Vietnamese Nail Lady

The first time I watched this video on YouTube, having stumbled across it quite by accident, it made me laugh so hard I almost peed myself. Then I made the fatal mistake of showing it to Trueman, and I will probably never hear the end of it.

You see, for some time, I've gone to get my nails "done" at the local nail salon. The reason I get them done is that my natural nails, while nice and long, are not very strong and tend to bend, tear, or break. What I have done are acrylic overlays, which cover my natural nails. An added bonus to all this is the fact that manicures (I get French tips done) last forever and don't chip like they do on natural nails.

The place where I get my nails done, like most nail salons in the United States, is staffed by Vietnamese expatriates. The only place in my area that isn't staffed by Vietnamese is run by a fat Italian guy named Tony, whom I wouldn't trust with my nails if his were the last salon on the face of the planet. At any rate, going into a Vietnamese nail salon, it's helpful to have some level of understanding of Vietnamese customs and culture, lest you be offended when asked about your family, your personal life, your age, or your weight.

Through my visits to have my nails filled, I've gotten to know everyone at the salon quite well. The fellow who does my fills is reading a series of books about a Vietnamese guy working for the CIA during the Vietnam War at the moment; he's gotten through the first two of the series. He's got two kids, a son and a daughter, and doesn't like it when his mother puts Durian into any of her traditional dishes. One of the girls just gave birth to a daughter. Another girl has parents who are from North Vietnam, and although she was raised in the South, speaks with a northern accent. I've seen photos of their family at family occasions, such as weddings, and gotten addresses and information to local Vietnamese businesses, such as the place in Hampton where I went to get my Ao Dai made.

Speaking of my Ao Dai, I will have to post a photo of it on this blog when I get a chance. I had it made at Hong's Rose tailor in Hampton, Virginia, and they did gorgeous work. There's a lot of hand-finishing that goes into making an Ao Dai, and you can't beat the turn-around time (2 weeks) or the price ($150, which included the fabric) for what you're getting - a custom-tailored garment made largely by hand. I can't wait to get a chance to wear it!

Did I mention it's a very flattering outfit?

At any rate, now that Trueman has seen the video above, I can't even utter "nail salon" without him launching into the Vietnamese Nail Lady routine...