Best of Seattle Readers' Picks

74. BEST PLACE TO GET A MASSAGE

Considering how many Seattleites lead holistic lifestyles, it's no surprise they voted Habitude (various locations, 782-2898) the place for hands-on healing. Taking to heart the somewhat spiritual definition of habitude— "a state of body or mind; refers to your natural or essential character"—the concept salon and spa employs waterfalls, art, handmade furnishings, aromas, lighting, and music to add a soothing atmosphere to each massage treatment. And quite a few treatments there are, from the Essential massage, which is complemented by your own customized blend of Aveda essences, to the more eclectic Hydrotherm treatment, which has you floating on water-filled pillows while you receive a full-body massage. Massage specialist runners-up are downtown's Ummelina, in the number two position, and all the various locations of Gene Juarez in third.

The discs go round at Cellophane Square.

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75. BEST PLACE TO GET A TATTOO

Slave to the Needle (508 N.W. 65th, 789-2618) is Ballard's famously freakish tattoo palace and piercing parlor. The talent here rivals that of even the most accomplished classically trained artists—and most of these guys are self-taught. Set into a rundown strip of retail, the scene here is exactly as its name suggests. Up at the counter, the soon-to-be-sketched-on carefully study the "flash collection": binders of photographs of the necks, arms, chests, backs, butts, legs, and ankles of hundreds of satisfied customers. The needlework itself is done in the next room over, behind a drawn curtain; squirming subjects are a squeamish sight, and the artists need to be able to concentrate. These guys are pros: They've been scrawling sinewy shapes onto shoulders, shins, and stomachs here since 1995—not to mention punching holes in tongues and tits—so they know what they're doing and can be trusted when they say, repeatedly, reassuringly, under their breath, "Trust me, man, just trust me. This is only going to hurt for a minute." Lucky Devil got second place; "your butt" clung to third. Har, har.