January 6th, 2009
Posted by Matt Thomson
I wrote a post about a week ago about my first experience with Myofascial Release, or myofascial massage. Since I met with Sherry Brown at Gig Harbor’s Soul Serenity Massage, I haven’t had a single headache and my neck and shoulder pain is gone. Soul Serenity (near Kopachuck Park in Gig Harbor) offers a different type of massage. If you’re not familiar with myofascial, read my earlier post and give Sherry a call. The discount she’s offering on this site only is an incredible deal…a better price than you’ll find for any other massage in Gig Harbor.
Honestly, if you live in or around Gig Harbor, and you’re experiencing any kind of chronic pain, even if you’ve tried other massage therapies, chiropractic, physical therapy, whatever, give Soul Serenity a shot. You won’t find a better massage in all of Gig Harbor!
January 6th, 2009
Posted by Matt Thomson
I got a coupon in the mail for $5 off a haircut at a national chain barber. Since I needed a haircut badly, and my barber is closed on Mondays, I thought I’d give the chain a shot yesterday. I walked in and was immediately hit with the nauseating smell of hair spray and perfumes. I was greeted quickly, by the lone barber working (who left the client in the chair to greet me), and told it’d be about a 20 min wait. I left. I left not because I didn’t have 20 minutes, but because I realized that $5 wasn’t worth supporting a national chain over a local Gig Harbor barber.
So today I went to get my haircut at Soundview Barber on Gig Harbor’s Soundview Drive. I walked in and was relieved to smell…nothing! Just clean. Cleanest barber shop I’ve ever been to. Gail and her crew greeted me by name, as they always do. I got the haircut that I wanted, with conversation that I enjoy. There’s even a kids’ play area in Soundview Barbers, so when need to take my daughter she’ll have a safe, clean place to play within plain site but away from the hair clippings. I’ve seen Gail and her crew give kids hair cuts, and they do a great job with them. I’m glad I spent the extra $5 and waited an extra day. It was worth it. Next time you’re in Gig Harbor and you need a barber or your kids need a haircut, swing by Soundview Barber and tell Gail that you read about her here!
January 1st, 2009
Posted by Matt Thomson
Had you asked me yesterday morning what Myofascial Release (or Myofascial Massage) was, I would have guessed something about a face rub. If you asked me if there was a Myofascial Release practice in Gig Harbor, I would have had to tell you I’d get back to you. But yesterday afternoon, that all changed. I’m not a big fan of massages. My wife laughed when she heard I was going to get a massage, because she knows that I’m a bit adverse to strangers touching me, I can’t handle the thought of being near people’s germs, and I’ve always thought of getting a massage as a bit girly.
I went and met Sherry Brown of Soul Serenity Massage in Gig Harbor yesterday, and I’m now a believer in Myofascial Release. When Sherry started explaining to me the healing powers of Myofascial massage, and what your fascia is (no, I didn’t know), and what the technique involved, I had to concentrate on looking interested rather than totally skeptical. I hope it worked. I haven’t had any major injuries in my life, but I did have a major surgery when I was 6, and have been experiencing lots of headaches, sore shoulders and neck, and high blood pressure recently (hey, you try running a business that is on the news daily for how badly it’s doing and see how you react!).
Sherry started the massage, and immediately I was more at ease than I could have imagined. First off, the room was clean! No worries about germs. Secondly, it’s a completely non-invasive massage. Despite the name of this blog, I’m not a fan of undressing for strangers, and at Soul Serenity (near Kopachuck Park in Gig Harbor) you keep your clothes on. The technique was totally different than anything I’d ever experienced before, as well. The only other time I have had a massage was back in college, when a big bald guy named Freeman tried to rip my hamstrings out of the back of my leg. It hurt. Sherry’s Myofascial massage was totally pain-free, totally. No rubbing, pushing, elbow through your back, or any other kind of pain.
I’m not going to try and explain it all to you here. I can’t. I do encourage you to check out Sherry’s website or the Myofascial Release site and learn a little bit about it. If you live in Gig Harbor, or even in Tacoma, Port Orchard, Bremerton, or anywhere near Gig Harbor and you need a healing massage (recovering from an injury? Need physical therapy? Just stressed? High blood pressure?), check out Soul Serenity. There are multiple spas, masseusses, etc around Gig Harbor, but none that I’m aware of that practice Myofascial Massage. It’s different.
Since I don’t expect you to just take my word for it, Sherry has offered an amazing deal. Tell her that you read about her on this blog, and your 1-hour treatment that is usually $85 will be only $45! Guys, looking to get your wife a gift? $45 for an hour of massage with a peek-a-boo water view in Gig Harbor can’t be beat. Ladies, think that your guy could use a massage but would never go? Try Soul Serenity. For $45 you can’t lose! Call Sherry at 253-265-8637 and take advantage of this deal! Also, Soul Serenity is one of the few massage therapy places in Gig Harbor that I know of that can bill your insurance! Pain free, non-invasive massage that takes insurance right here in Gig Harbor!? Tough to beat!
December 24th, 2008
Posted by Matt Thomson
With Christmas upon us, you may think that all of your shopping is done. But have you got your pet a gift yet? If you’re in the Gig Harbor area, swing downtown to Green Cottage Pets and check out their great selection of gifts for dogs and other pets. We not only get our dog’s special dog food (Canidae) at Green Cottage, but it’s a great place to find dog toys, leashes and collars, dog training tools, and friendly, helpful advice. If you’re looking for some fun dog treats, Green Cottage Pets can help you there, too. If you’ve got a pet that you like to pamper and you’re in the Gig Harbor area, Green Cottage is a great pet store to find whatever you’re looking for! After you visit, let me know what you found!
December 24th, 2008
Posted by Matt Thomson
My wife and I have lived in Gig Harbor for nearly six years. During that time, we’ve had a Thursday night date at Gig Harbor’s El Pueblito Restaurant nearly every week. El Pueblito, in addition to being the best Mexican food I’ve ever had (yes, it’s better than anywhere I found while living in Southern Cal) is the friendliest restaurant I’ve ever found. It’s kind of like our “Cheers.” El Pueblito is owned and operated by a local family, and they’ve become a small part of ours. They’ve watched my little girl grow up, from being in mom’s belly to being the 15-month old she is now. It’s so fun to walk in to their downtown Gig Harbor waterfront location and be greeted so genuinely by all of the staff.
If you’re looking for a great place to eat in Gig Harbor, and good authentic Mexican food with a Harbor view sounds like it might do the trick, visit El Pueblito! I’d love to hear your reviews after you’ve visited.
December 24th, 2008
Posted by Matt Thomson
If you’ll be in Gig Harbor this Christmas, and you need some last minute preparations for making Christmas dinner special, there’s one stop that will make your holiday just right. Gig Harbor’s best grocery store (in my opinion) is far more than a grocery store. It’s a fresh produce stand, they have the best Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands in Gig Harbor, they’re a top wine store, have a better selection of meats than any other stores in the Harbor, and they’ve got a helpful staff that will help you with meal and decorating preparations. So swing by Harbor Greens in Gig Harbor if you are looking for a grocery store or produce stand, a deli, a butcher, or a Christmas tree stand. Let me know your experience after you visit!
November 24th, 2008
Posted by Matt Thomson
Winter has made its way into Gig Harbor. Fall has been ushered out and the frosty days are here for a while. If you need heating service for your home visit the Brennan Heating website for a list of their services. You can give them a call at 1-877-Brennan. Whether you are looking for a new heating system, need heating maintenance, heating repair or service, Brennan Heating is available for any heating problem you may have. They are dedicated to customer service and have a great reputation!
Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning is pleased to announce it has been awarded Puget Sound Energy’s 2007 Energy Efficiency Action Award. One of three contractors recognized for demonstrating to homeowners the options and advantages of energy-efficient products to heat their homes.
Energy-Smart Products & Services
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For a list of Brennan Heating testimonials around the Puget Sound area, please visit our interactive map for a testimonial in your neighborhood.
October 30th, 2008
Posted by Matt Thomson
Welcome to the new Gig Harbor Merchant blog! This site is a faction of Gig Harbor’s #1 ranked blog, GigHarborUndressed.com. Check back frequently for deals and values from many of Gig Harbor’s most popular stores, shops, and services.
If you are a Gig Harbor business owner and would like information about being featured on this blog, please contact Matt Thomson at 253-226-7595 or mthomson@kw.com
September 26th, 2008
Posted by Matt Thomson
I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I’m not a super handy guy. I drive a big truck to try and make myself feel tough, but really I’m not. I own a few tools, some I even know their names, but I can’t use many of them correctly. My wife’s parent’s are selling their waterfront home here in Gig Harbor, and I tried to use my handy skills to give them easy access to the beach. It didn’t work too well.
That’s my father-in-law checking out my handy work. Lucky for me I gave him a cute granddaughter. So I called Gig Harbor excavator Tony Dulas, owner of Harbor Point Excavating to help out. I wrote about Tony once before, highlighting some of the excavating, landscaping, and rockery work he does around Gig Harbor. In only 3 days, Tony’s crew had this new path down to the beach! I still don’t know how they did it. I can make it from the beach up to the house in 35 seconds now, where as before it was inaccessible!
If you’re looking for a local Gig Harbor resident to do some landscaping for you, or you want to build a new water feature in your yard, or you need some drainage work or any other excavating work done, give Tony a call. Truly amazing!
If you want an incredible Gig Harbor waterfront home, with easy beach access and views that just won’t end, for only $750,000, give me a call! Truly amazing (the property, not necessarily me…though I’m pretty good).
September 15th, 2008
Posted by Matt Thomson
Our society tends to be obsessed with before and after photos, so I’m going to feed that obsession. When my wife and I bought our home nearly one year ago, many of the windows were bare. Our house is quite private, so we weren’t too concerned about it. This summer, however, has shown us a whole new purpose for window coverings. It gets HOT in our house.
So we called Greg and Karen Ragan at The Country Heart Custom Window Blinds, and WOW what a difference! If you’re in Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, or any of the surrounding areas and you’re looking for window treatments, or window coverings, or blinds, or whatever you call them, give the Ragans a call (253-265-1885). WAY less expensive than the big companies, and a real quality product and professional installation (Karen handles the style side of things, Greg does the install). Take a look at what it did for our house.
**Disclaimer–The towels were temporary. I had to do something to minimize the heat. You can see how hard the sun is beating in on the kitchen window with no coverings.
