I think I'm turning Japanese

Yesterday I mentioned how it was incredibly important to me to protect my perfect hair because I just had it done at the wonderful Gavert Atelier. If you've never been, then you really are missing out on some Pretty Pampering.

The salon has a strong Japanese influence that you can see not only in its interior aesthetic, but in how you're treated like an honored guest from the moment you arrive, when they offer you specialty teas from Mariage Freres (the "haute-couture" of tea), until you leave with beautiful hair and an Omamori, a Japanese amulet and symbol of good fortune.

Recently renovated to make the salon space more open airy, they've also added in a second-level "hairway to heaven" aka, Nagomi Hair Spa. My Partner in Pretty was lucky enough to experience it first hand, and she'll give the rundown herself.

Meanwhile, I was introduced to Color Director Kazumi Morton, the superhero of hair color. A native of Japan, Morton has worked at Gavert Atelier since it opened in 1998 and also specializes in extensions and thermal straightening. By offering dimensional color and natural-looking highlights, Morton offers simply fabulous color.

And while getting a color treatment at other salons can be so time consuming (and boring!) that I tended to think of it as a chore, at Gavert, they really know how keep you happy while you're waiting for your color to process. You're given a massage chair to relax in, and then they park you in front of a oversized flat-screen TV which plays the girl-version of ESPN: edited footage of fashion shows that shows all the new runway looks - something I'd be happy to watch for hours. And as if that's not enough, an expert shiatsu masseuse who know his way around a tired foot comes by and has his way with you. I mean, does it really get any better than this?

Oh, yes it does, because then I meet Style Director Mika Fowler: dry-cutting superstar and all around cool chick.

With cutting, styling, and thermal straightening as her specialties, I really wanted to take Mika home with me so that she can do blow dry my hair every morning. I didn't know my bangs could look that perfect.

Also a native from Japan, Mika and Kazumi frequently travel back and forth so that they can bring back the latest in fashion and style from their uber-hip homeland. But even though everyone at Gavert Atelier is in the know on high style, the one thing that they're all missing is attitude.

I'm so coming here with my mom the next time she comes to LA for a visit!

xx,
Nicole

Gavert Atelier; 9666 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills. (310) 858-7898.