I did it. I tried Soothe, an on-demand massage service. I know that makes me sound so bougie, but I can guarantee I'm so not. If anything, I'm just a working professional hating my desk situation and how it always tenses up my neck and shoulders.
When I first transitioned to the 9-to-5 desk grind I was so ecstatic to start working in a stable environment (compared to production). What I didn't realize was how much my posture would suffer and how important it is to have an ergonomic setup. I learned this all the hard way and ended up seeing a Physical Therapist shortly after. One thing my PT did suggest was to get massages as a way to soothe tense muscles and help alleviate any pain in between our visits or when needed.
Unfortunately, this homie doesn't trust just anybody nor did I have the time to keep commuting to a reliable massage therapist.
Enter Soothe. You can book massages (60, 90, or 120 minutes) for a flat rate (tip is already included in the price) and get the service done in your home/work/wherever. I decided to book a massage for Easter weekend since I was feeling particularly stressed out - JK, that's every weekend.
Booking the massage was super easy on their app. Create an account or log in via Facebook. Select the massage type (deep tissue, Swedish, sports, or prenatal), how long you want it for, the time and date, gender preference, and then confirm your details. Easy peasy. I must add that app's design is so seamless - so bravo to the team that created it.
Now for my favorite part - the actual experience and soothing massage. My licensed and vetted massage therapist (Hi Alicie!!) came to my sister's home with her own table, lotions, and equipment. I requested the Deep Tissue initially, but before we began Alicie educated me on the differences between all three massages (except prenatal because obvi). I ended up switching to a Swedish massage since Deep Tissue was a little too deep for my liking. After that, we proceeded with a blissful 90-minute massage in which the last 20 minutes I spent asleep. Yes... I fell asleep on her and it was the best sleep (nap?) I had in all of March.
If you're thinking this is only an NYC thing and therefore not applicable to you, I have some great news. It's not! Soothe is available in 26 cities across the country. They also offer couple massages and you could surprise someone lucky with a gift card to try it as well.
As for me, I am definitely doing this again after getting settled into my apartment. It's too easy and convenient not to. I'm not a baller so I can't afford to do it every week, but it's something I will definitely add into my monthly routine. My sister who was home during all of this was thoroughly impressed and has an appointment lined up as well.
Soothe Hours & Tidbits:
They come to your home, office, or hotel within an hour
Hours: M-S 8a-12a
Editor's Note: The photos I shot of myself were a little too naked for my liking and the interwebs, so decided to go with Soothe's images instead :).
