Spotted: The Mission, SF
What are you up to today?
I'm flying back to Atlanta.
What brought you to the Bay Area?
My good friends live here. They all came here from the East Coast, and they've lived here for five years now. I come to visit every now and then, and I'm looking to move here. I'm a hairstylist.
How did you start out as a hairstylist?
I graduated from Aveda in Atlanta. I've had one job over there and I'm just really looking to come over here. The weather's way nicer — it's not as humid, you know?
What kind of fun things have you been exploring while you're out here?
I haven't done that much because I've only been here a day and a half — it's been really quick. But really I've just been eating a lot of food!
Well, this is kind of the place to do it!
Yeah! I went over to Oakland and my friend took me to this place for mac and cheese. I can't remember what it's called. Dang.
Homeroom?
Yes! I could not do it! It freaked me out — so much mac and cheese! This is like more mac and cheese than the South, and that's hard to top! [laughs] It's good though, and they have good root beers!
What do you like most about doing hair?
I really like meeting people, and I love making people feel good about themselves. It's just corny but it's the truth. I mean, I've had people hug me and thank me and be like "you're the best!" And I love that. What can you do? [laughs]
What's something that's caught your eye out here?
I don't know the city well. I'm literally one of the newest people you'll run into on the street. I don't even know where I'm standing right now. I went and got a drink at this bar, they're really nice in there. Other than that, the weather's really great, the people are really nice. I think I might go to Dolores Park before I go. I went there last time and we don't have parks like that in Atlanta. But Atlanta is bigger than San Francisco.
How much bigger?
I'm not exactly sure, but I know San Francisco is seven by seven miles. Atlanta is a lot more spread out, but it's crazy how much is crammed into one city. It's exciting for someone from the South, you know? That's why everyone moves here, I think. I've run into so many people who are like, yeah, I've just moved here! And I'm like, Wow! So many people.
So there's no big parks in Atlanta where people hang out?
There is — there's a Central Park, and there's Piedmont Park, but they don't hang out like they do over here.
Oh, that's a bummer. So the sort of hang-out culture here is something you noticed.
Yeah! People have good style. I've walked around for miles just looking at things.
So tell me about your style! Those sunglasses are great too.
Yeah I got these from this place in Atlanta — I can't remember its name. But what inspires me is being comfy, because I have two screws in my ankle and it hurts so much! Even wearing pants that annoy me, I'm like, I can't do life! I try to be comfy and wear sneakers all the time.
How did the screws in the ankle happen?
I got run over by a car!
Yikes! That must have been scary!
It was mega scary! But I'm OK! I have a foot! [laughs] They were going to amputate my foot, but, thankfully, they didn't so I'm totally good now. That was three years ago.
What's something you've been inspired by lately?
The coffee here inspires me. Everyone's super into it, and nowhere else — in any other city I've been to — are people more into coffee than this city. My friend works at Stanza and he's super into coffee and he's super inspiring. He's so knowledgeable — he grows coffee plants in his house. He's like, Check out the leaves, these two just grew! And this will be fully grown in two years! And I'm like, Oh, wow!
