Sunday, July 29, 2007

A mini-vacation.

24 hours of pampering, margaritas and fried food did wonders for my mood. If only I didn't have to return to reality. But I returned with

a French manicure on my stubby little fingers,

and my stubby little feet have toes to match.

The manicure/pedicure was an interesting experience, I hadn't really expected to have my nails done by a 20ish Vietnamese guy whose car was in the shop (cell phone conversation) but he approached doing my nails in a very businesslike way, did a good job, didn't say a word he didn't have to say, he didn't care about being my friend or making chit-chat, which was fine by me. I guess it's not unlike flipping burgers all day for him, and it pays better. It wasn't very pampering, just one of those busy little shops where they are pleasant, do a good job, don't charge a fortune, and move 'em in and out all day like McD's. (I am totally bemused by how the Vietnamese have so conquered the nail salon industry, you find 'em in every little shopping center in Florida, and, apparently, most of the world.) For pampering I will use the snooty spa gift certificate from Girlchild, but my nails do look nice. I'm not one for the square nails thing, Silent Bob didn't ask my preference, but they're easy to type with so I can't complain. Perhaps Silent Bob is also Psychic Bob, and knew that I spend my days pounding a keyboard. I may even have to make a habit of this manicure thing. They do make me look somewhat more professional and "groomed," and I have purchased, and allowed to dry up unused, a scary amount of nail polish. If I want my nails to look nice, I need to find a local version of Silent Bob. (I know of three shops within a one mile radius, so this is not a problem.) Otherwise, I'll continue my short, rounded, yet naked nails.

Ate too much. Way too much. Excellent pizza followed by fried seafood, washed down with margaritas. Urp. Slept very well, and felt very spoiled. Cousin C is the sweetest thing ever. We didn't do much after the manicure/pedicure trip, because it clouded up to rain, so we retreated to the lanai to watch the storm, until a bolt of lightning hit very, very close, and we decided to retreat inside the house. After the storm passed we went to her favorite new restaurant, a dive-y little place on the Intercoastal, which was delicious and did not require dressing up. The storm dropped the temperature about 20 degrees so the breeze off the Intercoastal was actually pleasantly cool, and not like hot fish breath. I ate fried everything, my doctors would sigh heavily and shake their heads. It was delicious and today I am back on the Healthy Wagon. I'll be dining on grilled chicken and a steamed veggie.

Knitting: I'm still working on that Falling Water scarf, I'm finishing up the 2nd skein of Cashmerino, and I'm thinking that Three Skeins Long will be just right. It needs major blocking, because it is curling up like a burrito. I love, love, love this pattern too, because though it is cable-y and lace-ish, it is incredibly easy, because if you skip a yo or otherwise mess up, it is almost instantly visible. I haven't gone more than one row without spotting my f-up and tinking back, and that has only happened twice. This is impressive, since this morning C and I were on a roll ranting about f-ed up work experiences we have had, and I was knitting throughout, and only had to tink back one row once.

I cannot put off my Blocking Party too much longer. I am going to send Cousin C the first Clapotis I made, it will be killer with her blonde hair and I know she's going to MD for Christmas, she loves scarves and one that she can tuck around her neck OR wrap around her hair will tickle her, so after I block it, it's hers. I was going to bring it and give it to her, but a light blocking would improve its beauty.

I'll leave you with a picture taken five minutes after I put clean sheets on my bed.

Dudley appreciates fresh, clean sheets.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here in Australia all the manicure bars have scores of Vietnamese people working in them, too. It makes me laugh, there used to be the old fashioned manicurists who had maybe 2 or 3 girls in there, now it's these little Vietnamese nail bars with tables jammed in, and 20 manicurists all working away diligently.
I quit smoking, I rarely drink, my one indulgence (apart from yarn) is my manicure. I go to one of the old fashioned places, and it's a luxury. Every three weeks I have one. I don't have a pedicure anywhere near that often, but I love it when I have one. It takes an hour, and you get a whole leg massage as well. It's the most relaxing way for me to spend an hour.
Now I want a pedicure.

Catherine said...

It struck me as really funny because I'd just been to Jiffy Lube the day before to get the Subaru's oil changed, and the resemblance was striking. Silent Bob did a fine job, I'm not complaining about the results, but I now see why the day spa feels justified for charging what they do for what they provide. If I want nail polish I'll go to one of these places, but for Pampering I'll stick to the day spa, thanks. But if all you want is pretty nails done fairly fast, they serve a purpose and do it well.

Catherine said...

Oh, and Silent Bob did the leg massage thing too, and damn, that young man had some strong hands, it was almost painful, but not to the point of being bad. Just like being massaged by a physical therapist instead of pampered. Same thing with the hand massage, and though it wasn't gentle and relaxing, I did feel fine afterward. But they lost a lot of style points on atmosphere. I may only do this 4x a year, and I'd be willing to pay for atmosphere.

Paper Tiger said...

In New York they're traditionally Korean, but these things do change over time.

Bess said...

There just came that day when I realized that I couldn't see to do my nails all that well and grubby looking nails are just so juvenile. I just didn't look grown up enough to be the Library Director! Ugh.

So. every other week I go in for the nails and now and then the feet. Getting on a regular schedule means my nails are always really nice, never snag, don't tear or break often and I can just forget about how they look. I know they always look good.

My place is a redneck girlie place with one of LD's classmates running things. It's a total fem-experience. Besides, our local Vietnamese place just doesn't feel clean and after having Sugah, with her pet miniature dachshund, her soft voice and her skilled hands make me feel like the Queen of England, well - it’s worth the extra $5.

Good hair, good nails, good shoes. The three graces.

Catherine said...

Yeah, I really should have grownup nails, and I know if they're done professionally they last longer than the do-it-myself method. I have not been babying this manicure at all and it is holding up perfectly. And for an extra $5 I'd be glad to go to a shop like yours, but I am not aware of any middle of the price range shops - it's Nails R Us or the hoity-toity day spas. I won't tell you what Girlchild spent on my gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure - yeah, I will. $124, including the tip. I can't do that every other week!

Bess said...

GeezoFlip! You gotta move away from that place. Lords and serfs just ain't american!