So I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
Last year Jeff (aka my husband) had mentioned to me that his friends (fab spa writer) wife had told him all about the famous Shanghai Pedicure. I had been a bit blasé at the time because to be quite frank I’ve always thought our pedicures at Missy’s were the best.
You see I have been doing pedicures for years and in my day had gained a reputation as a bit of a "Pedi Queen” (Still till this day I think it is only Jenna Holly Chrystal from Missy's that can out paint me with a red....anyway back to the story)
So what was this famous pedi all about and why so special?? Well after just returning from Hong Kong with Jeff on a bit of a 4 day whirlwind trip and funnily enough staying where this popular pedi lived (The Mandarin Oriental) I can now officially tell you all. It began a bit like this...
After a lovely massage in the spa I am ready. I enter the barber shop to be greeted my man Ben ( I call him my man because I am not really sure what to call him. He is not a podiatrist but certainly has much of a more serious air about him than any beauty therapist I have ever met) I shall just call him “Ben Shanghai Pedi specialist.” for the sake of my story. Anyway, I am taken to a small but very stylish room and immediately felt a little bit of love for my surrounds. It had a sofa seat like ours at Missy’s (but in leather) and a big butler sink built into the ground filled with soapy suds filled (all a bit posh and with my own TV and Foxtel to watch). I put my feet in the soaking water and feel relieved when I look over to see some OPI products and the quick dry that we use too. (Somehow this was reassuring to me as it felt at least a little bit familiar)
I then see the oddest thing…he starts pulling out these implements, a set of blades (yes like a steak knife set) not just one but a series of them and so many of them. If I looked surprised he really was so nice about it and then takes one of my feet in his hand and then it starts. "Ben Shanghai Pedi specialist" was truly a miracle worker and he did something I have never honestly had before. He thinly bladed the whole base of my feet. He took away every single bit of dry skin, bladed it all away with an implement thin chisel like I have never seen before. Literally like a carpenter with a chisel and my feet were the wood! It was a friggin miracle. I was in awe of Ben. When he has finished my heels, he then starts on my nails (no cuticle or nail clippers here.. just the blades) It goes on for about 40 minutes, until my feet were like babies. He polishes my toes with yet another blade before painting bright red and a very perfect polish. I truly was impressed that Ben had gone where no therapist had gone before. I was speechless.
My mind was ticking over. It was no more the Shanghai pedi because we were 100% moving it to Sydney!
I asked Ben if I could buy these implements. (ahh one little problem he didn’t speak English, just smiled at me alot) so of course I would do what any desperate person would do. I would find a translater because helllooo I needed those implements. How would I get them home? Were they illegal for the plane? How would I show Jenna Holly Chrystal how to use them? My mind was racing. If he wouldn’t share his secrets of getting those special tools to change Missy’s Pedis forever I would just have to get him to leave the room somehow and I’d pick them up and run of course. Did he have my room number? Would he recognise me? I wondered what a prison cell would look like in Hong Kong? Um probably not so great. Calm calm…Missy.
It was over. I touched my super soft feet and hugged Ben. I don’t think Hong Kong people are huggers. If he was going to pretend he didn’t know English I would find out from the reception all the info that Ben was keeping from me.
It is at this point I must report my sad news. They were Ben's. I could not buy them, no one can and he had gone to special school just to learn about those tools for a whole year. NO! There would be no Missy’s Shanghai Pedi and Ben Shanghai Pedi specialist would not be joining me on my plane back to Sydney anytime soon.
So there it is short and sweet:
It was an amazing incredible blading pedi experience that will leave not only yours but your husbands heels (yes he went too) super soft.
I loved my room, the experience and thought Ben was a true feet artist
Bless you Ben for teaching me “yes pedi queen blah blah” a thing or 2 about how we can make our pedis at Missy’s even better. (It must have worked as we have now officially launched our new "FEET TREAT PEDICURE!" with our own Missy's Glycolic Peel and Heel Treatment)
So if any of you ever make your way to the Mandarin Oriental Barber Shop to see Ben......just remember this......when he leaves the room take those implements and run.
I'll pay good money!
My Thoughts
Hong Kong is a funny city. It has an energy about it. I liked it a lot. You feel as though you could see the poorest person in an alley way and in the next minute turn to see Madonna coming out of LouisVitton. There is a sense of edginess in the air, it’s very glitzy glam and like an Asian New York that doesn’t end. It’s a city that is full of life and certainly full of people. When you hear that phrase “people are all the same the world over” I really don’t think that applies to Hong Kong. It’s sweeping growth means that living there I’d imagine you either get on board or go home. I can’t wait to go back….better start saving now.
