Dreamboat by Jay Golden

Twelve years ago I came to Israel for six months and surprisingly stayed put in the revolving door of Tel Aviv. I came on a whim and stayed because I didn’t see any better option for my family. I got used to my lifestyle and over the years invested in better noise-cancelling headphones and earplugs. As many of you know, that changed for me last year as I realized that my priority for a safe future for my children was not aligned with the political or social agendas of this place. For me, a safe future means that they learn durable problem-solving skills for the increasingly uncertain future they are already facing. When you live in Israel, the red lines of acceptability are porous, but for me, my commitment to non-violent resistance, equity, and peace did not seem to waver. I knew that for me, normalizing violence and war would never be the right and just or smart thing to do. It’s time to go before this place breaks my heart anymore.



We left Israel on October 15th and, while we were abroad, decided to accelerate our plans for leaving from next summer to now. Of course, like everyone right now, we questioned how and where, and when moving a family abroad makes sense. We came to the conclusion that the timing is never right so, y'alla! Balagan! I have few answers to most questions I’m asked these days. Here are the ones I have: We’re moving to London, UK on January 4th for a soft landing near family and friends. From that liminal space, we will be free to explore the options available and make a more permanent plan. Carly Landau will be taking over the space at Rambam 8, and you can book online for haircuts at www.carlylandauhair.com. I am beyond sad that this process of leaving feels abrupt but nothing like a bit of a deadline to make me productive!



I look forward to living in English again and having extra mental space to help through this next transition. I have a small kit to do hair in London if you have family or friends that might be a good fit for me. I’m still pursuing opportunities in food and ag tech and would love to connect with anyone in the UK that you think I should have tea with. Otherwise, you’ll find me at the Mindfulness Adult Coloring Club Thursdays 17-19 at the library. None of this will be easy I’m sure. Still, I’m hoping to take the lessons I’ve learned in Tel Aviv, especially around spontaneity and changing course often, to facilitate this transition for my family with grace, humor, and a good dose of cultural relativism.



Thank you to each and every person who grew with me these past 12 years. I am deeply indebted to all of you for your wisdom, kindness, and hot takes on the world. Sharing life with you all has been rewarding in ways I could not have imagined when I first decided to stay. I am a better human for having known you.



Please come say goodbye to me on January 1st from 16-19 at the wine+coffee/wine+pizza across from the salon on Rambam. Just know that I will probably hug you too tight, and I already have tears in my eyes. If I don’t see you before I leave, I’m convinced we’ll bump into each other somewhere in the future.

These cuties are ready for summer because let’s get real: There’s no reason to get your hair done in August. That’s one of the reasons that, in addition to the absurdity of childcare options, I choose to take my vacation during the summer months. Now that it’s my one-month countdown til vacation I’ve started making lists of things to get done before we leave and things I want to take advantage of while off work. Besides the obvious of seeing my framily in London and Los Angeles things I’m looking forward to:
👍🏻Finally seeing Hamilton in London
👍🏻The Korean spa down the street from my mom’s house
👍🏻Turning right on red

Things I’m not looking forward to:
👎🏻Packing for children who seem to grow out of clothes daily
👎🏻Having to plan detailed hangouts with people in advance
👎🏻Analysis paralysis in the snack aisle of Trader Joe’s

I’ll be out of the salon July 20-September 1 but I still have spots available at www.dreamboathair.com for new and existing clients.

Did you know that blonde hair and/or hair that is more course in texture holds and showcases curl differently than any other shade? It's totally unfair, but also totally true. Actually, each shade of hair color showcases curl a bit differently because of the way light bounces off of and is absorbed into the strands.
Pro tip: if you want to show me or any other stylist an inspiration photo for a style you'd like to achieve, it helps to find an ex ample using a guest who has a similar color and texture as your existing hair. Alternatively, if you like the result on a guest with a different hair color than yours, it could open the door to a conversation about adding dimension to your hair using color. Any solid stylist will help you find an example of a similar style on a client with hair most similar to yours. I prioritize being real, honest, and open with my guests and am happy to help if you need any fresh, hair styling inspo.

Are you dreaming of low maintenance blonde? You know the kind where your hair always looks amazing, it holds a curl like a dream, there isn't any breakage and you aren't stuck coming in to the salon every 6 - 8 weeks. We're dreaming the same dreams and I want that for you too. I keep most of my blondes booked every 10 - 12 weeks and apply the color in a way that grows out naturally. Want to know a secret? Some of my best blondes are actually created without any bleach. WHAT!?! I know. Maintaining the integrity of the hair is my #1 priority and I'm happiest when I get the results a guest is looking for without grabbing for the bleach. I'm not a fan of harsh lines of demarcation and I want all of my guests to be happy with their color, even between visits.

Do you know that mineral build up is one of the top reasons your color could be feeling dull? A fresh color application might not be what you need....let's talk about hair-detox treatments next time you're In because this simple, low-cost solution might be the refresh you're looking for. A hair detox takes 30 minutes, costs less than half the price of a color service, and the best part is it will help with your hair color, health, styling and will ensure your hair care products are able to work as effectively as possible. Hit me up In the DM's for more info or head to www.dreamboathair.com to get a detox treatment on the books!

Do you ever wonder why highlighted hair looks so gorgeous when when it's photographed? There is one word to describe why that happens and it's dimension. Dimension is what makes curls look defined. Dimension actually hides frizz. Dimension looks and feels modern and sexy. Want to know the great news? I am always looking for ways to give all of my clients as much dimension as possible so that they are the ones with the envious, perfectly photographed hair. Move over blondes! All of my other gorgeous brunettes are bringing the dimension this season!

Just wanted to give a shoutout to the American Jewish Diaspora educational industrial complex for totally getting me to believe that Israelis take Tu B’Shvat as seriously as their love for the environment. Am I the only one that really believed that the stewardship of nature and natural resources was intrinsically important to people living in Israel? I only had to go to one “nature party” to realize that Jewish Earth Day was just a made-up Diaspora holiday. I’ll file that under myths my mother told me about Jewish values that are just not applicable here. And it seems like as much as the rest of the world is on fire and flooding, the conversation about climate change in Israel is just not trending. I feel it really acutely in the winter when we have biblical rains and lack the infrastructure to prevent widespread flooding.
While I truly believe the impetus is on governmental policies to regulate toxic industries we can’t ignore our individual choices in how much and what type of waste we as individuals contribute. For the past few years I’ve been interested in how to reconcile product recommendations with my interest in lowering the environmental impact of the salon industry. I am so excited to announce that we are entering a partnership with Bars From Mars to carry their full line of shampoo and conditioner bars at the salon. We’ve been using them in the salon for the past month and they are awesome! There’s for sure a learning curve to using these products but I’ve got your back!

Wanna know a secret? The first vendor we booked for our wedding 6 years ago was the photographer and to this day we’ve still only printed two photos from the day. One was for my dad’s funereal and the other was the giant custom wallpaper that fills one wall in the salon. I love seeing the image every day when I come into work and I love client’s reactions when they realize it’s not just a stock photo. As much as I try to separate who I am from what I do professionally I am so lucky I get to work in a space where I can bring who I am to the space. I always think people know Daniela Garelick because she is so intrinsic to my life in Israel and it blows my mind when long-time clients have never met her. I hope you all get the chance to catch her popping by the salon because she is truly a gem of Tel Aviv.