New Clients
WHAT IS A MASSAGE LIKE?
SMOOTH BEGINNINGS...
While receiving your Massage, you will experience a blend of high quality lotions or creams applied to your skin with long, smooth strokes gliding over your muscles. These strokes increase your blood circulation, flow of "lymph" (a fluid which moves toxins out of cells), as well as increasing the efficiency of your digestive and urinary systems. These benefits alone will support your bodyŐs natural functions of nutritional absorption, immunity, and skin elasticity and tone.
GOING DEEPER...
When your muscles are warmed up, the pressure can become deeper with a more specific intent. These deeper strokes address the tension and soreness in each particular muscle with circular, gliding, horizontal, longitudinal or vibrational movements. The nerves stop sending pain signals, the muscle fibers and connective tissue (called fascia) begin to be realigned. In addition to this, the adhesions and scar tissue (commonly called "knots") begin to break down, releasing the muscle from the toxins and inhibiting tissue that are causing your pain and stiffness. Working in this way also prevents the formation of adhesions and scar tissue, which will help prevent further pain and speed recovery if an injury has occurred. You will sink into relaxation even further when you breathe deeply as you are stretched to give space for the joints, encourage the production of synovial fluid, and help release the muscles from tension and pain even more.
FINISHING TOUCHES...
After the deeper work, rhythmic, percussive movements with the fingertips or soft fists may be applied. Your therapist will move across the area just worked to increase the surface blood supply and stimulate the nerves. You will then be lightly brushed to give a sense of closing, deep relaxation, and cleansing.
Directions
From San Francisco:
Take 80 over the Bay Bridge to 24 towards Walnut Creek
Take the first exit (51st)
Turn right on 51st which will turn into Pleasant Valley Road
Turn right on Piedmont Avenue (a stoplight after the big intersection at Broadway)
My office is on the right in the 2nd block. The first right is John street, this is where you are most likely to find parking. Find parking on John, or the next cross street, Howe.
Walk back to Piedmont Avenue, turn right and stay on the right side. Look for a dark red sign with gold script lettering hanging off a building over the sidewalk called “Bella Donna” (a hair salon). Go back behind this business into the courtyard of the building.
Take the last staircase up to the deck.
My office is at the top of the stairs. If my door is closed, please have a seat either at the picnic table,
or
in the waiting room at the end of the deck - the door code is 2-4-5
From Hayward:
Take 580 to Harrison Street exit
Keep going on MacArthur (main street curves right)
Turn right on Piedmont Avenue (a stoplight)
My office is on the left between Ridgeway and John
(both are left turns)
Find parking on John Street or nearby
Walk back to Piedmont Avenue from John Street, turn right, look for a red sign with gold script hanging off a building over the sidewalk called "Bella Donna" (a hair salon). Go back behind this business into the courtyard of the building
Take the last staircase up to the deck
My office is at the top, please have a seat either at the picnic table,
or
in the waiting room at the end of the deck - the door code is 2-4-5
From Richmond:
From Berkeley:
Take College Avenue towards Oakland until it ends (use the directions from Richmond if it makes more sense to use 80).
Right on Broadway
Immediate left on Pleasant Valley Road
Turn right on Piedmont Avenue
My office is on the right in the 2nd block. The first right is John street, this is where you are most likely to find parking. Find parking on John, or the next cross street, Howe.
Walk back to Piedmont Avenue, turn right and stay on the right side. Look for a dark red sign with gold script lettering hanging off a building over the sidewalk called “Bella Donna” (a hair salon). Go back behind this business into the courtyard of the building.
Take the last staircase up to the deck.
My office is at the top of the stairs. If my door is closed, please have a seat either at the picnic table,
or
in the waiting room at the end of the deck - the door code is 2-4-5
Downtown Oakland:
Coming from downtown Oakland take Broadway to Pleasant Valley Road
right on Pleasant Valley Rd.
Right on Piedmont Avenue
My office is on the right between John and Ridgeway.
Find parking on John Street (the first right) or nearby
Walking back to Piedmont Avenue from John Street, turn right on Piedmont Ave, look for a red sign with gold script hanging off a building over the sidewalk called "Bella Donna" (a hair salon). Go back behind this business into the courtyard of the building
Take the last staircase up to the deck
My office is at the top, if the door is closed, please have a seat either at the picnic table,
or
in the waiting room at the end of the deck - the door code is 2-4-5
San Jose/880:
Get off at 51st/MLK
Turn right on 51st
Follow it straight on (it turns into Pleasant Valley Road)
After Broadway (a huge junction), the next stoplight, turn right on Piedmont Avenu
My office is in the 2nd block on the right, if there is not parking on Piedmont outside, you can take the first right on John Street and park there, or the next cross street, Howe.
Walk back to Piedmont Avenue from John Street
turn right
look for a sign hanging over the sidewalk that is dark red with gold lettering that says "Bella Donna" (a hair salon)
Walk back into the courtyard of this building
Take the last staircase up on to the deck
My office is at the top.
If you get here a couple minutes early and my door is still closed, then go to the end of the deck where there is a waiting room and restroom. The door code is 2-4-5
Orinda:
Take 24 to Broadway
Come down Broadway to a major intersection - Pleasant Valley Road
Left on Pleasant Valley Road
Right on Piedmont Avenue (a stoplight)
My office is in the 2nd block on the right, but the best place to find parking is to turn right on John Street (the first street on the right)
Walking back to Piedmont Avenue from John Street
Turn right on Piedmont, stay on right side of street
Look for a dark red sign with gold script lettering that says "Bella Donna" (a hair salon)
Go back into the courtyard of this building
Take the last staircase that goes up onto the deck.
My office is at the top, if the door is closed please go to the end of the deck to the waiting room/restroom - the door code is 2-4-5
Directions to Massage after parking:
My office is on the left between Ridgeway and John
Find parking on John Street or nearby
Walking back to Piedmont Avenue from John Street, turn right, look for a red sign with gold script hanging off a building over the sidewalk called "Bella Donna" (a hair salon). Go back behind this business into the courtyard of the building
Take the last staircase up to the deck
My office is at the top, if the door is closed, please have a seat either at the picnic table,
or
in the waiting room at the end of the deck - the door code is 2-4-5
