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SEARCHWhile in Orlando for the premiere Show, I decided to venture outside of my normal routine and get a pedicure. After all, I figured the weather would be warm enough to wear sandals, and if that was going to be the case, my feet needed to look decent.
Executive editor Hannah Lee (left) and I (far right) thoroughly enjoyed our pedicures from Ellen Zimba and Michelle McLeod.
Executive editor Hannah Lee (left) and I (far right) thoroughly enjoyed our pedicures from Ellen Zimba and Michelle McLeod.
If you’ve read any of my previous On The Roads, then you probably know that I usually get a manicure when I’m traveling. However, while in Orlando for the premiere Show, I decided to venture outside of my normal routine and get a pedicure. After all, I figured the weather would be warm enough to wear sandals, and if that was going to be the case, my feet needed to look decent.
We has arrived in hot, humid Orlando only a few days after Hurricane Charley left its destructive mark on the city, and the forecast still called for rain. In fact, right before heading to Salon Salon for our pedicures, we were caught in a torrential downpour. When we arrive at the salon, we looked like a couple of drowned rats. After the soaking experience, I was more than happy to kick up my feet and relax with a cup of hot tea. I was glad to hear that while the city had more than a few uprooted trees, houses with parts of their roofs missing, and signs and billboards destroyed, the salon had survived the hurricane unscathed.
While Michelle McLeod worked only feet, she gave me some background on herself and the salon. Michele has been a nail tech for 20 years and has been working at Salon Salon for 10 of those years. Besides doing nails, she’s also a makeup artist and waxing specialist. The salon has two locations in Orlando and offers everything from nails and hair to waxing, massage, makeup, and skin care services. The location we visited has three full-time nail techs while the newer location in the Metrowest area of the city has two.
While Orlando can definitely be called a tourist town, most of the salon’s clientele is made up of locals. The location we visited, for instance, is near Disney World, so it’s not unusually for Disney employees to head to the salon. Disney employees must follow strict appearance guidelines - only salon offers a wide range of nail services, including acrylics, wraps, and natural nail manicures. Michelle says they cater to a mostly conservative clientele, so you won’t find outrageous nail colors here. I figured that out when I took a look at the various polish racks and spied mostly shades of pink and peach-colored polish.
Besides offering services, Salon Salon has a nice retail area at the front of the salon that sells everything from candles and incense to nail and hair care products. Small, cleverly arranged retail displays are also set up throughout the salon.
So back to my pedicure. What can I say but that I loved every minute of it. Michelle scrubbed, smoothed, and massaged my feet and legs to perfection and she even put on my pedicure slippers before she polished my nails. I felt like a princess sitting in the pedicure throne. After my service, I had no qualms about showing my feet; in fact, I couldn’t wait to slide into my flip-flops and admire my freshly polished toes.
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