Polished Perfection

It happened the other morning during Balletone class at the YMCA: I caught the instructor do a double take when she saw the calluses on my feet.  I knew they were bad, but in the spirit of come-as-you-are didn’t think much when I stripped off my shoes and socks. After her reaction I stole little glimpses around the room and realized everyone had gotten a pedicure recently. Everyone except for me.

As a single mother on a budget, I feel guilty spending money on anything for myself, especially if it feels indulgent.  My instructor’s ghastly expression, though, made this feel more like a necessity. Pedicures can be expensive and I’ve encountered many salons or spas that don’t give you much bang for the buck. Then I remembered all the recent praise I’d heard for and decided to check it out.

Annie’s Nails is located in the shopping center on Bradford Ave that hosts Walgreen’s and The Goddard School. It’s unassuming, and the décor is practically identical to every Asian run nail salon I have been to. The service and value are what really set them apart.

I consider myself somewhat of a tough customer when it comes to pedicures. Besides the fact that I squirm a lot (uber-ticklish) there is the ballet career of days past-- a career whose evidence would seemingly require a belt sander to erase it from my feet. I have never left a pedicure with smooth feet, simply feet that just weren’t quite as gnarly.

The attentiveness and efficiency of each aesthetician is remarkable. They soak, they scrub, they massage, they massage again, without rushing the experience. All the while, your back is getting the royal treatment courtesy of their massaging pedi chairs, and the latest Glamour Magazine is in your hands. They even offer companion pedicures if you bring you Mini Me along. Their pedi chairs are specially designed for pint sized princesses.

After such a top notch service, I expected to pay $40. Imagine my delight to find their pedicures are only $25, and their polish jobs stay notoriously chip-free for two weeks. Forget the fancy spas for your “regular maintenance”… Annie’s nails a perfect pedicure every time. Two painted thumbs up!