Armonia Make-Overs!

Armonia Make-Overs!
Monday, February 22, 2008

If you ever need your hair done in Florence,
we know the place to go! Armonia is a large
salon right next to the main square in Florence,

If you ever need your hair done in Florence, we know the place to go! Armonia is a large salon right next to the main square in Florence, Piazza del Signoria:(http://www.armonia-academy.com/home.html) Armonia in Italian, means harmony in English and it is a perfect name for this hair salon and school.

Almost 20 years ago to the day, DaVinci was in Florence for the first time and happened to pass by this salon. There was a poster for the salon in the window that caught his eye, so he stopped in to inquire about it. He is a designer and was interested in getting a copy of this unique poster or knowing more about it.
The owner of the salon told him that not only could he give him a poster, but he could introduce him to the designer who created it, as she worked just around the corner. He was a kind and creative fellow with trademark long flowing hair.  His name was Sal and to someone first visiting Florence, sometimes it seemed
like everyone in the city knew him.

That meeting turned out to be one of the highlights of DaVinci’s trip, as he met the designer, visited her studio, had lunches with Sal and her, and personal tours of nearby Poggi Bonzi where she was born and San Gimignano. Later she visited him (as well as the friend who was with him on the trip) in California. They were all designers so had a lot in common. Connection to people always makes a trip more special and this serendipitous one all started with Sal and the Armonia.

So as we were walking around, DaVinci wondered about Sal and how he was doing, curious if he was even still in Florence. Twenty years ago he had cut DaVinci’s hair in the latest style. It happened that he also  needed his hair cut now, so that made another good excuse to look him up…..but he had forgotten exactly where the salon and school were.

He peeked in and asked for him at a few hairdressers that we passed as we wandered about. Again, everybody seemed to know him. Since Sal has the only hairdressing academy in Florence,  most of the hairdressers learned from him. Florence is a small city and that becomes more obvious when the crowds of the summer tourist season are gone. Now that he found the salon again, DaVinci decided to stop in to say hello and to see if Sal even remembered who he was. It had been a long time and he must meet many people every day in his business.

It was a deja vu moment as he walked in and the sounds, sights and feel of the studio was different, yet somehow very familiar. One look at Sal’s eyes and twenty years melted away as if no time had passed at all. He looked and seemed the same, minus the long hair and he did remember too. It had only been a brief encounter those many years ago, but one remembers kindness and a kindred spirit. It was good to see him again, catch up and chat.

Mozart and I played at a kind of park area nearby during this first meeting, but afterwards we talked about his getting his hair cut. I have gotten real sick of my braids-on-top-of-my-head travel-life hairdo and have been considering cutting it short. We figured this was as good a place as any to get a new look. Mozart did not want to miss out on this as there is nothing a seven year old girl likes better than hairdo’s, but she had just gotten her bangs and hair trimmed in Vienna.

We ended up making an appointment for another night after-hours and it became a whole family affair. I had heard about these stories for many years, so it was nice to meet Sal in person. It was fun that his young teen son happened to be  there and looked just like him. His twenty year old son was also a hair dresser that worked there. It must be in the blood because Sal’s mother and several other relatives were also hairdressers.

Mozart managed to talk her way into  getting her hair done first. Maestro Sal was kind and indulgent with her and gave her just the fancy hairdo that she was asking for. She loved being the center of attention and he even trimmed her bangs meticulously in a unique, trendy geometric style. They seemed to enjoy each other.

Then, DaVinci went next and Sal transformed him from a shaggy guy into a hip, stylish prince. We did feel a little like we were getting the royal treatment because some of his students were there and observing with a certain amount of awe at “the master at work”. As I watched how much attention Sal put into detail, it became obvious to me why these two had connected in the first place.

I went last and was just a little bit nervous, but the moment he started cutting I knew I was in good hands and that this was the right decision. I had really needed to lighten up and get this extra hair off and he gave me a flattering wash-and-wear cut that makes my life much easier.

We actually ended up going back another night because I decided to let him give me some highlights before I left Florence. Mozart and DaVinci decided that I looked like Betty Boop with this new curly dark-haired look, which made us all laugh and laugh, especially when she found some Betty Boop things for sale in Florence. Sal did as fine a job on the color as he did on the cut and it was good to be a blond again.

We ended up spending many hours with Maestro Sal and the sweet people at Armonia Salon. It was a good way to get a greater appreciation of the generous, artistic soul of the Italian people. We will always remember our special “make overs” in Florence, and the soulful eyes and creative flair of Sal Giaquinta.