submit myself to another session. But I am fairly certain that Annie managed, in 60 minutes, to undo several months of hunching over a computer. read more

The best cheap massage I ever had. Annie doesn't speak English that much but she knows what she is doing, I swear she knows every single knots in my body and where they are related to. 2 hours massage for $60 that's not that bad. But don't expect a luxurious spa ambiance it's a just a little spot she has on the basement to practice her massage and she has license to do it and it's clean, she tries to make the place looks nice and put on a nice cheesy music to relax me. Her massage is amazing, the best and relaxing. I will go back for my weekly massage !!! Oh and it's cash or check only. read more

Can't do it. A hard massage is one thing. Bruises the next day from a tiger-balmed elbow digging into your thigh is too much. I'm not joking, I have damaged flesh from a massage. Also, she massaged areas that I'm pretty sure can be seriously or permanently injured by a hard massage. Get your head out of the gutter, I'm talking about the areas like the back of the knees, which are home to large vessels and nerves. She dug in there hard with her elbow and it hurt, which happens in a hard massage, but I'm pretty sure temporary tingling and numbness in your extremities are not supposed to happen. And, to my knowledge, joints are mostly off limits in massage therapy and are supposed to be treated derivatively (i.e. massage muscles with insertion points near joints so as to alleviate the joint itself). Anyway, I won't go back. It felt injurious, not relaxing. She's a very nice lady, and I feel bad giving her one star, but I think it's only fair as a heads up to other potential customers out there who might be a little startled by her techniques. read more

Unbelievable, life-changing massage. People say Annie's English isn't great, which is true. She's got a killer sense of irony though (her place is called "Massage for Relax". With Annie, of course, there's no relax. Over the course of a few 1 hour massages she's eliminated neck pain I'd had for years. Months later it has not returned. Even my posture's improved [!!!]. read more

This was the best massage I have ever had. Ever. Annie is a great therapist - I came in with a totally tense body and left feeling completely relaxed. The rates are insanely low for this quality of massage therapy. I highly recommend Massage For Relax. read more

While this woman was very nice and meant well, I do not think that any actual massage technique was used... she was just pushing and rubbing at random and despite NUMEROUS complaints from me that I was in pain, she continued to do so. Today I am covered in bruises and in horrible pain. Also the place is not very clean. I will not be returning. read more

I love Annie. She is a total sweetheart...with stalwart, strong hands of a football player. This seemingly gentle woman can really massage deep into those nasty kinks and tight areas. Yeah, it may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but then by the end of the session you feel like a big tub of blissful jelly. Just FYI, don't here to expect frills or a fancy spa. You hafta come here with one thing in mind: to get a REAL massage with long-lasting results. Yes, the music sounds like a cheap karaoke background sing-a-long. Yes, the decor is pretty sparse. But, you are gunna get an awesome massage for an amazing price. Thanks Annie. read more

So, initially you'll think you're walking into a dexter kill room but then you notice that this must be just a part of her home. But she is a nice lady, barely speaks English - so Id say just mention a time you'll show, and she'll take care of the rest. You'll get setup on her massage table. Which is clean and the face guard is covered in toilet paper. A plus for hygiene. She is like a bloodhound for knots. I'm not a small person and she easily worked through thick muscle. Her hands must be iron strong. Pretty much the only feedback you'll get is this part is very hurt or are you cold? The massage oil is like peppermint so you feel warm and chilly at the same time. Largely it was an amazing value and all business. Even spent an extra 15 min cause my quads were very tight. read more

Language barrier provides entertaining challenge and temporarily debilitating results to massage experience. Therapist [translated/paraphrased]: "Does it hurt here?" Inigo: "No. Lower." Therapist [translated/paraphrased]: "Here?" Inigo: "Lower." Therapist [translated/paraphrased]: "Here?" Inigo: "Yes!" Therapist [excruciatingly painfully kneads Inigo's knotted back for half hour then repeats more of same on Inigo's bruised knee] Inigo [takes it like a man who's never experienced childbirth] Therapist [translated/paraphrased]: "Come back tomorrow, okay?" Four stars for effort. read more

I really fcked up my back from years of poor posture and lying down too frequently. My upper shoulders were in so much pain I was wearing salonpas adhesives everyday. I decided to bite the bullet and check out this place since all the reviews seem to consistently mention that Annie is really tough. To find the place, there is no sign. There is a black gate that leads downstairs. There are two doors. I accidentally chose the one on the right that leads to a kitchen. For newcomers, choose the one that's straight ahead. The massage room does look sketch and unlike any other massage room I've ever seen (there's an exercise bike in the corner). Yet as other reviewers mentioned, it's a no frills environment. Now onto the massage. Her massage was incredibly painful. She found every single tense spot and would squeeze it. She found tension in places I didn't even know I had tension. It was incredible. Even though my shoulders hurt the most before this massage, my legs and feet definitely experienced the most pain during the massage. I thought she was going to crush every single tiny bone in my foot (my feet are relatively small to begin with). I'm going to knock down a star because I felt it was rather expensive and while she used oil to massage me, it was never enough. Half the massage felt like rope burn because she grazes roughly across your limbs with her hands. The skin on my arms still feels extremely tender even a day after. I'm giving her 4 stars because I feel like other masseuses are afraid to go "too hard." Even though I was grunting and struggling in pain, she'd tell me "I know, I know" and not really lighten up LOL. But I never got upset because I know my muscles needed the intensity and I trusted her to do what she needed to do to relieve my tension. I really trust this woman because as I mentioned before, she found so many tension spots that I didn't know existed. Now that I know where they are, I can take further steps to better take care of myself. read more

Annie is extremely strong!! Wow. I don't even know how it's possible for her to be that strong. Great deep tissue massage. Key word being deep. If you're looking for a super relaxing soothing massage, this is not the place for you but if you want someone who's going to go very deep and hit the pressure points, Annie is your gal. Great price, great massage. Location is a little sketchy at first but totally worth it. read more

Remember when Brad Pitt put acid on Ed Nortons hand and held it there while he howled in pain? Yeah, if you come here for deep tissue massage you better have your "happy place" figured out beforehand, as you'll need to be there the whole time. Deep tissue massage literally requires stuck muscles be broken apart from each other. No pain no gain holds true. One star off because of the language barrier, ambiance and cell phone going off. This place is all business. read more

If you truly like hard deep massages this is as good as it gets. Last time my eyes leaked tears a little - which Annie will tell you is good. I wasn't sure I wanted to return, but after going from one massage parlor to another to another asking for their strongest team member, none of them (men or women) have scratched the itch for a deep massage like she has. I keep coming back and I love it/want to cry. Plus you have to understand, this is a Chinese massage. You are paying for her skill, not your surroundings That said, she's not inflexible. I'm hopelessly ticklish if you squish my quads and she works around it :) read more

Ok this was weird. Annie is definitely not a professional. I'm not saying she's bad but the massage gets painful and weird as she goes on. She kept repeating that "it was ok" while I was complaining about the pain. She didn't really use enough oil so I felt my skin burning while she was strongly massaging my back-she's super strong btw-. While I was there I heard two people talking about what hey were cooking for dinner (it's at her house so it makes sense). The light was on all the time and her phone keep beeping. She charged me 60 for an hour and even thought I felt slightly better at he end, I would not repeat it. read more

I went to get a massage here with my mom and have mixed feelings. The place was definitely not the cleanest and had no ambiance but we were there for the massage not the frills. Annie has VERY strong hands!! My massage was good..only a little painful. My mom on the other hand had a very painful experience. If your muscles are tight she will go VERY hard on you and leave bruises. My mom has bruises all over and she's in great pain today. She's had deep tissue massages before and this has never happened to her. A few bruises is normal but she's covered in them! You might love it or hate it here..think it's worth a try considering its so inexpensive. read more

Massage For Relax - Massage Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing experience!! She is simply great . she fixed me ! I am going back next week but my first session really saved me! I am an architect and at the desk all day. I don't do yoga and suffer serious back pain. She was the best massage I have ever had! ( I have had a lot!) Enjoy!! read more

I was very disappointed. About Annie massage on 917 pacific Ave. I read the "Ad"about her massage was great, so I went there. She was bad service and "Ad"was lie. She was not skillful with her job.I found out she has no massage license.She was cheating on customers. I was the victim. I am going to report health department. That she has no massage license. She can't open bussiness "cheating" read more

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It was a terrible experience and a non-repeat I came in and a old lady with smell in her mouth, There was no tower, and i saw the ants. The massage was bad, and the lady made me body hurt. I feel the lady was only wanting the extra tip. I didnt say the certificate on the wall, who knows is this illegal or legal? read more

Great deep tissue massage. Annie doesn't speak English very well, but that doesn't interfere with the massage at all. I've not had any trouble communicating with her and really she can just tell where you need to be worked. I've gone after suffering persistent shoulder pain and numbness in my fingers from sitting at a computer all day. Annie got me back to normal after a 2 hour session. read more

I absolutely LOVE Annie. She cracks me up in general and is so awesome. The one thing I will tell you though is my massages aren't relaxing, quite opposite, but that's why I keep going back! She is a deep tissue specialist and knows where to go deep and where not to. Her experience gives her the ability to understand and use the appropriate technique to work out where the root of the problem is and then addresses it, "tight," and then the path the tightness runs. I highly recommend but if you like plain Swedish, this may not be your place. Try it though! I've stuck with what I love that she does and I'm happy but don't know her other styles. read more

Dear Annie: If you ever read this, it will explain why I'm never coming back to your massage parlor. The name of your business is completely misleading: I expected to come here to relax to the extent possible that a truly deep tissue massage would allow. I've had really deep tissue massages in Taiwan where I actually tensed up from the pain of how my tight muscles reacted to the level of pressure, and I really enjoyed that experience in a weird twisted way. So I was expecting something similar from you. When I called for an appointment, they way you spoke in broken English was so loud and harsh that I had to tell you that I'd call back. After I prepared myself, I called back and booked a two-hour massage in the afternoon on a Wednesday. I found it very odd that you didn't want to take down my name. About 30 minutes before my appointment, I checked whether you take plastic, but since you don't, I hustled over to the nearest ATM. While I was walking there, you called me to check whether I was coming, again with some struggle of what you were saying in English, but I reassured you I would be there soon. With cash in hand, I arrived and saw you standing outside. Thank you for the welcome and directing me down the steps under a beauty salon. After entering, you asked if I needed to visit the bathroom, but it sounded like you were offering me a bathrobe until you rephrased and asked if I needed to visit the toilet. I was fine, thanks. So we continued wandering through your massage parlor, which looked sort of like an apartment but with many small rooms. You directed me to the very last of maybe eight rooms and told me to take off all my clothes except for my undies. It was time to begin. You went straight for my neck and handled it as roughly as possible before breaking it. You also asked if I had booked a 1-hour massage, to which I responded that I reserved a 2-hour one. How do you keep track of your reservations, Annie? Again, I was confused about the fact that you insisted that you didn't need to take down my name for the reservation. Soon after, you received a phone call on one of your two cell phones. You talked for some length in Mandarin Chinese with someone who was looking for your niece. After she mumbled for a while, you finally got off the phone and apologized to me. I gave you the benefit of the doubt: maybe forgotten to turn off your phones before we got started, so I didn't let it faze me. But after the second and third phone calls you picked up, I was losing any patience I had with you. Additionally, you even PLACED a phone call during my massage, at which point I decided that you would not be getting a tip. The fourth phone call you picked up and prompted you to leave the room without explanation was just hilarious in a sad way. You didn't apologize for any of these additional disturbances that could have easily been prevented if you had just turned off your phones. Even more hilarious was when you turned on one of the two TVs in the room. Although the TV was muted, I did hear the unmistakable sound of an old CRT TV turning on. I'm sorry that massaging me for two hours is so boring that you had to resort to that. As for the massage itself, it was very deep, which is what I wanted. I even quietly squealed involuntarily a couple of times when you were digging your elbow into my left glute and right shoulder. But I did not think it was appropriate to put pressure on the backs of my knees or put enough pressure on my elbows to bend them in a way that they are not supposed to. Joints have been pretty important to me, ever since Baz Luhrmann reminded me of that in 1999. When you massaged my skull, I would not have been surprised if my face were to collapse from the pressure if I had some form of osteoporosis. But throughout our distracted two hours together, I vowed not to request that you modify anything in your routine since you probably would not have changed anything anyway, and it would have taken forever for us to communicate in English. I was considerably sore by the time you were done. You advised that I wait at least two hours before taking a hot shower (at least I think that's what you were trying to tell me in broken English). After I slowly got dressed, I asked for a receipt since my company has a wellness budget but requires receipts for reimbursement of expenses greater than $75, but that sounded like complete silliness to you. I then handed you $91 and asked for $5 in change. Best of luck in your one-woman operation. I can't believe no one has mentioned the complete lack of professionalism you maintain and still expect to be tipped. read more

Annie is no nonsense. You will find out how tight all of your body is. And she will loosen everything up. And it will hurt, but you'll be feeling amazing at the end. And if you know mandarin or canto you get bonus wisdom and chat for the hour too! read more

Place was shady as expected. Its a single dollar sign so wasn't expecting anything stellar. The language barrier was rough but I had to repeatedly ask her to tone it down on the pressure. I don't mind a deep tissue but not on my spine and jugular vien. She was too rough in areas that did not feel safe. I Wouldn't go back. When I called she said it was $50 for an hour. She charged me $60 when I got there, without tip. I'd definitely rather spend an additional 15 or 20 for a 5 star massage in the city. read more

Annie reached into my body through my muscle fibers, massaged my soul, made it scream in agony, then left me there to die. After that, I felt better than I ever have before. read more

Checked Yelp for a good massage place in San Francisco and chanced upon this one. I am a person who loves a strong deep tissue massage which is why this place caught my attention. The place is simple, nothing fancy or spectacular but clean enough. Annie is so nice and so so so strong! She knows exactly where to press and it really hurts but makes you feel good after. If you are a person who loves a hard massage then this place is for you! read more

I wish I lived here and could visit Annie more often!! Wow. She is so friendly and good humored. But seriously. Her massages are the truth. You can expect to be completely demolished only to be reborn and feeling fantastic the next day. read more

Warning, be prepared for an extremely deep massage. I like a lot of pressure and I have had massages of all modalities all over the world. Annie is definitely the strongest I have ever experienced. Yes there is a language barrier, yes you will be cringing the entire time, yes her space isn't fancy, but most of all YES you will feel incredible after. Her massage is second to none in terms of deep therapeutic work. If you are looking for a gentle relaxing massage go elsewhere. If you are looking for a butt-kicking, insanely deep massage by the strongest hands around, come here. Did I mention her rates are as low as they get? read more

Easily the best Chinese massage in SF, measuring both quality and price. One challenge is communication - Annie doesn't speak English very well so scheduling a time over the phone can take some time. That said, she's an expert, friendly, and knows how much pain you can handle (even if you think you do!). Warning: the massage is very effective, and VERY painful. Beware if you have a low pain tolerance. Clearly the negative reviews for Annie came from people who wanted and expected something very different. read more

Deep tissue massage for women only! Totally great Chinese woman runs the place and does fantastic massage! For only 40$/hour (35$/hour for package for 6). Open daily from 8 am to 8 pm. read more

Annie is amazing. I was a little thrown off when I went there because the place isn't what you'd expect to find. However, I wasn't going there for the decor. When Annie came in to start my massage, I began to tell her the areas I was having problems. She quickly cut me off and said, "I know, I know". And she DID!!! She knew all the spots that needed attention, even the one's I didn't know about. It was incredible. I left feeling a million times better than when I arrived. I will be back. read more

As one perpetual giant muscular knot, she works out the kinks. If you want the non-fluffy sports massage therapy to work your IT bands, spasmed laptop neck and computer typing elbow, Annie is the therapist to see. The parking situation is heinous, so definitely add some time to the commute. I assure you, it will be worth it. Yes, there is a language barrier. We live in one of the most progressive and diverse cities in the country, so empathy is always welcomed. Speak slow, hell, try learning some basic Cantonese and support a no-nonsense deep tissue massage therapist. read more