"My mother has this theory that the first year of my towel, Andy Murray will win the tournament, " said Ms. Ackroyd, the designer.

WSJ: Wimbledon Throws in the Towel

With the cutting finished, my face is wrapped in another hot towel before a face cream is massaged into my cheeks and a further hot towel is applied, followed by some aftershave balm.

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"We play it safe because rose water is the best for sensitive skin, " Mr. Georgiou says, before wrapping the obligatory hot towel around my face.

WSJ: Razor Sharp | The Return of the Classic Wet Shave

The chatty regulars showed me how to extend my sauna stay by wrapping my head in a towel ("Otherwise your brain will fry, " one explained) and dousing myself with buckets of icy water.

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It turns out that my affection for the Forbes beach towel may be similar to what many employees feel about small gifts from their employers.

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About 4.5 years into my first company, YouSendIt, I was ready to throw in the towel.

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When I got to my hotel, I must have looked distraught because the duty clerk offered me a snifter of Calvados and a fluffy towel.

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