Static Hair Salon

Once again, my locks have experienced neglect due to my oversight regarding hair care. Oops. Well, let it be known that this time around I was quite bored with my mane, and so, I was interested in some sage advice and experienced hands. After turning to the twittersphere for salon recommendations, I decided on Static Hair Salon.

Located on 8th Street between Mass & New Hampshire.

Vibrant interior. Cozy space. Energetic vibe.

Since I knew I was interested in a change – but wasn’t sure what that change would be – I scheduled my first appointment as a consultation (which is no charge here, FYI). This way, I could talk through some of my ideas with my stylist, and he/she could tell me which ideas to toss out the window and never consider again, and which ones could work. My first appointment was set for a Tuesday at 5pm with Taylor, and it took all of about 10 minutes! During our brief discussion, Taylor advised a chin-length cut and suggested color (instead of a wave, which I had also considered). After that was over, I set my appointment for four days later – Saturday at 11:45am.

Front desk/waiting area/hair products.

Lots of light from the front windows!

I was told the appointment would take about 2 hours for the cut and color, and that was about spot-on. Taylor started with color. I was eager to share that I had decided on red, but wasn’t sure of a specific tone. Fortunately, she was ready with a book of colored hair samples (this could have occupied my imagination for hours), which made communication about color much easier. After the mix was whipped up and slathered on, I played the waiting game. We washed up and returned to the hot seat to begin the cut.

During that time, I enjoyed conversation with Taylor, and noticed how friendly and chatty the rest of the stylists were, too. I’m sure the space plays into the natural flow of conversation here; it’s basically one large room where five stations reside, creating a neighborly atmosphere. Since I’ve now experienced four salons here in Lawrence, I’ve noticed this is not always the norm. I definitely enjoyed this cozy atmosphere.

Before: Messy & lackluster.

After: Trimmed & rich.

The cut always seems to happen so quickly, and suddenly I was staring at a new gal in the mirror. I have to admit, the color was a little shocking at first, but I quickly settled into this new look. I’ve never had hair this dark, but it’s such a refreshing change! What’s more, the hue changes slightly, depending on indoor lighting or direct sunlight. It’s a beautiful color and I’m grateful for Taylor’s careful work and consideration. My cut and color totaled $98 ($118 with tip). This was an excellent experience and I’ll definitely be returning in the future.

The color is especially brilliant in the sunlight.

Find Static Hair Salon at: 12 East 8th Street, Lawrence KS 66044. [785.830.9400]

May 21, 2013 | Categories: Services | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »

Blue Dandelion

I recently received news that friends of mine are expecting, and wanted to gift them a little something to show my sheer delight and thrill for their growing family. Since I’m not (yet) a mother myself, I’m not up to date on the hot spots to shop, nor the best products for expecting parents. Luckily, there’s a cute shop downtown that has caught my attention a few times based on its fresh blue striped awning and adorable window displays. The shop I’m referring to is Blue Dandelion, and it’s prepared for all (yes, all) of an expecting, new, or not-so-new parent’s needs.

So much happiness in these precious windows...

White trim all around & brightly lit. Super fresh!

I stopped by Blue Dandelion this past Saturday to look for an appropriate gift for my friends. This store has been around for six years now, and is owned by Kristine Bailey – a mother of four, and a registered nurse. Because of Kristine’s nursing experience and knowledge, Blue Dandelion focuses on top quality products and service, so you know you’re getting only the best.

Before inevitably asking for help (this is uncharted territory for me), I took a quick pass through the store. The layout of the store is curious and sprawling; products are nestled in every corner and shelf, which can easily distract you from noticing there are both a downstairs area and an upstairs area to this shop. Toys, stuffed animals, baby booties, books, and more occupy the main floor, while the downstairs is stocked with baby carriers, bath accessories, and toddler shoes. The upstairs, however, is occupied by Little Lotus Portraits, where Laura Wolf specializes in photography for infants and children.

Small goodies are found all over this sweet shop.

A peek into the downstairs and upstairs spaces.

After asking for a few suggestion for my interests, I was lingering between a few different options. There was a baby handprint kit, a couple humorous “new parent” books, booties (so teeny tiny, they always make me squeal), and a set of fun belly stickers to capture a mother’s progress. Ultimately, I decided on the belly stickers, thinking they’d be more celebratory in the now. While I didn’t get a photo of them before gifting, they were exactly like these, and priced at about $16.

Clothing and books located in the back.

Blue Dandelion, A Children's Boutique.

I enjoyed browsing through the colorful, happy products at Blue Dandelion, and probably could have entertained myself for a few hours. In case you’re in need of any baby or children’s toys or products, this is definitely the place to stop. While they don’t have many car seats and strollers in the store, they have specific brands they recommend and can order for you. Also, if you’re interested in a gift registry, that option is available here! So really, this is a one-stop-shop. Happy baby shopping!

Blue Dandelion is open Mon-Wed 10-6; Thurs 10-7; Fri-Sat 10-6; Sun noon-5.

Find Blue Dandelion at: 841 Massachusetts St, Lawrence KS 66044. [785.312.9494]

May 13, 2013 | Categories: Businesses, Services | Tags: , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Alchemy Coffee

While some consider coffee an essential element of the morning hours and others prefer it as an occasional pick-me-up, there are some people who consider coffee a work of art. And those people need to visit Alchemy Coffee, because folks, it doesn’t get much more beautiful than this.

I heard about Alchemy Coffee from a few friends and was definitely intrigued based on the name alone. This little escape from reality is located south of downtown – off Mass St at 19th – and offers a sweet moment of pause with the smoothest coffee around. Since we had an exciting afternoon ahead of us today, we made a stop at Alchemy Coffee after church this morning to savor a cup of joe and check out this new hot spot.

Mr. Benjamin Farmer, carefully perfecting our pour-overs.

Coffee can be scientific. And heavenly. Scientifically heavenly.

Benjamin Farmer is the owner and operator of this fine establishment. While I didn’t know him before today, it’s easy to tell – within the first few moments experiencing Alchemy – his coffee shop is an extension of his personality. See, coffee here is made with great care, and patience is required; the pour-overs we had took about three minutes to perfect. And it’s easy to tell Benjamin enjoys the process and beauty of this method. The mood of the shop, too, is peaceful and subdued. The minimalism of the interior design, the fresh face of the cream walls juxtaposed with the zingy yellow wall… it all exudes a calm, organic vibe.

But enough of aesthetics, let’s talk coffee. I’m a coffee and cream girl, you know? Not one to enjoy my coffee black. But at Alchemy – where the cream and sugar are safely nestled behind the counter (for a few reasons) – this sweet addition is truly not needed. Not needed! Never have I ever had coffee so smooth and pleasantly surprising.

Light-filled interior of Alchemy Coffee.

Excellent coffee requires patience.

I had the Sidamo V60 (a recommendation), and the hubs had the Brazil V60. The Sidamo V60 smelled ever so lightly like blueberries, and had hints of fruit in its flavor, too. The hubs’ Brazil V60 smelled nutty, and was much darker tasting than the Sidamo. As a nibble on the side, we shared a cinnamon raisin with walnuts and brown butter glaze cookie (amazingness). Then, as if things couldn’t get better, we were also offered a sample of the Panama cold brew coffee which was unbelievable. (truly, it was so smooth that I didn’t believe it was coffee – it seemed more like tea!)

Voilà: excellence in the form black liquid & baked good.

No need for overwhelming choices - less is more here.

Our encounter with Alchemy Coffee was such a pleasure. Our 12oz coffees and delightful cookie totaled about $11, but the sweet ambiance the experience affords is free. While we’re spoiled with fantastic coffee shops here in Lawrence, Alchemy’s nuance is refreshing and satisfying. Hope you can make time this week to savor this luxury!

Find Alchemy Coffee at: 1901 Massachusetts St. Suite B, Lawrence KS 66047. [785.424.4546]

May 06, 2013 | Categories: Restaurants | Tags: , | Leave A Comment »

Off-Mass: Dino’s Eastside Grille, Lincoln

Have you ever been to Lincoln, Nebraska? We were visiting this weekend for a friend’s wedding (in Omaha), but stayed with my parents in Lincoln. Growing up in Lincoln I was always aware of its charm and happiness, but since I’ve moved away I’m hyperaware of its quickly evolving culture and value. In fact, a 2011 Gallup poll rated Lincoln as one of the happiest cities in the country.

Needless to say, it’s always a pleasure to visit my parents in Lincoln. This past weekend, we headed out from Sunday brunch at a place I hadn’t been to before: Dino’s Eastside Grille. My parents were impressed with the Sunday Brunch Buffet and wanted to treat us before we hit the road back to Lawrence. So we dropped by around 10:30 on this gorgeous Sunday morning.

Open interior with downlights to highlight the tables.

Buffet brunch with Bloody Marys and coffee, to boot.

We enjoyed brunch which consisted of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, biscuits and gravy, french toast, breakfast pizzas, prime rib carving, waffles, and much more. Everything I ate was delicious, and well worth the $13.95 (per person) for the brunch buffet. One thing to note, if you brunch at Dino’s, you’ll be having the buffet; they don’t serve alternative entrees during the 10am-2pm brunch time. It was really an excellent experience, and I’m sure we’ll be dining there again when we visit later in the summer.

Find Dino’s at: 2901 South 84th Street, Lincoln NE 68506. [402.327.0200]

Apr 29, 2013 | Categories: Restaurants | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment »

Kansas Half Marathon

It’s not every day that I wake up to a live broadcast occurring directly outside of my bedroom window, but this morning was a special occasion. Today was the Kansas Half Marathon, and it took place at 9th and New Hampshire (basically, my front yard). I was just stirring from a deep sleep when I heard, Good Morning, Lawrence, and welcome to the Kansas Half Marathon! Funny, I thought as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes… I didn’t know I was at the Kansas Half Marathon. Needless to say, once I realized what was going on I eagerly jumped out of bed and – not unlike a child behaves on Christmas morning – ran to my balcony where I could get a prime view of the event unfolding below. Take a looksie…

Around 7:10am... fresh face of New Hampshire Street.

Bird's eye view from my balcony.

I wish I had known about the Kansas Half Marathon a few weeks back! While I’m not an avid runner by any means, I do enjoy a 5k here and there, and would have loved to partake in this race. The half marathon began at 7:30am, the 5k at 7:45am, and they even had a Kids Fun Run (free for kids 12 and under). The registration fee ranged from $20-$40 for the 5k and $40-$65 for the half (specific price depended on early/late registration), and the proceeds went to Health Care Access Clinic.

Runners milling around before the race.

I spy... the hubs & Herbie.

Although I was a bit bummed to miss this opportunity, I was pretty thrilled to capture/experience the event from up above. I had a few good friends running the race (Rose, Jen, I’m looking at you!) so I was playing I Spy from my bird’s eye view. We watched the runners warm up, line up, and… go! After that, it was pretty quiet for the next few hours. We headed out to breakfast, and got back in time to catch the hoots and hollers surrounding the finish line. What a thrilling way to start our Sunday. Nice job to everyone who participated today!

And... they're off! See anyone you know?

The race began & ended on New Hampshire.

The beginning...

...and the end.

Apr 22, 2013 | Categories: Events | Tags: , , , | Leave A Comment »