Extroverted, loyal, and friendly!
Few people know where they’ll be in ten years. That was true for 18-year old Patricia Bertoli, until she had her first manicure at a local spa. She remembers being intrigued by the detail and precision of the esthetician’s work. That was during her high school years, and it was that experience that would end up being pivotal in her decision to pursue esthetics as a career path.
“I was in University for a general BA degree and didn’t know what I would do with that, so I decided to take a year off and applied to Sheridan College for the two year Esthetics program. While in school, I did a placement at the renowned Civello Salon and Spa and immediately got a job there. The rest is history!”
Nowadays, Patricia has taken a step back from providing spa treatments, but that doesn’t mean she is far from her guests! She loves being involved in the direction and operation of Third Avenue Spa, continuing to spend time in the spa to share in the fun and chat with her team.
Here are her responses from our interview!
What inspires you about your work?
Over the last two decades, I have built so many relationships with our guests who continue to come back year after year. Their loyalty inspires me to come to work every day and motivates me to continue to make this the best spa in Ottawa.
I love talking to people, meeting new people, greeting our guests at the door. I love the interaction and connections I get to make with our staff and guests every day.
I am so extremely fortunate to be surrounded by such an incredibly talented, passionate and beautiful team at the spa. The loyalty and dedication they bring to the spa and its community makes me extremely happy and thankful every day.
Our wonderful guests that come to our spa for the first time, or have been coming for years, also help to make the spa a truly beautiful place. We love our guests and are so glad they choose to share their spa visits with us!
Do you have a special experience to share from your time at Third Avenue Spa?
It’s been over 21 years and there have been so many memories, so many pictures taken and so many laughs that it’s hard to pick just one, but if I had to…
We held a catered event at Third Avenue Spa many years ago around Christmas time. Our entire team got dressed up, we had hundreds of people attend. The wine was flowing, the music was loud, the energy was incredible. Everyone had an amazing night and seeing the spa so full of life and the support from the community is a memory I will never forget.
What’s something we don’t know about you?
I was in the Croatian Folklore Group in Sudbury, Ontario for 12 years and I could sing all of the songs, but I couldn’t speak the language.
In 2016 I went to France and attended the UEFA European Championship. I was fortunate to watch Italy play Sweden and then Spain in the semi-finals. I had amazing seats in the Spanish section of the stadium. I rocked my Italian jersey.
Italy won and I will never forget the atmosphere inside of that stadium. It was indescribable.
What hobbies and interests do you rock in your spare time?
I love working out, gardening and cooking. I love trying new recipes, and tasting delicious wines! I have a vegetarian diet and occasionally eat fish, so I love creating delicious dishes featuring these ingredients. I love to travel and explore new places. Italy is my favourite country to visit and if I could have a second home, it would be in Rome.
How do you wind down after work?
After work, I love to wind down by lighting a candle, pouring a glass of wine and reading the current issue of the Food & Drink magazine.
Since that fateful trip to the spa as a teenager, Patricia has gone on to make Third Avenue into the premier medical aesthetics and spa services destination it is today.
She ended by giving us the perfect quote to sum up her outlook on life:
“Meet new people, laugh often, always smile and say hello even to a stranger. Be honest, be positive, be kind, be YOU!”
Come by the spa to meet Patricia in-person! It’s her favourite place to be and she hopes to share that with you too.
