Float Lab Westwood

So Wednesday I went to the Float Lab location in Westwood. I had been to the one in Venice twice (click here to read about that) and loved it. The first time I went alone and the second time I went with a friend. I had been planning on going back for the longest time and just kept not doing it. So after some mental back and forth I decided to go to the Westwood one. I shouldn't have. Full disclosure: I put a lot of pressure on myself before going and did not have the proper mindset.

On the way there the bus driver let this obviously crazy guy on and he and another crazy guy got into a discussion about god which crazy people like to do. I got there early and walked around Westwood and was reminded of why I don't like going to Westwood. As I waited in front of the location I saw street construction happening. I hoped that I wouldn't be able to hear or feel it while in the tank. I head inside and me and some other guy are in the waiting room. The place looks nice. Very clinical but dark. Very different vibe from the Venice location which I prefer.

The girl at the front desk told me to read the information on the table. I didn't. I've read it before and have done this twice already. I know the drill. A couple then come in and mess up my mood even more because I'm Dante and this is the kind of stuff that bothers me. As the girl begins to explain the rules of the tank and how it works the guy in the couple starts recording her speaking. 

I am watching her in real life and through his camera and it is bugging the shit out of me. “Why are you doing this?!” kept running through my head. The wrong mood to be going into the tank with. At this point its about 11:20am. I expected to already be in the tank by this point since I was booked for 11am.

I get into the room where the tank is and its different than the Venice location. Small mirror to the right, large open shower in the center, and the tank in the back. I shower and notice how watered down the soap is so I had to shower longer than I wanted. Get me in the tank! So I dry my face off and hop inside the tank and start to feel better. Its been almost a year since I'd been here. So I'm in the tank and not expecting to be blown into space like I was the second time. I'm settling in and then thunk. My head hits the tank. I adjust and then phunk. My foot hits the front of the tank. I spread my arms and notice that this tank is definitely smaller.

I finally start to drift off and then I hear the tank make a sound. I settle again and then I hear the construction from outside every few minutes or so. If I had known there was construction happening right across the fucking street I would not have gone here. I would have canceled and headed to Venice Beach. The entire time I was in there I was wondering how long it'd been, wondering when the girl would pound on the door to tell me that time was up, waiting for more sounds from outside. Just distractions. I also noticed that the air was cooler in the tank. The first couple times I've been in a float tank the air and water were the same which helps greatly. That was not close to the case this time.

I would say I was in the tank around 11:30am and out of the tank at 12:40pm. I was thoroughly bummed out after this experience. I saw the girl from the couple in the hallway with wet hair putting her shoes on. She didn't look too excited either. I went up the stairs, walked right to the bus stop, and came home. I talked to Camille about this afterward and she said that I had put a lot of expectations on this. I agreed with her and still do. But I also expect silence when in a float tank. I am going to make an appointment for the first location and head there, walk along the beach afterward, grab some pizza, and chill out. I can not recommend this location.