Frequently Asked Questions
Teahouse:
Are reservations necessary; do you accept reservations
on line?
Do you accommodate groups in the teahouse for an event
or party?
Do you offer foot sanctuary treatments in the teahouse?
May I use my gift certificate in the teahouse?
Do you serve alcohol or may I bring my own?
Do you sell tea by the ounce; how about teapots and accessories?
What does ‘Fair Trade’ mean?
Is your tea organic?
May I order tea and food to take out?
Do you offer tea-tasting; how does it work?
Is tipping expected in the teahouse; what about when
I have tea or eat in the foot sanctuary?
Are you a chain or part of a franchise?
Foot Sanctuary:
Are reservations necessary; do you accept reservations
on line?
Do you accommodate groups in the foot sanctuary for an
event or party?
Do you serve food and tea in the foot sanctuary?
Do you sell gift certificates; what can I use it for?
Do you serve alcohol or may I bring my own?
May I bring my child or baby when I visit the foot sanctuary?
May I choose my soak prior to my appointment; is the
soak menu available on line?
Does a soak come with a massage; does a massage come
with a soak?
Will we be able to sit together; will we receive our
massages and treatments at the same time?
May I sit with my friends in the foot sanctuary if I’m
not receiving a massage or treatment?
What is an Ayurvedic treatment; what is a dosha?
What is the difference between Reflexology and a Massage?
Should I wear special clothing for my visit to the foot
sanctuary?
Do you offer pedicures?
May I take photographs while in the foot sanctuary?
Why is it important to be sure my massage is done by
a licensed therapist from an accredited school?
Is it customary to tip; how much is usual; how is tipping
handled when I order tea and food in the foot sanctuary?
Are reservations necessary? Reservations are not necessary for
the Teahouse café.
We do recommend reservations in the Foot Sanctuary. Although, when space
is available we welcome ‘walk-in’ visitors. We do not take
online or email reservations at this time. Please call us to book a reservation
at 207.879.7625. Please check our policies for
a complete explanation of reservation guarantees, cancellations and changes.
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Do you accommodate groups in the Foot Sanctuary and/or the Teahouse for
an event or party? We frequently host groups
for all types of celebrations and business meetings; both in the foot
sanctuary and the teahouse. Please call us at 207.879.7625 for a reservation
and to help plan your event so that it is a success and unique experience.
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Do you offer massage and foot-soaks in the Teahouse; how about tea and
food in the Foot Sanctuary? Our teahouse is a full service cafe
that serves light fare and desserts daily. We do not offer massages or
foot-soaks in the Teahouse. Our lower level Foot Sanctuary was designed
so that our guests can enjoy tea, food, and desserts while they relax,
soak their feet, and enjoy a massage.
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Do you sell gift certificates; what can I use it for? Yes, our
gift certificates are very popular and are available in the denomination
of your choosing. Gift certificates can be used for any service in the
foot sanctuary, food and tea in the teahouse café, and all retail
products. Our gift certificates never expire. Gift certificate cannot
be used for gratuity.
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Do you serve alcohol; may I bring my own libation? We do not
serve alcohol nor do we allow our customers to bring their own. SOAKOLOGY
Foot Sanctuary and Teahouse provides services, food and beverage, and
retail products that synergistically provide a relaxing and detoxifying
experience. Alcoholic beverages do not relate well to our products and
services. We in fact provide services and teas to help counter the after
effects of an occasional over-the-top celebration.
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Do you sell tea by the ounce; how about teapots and accessories?
We offer over 70 pure and blended teas by the ounce as well as authentic
teaware and accessories in our retail boutique. Our knowledgeable staff
enjoys assisting you in selecting wonderful tea and coordinated tea serving
vessels.
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What does Fair Trade mean? Fair Trade is a not-for-profit federation
established to facilitate acceptable and proper working conditions, fair
wages, improved housing, and education for workers on tea production estates.
We are proud to carry only Fair Trade teas where applicable.
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Is your tea organic? While many of our teas are organic, it isn’t
always possible since our first priority is to only purchase tea from
estates that practice ‘fair trade’ when applicable.
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May I order tea and food to take out? Yes we do offer
our full menu of hot and cold teas as well as other drinks and food to
be enjoyed as take out.
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Do you offer tea-tasting; how does it work? We do host lectures
and tea-tasting events lead by esteemed members
of the tea community. Please let the receptionist know you are interested
in attending and ask to have your name and contact information (phone,
address and e-mail) added to our mailing list. We will notify you in advance
as we have limited space and attendance is by reservation only.
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May I bring my child or baby to the Foot Sanctuary or the Teahouse?
The teahouse welcomes children of all ages. However, the Foot Sanctuary
cannot accommodate infants, toddlers, and small children. Teenagers between
12 and 15 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to
receive spa services in the Foot Sanctuary.
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May I choose my foot-soak prior to my appointment; is the foot-soak menu
available on line? We offer a vast array of foot-soaks that are
based upon your mood and unique needs at the time of your appointment.
In addition we frequently change the foot-soaks that we offer. For this
reason we do not publish our foot-soak menu online or with our brochure.
Your therapist will assist you in choosing a soak from our full in-house
menu.
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Does a foot-soak include a massage; does a massage include a foot-soak?
Our foot-soak and massage menus are ala carte. We do offer combination
packages that combine foot-soaks and massage as well as other treatments.
And we highly recommend including a foot-soak with any massage to achieve
the very best results from your treatment.
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Will we be able to sit together; will we receive our massages and treatments
at the same time? Our Foot Sanctuary customers who book their
reservations collectively will be seated together. We do not guarantee
that all customers in the same group receive simultaneous massage. We
have a communal seating area that lends itself to soft conversation while
enjoying a relaxing experience.
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May I sit with friends or family in the Foot Sanctuary if I’m not
receiving a massage or treatment? Our foot sanctuary space is
limited and reserved only for customers who are receiving a massage, foot-soak
or treatment. You are welcome to wait in the teahouse for a foot sanctuary
customer.
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What is an Ayurvedic treatment; what is a dosha? Ayurveda (Pronounced
Eye-Yer-Vay-Dah) is a Sanskrit word meaning "knowledge of life".
It refers to the art of holistic living and the oldest (5000+ years old)
medicine system in practice today. Ayurvedic philosophy indicates that
everything in the universe is made up of 5 elements: fire, air, water,
earth and space. These elements are combined under 3 "energies",
known as Dosha (body constitutions). The three dosha are Vata, Pitta and
Kapha and each one represents the "subtle energy" that combines
and balances the characteristics of the elements it influences. This force
often has to combine and balance seemingly contrary forces, such as fire
and water under Pitta. Vata combines air and space. Kapha brings water
and earth together. In order to apply this principle of balancing the
body we must first determine our individual Ayurvedic constitution or
dosha type. When we recognize this, we can begin to create balance for
ourselves in our health and lifestyle.
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What is the difference between Reflexology and Massage? Massage
targets a specific area of the body (i.e. feet and lower legs, head and
neck, hand and lower arm) to promote circulation, reduce swelling, ease
pain and tension, and aid in relaxation. Reflexology is the practice of
pin-pointing certain points on the feet or hands that correlate to the
function of internal organs, joints, and the body as a whole. Reflexology
employs deep pressure and manipulation of these specific points.
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Should I wear special clothing for my visit to the foot sanctuary?
One of the unique and convenient aspects of our Foot Sanctuary is the
advantage of being able to wear street clothes and work clothes to your
appointment. Slacks should be able to easily roll up above the knees,
and shirts should have a somewhat loose neckline (turtle necks are not
recommended). Women wearing skirts will be offered a lap cover and will
have to remove tights or pantyhose for certain treatments and massage.
Some customers use our bodice drapes during a head-neck-shoulder massage.
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Do you offer pedicures? No, however, we do offer pumice therapy,
exfoliating treatments, and paraffin wraps for both hands and feet.
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May I take photographs while in the foot sanctuary? We do not
allow cameras in the Foot Sanctuary. However, we are always glad to take
a photograph of you and your group with SOAKOLOGY’s camera. The
photo will be emailed to you after the event.
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Why is it important to be sure I am massaged by a licensed therapist (LMT)?
Massage therapy includes many modalities; deep tissue, Swedish, and sports
are the most popular and practices by trained and board certified massage
therapists at SOAKOLOGY. The body’s soft tissue is manipulated during
massage. “All of the techniques
are used for the benefit of the musculoskeletal, circulatory-lymphatic,
nervous, and other systems of the body. In fact, massage therapy positively
influences the overall health and well-being of the client. Practitioners
must have a thorough understanding of the human body and have been trained
to administer deep-tissue massage, as injury can occur if the technique
is not performed properly. This technique is useful in treating chronic
pain, inflammation and injury…” Article from Massage today
an MPA media publication, October 2007
“Massage therapy has a significant impact on a person’s health
and well-being. The public has a right to expect that a massage therapist
has the qualifications needed to practice effectively and safely. So,
legal recognition of the practice of massage therapy and clearly-stated
requirements to practice are essential to promote the profession and protect
the health, safety and welfare of the general public: Competency is measured
and enforced through formal education, training and examination requirements…”
American Massage Therapy Association web site on legal recognition
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Is it customary to tip in the Teahouse, or in the Foot Sanctuary; what
amount is customary? Gratuity is appreciated and not included
in our pricing with the exception of groups of 5 or more. A 20% gratuity
is automatically added to checks for parties with five or more guests
in both the Teahouse and the Foot Sanctuary. When ordering food and tea
in the Foot Sanctuary the tip is split between the staff who serves tea
and food and those who provide sanctuary services.
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Are you a chain or part of a franchise? No, we are not a chain
or part of a franchise at this time. We are a stand alone and one of a
kind SOAKOLOGY. All of our original protocol and business practices are
private and protected by trade mark, identity and copyright
laws.
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