Every August I start getting the urge to return to Paris. Mais, alor, the closest I'm getting this year is Les Champs Elysee right here in town. But that's OK. My self-pampering budget stretches a lot farther in the City of Blooms than the City of Light.
I discovered the Aveda day spa and salon right after it opened in 2004. I needed a touch up on my greys and my longstanding salon just wasn't cutting it--so to speak. I think it was the scalp burn from the caustic chemicals a.k.a. hair tints that forced me to find another beauty shop. Donna Disque, half of the mother/daughter ownership team, immediately took me under her wing and assuaged my fears that, yes, there was a salon that could color and cut grey, wavy hair without causing tortuous pain and suffering.
Les Champs is a terrific place to eavesdrop, which I do quite often while I'm waiting for my color to cook. I especially enjoyed the day when five, adorable "tweens" came for their first manicures, pedicures, and makeup instructions--all to celebrate one girl's 12th birthday. Then there was the Saturday when the entire salon staff had spent the morning styling bridesmaids' up-dos and painting their nails for a famous NFL quarterback's mega-wedding. In March, during the week leading up to spring break, the Champs waxing technician earned 5 digits getting the IU Chickie's defuzzed and denuded for the beach. (I didn't even ask how many hundreds of toes were made "flip-flop-ready" during the same six days.)
Mere, Donna et fils, Margarite are on first name basis with everyone and treat every customer like they, too, are the bride of a Superbowl quarterback. Complimentary mini facials and manicures are ways that each client gets a little "value added" from the Disque duo.
Les Champs in Bloomington isn't quite like the Parisian version. But Donna and Margarite (and sometimes grandmere, Mary Anne) make me feel like it is.
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