The Ann Arbor Haircut Solution

I find getting a cheap haircut in the Bay Area is super simple. Go to Supercuts or some local barbershop and you're good to go. However, it's not that simple in Ann Arbor. No Supercuts within 40 miles... and everything is a 'salon' (aka 30 to 40 bucks for a cut). I'm usually used to like $15.

I asked Brian, a co-worker of mine, where he gets his haircut. He said, go to the Douglas J. Institute. It's the school for the Douglas J. Aveda Salon. So basically, someone who's training to work in a major salon will be cutting your hair. My stylist, Missy, started to train in January. So she's almost ready to graduate after being in school for 1 year.

It's the best $15 haircut I've ever gotten. It was all scissor cut, so no shavers. That makes for a more precise cut.

So this was my experience:

• Made an appointment for 9pm (they do haircuts until 10pm)
• Walked in and was asked if I wanted water, tea, etc.
• I sit in anticipation, not knowing what to expect.
• Missy comes and gets me and says she's be cutting my hair today.
• She introduces me to her instructor, who'll be occasionally looking to she what kind of job she's doing. She'll also chime in with advice or take over if Missy needs help.
• She asked me how I wanted my hair cut. I said 'finger length,' which is the perfect length for my wavy hair. She gets a couple of more specifics and her instructor approves it.
• She starts talking to me and we make chit chat. She's from Michigan, but a town 45 minutes north of Ann Arbor.
• She gives me a scalp massage with 'Energizing Oil,' one of about 6 I could choose from.
• She then shampoos and conditions my hair.
• She then starts the cut -- all scissors. It takes a while, but it's very precise.
• The cut was finished after about 25 minutes. I approve the cut and the instructor approves the cut too.
• I get my hair rinsed, so I get all the stray hairs away.
• I then ask what type of product I want in my hair. I choose an Aveda matte finish paste. It smells wonderful.
• My hair is styled and I walk downstairs to pay. I actually decided to get the paste too, because it smelled and looked good.
• The haircut was $15 and the product was about $20. So with all of the fancy shmancy salon styling and some product, I walk away paying less than a typical A2 Salon Haircut.
• Overall, I'm impressed! Such a great idea.
  
• Conclusion: Go if you have the time and want a luxury experience on the cheap. The whole process was about an hour... so that was the only downside. I wasn't doing anything anyways, so it was a great way to spend a tuesday night. :)
  

Ann Arbor: Work , Live and Play

Where I Work

I currently work at Google's Ann Arbor, Michigan office. I've been here for about 3 weeks. I'm normally headquartered in Mountain View, CA, but I've taken on an assignment here to help with the growing office. I'll be here until the end of December. So if you're in town, swing by and say 'Hi'! I've already seen 5 or so people from Mountain View swing by. It seems to be a popular stop. ;)

I'm not missing too much that the headquarters offers (other than the AMAZING people). I do miss being at the *hub* of it all, but It's also great to be at a regional office. On occasion I think about eating lunch at 5ive or Pure Ingredients Cafe, but the catering there have here is top notch (and healthy!).

Ann Arbor has its own flavor. It's young, vibrant, and refreshing. The people are very friendly, down to earth, and approachable. If they haven't met you before, they'll introduce themselves right away. The receptionist, Kim, knows everyone by name. The weather has been okay so far, but talk to me in a few weeks when it gets cold. The leaves are just changing colors and It's very beautiful. The rumors are true. Most people are married or in a long term relationship. But that doesn't mean they don't like to play. They have so many clubs, events, and groups at the office. There is something to participate in virtually every night of the week, if you want.

I arrived with 2 other Mountain View expats, Brittany and John. Brittany specializes in Quality Control (as do I) and John is a master optimizer for client's advertising accounts. Both have a wealth of experience.

Me, Brittany & John

Where I Live

I live in the more suburban part of southern Ann Arbor. The great thing is that there are plenty of places to shop, eat, and relax. All of my favorites are nearby --- Whole Foods, Target, Panera Bread... just to name a few. I also live right next to the local mall, Briarwood. The mall isn't that great, but if you want the basics, it's cool. You have to venture off to Troy for more upscale stores at Somerset Collection. If you want something more upbeat, Downtown in only a short 8-10 minute drive. My office is located Downtown. So I can walk to loads of shops, bars, and restaurants. That's a nice change of pace.

I live with a fellow Googler, Kevin. He's from Google's Dublin office. He's originally from Cork, so don't call him a Dubliner. Haha. It's great to live someone from another country. You get to learn things from a different perspective, but at the same time, see how we're very similar. Our weekly thing is watching Depserate Housewives together on Sunday nights. I found another trashy TV lover! Yay! He's a very funny guy. He reminds me of my Mountain View Cubemate, Ziv.

Kevin & Will

Where I Play

It's been really nice living in the Midwest. Ann Arbor is a very liberal college town, so it's a nice place to live. I go out to bars, restaurants, parks and shops all the time. I even ventured out to a gay film festival put on by the Triangle Foundation & Reel Pride Michigan last week in Royal Oak, a swanky suburb north of Detroit. I went a few A2 gayglers and saw a movie called, 'The Bubble,' A modern take on Romeo and Juliet, but with two men in the Middle East.

Some of the Bars, Restaurants, Clubs, Attractions, etc. I've been to:

• Bar Louie (Ann Arbor Bar)
  
• Zanzibar (Ann Arbor Restaurant)
  
• Arbor Brewing Company (Ann Arbor Bar)
  
• Monterrey Cantina (Royal Oak Mexican Restaurant)
• Pronto! (Royal Oak Gay Bar/Restaurant)
• Necto - Friday Night 'Pride' (Ann Arbor Gay Club Night)
• Royal Oak Main Art Theatre (Royal Oak)
• University of Michigan, Football Stadium (Ann Arbor)
• Cosi (Ann Arbor Sandwiches)
• Borders #1 (Ann Arbor Bookstore)
• The Chop House (Ann Arbor Steak House)
• Leopold Bros. Brewery (Ann Arbor Bar)
• Aut Bar (Ann Arbor Gay Bar / Brunch Place)
• Kerrytown Shops (Ann Arbor Shopping)
• Menjos (Detroit Gay Club)
• Somerset Collection (Troy Shopping)
• La Dolce Vita (Ann Arbor Dessert/Wine/Cigar Place)
• Stucchi's (Ann Arbor Fro Yo / Ice Cream)
• Briarwood Mall (Ann Arbor Shopping)
• Whole Foods (Grocery Store Staple)
• Potbelly's (Ann Arbor Sandwiches)
• BD's Mongolian BBQ (Ann Arbor Restaurant)
  

I have a load of other places to check out. Woot!

My Ann Arbor Apartment: Briar Cove Terraces

Here is slideshow gallery of my apartment. It's close to Briarwood Mall, Target, Golds Gym, Meijer, and loads of chain restaurants. Yay for suburbia!

View Album

Get your own

I want these shoes.

I saw these at the Lacoste shop at Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego. They just placed them on the rack. I didn't want to plunk down the cash for them at them time. But the more I think about them, the more I want them.

It's the Lacoste Swerve Edge Mix shoes. Yummy!

Cost ~ $135

Chilly Sunday in A2: Brunch & A Movie

I must admit I'm kinda jealous that I'm not in Kauai, Hawaii with my family right now. They left on Friday and will be staying for about 10 days. I haven't been on the annual family Hawaii trip in 2 years... I'm starting to feel left out. *Le Sigh*

On the bright side, I am having an AMAZING time in Ann Arbor. Today was rather chill, but I did still do stuff.

I went out to brunch at Aut Bar (on Yelp!) with Mo and Megan, the local gay bar in the Kerrytown District of Ann Arbor that also has pretty good food. The waiter was cool. Kept us entertained with commentary every so often. Lol.

After that, we strolled the shops and Farmers Market in Kerrytown. We then strolled the streets to end up at Megan's new house that she recently bought. It's super cute with very unique architecture. Buying houses... in your 20's... pretty much not doable in Cali. *Sigh* It's the benefit of living in Michigan.

We then caught a flick at the Showcase Theatres in Ypsilanti. We ended up seeing Elizabeth: The Golden Age. I liked the film. There were some parts that will definitely stick in your memory. There were some very graphic scenes.

I then was able to work out for a bit at Gold's Gym and grab some dinner at Boston Market (my substitute for El Pollo Loco).

Midwest Obersvation #1: Marriage in your early 20's

Observation #1: People Like To Get Married

After living in the Midwest for a couple of weeks, I'm starting to notice some trends. Most of which, makes me feel like a fish out of water. Throwing an out gay guy in the Midwest is kinda daunting, but I'm doing well.

One thing I'm noticing is people are married in their early 20's. It's kind of shocking. I know 2 people married from high school. Two. I think there are like two people that aren't married or in serious long term relationships at the Google Ann Arbor office. So you often hear stuff like, 'I'm going to paint my house this weekend with my husband.' Rather than say, 'I'm going with my clubbing with my girlies.'

Even when you go out, you see people with their kids in their early 20's. I feel like as if this is because people either met their significant other in high school or in early college. Stayed together for 4 or so years and decided to get hitched.

I think people in California refuse to get married before 30. Even if you're in a long term relationship, I see people break up because they're commitment-phobic and would rather be single than married.

I don't see myself getting 'married' before 30. Possibly a long(er) term relationship.

Midwest Clubbing with 'My Team'

I've been living in the Midwest for a little less than 2 weeks now. It's been pretty nice. To some extent, I feel like I'm on vacation. I guess this is what happens when I'm in a new environment. I can roam, get lost, do new things, meet new people... all on my own pace.

There aren't too many guys at the Ann Arbor (A2) office that are out. I think that's the benefit of living in the Bay Area. So I'm gonna have to go experience whatever is gay in A2 either by myself or bring some of my girlies on occasion (some have already offered to go). I don't mind clubbing or bar hopping with the straighties every so often, but I do find it pretty boring.

I don't mind going out by myself. But it is weird going out and not running into anybody you know. Like I can go out in LA or SF and run into people every single time. Even if I don't run into people, I feel more comfortable introducing myself to people or I get introduced to others from my current set of friends. I guess it's just a matter of building those relationships and friendships up in the Midwest.

I also think I'm not very proactive when I'm by myself as far as introducing myself to people. When I'm with others, I have no problem. When I'm solo, it's not so easy. Maybe it's because I don't have a second opinion. It's a bit weird and something I need to work on.

So with that being said... I dived into the Ann Arbor gay scene last night. It was surprisingly fun. Where did I go? The only gay clubbing night in the city is held on 'Pride Friday's' at the city's hottest club, Necto. It's typically a straight club, but it goes gay on one night of the week. The layout of the club is pretty nice. It's like basically 3 stories. Top Level is High Energy dance music. The middle level is an outdoor area to hang out and chill. The bottom level, called the 'Red Room,' is more like a bar and the music varies. It can go from hip hop, to the latest tracks you haven't heard, to those tracks from the 80's and 90's you hate to admit you love.

Some things of note:

• Midwest gays really like to smoke, not that the west coast kind doesn't. But it's pretty gross going into clubs in which you can smoke. I also think it's because 18 to 21 year old kids like to rebel and think smoking is still cool.
  
• Ann Arbor guys are surprisingly attractive. It's partly because it's a college crowd, but I was impressed. Definitely not LA cute, but better than average.
• The club was sort of ethnically diverse. Mainly white and black folks. There were sprinkles of Asian and Latino guys. There was one slightly older Asian guy who I thought was hot, wearing a red hat, a shirt from Ruhel, and a blue American Apparel track jacket. It's too bad I never introduced myself to say Hi (just as an experiment in proactiveness). Before the night was over he made out with some fugly white dude and probably went home with him. There were also some cute black and white guys.
  
• It's nice living close to a club. 10 minute street drive home. SCORE.
• Straight girls in the Midwest love gay boys, just as much as everywhere else I've lived.
• Pride Fridays are known to be the best night at the club.
  

Necto on Yelp!
Public Photos of Necto on Flickr

Top Chef: Miami Finale

I know this entry is super late, but I'm very happy to see Hung with Season 3 of Top Chef on Bravo.

I was rooting for him throughout the season, even though people thought he was a major a**hole. He's a cocky son-of-a-b*tch, but at the same time, he's very passionate about his food.

I personally wouldn't eat a lot of his stuff (he's into fish and duck), but I do respect him as a chef. I would probably eat more of Dale's stuff. So I'm glad he was in the top 3

The reunion show is tomorrow at 10pm on Bravo. See what's cookin'. :)


Hung Wins Top Chef

All is Well in A2

So I arrived in the state of Michigan on Monday afternoon. I made a pit stop in Salt Lake City, Utah, before I got into Michigan. That town looks lovely, too. I finally got to see what that lake actually looks like. Some of it looks like swamp land.

I picked up my rental car. They hooked me up with a 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. It's a fucking boat, but it's classy inside and drives well. My apartment is pretty swanky too. We even have weekly maid service, but I kinda find it annoying cause things get placed in awkward areas.

My roommate, Kevin, is from our Dublin, Ireland office. It's like getting to go on a free European Vacation, but without having to deal with the flight. We've bonded over trashy American and UK television. He's originally from Cork, so his accent is a bit thicker than a typical Irish one.

I also think I like working in a small(er) regional office. Although, it's hard to tell after only a week. It's like the difference between going to a small liberal arts school or going to some huge state school. Would you rather be noticed or don't really care because you're just a face in the crowd? It's nice interacting with the managers in this office too. They're all very approachable and down to earth. Also, the director, Grady is a wonderful guy. Very personable, down to earth, and genuinely friendly.

I'm so glad I'm getting to see more of America. I'm trying to remove this 'California is the only place in the universe that is livable' mentality from my head. I mean, I see myself living the vast majority of my life in California, but I also want to experience every place I can.

Part of me is still shocked I decided to leave for Ann Arbor, Michigan. But I know I made the right choice. I feel so much less stress. There is no pollution, no traffic, no road rage, and this overwhelming sense of friendliness in the Midwest. It's like if you're not friendly, you'll stand out like a deer in headlights.

But there is some observations from my first week here:

• There are no toilet seat covers anywhere. It's a bit weird.
• People are surprisingly trusting. For example, my first floor apartment back door goes into open grass and the street. But I still feel safe.
• Guys don't make an effort to dress here, probably because it's a college town.
• The town is very liberal. Although the college kids seem to be into Ron Paul.
• It's still okay to smoke in bars and restaurants here. Blah.