- Audrey HepburnLike Audrey, I take my cuticles very seriously. Even if I am broke as a joke, my manicure and pedicure are the last thing to go. You’ll never catch me without neatly lacquered nails. Fact.

If you’re like me, you probably have a go-to manicurist in your neighborhood. For me (and Linds and Mer…), it’s Lily’s Nails on the top floor of the two story strip mall at Monroe and Piedmont. You don’t need an appointment (which is key for last-minute girls like myself) and my fabulous $10 manicure lasts at LEAST a week. Plus, Lily, the owner, is adorable and will occasionally serenade the entire salon with Top 40 songs as she bustles around the place. Fab. If that is convenient for you, I suggest you try them.

Lily’s Nail & Spa
1529 Piedmont Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30324
(404) 249-8080

BUT: We have all been stuck outside of our ‘hood in desperate need of a mani. Never fear. I enlisted a glossy little group of girlfriends (Linds, La, EZ, Stephanie, Stefani, Christine, Cari, Meredith and Stacey) to help make a handy-dandy list of our favorite places around town!

However, if we have somehow missed your favorite place, PLEASE kindly leave the address and phone number in a comment.

Buckhead:

Both Stephanie and Stefani recommended Sugarcoat (www.sugarcoatbeauty.com)
And when I lived in the Eclipse, this was my go-to as well. It’s the cutest salon ever. It’s pink and girly and PRISTINE. It’s also the best place to get an adorable gift, they offer fabulous products (Haviana flops, Hanky Panky, Lollia, etc.) and Sugarcoat is owned and operated by the cutest duet of ladies (well, besides L+L, of course), Christie and Colette, who are PERFECT to consult with on gift options or polish colors! C+C – I miss you!
Note: You DO need an appointment, though, they book up quickly.

Sugarcoat
256 Pharr Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 814-2121

Stefani also recommends Eminence (on the top floor of the two story strip mall in Buckhead Loop) She says the massage chairs are to die fah!

Eminence Nail & Spa
3495 Buckhead Loop NE Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 846-1555

EZ is faithful to Nail and Toe. (They do a great job and offer a fabulous shoulder massage with every manicure…)

Buckhead Nail and Toe Spa
3210 Roswell Rd NW # B Atlanta, GA 30305-1822
(404) 869-8999

Christine goes to Glamour Nail (in “The Peach” shopping center)

Glamour Nail
2900 Peachtree Road NW Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 239-0717

Midtown/Highlands:

If you can’t make it to Lily’s, Christine recommends Highland Nail (off Amsterdam)

Highland Nail
1190 N Highland Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 249-6245

Sandy Springs:

You can find La at her weekly Friday 3:15 appointment at Hammond Nails (off Roswell Road)

Hammond Nails & Spa
4279 Roswell Rd Atlanta, GA 30342
(404) 250-9698

Recently, she has been getting “Gel Nails” which is a new process by OPI. For $25, they will paint your own nails with a similar solution as acrylic nails. The benefit? It lasts 2 weeks without ANY chipping and does not harm your nails. Note: you must have them “soaked” off a la acrylics as well. As far as I know, Hammond Nails is one of the only places in town offering this service.

Cari loves Nail Talk and Tan (in the Target Shopping Center by Perimeter mall.)

Nail Talk Tan & Spa
90 Perimeter Center Pl NE Atlanta, GA 30346
(678) 320-0400

Stacey either goes to Hammond Nails or Fancy Nails (She said Fancy Nails is cheap + good but not actually Fancy.  Which is funny because conversely, Stacey herself is fancy + good, but not cheap.  Interesting?)

Fancy Nails
6125 Roswell Rd NE # 10A, Atlanta
(404) 257-1205

Please stay tuned for a post regarding polish color. For now, I’ll leave you with a quote from the American cinematic masterpiece, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003):

“Never underestimate a girl with a French manicure and Harvard Law degree.”

(Listen, I don’t have one of those things, but don’t you underestimate me, either.)

xx, L

PS. Thanks, ladies!

I don’t know if the letters just sound good together, or if it’s because my last name is hard to pronounce or what – but whether friends or family members, college professors, friends’ parents, or boyfriends, I have always answered mostly to my initials.

Perhaps THIS explains my affinity for acronyms, initials, and abbreviations. Despite my love for the written word, my desire to be a much better writer than I am, and the fact that I personally administer a grammar and punctuation assessment to at least 3 people every day, I adore acronyms, initials, and abbreviations. I realize it makes me sound like a ‘tween, but I use them constantly. In fact, when this Cingular commercial came out, I got about a zillion phone calls from various people letting me know it made them think of me.

I knew Linds and I would be besties forever when I discovered that she loves acronyms, initials, and abbreviations too.

In the event that you need to translate our conversation, I have compiled a handy-dandy little list that is probably missing quite a few things, but should get you well on your way to being able to decipher what the heck we are saying.

Terms we love:

PLU – People Like Us (I hesitate to spell this out. Because when you know, you know. You know?)
IDK - I don’t know (“idk, idk, I can’t decide…”)
IMY – I miss you
ILY - I love you
NBD - No big deal (or inbd which means it’s no big deal)
NP - No problem
B (fill in the blank) E - Best (whatever) Ever. (ie BPE = Best Party Ever. BGE = Best Girl Ever. BSE = Best Sandwich Ever. etc.)
DIY – Do it yourself (used as little as possible.)
Wigo - What Is Going On (this is a question. Like, “How are you? Wigo?” Thanks, Mer.)
Bestie – Best Friend (Note: this applies to a far larger group of people than could fall under the classic term “best friend.”)
Tots or Total - Totally (obvy.)

While I’m at it, here are some places I like to go:

If I say I’m going to Nordys - you can find me at Nordstrom
If I say I’m going to B-Reps – you can find me at Banana Republic
If I say I’m going to The ‘Mo – you can find me at Club Monaco

If I say I’m going to YoYo – you can find me at Yoforia (you can thank my seestah for that one.)
If I say I’m going to LuLu – you can find me at Lululemon
If I say I’m going to BCBG – you can find me at BCBG (Wait, that’s convenient…)

However, all abbreviations are NOT created equal. Please try to refrain from the following. We hate them.

LOL or, heaven forbid, ROTFL (this may be hard for some who are in the lol habit. As an email I received yesterday noted, “lol has gone from meaning “laugh out loud” to “I have nothing else to say.”)
u for “you”
c for “see” (these are just lazy. Come on.)
“8″ for anything. Gr8. L8er. Not okay.
(I once dated a full-grown man who sent me a text that read, “c u l8er.” The. End.)
TTYL
“K” for Ok or Okay. (This is kind of aggressive, no? FYI – if I simply type “K” I am at least marginally irritated.)

I hope this was helpful. Please cross your fingers that none of my correspondence to clients today involves any of the aforementioned, ok?

xx, L

However, I have been gleefully waking at 5:00AM daily to go roll around in Piedmont Park and LOVING IT. Yes, friends. I am officially a member of the converted: Boot Camp.

Atlanta is a BIG Boot Camp city. I’ve heard this comment from several Atlanta newcomers and I think that is a fair assessment. I’d venture to say there are more people in the park at 5:45AM than 5:45PM.

Now, there are many camps that meet in the park, but I’m here to tell you about mine. I do Operation Boot Camp – and there are several different OBC camps that meet at the same time, all named for the location in which they meet in the park. I’m a “Charles Allen” person and probably always will be. (Although, my friend Raph is an instructor at the “Grady” camp and sometimes I consider switching as they run by singing songs. In the March camp, I swear to you I heard him leading the pack in his own version of Amy Winehouse: “They tried to make me go to Boot Camp, I said no, no, no…” Hilarious.)

Mer and the Twinks got hooked on CA because of their cult following of the leader, Joy, who is a.m.a.z.i.n.g. I can’t describe it. She’s so motivating and wonderful. (Note: I was devastated to learn that Joy was taking this month off, but Kevin, who is usually the co-leader, has stepped in for her and been absolutely phenomenal as well. I honestly don’t know who I like better. He’s a riot. He’ll bark an order and then giggle. It’s adorable.) All the instructors are fabulous, actually. They are all of slightly various ages/levels of fitness as well. Today, I just learned one of my favorites is also a personal chef! Check it out: http://www.fightsfeast.com/

Here’s the Q+DD on Operation Boot Camp:

• It’s a 4-week program, 5 days a week (every other Wednesday and Saturday and Sunday you have off, but you must do “homework” workouts on your own)
• We meet at 5:45 and work out till 6:45 (unless you stay for “Encouragement.” Note: To me,”Encouragement” reads “Punishment.” Really, it’s just an extra 5 minutes at the end of the workout if you were bad.
• There are a variety of different workouts that are used, but they definitely get harder as the weeks go on. My favorites are Centipede, 20/20/20, Guts and Guns and Scavenger Hunt. Use your imagination. As far as I can tell, there are two types of workouts: field workouts (which feel like old school gym class) and running around the park workouts. I have no preference, they’re both awesome.
• The workouts are dove-tailed with a nutritional plan. You write down your food intake in a book they give you and one of the instructors checks it every morning and makes helpful little suggestions! They will also send you daily motivational emails and recipe ideas.
• You aren’t supposed to drink any alcohol. This is my third boot camp, and the first time I have actually gone 4 weeks with out consuming a single unit of alcohol and I’m telling you, it makes a huge difference. But if 0 units sounds absolutely unbearable (and I can understand that!) I’m also telling you there have been plenty of mornings in the past where I have been out there sweating vodka and survived. It’s just more comfortable the other way.
• There are a LOT of OBC times and locations. It’s a nationwide company with a LOT of scheduling options. There are new camps starting almost every week! See their website for more details.
• If you’re not a “runner,” no sweat. (Pun intended.) While there are plenty of people training for various events: 10Ks, triathlons, marathons, etc, there are also people at all levels of fitness and at the end of 1 boot camp you WILL be able to run a 5K with ease. Fact.
• Yes, we still work out in the rain, and yes, you will work out in the mud. Yes, I have found grass in my ear at 3PM.

Try OBC for FREE:
There are 2 options. You can go to a FREE workout each and every Saturday in Piedmont Park. They meet at 8:15AM right by the Willy’s/Quattro entrance off Piedmont. OR, you can go to “Bring a Friend” day which is typically the 3rd Thursday of each camp. This one is trickier, you need to have a friend in the camp so that they can alert you of this.

You guys, I LOVE it. I mean, I really do. I feel amazing, I can tell I am improving athletically, and I know I am working harder because the group mentality is very encouraging. I am getting used to the early mornings (although, I’ll tell you, I have been going to sleep in the PM which is different for me. Oh, and my new favorite question is, “What time do you go to bed?” That’s a little weird.) but honestly, I feel more balanced and centered in general.

I recommend OBC 200%. Despite the havoc it’s wreaking on my manicure.

Hooah!

xx, L

www.operationbootcamp.com