Courtesy of www.thepamperedgirl.com
I’ve been so stressed out lately. Work is making me crazy. So when J. and I made plans for dinner, she made us both reservations for manicures in the city. Thank God!
Our favorite mani/pedi spot will always be Polished Lounge in SOMA in the city, but we like to try new spots too. This time we went to The Pampered Girl, a spot in Hayes Valley that’s been open for less than a year.
You can easily make a day of it in this neighborhood. There are lovely boutiques around here and you could even have a great meal at Paul K just down the block.
The first thing you notice when you step into the place is the amount of pink and white. The decor is very retro kitchy glamour, and very Marilyn Monroe. Unfortunately, the space is also very small. It’s basically one narrow room that has six plush white treatment chairs. But there’s not much width to the place so astheticians literally bump into each other while performing clients’ services.
To compound the small space, things seemed a bit unorganized. When J. and I were there they were running about 15 minutes behind, and that left people waiting and the owner running around to help out. It made for a harried experience that was the least bit relaxing. They also had nail drying machines lying around on the floor and magazines haphazardly stacked on top of trash cans that were doubling as end tables. It was all a bit messy.
But this place does have its pluses. First, the prices are very affordable. Just $12 for its cheapest mani and $23 for its pedi. For the atmosphere and quality, it’s a good deal.
And secondly, I’m terribly picky about how manicurists shape my nails. I’ve been known to start shaping them myself in the middle of a mani because I get so peeved with carelessly shaped nails that are filed crookedly and left rough. But they did a FABULOUS job with my “Jolene” manicure, as well as with J’s “Amelie” mani. The scrub that came with my manicure was a little stingy, and I would’ve loved a slightly longer massage, but they made up for it with the great job they did on my nails.
It’s a nice little affordable spot to hang out with girlfriends and enjoy an afternoon. But if you’re looking for a relaxing experience, head elsewhere.
The Pampered Girl – 225 Gough – San Francisco – 415.431.GIRL
Virgo in Wonderland 