When you move to a new area, you get little “firsts” or rites of passage as you start your life over in your new city. Most of them are what I like to call “mundane firsts:” first oil change, first trip to the dentist, first time filing taxes, first vet visit, first trip to the ER following the feline retaliation following the first vet visit, etc. Depending on the experience, “first haircut” might also go on that list. It can be boring, awkward, shocking, depressing, exhausting, discouraging, and expensive….kind of like shopping for pants.
Plus, my hair has had commitment issues for the longest time. My hair had always been wavy, I thought, but mostly straight, and definitely not curly. There was so much conflict and so little harmony between us. One day I realized that I spent much more time pleading, even negotiating, with my hair to make it straight, than any truly straight-haired person should. So I gave a little in the relationship, and learned that my hair, shockingly, is actually curly.
Here’s a side shot:
Then, I learned there’s a dry-cutting method of cutting curly hair, most often known as the Devacurl method, although some salons do their own Deva-inspired or similar method of dry cutting. In Minneapolis, I found a great salon that dry cut my hair, and couldn’t stand the thought of a regular cut now. So I did a little research and learned about Miriam (pictured below) at Bari Salon. Through an unofficial poll conducted by yours truly, The Internet voted Miriam the best curly hair stylist in Asheville, so to Miriam I went!
Here’s before the cut:
And after:
I was surprised by how curly my hair was in the end. It almost looked and felt like she used a curling iron, but somehow Miriam worked her magic and coaxed the most amazing texture out of my hair. I’m on day 2 as I write this, and wondering if I can duplicate what Miriam did on my own, or if I’ll wash the magic right out! Fortunately, she gave me pretty easy directions on how to achieve the same result at home.
Overall, Bari was a fantastic salon, and I plan to return to Miriam for future hair cuts. The staff were friendly, it was laid-back, and the location was pretty easy to access. I also appreciated that customers are encouraged to contact stylists directly to schedule appointments or communicate about upcoming appointments.
I regularly blog about my new life in Asheville at ash2ville.blogspot.com, and at the end of each post, I leave my reader(s) {{Hi, mom!}} with a Zen Banjo moment. Banjo is my cat, and his Zen is bountiful, so I have to capture it. So in keeping with tradition, I give you Zen Banjo:
For more Zen Banjo moments, to follow more of my “firsts” in Asheville, or get involved and send me suggestions of activities to try and places to go, visit to ash2ville.blogspot.com and leave a comment, or send me a tweet. I’m @ash2ville.
The end!
Yes, LOVE Miriam!