Dom Deluise (1933 - 2009)

I met Dom Deluise in his kitchen in 1978 when I moved here from Syracuse New York. My uncle Walt was the family milkman for a local home delivery diary. So I rode on the truck with him to see all the stars on his route. All the things my uncle told me about Dom were true. He was larger than life not the size of his body but the size of his heart, from the moment I met him I liked him. If you were ever lucky enough to meet Dom you would never forget the experience. That same year I went to see the "Music Man" starring Dick Van Dyke at the Pantages theatre here in Los Angeles.
My friend Cindy was a friend of the Deluise family through her parents. Dom's wife Carol was in the show so Cindy managed to get us backstage to meet the Mrs. Deluise. Carol was excellent in the "Music Man" it was so cool to finally meet her after hearing so many nice things about her. I gave her my business card asked if she might be looking for a hairstylist. A few weeks later she came in with the rest of the family, three handsome well behaved boys. I became the family stylist......
As the years went by I watched the kids grow and all become very talented actors, following in there talented mother and fathers footsteps. I will miss Dom very much, I will miss his smiling face on those family Christmas cards I have received for the past thirty years. He loved his family, friends, and his fans. Always ready with a hand shake, a smile, and a kind word.
He did so many things for charities he was involved in. Dom loved his pets, he had taught his dog Midnight tricks, and his sun conure Charlie how to play dead. To know Dom was to love him, I will cherish my memories of him till I see him again. Somewhere in heaven Dom is showing someone his egg trick that he did on the Johnny Carson show. He will always be "Dominick the Great" He brought magic to everyone that knew him and everything he touched.

My favorite feel good actress leaves us

Wow.......this is sure a shocker. So young, so beautiful, and so very talented. Natasha Richardson passes away from a skiing accident. When I was young back in New York I was fearless, all I did was point my ski's down the hill and I would follow. Seems like skiing has been high on the list for the seriously injured in the last few years. I knew when snow boarding became big on the slopes skiers had some problems with getting out of there way. Snow boarders seem to over flow the down hill runs.Visiting the local ski resorts on my weekends of lodging, or other wise known as my cocktail tours. I have noticed that the skiing attire had gotten quite serious with their padding and everything. Helmets with really thick jackets have replaced the windbreakers of my era. The guys and girls look like their ready for combat heading down the mountains. It seems like a simple fall on a bunny slope took Natasha from us. I remember the first time I saw the "Parent Trap" when I was little. I fell in love with Haley Mills...and in my fantasy I also saw Brian Keith, and Maureen O'Hara as my parents. Well I never thought the remake of my coming of age film would ever equal the original. I was very pleased to see this beautiful blond angel playing the mom in this version. Natasha was pretty unknown at this time in the U.S. but Natasha became my new dream of the prefect mother. Anytime I was in a bad mood I would pop in my DVD of the new "Parent Trap" I would feel that everything was going to be alright. It made me feel good watching the mom I wish I had . Than I became a fan of "Maid in Manhattan" she was really funny in it with Jennifer Lopez. I am very sad for her families lost. Take it from me first hand losing your child before you as a parent leave this earth is devastating. I have seen this with my grandmother losing my dad at a young age. My girl Ms. H losing her beloved son. There is a hole in your life and heart that will never be filled. My prayers and thoughts are with her family. God bless you........

Anna Nicole Smith

Well it's about time someone looked into this untimely loss of Anna Nicole Smith the world's favorite blond bombshell. Thank you Jerry Brown!! Some one has broken the law in this sad situation. Someone must pay for contributing to the death of a lost young lady from Texas. I had the chance to meet Anna socially at a few functions. I found her engaging, friendly, drop dead pretty and she smelled wonderful. I will always remember that, I wish I asked her what fragrance she wore. Even in her heavier days she still had the ability to mesmerize you with her charm. People that bounced off her in her reality show like certain interior designers said they never had problems with Anna. It was her right hand man that seemed to be the bad guy. Most of the people that dealt with him did not like him from what I heard. He kept people away from his meal ticket. I hope they also reopen Daniel her son's case. These people that had so much to live for dying with so many unanswered circumstances surrounding there deaths. Oh yea......remember that Prince that claimed to be the father of Anna's child well talk about karma. Seems like he has lost his money to a certain crook named Bernie Madoff. See what happens to publicity seekers, baring fault witness it comes back triple fold. I hope our angel Anna is smiling down watching these people get their justice. .

Is Disco back?

According to what I see on the magazine racks disco is back with a vengeance. All the fashion books are writing lots of articles about the return to what some of us want to leave behind . Eyeliner by the gallon, lots of mascara jacking those lashes to the sky. Eye shadows with sparkle and shine. The hair what can I say... Chop it up, spike it up than spray the hell out of it. Have you been watching any of the music videos lately? Many of the artists of today have embraced that disco chic look such as Katy Perry. As a hairdresser we have to be always watching the changing trends. In my case it will be a repeat of my youth. Thank God I made it through the disco era intact. That's actually when I started my career in hair styling. I was in the center of New York State, Syracuse not exactly the center of the disco revolution. I was working with some of the trend setters of that time. Sam, and Kevin, Jan, Patty, Terri, Pam, Mark, and a man far ahead of his time Joe (the stud) Burke. Joe was not the best hair cutter, but he had his finger on the pulse of trend. He left his crew to execute the best in central New York hairstyling.. Sam was actually one of my favorite hair cutters. Joe's shop was the first of its kind church pews for seating. Make up chairs used as styling chairs, with the smell of burning incense always lingering along with the cherry favored shampoo to fill every inch of breathable air. The music kept that shop moving, the hottest tunes brought back from NYC. Enough of the reminiscing for now I have a lot more of great memories I will share those some other time. But for now I wanted to tell you that if you go to your own hairstylist or if your one of my clients. Be ready for some of those disco flashbacks to be offered up as an option for that perfect new look. Final note I feel it's to bad that Betty Baldwin wasn't still designing fashion masterpieces from those disco days. Her creativity with fabrics and design were as good or better than today's designers. She would have kicked Betsey Johnson's butt and hung her out to dry by her orange hair. Betty made you look and feel like a queen in one of her original outfits.

Wild Cards ?

OMG...! Haven't the producers of American Idol put us through enough pain already?
All those bloated shows of boring performances with badly dressed contestants with the worst hair disasters. Than comes Simon's brain fart what the heck is he thinking. All of
a sudden he brings back Tatiana. Simon always likes to say to his audience critics "this is a talent show not a popularity contest" I think after his decision to bring back the drama queen of this season proves to me they like more than someone with talent. Talent show or a creep show I guess we will see how it plays out in this new way of bringing back previous talent we might have passed over. I did like the way the producers did it in the pass seasons. If not for second chances we would not have gotten a better look at Jennifer Hudson or Clay Aiken. Lets see what kind of chops does the teary eyed Tatiana have. If she does not make the final 12 maybe there would be some shifts she could pick up at Miceli's as a singing waitress or maybe give acting a try. Jennifer Aniston's $50,000 haircut sign me up. The way that works is a budget is set so that $50,000 includes, transportation, lodging, food, and of course the stylists costs to do the work..lets not forget the money he or she loses being on the road with our Friends star. I am available if your looking for someone Angelina, and Brad. Did you see the live coverage of the announcement of Michael Jackson's European concert dates. What has happened to Mr Jackson? I have always stuck up for him because I was close to his Doctor that did some of the work on his face. Hearing the stories from people close to him revealed a Michael very few people ever knew. He was lots of fun he loved animals, magic tricks, and if he was your friend he would always be there for you..my best story that was told to me was when he stayed at the Doctor's house he used to practice in the morning in a room that was a exercise room for the family. Michael did have a temporary dance floor put in to practice on. One morning at the crack of dawn Michael was up practicing, the Doctor's girlfriend got woken up and not to happy about it. She stormed into the room and ripped Michael a new one.. Michael freaked and moved out. I would have loved to see that. Till next time........Keep dancing

It's American Idol Tuesday

I was doodling the other night. It started with just a simple sketch in my notebook than I got inspired. I got into it with my Sharpie (magic marker) before I knew it I had my water color kit out. I took it to work the next day everybody loved it. Well if I ever need extra income I guess I could apply for a job at the Universal Studios tour to draw those funny pictures of tourists. Nope don't think so.......What do you think? Does it look at all like me? I will be checking out the hairstyles tonight
on all the contestants on American Idol. That's usually good for a laugh... Because of the rapidly changing styles it is hard to find one book with a wide selection of haircuts to please everyone. So if you should happen to run across a picture of what you like in a magazine or an actor or actress on a television show or movie. Make sure you bring those pictures with you so we can create that perfect cut for you....

Turned out to be "The Most Excellent Week"

It was another great week at the Michael Curto Salon. Weather turned out to be perfect. Got to see some of my favorite people. Elaine was in to get dolled up to head out to the best happy hour in town. Chan Dara on Pico in West Los Angeles. Got to share some bird talk with
Karen and Byron...bird lovers just love sharing our stories of our feathered family. Oh yes, my girl Ms H was in.. Because of an error on the part of the beauty supply, I did not get her blond enough, actually I cooked her under a dryer for over a half an hour. It looked great but not what she was asking me to do, or what I have been doing for the past several years. I was very sad to disappoint her but she did say she got some compliments. Still next week I will make it right. The Phoenix will raise from the foils. Till next time God save the Queen.