Here Come The Girls

A few blogs ago, I vowed to be more girlie. Do proper girlie activities more often. I admit I haven’t been as prolific in my girliness as I seem to remember vowing at the time, but I think I’ve had quite a good go at it this week.
Earlier this week I told Him Indoors that I was in need of a girlie night in. He was permitted to be around, but had to accept that big bags of popcorn and chick flicks were the order of the day. To his credit, every week he has to put up with How to Look Good Naked and Ugly Betty, but I have movies I have recorded on Sky Plus over a year ago and never watched because he doesn’t fancy them. And, when he is out, I end up doing something much more sensible like housework or reading a good book whilst listening to loud music.
So, on Thursday night, I watched Along Came Polly. Not a cinematic classic, but cute and quirky and enough of a chick flick fix to keep me going for a couple of months.
But my girliness doesn’t stop there. This week, reader, I have been pampered too.
A few weeks ago whilst heading out for a very nutritious lunch at a milkshake bar with colleagues, I walked past a beauty salon and saw that they had a special offer: free manicure when you have a pedicure. Bearing in mind I have been promising myself a manicure every three months since my first professional one over a year ago, I decided that this was an opportunity I could not let slip through my uncared for fingers. So, last week I popped in to make an appointment. I asked the owner of Nu U therapies if she was still doing the promotion and she told me that it finished last week but offered it to me anyway. Rather delighted, I made an appointment for the next day.
I admit that I was a little apprehensive about my appointment, mainly because some beauty therapists can be a little cold, especially when dealing with someone whose beauty regime is a little, well, basic. But I needn’t have worried. Alison was absolutely lovely, not just because she is a polite and courteous type who didn’t make me feel awkward. I was with her for over two and a half hours, not because my feet resemble those of a hippopotamus, but because we were gassing about everything and anything, from my job, to her business, to travel, being tall and mobile phone deals. It was like having one of your chums do your nails and was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, with the added bonus that she happened to do a really good job. And, when I was finished, she refused to let me write the cheque in case I smudged my nails and instead asked me to drop it off the next day. I was gobsmacked. Someone in London was trusting me to pay her the next day. A rarity anywhere, but unheard of in London. As I walked home in my sandals, carefully avoiding letting my nails touch anything, I vowed that I would make sure all my North London friends and colleagues knew about the shop and that I will go back there myself next time I need my nails doing – and a good chin wag.
But my girliness did not stop there. On Friday I went to get my hair cut. I have started going to mp4 in Crouch End after getting a special offer through work and, although not quite as easy going as Alison, I am very impressed with my hair dresser Candice. She’s an ideas woman, and is always armed with pictures of what she has in mind. Last time I went she convinced me to go for a boho bob with a fringe and my first ever highlights. I’ve never had so many compliments about my hair. This time, however, along with offering me a variation on her last creation, she suggested we go shorter. Much shorter. Although tempted, we compromised on a slightly longer, feathery cut. I admit at first I wasn’t convinced, especially when she started putting lots of products in my hair and tried to tell me I should use mousse in my hair every day. But, two hair washes later and approval from Him Indoors and his parents (including his ex-model mother) I am quite pleased with my new cute crop. It is official. I have managed to find a hairdresser I really like. And trust.
So, a girlie week by anyone’s standards. And proof that you can find good, personalised services in London when you look for them. And people who trust you enough not to demand payment there and then, even if they hardly know you. Even more of a surprise than seeing that Jennifer Aniston can pull off a role other than Rachel from Friends. Honest.