So, after months of waiting, the day finally arrived when I reached Great Lakes. My first thought after reaching the college was, "it's in the middle of nowhere"! But, then seniors had said we wouldn't really need to go out and everything would be available inside the campus. So, I saw no reason to panic - though I did think something was amiss. It was only after a week went by that I realized, there was no beauty salon around!
"Come on! Beauty salons qualify as basic necessity for girls! How could they not have one!", I thought and decided to ask seniors about the same. But the worst dream came true (as they usually do!) and they said we would have to visit the salons either in Annupuram or Mahabalipuram and Chennai, if possible.
I decided to check out the Annupuram one first, since it was the closest. It was around 5pm when I reached "Helen's Beauty Parlour" but apparently Helen was out of town so it was closed. After some searching around, I found another 'Mahalaxmi Beauty Salon' whose board said the beautician did home visits too! Since this was closed as well, I called her and asked what her timings are. She said it was from 10am to 7pm but she had some work in Chennai. So, she had closed her parlor early. Bad Luck!
Next, I decided to try out the salons in Mahabalipuram. And this time, I went in the afternoon to avoid further disappointments - once bitten, twice shy u see! As I had spotted one or two salons during my visit to MoonRaker's, I reached there and one small 'beetle shop like' shop was open, which apparently was the salon!
It was so small that only one customer could get into the shop at a time, and the others had to wait outside while the loafers from the pan shop leered at them! And I had chosen one of the hottest afternoon to do this! Some luck!
I waited for more than 30 mins for my turn. No, the number of customers was not more, there was only one before me but the beautician was quite chatty and slow in her job! Finally, I went in and asked her to shape my eyebrows - the only risk free thing I could ask her do to (so I thought, turned out otherwise).
The owner's name was Jessy, a native from Punjab. She had been staying in Mahabalipuram since 14 years and the parlor is some 10 years old. When I asked her about the timings, she said there were no fixed timings and she opened the shop as per her will and asked me to 'call' before coming. She asked me if I was from the new batch of 'Great Lakes' and I replied in affirmative. On asking what other services she provided, she replied 'Everything'. The number of customers also varied. Some days she would get more than 25 and on others, not even one!
On asking how she sustained herself, she said it was merely a medium of time pass for her. Their main business was 'renting out vehicles'. And her husband did that.
On probing further I found out that she used 'Lotus Herbal' products and some other local brands which I had never heard of! And used soap water for 'pedicures'. That (and my new half- eyebrow) was enough for me to decide never to go back again and check out some decent parlors in Chennai instead.
And so, the search for a good beauty parlor around Great Lakes continues...!
"Come on! Beauty salons qualify as basic necessity for girls! How could they not have one!", I thought and decided to ask seniors about the same. But the worst dream came true (as they usually do!) and they said we would have to visit the salons either in Annupuram or Mahabalipuram and Chennai, if possible.
I decided to check out the Annupuram one first, since it was the closest. It was around 5pm when I reached "Helen's Beauty Parlour" but apparently Helen was out of town so it was closed. After some searching around, I found another 'Mahalaxmi Beauty Salon' whose board said the beautician did home visits too! Since this was closed as well, I called her and asked what her timings are. She said it was from 10am to 7pm but she had some work in Chennai. So, she had closed her parlor early. Bad Luck!
Next, I decided to try out the salons in Mahabalipuram. And this time, I went in the afternoon to avoid further disappointments - once bitten, twice shy u see! As I had spotted one or two salons during my visit to MoonRaker's, I reached there and one small 'beetle shop like' shop was open, which apparently was the salon!
It was so small that only one customer could get into the shop at a time, and the others had to wait outside while the loafers from the pan shop leered at them! And I had chosen one of the hottest afternoon to do this! Some luck!
I waited for more than 30 mins for my turn. No, the number of customers was not more, there was only one before me but the beautician was quite chatty and slow in her job! Finally, I went in and asked her to shape my eyebrows - the only risk free thing I could ask her do to (so I thought, turned out otherwise).
The owner's name was Jessy, a native from Punjab. She had been staying in Mahabalipuram since 14 years and the parlor is some 10 years old. When I asked her about the timings, she said there were no fixed timings and she opened the shop as per her will and asked me to 'call' before coming. She asked me if I was from the new batch of 'Great Lakes' and I replied in affirmative. On asking what other services she provided, she replied 'Everything'. The number of customers also varied. Some days she would get more than 25 and on others, not even one!
On asking how she sustained herself, she said it was merely a medium of time pass for her. Their main business was 'renting out vehicles'. And her husband did that.
On probing further I found out that she used 'Lotus Herbal' products and some other local brands which I had never heard of! And used soap water for 'pedicures'. That (and my new half- eyebrow) was enough for me to decide never to go back again and check out some decent parlors in Chennai instead.
And so, the search for a good beauty parlor around Great Lakes continues...!
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