I've moved!

No, no, not countries...again. Blogs! My professional blog will now be located at...

nicolettagauci.wordpress.com

it will be updated regularly and filled with goodies...see you there!

Bacini!

Belated recap on Caper 2011

For those of you who were at caper I have one quote... "Baby your a fiiiiiiirework..."

Every Paul Mitchell event I have been to has that one defining song, which forever will remain in your mind and everytime it is played you we be transported back to that amazing energy you experienced the first 20 times you heard it. I can tell you that as I now sit only lord knows how many miles away from my Future Proffesionals at Paul Mitchell the School Sherman Oaks, everytime I hear that song I feel a tiny bit closer and a tiny bit nostalgic...I am pretty sure no Italian would understand why I cry at the sight of Katy Perry...or maybe they do.

Caper for me means more than a retail competition, and this caper was one of my experiences coming full circle. It wasnt but 3 years ago that I attended my first caper, as a student. Back then you had to sell 25 bags which cost $25 each...they came in these nifty mesh neon colored bags (which I still use for lunch). Our theme was "Musicals".... the launch included Learning Leaders dressed as the cast of Rock Horror Picture show...it was epic to say the least. That year caper was only for corporate schools and was taught by our amazing adanced academy team all in one big classroom. Even if only to understand where your career could take you, caper was eye opening. The following week I transferred to day school to speed up my process.

Caper 2008

The following caper I attended was in 2009 niether as a future professional or learning leader, but simply an extra set of hands, in other words I begged and pleaded and paid my own way. To see how much caper had grown in a short 12 months was jaw dropping. A mini signature to say the least with a sea of future professionals from all 100+schools....I started to set my career path towards education after that weekend.

This last year I had the amazing opportunity to work at Paul Mitchell the School Sherman Oaks where I originally got my training. When caper came along I felt like a little girl waiting to decorate for christmas. The theme this year was Soul Train vs American Bandstand...we made each team into a different band from that era and had learning leaders perform....I whipped my hair back and forth during a performance only to lose my weave....needless to say it was a 5 star performance worthy of the American Idol reject reel.

"rollin' down the river"

About two weeks before caper I found out that I would have the amazing opportunity to be a back stage assistant to La Donna Dryer, Jpms' amazing texture specialist...if you are in school and don't know her yet...shes a pretty fantastic mentor and all around awesome person...

La Donna Dryer, Yours Truly, Lucie Doughty

Needless to say I immediately went shopping.

Caper arrived and it was bitter sweet, it was my career coming full circle as well as my last days with my future professionals and my last week in the country. At caper I got to work backstage with people that I consider my family. Assisted on the awapuhi presentation, prepped models for look and learn, said my hellos and goodbyes...laughed, met new friends, and definently contemplated investing in better shoes. Our look and learn day came around and I found out....drum role please....I would get to be on stage assisting the amazing La Donna Dryer...

Backstage prepping a lovely model for the Awapuhi Presentation

On stage with La Donna during Look and Learn rehersal

Three years ago, I had watched the advanced academy team on stage styling and cutting and coloring, inspiring a small sea of future professionals for my first caper....and now I would have the chance to stand infront of an ever-growing sea of the next generation of amazing hairstylists and help in doing the same. At one point during one of our three rotations of classes Robert Cromeans asked a question that came from the audience...

"What is the most amazing part about being able to work with the show team?"

At the time I couldn't answer...not out of fear or being shy...but out of not even being able to narrow it down to something not blatantly obvious...the experience? the knowledge?...naturally all of those things. Later, on my flight to europe, I realized what it was that makes working on the show team, working with the artistic teams that is so amazing.....it is the relationships you build. Knowing that some of these people I wont see until the next photoshoot...or maybe even until Gathering, or even in a year at the next Caper....knowing that it may take a few times until we all 100% remember eachothers names but that we are there for eachother as a unit, as well as on Facebook.

Elizabeth, Scott Cole, Yours Truly

That is what transforms this career within this company from a job into a lifestyle, seeing these people year after year its like seeing your awesome uncle....or favorite silly cousin...you know how they take their coffee or how many limes they like in their gin and tonic....you know the silly slippers they wear backstage before putting on their heals....you have inside jokes and they ask you about your mom; You share the same exhaustion and early call times, but it is all worth it because you absolutely love what you do with all your heart. Like I have always said , if you love your job, then it isn't work.

I can't wait to see my Paul Mitchell family again, and add more members while I am here in Italy. Paul Mitchell is more than a company of amazing beauty products with amazingly talented people, it is a culture....are you a citizen of Paul Mitchell? Because at Caper I'm pretty sure there were about 3,000 of them.

With two amazing learning leaders from Paul Mitchell the School Sherman Oaks

Jamie Anderbery and Greg Dunham

With two of my visionary Future Professionals from Paul Mitchell the School Sherman Oaks

Heather and Paul

Bacioni, (Kisses)

Nicoletta

advice...me?

I can honestly say I love to seem like I always know what I am doing.

Now that you've processed that...realize that THAT is the method behind my madness. Smiling and nodding will get you alot further in this world than you realize. So will going home and informing yourself about every single thing you hear in passing that you have no idea about.

Recently, people have been asking me for advice, career advice...not love, clearly...though if someone would like to trade tips and tricks, I'm game. Thing is sometimes I feel like when I look at my career I am looking from the outside in, because I always just did what felt right and didn't do what felt wrong, call it an inner compass dialed for happiness...in this case dialed slightly north and quite east.

But I think I managed, for the most part, to get it down on paper...lets see...

...set a path and be ready for it to detour...get stuck in the mud...and sometimes hydroplane. just enjoy the ride, and try everything, working all the time is alot better when you love what your doing....and I dont just mean hair...I mean the niche in hair you love...and share your dream with everyone because you never know who is listening and who can do something about it....find out the people who are doing what you want to do and become their friend, let them become your mentor...you aren't supposed to be as awesome as them yet and if you are study their habits that made them more effective than you, dont snake their job or steal their contacts there is enough work out there for all of us that we don't have to "want someones job" but we can create our own...be a person to admire and even if your not ready fake it....but most importantly...just work smart, play hard, be nice and be yourself, it makes it all much easier...let the universe show you how amazing it can be, be forward focused but be realisic, be a visionary who has a vision for their future and the openness to allow it to transform beyond what they thought was possible...

and lastly smile and laugh when you make the "wrong decision" because you just layed another brick on the road to your amazing future

Ciao

Nicoletta

p.s. In no way is my path done, I have big goals and dreams, but I couldn't be happier about what I have accomplished in two years at the age of 23, I don't claim to be all knowing, I just know what worked for me, edit as necessary.

disclaimer:: this is not to say I never broke down from being, well, broke, frustrated, angry, consufed, sad, did I mention broke?, sick, lacking health insurance, lonely, worn out, and/or hysterical...but these break throughs are part of that amazing process and can't be ignored.

Welcome...Wilkomen...Benvenuti, and such.

As you pan into my room you'd see me here drinking my chai, eating my multigrain bread with nutella and listening to Mumford and Sons preset station, you would think not much has changed. Then you pan camera left and you see a door leading into a hallway...wait does she live in something bigger than a tiny studio....you see 4 double closet doors approximately 14 feet tall...confused you pan right and see large windows....you zoom in and see a lego stack of pastel colored buildings and light blue grey sky...you also see an odd dividing line in that sky that becomes a darker blue...wait, I recall seeing that before...oh ya, its the ocean, but this time, the mediterranean.

The lack of updates is by no mistake...I figure why start with an intro and just get right into this post...To say the last few months have been a whirlwind would be an understatement, posting was simply not something I wanted to add to the mountanouse to do list, non the less expose you all to the clusterfudge that was my mind.

But now I am here, all the wiser and all the more european. The road to get here, the triumphs and "discoveries", the fevers and fights, the crying and the laughing were all worth it. Though I have already began my personal journey, I begin my proffesional one March first, and couldn't be more excited.

Some of you who avidly follow my constant updates of facebook (joyously may I add) are completely in line with the program...others feel as if I skipped a crucial pivitol chapter in this story. To catch you up and avoid posting a link to my facebook note, I will post my lovely alumni profile from the Paul Mitchell the School Newsletter.

::switching gears::

Now we all know that being an italian-american doesn't necesarily make you any more italian then the cast of the Jersey Shore, and luckily they lack the charecteristics of true italians, except maybe the loud think. I felt as if I had a pretty good advantage, many things that were done in my household growing up, even down to the way of thinking....were never "American". I thought...I have family there, I speak the language and I've been to europe many times and even backpacked on a budget, I got this move down.

But you can always count on the underestimation of an international move to shake your core beliefs of who you are and what matters.

The culture shock was inevitable and for now still seems mysteriously appealing, though when you speak to other italians they long to "catch up" with america...thing is I think they have it right here. Take today for example, in past trips I remember nothing being open on Sundays, nothing, this coercing you to stay home with family, or enjoy nature, or sleep (or I suppose to your catholic duty, or something). Other than the church bells, the cities develope an odd hush which is joined by the wafting smell of various foods and the slap of a carpet being cleaned off the side of a balcony; the same balcony where friends who have survived 6 decades of friendship, a new millenium, wars, the invention of internet, 3 popes and the Jersey Shore great each other from across a stone lined walk way/street/parking lot. Today I am given until 1pm to grab groceries from my local tiny super market called "Margherita" a chain branch of a larger super market known as "Conad"...this too being a "newer" developement here.

The next year (and maybe more?) of blogging, my life line to america, will be filled with the cultural awakenings, life lessons learned, and experiences had, like having a housekey the size of your hand and an elevator the size of a phone booth. I invite you all to take this journey with me. Send in your questions, comments and/or reservations for my sofa bed.

p.s. to my future professionals from Paul Mitchell the School Sherman Oaks who asked if they could have a place to send in questions and they could be answered in written from, pictures and possibly a vlog....this would be it...miss you guys!

NicolettaLaBionda@gmail.com

Ciao,

Nicoletta

click here to go to the newsletter

Comedy of Errors

I like nonsense - it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope…and that enables you to laugh at all of life’s realities.”

—

Dr Seuss

Sometimes, I feel like life is mocking me...like God (or whoever is up there) is Drew Carey on "Who's Line is it anyways?" and I am an underpaid actor forced to laugh through whatever he/she throws at me and play along.

I am usually pretty fantastic at traveling, I know how to pack (by outfit, rolling my clothes of course), my luggage is never over the weight limit, I never have the wrong stuff in my carry on...lets just say I usually go into the "experienced traveller" line in security. I pre choose my seats according to flight times, type of plane and layovers, pre order a special meal (this time it was vegan gluten free), and pre pick a travel chic layered outfit with minimal metal jewelry. But lets face it...even with optimal preparation a little improv is always needed....

...and naturally I always leave a few things for the last minute...just to keep things interesting...

Morning of my flight I realize my apartments key flaw...its Achilles heal if you will....the bathroom (disconnected by a slidingesq door)....lacking insulation is the exact temperature of the outside...this morning being 42 degrees. All morning beautification plans had now been cancelled so I made my last soy chai latte for the next two weeks and remembered Europe's love for OB tampons....ran to Ralph's and filled the top of my suitcase with Super Tampax Pearl Tampons...(this fact will be crucial to the climax of this story)

I head to PMTS (Paul Mitchell the School Sherman Oaks), where I work 3 days a week as night schools Phase Two and Take Home Learning Leader, to pick up my pay check...at 10am...mind you my flight is boarding at 12:20pm at lax...(mhmm)luckily I make to the bank and then to LAX by 10:50 (when in a hurry, get someone of Greek decent to drive you...ps thanks Errol!)

I will not divide the remainder of my story into city's/airports...

Los Angeles, California, LAX, Terminal 2 Air Canada:
Flight delayed by 1 hour, felt up my TSA, Cancer causing full body scan
Really I lack any other commentary on this....as did Air Canada whose response was "it is just running late"...
quelle que soit.
I opt for ten dollar tiny cup of tomato soup in a stale bread bowl at la brea bakery.
That my friends is when it happened....The Jesus Camp escapee asked my if they could take the seat near me.
Sure I said, why not...she looked fairly normal...possibly from the Midwest...pretty sure she was wearing a
scrunchie. We share a few moments of small talk in which she devulges way too much information:
Jesus Camp: Where are you headed?
Yours Truly: technically Toronto, then Heathrow, then Italy...visiting family...you? going home for Thanksgiving?
Jesus Camp: Kind of...actually I have health issues, but its okay whatever is meant will happen.
Yours Truly: ::smiles and nods:: (thinking: you could have just said yes, Thanksgiving)
Jesus Camp: Anyways, what do you do...you are dressed really interestingly.
Yours Truly: ::debating if this is a compliment or a jab:: I am a hairstylist, you?
Jesus Camp: I am studying Theology and Psychology at a private school, 8 people per class, it is very small we all have to dress very professionally and Conservative, you know like to be ready for the real world, I want to be a teacher but I wouldn't mind being a stay at home mom, do you want kids?
Yours truly: Definitely, but not really looking to be a stay at home mom, you can always just take a few years off teaching when your kids are little and then go back to in during the hours they are at school...its a great job to have if you want kids...
Jesus Camp: ::looking confused:: I think I rather home school my kids...

At this point I notice the promise ring and abstinence bracelet, next to a wwjd one of course. Thrilled to be called for boarding I leave her behind and wish her well, unfortunately...she decided to switch seats to sit next to me on the flight. I watched the last season of true blood the entire 4.5 hours so every time she had the thought to look over she shot back to her own monitor.


Toronto, Canada
Let me tell you, Toronto has the most attractive airport security out of any airport I have been to, bravo Toronto, bravo. They also have free wifi, awesome art installations and a Bacardi rum bar right in front my gate. Toronto...you win first place.

Toronto - Heathrow
as per requested I had my window seat, when I plan on sleeping I always ask for a window seat so i can lean on it and yogi myself in a pretzel using the 3 "walls" around me as a bracing. The Muslim man next to me did noteven look at me, instead he prayed for 6 hrs. I watched "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Going the Distance" and ate my Vegan, Gluten Free meal...which consisted of Channa Masala, Quinoa Veggie Rice Coconut Water and a Brownie. I slept for about 2.5 hours and woke up in London...and it begins....

London, England - Heathrow
You know those moments when your intuition kicks in telling you something isnt right...this was one of those times...as a stretched I watched the bags role out...odly...not a site of my borrowed blue American tourister with art deco scarf tied onto the handle...hmm well maybe itll be the last one...wrong. As the green light turns to red and the carousel closes...I panic. My shoes! My Sheers! I scoot on over to the lost baggage desk and give my name and baggage ticket i am asked to wait in an office....MERDE! pardon my french, but that is never a good sign. The nice English man brings my a fizzy water and cadbury chocolate...its like he knew without these things I would freak out, he tells me not to worry, they are locating my things and bringing them to me, it seems there was a problem with my suitcase and he hands me a black and white image of my suitcase split in half....busted open, gutted, if you will.

I have no words, instead I begin to laugh hysterically. I ask if I can use a computer as I am supposed to meet friends in central London during my layover....he directs me to a metal key board and puts a few lbs of credit in for me. So I facebook and I wait, and I wait, and I wait. He then asks me to make a list of any and all valuables I remember packing (this at 1:30pm...I landed at 11:30). I make a list and in exchange I am given an empty blackSamsonite suit case and a soy latte (this English man has clearly delt with an la woman before). at about 2:15 I am given a giant CLEAR plastic bag sealed with air Canada tape and told to make sure everything is there and re-pack...mean while all 5 British men are able to see all my undies, bras and 24 SUPER TAMPONS...the universe cries that I have no shame...instead I mock that I am unaware if all my undies are still here but that I only count 23 tampons and that's a problem. They laugh, I leave Heathrow at 3pm....having to make it toGatwick by for my 5:20pm boarding time to Milan Malpensa.

I sit next to my future ex husband on the shuttle (glorified bus), a Spanish man name Iberto...with a delectable lisp...we drive through Surrey (where Kate Winslets character in "The Holiday" was from) and then 90 min of aspitalian conversation later finally make it to Gatwick, We exchange emails and part ways (luckily his English is deplorable, and is not really the brightest lapiz de cera in the caja) otherwise I would be nervous that he would read this.

Gatwick, London
FYI....easy jet may be cheap...but you get what you pay for....and in this case what you pay for is attitude...if your check in luggage is even .5 kilos over their 20 kilo limit (most airlines have a 24 kilo limit) you must repack...but mind you the only allow one carryone....aka not purse and laptop or purse and carryon...you have to combine them....(yup) We board the plane from the tarmac in the freezing cold and I am finally surrounded by my people, the Italians...and boy do they fit every stereo type. We have the sarcastic Milanese man telling us all to say our prayers, his wife hitting him telling him not to curse the flight. The young couple sucking face (no better description), the old couple watching disaprovingly in misguided jealousy, and lastly the group of men who assume because of my blond locks I do not know the disgusting things they are saying about me....and when the moment is just right....

Italian 1: guarda la bionda, well'a che culo
Italian 2: pensi che ci capisce?
Italian 1: ma no, dai ci sediamo vicino a lei sul aero
::on the plane::
flight attendant: sir can you please place your bags under the chair in front of you during take off
Italian 1: ::doesnt understand a word that was just said::
Italian 2: ::looks at Italian 1 confused::
Me: vuole che metti le borse sotto la sedia difronte di te durante il decollo
Italian 1 and 2: ::look of disbelief::

Milan-Genova
11:30 pm I arrive at my mothers home this would be 3:30 in the afternoon in l.a. on Thanksgiving aka I was intransit in 4 different countries, for somewhere between 24 and 29.5 hours depending on perspective.

and now? I am sitting in the kitchen, blogging at 8:51 am Italy time...debating what to eat next and what to wear today...it isn't easy when its 5* cel out.

What to expect these coming weeks: shorter posts. fashion, shopping, exploring, eating, photos, travel tips, and pictures of shoots from the last few months that I finally had time to organize.

Ciao <3

Currently listening to:

">Mumford and Sons - I Gave You All

"How can you say that your truth is better than art?"

bella ciao bella ciao bella ciaociaociao

After a 28 hr comedy of errors voyage to Genova, Italy to spend a misguided thanksgiving breakfast complete with pandoro, biscotti and coffee with my mother, her boyfriend and my dog....I realized I miss the realease of writing. I miss the action of placing my inner monologue (which is sometimes in third person) into a tangible form. I miss giving my commentary on the world and showing the world (even if by world in this sense I mean my mother) what I am up to.

Now this is not to say that my head is inflated enough to think that you all want to know my daily actions and my opinions about occurrences in my life and my surroundings...but that's the lovely part about it, if you do not want to read it...you simply do not have to. I also do not pride myself on being the worlds best speller or on being grammatically correct...I write how I think, with pauses, side notes sarcasm and long drawn on never ending sentences.

My posts will vary but there are a few things that don't. I am a hairstylist and educator currently based out of Los Angeles working exclusively with Paul Mitchell. I adore art and see it in the simplest forms. I am a liberal traditionalist vegetarian yogi with vegan tendencies and a strong Italian upbringing, and not jersey shore Italian but FOB Italian, and I am fluent...try me.

coming soon? a chronicle of my 28hr voyage, followed by posts of what I have been up to during the last 8 whirlwind months of my life.

Currently listening to:

">Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

Sugarlips Web Images!

Here are the Sugarlips web store images I promised!

Photographer:Derek Wood

Wardrobe Styling: Kenneth Lawrence Jr

Designer: Sugarlips

Hair: Nicoletta Gauci using Paul Mitchell

Models: Sarah and Crystal Truheart

Peace and Love,

Nicoletta