Great Manis

Yesterday afternoon I was completely exhausted from running errands and killing myself at the gym. I decided to treat myself to a manicure. It was a pleasant enough Seattle day, you know the kind where the skies a blue and there's no precipitation. For fall it was a perfect day.

My roomie got me a certificate to Mimisan for my birthday a while back that I kept forgetting to use. Suprisingly I had only heard of them through Daily Candy, a fashionista's online city guide pointing out hidden treasures and sale deals in the area. All I heard was good things so I decided to give it a try.

I was sure they were new in the area because I've been to every spa on the hill at least twice. Sure enough some online research proved they'd been open for a year and a half. As I strolled to the top of the hill it turned out they were across the street from one of my favorite boutiques, Queen Anne Dispatch.

I walked in and was pleasantly satisfied with how stylish the place was. the decor is a mix of modern and retro pieces combined in harmony. Bamboo flooring, lime green accent paint, crystal chandeliers, Asian wall panels, retro-style spa chairs, and my favorite touch- a very well kept Louis XV sofa to greet guests in the waiting area. I was slightly jealous of the sofa. I've been wanting one forever! French Rococo style  furniture pieces are great to mix with modern furniture. If done right, they can be very versatile in uniting a room. The sofa worked very well in their space and had a little funky purple throw pillow on top. I was satisfied that place looked relaxing, unique, and smelled like green tea.

My manicurist, Phuc, was about as sweet as the girl named Phuc I knew in college. We chatted about the weather, neighborhood, jobs and of course their toxin-free line and what it meant to be a "natural" spa. She had a thick accent but the gist of it seemed to be toxin-free products containing natural ingredients. After making sure I was comfortable in my chair with a heated neck pillow (ah, perfect!), she began removing nail polish, massaging my hands with organic lotion, and manicuring. Folk melodies flowing from their CD was just as relaxing as my massage. By the time we were done I had spent a well relaxed hour in there and she did perfect lines on my french tips. I'm definitely looking forward to going back for my pedicure.

Sweaty Fingers

That was my first thought last night at the gym. I walked into the lower Queen Anne 24 Hour Fitness facility  an hour before close last night. The front desk trainer happily told me about their new cardless check-in process. Instead of passing her my ID and membership card I can now enter my phone number and use their finger scan. I then remembered that trainers had been telling me about their new "green" and "easier" cardless check-in process (rolled out by MorphoTrak) several weeks back.

Sweaty fingers...unwashed hands...leftover food grease...when does flu season start?!?!! My OCD kicked in and I briskly handed over my ID and membership card. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Works for me." Realistically there's probably more germs on the workout equipment (I try to sanitize before I use). Using finger scanners to me is the equivalent of using a public bathroom without using a seat cover. Gross.

 As I pounded out 3 1/2 miles on the treadmill I began thinking that to protect my privacy by giving up my privacy, doesn't make sense (I'll save my rant on privacy for another day). Yet I do it every day in social media communities I'm a part of. If it was for my job and I had security clearance, sure. But for the gym? Even the grocery store (which I frequent as often as gyming) doesn't do that. No thanks, I'll pass. Plastic works just fine.