Editors' Picks
The Fashion Arena
By Bethany Emerson
Style Editor
After a few bad haircuts and shopping fouls, I've found a tried-and-true all-star team to help keep my style in the game.
Sandy's Alterations
1244 Sycamore Square,
Midlothian, 378-0926
Kay "Sandy" Grove is always ready with a smile and offers fairly priced alterations, ready within a week.
Hair Productions of Salisbury
2430 Pagehurst Drive, Midlothian, 897-6070
Owner Jodi Medlin is always personable, and though the shop styles about 300 heads a week, I've never had to wait more than a few days to get an appointment.
Elegance Nail Spa
11521 Busy St., 794-5818
Just minutes from my house. I grab a friend or a magazine and enjoy a 45-minute pedicure ($25), or if I'm short on time and money, a color change on my nails ($5 to $8).
Penelope
penelope-jewelry.com
When I'm looking for an eye-catching piece of jewelry, Penelope never disappoints. I frequent the Sycamore Square location, and one Christmas I ordered a monogrammed sterling-silver necklace for one friend and a chunky beaded necklace for another.
Readers' Picks
Best Men's Barbershop
Bubba's Barber Shop
409 N. Ridge Road, 288-4736
Bubba's is the kind of shop where little boys get their first haircuts, and so did their fathers. Harry Lee "Bubba" Hill Jr. died in June 2008, but his widow, Patricia, promised to keep the business running. "It's been kind of hard," she says, "lots of memories." Although Bubba's barbers can finish a haircut in 15 minutes, clients often "get in the chairs and talk to the barbers," says Patricia, who is also a client.
2. Sport Clips, sportclips.com
3. Razors, 1213 E. Cary St., 545-1532
Best Hair Salon
CECO Studio
3451 W. Cary St., 353-9664
CECO (an abbreviation of Christopher and Co., named for owner Christopher Scott Carter) not only offers eco-friendly products, but Carter notes that the stylists also "make sure we're globally aware of our industry." Some clients want an up-to-the-minute style, others come for treatments including hair detox and glossing, and you can even get SPF protection for your hair, a smart move for sun worshippers.
2. Salon Del Sol, salondelsolandspa.com
3. Imago Salon for Hair, 2602 W. Main St., 355-1040
Best Manicures/Pedicures
Atir Natural Nail Care Clinic
7110 Patterson Ave., 282-8100; 11649 W. Broad St., 360-3300
Did you know that a fingernail has a matrix? Travis Brumfield does (it's the nail's root). As manager of Atir's Short Pump location, Brumfield and the other nail pros can keep your tootsies in tip-top shape even if you're a runner, a skier or a stiletto devotee. Plus, Brumfield notes, if you've never visited Atir before, the first manicure is free (restrictions apply).
2. CECO Studio, 3451 W. Cary St., 353-9664
3. (Tie) Maxx Nails & Spa, 3621-B Cox Road, 270-7776; Red Nails, 1601 Willow Lawn Drive, 282-8240, and 1404 N. Parham Road, 750-2870
Best Fitness/Personal Trainer or Program
American Family Fitness
Visit amfamfit.com for locations.
Renee Agius, assistant director of personal training for American Family's Richmond-area locations, trains a dental surgeon who says, "Look, if you need your teeth worked on, you come to me. I need to work out, so I'm going to a professional." Team training, a small-group workout led by a trainer, has become popular, too, as folks try to cut costs, Agius says.
2. (Tie) Evan Settle at Sweat, 1215 E. Cary St., 344-4381; Seal Team Physical Training, 262-1894
3. Stroller Strides, (888) 232-2450
Best Medi-Spa
Ageless Remedies
11527 W. Broad St., 360-8886
A cross between a dermatologist's office and a day spa, Ageless Remedies offers many services: microdermabrasion, Botox and chemical peels, among other fountains of youth. Co-owner Carol Maddock says a quick way to look younger is to try a mild peel, which removes dead skin cells.
2. Sona Medspa, 4198 Cox Road, Suite 109, 967-9500
3. Club West Med Spa, 3738 Winterfield Road, Suite 200, 897-5297
Best Spa
Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas
Short Pump Town Center, 360-1239
Customers have said that Red Door's healing pedicure for dry feet, calluses and other foot problems "basically changed their life," according to Suzanne Mong, general manager. "It's significantly different from any other pedicure we offer." The service involves moisture spray and something called foot mousse, and as with all manicures and pedicures at the spa, warm paraffin, which softens the skin.
2. Nesbit Salon, 2311 W. Main St., 355-8775
3. Salon Del Sol, salondelsolandspa.com
Best Gym/Fitness Facility
American Family Fitness
Visit amfamfit.com for locations.
American Family's 24-hour policy (except Friday and Saturday nights) sets this Richmond-based chain apart. Assistant director of personal training Renee Agius helped start, training for pre- and post-natal moms, and she says the Be a Loser program, patterned after NBC's The Biggest Loser, is very popular.
2. YMCA, ymcarichmond.org
3. Gold's Gym, goldsgym.com
