Nail Laka

January 26, 2010 - 9:00 AM by Jessica · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, Business, General, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life

Sometimes, you just need a manicure. And yes, I’m talking men and women here, because, men, your nails could also use some TLC. But the thing is, it isn’t always so easy to just go and get a manicure in the land of Israel. You need to know who to go to, to call and make an appointment, to think ahead. You can’t just walk into a nail salon off the street, and get your nails trimmed right there, on the spot. Because there hasn’t always been that kind of salon.

Until now. Yes, I am happy to report that the walk-in nail salon has arrived in Israel. True, it has existed in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and Rehovot for some time now, but now the holy city, Jerusalem, can also boast its own Laka nail salon, an express service nail care kiosk located several malls, including Jerusalem’s Malcha Mall.

The concept is great; execution fine, not perfect. You can walk up to the Laka stand (located across from the Ronen Chen store on the mall’s second floor) at any time, and within ten minutes, sometimes faster, be seated with manicure in process. A manicure express takes 15 minutes, costs NIS 30 and includes cleansing and strengthening the nails, followed by a two-coat nail polishing. A full manicure takes 25 minutes, costs NIS 55 and includes trimming the skin around the nails and the rest of the express manicure care. There’s also a ‘man’ manicure and a girls manicure, for kids up to age 14, for just NIS 25. There are pedicures, French manicures, hand peeling, hand massage and an anti aging treatment.

I went for the full manicure, was cared for by Natalie, a friendly young manicurist who told me my hands needed more care — tell me something I don’t know — and tried to push the salon’s products on me. Once she realized I wasn’t buying, she laid off and we chatted off and on about nothing in particular. And that was it. Within 25 minutes I had Red Red Wine on my fingernails and having already paid my NIS 55 and NIS 6 tip before being polished, was off to stroll around the mall.

I would comment that the kiosk is a bit cramped, and they should know to ask for payment before polish, so that the manager doesn’t have to root around in the customers’ wallets. Then again, that was the Israeli touch, having no qualms about handing your bag to a total stranger to have her extract your wallet and money. And while I might have felt crowded in my middle seat, the woman two seats to my left was completely comfortable, with her baby napping comfortably in her stroller inside the kiosk. So there’s room for all kinds of packages.

Enjoy the Laka near you.

Share with others

Tags: Laka, Malcha mall, manicure, pedicure

Foto Friday – Footprints

July 31, 2009 - 11:30 PM by Rachel Neiman · 5 Comments
Filed under: Foto Friday, General, Pop Culture, Travel

Sometimes it’s good to take a moment and see Israel from a different vantage point. In summer if you look down, for instance, you’re very likely to see “balatot” — the ubiquitous light limestone floor tile — plus a variety of fun footwear that takes you from work to the beach and back again.

A trip to the Dead Sea affords another type of shoe, suited to mud baths and salt water.

Which is different to what you’d wear to snap some sidewalk graffiti while walking up and down Rothschild Boulevard at Tel Aviv’s Laila Lavan all-night street fair. (This takeoff on the Peace Now logo says “Shalit Now” in reference to captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit).

And sometimes a girl needs to take a rest from those heels at a sidewalk pub (note the Ackerstein paving blocks so typical of Tel Aviv).

A little culture never hurt.

Though these shoes might — especially the price. (Three thousand-plus shekels!)

Thank goodness, at the end of the day, there’s a place to relax on the edge of the Med.

PR woman Efrat Gurman is a consummate media professional who’s made a career out of positioning things differently. She’s a colleague and friend to photographers and in her few spare moments, snaps pictures of her own, mostly of of things that interest her – or that she makes interesting. For more of her “Footprints” series click here.

Share with others