PopSugar

Yummy Links: From Pardoned Turkeys to Healthy Stuffing

partysugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:50:53 -0800

Find out the fate of Obama's pardoned turkeys. - The Atlantic
Salon has finally launched its new food channel. - Salon
What exactly is dry-brining? - The Epi-Log
Need a good laugh? Watch Paula Deen get hit in the face with a ham. - Eater
Chefs fail at Thanksgiving, too. - Grub Street NY
Martha Stewart has formally apologized to Rachael Ray. - Eat Me Daily
Ten tasty mail-order gift ideas. - Chow
Sausage, apple, and cranberry stuffing is delicious and healthy! - Serious Eats

Have You Ever Asked For a Hair Redo?

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:00:36 -0700

Have you ever left the salon feeling not-so-fabulous about your cut or color? Maybe the blond was a little too yellow for your liking, or there was an obvious bleed mark in your fringe. Or perhaps it was just that your new cut wasn't cooperating with the texture of your hair, leaving you with a string of bad hair days.

As for me, most recently, it was the latter. I liked the shape of my cut, but for some reason, nothing else was cooperating. Since I wasn't completely satisfied, I called up and asked for a redo. Ah, much better. Have you ever phoned in a "part two" for your hairstyle?

Cool Idea: Old Windows as a Room Divider

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 05:30:56 -0700

I recently showed you a few ways to decorate with old windows, and I've seen another instance that I just had to share. I stumbled across the Le Créme Spa in San Francisco, and was charmed by its shabby chic interior design. Here, the salon hung an arrangement of five white windows from the ceiling to separate the front desk from a bench used for pedicures. It instantly divides the room into two separate spaces visually, but the glass panels still allow the beautiful natural light to shine through. You can easily and affordably replicate this trick in your home, by simply repurposing old windows from your house or tracking some down at a salvage shop.

How Do You Spend Salon Time?

BellaSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:00:48 -0800

A "quick trip" to the salon can take what feels like an eternity, especially if your stylist sees clients back-to-back or is double booked. Patience isn't exactly my best virtue, but salon time can be a great opportunity to sit back and not worry about all the things I could or should be doing. Even with the fun magazines I don't get at home, I'd be lying if I said I've never blogged while under the dryer. How do you most often spend your time in the stylist's chair?

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Take Copious Notes From Your Stylist

BellaSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:00:42 -0800

You say honey, I say honey, but what color comes out on your hair? People have different interpretations of hair color descriptions, so just as it's smart to take pictures of what you like and don't like, to the salon, it's wise to keep track of your color.

My favorite stylist keeps index cards on all her clients with their colors, conditioning treatments, cuts, etc., which proved very handy when I relocated. I just had her copy it for me, down to application notes and times. Even if you're not planning to move or change stylists, many people have eliminated nonessential beauty treatments due to the recession and it'd be rather helpful to know what your highlights and lowlights were when the economy picks back up again, right?

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Do You Book Standing Appointments?

BellaSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 06:00:22 -0700

Having regular scheduled blowout and manicure appointments always seems like the most ladies-who-lunch cosmopolitan dream to me, but I recently discovered a friend of mine - who, um, serves lunch - has a regular Wednesday afternoon date with her manicurist and a standing monthly eyebrow appointment. Do you schedule your appointments months in advance, or are you an impulse salon visitor?

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Summer Reading: Is Summer Blockbuster Hype Too Much?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:00:51 -0700

After seeing Tropic Thunder, I felt a teensy bit of relief that the Summer blockbuster events of 2008 seemed to be over at long last. Not that I didn't have fun, but I'm a little maxed out on major hype, epic special effects, and huge box office totals. I'm ready to dig out my warm jackets and sweaters and settle down with some little Fall movie gems.

I'm not alone in this feeling, as Salon's movie critic Stephanie Zacharek describes her own fatigue in a thoughtful piece she wrote this week called "Do You Suffer from Blockbuster Fatigue?" She broaches some interesting topics and makes some good points, including:

Zacharek says that "this year the assortment of big Summer movies hasn't been that different from other Summers in recent memory," but she wonders: "So why has the Summer of 2008 seemed exhausting in a way previous Summers haven't?"
Here's one excellent point she makes: "The most important element of Summer-blockbuster culture isn't the selling of movies; it's the selling of anticipation, because the amount of time we might spend looking forward to a big Summer movie is almost always longer than the shelf life - in theaters, at least - of the actual movie."
Also, did you know the all-important opening weekend summer box office precedent started with Jaws in 1975? Zacharek notes that after that fateful and lucrative summer, Jaws became "the picture to beat, and to emulate." Thus the action-adventure tradition.
She concludes her column by accepting that Summer blockbusters that have "great characters, an arresting visual style, and brilliant storytelling" and also draw millions to see them are "rare and elusive." She says fatigue comes when Hollywood tries to repeat a winning formula, like with The Dark Knight. "The minute you try," she writes, "you've already diluted some of the magic."

What do you think? Has the summer of 2008 been overwhelming in hype? Or do you hope blockbuster season gets bigger and better each year?

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Pet Salons: Spoiled Sweet or Spoiled Rotten?

PetSugar — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:00:50 -0800

Even your pets deserve to be gorgeous! More and more pet pampering salons are opening up in China, like the one this snazzy bunny relaxed at in Changchun. Not just for the dogs, these salons welcome cats, rabbits, and other creatures that need a little pick-me-up. Services include coat glossing and teeth whitening . . . don't be jealous, many of these salons offer manis and pedis for you too! So would you treat your pet to a fancy salon treatment at people prices?

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What's Really Going On at the Spa

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:00:48 -0800

Set aside a few minutes to read this excellent article from New York magazine. It's a thorough, unblinking look into the reality of the spa and salon business, from the amount of money that workers make to the what they really think while they're waxing off your hair.

For instance, the writer interviews her facialist, Francesca Kim, who reveals the pay structure at her employer, a Manhattan spa:

In her current gig, she began at an hourly rate of $10 to $12 - the industry maximum, she tells me - plus commission for each treatment she does for a client. But without notice, the owners started removing the hourly rate from treatment slots. Sometimes the commission was 40 percent of the treatment price, sometimes 25 percent. It varies irregularly, though the more expensive the procedure, the lower her cut (tips make up 20 percent of her income).

I don't know about you, but this is absolutely fascinating to me. I've long wondered about the wages at spas, opting to over-tip for even the least expensive services. Now I'm glad that I've been doing so, and I'm thinking I should probably amp it up a few bucks more. But that's just one aspect of this story. Be sure to check out these poll results, which are equally intriguing.

Oh Man: Guys Are Being Groomed for Barber Lounges

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:01:19 -0800

The term "metrosexual" was just a blip on the cultural radar, but the business of men's grooming is far from a fad. Some guys will always opt for a trip to the simple, no-fuss barber. My dad, for instance, pays a whopping $7 to have his "ears lowered," as he puts it. Works just fine for him.

But for a certain breed of man-urban, well-paid and trendsetting-Supercuts won't do it. Instead, this kind of guy is heading to men-only spas and salons. These places cater to the modern-gentleman type who knows how to make a martini, reads GQ, and so forth. And the perks sound fantastic. For instance:

At the rockabilly-inspired Belmont Barber Shop in Chicago, guys can shoot a game of pool after their shave.
At Los Angeles spa Mark Matthew, men are ushered into an area that looks more like a swank living room than a spa. Leather chairs, flat-screen TVs and complimentary beer, wine or scotch create a gentlemanly environment.
Shown here, MR in San Francisco offers a $65 monthly membership that includes a haircut, a touch-up, a shoe shine, and a drink at the bar. (Yes, there's a bar.)

Of course, there are dozens of other options all over the country, but these three give a good idea of what's out there. Something tells me that more than a few dudes wouldn't mind getting a gift certificate to one of these places. Even Papa Bella might
go in for a manly manicure if he were able to watch the Bears while doing it. Okay, maybe not. But I think he's the exception, not the rule.
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