Comma Vino Spa: A wonderfully aCOMMAdating spa experience

When self-imposing what is basically a second job on oneself, incentives can be very helpful. Hence why this weekend when S and I met up in Gresham at the Millennial Pink HQ (my second bedroom/office) and made a plan of attack for the redesign of the website, we also factored in an incentive. For some that might be a nice dinner, a movie, for us it is pedicures. Pampering.

Committing to a weekend of work after a week of actual work requires a level of discipline that can only be sustained by treating yourself to the best of rewards. After a typical week of blogging I may let myself order a nice lunch during the week, pop off in Lacey to see a movie, or allot an entire day to playing Assassin’s Creed without shame.

This weekend was different. It has been three days of actualizing the months of work we have put into choosing a theme, picking graphics, shooting photos, planning posts through the end of the year, and reconstructing the digital landscape we call our cyber home.

In our search for a place to receive said pampering, S’ requirements were few — it needed to be somewhat affordable (praise be for credit), it needed to be well-rated and there needed to be booze.

B and I have had many a pedicure in our time but decided now was the time to step up our game. Not only were we bringing our new vision to fruition, but we were in the same place at the same time. Add to that the fact that B is no doubt working on my thoughtful Galentine’s gift, and you’ll understand why I needed this spa to be the best of the best.

Comma Vino Spa and Salon, 1126 S.W. Morrison St., Portland, yet a bit far afield from my humble abode in Gresham, fit all of the criteria, plus we found inexpensive parking very nearby. That is good since most occasions on which I’ve ever gotten a pedicure I’ve left in those foam flip flops with still wet nails. So, a shorter distance to have to waddle is appreciated.

In our case, Comma was very accommodating so the need for waddling was awash. After our feet were soaked, scrubbed, painted and massaged, we were allowed as much time as we wanted to sit and sip our drinks.

It was a different spa experience than I’ve ever had. In place of the usual all-in-one massage and soak chairs, Comma fills its small space with plushy recliners and individual massaging foot soak tubs. Each station of chairs also features an electric fireplace and a side table for your drinks. The lighting was also of note, since many of the places I’ve gotten pedis in the past are fluorescent-lit halls, whereas Comma maintained an air of serenity with minimal, warm lighting.

I’ll admit, at first I was a little skeptical, like we paid how much for recliners and tubs? But by the end I left thinking that was really the way to go for future pedis.

While the price was more than what you would expect to pay at your local nail salon, it was definitely worth it. I was able to peacefully nap through almost the entire experience, only coming to for a sip of my drink, meet the massage therapist, or chat with B. There were no cuticle gouging, nail tearing, or scalding water incidents to mar our hard-earned reward.

Besides booze (I had a mimosa and S had a doctored-up Mike’s Hard Lemonade), and very comfortable seating, the package we ordered also featured a foot massage by an actual massage therapist. Though S isn’t a huge fan of strange men touching her feet, I thought Jeff, the massage therapist, was very professional and did a great job. (Plus, S did still manage to nap, which was appreciated by us both. No one needs a fussy, grumpy S for a 30-minute drive home.)

This was the first pedicure where I felt neither rushed nor neglected. Throughout the entire experience, B and I were being beautified by the lovely pedicurists, enjoying our adult beverages, being offered blankets, receiving an honest-to-God foot massage (none of that ten-second, sole-slapping nonsense), or enjoying the calming music from our comfy chairs. The atmosphere was wonderful and the results were just as good. My polish is neat and tidy, my skin looks and feels soft and smooth, and my feet feel rested despite a day-long photo shoot in heels.

As we sit on B’s couch heading into the sixth hour of blog work today, I am so glad we took those two hours to relax. If you are ever in the PDX area and looking for the perfect way to round out a day of good food and sightseeing, Comma Vino will hit the spot.

xo B&S