Waiting at the hairdresser with wi-fi

Earlier I told you about my hair mishaps and how I switched to another salon offering better service – and better stylists as well.

On a whim, I brought my laptop along last week when I went to Calia for colour and a cut. It was a weeknight and I really wanted to write a blog post or two instead of reading gossip mags.

Imagine my surprise when I sat down and saw a wireless router on the floor. Besides that, my colour technician told me I could use it – for free!

I was so excited, I shared the news on Twitter. Doug Walker replied: “@EdenSpodek sounds like a great way to wedge hair clippings into your keyboard...”

He’s naturally blond, but those of us who need some help to maintain our brunette locks, have to spend a lot of time sitting around waiting, waiting and waiting. People were still talking about it three days later.

Peter, the salon owner came to talk to me and tell me about his plans to renovate and create a wi-fi environment for clients while they’re waiting…

I told him about my blog and my twittering about how awesome it was to have wi-fi while having my hair done. He gave me some amazing new shampoo and conditioner for free. I had no idea he understood this space. He’s leaps and bounds ahead of the competition in my humble opinion. Now if only I could convince him to update his website...

If you decide to make an appointment and drop by, tell them I sent you.

Do you know of any local businesses providing wi-fi other than coffee shops? Do tell.

Banana Republic accidentally appealing

Last month I wanted something new to spruce up my wardrobe. Still in the midst of the NutriSystem Challenge, I wasn’t ready to take the plunge and buy a new pair of pants but I wanted a new jacket (or something like it).

While browsing through Banana Republic, a smart and tailored cardigan caught my eye. (I bought a beige one but I could only find a yellow one to show you.) I looked at the price and was in disbelief. The grouping wasn’t on a sale rack yet every one was marked down to $39.99 from $130. I tried it on and loved the way it looked – the comfort of a cotton sweater with the professional look of casual blazer all in one. And, the price was definitely right.

Fast forward to April 20. I was in Montreal and Banana Republic was having a great sale with reductions based on the total purchase price (e.g. spend $200 and get $50 off). I did some damage that I’ll tell you about later. On my way out of the store, I spotted the cardigan. Guess what? It was back up to regular price. Yesterday, I returned to the Yorkdale location and sure enough, it was back up to $130. I suspect the $39.99 price tag was an error. Oh well, their loss my gain. Shh! Please don’t tell them.

UPDATE: I was at Banana Republic yesterday. They have lots of great items on sale at terrific prices and the cardigan is now on sale for $69.00. I’ve only seen it in beige and emerald green.

Weekly Wish – Come sail away with me

Last week I received an invitation from none other than Stuart MacDonald, founder of Expedia.ca, also affectionately known as one of the meshies, to the pre-launch of his latest adventure – a new kind of cruise company – tripharbour.ca/tripharbor.com.

Before last Thursday, I’d never considered taking a cruise. The idea of being stuck on a big ship in the middle of the ocean with a whole bunch of strangers and shuffleboard with Julie and Captain Stubbing at the helm was all way too Love Boatish for me. Besides I’m an outdoorsy kind of person and the thought of not having my feet on the ground wasn’t very appealing. Not to mention having no idea how to choose the right cruise at the right price.

Well after seeing the Tripharbour.ca beta, all that’s changed! I spent the entire presentation wishing I were on a ship at sea in the middle of some exotic body of water. If you’re a cruise newbie like me, Tripharbour.ca makes it easy, every step of the way.

The site itself is friendly and inviting. If price is your major concern, you can just click on the sale! tab to find the latest bargains. By far, the most appealing feature of Tripharbour.ca is the community. And, believe me there are many other appealing features with this online travel company. As the site grows, more people will be sharing their experiences, photos, tips and other important bits on information for cruise lovers and prospective cruise guests like me.

The geek in me loves the filters – or sliders as they were called at the launch – you can use to refine your search. They make playing around with various scenarios to help you choose the right vacation just so easy.

So this week, I’m not hiding it very well. I’m long overdue for a real vacation and I’m wishing for a cruise. Of course if and when I go I’ll be checking out Tripharbour.ca, now available for boarding.

Eye Weekly talks digital dress up

I had the pleasure of meeting Rea McNamara at the March Toronto Fashion Bloggers’ Brunch. Last week she interviewed me about Second Life for a story she covered for Toronto’s Eye Weekly. You can read Digital dress up here.

With Mark Kingdon, former CEO of Organic, appointed as the new head of Linden Lab, Second Life’s creator, I think we’ll be hearing a lot more about this virtual world in the days and months to come. Thanks to Kate Trgovac for the heads-up.