riddarhusetgal

...Ok, seeing as though some of you schmucks on here have obviously diverse interests and "good taste' (lol)...I have a question for you guys (and girls too...).

...Need to give a really, really special and lovingly-thought-out gift to a great guy and I want it to be special...he's got diverse tastes, is very financial successful and generous...yada yada. BUT he doesn't NEARLY spend as much time pampering himself as I would like - always other people.

So....I was thinking of treating him to The Grooming Lounge, in DC.

Has anyone been there?

Can you comment?

The only problem is I may have to coax him a bit because his initial response may be "er, that's a little gay", haha! Think rock-climbing, surfing, martial artists investment bank techie....

So what you think -hit or miss??

Here's a description of the place and a link:

Grooming Lounge

1745 L St., NW, Washington, DC. Tel. 202.466.8900
Calling all scruffy, shaggy-haired gentlemen: this spa's for you. The Grooming Lounge is a downtown delight, offering an extensive list of men's only services. Sample the shop's full array of treatment packages — from the Commander in Chief ($100) to the Congressman ($260) to the Supreme Court ($450). Individual services range from haircuts and famous hot lather shaves to specialized hand, foot and skin treatments. Watch some ESPN and have a beer It isn't hard to get hooked on this hotspot for D.C. powerbrokers and the Grooming Lounge's guy-oriented product catalog makes it easy to bring the experience home.

http://www.groominglounge.com/dcstoreservices.html

Has anyone's lady hooked them up with one of these "pamper yourself for a day" treats? It is just a woman projecting her/our interests onto a guy or did you actually enjoy it say over a treat to a ball game or whatever....

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thuxen

Perhaps a thai massage with a happy ending would be better

Sticks79

Hahahahahahahahahahaha.

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mindcryme

depends on the dude.. its something i wouldn't do but i also don't like having to talk to people i don't know..

turbolapp

I would love for hubby to at least get a pedicure (not that his feet are that bad but he plays alot of racquetball and it's hard on the feet) but he absolutely refuses (even after I told him the last time I did, I saw two non-gayish guys there one with is wife) He claims its some sort of manly pride thing but I think it's cause he has extremly ticklish feet and howls like a hyinia if someone so much as looks at them.

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fixie

I also think that's gay and I would never go there because I shave my self with a rock like any other real man but if you persist I would go there just to please you. After that I would probably avoid you for a week to restore my manliness and no way in hell I'd go there again. I would still appreciate it though...

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riddarhusetgal

@T...see, ^^^ is the problem! How to convince them it isn't "gay" and that they'd actually enjoy it if they give it a shot :S...I actually saw some sort of TV special or something on this I am looking for the vid to be more "convincing"....

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sleepylee

The problem here is that many men just don't appreciate this kind of gift. I know I don't want to spend hours in a beauty parlour; I'd much rather be down the pub or having a meal somewhere.

It's like if I bought my girlfriend a crate of beer for her birthday: sure she likes beer but I'm certain she would appreciate something else more.

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Sharksfan

Here's a great gift if he likes wine (and if he's in the financial district I'm guessing he does) - it's actually a good corporate thank you type gift because you can't get it anywhere else. I went to this winery on my honeymoon - it's a small family winery that does not sell in stores:

(not an affiliate link):

L. Preston

riddarhusetgal

+rep for that - thanks!

The problem is I am trying to get him more comfortable with indulging the er "gentleman" in him like other men of distinction and enjoy some of his success! He is modest to a fault sometimes.....

Also, the whole idea that pampering himself or paying extra close attention to his appearance is fruity has to be let go......

Well, I don't know if the vids and marketing material help at all (lol) but I mean what's wrong with getting a gift called "The Commander in Chief" package?!

I mean it's not like he'll be sitting around with fashion designers or hair dressers, etc.

Perhaps it means more to me than him but I just want him to "let go" a little.....

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acemenace

Nothing wrong with it. I visit Art Of Shaving in my town, and its great. Now, as for getting a fucking massage from a dude...I would rather jump into a Turkish bath before that happens.

Deliguy

If your bf was more metrosexual I'd recommend you stick with that idea, but since he's clearly not it would just be really uncomfortable for him. There are ways for him to get the spa treatment without going to a spa-spa. You just have to find one with an activity built in. There are lodges and weekend retreat places with natural springs and all that spa stuff but theres kick ass shit to do like hunting, fishing, rock climbing hiking etc. So when he's had his fill doing all the fun outdoorsy stuff during the day theres really nothing for him to do but the couples spa crap afterwards. Which he may or may not enjoy, doesn't matter cus he'll just assume he has to do it because when you're there as a couple its implied that you have to balance the girly stuff you wanna do with the fun stuff he wants to do and all the other guys there are doing it to.

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Isostar13

You beat me to it. This ^^

zimok

I think you should pass on any gift that needs "convincing" to be appreciated. Even if he's "convinced" he'll still only begrudgingly accept and not tell you how much he despises going. There are some things you simply don't ask a guy to do. "beauty" treatments, manicures, pedicures etc..

Those are all things that after you've done them, you lose the ability to say you never did it(big deal for a man). So your request is probably asking too much of a man who may pride himself on being a man of manly things.

That being said my post wouldn't be very useful without suggestions, there's plenty of things you can get that he would immediately appreciate.

GPS, Binoculars, Telescope, Nice Tent, 2 Way Radio etc.. Anything that's cool and fun for 10 year old boy will be great for an older outdoors type man. Cabelas.com should get you started (no, I'm not affiliated but ordered many things when they were formerly owned by S.I.R.)

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Unarmed Gunman

You may not want to hear it, but if you really want him to get that kind of treatment, a happy ending should definitely be involved. That way, he won't fee so gay about it if some hot asian chick finishes off the pampering properly.

That may sound "unsophisticated" to you but men aren't women, and we generally don't appreciate trying to be turned into one. We're not "less civilized", we're just different.

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Volume10

I use to think it was gay but my wife finally convinced me to go (you are the one with the vagina so you are in control). I loved it. I wouldn't get all my boys up for a guys night out at the spa but I go regularly.

That being said, I don't care what others say or think so if you guy gets hung up on that it could be an issue.

Again, I don't think a rub down from a guy would be comfortable for any guy that isn't gay. So no guy rubs ---dig?

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Deliguy

Get him some mcnuggets

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ayzo

Try telling him that his favorite male actor/athlete/famous person is the owner, that might ease him into it.

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BigWill

Id go but im secure with my sexuality. Also, I do not care what most people think about me. I like to feel nice and groomed / clean though.

kimboslice

My wife hits the spa pretty regularly.

She'd been trying to get me to go for years, so she went ahead and hooked up a couples spa day for us at the Ritz Carlton in New Orleans..

I was very hesitant at first. I'd never done anything like that but she though it would
be really cool so I went.. plus we were going together.

We started out with massages together. Next we had lunch in a gorgeous private room in our spa robes. We then had a couples milk bath.

She got a facial and I got a hot shave. (<== damn, that sounds porno-ish)

Next we moved to the nail salon and got pedicures and manicures. They kept the wine coming and i kept on drinking it. I was shocked to see so many men there with their wives. Half of the New Orleans Hornets team was there.


It was actually a very nice experience and I plan on doing it again with my wife.

Not sure I'd go on my own though...

Mikesev

I let my girlfriend take me shopping over the weekend. I ended up in a department store changing room trying on hugo boss jeans. I looked down at the ripped and torn pair that had served me well for so long along with the metallica t-shirt from a gig a few years back and got a sense of panic. I quickly changed back into my regular clothes, dumped the £100 jeans and £90 shirt in the arms of the attendent and ordered my girlfriend out of there

I am who I am.

Who pays £100 on a pair of fucking jeans anyway?! For something that's going to be a pair of torn-offs at a festival in a few years.

amanda11

Pretty fuckin' homosexual.

If he gets laid, who cares if he looks scruffy.

Sharksfan

I went with my wife to a spa a couple different times. Once we had a couples massage - two masseuses, same room. It was hot watching my wife get a massage from a woman (not that anyone but me was thinking porno thoughts).

Of course my wife got the hot petite masseuse and I got the one that had shoulders about 6' wide who looked like she played rugby for fun.

Also, I was hanging out in my spa robe in the waiting room before hand drinking tea with the wife when she informed me I was literally "hanging out" - I had my legs opened a little too wide for that robe it turns out. I did get a little smile and wink from some woman old enough to be my mom.

GoogleSearchSux

That gift is awesome, we need to bring back the real barber shops.

Back in the day when cowboys rolled into town the first thing they did was go to the barber shop where they would get cleaned up, told where the work was, where you can get yourself some lady company, and anything else you need to know.

Pretty sure cowboys were not ga........ (brokeback)

Never mind.

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Uzzz

hmmm spa... or a FRICKEN BOW N ARROW!! tough call....

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turbolapp

Take him to a country like Mexico or Thailand where they give you massages on the beach. My dad, who would never be caught dead within a 3 mile radius of a spa, used to really enjoy those.

EDIT: btw, for the record, i can't stand spas. They're soooo boring and ridiculously self indulgent. (<--shit that's not really the word I'm looking for, lazy and time wasting is the type of word I'm going for) I wouldn't even go for pedi's except I like to have pretty feet. But the time it takes to go, wait, and get it done, is almost a deal killer and as it is my toes are long overdue by the time I actually get them done.

Just thought I would mess up the sterotype a bit there.

EDIT again: Just read kimbo's post and he made it sound really nice. Now I'm reconsidering. @ ridd have you thought about doing it with him?

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nevele

protip: manicures are definitely not a 'beauty' treatment for most guys, even those who are hung up on machismo ideas of what we're supposed to do.
bubbly mudbaths and cucumbers are one thing, having well groomed fingernails is another. all women appreciate it, least of all for looks.

and yes, the place looks good. go for it. he'll probably dig it.
if he's got issues point him at the faq:

how can you argue with that?

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kimboslice

I think the key is going with you wife, GF.

How about doing a couples type thing? Sending him to a full on spa by himself for the 1rst time can be much for most guys.

I've been multiple times with my wife and it's always been awesome and I'm still not sure sure I'd go alone...

alexb

I don't see anything on that list of services that I wouldn't appreciate (other than massage and hair removal). I don't see any reason a guy would ever want a pedicure, considering shoes are rather popular at the moment, but whatever.

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zimok

Yes because men hang around where people get these done,



I'll admit my views must be somewhat skewed from small town mentality and a brother that liked to beat me up when I kicked his ass at mortal kombat but from my perspective, one which hasn't been totally feminized by which ever big city you find yourself in, my point still stands that any man who takes the feminine route on something that shouldn't take more than 5 minutes is that much less of a man for it.

Uzzz summed it up, a bow and arrow or sitting around getting your nails picked at for an hour.

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nevele

male and female manicures are different man. takes 15-20min max, no paint involved.
and it's really not about looks. it's about touch.

specifically, it's about touching her -- without having a sharp or jagged nail catch something it shouldn't.
just clipping, while efficient, ain't enough to guarantee that silky smooth caress and pain-free manual stimulation.

course you'd have to be interested in actually pleasing her for that to mean anything.
which may or may not require a totally feminized big city perspective.

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rohitiyer11

I clicked that link, and every guy on the front page looked like cockacidal maniacs.

My thoughts on 'grooming' are that i do what i want, when i want. The whole clean cut pay $50+ for clothes prep look - Gay.....Use 'product' in your hair - Gay.....shaving chest/legs/below the belt - cum drunk gay....Unless you're helen keller, you don't need a fucking manicure.

Thankfully my gf is one that agrees with what i have to say.....she wants a man to look and act like a man. Amen to that.

riddarhusetgal

Haha!
Wow great story....it seems people are pretty split. I thought one of the things women was supposed to do was coax guys to try stuff they probably wouldn't without that er "feminine touch"?

I mean I would draw the line at clear nail polish because thay shit is just plain gay and I hate it....

But you know, I'm the kind of person that will try something out of character if prodded - as long as it is ethical.

I mean I'd go to a UFC match even though it's probably the last thing on my mind in terms of entertainment, lol....

@zimok

....I don't know if I quite by the idea that if someone has to be kinda "pushed" or negotiated into a gift, experience or whatever then it's not the best thing for them.

For me it's about wanting to encourage people you care about to try different things. Sometimes different things aren't immediately enjoyable but after you get used to it you find it better than what you had before...

Anyway, I want to do something big, because the dude deserves it....half the fun is the planning to!

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rohitiyer11

Something i'd love would be a spontaneous act of adrenaline filled action by my gf....like if she were to blindfold me and take me skydiving/bungee jumping....omfg awesome

riddarhusetgal

Whatever! Hate to break it to you but it's the 21st bud. Women not stuck in the outback, esp. those who work, travel, juggle many responsibilities...the hell if we want a man who can put some fucking hair gell in before leaving the house. Besides, you might be surprised what kind of woman you can attract with a little grooming ;P

baggy jeans+hairy backs+no hair gell = no sugar

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riddarhusetgal

ps....was also thinking of the tried and tested MontBlanc but seems a bit boring on the imagination and creativity front...

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riddarhusetgal

pps...by the way not affiliated with them at all
ppps
See, this gets my political blood boiling! Look at this vid...
Someone explain to me how these guys look "gay"?! It's the 21st century! These kinda stereotypes prevent men from enjoying things they might otherwise not, IMHO

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markus

if it was a male spa with topless attendants, and some pole dancing... then and only then... maybe...

this_guy

I would just try telling him that they only give you massage and then let them take care of the rest.

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guysmy

there is nothing gay about this. however, most guys would probably pass on the manicure and pedicure and be more into a good haircut, hot shave and a brief massage by a women. also he probably means business and doesn't want to stick around the place for too long in one sitting.

get him a gift card so he can choose what he wants done.
Grooming Lounge Gift Cards

a bottle of his favorite drink would make it even better for some instant gratification.

show him that you understand him and are willing to give him what he wants without trying to influence his preferences.

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erect

Talk about hearing only what you want to .....

Nope, that's not the role of women. That's the shit you do so you can brag to your girlfriends about how you have someone wrapped around your finger.

+1 for uzzz's bow

zimok

Don't bring irrelevant factors such as your desire to please women as justification to your liking getting pampered up in a beauty saloon.

Me,

+

= 5 minutes

You,

= 30 minutes of femininity

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rohitiyer11

I attract my fine share of women. I don't need to work for them, I'm the one they try to qualify for. So thanks for the advice, but I've got my bases covered.

My girlfriend actually models as a hobby and works as a nursing assistant everyday at a nursing home from 8-5 and sometimes even 6-930 after her first shift.....So when she gets back, and needs to relieve some stress, she wants sex from someone that doesn't look like a "whiny bitch boy, but a man that'll take me and do what he wants while taking care of me" (her words btw)

As for the body hair: Back hair is just no for me and her, it itches teh shit outta me, and she doesnt' like it so its gone....Chest hair/below the belt is only slightly trimmed cuz again it itches me and she likes it a bit more managed looking, but still there......

Again, i'm not worried about my style cuz it's done well for me all these years, and i don't plan on changing for anyone.

But I just wanna make it clear that i'm not bustin your balls, just pointin out my views on it. If someone likes it, they like it...more power to them. You like that whole clean cut ceo look, well then go for it. Nothin wrong with it at all cuz the man seems to have his life in order from what you're saying. But me.....I'm damn fine just the way I am.....except i'd like more monies in da bank plz.

kingofsp

My barber offers beer, dirty magazines, and piercings. Also tattoos on certain days. I don't have any tattoos or piercings, but I appreciate the environment. He also gives kick ass haircuts.

Oh wait, we're talking about spas.

Sounds to me like you'd want him to go have that pampered treatment more than he ever would. Instead of trying to change him why not give him something you know he'll love?

I don't think there is anything inherently gay about guys that like to go to spas and what not. But if they pretend they like to go because their gfs/wives tell them they should like to, then that's all kinds of gay.

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NickRac

You answered your own question before you even hit "post"...

He doesn't spend nearly as much time as YOU WOULD LIKE - is this a present for him or you? what would HE like?

Think of any present you want...any coaxing involved? no

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Fatbat

Dude, you sooo speak the truth.

While I was a hygienic young man, I didn't pay attention to the details. When I was about 20 I was hanging out with some good party friends; ravers at heart, up for the down beat.

Noni notices my nails, which were longish and unkempt at the time, and says to me, "god damn Bradley, you better cut those things or she's going to dry up and go home!".

I nearly died a little cause Noni was a cutie and was my buddy's girlfriend at the time... except he was a complete chauvinistic douchebag. He wouldn't even sleep in the same bed as her when she was having her period for example.

His name is Chris Goudy and he eventually ended up stealing form a bunch of people in Vancouver, arranged to have his dad's audio store burned to ground in an organized crime insurance scam, and pretty much isn't welcome in that city any more.

Anyways, I digress.

I was completely horrified and ever since I've kept my shit in check. If I was ballin' I would definitely go to the spa. Get that stuff taken care of by professionals.

There must be a market for the Man's Man Spa though. Football on a Sunday afternoon, beer on tap, with lovely ladies tending to your grooming needs.

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nvanprooyen

If branded correctly, that shit could do really well. May I suggest attaching a bowling alley so you can go knock down some pins with your pretty nails when you're all done? Or maybe a shooting range. OR MAYBE BOTH!!!!

nvanprooyen

Could call it "Trim"...what do you think? Lol.

riddarhusetgal

Well, after much considered judgment I think I'm going to go with the pedicure (skipping the manicure and clear nail polish which is a bit over the top) plus (drum roll!!) The Potomac:



The Potomac

It begins with the ultimate male experience, a hot lather shave. After the whiskers are gone, he’ll get his hair cut and styled. Sure it’s more costly than two bits... but it’s worth it. Allow 90 minutes.


Includes: Hot Lather Shave & Haircut.

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riddarhusetgal

Some of the best presents I've got I hated at first. Just like some of the men women often end up loving the most we hated or weren't attracted to at first. I guess it depends on whether or not you like to have your boundaries 'pushed' or not...

btw, love the sig..........

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