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Reviews - North America Please send us your reviews from North America!
Millefleurs Day Spa
130 Franklin Street
New York, USA
ph.(212) 966 3656
The thrill of New York! I wanted to take in as much as
possible in only five days,(late April 2000), and I had some
serious martini sampling to do.
There was just one problem. Jetlag. Killer jetlag. This came
after the infamous, (and epic), flight from Melbourne. The kind
of flight that rendered me an exhausted, demented, insomniac rag-doll.
I really needed help. I wasn't going to lose a day doing anything
so banal as sleeping. Not in New York baby! Lucky for me I had a
native New Yorker on hand to recommend a
massage at Millefleurs. This would lift me body and soul, (well,
high enough to climb an East Village bar stool and reach for that
Cosmopolitan). Heading to a day spa is also a quintessentially
New York experience. Millefleurs, right on the border of China
Town and Tribeca, has got the hip down-town vibe of its environs.
It's also incredibly relaxing and offers the most divine
massages, (along with other beauty standards, such as facials,
waxing and manicures).
I took the subway down town, getting off at China Town, then stumbled about 5 blocks east to Franklin. Franklin street itself is a bit confusing as it forks off(!), and Millefleurs is tucked away at the end. But it's not too hard to find. Step inside and the atmosphere is chilled, with an aromatic and breezy ambiance. The theme is ancient Egypt/African temple, but it's not overdone, and neither is it airbrushed and pretentious. (Some of those clinical looking, minimalist places can be cold and intimidating). The staff of Millefleurs are mostly African American (my masseur was West African), and they are friendly and put you at your ease. The massage itself was a truly fabulous combination of deep tissue and aromatherapy, (there is also a choice of Shiatsu, lymphatic, Swedish), - to get that energy happening, so I could keep pace with the Apple. The soft drum beats in the background, the candlelight and essential oils in the warm cavernous rooms were the perfect antidote to the 747 blues.
I stepped out of Millefleurs restored and grinning from ear to ear. New York was mine! I made my rendezvous with friends and sailed into the small hours of the following morning, downing those martinis and wishing I could return to Millefleurs the next day for morning-after therapy.
Score for friendliness: 5
Connecting factor: n/a
Food and drink: n/a, so...massage rating: 5
Ambiance: 5
Hygiene: 6
Kid friendly: 3
Antoinette Martin
25.7.00
Sarong Sarong
Malaysian and Chinese Bar and Restaurant
343 Bleecker Street off Christopher
New York, USA
ph. (212) 989 9295
After a long day wandering around New York in the spring sunshine, (life is hard), my friends and I found ourselves ravenous on Bleecker street in the West Village. This is a good spot to be hungry, so we decided to grab a late lunch. One of my companions, an NYC resident, recalled a place nearby that she’d been to before and liked. So we headed for Sarong Sarong where the food is good and cheap.
The decor here is pretty cheesy - ‘80s tables and chairs, and yes - the fake carnations on the tables say it all. But it didn’t matter - we were right in the heart of down town NYC, sitting in the window, watching the world of the Village in all its intensity and colour. It was great to be alive that day. The food was pretty good too, in fact my friend’s mango chicken got swooped upon by the rest of us, and my soup and stir fry were impressive if you like tofu. This place has plenty of vegetarian choices as well as meat dishes, and the serves are generous, (this is the US after all, where king-sized dishes abound).
The staff were friendly and hilarious. I was told as we were leaving that I looked like Julia Roberts...from behind! (I didn’t ask). Another of my friends was told she resembled a famous star of Hong Kong cinema - (from the front as well as behind). So we left giggling and well fed in body and ego. Sarong Sarong is really a comfortable, cheap and unpretentious place to eat, drink and watch Village life. It’s easy to meet up with friends who don’t know New York either. My navigationally challenged partner found us without any trouble, and if you can’t find Bleecker street, then you can’t possibly be in New York.
Friendliness factor: 6 (film star compliments on the house -
never know who you might resemble ‘til you come here)
Connecting factor: 4
Food and Drink: 4
Ambiance: 2 for the decor, 5 for the view of the street
Hygiene: 4
Kids allowed: 5 - (during the day more so - this place would be
more of a bar later in the evenings). There were children eating
a meal with their parents when we were there at about 4pm.
Antoinette Martin
25.7.00
USA:
This page last updated on Dec 25 2000
Copyright © 2000 okfred.com
