This Mother’s Day, don’t take mom’s love
for granted. After all, she still loves you unconditionally –
despite the fact that you drove up those insurance premiums after
your many fender benders in high school, that you moved to New
York City after college, despite your huge wedding but I digress.
This year, take some time to be with your mother and leave your
whirlwind of a life on the other side of the soundproof doors
of a day spa. I brought my mom to Pilo Arts Day Spa & Salon
in Bay Ridge for the "Pilo Day of Beauty," which includes
a 55-minute facial, one-hour massage, a manicure and pedicure,
haircut and style with a master stylist, makeup application and
lunch ($314).
But my real present to her (and myself) was that I booked the
same Day of Beauty package, so I could be right by her side and
we could enjoy the day together.
We began in the morning with facials, then massages in private
rooms. At Pilo, facials include paraffin hand treatments and
incorporate some hot and cold massage stones. Although we both
had "signature facials," they were customized for our
different needs by our aestheticians Bela and Sara.
Our Swedish massages were also adjusted to our very different
specifications. Our massage therapists asked where our aches
and pains were and they inquired if we preferred massage cream
or oil. (Massage cream is absorbed into the skin, and doesn’t
require a post-massage shower.) Mom wanted to relax, and Terry
offered a massage without beating strokes – only relaxing, de-stressing
pressure, said mom.
"When I go to a spa, I go to relax," she said, her
newly exfoliated cheeks pink and dewy. "At my age, I don’t
want anything too energetic."
I requested a deeper tissue massage to work out the sore muscles
from our recent SoHo shopping spree. (When mom and I go shopping,
I’m the bag lady.) My masseuse Stuart worked deep, detangling
muscles and leaving me with limp-noodle arms that he was ultimately
able to swing around like slack string.
Mom and I reunited in the relaxation room, where mothers and
daughters can compare notes and enjoy bellinis and a light lunch.
Spa-goers also have the option to shower and steam or relax until
the next treatment.
We were pressed for time, so we had lunch delivered to us on
clever tables attached to our adjacent leather, massaging pedicure
chairs. Shirley and Maggie rescued our battered tootsies, while
mom enjoyed a light lady’s lunch of tuna salad and I tucked into
a giant cheeseburger deluxe (with extra mayo, thank you). I chose
bright-red lacquer while mom opted for a subtle beige, with fingers
to match.
After her short, sleek locks were styled by Leah Shortall, mom
was ready for makeup.
I opted for a precision haircut with Pilo co-owner Paul Pastore,
who snipped away with inverted V-cuts to give my long, recently
straightened hair a style that had movement, and layers that
so perfectly complemented my round face that family members asked
if I had lost weight! Pastore also offered much-needed styling
tips: blow-drying hair upside down adds extra volume and applying
oil adds extra shine and protects chemically treated hair. He
instantly became my hair guru.
After makeup applications by Suzanne Alfonso and Christine Vallaro
in the latest spring colors, our eyes literally twinkled with
sparkling "eye dust." Mom and I emerged buffed, gleaming
and infinitely more glamorous and rested than when we had arrived.
And the real luxury of the day: we were finally able to spend
time alone with each other.
As I waved goodbye to my mom, who was driving back home to Massachusetts,
I felt of pang of sadness. She called the next day to thank me,
and said that when she was looking back at me in her rearview
mirror, she felt sad, too. I blinked back tears with my sparkling
eyelids, and wiped another tear from my moisturized cheek with
my perfectly manicured hand and vowed to schedule our next day
at the spa.
