#43 Gratitudes

I am always saying how much I love my job. It's true! I look forward to getting to work every day and I'm happy when I'm here. I enjoy the company of my co-workers. I love working in NYC. I stand by the products we sell and I use them myself. I feel so fortunate to be able to say all that. Many people I know dread Mondays...they drag themselves to a job they despise and they dream of escape from it. It isn't like that for me, thank goodness. I just wanted to express my gratitude for the good fortune I have. https://www.facebook.com/ecuretreatment

#42 Bzzagent Campaign: Morningstar Farms!

 I am so excited to tell you about the first product campaign I got to participate in as a Bzzagent!https://www.bzzagent.com/. I joined a few months ago. I quickly completed all the surveys. After a while there was no more than one every few weeks. I was disappointed, but my co-worker said to be patient. A few weeks ago I unexpectedly got offered my first campaign. It wasn't for products though: I had to pick a charity and encourage others to vote for my charity choice. I picked St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. I posted it on my facebook page and twitter page and I was pleased to see that St. Jude's won a $5000 donation from the BzzAgent company.
About two weeks ago I received an email offering my first "real" campaign. Lucky me - it was Morningstar Farms! https://www.morningstarfarms.com/  I am already a fan of their products for two big reasons: 1) They offer a lot of Kosher products and that is a dietary and religious observance for me, and 2) They offer healthy alternatives that taste great! So I filled out the response form and I was accepted into the campaign. I waited patiently, expecting a big box of products to arrrive. Here is what actually came:

Yup - an envelope stuffed with coupons. One was for a free product, the rest were for $1.00 off. So I headed to my local Target because they always have the cheapest prices on Morningstar Farms products, plus I had the coupons, plus when I pay with my Target card I get an extra 5% off! So this was a great deal.
<img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/morningstar.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=7368929400&Campaign=5354578095&Uid=1387077&token=268dc3e5def8b22524967e41508db1cd" alt=""/>

Lucky, lucky, lucky: target actually had most of the Morningstar Farms products on sale at 2/$6 so I saved even more (most of the products range around $3.50 - $3.65/box normally). I have seen them in other stores at over $4.00/box, so shop around.

Here is my purchase in my freezer:

 

 

The boxes on the left with the orange labels are Italian Herb Chicken patties https://www.morningstarfarms.com/products/chikn/italian-herb-chik-patties . But they are actually meat free soy patties with a delicious crispy breading. The texture is not as firm as real chicken but it is not spongy or salty like chicken nuggets from a fast food restaurant. My kids and I experimented. We made some patties plain. Then we tried some parmesan style: after cooking them in the oven (these don't microwave well) we added a topping of marinara sauce and melted cheese on top. That way definitely my favorite! My boys preferred to top the patties with tangy barbeque sauce. Very tasty, indeed!
I will write about the Hickory BBQ Riblets  https://www.morningstarfarms.com/products/meal-starters/hickory-bbq-riblets and the Veggie Meatballs https://www.morningstarfarms.com/products/meal-starters/meal-starter-veggie-meatballs  in a future post. In conclusion, I would definitely purchase these chicken patties again. They made for a delicious and satisfying meal when served on a sandwich with a side of steamed vegetables.
I still have one coupon left and I haven't decided which product to use it on yet!

#41 The Doughnut Plant!

This was breakfast for the office today. What can I say? Heaven! These are not your typical, dry texture greasy afterfeel doughnuts. These are delectable, chewy, amazing works of art. We tried a box of six cake doughnuts. There are also yeast doughnuts available, but that will have to wait for another day. My all time absolute favorite is the Blackout. It is a chocolate cake doughnut with a layer of chocolate filling inside, chocolate frosting outside and finished with chocolate cookie crumbs. I also tried the chocolate mint doughnut: chocolate cake with a cool mint icing, like an Andes candy. Iaisha tried the carrot cake (cream cheese filling in the middle!) and shared the Blackout with me. The last bite of the Blackout went to Michal, who is still humming his doughnut bliss happiness song.

http://doughnutplant.com/          

#39 Pondering "Mental Illness"

The horrible events that have unfolded recently have me pondering on the deeper, quieter concepts of human existence, particularly mine own. Without delving into political grandstanding, I will state that I do not believe guns are the issue, but our lack of care for the mentally ill is going to continue to cause untold tragedies until a solution is enacted. I just can't get my head wrapped around the whole Mental Illness issue.

FIGURE 1. Prevalence of current depression among adults aged ≥18 years, by state quartile — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2006

According to the Washington Post, only 5.6% of national health care spending goes towards mental health treatment. I found this map of depression on the CDC website. According to the World Health Organization, mental illness results in more disability in developed countries than any other group of illnesses, including cancer and heart disease. Other published studies report that about 25% of all U.S. adults have a mental illness and that nearly 50% of U.S. adults will develop at least one mental illness during their lifetime.
Here is the link to the Centers for Disease Control website so you can see the statistics for yourself: http://www.cdc.gov/ - type mental illness in the search box.
Here is the Bing dictionary definition:

mental illness

1.

psychiatric disorder: any psychiatric disorder that causes untypical behavior

 

I do not know enough about mental illness to even speculate what defines "normal" or "quirky" or "odd" from "ill." I suppose the line is drawn when a person cannot function in society. For example, they cannot be responsible enough to hold a job. Is that an illness? Or is it laziness? There must be other, additional factors. Can they function in a traditional relationship? In other words, is the 30 year old guy that still lives in Mom's basement ill? Or just very smart (malicious?) at manipulating other people to provide food, shelter, and necessities? Is the player mentally ill for not committing to a traditional relationship or just smart enough to realize that they don't want the responsibility?
I also looked to the SAMHSA website  http://www.samhsa.gov/healthreform/ for information. There were several articles devoted to the Affordable Care Act (known commonly as "Obamacare.) The main topic appears to be rehabilitation for addiction. Of course, someone who suffers from addiction is certainly encouraged to seek treatment and hopefully become a fully functioning citizen.
So, are all addicts considered mentally ill? Obviously it is a very different type of mental illness than that in which someone hallucinates, or becomes unreasonably violent, or seeks attention in inappropriate ways. What if they appear to be totally "normal" but they don't want to wear shoes? Does that mean they are mentally ill? Here is a link to an insurance question about the Affordable Care Act and mental illness: http://www.askforinsurance.com/health-insurance/obama-health-care-reform-and-mental-health-services.html
I took many classes in college that it seems should answer my questions about what, exactly, does "mentally ill" mean? Psychology, Sociology, Anatomy & Physiology, etc...the only conclusion I can come to is that people are expected to behave within certain parameters of society and that there is a fringe element that either chooses to not behave that way or cannot behave that way. They are you and me. They live and work and walk among us. How are we to distinguish who is suffering from depression due to a job loss versus who is going to back to that old job with the intent to cause bodily harm?
I am asking you, my readers, to please help me understand. Post your thoughts and comments.

#38 It's raining on the 12th floor.

http://youtu.be/w9c6dwltNEg

Yeah... so it rains indoors sometimes.

#37 some inspiration

I am re-reading a favorite book of mine:

Passion: Salon Professional's Handbook for Building a Successful Business [Paperback]

Susie Fields Carder (Author), Susie Fields (Author)

And today these words of wisdom, on page 95, caught my attention:

Never stop reaching for more:

Do more than exist - live.
Do more than touch - feel.
Do more than look - observe.
Do more than read - absorb.
Do more than hear - listen.
Do more than listen - understand.
                           - John H. Rhoades

Today I am going to keep this in my thoughts. I highly recommend this book to any professional in a customer service oriented business. You can order it on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Professionals-Handbook-Building-Successful/dp/156253419X

#36 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

As many of you are aware, we recently experienced Hurricane Sandy's wrath here in New York. Though most of Manhattan has recovered, some of the outlying boroughs are still not back to normal. Much of the nation has been very generous in charitable support to help those in need. It is a comfort and a matter of pride that we as a nation are so giving.
On a happy note, the annual Macy's parade was held as usual. I have attached a bunch of links for your enjoyment. If you ever consider visiting NYC at this time of year, the parade is a must-see. I remember my father taking me when I was young enough to sit on his shoulders. Some of my favorite balloons back then were the Muppets! I remember the Kermit balloon very clearly. Looks like he's still afloat. Rock on, Kermie!

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2012/11/22/macy-thanksgiving-day-parade-kicks-off-in-nyc-bringing-festive-mood-to-area-hit/


http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2012/11/22/mexican-marching-band-rocks-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-2012/

http://tv.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-Highlights-from-MACYS-THANKSGIVING-DAY-PARADE-20121123

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2011/11/24/vo-2011-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade.cnn#/video/us/2011/11/24/vo-2011-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade.cnn

#35 Bzzzzz......

A co-worker of mine recently came into the office celebrating the fact that she received a big box of Burt's bees products in the mail for FREE! She said she was awardd the box by an online survey company called BzzAgent. I was skeptical because in the past I've seen online survey sites that bombard my email and spam me until I unsubscribe. She told me that BzzAgent was definitely NOT like that and to give it a try.
It was very easy to sign up. It was even easier to take the surveys! They were all so simple I finished them. Now I have to be patient and wait for more to arrive. My answers will be used to eventually let me try products for free. I can't wait for my first campaign!
Anyway, I would like to officially endorse BzzAgent. They seem like company genuinely interested in people's opinions and I have not received one spam yet. It's also a lot of fun to read what other Agents are trying. Everything is very clearly explained and easy to understand. Try, share, repeat.
I will post when I get to the next level and get my first campaign!
Please try it yourself at www.BzzAgent.com! Feel free to comment and let me know what you think.

#34 On discounts...

I recently reviewed my inbox and discovered that I have a terrible habit of signing up for discount websites. Presently I receive discounts from the following sites:
 Seamless http://www.seamless.com,
Groupon  http://www.groupon.com,
 Priceline.com http://www.priceline.com/default.asp?refid=PLMSN&refclickid=50649141 ,
Amazonlocal http://www.local.amazon.com,
and Mypoints http://www.mypoints.com.

Let me explain each one.
Seamless is a great site if you like to order food. Restaurants post their menus on it. You basically click on whatever you want and pay via credit card (or cash on delivery or pick up). Its a very popular service here in NYC and I'm sure in other major cities as well. By the way, here in NYC even McDonald's delivers! There is a similar site that I have not used yet - www.grubhub.com.


Groupon is a site that delivers daily emails on special deals in a specific area. You can narrow it down by your interests, such as restaurants, travel, family, etc. Great deals, but you have to purchase them in advance and then wait for a voucher that you print. Sometimes there is a limited number which creates a sense of urgency, or a narrow time limit. But a lot of the deals are well worth it.

I use Priceline when I travel. I'm sure you've seen the tv commercials. You can bid on a hotel room and sometimes you can get a room up to 50% off! However, you don't know what hotel it is in until you win the bid.  And once you win there are no refunds - you are committed. I've saved a ton of money using this service when I need a hotel room. Flights and packages are also available.

Amazon Local is very similar to Groupon.

Mypoints is different in that it doesn't offer discounts in the same way. It offers special links to online sites that will grant points if you purchase through them. When the points collect you can redeem them for gift cards, cash back or travel miles.

I love shopping online and I hope you find these sites as useful as I do. Have fun!

#33 Lucky Numbers Zero, One, & Two

Every day I see signs for the latest jackpot lottery. I know people win and most tickets start at $1. I rarely purchase one but when the jackpots get huge it's a tempation. I always accept whatever random numbers the machine chooses. I figure if I'm meant to win I only need $1 and the universe will conspire as to the rest. Some people have a whole routine when they purchase tickets. They spend a specific amount on specific numbers: family members birthdays, anniversaries, or just lucky numbers. Are numbers really lucky? I did some research on the significance of some numbers just to see:

Zero (0): did you know zero actually started out (and is still primarily used) as a concept rather than a number? Check out this article on the Origin of Zero http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=history-of-zero. Another interesting fact -  the original biblical Hebrew, ancient Aramaic nor later Greek nor Roman counting systems had a digit for zero.



One (1): here is wikipedia's information on the number: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_(number) One of the more interesting notes is the way 1 is used in the entertainment and sports industries. In Indian culture, according to http://www.indianhindunames.com/character-nature-traits-lucky-number-1.htm people who are number ones tend to be political leaders but with dependency issues.



Two (2): Good things always come in pairs, right? Here is an entire explanation of the number two in the Torah: http://www.betemunah.org/two.html . Number 2 indicates balance in Tarot.


2 is also a lucky Chinese number, according to Wikipedia, which says,
Two
The number 2 (二 or 两, Pinyin:èr or liăng) is most often considered a good number in Chinese culture. There is a Chinese saying: "good things come in pairs". It is common to repeat characters in product brand names, such as double happiness, which even has its own character 囍, a combination of two 喜. In Cantonese, two (jyutping: ji⁶ or loeng⁵) is homophone of the characters for "easy" (易) and "bright" (亮). In Northern China, the number, when used as an adjective, can also mean "stupid".^[1]




I could research and write about numbers and numerology all day and not find out everything. It is truly a fascinating topic. I'm a beautician, not a mathemetician, so I think I will stop here for now and continue to let the machines choose my numbers for me. Good luck with yours!

Forest of Fear!

http://www.renfair.com/forestoffear/index.html

Remember when I wrote about the New York Renaissance Faire? My kids and I had such a great time that we went twice. Well, now that October is here, the folks at the Faire have moved to the haunted house (the Slaughterhouse!) across the street.
I was fortunate enough to be offered free tickets for me and my oldest son. The creepy Phantom of the Opera organist warned me that the frights were too intense and scary for young children, but welcomed my 14 year old. My nephew also joined us. In fact, we made him walk in front so he would deal with the scary stuff and save us.
We arrived at about 9:30 pm on a rainy Sunday evening. There was a carnival atmosphere with brightly lit, spinning rides and lots of tents set up. Some of the tents sold gargoyles, wall hangings, and jewelry. One of the largest tents had a stage and seating inside. Three characters were on the stage looking for a victim volunteer to become a monster. Outside the tents scary creatures limped about, approaching unwary souls.
My son was so excited as he recognized the tallest of them all. Our friend the Creepy Bard had been transformed into a Victorian gentleman, albiet with a terrible scar, a blind eye, and skin that appeared to be rotting away. In his black wool cloak, knee high black boots, white frilly sleeved shirt and top hat, he appeared to be a 7 foot tall bat, swooping in uncomfortably close to guests, and growling a welcome to them.
I was actually nervous about entering the Slaughterhouse. I had not been in a haunted house since I was about 7 years old. At that one a witch stole me away from my parents and guided me into her brick wall oven. It was actually a little tunnel that had me quickly reunited me with my parents, but it was a scary enough experience that it took over thirty years and the mocking of a 14 year old to get me to go.
So we wound our way through the rope lined queue until we approached the front door of the house. We had to wait a minute to enter - groups are let in with some space between them. Inside the door waited a small sitting room. It was intentionally cluttered with all kinds of candlesticks, macabre artwork, frilly but dirty lacey things...everything crooked and off balance. And our exceedingly polite host matched the room, advising us of the rules in a deep Southern drawl.
The house was much, much bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. Every room had a theme, and every theme had victims. It seemed the designers had researched the top twenty fears that most people suffer from and made sure to display them at their worst. Surgeries gone awry in a bloody hospital room, cockroaches crawing on a wall on what feels like a collapsing bridge, very scary clowns, dolls come to life, damaged and deranged souls, a room of torture, and even a morgue (whose occupant screamed at us to "GET OUT!!"). Every actor made it a point to get uncomfortably close, invading my personal space to an intimate degree.
My nervous reaction to each interaction was to giggle. And I looked directly down at the floor. A lot. My son would just smile at each actor and say, "hello!". My nephew didn't say a word, but I did see him jump a couple of times.
One of the very last rooms contained a plunky, out of tune piano made to look like a pipe organ. The music was being played in a frenzy, the cloak spread out like a bridal train on the floor. My son looks at me and says, "His cloak is going to get all muddy with everyone walking through here. We should move it." And so we carefully tucked it around the perimeter of the organ so guests could walk through the room without stepping on the Phantom's cloak. He continued playing the entire time, completely ignoring us. We moved on to the last hallway leading to the exit. As I was about to step out, a black wing of wool blocked my way and I was staring into a face with a clouded over eye..."Come back again soon," he growled. And with manical laughter he disappeared.
My son had such a good time that he wants to audition for a haunted house next year. Oh, boy...

Thanks to everyone at the Forest of Fear for being such gracious hosts!

#31 Shopping for...kitsch?

I love cute things. I love gadgets. I love things that look like one thing but are actually functional as another. Recently I was in a store that had a water pitcher that looked like a set of Russian nesting dolls. The top of the doll came off and became a cup. The remaining bottom part was a water pitcher. Perfect for keeping by a bedside overnight. There was also a matching set of measuring cups. Both items were on the clearance rack at greatly reduced prices. Shoulda bought 'em. Here are some cute things I would love to have. A lot more of them are on one of my favorite store websites, www.thinkgeek.com

This is a carafe. The head comes off and becomes a drinking cup.

 I find this knife block strangely satisfying.

Measuring cups.

#30 Back to School

Oh, boy.  My oldest son, 14,  started high school last week. Security at the high school is much different than it was when I was in high school. One of the school policies is that all students that use a backpack must have one made of mesh or clear plastic. Apparently having the ability to see through the backpack is tantamount. I searched every store in my area and finally found a clear vinyl backpack at kmart for less than $20. It is not a fashionable backpack: it looks like something a person who is fond of wearing PVC would love. It is a very thick, firm, clear plastic with black seams. Kmart even offered a warranty for one year for an additional $2.99. But we are talking about a 14 year old high school freshman who has to deal with peer pressure about being cool. Of course, all his friends have to obey the same rule, so it's not like he's the only one. In the meantime, I've been looking at local stores to see if I can find a mesh backpack. I was amazed to see that regular backpacks can run upwards of $70! I was told to try some sporting goods stores. Other parents told me they tried and there was none left. So I went to my favorite store...the internet! Here is what I found:
This is JCPenney's website. They have a Jansport mesh backpack, available in a variety of colors, for $30.  http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/for-the-home/dorm-shop/bags-backpacks/jansport-mesh-backpack/prod.jump?ppId=1b8644b&navState=navState-:catId-:subcatId-:subcatZone-false:N-:Ns-:Nao-0:ps-24:pn-1:Ntt-mesh+backpack:Nf-:action-search&catId=SearchResults
Notice that even though the backpack is mesh, it's really not see-through. I'm having a hard time understanding how this makes my kid safer.
Now here is a website that offers a dozen different backpacks from a variety of different manufacturers: http://www.ebags.com/category/backpacks/f/mesh?sort=PriceLowToHigh Prices range from $10.80 for a small, over-the-shoulder type to $36. Better than I anticipated, but only because they are having a 20% off sale. Also, shipping is free for orders over $99.
I strongly suspect that a mesh backpack will not last under the wear-and-tear of heavy textbooks being hauled in them.
I'm also aggravated that the school thinks this is an effective security measure. In fact, in a school several years ago, a student contemplating suicide brought a rifle to school - in his guitar case. http://articles.mcall.com/2006-05-26/news/3667295_1_students-or-teachers-district-s-zero-tolerance-senior-prom My point is that if someone wants to sneak something into the school they will find a way and it seems silly to trust that see-through backpacks are going to solve this issue. A small gun can easily be hidden on a person, in a purse, or even between books.
One common theme among these incidents seems to be that the perpetrator was suffering. Either socially, romantically, psychologically, or a dangerous mixture of these. It seems these actions are almost unsuprising in a lot of cases. I don't know why ten people can suffer whatever life's cruelties offer and the next one cracks and does something to hurt people. Or why anyone would think hurting others is justified in the first place. Here are some recent statistics:
http://news.yahoo.com/school-shootings-weapons-crimes-2012-comparison-223400001.html

It makes me fear for my children's safety. And it makes me sad.

#29 Am I full yet?

As I've mentioned, our office is surrounded by a huge variety of restaurants, eateries, cafes, delis, and food vendors. I stopped in one of the local shops to pick up some milk for the office. At the counter was a display of Fullbars. I have never heard of this product but it looked like a low-calorie snack so I decided to try it.

Today is the day I am actually eating it. It is a 1.59 oz bar, so it's about the size of a large square brownie. The flavor I chose was Double Chocolate Cocoa Chip (have I mentioned I love chocolate?). Ok...it looks like a Rice Crispy treat with particularly large rice puffs. It has a very yummy, chocolately flavor. The bar is slightly sticky and very chewy.
Ok. So I kind of expected to be FULL. It did take the edge off my hunger but only for an hour or so. I think I would have been just as satisfied with a piece of fruit or any other granola type bar.
I'm a little bit disappointed because when I'm having a busy day I like having a quick snack food in my bag so I don't have to stop and buy a meal somewhere. Purchasing food at a restaurant tends to make me feel guilty because 1) I shouldn't be wasting the money, 2) the portions are way too big, and 3) I feel obligated to consume all of it since I paid for it. A great way to gain weight!
In conclusion I will say that if you enjoy food bars, you will enjoy this one. But it's not a meal replacement, it's a snack. An orange and a hand full of almonds would probably be a more satisfying and healthy choice.

#28 On Safety & Common Sense in a Salon

Last week I was asked by a salon professional for a list of ingredients in each of our products. When she first asked, I thought she was asking me for an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), the information sheet required by federal law that lists content, associated hazards and proper storage procedures.  She did not know what I was talking about. Every salon should have an MSDS for every product they use in the salon, from Windex to hand sanitizer to hair color and perm solutions. If your staff doesn't know what an MSDS then they should not be working on clients.

 Fortunately, all of our products have the ingredients clearly listed on the bottle, but I must say I am deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of her clients if anything should happen. Everyone who works in a salon has the right to know what chemicals they are being exposed to and what the risks are.

 I know I was taught about OSHA, MSDS, and Efficacy Labels while I was in beauty school.



If you don't know what these terms are, please educate yourself for the safety of yourself, your co-workers, and your clients.

http://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=usdoloshapublicwebsite&query=salon OSHA regulations regarding salons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_safety_data_sheet
What is an MSDS?

On product labeling: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/CosmeticLabelingLabelClaims/default.htm

Please take this seriously. Salon professionals and clients have been seriously injured or become ill from repeated exposures to normal, every day use of chemicals in the salon without proper steps being followed. Don't put yourself or your clients at risk!

#27 e-Cure Demo at Prestige Salon, NYC

Today Iaisha and I went to visit Prestige Salon http://hairsalonprestige.com/  here in NYC to demonstrate the amazing e-Cure Treatment. Our model had dry, porous, overprocessed hair:

 



Our model had been shampood with a clarifying shampoo and dried before we arrived. First, I saturated her hair with M-3.2 until it was dripping wet. 

Next, the S-series shampoo (our model loved the s-3 Sakura scent) gets mixed 50/50 with M-3.2 and shake until foamy and mixed. Massage this foam generously into the hair.

Cover the foamy hair with a plastic cap and place under the dryer for 10 minutes. While our model was sitting under the dryer, we demonstrated Pida, an exfoliant gel that gets massaged onto skin for about 30 seconds. After the massage, rinse off with a quick spritz of M-3.2. Pat dry and follow up with your favorite lotion. After our model tried it, everyone else wanted to try it too!

After ten minutes under the dryer, the hair gets sprayed with P-3.2, combed through to the ends. After 2 minutes, hair is rinsed until water runs clear. You can already see the smoother, healthier texture of the hair!  There is no conditioner added to the hair after the rinse. Her hair is this smooth and healthy

because it is now infused with moisture. After gently but thoroughly drying with a towel, the hair is sprayed with M-3.2 by itself as a blow-out spray. This is the only product used in the hair. No gel, no mousse, no shine spray, no hair spray.



Look at how smooth her hair is! It felt soft and silky to the touch.

As her blow-out progressed, everyone was impressed with the dramatic change in the condition of her hair.

Now scroll up to the "before" picture and look at the difference!

The after pics are amazing. Not only is her hair softer and full of shine, but wow her hair is full of body and movement. No more frizzy ends!Ready for a demonstration at your salon?

#26 Gyu-Kaku Times Square!

This month has been one of our busiest yet. Having only been in the United States for about three years, every new client is a great stride for us as a company. I have only been with the company a few months, so it's a rewarding and satisfying feeling to know that I have helped our company grow and succeed, as well as helping salons grow and succeed with their business. Best of all, the salon clients who receive the e-Cure Treatment become loyal customers who are so happy with the healthier state of their hair!

Our first appetizer: Edamame, with salt crystals.

So we had a lot to celebrate this month. In addition to all of our new customers, we are enjoying the company of an intern. Her name is Marina and she is a university student from Japan. Marina will only be with us for a few weeks, but she's an enthusiastic and fun co-worker.

My empty plate. Chopsticks at the ready!

Where to go to celebrate? Gyu-Kaku, of course! Last time we ate there we went to the Mid-town location http://www.gyu-kaku.com/ny/midtown.htm. This time we went to the Times Square location http://www.gyu-kaku.com/ny/timessquare.htm . The decor was more casual, and the menu had a few, small differences. Of course the food was fantastic and we all enjoyed a very nice meal together.  I have posted some pics here but you can view the whole album on facebook very soon http://www.facebook.com/ecuretreatment?ref=hl.

The empty grill, gettin hot and ready to fire.  



Above: Appetizer #2: Ahi Poke'. Raw Ahi Tuna seasoned & served with shredded seaweed salad and a horseradish garnish. Below: Appetizer #3: Tuna Boats - tuna pate served on top of a crispy rice ball, with sesme seeds.

The main course arrived and we enjoyed several varieties of beef, tinfoil packets of broccoli and mushrooms, and a pitcher of Japanese beer that complimented our meal perfectly.

The conversation flowed

Scallops, sausages, and more vegetable packets

It was a perfect meal for all of us since some of us have an aversion to shellfish or pork. There was plenty for all and we started to get very full very quickly.

Should we order dessert?



Iaisha and Mayu laughing while the sausages and scallops cooked. Notice the edamame is almost gone! We also enjoyed some sticky rice, seasoned with garlic, with our grilled foods.

                                                                                             

Ok, it looks like a fish but it's really Taiyaki - a delicious dessert! A rice pastry stuffed with a sweet bean curd paste and vanilla ice cream. Another dessert we enjoyed, not pictured, was a platter of banana crepes served hot with cinnamon vanilla ice cream.

It was called Banana Caramel cheesecake Xango.  Our third choice for dessert was this beautiful, layered Green Tea Mille Crepe. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and we definitely will be visiting Gyu-Kaku again!



#25 Positivity

Sometimes Life seems to be going just great. Everyone is healthy, gainfully employed, bills are being paid, kids are doing well in school, the car is running and the cable bill didn't go up. And then, it happens: a fender bender, a washing machine that floods the laundry, sick kids, a phone call from a relative suffering a crisis, your boss is giving you the hairy eyeball because of the unexpected personal phone calls and interruptions and an overdue bill notice came in the mail threatening collections. All in the same week, right?
It can be difficult to stay positive when everything seems to be going wrong. I could write about all the terrible ordeals I have survived, but they don't matter. What matters is that I'm here to tell you "this too shall pass."
My facebook page has been overrun with pretty pictures of sunsets and lovely, inspiring quotes. My answer to that is this:

I just thought this was really funny. Here are some more that made me smile:

There are so many of these floating around the internet. Some are funny, some are silly, some are sexy, but they all make me smile when I first read them. Feel free to reply with your favorites!

#24 Customer Service in a Salon (and your business too!)

I receive hundreds of phone calls from salons all over the country every day. I have also worked in both chain/retail salons as well as a private salon. There is an unspoken truth in this industry that is not acknowledged enough: If your business is slow, it isn't the customers fault! It isn't due to the economy. It isn't because you are located in a small town. It isn't because there are six competitors within walking distance.
A lot of stylists become complacent when it comes to customer service. You may be the most talented artist on the planet, but if you make your clients feel taken for granted they will go elsewhere. Let's review how to make clients feel appreciated and grow your business.

   Phone Etiquette

 DO NOT answer your phone with just "Hello." Remember that every call you get is a potential client. Try answering with a smile. Smiling actually lifts your palette and raises your voice into a friendlier tone. "Hi, this is Carla, of Armada Style. How may I help you?"

Make sure your voice mail message also sounds professional. All calls that come in while you are working on a client should go directly to voice mail. DO NOT ever interrrupt a service for a call unless it is an emergency. And NEVER interrupt a call by saying, "I've gotta go - my client's color is done." Keep the phone off the salon floor and both your calls and your services will be greatly improved.

Return phone calls in a timely manner. If clients are polite enough to inform you that they need to cancel, don't be rude about it. Thank them for the notice and ask if they would like to reschedule. It may be inconvenient for you, but being rude about it will cost you a client plus all the people they may have referred in the future.

Salon Etiquette

What are your business hours? Are they convenient for you or your clients? Many, many people work until 6pm or later. Are you open so that they can stop by after work? Are you open every day? If a client walks in 20 minutes before closing and wants a cut and color, do you stay and provide excellent customer service or turn them away and make them go elsewhere?

Is there food and drink in your salon? No one wants to smell food   combined with all the other fragrances in the salon. Keep food and drink off the floor, period. If you have a back room where people prepare food for themselves, limit the food to non-offensive odor foods. No fish, no curries, no eggs, no garlic knots, etc. And if you eat that stuff, please use mouthwash and/or brush your teeth before returning to the floor! And if you consume alcohol (or any other chemical substances) while working in the salon, you should not be in this business.

Salons are places where conversation flows freely. Sometimes clients share very personal, intimate details. This does not mean that you should share yours! I used to go to a salon (before I became a stylist) that was very unprofessional this way. The staff would all gossip about whomever was off that day. The final straw was when I was waiting for my color to process and another stylist (not the one conducting my service) was loudly discussing her ob/gyn visit with her client. Including the details of her HPV infection. Um....yeah, I never went back.


Now, I don't care what kind of neighborhood your salon is in or how the clients choose to dress or speak. YOU are the professional. Keep the language family friendly and dress that way too. Further, you are allowed to THINK whatever you wish, but if you hold bigoted views of any group of people, keep it to yourself. Do not discuss politics or religion. EVER.

Be polite. THANK every client every time. If there is a problem with a service or a product, don't argue. Just fix it.

Make sure the salon is clean. No hairy brushes. No dust bunnies in the corners. No color stained towels or chair covers. No color stained hands or clothes either! No exposed breasts, bellies, or armpits. Come into work prepared and looking the part. If my stylists came in and started doing their hair and make up at their station, they were sent home.

It is very confusing for me when I talk to a salon and they complain how  they are a "small salon" that cannot support a retail section. Pathetic! If you are so slow it means you are not providing excellent customer service. It means you have become lazy and are not willing to provide a better experience to your clients than your competitors. It means you are not letting clients know you appreciate them. No wonder your clients are going elsewhere

I want all my customers to have successful, rockin' salons with happy clients and happy stylists. There are many great resources to get there:

Books on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=salon+success&tag=mh0b-20&index=stripbooks&hvadid=40767907&ref=pd_sl_6y4a6ldzfo_e

Videos: http://www.bravotv.com/tabathas-salon-takeover

Websites: http://www.behindthechair.com/
http://www.scissorboy.com/

Good Luck!