ediblesf.com | 15 Nestled above a busy commercial street in the Marina, Serenity is a discreet, straightforward wellness spa that includes wood therapy—titled Manual Lymphatic Drainage—among its many offerings. In the cozy room, to the sounds of classical music, my practitioner tells me she’s from Miami, where body sculpting is extremely popular, as she asks me to stiffen my core in the aforementioned boat pose as she starts rolling me with a cubed massage roller “to hit deeper tissue.” Then comes a wooden cup moved around my stomach and sides, after I assume the fetal position. The roller, I’m informed, helps break fat while the cups aid drainage. The treatment is accompanied by generous smears of a velvety countering concentrate that promises to guard my skin’s collagen, which makes me look and feel like a svelte glistening seal—a sensation I didn’t exactly have on my bingo card, but nevertheless is timely and empowering. serenitysf.com Nourishment: It’s advised, I learn, to consume leafy greens and healthy fats after a treatment, to further “flush” the lymphatic system. Conveniently, less than a block away is Wildseed: a vegan haven where salads and green bowls abound. Munch on a kale Caesar while you contemplate how novel it feels to have your belly—yes, that part of your body toned and sucked in endlessly— pinched and confronted in such unapologetic ways. Price: $169–$209 per session SERENITY WELLNESS SPA 2087 Union Street #2 2 If wood therapy has let’s-get-down-to-business appeal, this tucked-away gem offers a slightly more holistic approach and a spa-like vibe. Vilansse, hiding in plain sight on a downtown Richmond block, is a well-known mecca for all things beauty and wellness and within it, Da’Shanti Bernstine offers wood therapy and lymphatic massage sessions that start with an inhale of fragrant geranium oil. They then focus on the desired parts of the body, going over them with textured rollers, mushrooms, and suction cups, using varying pressure and intensity. Here we focus on the stomach and the back of the legs, two areas Bernstine reports as popular among her clients, who are looking to reduce fat cells and cellulite. One thing to remember: While wood therapy can get, as practitioners put it, somewhat “spicy” on the body, the special tools also have powerful massaging effects. Upon my request they are applied to my tense ankles, and as a result I walk out of Villanse floating on a cloud. heartyourcurves.glossgenius.com Nourishment: A nice surprise, the nearby Naturally Herbs & More is more than meets the eye. The wellness store is a great place to grab a healthful lunch box filled with proteins, grains, and veggies. Price: $89–$125 per session HEART YOUR CURVES AT VILANSSE WELLNESS 3728 Macdonald Avenue, Suite B, Richmond 3 Care for more options? Try FitWise Pilates in Mill Valley, where the treatment can be paired with a Pilates class, and Revive Body Therapy in San Jose, where you can sneak in red light therapy while there.
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