Easter

Feeling pretty good.

Had a pretty good Easter today.

Got up and finished Portal 2 on Ps3.

Left home awhile later and via the new GPS I made my way to a new outdoor upscale shopping center called The Americana in Glendale.

I had it in my head to get a royal shave (cost $55) at this joint there I read about in Los Angeles Magazine called The Art Of Shaving. It is a shaving chain that sells high end shaving equipment and provides shaves and haircuts on the premises.

I got there and the place was empty and went in the back room for the experience. I'd heard raves about it on Yelp. The master barber was a woman, kinda hot, looked like an American Scary Spice. They had classic jazz playing on the stereo and old school barber chairs there (these had hydraulic systems in the base so they were just made to look retro) and they leaned you back in a white barber smock, applied hot towels to your face to open the pours, applied many lotions, massaged the face, added lather and shaved with a straight razor. I was a bit nervous the whole time, I wanted to try a straight razor shave, they say it is the closest shave available, but still, it's a straight razor. I was paranoid about being cut especially in areas of the neck but there was nary a scratch.

There was a touch up with a high end electric razor and then a going over with the straight razor in tough areas again. After that a clear herbal face mask was applied. Then more lotions massaged in and then a cold towel applied to the face to close the pours. More lotions and massage and voilà. Fin.

I kept my eyes closed most of the time, just getting into the relaxation of it all. The master barber, American Scary Spice, gave me her card and thanked me profusely. I would guess I was probably her only customer that day. Made it point to give her a twenty dollar tip when cashing out using the trusty debit card.

Let there with my skin feeling smoother than it has since childhood. And not a red bump to be seen. Very interesting experience.

Then I walked around more and looked at all the places I'd want come back and eat at when the cleanse was done. An Italian place, a pizza shack and a retro burger place called Jewel City Diner.

They have a giant fountain there that does a water show with jet streams of water. Probably looks cooler at night. And a classic red trolley that drives people around the place.

This young family then stopped me as I strolled along the grass and asked to take their photo. Which I did, four snapshots. The woman then thanked me and wished me a happy Easter. Which felt very good.

Then I went to see Water For Elephants at the movie theater. Good film. The theater was very well designed and retro like a classic movie theater from early Hollywood. It wasn't the Arclight but I wasn't complaining. I sat on a bench in the theater while waiting for the movie to let in and people watched which was cool.

I was proud of myself for trying something totally new and GQ, a royal shave at The Art Of Shaving. It made me feel like that tagline from GQ Magazine, man at his best. It seems there's not many places you can go to be a man anymore. Which isn't true. But this place was all about being male. Since, who else shaves? It was like a day spa for men. It was male in a sense that wasn't negatory toward women. Just something by and for men. Which is refreshing.

So, all in all, a good Easter.