I came back from Matrix Destination in Las Vegas feeling so inspired! Talking to so many great hairstylists really showed me how much I miss being in the salon behind the chair cutting hair. So when I got back to Los Angeles and recovered from the jet lag from my trip to Tokyo, I started trying to find a way to make my dream of opening a salon come true. Low and behold a location basically fell into my lap, but I just didn't have all my ducks in a row and couldn't get a business plan/ licenses/financing/staff and all the other things it takes to be a salon owner together in time to sign the lease. Sadly, I couldn't secure the space, but I'm not ready to give up on my dream that easy. I know that one day I'll be able to make it happen. I have so much respect and admiration for all you salon owners out there, it takes so much hard work and determination to have a creative space and keep it open! But I'm still going get into the salon more often. I love that feeling of talking to a client and listening to what they want and need from their hair and coming up with the right style for them. I miss talking clients into a change when you know they've gotten into a rut and haven't changed their style in years, or looking through magazines and getting inspired and convincing a client to let me try that cut or style on them. I also miss the camaraderie between stylists and learning from each other, and collaborating with colorists to find the perfect color for clients (trust me, nobody wants me doing their color...I leave that to the professionals!). So for now, I'm going to be joining the kids at Sally Hershberger's new salon in Beverly Hills. I've known Sally for years, I was her assistant in New York for two years from 1998 to 2000 and she referred me to work on the film Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, and Cameron Diaz, which led me to move to Los Angeles. She taught me so much and was so incredibly supportive when I finally left the nest and went out on my own. I cut hair out of her downtown salon in New York and I love it there, so I'm sure I'm going to love it just as much in Beverly Hills.