Nackie Karcher and Madeline Jacobs, who are the Owner and Manager of local salon The Karcher (72 Greenpoint Avenue) have been talking about showing their support for women as well as the LGBTQ community for several months. “Since November and the election we’d been thinking about what can we do. We had pre-printed postcards for people to write their representatives sitting up at the desk for a while. We closed the day of the women’s march. And we’ve been thinking about ways we can use the space, for having community engagement. Being a non-straight-identified person myself… what can we do to make people feel accepted?” Madeline says.
Yesterday, the salon announced via its Instagram account that they would be offering Non-Gendered haircuts, stating, “We now offer a Non-Gendered Cut service option when booking on our website. We recognize that not everyone fits the commonly used gender binary service options and we want to make everyone feel welcome in our salon.” It was no coincidence that earlier in the day, President Trump tweeted, “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you.” On its Instagram post, the salon continued, “It’s a small action, but in light of today’s attack, we want to #resist how we can. You are welcome here. #transrightsarehumanrights”.Continue reading →
The idea for local haircutting shave and haircut joint The Land of Barbers was born from the owner, Enrico Mariotti’s desire to return to his Italian roots. Here in the states, Enrico has made Williamsburg his second home. Graham Avenue’s quaint community vibe reminded him of his own roots in a small neighborhood in central Italy. These are the foundations of The Land of Barbers, a hand-built barbershop with international flair that has a special way of making customers feel truly at home.Continue reading →
From the outside, The Karcher is an unassuming, if not extremely charming-looking salon. But inside, past the hair parlor and through the back door the space opens up to a sunny back garden. Owner Nackie Karcher tells me she got married in the garden, and it’s clear why. The space, private and enclosed with climbing vines feels tucked away, a gorgeous little secret. And that’s exactly the vibe of The Karcher salon and spa itself. Continue reading →
Having ginger hair, I’ve always felt a connection to other redheads. It’s like the bond you feel when you discover someone else shares the same slightly obscure hobby to you, except that with hair color you don’t even have to engage in conversation to know that you have something rare in common. This is why beaming at each other in the street is frequent practice among gingers.
During a recent event at the Franklin Street Community Garden I met a fellow ginger who also happened to be a Greenpointer and a world-class hairdresser, so naturally I was somewhat excited. Continue reading →
A few weeks ago the L Magazine ran a featureof the top five places to get your nails done in Brooklyn. Sadly, it overlooked FreckleSalon’s very own Claire Beaudreault, one of Greenpoint’s most exciting emerging nail artists since Ria Lopez of Nail Art by Ria. Claire is the cool girl on the block who will make you tea, paint something amazing like tiny cats on your nails (or in my latest experience, pink ombre) and leave you feeling like you can point at world with very beautiful fingers and know exactly what you want from it. She fits right in at Freckle, which from Greenpointer’s prior coverage you’ll recall is the salon you’d hoped one day would open in our neighborhood. Continue reading →
Ever wonder about that little triangle of land on Nassau in Greenpoint with the “Golden Nugget” RV on it? And who the hell lives in there? You can meet the “caretaker” this Sunday!
Center For Investigative Research, “an ad-hoc collective dedicated to searching out the true facts and deeper meanings behind everyday phenomena in Brooklyn and beyond,” is hosting a salon on Sunday February 17th, 2013 at Diamond (43 Franklin St) from 5-7pm, which aims to answer all your questions.
The invitation reads:
“The tiny triangle of land bordered by Banker Street, Nassau Ave, and North 15th, at the border between Williamsburg and Greenpoint, is an enduring Northside mystery. A sea of old-world chaos in the midst of a plague-like profusion of high-end beer gardens, supermummy sanatoriums, yoga studios, and Apple-product saturated co-working spaces, this tiny space beckons the passerby with a nostalgic, disorganized filth all but absent in today’s Brooklyn. While the “Golden Nugget” sign on what appears to be a food wagon hints as some comestible design, the deeper story has remained tantalizingly elusive—until now.
Come meet the caretaker of this semi-conscious urban installation, and hear about his ambitious plans for a restaurant serving animal-shaped children’s sandwiches, plexiglass-clad indoor ice-rinks, and an Azerbaijani spit-roasted lamb festival. While we cannot tell you his name, you can be sure his raconteuring skills are legend…”
Right next to White Dream, the storefront on Manhattan Ave that gives me the giggles every time, is another awning that simply says Nails. I walked in and knew this was the place where I would do it: the infamous and controversial gel manicure.
A manicure that lasts for two weeks and doesn’t chip? Sound too good to be true? Lots of ladies rave about it. Others are concerned it’s bad for your nails and your health. When I asked my platonic wife Julie to take the plunge with me, here is what she said:
Jules: I totally want, but we (the Jewish mother convention on the Upper West Side) had a long table discussion about it’s many pitfalls and now I’m scared.
Jen: Share!
Jules: They strip your nails and take forever to recover! As in never the same again. The UV light causes cancer! One woman went to the hospital with 2nd degree burns…All together “not worth it” was the consensus.
Jen: That sounds like an overreaction!
Jules: We’re Jewish!
Fair enough. Every girl needs a Jewish mom to worry about their health and nail safety. But they look so glossy and perfect!
After a delicious Cinco De Mayo brunch at Papacitos, with some stand-out huevos rancheros and a spicy Bloody Maria, I headed over to Ria Nailz, with my new friend who is visiting from Japan. Ria is renowned for her amazing nail art, which would cost up to $100 in Japan. Ria is a popular lady and she was booked solid, not surprising on a Saturday, but she was a total sweetheart about it.
Jokingly I put this photo on the Tumblr and said, “dissed by Ria, she’s too busy for Greenpointers.” I was only kidding! Ria didn’t think it was very funny and wrote a perturbed response on her website that said: “I am no tumblr gangster nor do I want to start trouble in any way but greenpoint is MY home I’ve lived here since I was 2yrs old and for a greenpointer to say I dissed them and I have no time for greenpointers is (excuse my language) fucked up … If the person that posted this felt dissed then I apologize but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t rude or a bitch about letting you know I was booked up.”
God I love Ria even more now! She has strong values and doesn’t take shit from anybody. A true Brooklyn badass. Why am I always running my mouth? Luckily, she gave me an appointment for this Saturday and I hope she can forgive me. I would hate to be banished from Ria’s forever!
March 19 – March 24 SPRING PROMOTION @ GRACE DAY SPA in Greenpoint
~ UP TO 80% OFF LASER HAIR REMOVAL TREATMENTS.
Four different packages to choose from:
A) FULL BODY – legs, stomach, brazilian bikini, arms, under arms and face = REG PRICE $5659 – 6 LASER REMOVAL TREATMENTS, ON SALE RIGHT NOW for $1199 (4 packages available),
B) BIGGER AREAS (You may choose one part of your body) – half legs, brazilian bikini, the whole back or arms = REG. PRICE $975 for 6 LASER REMOVAL TREATMENTS, ON SALE RIGHT NOW for $360 (6 packages available),
C) MEDIUM AREAS (You may choose one part of your body) – under arms, bikini lines, neck, stomach, face or chest = REG. PRICE $780 for 6 LASER REMOVAL TREATMENTS, ON SALE RIGHT NOW for $280 (8 packages available)
D) SMALL AREAS (You may choose one part of your body) – upper lips, chin, sideburns = REG.PRICE $199 for 6 LASER REMOVAL TREATMENTS ON SALE NOW for $99 (15 packages available).
If you are interested send an e-mail to promocja4u (at) gmail.com. Let us know which package you are interested in (A< B< C or D), include your full name, email address, phone number so we can contact you ASAP to book a package for you.
This facial could not have come at a better time. My skin and brain were feeling stressed.
A facial seemed like a good idea, but a facial on Nassau Avenue? I don’t have a regular place. Past facials had been vacation indulgences or afterwork in Manhattan. I’d say I have enjoyed about half, some were awkward or rough, some effective and satisfying.
At Freckle Salon, I received one of my best facials from Ania, owner and skin care expert, who started in Poland then worked for many years at a salon in Soho. But Ania and her business feel at home in Greenpoint. At first the name threw me off, maybe because I grew up being called “Punky Brewster,” but Ania explained that freckles are natural, just like the products she uses, a hybrid of organic ingredients plus modern skincare products, like Dermalogica. Plus, she hates all the beauty salon names out there; Freckle stands out and is memorable.
I walked in and said, “this place is nice,” and a friendly customer getting highlights said, “and so are the people!” She was right.
What Freckle doesn’t have that salons in the city do is that weird, “I don’t know what to do with myself because this place is so eerily zen I feel uncomfortable” – vibe. Ania talked to me like a neighbor.” The chatter from the main room was comforting, rather than the “calming” music in most spas that makes me want to run out with half my robe on.
And Ania never left me wondering, what is going on? In Manhattan I always suspect the facialist is working on someone else at the same time because she will leave for minutes that feel like hours. But Ania was always there massaging my shoulders in the downtime.
She started by cleaning then massaging my face with coconut oil that felt and smelled great. At home, she explained, food grade coconut oil is great for massage. The steam on my face was really calming and the perfect temperature. Aside from a scrubby exfoliant she used a neat ultrasonic peeling device to remove dead skin cells. After more massage and hot compresses, it was extraction time! She wasn’t one of the sadists who get OCD on every single pore until you are writhing in pain. She prepped my skin so well that when squeeze time came, it was a piece of cake. Then she used another device, called high frequency (pictured) to kill bacteria. And she let me take a cool picture of it with my fisheye! Last, a soothing mask.
When I left my skin was calm and felt great; not red and blotchy like some of the facials I’d received. I felt totally de-stressed and my complexion was bright.
Try a facial or one of the many other professional skin or haircare services at Freckle and save that swipe on your metrocard. You can get a Soho facial right here in Greenpoint.
