Max

Anyone who knows me knows that I love animals and if you've been to any one of my salons, most likely you will be greeted by a wet nose or a wagging tail.  The two mascots are Charlie Joe and Dean Martin.  Charlie has been known to run and welcome his friends into the salon by jumping on them.... and "D" well, he is on lockdown most of the day because he is a little nippy and a whole lot of YAPPY!     I remember the good ole days of Joe and Jack - too big or too lazy to jump up on you and only barked for a cookie.  Naturally I became a little indignant when at our last salon meeting one of my stylists (in a meekish voice) brought up the dogs and said that clients were complaining about the dogs. MY SONS!.?

After explaining that more people like them there, expect them there, and even bring them treats, I had to take into consideration the reality that all people are not animal lovers and that maybe I need to reconsider bringing them in.  So I started thinking that maybe it was just Charlie and Dean that scared people, and maybe they don't even like coming into the salon.  I started thinking about when I had three dogs and I brought in my sweetie Jackie.  Three was a good number because I could leave two at home and still have the doggie energy in the salon, plus it's never a bad thing to have a big dog around you when you work in the city and leave work late some nights.

About a month and a half ago I was reading the book "The Secret" again and remembered that if you will it, it can be.  So I put out clear thoughts into the universe as to what I wanted.  I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be great to have an older dog who was already trained, gets along with the other dogs, and didn't bark or jump on or at the clients".  Well, let me tell you a little something about willing things into your life.
    
I know right now the world seems a little crazy.  People are homeless, jobless, depressed, uneasy and are looking for comfort in any way.  The way that I personally handle times like these are to think positive and take myself away from all the negative, and focus on creating and rethinking what is truly important in my life.  Redeveloping my business, exercising, and sending out love and hope to those that need it.
    
So a couple of weeks ago I decided to avoid a situation that may have been uncomfortable for me.  I called my friend in Virginia and asked her if me and the boys could come for a visit, she said that would be great, as long as I didn't mind her five dogs.  I told her five, seven?  Who cares!
    
We drove down in my new car.  I traded in my big SUV "gas guzzler" for a much smaller sedan, which, by the way, saves me $100 a week in gas.  With Charlie and Dean in the back we drove the six hours down south to Lynchburg, and when we arrived we were greeted by all five of my friends dogs.

My friend Ann lives on her farm and the door is always open for the dogs to run freely.  I had met three of the dogs before and was surprised to see a big dog which looked like a golden retriever greeting us as we opened the door.  It was love at first sight!
    
He had the sweetest face but the saddest eyes.  They were glassy and he looked like he had seen some really rough days.  He was extremely thin with his bones sticking out, he was dirty and his hair was matted.  I couldn't deny that he looked sick, but his demeanor was so gentle and sweet.  I asked what his story was and my friend said he must have been let off his leash to fend for himself.  He wound up on her nephew's farm down the road five months ago and that his dog had a problem with him so he couldn't keep him.  I asked his name and she told me she hadn't named him yet because she couldn't keep him and she knew if she named him she would have to keep him.  Without a moments notice I said, "come here Max!"  And so the story of my new addition to my family began.
    
I must have subconsciously known that I was going to keep him even though I knew that he was going to be an added expense I didn't need.  I was concerned that Charlie and Dean would not want to share me with another dog so I made sure they included Max in there pack during the day.  It has always amazed me how dogs adapt to new situations.  After only a couple of hours, Max knew his new name and became friends with my dogs instantly!
    
My friend told me that she was trying to find a home for him and that she would love for me to take him home.  I thought about the Ball we were doing for the Penn Vet School next year and decided I needed to put my money where my mouth was and rescue this sweet boy named Max!  I told her that before I took him home he needed a bath and a veterinarian appointment so I could be sure he wouldn't give anything to my dogs.  Although the vet was really nice, I didn't think her evaluation was completely accurate since she didn't take any blood.  She assessed him to be around 9 yrs old and eased my mind about being able to take him up to Philly.  And so I did!
    
Four days after we met I was driving home with three dogs in a sedan, which turned out to be the wrong time to trade in my SUV.  In six hours he went from being a southern dog living in the country to being the son of a Jewish liberal democrat moving to Philadelphia.  I knew as soon as I got home I was going to take him to my vet who has been my doctor since my first dog Joe 15 years ago.  I made an appointment for the following Monday.
    
I took him to work with me the next day and introduced him to the members of the Ground Zero team, and was loved instantly by everyone because of his mild disposition.  Clients even thought he was Charlie although he is much thinner.  He adapted extremely well to the salon - no barking no nipping and no jumping... I GOT MY WISH.
    
The only thing that made people upset was the sadness in his eyes.  I knew I had to strengthen his system and anxiously waited for his vet appointment on that Monday.  When we went to the vet on that Monday, I asked him if he thought I was crazy because I really didn't have the money to take on a sick dog.  He told me that no good deed goes unnoticed by the universe and that's all he needed to say.  When his assistant came back into the room she had this sad look on her face and told me he was he heartworm positive and that it could be a death sentence if left untreated.  I asked what the procedure was to get rid of them and the doctor said he needed to be treated immediately and watched closely for two days, and needed to stay overnight and it was going to cost around $600!
    
I had already spent $350 on him so far with two vet appointments, medication for his eyes, his shots and Frontline.  600 more dollars??  I asked if this would save him and he said they would X-ray him and see the extent of the damage and take it from there but most likely,YES it would.  I agreed and set up an appointment for the next day.
    
When I woke up I was in a panic thinking of all my bills that were due that week and I didn't know how busy I was at work since I had been gone for four days.  I am a firm believer in prayer for the things I need in my life, so I prayed and had faith that since God put Max in my life he would help me find $600 and also allow me to pay my bills on time.  I trusted that thought and actually started to cry.
    
On my way the next morning I went to pick up my mail and received two tax return checks that totalled more than I needed for Max's bills!  This was so out of the blue an unexpected.  I remembered what the vet said about my good deeds not going unnoticed and felt so relieved.  Later that day I got a phone call.  It was the receptionist asking me if I remembered the woman I had met when I was in the office the day before?  I remembered her and her blue pitbull.  She had told me her dog was heartworm positive that day, and she was smitten with Max.  The receptionist told me that the woman called the office to ask about her dog and she also asked about my sweet Max.  The receptionist told her that my Max also had heartworm.  The woman asked if I was going to treat him and the receptionist said yes.   The woman then told them that she would like to contribute $300 towards his bill!  I was in disbelief.  I had never met her before that day, she was a complete stranger and wanted to help me out.. I asked the receptionist why she would do that and she said she loves animals and fell in love with Max.  Crazy how the universe works huh??
    
So now it has been a week and a half after his procedure and Max is improving everyday, gaining weight, looking healthier and adapting really well to his new life in Philly!  So for me... If there is any moral to this story it is to put it out there into the universe what you want and need...and sometimes deeds do get noticed.  Stop in and say hello to Max at the salon if you are in the city.  He is working everyday I am!!!! ;)

-W

I'm back!

     Hello again- I'm back!  Life's pretty crazy isn't it?? You blink an eye and it's almost Thanksgiving again.  It's been awhile since I've blurted my thoughts out there in the universe...I am actually a little distracted by the breaking news of Kim Kardashian's 72 day marriage blaring in the background ... Gosh - I hope everything works out for her...
     Anyway, I get that this whole social network thing gets the message out, sometimes the message is vague, sometimes it's cryptic, sometimes it's vindictive, and sometimes it just gets a message across that changes things for the better.  I'm sure that you all have been seeing our little messages from some of our furry children about the Black and White Ball (with a touch of faux fur).  I wanted to have our kids giving you the information about the Ball because after all... how can you get mad at Charlie, Freedog or Bob? 
     The thing I've learned from all my years of fundraising for local charities...wait a second....Kim's mom is being interviewed, I've got to hear what Kris Jenner says about this... :)  Just the fact that I know who they are and their names is a bit perplexing and disturbing.
     So this is the deal about the Black and White Ball. Four years ago, there was a party celebrating Ground Zero Salon's 20th anniversary.  We had five salons at the time all over Philadelphia and our clients came from everywhere.  After being involved with the City of Hope and becoming more involved in community issues, Ground Zero Salons wanted to start our own foundation helping local charities and being a bigger part of the communities that we were in.  Having a lot of people in your radius makes it quite easy to network, and with the help of Sweat Gym and Around Philly we were able to pull off quite a party!
     It all started when one of my clients who worked at Jefferson Hospital was in my chair at the time I was telling Meg the receptionist about the foundation.  She told me Jefferson was opening a new breast care center and needed to raise a lot of money.  So we decided to make the anniversary party, the Black and White Ball with a touch of pink benefiting Jefferson Hospital Breast Center, and for those of you who attended...it was pretty sweet huh?
     We had so many restaurants, businesses, volunteers, and monetary donations all pulling together to have some fun and most importantly, raise some cash for a good cause.  And, next year we are doing it all over again, this time for University of Pennsylvania Shelter Animal Medicine Program.  That's all I am going to say right now, partly because I am exhausted and partly because Kendra and Hank Baskett are now on TV and I missed them last night...
More to come...
W

10 years later...

     Sunday night, I was sitting on the edge of my bed mesmerized by the television.  Kind of like I was on September 11, 2001.  I was watching the History Channel and the show was called 1:42 Minutes That Changed the World.  It was a compilation of raw footage from archives of the people in and around the Financial District.  It included video from cell phones, pictures from cameras, and audio from dispatchers.  For what seemed like the first time, I sat there for 1 hour and 42 minutes watching the horrible tragedy of that day. 
     Everyone remembers where they were when they learned of the attacks.   Most of us were getting up for the day, on our way to work.  Not thinking of any potential terror.  It was just an average day in September, but that all changed when we heard the news of the attacks.  We had that pit in our stomachs that fear and uncertainty bring, and we felt sadness and compassion. 
     The weeks and months after 9/11 were strange.  It had an oppressive, ominous feeling in the air.  The years and events that went by were changed forever and the protective cloud of safety our country felt was lifted and vulnerability became second nature. 
     Watching this program Sunday night brought it all back.  The sight, the shock, the fear, and the sadness of loss.  Real loss, real moms, dads, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, grandparents, friends, associated, soul mates... Maybe I felt more compassion and connected when I watched TV that night because of my own loss of my mother recently.   Maybe I'm 10 years older, a little wiser, and much more involved with community and the bigger picture.
     September 11th changed the world in a positive way as well as negative.  It created a community.  Even though we have certain things in common, such as living in the same country, I have never seen it become so "united" until there was a threat against ALL of us.  I know in the past 10 years I have stepped up to the plate and did what I could to help the community. 
     So I sit here now and think about how people are challenged by good and evil, how a thought can change a community, and how if given the chance to overcome disparity, people will join forces and make things a little better. 
     Never forget 9/11 and all the souls we lost that are looking out for us from above and forcing us to pay attention.
W

Ruthie

     When I started writing these blogs I told myself that I wanted to only write about things pertaining to the salon...not to get too personal.  I figured I had alot to say about things having to do with my business and wanted to stay away from the daily drama surrounding my life.  But 2 weeks ago, I lost my mom.  She passed away on August 5th.  It has taken me 2 weeks to be able to sit down and write this about her.
     I will start with...my mom was possibly the smartest woman I knew.  She was a secretary, then a teacher, then the receptionist/bookeeper in my salons.  She didn't want me to got to hairschool because she thought I would miss out on the socialization that came with going to college.  She did agree to let me go, and recently told me that one of her proudest moments was when she saw me win the first place prize in a hair competition in hairschool.  Out of all the things she could have picked - that is what made her the proudest.
    Although my mom really didn't want me to be a hairdresser, she and my father invested in my salons from the beginning.  From Powellton Village - when she and my father had to schlep down there from Plymouth Meeting in the middle of the night because the salon's alarm went off and the alarm company couldn't contact me.   To the Manayunk salon - where she was sequestered to the 4th floor making sure every penny was accounted for.  She always double-checked with the calculator after she added numbers in her head.  She was at every City of Hope event tending to the money and also took tickets for our Black & White Ball.
     She loved being behind the desk because she loved our clients that walked into our doors.  I remember having to pull my clients away from her because of some in-depth conversation she was having with someone she became friends with.  She ran a tighter ship than I do and although she taught me so much about my business, I wish I had listened to her more when I had the chance. 
      She was my biggest fan and everyone I met at her development in Florida greeted me with, "So, you're Wendy the hairdresser".  When my parents were in Philly recently, they got the chance to see me on stage for Aquage.  I was ding an updo on my niece's hair.  I looked out in the audience and saw her eyes riveted on my niece and I.  Pure joy and so proud.  That was the only time she saw me on stage and I am so thankful she was there that day.
     Both my parents taught me to work hard, love what you do, and be the best at it.  My mother taught me strength and perseverance.  She guided me, educated me, and cheered me along the way.  And because of what she taught me I was able to pass that wisdom along to many young stylists willing to listen and learn. 
     Some of the most poignant posts that people wrote about her on my Facebook wall were from our stylists who worked at Ground Zero when she did.  I read and re-read cards that were sent from my clients who were affected by her being.  One of my favorite cards said its amazing how one single life can change many.
     So, here's to you Ruthie.  I hope that you are in a safe place with love surrounding you.  Thanks for being a part of so many lives - especially mine.  Thanks for teaching me life's lessons, encouraging me to be the best I could be, showing me strength, and loving me unconditionally.
I love you mom.

W.
May 1, 1936 - Aug 5, 2011  

Blah, blah, "blog"

Blog-(Web Log)- A shared online journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and lifestyle.

  It is kind of funny that I am writing a "blog" and yet I never knew what the word "blog" actually stood for until a few weeks ago while hanging out with my niece and nephew who are really up to speed on all the latest and greatest that the technical world has to offer, and boy did I ask the wrong question... I looked at my nephew with the most endearing face and said... "what does the word "blog" mean anyway?
My nephew jolted his head in my direction and quickly said with a surprised look on his face "It stands for "web log" Aunt Wendy... DUHHHHH!!!"
I did not know ... am I the only one????
  Speaking of things that I didn't know, I didn't know that there were also certain protocols for writing a "blog".
And a "blog" isn't a tweet is it?????????   Ughhhh!
  I started this "blog" to start getting out all of my thoughts and to calm my sometimes frantic mind, I just wanted to write and vent. I don't even read other blogs because I rarely have the time with being so busy in the salon (which is a good thing.) And I really have a hard time concentrating. By the time I get home and tend to my life outside the business I am literally just not in the mood .  If I was in the mood, I don't have anything to read one on anyway.My computer is always at the salon and my antiquated blackberry is not a great tool for reading anything online, so I don't get much of a chance to read the countless other blogs that are circulating in cyberspace... I GUESS IT'S TIME FOR A NEW PHONE!
  In a world that is now so over saturated with blogs how would anyone find me and my blog or even have the time or interest to read it... and so my journey begins.
  When I was a kid, I wanted to be a journalist.  Writing class in high school was the only class I actually liked and paid attention to.  Writing always came naturally to me and although my mother was always there to correct my grammar (It did piss me off at the time!) I now see that she was just lending a "motherly" hand in shaping what she saw was a real passion of mine.  Throughout the years, I have had many writing projects start and stop for a variety of reasons.  I have always liked to write poems, however I stopped when I thought it wasn't "cool" enough.  Then I tried to pass some off as songs because I thought that was way cooler!  I started to write a book and sort of kept a journal, but then I would lose interest due to a little thing I have called ADHD, which makes short writing projects like a blog easy for me to concentrate on and complete.  But any long term project is a daunting task. 
 So here I sit writing this weeks grouping of words to announce to anyone who may be reading this that I just like to write.  I am keeping my blog on Ground Zero Center City's Facebook fan page and I will randomly come up with topics that may or may not interest you.  With my six degrees of separation to the beauty business and over 30 years invested in it, I am more than qualified to write about the industry.  I figured that in my 50 years of being on this planet and having entered the always-entertaining field of hairdressing... I have a couple of interesting stories laying around to tell.  Hopefully you will find them interesting and if not I guess for you it will be  another Blah, Blah, Blog....
W

GROUND ZERO...What's in a name?

Ground Zero def.- The hottest spot of a nuclear explosion and/or the focal point of an event or movement.
    
The first time the name "Ground Zero" was used in print was 1946 in the New York Times describing the bombs dropping on Japan. 

There are thousands of businesses in the US with the words "Ground Zero" in the name...
-Ground Zero Auto Body
-Ground Zero Audio
-Ground Zero Medical Billing
-Ground Zero Games
-Ground Zero Surfboards

I wonder if these 5 companies, out of thousands of others, have ever gotten the flack I have gotten over the prefix Ground Zero being in their name.  Which leads me to this question... What's in a name?  And what do you do when the name of your business that you have had for 14 years is cool on one day and the next becomes a moniker for the worst tragic event in US history?

On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked our country.  I remember that day as if it were yesterday.  Waking up to Howard Stern telling me the first tower went down - and then the second.  I put on the news and there was the big headline - "Tragedy Strikes Ground Zero".  I got dressed and went to work.  Everyone had that zombie look of disbelief, horror and fear.

On September 11, 2001, I had already owned my hair salon Ground Zero for 14 years.  I didn't even understand the rammifications of having a business called Ground Zero until my dad (who was my receptionist at Ground Zero Main Street) called a client to confirm their appointment...He proceeded to say "Hello, this is Sonny from Ground Zero, I am calling to confirm your appointment for..." and before he could get another word out of his mouth she said, "what kind of sick joke are you playing!" and hung up on him.  Really?

Over the past 10 years since 9/11, I have had to defend my name to many different people including my staff at times.  Defend seems rather extreme, but I have had to on several occasions -   when right after Keith Conroy bought his business Ground Zero Main Street, a little picture of it appeared in a newsletter by Glen Beck (readership was probably only 100 at that time thankfully) asking "Why would you keep a name like this after 9/11?"  Or when Robin who owned Ground Zero Chestnut Hill was confronted by a women who came into the salon to yell at her about the name.  Really?

Just recently, I have had the pleasure (not really) to find out that my new salon, which should have opened back in February, is being held up due to so-called "permit issues".  However, rumor has it that the inspector has been giving me a hard time because they feel that the name "Ground Zero" is too disrespectful.  Really?

So here's the deal... I bought Powelton Hair Studio in 1987 and I had to keep the name until I received my salon license.  For the next 2 months, I answered the phone "Hello, Powelton Hair Studio" and hated it - it just wasn't me.   The salon was on Drexel University's campus in Powelton Village, but it was in the basement of an apartment building.  I had thought of naming it "The Underground" and then it all came together... One day while I was walking to the dentist at Presby Hospital and listening to the radio on my walkman  David Bowie's song Space Oddity came on.  I really liked the name "Ground Control" at first, and then a DJ came on and said something like "Here we are, starting back at GROUND ZERO"... At that moment, a light bulb went off in my head and my salon name was born.  To me, the name meant starting over, which I was.  And my salon was in the basement level of an apartment building so the name was perfect!  I never in my wildest dreams imagined that 25 years later I would be accused of disrespecting my country.

So this is for everyone who has issues with the name.  Just know this...Ground Zero Salons have produced some of the finest talent in the Philadelphia area.  We have trained and mentored many people who needed a path.  They chose Ground Zero because of our commitment to our clients, commitment to education, and commitment to our community.  We have been responsible for raising money for local charities such as City of Hope, Ronald Mcdonald Camp, Jefferson Breast Cancer Center (The Black and White Ball) and Dancing Classrooms.  We are also currently in the process of getting sponsors for our next Black and White Ball to benefit U of P Veterinary School next year.  We rise to any occasion when we are asked to support local endeavors and our clients experience a warm and friendly atmosphere when they walk through our doors.

We consider ourselves family and our clients agree.  The dedicated staff exemplifies the quality you recieve at our salons.  So stop in to one of our salons before you go dissin' our name.  Sure, Its the same name the media gave the 9/11 attacks - but we had it first!
W

Continuing Education

I think it is ironic that I still love teaching so much even though I definitely had difficulties with learning when I went to school.  For the past 30 years, I have had the opportunity to work for and educate some of the best and brightest talent in the industry.  Which brings me to this question...Why isn't continuing education required in every state of the USA?  It seems to me that it would be a no-brainer to keep ourselves up to date on the current styles and trends in a business that is forever changing.      I remember one time when I was working a hair show in Ohio, when I was approached by a hairdresser attending the show.  She asked me if I would be so kind as to sign a form verifying that I was actually there.  I looked at her and asked what it was for and she proceeded to tell me that the state of Ohio requires ALL licensed stylists to do a certain amount of hours in continuing education per year.  Although I completely agree with that statement, it sparked this question...Why is it not a universal rule of thumb in the hair industry?
    
After I returned home, I found out that my own state of PA was one of the states that does not require continuing education for the cosmetology field.  It's not many hours per year...it's just enough to keep you informed and up-to-date on what is going on in the beauty biz.  I decided to make an oath to myself and my employees when I started in this business and it's still my #1 priority...next to my clients well-being and happiness.  Dedication to education is my motto.
    
In my opinion, what makes a great hairdresser is one who is constantly striving to better themselves as a professional and one that is willing to share their information and expertise with anyone willing to listen and learn.  I have always surrounded myself with professionals with a heart.  Where ego and attitude are far from the surface.  Where I am able to get a bird's-eye-view on what it means to be a true professional.  Where I can learn to give back all that I could to a profession that has given me so much.
    
For the past 7 years I've had the honor to work for Luis Alvarez with Aquage.  His desire for education reinforced my beliefs to teach and be taught constantly and I have dedicated my professional and non-professional life to continuing to inspire and educate my staff at Ground Zero.  I am better at what I do because of the people I have taught and the teachers who have inspired me.
    
 This past Wed. morning, my Ground Zero Center City salon held a highlighting class.  It was a wonderful jam session/learning platform for the junior stylists, as well as the master stylists helping guide the juniors along.  I am a firm believer of not wasting time in the salon, and every minute of down-time can be used to learn and inspire, teach, create, and hone one's skills to their fullest potential.  Everyday at Ground Zero is continuing education because there is no growth without it.  Here are some pictures of our morning

Enjoy!
W

  

Red Sage

I remember the first person I talked to in hair school...Maria.  To me, she seemed rather shy until I got to know her.  We were in the same class - Wilfred Academy, September of 1980.  That was the first school I went to that I actually enjoyed.  I remember sitting in a classroom, looking around a class full of kids with really bad hair, not to mention the worst hair of all was the director standing in the front of the room.  Why I  let him cut my hair, I will never know since I think my haircut was similar to his.  It was kind of like James Brown's hair back in the day.  In fact, every time my one friend walked  past me she would yell "ow, get on the good foot!"  (Those of you born after 1980 will not get this reference)  OK, now I'm off track...A.D.D?  Back to my friend Maria.
    
We became fast friends and we went through so much together.  Since then, she has been developing her hair salon business while I have been developing mine.  We have shared business strategies through the years and compared notes along the way.  It has been years since I had seen her as commitments and time have put distance between us.  I read a while ago that Maria's salon had a billboard on I-95.  I hadn't realized that she even moved her salon and opened up Red Sage - a day spa in the Northeast.
   
I had been thinking of her lately and the first time I went on I-95 and saw her "larger than life" salon, I felt really proud of her.  We shared many dreams and goals when we were kids and to see it recognized was pretty cool.
    
Last night, I went up to the Tiffany Diner to meet my parents who just flew in for my nephew's graduation.  As I was racing up I-95, I saw the billboard again and it reminded me to get in touch with my old friend.  I am always up for suggestions, and it seemed like she was doing something right.  Maybe she could give me some pointers.  I told myself I would get in touch with her on Facebook next week and see how she was.
    
I went to my nephew Harris's graduation and we were all so proud when he won The Founder's Award.  I sat in the audience and listened to the speakers giving advice to the class of 2011.  "Follow your dreams and go as far as you can imagine".  I thought of myself back in school and remembered the look I had in my eye when my director said the same thing.  After the ceremony, we went to a restaurant near the school to celebrate Harris's graduation and 18th birthday.  I haven't taken off work on a Friday in a while and when I do, I am usually thinking about what's going on in the salon when I'm not there.  I didn't have that feeling today.  I felt lucky to have a special occasion that brought my family together.
    
As we turned the corner to the restaurant, I noticed that next door to it was a salon.  Of course it was Red Sage!  I walked over and opened up the the door to a beautiful, high-energy, very busy salon.  I saw Jackie first, and next to her was Maria and then Loretta all working on clients.  Maria thought I was a customer at first, I guess not recognizing my newly brown hair.  A second later when she knew it was me, she said "Oh my god Wendy, come over here and give me a hug!" She showed me her spa and we talked for a few minutes.  I went back to the restaurant assuring her we would see each other soon.
    
I just read this to my niece, who is way smarter than me.  I like to get her opinion when I write because she sees a clear picture of things and is truthful, so criticism is taken only as constructive.  Well, she told me that I didn't have an ending - something to pull the story together.  She asked why I wanted to write about this particular story today and thought it could possibly be the correlation between Harris starting the next chapter of his life and when I first started mine.  "Yes", I said, "you are probably right".  I just wanted to write about seeing my old friend and congratulate her success.  There are no coincidences...the story will continue.
W

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follow your bliss

     The other day I was cutting my first client's hair, lets call him Jimmy, because that is his real name.  (Sorry Jim for exposing you in my blog, but it had to be done).  Jimmy has been coming to me for more than 25 years to get his hair cut.  We are friends and I know his wife and kids.  The first thing he tells me is that his daughter told him she wants to go to cosmetology school.  First he said it wrong (on purpose it seemed) which annoyed me just a little.  Knowing his daughter was interested in my profession got me excited.  The last time he came into the salon he showed me pictures of her and I couldn't believe how grown up she looked and how beautiful she is.  It's crazy how time moves us along and my clients kids are now grown up.  Nevertheless, Jim told me he flat out said NO.  I'm not sure if it was because I hadn't had my first cup of coffee or I actually couldn't believe he was so adamant about her not becoming a hairdresser that I got defensive enough to rant for the next ten minutes.  I always thought that when I wanted to go to hair school and my mom said "NO, go to college!" it was because nice, Jewish girls either became laywers or married them.  I guess fathers of nice, Italian girls feel the same way.  He really didn't have an answer when I asked him why he didn't want her to be a hairdresser.  Is it not a respectable enough occupation?  No, I'm not saying that, he said.  I asked "does she enjoy being creative and being around hair and makeup?"  "Yes she does", he replied.  I asked "do you think she's not going to make enough money?"   I was just so baffled by his decision for his daughter because as a long hair 50+ year old bass player who just joined a band that HE wouldn't want his daughter to follow HER bliss.  I asked him what if he was asked to play with the Rolling Stones when he was a kid, and his father said "no they - wont be anything".
     I went to college for a year, wasted my parents money, and then went to hair school.   I hated high school and only found a need for education when it was something I wanted to learn.  Thankfully, my mom and dad reconsidered and allowed me to go to school for what I wanted.
     It's a shame that so many important descisions are made for us by other people.  I'm glad that I was able to be in this occupation because after 30 years I still have a passion for it.
     The same night I went to a retirement party for one of my clients that I've been doing for around 27 years. She is from Powelton Village and I've known her since I opened my first salon.  (Which is where i met Jimmy also).  As I sat there and looked around the room, I saw so many people that have walked thru the doors of my salons for the last 30 years.  I smiled when I thought of Jimmy not wanting his kid to be a hairdresser.   Because of what I do, I was there celebrating with my clients who turned into my friends.  I have had the opportunity to be part of people's lives that I probably wouldn't have been part of had I not been a hairdresser.

        Right before Jimmy left and had given him at least a hundred reasons why it is a good thing to let her do what will make her happy, (I can be very persuasive) he gave me a hug and said he would reconcider.
W

The modern prom (curl) girl

 Ahh the dreaded prom....and what to do to make our prom girls turn into little models and make them have the envy of all the other girls at the prom?  Well this is my girl Caitlyn.  I have known her since before she was born, having done her mom's hair for the last 25 years.  Caty called me a couple of months ago and told me that she wanted me to do her hair for the prom since her favorite hairdresser Kev doesn't like doing updos.  I told her I'd love to and after doing some cool stuff for the Moore Fashion Show we just did, I had some thing in mind.  I told her to just trust me and come in no need for a practice (Although I highly reccommend practice trials when doing a bride)

I gave Caty pre-updo instructions to not wash her hair that day; which makes it easier to hold the style and started off in the back (which makes it easier by not having to move already curled hair).  I wrapped each half inch sections on the outside of the iron as not to give her that boofy old-school prom curl look.  I used Aquage's Working Spray which I think is the best for building up strength in the hair.  After the head was completly curled, I pulled down the curl by using Aquage's Detailing Creme and a little Transforming Paste giving the curl a looser look.

Before the styling part, I took Caty over to do her makeup.  I like putting the makeup on before the finished look is completed because I tend to put my hand on the head and mess up the hair.  I also like when the makeup is on while I am finishing the hair because they can settle in with the look of the makeup - and it makes them less nervous for the finished product.

Caty's makeup was more then she usually wears because it needed to stay on until the after-prom - which is always better then the actual prom so its even more important to look good at  3am.  Her dress was purple and she loves pink so I did her eyes in those colors.  It was fun to do her make up.  Young skin is always such a good canvas to work on.

I left her hair down for a bit so she could see a couple of styles.   Although, because of the weather, I pulled it up which was my original intention.  I placed her hair in a loose side pony and left some hair out for softness. She loved it and so did i - which is a good thing since I tend to be a little (ha ha) critical of my own work. I am still waiting for pics when she was in her dress .. Til next time...Bye...W

(Photos courtesy of Kevin Von Holtermann)



Too Much Time on your hands

What do you do when you're not busy in the salon? Thankfully this doesn't happen too often to me because I've been doing hair in Philadelphia for most of my thirty years in this business .On the days that I have a couple of free minutes I love to play hairdresser. This is when I experiment and have fun playing around. I am lucky enough to have great models in my circle, so I am always working on beautiful women to make my creations look even better. I love trying out new looks on models who allow me to do my own thing. i have a collection of photos that I am going to share with you and give some insight as to how I go about getting these final looks. I feel as though if you have a free moment and you don't put that time to good use its just a waste of time. Never feel as though you're good enough... practice makes whatever you want it to make. Skill ,speed and technical quality only comes from practicing your craft. Pull out your irons ,pull out your favorite working spray and lets get rockin.
W

practicing

Amazing Rachel

This is my latest work with Rachel (from the Amazing Race)
The soft feel of the undone curls bring a simple elegance to this look, while the playful accent of the floral accessory  adds a fresh and clean polish to this undone yet sexy style-  W