where the girls are

my mom is a retired public school teacher. since she's standing and writing most of the time during work, twice a month, she treats herself to a mani/pedi and depending on her mood she would let the stylist color/curl/cut her hair, too.

i'd be sitting in a corner listening to the "girls" gossip and interact while being intoxicated with the smell of nail polish and hair products. i couldn't understand why my mom loved to go to the beauty parlor. for me a beauty parlor = teachers/senior citizens=BORING. she has this "suki" beauty parlor whose clientele are mostly teachers(both retired and not-retired) not the modern parlors in/beside the mall. i think the name of that parlor was "COEDS" and terok was the name of the gay stylist hehehe

over the years, my mom and i tried the modern parlors inside the mall but she didn't like the environment. she feels they're too transactional, too many ka-ekekan with no warmth at all. i, too, missed the old-parlor-feel.

we're happy we found tita norms. she's the owner of this little beauty parlor at the side of the street. the place's small size does not deter customers from coming in and enjoying the company of other customers while waiting for their turn. tita norms is the ringleader, telling funny stories and introducing customers left and right, building a connection with everyone. there's always laughter, smiles, and a relaxed atmosphere.

twice a month, my mom and i now go to tita norms, greeting other "suki" customers by their first names, having our hands and feet pampered, and generally having bonding moments with the girls.