Sure and begorrah ’twas a grand day to be alive. Didn’t expect anybody to be out on Saturday as it poured
much of the day. But as I drove up First it was slow-going as people wearing every shade of green filled
the sidewalks and congregated under awnings and overhangs sipping craft beers. Looks like the annual
St. Pat’s Day Beer Crawl was a huge success.
Decided that I needed to get out and do something decadent. Indulging in some beauty, body, and spa
treatments was just the ticket. There are a whole host of establishments on First Street that offer soup to
nuts beauty and wellness services. Hadn’t had a massage since Covid started (my masseuse didn’t believe
in vaccines), and had let my roots grow out even though I see from Vogue that exposed roots are now a
thing. My face was looking moist and soft in my mirror but that was without my glasses, and I’m blind as
a bat. A facial with some collagen stimulation was in order. With credit card tucked into my purse, I hit
the Street.
My first stop was for an hour-long facial with the fabulous Leonora, known for her excellent skin care
treatments. Hadn’t been to see her in three years and was a bit self conscious about how my face had,
shall we say, ripened. It was heaven — lots of steaming towels, lotions, hyaluronic serum and emollients,
facial massage, and a bright light treatment while Leonora pushed product into the skin to stimulate
collagen. My face felt like a baby’s bottom and radiated a dewy glow. Her shop, All About Beauty,
specializes in Eminence Organics handmade in Hungary.
The massage by Kim at Wellness Wisdom was superb. She had heated the sheets and blanket and turned
on Hopi flute music creating a cozy nest. “What kind of massage would you like — deep tissue,
acupressure, stress relief?” I brazenly proclaimed “Deep!” When she started in on my neck, I realized
my mistake and told her “medium well” but not “well done.” She got the drift and got rid of neck knots,
worked on lower back, and did a pleasurable foot massage with rich creamy lotion. “Do you mind if I
muss up your hair?” Kim asked. “No, go for it,” I replied although I’d had my hair blown out the day
before. But it was worth it. You can rub your own head but it just isn’t the same, and if you’re patting
your stomach all bets are off.
The day before, I walked over to J Street Hair and Beauty for an
appointment with the affable and talented Hannah Winslow. The shop is
in that cute Victorian with the bright pink door next to Got Plate Lunch.
Inside are the original pine plank floors, ceiling moldings, and Victorian
woodwork. The front of the house, where the customers sit, was the parlor
and the hair washing room was the kitchen. As you lean back into the
sink for your rinse you see traces on the wall where the coal or wood-
burning stove was vented. As we chatted with another customer, I was
reminded of what an important role beauty shops have played throughout
history – retreats where a woman can feel safe, supported, creating
community and sharing experiences. “Because you’re worth it!”
Put photo image here and
size accordingly.
Caption: Patrice the
Librarian showing off her
new baby blue and
bubblegum pink hair
color.
Saw a story on CNN about a fellow who has a passion for mullets — think Hulk Hogan. He decided to
see how each President of the U.S. would look if they had that particular hairstyle — short on top and
sides and long in the back. His photos showed LBJ, Reagan, and Bill Clinton rocking the mullet. But
George Washington and Ike looked strange. Somehow the AI software turned George’s white wig into a
pageboy out of the 1950s and Ike — poor Ike — had a wispy, white mohawk bisecting his bald pate.Hardly a mullet and closer to a “skullet,” according to the artist. Hardly a good look for the Supreme
Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force.
When I go out I usually wear a hat, sunglasses and, when entering a store or restaurant, a mask. Neither
the new cut and color nor the cherub cheeks are evident while wearing this getup and the effects of the
massage are strictly inner. But the feeling of having somebody care for you while caring for yourself is
one of life’s pleasures. The only downside is it doesn’t last. But what does? The only thing to do is what
educator David McCullough, Jr. told his students in his graduation address to them — go forth and
“Carpe the heck out of the diem.”
Letters From Benicia 