Essentials Massage & Facials — Affordable Luxury For Mother’s Day!

By Camille Gillies

If you thought that a $25 massage would get you a hack masseuse and a rickety table in a ramshackle shell, think again. In the case of Essentials Massage & Facials, located off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, $25 can buy you an hour of the kind of luxury many people thought they couldn’t afford in light of today’s economy.

At Essentials, located near Sam’s Club in the Seven Oaks professional park, that incredible price gets you an hour-long relaxation (Swedish) massage in a luxurious setting with an experienced, licensed massage therapist (LMT) that rivals those you’d find at a five-star hotel. That same jaw-dropping price of $25 also pays for a European facial performed by the highly trained, licensed aestheticians at Essentials, who use top-of-the-line skincare products.

“You can’t find a value like this anywhere in New Tampa,” says co-owner Forrest Gorman, who opened the spa with his wife Tania last June. “We offer a five-star experience at fast-food prices.” Tania is one of the three certified aestheticians who perform facials at Essentials of New Tampa.

Spa manager Susan Roger points out that Essentials is unlike other spas in the area in another respect, too.

“We don’t require our customers to sign contracts here,” she says. “You can visit as often as you like and you are only charged the price of the service each time.”

Essentials Massage & Facials is a franchise that began in Pinellas County and currently has 14 locations in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota and Pasco.

“Since last summer, the business has grown from six locations to a total of 14,” Forrest says. “We are the only Essentials Massage franchise in Pasco County, so we have customers come to us from Dade City, New Port Richey, Odessa, Brooksville…pretty much all over the area.”

Despite the rigors of launching this new business, the Gormans both maintain their primary careers: Forrest is an engineer and Tania is a specialist in the hospitality industry. They moved to New Tampa from Brandon last August to be closer to their business and because, Forrest says, they fell in love with the area. “This was the right place for us, personally,” he explains. “We could have chosen to open the business in Carrollwood, but we fell in love with the people and the demographics here. New Tampa and Wesley Chapel just have so much to offer.”

 

Quality Services At Unbeatable Prices!

The licensed massage therapy services at Essentials include several different choices: relaxation ($25 for one hour, $45 for 90 minutes), deep tissue ($35), neuromuscular ($35), reflexology ($35), prenatal ($35), and hot stone ($49.95). All are performed by LMTs who possess an average of nearly five years of experience, according to Gorman. All massage services include full-body exfoliation and a hot-towel treatment. Massage customers must be a minimum age of 16 unless they are accompanied by a parent.

“Many of our customers have never had a message before,” Susan says. “It just wasn’t affordable for them. But, with our prices, many are able to come here on a regular basis. We have a lot of repeat business.”

Massage is enjoyed by young and old alike. “We have a group of four older ladies who make the trip here weekly from Dade City,” Susan says. “Massage is a source of relief to many people suffering from arthritis or simply from the aches and pains associated with pulled muscles and past injuries.”

Couples massages also are available and, Forrest says, are a fun and relaxing way to spend an evening. The couple shares a room, but each person has his or her own massage therapist.

“Some couples come in again and again,” he says. “It’s a great way to unwind together, and the cost is about the same as a night at the movies.” Not surprisingly, couples massage is a popular activity for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and other special events.

Forrest says Essentials’ affordable skin services also are becoming increasingly popular as the word gets out about the quality and the value. Facial options include European ($25 for one hour), acne ($40), anti-aging ($40), back facials ($40) microdermabrasion ($55), and chemical peels ($49.95).

“For our facials, we use GM Collin products, which is a skincare line used at five-star spas as well as at the Academy Awards,” Tania says.

As an added service, Essentials invites a cosmetic dermatology practitioner from a local medical practice to provide consultations for customers interested in Botox injections and Juvederm or Restylane dermal fillers.

Another popular special is a $49.95 microdermabrasion and facial combination that is available on Mondays and Wednesdays only. Susan says that these services — and events such as a “mini-spa day,” which includes a one-hour massage, one-hour facial, light lunch and a glass of wine, all for $65 — would be triple the cost elsewhere.

Essentials also offers a “Ladies Night Out” package ($95 per person), which includes a European facial, one-hour massage, complimentary exfoliation, wine, cheese and crackers in a private salon setting. Susan says it is a popular choice for birthdays and bridal parties and it’s available any weeknight between 6 and 9 and all day on Sunday.

Other spa services include waxing, as well as hot and cold body wraps that concentrate on detox and cellulite reduction. Susan says ladies might consider a wrap before a big occasion when they are trying to slim down to fit into a special dress.

If you’re interested in hair removal, Essentials offers all types of waxing services, from eyebrows and underarms, to bikini areas and legs. The spa features a room used exclusively for this service.

Essentials also reserves a room for spa parties. The spa will even close to the public for private gatherings and tailor events to suit customers’ needs.

“We can even do mimosa breakfast parties as well as wine-and-cheese evening events,” Susan says. An a la carte menu is available to help you plan.

With Mother’s Day and the June wedding season fast approaching, you might want to take note of the gift certificates and party packages available at Essentials Massage & Facials (2230 Ashley Oaks Circle, Wesley Chapel). Or heck, go ahead and treat yourself! Call 527-6979 or visit EssentialsofNewTampa.com.

Bishop Family’s MS Fund Raiser To Be Held At WC GrillSmith May 24!

My friends and long-time New Tampa residents Bonnie and Bob Bishop are proud to announce that they are holding an open-to-the-public fund raiser to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society at the GrillSmith on Paseo Dr. in the Shops at Wiregrass mall on Thursday, May 24, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

Bob, who was stricken with MS about four years ago, and Bonnie have participated in several other MS fund raisers and have wanted to do something more to help.

“People don’t realize how debilitating and strange MS can be,” Bonnie says. “Bob’s condition is supposedly ‘stable,’ but sometimes he can walk a mile with me and sometimes, he can’t make it to the mailbox on his own. Is that stable? He has a hard time not being the person he was.”

The couple is from New England (she from Massachusetts and he from Maine), so she says they first realized something was wrong when Bob, a former small college ice hockey goalie, “couldn’t skate a few feet without falling down.” He was diagnosed a short time thereafter.

For a $10 donation to the MS Society, attendees at the GrillSmith event, which is co-hosted by “Bob’s Buddies,” will receive delicious complimentary hors d’oeuvres, Happy Hour drink prices and be eligible to win free door prizes.

Plan to participate in a great silent auction of autographed Tampa Bay Lightning memorabilia, donated by their friends Sue (whom Bonnie says has helped her “so much” to put on the event) and former Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk. There also will be rounds of golf, restaurant and spa gift cards and more you can win.

In addition to the Andreychuks, Bonnie thanks JosĂ© Martin of Sweetbay and Joe Brooks from GrillSmith and of course, their children, Makayla and Jared. “This isn’t just about us and Bob, it’s about ‘the unknown’ and believing we can make a difference in MS,” Bonnie says. “Bob is our hero, but we know there are many more heroes like him out there.”

For more information about this great event, feel free to email bfrombos@aol.com. — GN

Relays For Life Still Drawing Crowds

“Cancer has touched most, if not all of us,” said one of the organizers and top fund raisers of this year’s 18-hour Wesley Chapel Relay for Life, which began at 6 p.m. on April 27 at the track at Wesley Chapel High. “Until we have a cure, we have Relay.”

The more than 340 participants on 29 teams at the Wesley Chapel Relay had raised more than $33,000 as the event began, which was literally just a few hours before we went to press with this issue.

We won’t know the total amount raised at the Wesley Chapel Relay until sometime closer to our next issue, but there’s no doubt that the organizers, survivors, caregivers, family members and spectators were treated to a warm, wonderful overnight “stroll” while enjoying great games, prize drawings, food and lots of fun.

Cancer survivor Karen Reinhold sang a stirring rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Like a Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and a local Boy Scout troop provided the color guard sendoff for this year’s Wesley Chapel Relay “survivor lap.” We will provide a more complete update on this outstanding event in our next issue.

Wiregrass Ranch Relay May 11!

Wesley Chapel residents who want to help in the fight against cancer can still get involved with the upcoming Wiregrass Ranch Relay for Life, which will begin on Friday, May 11, 6 p.m., around the running track at Wiregrass Ranch High. The Relay will continue through the night until noon on Saturday, May 12.

At our press time, the 199 participants on 28 Wiregrass Ranch Relay teams had raised nearly $11,000.

For more information about these and other Relay events, visit RelayforLife.org. — GN

School Board Holds Off On Facebook Change

We’ve all snapped a picture with our camera phones to post on our Facebook pages or blog sites, but what about the people in those pictures? A proposed change to the Pasco County School District student code of conduct would have required students to get the consent of any other student or faculty member before taking their picture, and especially before posting it to a social networking site or anywhere on the web. However, at its meeting on April 17, the School Board chose to hold off on any such change for now.

Technology is rapidly finding its way into every facet of life, including our school systems. “Students take photos of the white board (in class) as a form of notes, how are we supposed to stop that picture from having another student in it?,” asks District spokesperson Summer Romagnoli. Even though no vote was taken on the 17th the change to the code of conduct is up for a “second reading” next month. “The problem is how to determine consent,” she adds. “Can a minor give consent? Things like that. The goal is to bring our regulations in line with others around the country.”

Principal Raymond Bonti of Wiregrass Ranch High said he could not make a comment on the issue until he knows more about the rule change and how it could affect his school.

However, principal Scott Mitchell of Watergrass Elementary says that the change would have been a non-issue at his school. “We already have rules in place to prevent unwanted photos,” says Mitchell, adding that it would more likely affect middle and high school students.

The issue is not dead, however; the School Board is looking into other ways of addressing unwelcomed photography (and the displaying of photos) in its policy manual. There have been revisions made to protect students in areas where privacy or confidentiality could be compromised. This revision prohibits the use of cameras and other electronics in all locker rooms, restrooms and school clinics.

With more and more schools embracing technology for educational purposes, the use of electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.), which was once prohibited, is becoming more frequent and is even encouraged in some cases. While texting in class, answering a phone call during school hours, etc., are still frowned upon, students are still able to utilize their devices now more than ever before. – JM