Best Foot Forward
I’m always trying to uncover the best foot massage places around town—a trek that has taken me from the sublime Dragonfly spa in Wan Chai to what was possibly a brothel in Jordan....
Best Foot Forward
I’m always trying to uncover the best foot massage places around town—a trek that has taken me from the sublime Dragonfly spa in Wan Chai to what was possibly a brothel in Jordan. My new favorite place to go, however, has definitely got to be Pure Massage. Ultra clean and hushed, this Thai-styled space right on Queen’s Road is a hit with those in the know for their superbly skilled reflexology sifus, all of whom have been hand-picked by the big boss of the company himself—who I’m told is something of a reflexology connoisseur and makes all candidates give him a foot rub during the interview (tough job, but somebody’s got to do it). I have to say that my masseuse really was excellent, and really toed the line (if you’ll pardon the pun) between ouch-ouch-ouch and aaaah… at $327 for a 75-minute session it was a bit pricier than most places, but it’s well worth it for a treat. There are another nine branches located around town, so check the website for the one nearest to you.
501-502, 5/F, Crawford House, 70 Queen’s Rd. Central. Hotline: 2333-2000, www.puremassage.com.hk (website in Chinese only)
Hot New Running Kit
I LOATHE women’s running gear. For some reason, sportswear manufacturers think that women a) enjoy wearing lurid colors that don’t exist in nature; and b) really, really want ass-kicking motivational slogans emblazoned across their chests—it’s just humiliating to wear t-shirt that defiantly states, “Yeah, I Run Like a Girl” when you’re lumbering along at 6kph with your wrists flapping disconsolately at your sides. But this new Nike line of running gear in collaboration with star hurdler Liu Xiang is actually pretty wearable. I’m a big fan of the sky blue Free Run shoes ($739), which mimic the sensation of running barefoot and have the added benefit of not making you look like a 90s throwback. The peach running shorts ($199) are, well… as stylish as running shorts can manage to be. For men, the bright yellow jacket ($899) will keep you highly visible on night runs.
Available at Giga Sports, various outlets including Shop 701, L/7, Times Square, 1 Matheson St., Causeway Bay, 2506-3300
More Yoga Grumbles
A lot of readers having been asking for more of my yogic complaints, so at the risk of alienating the rest of my class and creating a serious dent in my karma, here goes:
Dear Guy With Your Shirt Off,
Yes, we can all see that your “OM” tattoo is very awesome, but do you have to go topless while you’re doing a yoga class? Is it too hot in this air-conditioned room? Are you hoping to catch a tan indoors? Or do you think that just because that ponytailed weirdo in your home yoga videos at home does it, it’s OK to inflict your torso on the rest of us?
Aaaand breathe…