I was getting my haircut there for the first time. My hair stylist was Katey. There are two of them named Katie there that share the same station on different days but my hair stylist had short to medium brown hair. Her name is spelled with a “y”.

She took me to get my hair washed. It was a darker more peaceful area than the rest of the bustling salon. It’s the kind of area you’d hang out at before you went into the spa or to get a massage. Today wasn’t exceptionally busy as it’s a work day. But on the weekends, as Katey told me it’s crazy. Plus they serve mimosas from their “color bar” on Saturdays, so that adds to even more appointments.

But anyway, when I got my hair washed, it was a neat experience. Sometimes you know the hair stylists give you a scalp massage (the kind my doggie gets every day) but this one was slightly different. It was more the slow chakra massage and smells. The shampoo smelled like mint and was soothing on the scalp. And another one smelled like black licorice. The massage itself is supposed to hit certain pulse points where you’re more sensitive. At least that’s what I was told when I was at the Aveda store and the experiences I’ve had with chakra massages before. It was a great way to relax for five minutes.

When we got back to the chair, Katey trimmed my hair. She did something really detailed which I liked. She cut the hair when it was wet but then went back in and trimmed up some when it was less wet. That better ensures that each hair is the right cut length. That was a really good experience. I’ll be coming back. Maybe on a Saturday for that mimosa!

Oh, and besides hair salon stuff they do Chakra massages, green science peels, manicures, pedicures, waxes and the whole nine yards. They also have half day type packages.

So I made an appointment and met with Miranda. She took a look at my toes and agreed with Anna. She made recommendations for me and let me know there was really nothing I could do but wait for my poor big toenail to grow out since it wasn’t dead. Btw, that’s the worse…waiting for a dead toenail to grow out. Been there, done that too.

…well I wish I’d heard better news like she could fix my unattractive toenail right then and there, but I’d much rather have honest, good long term advice than the instant gratification I wanted to hear …just because it’s almost summer sandal season.

Okay so I’ll be back to the spa in a few weeks hopefully with better news. Oh, by the way here’s Miranda. She says she was having a bad picture day but I thought she looked fine.  The room she’s photographed in here is well lit and not dim like the other rooms and hallways.  So no, you won’t need your sunglasses in the spa.

Raleigh Synergy Spa

Maybe I like Duke because I went to school with Grant Hill so it was hard not to root for him around the town we grew up in. We were even in the same Physics class project group but he probably wouldn’t remember because that was eons ago and he was away a lot playing basketball even during highschool. I guess he was getting a jumpstart on his career. Little did we know then what he’d become in the pro-basketball arena…

But, enough about sports from me. Really, I’d go on but I really don’t know anymore

So, change of subject on something I do know about! It’s $25 haircut day at Mitchell’s Hair Salon! Yup, today and all Tuesday’s! I just got my routine trim there during lunch. They do a good job. In and out if you don’t go exactly at 12 noon at the Crabtree Valley Mall store. Although these days the Raleigh malls aren’t so crowded during the weekdays so you might be able to get away with it.

I’m thinking about getting my hair glazed but never done it before. Anyone?

Raleigh wine lovers can buy great wines from around the world and belong to a wine club at Wine Styles. It’s a franchised wine store and there’s one right in Brier Creek and Apex. They have events going on all the time and I happen to be volunteering at the Best Friend Pet Adoption Fundraiser event yesterday. Even though it was raining cats and dogs outside (ha…just a little pet humor), the place was packed with lively conversation… and what else? …wine tasting. People were really having a good time (and with their wine!).

Best Friend Pet Adoption

BFPA Volunteers

The Wine Styles event that attracted so many people was hosted by Best Friend Pet Adoption (BFPA) which is a non-profit pet rescue organization.  There were no 4-legged animal friends at this event but 10% of the wine and tasting purchases were donated to BFPA.  All proceeds to BFPA go towards taking care of the rescued/fostered dogs and cats. Cost to adopt are $195 for dogs and $115 for cats but that doesn’t come close to covering the costs to spay or neuter the animal, foster care, food, monthly heartworm and flea and tick prevention treatment. That’s why BFPA does fundraising events with the help of their 300 plus volunteers. Helping out on the Board with publicity as Media Coordinator, I’ve seen first hand how the costs are well justified.

…But anyway, back to the Wine Styles store that was the host of this fundrasier. The Brier Creek store has a very nice selection of wines from around the world. And they do a great job of listing decadent descriptions of the wines. Owner Tracy Silber is very cordial and will help you select a good wine. She helped me select a few good anniversary champagnes.

It’s $34.99 per month to be part of the Wine Styles club membership. As a club member, you get two hand selected bottles of wine  per month, usually ranging in retail price from $19-$23. You do have to go in and pick them up but there usually are wine parties around just that.  There’s also all kinds of wine tasting type events that members get invited to.  And they always get a 10% discount on all wines purchased. It’s definitely a neat experience to walk into if you’re a wine person or are looking for ways to go out, socialize, and meet people.

Volunteers Danielle and Krista for Raleigh BFPA Fundraiser

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Well…you don’t have to go that far. There’s a Salon Bar right here in Raleigh called Primp. You can get your hair services done, pedicure, manicure, nail tatoos…you know, the gamut of salon works.

Oh, and just fyi…for you single people out there… us married folks have dates too. That’s how we keep the love alive! So this ISN’T just for you! But I think you’ll be in good company if you make a visit to Primp.

Primp also does waxing…of brows, and anywhere else on your body you can imagine. And men who don’t want to admit they have hairy gorilla hair backs can get their backs waxed, discreetly. I mean that in the sense you’ll probably not see your neighbor or anyone at your office you know there.

But I never say never, so if you happen to, they’re probably out doing the same thing…LOL. That particular waxing service is called the Manzilla…get it!? I know…they shouldn’t be joking about something that’s probably devastating to guys who have to deal with that. But I think us women have to deal with shaving parts that men don’t, like our legs and down there.  So as I like to say, ‘it all works out in the wash’ (if you’ve never heard that before, basically I’m just sayin’ we all have our issues). 

There’s a “Primp my ride” bikini wax on the Primp menu. I’ve never had a Brazillian wax before…but I don’t really think I’m missing much! They look very painful. But hey if you can drink a few martinis beforehand, I’m sure it’s not soooo bad. And the results are probably great.

Curious to see what Primp inside looks like?

Raleigh's Primp Salon and Martini Bar

It kinda reminds me of a high-tech gym when you walk in. You don’t see anything except the reception desk and THE BAR. When I went in there, there was no one tending the desk but there was A lot of shaking and stirring action at the bar. The bar is straight ahead on your right so you don’t have to look or go far for a drink.  See it in the photo.  Hey look – there’s one adventurous guy sitting there.  Maybe, that’s his fav’rite daytime during the work week bar!

Primp Salon Bar is I think the type of place that is perfect for the right occasion and the right person. Who can I imagine going there? Let’s see…it’s a place that I can imagine PR Specialist Samantha Jones from ‘Sex in the City’ (Kim Cattrall’s character) going to. …and she’d probably be a ‘regular’ there …and I can imagine a couple friends meeting up at the salon and catching up on their latest gossip and happenings. …oh, and for men I can imagine a single guy drivin’ up in a red ‘pimp my ride’ sports cars (who probably has commitment issues…okay, that’s probably reading way too much into it!).  Let’s see, then who can’t I see going there? Not a place you’d commonly see dad pulling up with his truck or minivan. …but correct me if I’m misled…  I like to get down to the bottom of things! 

So where is Primp? It’s right off West Street in downtown Raleigh.

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Then I went to Hair Color Xperts at Falls of Neuse. I had a good time there…that was a perk…my hair colorist was the partial owner and she did a good job but her store went out of business a few months later. Looking back I should’ve known as they had few customers I saw and top-of-the-line hair dryers and chairs that probably cost a fortune. When your hair got washed, you didn’t end up with a crick in your neck from leaning back as the case with most salons. She was memorable ‘cause she gave me and all her customers a fresh rose.

But after they went out of business, I went to their store in Cameron Village, and I ended up with a so-so hair color job. It was also a hike for me to get there. And my hair colorist didn’t have much personality…not that having an entertaining personality is a requirement, but maybe that was tell-tale of how my ‘do would look at the end. Just so-so.

And my husband can tell you, I’ve come home from many a hair color jobs crying about my hair! For awhile, when I was still experimenting with hair colorists, he was always there to comfort me when I got home. The “best ” memory was not in Raleigh, but when I came home with light roots and jet black ends…H-E-L-L-O! If I wanted to look like a punk or a record store employee, then I would’ve said that in the beginning. So from that experience on, I picked out photos of celebrity hair that that I wanted to come home with. I pre-empted any punk looks by telling any new hair colorists that had never worked on me, to give me a conservative hair look or one that would be suitable for a bank teller job. They got the hint.

So fast forward to after my third hair cut and color experience in Raleigh…from there, I went back to the drawing board. I called this one salon that I went to a few times that’ll remain nameless ‘cause I made a deal with the receptionist on the other end. When she answered the phone, I told her I was desperate to get my hair cut for an important event the next day. I can’t remember now what could have been so important. But anyway, the phone girl told me they were booked solid. She must’ve had empathy for me ‘cause she said if I didn’t tell anyone, she’d recommended a great place for me to go. …meaning at the time…don’t tell my managers I’m sending you to the competition. I said…of course! I was grateful and my lips were sealed! See what you can learn when you’re nice to people and they get to know you and your story. Most people want to naturally help other people. And they can do that if they know what your problem is and how they can help. This girl did.

…so, you’re dying to know where she recommended, right? I was TOO! So, I called Salon Blu right after that phone call and made an appointment. That was my fifth Raleigh salon –but whose counting anyway?

Whoaa…once you step in Salon Blu you notice right away the hair colorists’ artsy, cult-like fashion and edgy hair styles. Remember the ‘ol brat pack movie “Pretty in Pink”? …the first hair stylists I saw reminded me like the friend of Molly Ringwald who worked at the record store. Her character’s name was Iona and she was played by Annie Potts, in case you remember. My first thought running through my head was… are they gonna convert me to their cult??? But then I saw the place was packed …a good sign!…and the great looking, Planet Earth-like customers’ hair. A lot of normal Jennifer Aniston like-hair cuts and styles. So I was excited!

And about 45 minutes later, I wasn’t disappointed! Alan Michael gave me a great hair cut and he was a blast!! He’s a big 80’s music fan like me. I was just going home so I told him to give me a fun hairstyle for the day. So he gave me an 80’s inspired, big curls hairstyle. And most importantly, I had a great cut that I loved. The next time I wanted to book a hair color appointment, Alan Michael was off. It’s usually a 2-3 hour affair so it was hard for me to find the time back then to schedule around other people’s schedule. I’m such a diva…NOT! :-)

Anyway…so I went to Lisa who was available. As with all new hair colorists working on my hair, I came in with a magazine picture of what I was aiming for. From my first visit and every visit since, she and I really hit it off. By my third visit with her, she took that hair picture I kept bringing in, and she buried it in her drawer. She got it! Lisa’s a hippie in her own words, and she’s just a lot of fun to talk with. Every time I see her, she’s got a radically different hair color and short ‘do. She’s naturally a blonde but you’d never know it. Gosh, most people would die for naturally blonde hair! Anyway, she’s great! She knows exactly what I want…usually the mocha ‘do that she nicknamed. And I can trust her with my hair. And if it’s not what I wanted … well, one time I can remember she fixed it right away so I didn’t have to go home and cry about it. Now that’s service!

My Favorite Hair Colorist

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Or still need an idea for a Valentine’s gift?? You still have 2 days… but why not get a $50 gift certificate for half price at a local salon such as Von Kekel Salon and Spa – North Hills and Cary location? For $25 plus $3.75 shipping and handling, you get $50 in salon services.

Where do you go to get the gift certificates you ask? At 939Kiss FM.com. On this Triangle radio’s website, you’ll see “Triangle Listener Rewards (Check out our half price deals!)”. There’s only a limited supply so if you’re interested, GO now!

When I came to Raleigh, I was anxious about finding an eye doctor. No real reason – I just had always gone to the same one. I was nearsighted. That’s putting it mild. I think I was really blind. I guarantee you my glasses would’ve given you a BIG headache.

Without my glasses or contacts, I could forget driving, heck, I couldn’t even walk two steps in front of me without worrying about bumping into something. Those that are near sighted know what I’m talking about. Waking up and not being able to see the time on the clock. Contacts are the pits in many ways. Getting those suckers in can sometimes be trying. Oh and the inconvenience of figuring out what to do in the pool or any water sports. And getting a piece of sand at the beach blown and stuck to your contact…that’s the worse.

Thank goodness for laser eye surgery options. And yes, I opted for it about 6 years ago. I’d only recommend going to the BEST for this kinda surgery…no discount surgery. They’re your eyes for heaven’s sake! And so I did go to the best. TLC where I went also did Tiger Woods eyes. I figured if he’d gotten there they’d at least I’d be a ‘lil more comfortable putting my eyes to their care. The surgery went well.

So when I moved to Raleigh and had to find a new eye doctor, well…as you could imagine, I was very picky about my NEW optometrist. She took a bunch of tests and I gave her the lowdown on my eye history. I had kinda dry eyes so she recommended I take flaxseed oil. Dr. Alicia Barnes treated me with care and ‘due diligence’. She didn’t give me the impression that I was just another set of eyes in her office.

When I returned a year later for my annual checkup, she remembered me. That’s what I look for in any of my doctors. Trust me, I’ve been to many doctors probably like you, where you just don’t feel like you were more than just another one to add to their patient files. A tip – only go to a doctor referral. I’ve learned and live by that rule…never ever just pick a doctor from a directory or just ‘cause they’re available. That’s sometimes Catch 22. You need a doctor immediately but the one you want to go to…I.E. the one that gets referrals for being a good doctor … doesn’t have an opening for another few weeks or months. My solution is I have a regular doctor and an emergency or back up doctor. Hopefully like me you won’t need the backup doctor much if any.

Eye Associates has the best selections of glasses too. I still wear the same pair of Guess brand specs that I did when I got them years ago. I’ve also gotten a few prescription sunglasses. In case you’re a fashionista or are looking for the designer glasses…they’ve got ‘em. Okay, I have my moments. So I do have a pair of Coach and Kate Spades. I admit it – I’m a bit of a style freak. But then again, would I be talking to you about clothes and fashion, if I weren’t?

After my Bobbi Brown makeover in the new Raleigh store!

Are you familiar with Bobbi Brown cosmetics? WARNING: this is really meant for women eyes only as it’ll probably put you men to sleep. Like the Oprah show.

Okay, if you’re still with me. Here’s how I discovered Bobbi Brown makeup. I’ve been wearing eye make up since my early teens. Not uncommon. But I’ve never really had a brand that I’ve stuck with. I bought most my makeup from CVS and Target (when the chain first hit the scene).  Brands like Maybelline, Cover Girl and Almay were my picks…

…But none of them had eyeliner that: 1) stayed on all day, and 2) didn’t stop working like it should before its end. Lemme explain. For eye makeup wearers, you know that most eye liner comes in pencils or pens which often is a liquid with a brush. While pencils are more natural looking, the liquid eye liner is more precise. But I have found for my eyes, that both have to be re-applied throughout the day. Who has time for that?

The other thing is that the pencils seem to harden after awhile so I have to throw it out before it’s done. Trying that ‘ol trick of heating it up doesn’t work for long either. WHAT… I have to having a heating process for my eye liner every day? OMIGOSH…Forget it!

So then one day I was at the mall. This was probably about a decade ago. And I noticed this make up counter. It didn’t seem like some of the other ones. Like Mac with the dark dark blues and purples. I’m sorry I went through a phase of drag queen drama makeup… but in my late 20’s I was looking for something a ‘lil more natural for daytime wear. Something I could actually go to work with and not look like a clown. Clinique was one that I liked for some stuff but still they didn’t have any good eye liner solution…

…So anyway, back to where I was. I went up to this honey brown wood counter with a subtle sign that had white Bobbi Brown words against a black background. I was just curious and looking. I saw the gel eye liners that come in a little pot, and one of the girls at the counter came over and picked one up, opened the top, and explained its benefits to me. One being that it would last all day. C’mon! I’ve been looking for something like that for 10 years or more…so SHUT UP…there can’t be something out there. It’s just another gimmick. Next thing I knew, she sat me down and put some on me. I thought I’d give it a try, be disappointed and then go back to my old non-solutions. At the time there were only like 5 different gel eye liner colors. Today, there are about 20. Anyway, she suggested that I wear the granite ink which is like a dark gray, or off black color is probably more accurate.

I noticed she only had eye liner along her upper lid. I tend to wear eye liner on both my upper and lower lids. I think I just look more awake. When I’m not smiling hard, my eyes are naturally big…strange for an Asian chick. I’ve gotten called Bugs Bunny eyes before. I thought that was funny. I think more accurately though I look like one of those Bratz dolls. Just the face. I never dressed that slutty.

So after I went home with the gel eye liner on, I went to go see if it was still on or if the 2 minutes I spent outside in the elements… leaving the mall, and getting in my car and then into my home… would have worn away some of it. The eye liner was still intact. I was impressed but not yet convinced. Later on in the day, it was still there. I was now in love! What other colors did they have? … I want them all!

By the way, in order to apply Bobbi Brown’s gel eye liner, you use one of their natural horse hair brushes made for their eye liner. One has a short handle and the other has a longer handle. I’ve got one of each. The shorter one I bring on trips. It takes awhile to learn how to draw a steady thin line, but you get used to it. It’s about as easy as learning how to ride a bike. And they’ve got a brush for every type of make up.

I’m now a Bobbi Brown makeup addict. I own everything…well, not everything. Bobbi Brown has grown her line exponentially. No one can keep up with that! But my fav’rites I do have, are her pale pink cream blush (love it!), light sheer foundation (the best!), eye shadow creams (awesome!), and vitamin-enriched moisturizer (love the subtle citrus smell!).

Bobbi’s main thing is natural looking faces. She doesn’t believe in hiding freckles. YAY! Quick story. I’ve got light skin color although I tan easily in the sun. I guess I’m lucky that way. Well, I didn’t have freckles on my face when I was born. But I took a spring break college trip to Key West and over did it one day in the scorching Key West sun. I got sun poisoning all over my face and shoulders with blisters and everything. Yuck! I survived that incident but it left me with many light freckles on my cheeks. I hated those freckles back then and regretted that incident. I was scarred for life! But now almost 20 years later, I think they’re kinda cute, and I love ‘em! I’ve grown attached to them (…plus, I don’t have much of a choice). And, I don’t try to cover ‘em up. Thanks Bobbi!

As with all department store make up, don’t expect Bobbi Brown cosmetics to be inexpensive. If you buy a few things, you’re looking at a hundred bucks. So unless you have carte-blanche, then you might wanna prioritize what you need right now. The brushes aren’t cheap either in case you’re thinking you just wanna get a makeup brush. Some brushes cost more than the make up itself BUT it is an investment if you take care of them. I haven’t had to replace any of my brushes yet except for my eye liner brush. But that’s only ‘cause it gets daily use.

A few times a year, I get invited to Bobbi Brown’s makeup events featuring their best artists. I usually drop in about once or twice a year to see what’s new and to get a free makeover! At Crabtree Valley, they’ve now opened another location in the mall. So you have your choice. You can go inside Belk. Or the free standing Bobbi store. It’s a corner shop not far from Belk, and it’s got hot pink walls. The Crabtree Belk store location, by the way, is the #1 selling Bobbi Brown Store in the entire east coast. Go figure! Here’s me with Bobbi.

Well…okay, she couldn’t be there in person for my makeover so she’s on the TV .

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So where was I? Oh yeah, Pe-les Salon. I was referred to Peles from the Aveda store. They are a Raleigh Aveda salon. I was told to go see Kaitlin. And that’s who I saw. She’s young, from Buffalo New York, got long dark straight hair, and is super tan…in the winter. Year round from her Northern Italian roots, she mentioned. She’s very bubbly and easy to talk with. We seem to hit it off as this was my first time there. It’s important to be able to easily converse with your hair stylist, so that #1, she doesn’t chop off all your hair. And #2, it makes for a better 30 minutes away from work.

She asked me what I was looking for and gave me some recommendations. I said great. Then after she washed my hair with about 2-3 different products…Aveda has a ton of products… she started trimming. She made me a ‘lil cocktail. Well, not the kind you drink. Lunch time is a little early…okay, maybe not but if you wanna be productive the rest of the day…well… not the best thing. So this cocktail was a mix of a bunch of hair product stuff that she rattled off her tongue. I had no idea what she was saying at the time but it sounded good and she acted like she knew what she was doing. She wrote it down for me later when I was leaving.

But so, she just added a dollop of this and a dollop of that. It was dripping from her hand onto the floor, and I smiled and told her it was dripping. And she just said in a smiling no worries voice, ‘that’s okay’. Then she mixed it all up and put it in my hair and explained why ‘the cocktail’ was better than putting one hair product in before the other. Basically the reasoning was that by making the cocktail you put the right amount in ‘cause you can see it all together at one time. So I had a cocktail with zero calories…cool deal!

She went to go introduce me to some of their product and made some recommendations. Good sales girl. When I was checking out, there was a guy in line in front of me. By the way, the salon wasn’t crowded. We just happen to be done at the same time. But so, the woman behind the counter said to him ‘do you pre-book your appointments’? He real coolly said, ‘No… I’m a guy’. HE-LLO! I knew it! That’s been my theory all along. But now I KNOW… it’s TRUE! Remember that book I told you about, “Men are like waffles”…hehe.