So following my own advice to “Beautify” yourself this holiday, I went and got a Mani-Pedi at a small salon in Copacabana.  Just arranging the appointment was enough of a chore to justify the spa treatment, let alone a Christmas gift to myself.  First, I don’t speak Portuguese.  Second, I scheduled my appointment for last Tuesday.  When I arrive, apparently I mixed up the times.  My appointment was at 18:00, 6pm, which I thought was 7pm.  Why are we the only country (USA) that doesn’t use 24 hour time?

So I then reschedule the appointment for today, but now at the correct time 19:00.  THEN I realized that I actually can’t make it at that time, so on my way to my morning beach swim I walk in to reschedule my appointment.  I had looked up all the words in my Portuguese translator so I could at least manage to tell them to change the appointment smoothly.  Luckily, this receptionist spoke English, and I was able to book a time that worked!  The salon was tiny, but always full.  I knew that in between the two holidays vanity is at it’s highest, so I needed to make sure I could make it to this appointment. I promised myself a mani-pedi for Christmas!!

I show up today around 12 for my mani-pedi… I was plopped in a chair and given a plastic bowl with a couple tablets to soak my feet in!  My pedicure was done in this sort of fashion

That’s right!  All I did was plop my foot up on her knee!  No fancy massage chair, no bubbling salt bath, just this.  Don’t be too quick to shy away.  My results were fabulous

Here’s my Christmas gift under the tree!!  My pedi!!!

The oddest part of this whole ordeal was the technique she used to paint my nails.  Literally she plopped the paint over my entire finger.  No tediuos strokes, no trying to keep the polish on the nail.  She did the exact opposite.  Followed by taking a pointed rod with nail polish remover to clean around the nail!  So simple!  Why do we waste all the time in America to paint only on the nail, when we can quickly just plop it all around!!

So for a mere $25R, about $12US I didn’t get a fancy massage.  My hands didn’t get all lotioned up, but boy did they sure clean everything up sweet!  I got the best gift a girl could ask for, confidence.  I enjoyed every bit of my pretty little fingers and toes as I ate my christmas dinner tonight, Beers and Pizza : )  It’s those little things in life that are the finest treats!

Enjoy your holidays!!!

xoxo