Mindy ’ s Nails by Jean Di Lisio
Prepare for Pampering
When I arrive for my monthly pedicure at Mindy ’ s Nails , located across from TSJC ’ s Massari Center and Power Credit Union , I am faced with a color choice decision . Just to the west , the Sangre de Cristo Mountains decorate the landscape with multi-colored hues of red , orange , yellow , green , blue indigo and violet ; similar to selection of O . P . I .’ s Shimmer Nail Lacquer . Inside Mindy ’ s Nails , you find the standard salon accouterments , including massage recliners , stacks of magazines , multiple fingernail stations , and rainbow filled shelves of toe nail polish , as well as DND gel and acrylic finger nails clusters .
A version of “ Remember the Name ” by Fort Minor plays on the sound system , while the gleaming gold Buddha statue near the office catches my attention . Greeting you at the door her wood-engraved sign beckons ;
Welcome to Mindy ’ s Nails .
“ Hello ,” says owner Mindy Lewis , as she greets me from her manicure station . Pulling down a white surgical facemask , she smiles , and says , “ Pick out a color .” The salon is busy . Mindy moves over to a recliner as she fills the foot base with hot water and blue sea salt . Another client , Gen ( Genevieve Lee ) gets her final , clear finishing polish .
Mindy looks like a doctor performing a delicate procedure . In Vietnam , the knowledge of this timehonored tradition must be passed down through the generations . Perhaps this practice of pampering goes back to the Buddha ’ s times . Doing nails in Vietnam must be another old-school Asian art like grooming bonsai trees in Japan or administering acupuncture in China .
Not even close
After much research , I discovered I was way off . While the ancient Chinese and Egyptians developed an early form of nail polish , the Vietnamese tradition of doing nails started in the United States in the mid-1970s . Tippi Hedren , who starred in Alfred Hitchcock ’ s 1963 classic The Birds , was a volunteer with a humanitarian group that worked with Vietnamese refugees in Sacramento . Having escaped war-torn Vietnam , the refugees lived in a tent city , visited often by the actress . She connected specifically with a group of 20 women . Hedren told CNN in a 2011 interview that the Vietnamese women admired her nails . “ They loved my fingernails ,” she said . Hedren brought her manicurist once a week and gave them manicuring lessons . Going a step further , Hedren persuaded Citrus Heights Beauty School near Sacramento to enroll the Vietnamese women as students . While the Hollywood humanitarian got the ball rolling , ultimately , many Vietnamese immigrants and their families created a nail empire across the U . S . A . from rural towns to major metropolitan cities .
American Dream
Mindy Lewis , owner of Mindy ’ s Nails in Trinidad , Colorado , was 29 years old when she first came to the U . S . Living in Wisconsin and California , she later joined her friend , Tina , in Pueblo West at a salon called US Nails . Then in 2012 , she moved to Trinidad with her husband , Dave . Mindy ’ s Nails opened in 2012 and was first located on Commercial Street . The current location can be found on 300 Pine Street .
Back to the business of toes and finger nails
Lounging back in the massage recliner , I place my feet in the hot blue water which feels soft ; almost silky . The pedicure process has quite a few procedures starting with the luxury soaking , trimming and shaping the toe nails , a hot rock leg massage , hot wax dip to moisturize the foot and a lengthy foot and leg massage with soothing lotion . Finishing , of course , with the beautiful and detailed polish leaving my toes looking fresh and bright . There are many services provided at the full service nail salon in addition to the relaxing pedicures , including DND gel ( shellac ) and acrylic fingernails , eyelash extensions , body waxing and facials .
Coming full circle
The business of nail-care salons has revved up in the United States . Here in Trinidad , Mindy has achieved the proverbial American dream . A modern-day entrepreneur , she employs several nail artists and two receptionists to keep up with the steady stream of local and touring clients . I am grateful for the pampering and professionalism I find at Mindy ’ s Nails , and I really enjoy how my colorful toes look in my new sandals .
20 N New legends magazine