Bliss in the City: Cosmos, pampering & girl talk

OMG...Bliss on Shepherd is a spa after my own heart. I swear that if Sex in the City was located in Houston, Carrie and her girl pals would be hanging out there and sipping on cosmos.
This is because Houston's Bliss is not just a spa. It's a nail bar!

Okay, for those of you who haven't been to a nail bar, you really have to go. Not only do you get all the traditional spa services like massages, manicures, pedicures and facials, but you can enjoy a glass a wine, a martini or freshly roasted coffee while you are being pampered. How cool is that?

THE BUSY GIRL'S HAPPY HOUR

The first thing you'll notice when you walk into Bliss is the design. It's open, spacious and beautiful. In fact, the lobby is not a waiting area, but a chic and happening lounge, where you can get your nails done while hanging out with friends.

"Girls can drop in, have a cocktail and catch up with their lives, while getting some pampering done," said Nancy, co-owner of Bliss.

Nancy and Nick Nikolovski are the owners of the Bliss, which is Houston's first nail bar.

They wanted a place where people could come and relax after work or on an afternoon.

With any service, customers can get up to two complementary drinks of their choice -- ranging from Cosmos, appletinis and other cocktails, to wine, coffee and tea. They also serve mimosas on Sunday.

"We wanted to pilot a new concept with Bliss and create a social environment," said Nick. "We have all the traditional spa amenities, too, but then the nail bar brings out something different."

They also do a lot of SPArties (spa parties) such as baby showers, bridal parties and birthdays.

"One SPArty that we had was for a 10-year-old girl. Nancy helped them learn how to make bath balls with salt and different scents. It was fun and very entertaining," said Nick.

But if you don't want to hang out in the lounge, Bliss also has a private suite where couples or a group of friends can get together and enjoy some quality time.

"We have a group that comes in to watch Lipstick Jungle on the flat screen in the suite. The girls get their nails done, relax with a cocktail and then watch the show together and chat," said Nick.

MIAMI MEETS EUROPE

Before opening Bliss, Nancy and Nick were basically spa connoisseurs. They had been to spas all over the world and spent some time in Miami. They knew as a customer what they liked and what was missing.

"I started Bliss for almost selfish reasons. I was tired of going to high-end spas and wondering how clean they were," said Nancy.

They had been thinking about the concept of Bliss for a while, but what really set the ball into motion was a scare Nancy got after visiting a spa.

"I thought I got an infection from a spa. It turned out to be nothing, but after that I didn't want to worry about how clean the tools were. I decided I would open my own place and make sure everything was up to my standards," said Nancy.

Nancy works in the healthcare industry so she said they went all out when it came to sterilization and cleanliness.

Nancy said that at Bliss, they don't reuse anything, and they have a medical grade sterilizer. Their whirlpool footbaths are also state-of-the-art. They are pipeless so the water is not recycled.

"Our staff has a three-step process. They soak, manually scrub and then sterilize all the tools," said Nancy. "Plus we have a designated Clean Cop."

SLIP INTO BLISS WITH DAILY DEALS

So are you ready to go all Sex in the City with cosmos and fabulous nails? I know I am. The only problem is trying to figure out which night to go on because Bliss has some great specials:

Early Bird Specials: Come in before 2 p.m. during the week and get a mani-pedi for $55 (regularly $70)

BYOB (bring your own boy) Tuesdays: This is like Guys Night Out because your guy friend will get 10% off any service.

Girls night out Thursdays: Get any service and get your eyebrows done for just $15.

They also have gift certificates that you can purchase online and some fun stocking stuffers in the store for the spa-lover on your list.

INSIDE BLISS SCOOP

While the daily deals are great, I really can't wait for January. That's because Nancy and Nic let me in on a little secret, that of course, I will share with you...
"In January, we are planning to kick off a wine tasting night co-hosted by local wine bars," said Nancy.

Wine tasting and manicures with some girlfriends? Now that sounds like fun!

LOCATION:701 Shepherd Drive Suite #100
(2 blocks before Washington)
Houston, TX
713-864-8787

http://www.bliss-nailspa.com/