Let's face it: Most massages are great. No matter how inexperienced the massage therapist, most of us love having our heads lodged in a face cradle while getting our limbs kneaded, manipulated, and plied into a big pile of blissful mush. But even when you're blessed with someone who knows a thing or two about rhythm, patience, and precision, it can be difficult to suss out the wherefores of what makes someone a truly excellent therapist. Enter Nell Waters, a San Francisco School of Massage instructor who also works out of her own cozy Pacific Heights alcove. She strikes that rare balance between the rigorous language of structural bodywork and simply being able to sense those places in a client's body where stagnant energy needs to be coaxed into action. Like any therapist worth her salt, she's trained in a variety of modalities, from myofascial release to delicious deep tissue therapy. While you can expect plenty of attention to all your achey parts, be assured that Waters isn't a bodywork sadist whose motto is "pain for the sake of pain." She's much more interested in your relaxation.