Funny thing about this blog… the post that drives the most traffic to my blog is the one I wrote about “affordable haircuts in Marin”. I guess with everything being SO expensive here in Marin people are on the lookout for something affordable. The hair salon has changed names since I wrote the post about cheap haircuts in Marin, although it is still the same great people. Salon Carlos in San Rafael is now called Salon Mirsa. I went yesterday to get my usual $10 haircut.

I like to support local, independently owned businesses but I’m not one to spend big money on a haircut. I’ve also never been happy with haircuts from that big super chain haircut place.

I was happy to discover Salon Mirsa (thanks to Celia who introduced me to the place). Salon Mirsa is kind of unique for Marin County. It doesn’t exactly fit the Marin County stereotype. The main language spoken at Salon Mirsa is Spanish. That’s because Salon Mirsa is located in the heart of the Canal community of San Rafael where most of the residence are Hispanic. But don’t let the language get in your way! The stylists at Salon Mirsa are a very welcoming and friendly bunch. Just tell them you know Sally .

Salon Mirsa has top notch stylists. If you are on a budget and are looking for a great haircut for you or your kids try Salon Mirsa. Tip: all the stylist are great but I especially like Tere.

$10 for a haircut! I don’t think you’ll find a better deal in Marin County.

Pictured below (Mirsa, the owner – Tere, the stylist – Celia, the mountain biker who got her hair dyed blue).

If you are hungry after your haircut you can find some tasty Mexican food nearby at Picante on Bellam Blvd.  Or you can do a little grocery shopping and get a cultural experience all at the same time.

If you have driven through the Canal area of San Rafael on Bellam lately I’m sure you’ve noticed quite a few changes. The old sleepy Circuit City is now a booming Latino grocery store called Mi Pueblo.

After a quick review of Yelp! it seems Marin County is loving the new addition of Mi Pueblo. There were some concerns of the new big store having an impact on the smaller mom and pop stores but overall it seems it’s brought employment to the local neighborhood which is a good thing.

Mi Pueblo has lived up to their mission listed on their Website:

We strive to create an ambiance reminiscent of the fresh-food markets of Mexico and Latin America, while also carrying all the grocery items generally available in mainstream supermarkets, always welcoming everyone with a warm smile.

I was in the neighborhood so decided to stop by Mi Pueblo out of curiosity. I had already eaten and did not need any groceries so I just walked around the place.

My first impression upon walking in was that Mi Pueblo was a happy place to shop! Festive Latin music in the background, a colorful, fun Taqueria located right in the store, Pinatas hanging above the produce. The place made me smile and the music made me want to start dancing.The employees were super friendly and welcoming, every one we walked by said hello and smiled.

Shopping at Mi Pueblo is a cultural experience. It has everything you would find in a traditional grocery store including organic produce PLUS all sorts of Mexican and Latin American food. It’s a great opportunity to try new food and drinks. I bought a Mango Agua Fresca – it was delicious and refreshing.

I took a stroll through the produce. I was happy to see the produce looked very fresh, there were organic options and special produce from Mexico and other Latin American countries; things like Mexican Squash – stuff you might not find in a traditional “American” grocery store.

They were making handmade hot tamales ready to eat for $1.49. I was kind of wishing I was hungry so I could try one.

Mi Pueblo is located in the Canal are of San Rafael
330 Bellam Blvd
San Rafael, CA 415-578-3971

*UPDATE* 11/23/10 this place is now called Salon Mirsa but it’s still the same great people.

I got a haircut in the Bay Area for $10! In today’s economy I’m always looking for a good deal. As you might have guessed I spend a big chunk of my income on going out to eat which leaves me to budget the rest of my finances. I’m very careful about how I spend my money and I don’t spend more than I have. In order to have enough money to enjoy all the wonderful restaurants I like to patronize I have to keep my budget in check.

A great way I found to save a little extra cash is on my haircuts. I like to support local independent business so going to that big chain haircut store to get a mediocre haircut doesn’t really fit with my plan. But going to a local independently owned salon and paying $70+ for a haircut doesn’t really fit with my budget. I was thrilled to discover Salon Carlos located in San Rafael in the Canal district. I can get a good quality haircut for only $10! Actually, Celia discovered this place when she worked at the Canal Alliance. It is located right next door. We both go to Salon Carlos regularly to get our hair cut. Celia even went there in November to get her hair dyed purple. Since she keeps her hair so short the purple has already grown out and she is back to her usual salt & pepper look.

Our favorite stylist is Tere; she always does a great job. However, on days when she is not there I’ve tried others and they are also very good. While waiting for Celia to get her hair cut I’ve watched Carlo’s cut hair, he’s great with the small children.

I also get to practice my Spanish while getting my hair cut; this is included with the $10.

If you are looking for a good, inexpensive hair cut and want to support your local business owners then I highly recommend Salon Carlos. You may want to call first to get an appointment because it is always full of people.

Salon Carlos is open Monday through Saturday from 10am – 8pm and Sunday from 9am -7pm. Drop Ins are welcome.

Happy Hair Cutting!

Salon Carlos Mirsa
87 Larkspur Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.453.1762
www.saloncarlos.com

The Canal is a neighborhood in San Rafael, CA. Picante Taqueria is located in The Canal. They have great fresh, authentic Mexican food at very affordable prices. Yummy guacamole and chips. Delicious tacos including fish, grilled chicken, pastor (grilled pork), and steak. You can get an order of two tacos for under $5.00.  They serve “Aguas frescas“, yummy tropical fruit juices made from the papaya, watermelon and other fruits. Picante Taqueria is air conditioned, so it’s a great place to stop by on a hot day. It’s clean with nice colorful decorations.  Picante is close to downtown San Rafael but has EASY parking and easy access. You feel like you are in a nice small Mexican town. They even offer free wireless internet connection, making it a great place to have meetings.

Picante Taqueria
340 Bellam Blvd
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.485-6050

Celia has been wanting to print some stickers for her Mountain Biking Marin business. A few weeks ago she went on a search for a place that would print custom sized stickers for her and she discovered Davis Sign Co. in San Rafael.

They print any kind of sign you might need: parking, ADA & Braille, magnets, custom designs, decals, stickers, digital printing, vehicle graphics (painted or magnets), artwork and more. She had a very pleasant experience with Davis Sign Co. Celia says, “They offer nice, modern, family-owned, reliable, fast and reasonable priced service.” Davis Sign Co. is located in the Canal District of San Rafael.

Celia was looking for somebody that would print tiny stickers with the logo of her bike tours and bike clinics company so she could affix them on a small gift that she gives to all people who participate in her tours and clinics. As a bonus, Davis Sign Co. printed more stickers than what she asked for! The quality of the materials and glue are superb, and they went the extra mile to be creative and include the name of the company on the stickers in addition to the logo!

She highly recommends Davis Sign Co. for your printing needs!

These little gadgets are used on the biker's water packs to hold the water dispenser in place.

Davis Sign Co.
36 Belvedere Street
San Rafael, CA
415-457-4091