Taco Bell place is still in business
I can't compete with the depth and intelligence of The Camel's posts, so I won't even try, but I do want to post an update to a place I've mentioned before, in the spirit of his effort to revive this thread on the forum.
The place I visited is a simple RaT place. I don't do FS, I'm sort of a RaT rat, so it's OK for me. The place is near SW and Woodman, near Taco Ball (I think they even share a parking lot). It's in a strange little two-story office building. It's in Van Nuys or Noho... I'm not sure which.
Another poster here PMd me recently that the place had closed, but I got a funny feeling from his description of it and wanted to double-check. It hasn't. I think he went to the wrong office or wrong building. One thing that has changed is there is no longer a sign on the door, or any indication that the business is there any more. No name. Nothing. Your only clue is a door bell. I don't think they are even listed on the sign on the front of the building any more. Pretty low-key.
Over the past couple of years I've visited maybe four times. Each time, the provider was an average- to not-quite-cute-looking Chinese woman (5-7), between 25 and 40 years old. Each time, I got a fantastic massage, followed by HE. I've always had the impression more was possible, once you became a regular, but with six or more months between visits, that hasn't happened for me. I've seen a different masseuse every time.
This time, I got the oldest (45?), least-cute provider yet. I figured she was the mamasan and would get the real provider for me, but after leading me to the room and leaving, she returned. I don't think she was Chinese, but the music she put on seemed to be. I didn't care that she was so uncute, as she seemed sweet and friendly, and I had actually decided not to go for HE this visit. If it was offered, I wouldn't turn it down, but I wouldn't pursue it. I really needed a good massage.
BTW, when I rang the doorbell, I waited in the hallway for a minute or so. I could hear people moving around, and women's voices. She finally opened the door and just stood there and looked at me. I said, "Are you open for business?" and she let me in. I think there was at least one other customer in the other rooms.
Anyway, for the first time ever at this place, a towel was placed over me. MMS then proceeded to give me one of the best massages I have ever had. She popped my skull, my face, my ankles... she rubbed her hands to create warm friction on my spine. She really worked me over. It was wonderful. Definitely all-time top 5.
Throughout the massage though, there was a lot of noise from the neighbors. The business upstairs (I think it is a tax accountant) was working late, and people were going up and down the stairs, loudly. It was a little annoying, but hey, it's April 14, so what can you do?
The towel stayed on for the flip. After doing my feet for the second time, my provider (whose name I can't recall - it was four or five syllables, something like Yemenifootball) gave me a Swedish-style "karate chop"/tenderizer move up and down my calves and said, "Finished." It had been easily 40 minutes for what was supposed to be a 30-minute session.
She went and got a cup of water while I rose out of my state of bliss and dressed. When she came back, she asked, "You work upstairs?" (BTW, this was about the most understandable English she'd spoken during the session.) I told her I didn't and made a comment about them working late. She laughed and said they were usually gone long before. I said something about coming back for an hour next time. She leaned in to me, and said (as far as I could tell) something about coming back when the business upstairs was closed, and she would take care of me. I looked a little confused (because I didn't understand why the business upstairs would affect their practices), and she smiled and made the universal symbol of washing the wax off a supermarket cucumber. "I take care of you," she said. "You get both." I have no idea what she meant by "both," but she smiled and made the gesture again, and I agreed to come back soon. Maybe she said "boat," as in, I would leave a boatload of DNA... but I think such puns invoking the image of sailors (or seamen) were beyond her English abilities.
Total damage: .4 + .2 tip. She seemed very pleased at the tip, did a namaste move, and said, "Please come back soon."
Maybe I won't wait 6 months this time.
On another note, I drove by the place on Roscoe east of Jack-in-the-Box, and it was dark at 9:30. Anyone know what time they close?