Memorial Day weekend is often the highlight in many people’s calendars; the weather has warmed up, and people are generally in a good mood. I on the other hand was feeling exhausted and terribly sleep deprived (symptoms of a first-time Mom with a 12-week old infant). Don’t get me wrong I love nothing more than being a Mom to my beautiful miracle baby, what with the constant spit up, all night feeds, and let’s not forget those poop explosions that take place in the most inconvenient places (I can now be called the ‘diaper master’ with the places I’ve had to change a dirty diaper). So after inviting ourselves to our dear friends (also known as our US surrogate family) stunning Lake house in Connecticut for the weekend (yes I am one of those people), we set out on our first ‘official’ vacation as a family of three. I am pleased to say that my little darling slept most of the four-hour drive and only began to stir once she realized she had missed a feed. Four-hours is a long time for a Momma when I am used to nursing every 1.5/2 hours – let’s just say there was me under a cover caught in traffic with my battery operated pump going at full pace, I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. We arrived at the lake house and my significant other fetched me a glass of red wine as I sat enjoying the stunning sunset. Our hosts and their extended family have adopted us as their own and whenever we are together there is always some sort of party that lasts all day. Of course complete relaxation is not without a trip to the local nail salon to indulge in an aptly named ‘Diva Milk and Honey’ spa pedicure. Barb (our beautiful host) and I arrived a few minutes late (thanks to traffic – oh wait we can only use that excuse in NYC) and were surprised to see the salon bustling with activity at 10am on a Sunday morning. We thankfully had an appointment so were ushered straight to our pedi chairs after choosing our colors – Barb went with OPI’s Pompeii Purple and I went with OPI’s deep pink/red tone Miami Beet. No sooner had we sat down than a rather hip looking man wearing a backwards Red Sox cap and red joggers walked in and starting making jokes with the customers. His charismatic personality was contagious and despite the salon being full to capacity with people waiting everyone seemed to enjoy the ‘fun’ he brought to a potentially stressful situation. I later discovered that he was the cheeky owner when he handed me a pack of toilet paper after I told him his restroom was out and asked me to re-stock it for him. The salon erupted in laughter at his audacity and I got the feeling he could get anyone to do anything for him because of his cheeky nature.
As Barb and I settled in, our technicians rubbed a milk and honey sea salt scrub into our footsies and followed this by applying a raw earth mask and wrapping out feet in warm towels to detoxify and rejuvenate our skin. The best part was the finish – a milk and honey butter massaged in with a hot stone. I was in heaven with the occasional Mommy’s guilt eased by my husband sending me 10-minute updates on how our little angel was doing (yikes am I becoming a helicopter Mom – always hovering? I noted to myself to work on that over the next ten years). The whole procedure took 45 minutes, so with drying time we were out within the hour.
We noted that there was almost double the men working in this salon, something neither of us had seen before. They all seemed to do a great job, it is just unusual in this business. Overall a fabulous salon that prides itself on its strict sanitation and personable customer service. I left feeling relaxed and energized by the fun and quirky atmosphere. If in Lisbone, Connecticut be sure to check it out (although they are about to change their name to Barla Barla Nails and Spa, not sure why maybe because every second nail salon is called Diva Nails).
Until next time,
Ruth
DIVA NAILS AND SPA – LISBONE CT
Ambience: Fun and enjoyable, the charismatic owner really brings the energy to this salon
Cleanliness of salon: Fairly clean
Polish: OPI Pompeii & Miami Beet. (Retails $8-$10)
Polish job & chip factor: 2 weeks
Brands they stock: Essie, OPI, CND, Orly & Dare To Wear
Color range: Good quality polishes a medium color range
Customer engagement: Friendly and charismatic
Price range: Manicures $15 – $30 Pedicures $25 – $60 (depending on your treatment)
