A couple weeks ago, I took some well-deserved me time before jetting to Philly for the holidays and indulged in a manicure and pedicure at the Upper West Side’s Polished Beauty Bar. The sparkling salon boasts a sick collection of both Zoya and Essie shades. Because it’s totally 2011 to switch up your polish concept multiple times a week, you might want to purchase some for at-home manis, as well.

The pedicure chair is truly the stuff of dreams. Both the seat and back offer massage options (even heat!) that will literally and figuratively rock your world. I haven’t seen a salon chair this magnificent since the epic “bed chair” at Hiro Haraguchi Salon.

The vibe there is so “neighborhoody” and chill that I wound up loitering there for a full two hours. The joint is truly the modern-day girly equivalent of Cheers. Owner Susan Nam is a hospitable delight and is also a total industry insider. She tends to the talons of such A-listers as Reese Witherspoon and Charlize Theron. She gave me a glossy, gleamy mani (we used my new TopShop polish in Paint it On, Cloud on my toes) that was still going strong by day NINE. The salon is eco-friendly and even shows classic movies on mute on a flatscreen TV. While I was there, I caught up on It’s A Wonderful Life. And thanks to that massage chair, watching that particular movie was a self-reflective experience.

Polished Beauty Bar is located at 250 West 78th Street between Broadway and West End.

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