Whitby Salon, Rock & Roll Hair to Stay

Michele created this look for Sebastien Bach

It wasn't that long ago that if I heard someone being called a homeopath, I'd have thought he or she was anti-gay. Ha. My how times have changed. I still remember being a bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed-yet nothing-could-hurt me-20- something when I strolled by The House of Lords all those years ago to see through the window a brash, punk rocker looking guy, banging away at the in-house pin ball game between clients. I'd heard our buddy from apres high school days had turned kinda punk, but this was a shocker when you'd seem him "normal".

His city friends were all like that too, like "Scary Mary", a down town Toronto fixture and House Lords Hair Dresser for many years known for her "outrageous", often revealing, outfits, tatts, and piercings - and she was not a bad Hair-dresser either. Petite. Very cute. But scary looking. Lol. Thus the name. I heard she's a teacher now. Now that's scary. Ha.

My new "do"...Dare I look!

But the rising star of H.O.L.s was Michele Scorranese - pronounced Mickaylay. Mic attracted all kinds - from rockers, to preppy, to strippers, to hard core punk to business, and the longer he worked at it the better at his craft he got. He was soon brought in to work movies and rock videos. It was common for rock stars to pop in, and after awhile, Michele was so well known for his hair styling for rockers that he'd get flown in on occasion to L.A. etc for concerts. Skid  Row's Sebastien Bach, who he knew from the scene from ' Bass" working coat check before making it big, was a regular client.

Please note now at 500 Colborne St 2016

But Michele was who they all wanted, and especially women. In fact women loved him, but he never let them steer him away from his work ethic ( I recall attending with him doing hair extensions at Wynter Rose, Miss Nude Canada's house, before going out one night), or loyalty to whomever he was in a relationship with which I admired about him - and always the professional - always creating a style you wanted but with his unique touches. And he seemed to posses a little more strength than most at the time when it came to indulgences. Ha. Of course he's no longer a semi-party-animal even or being flown into L.A., but his passion for the craft and for music has not died.

In hiring and managing his own staff , Michele saw first hand the issues shop owners like Paul at the H.O.L. would face and can appreciate what the salon owners had to go through much better now.

"Actually Paul was really good to me", he recalled of the those days in the 80's referring to the long time Toronto's House of Lords Rock & Roll Hair Design's owner, 

" Thinking back, I'd miss time and he'd pay me anyway. I harped about him back then a bit (sometimes about the music), but really, he was great to me"

More than homeopathic wellness

Michele stayed there for years, and I'd use it as an excuse to go downtown and get a hair cut and then usually we'd go out to one of his always mesmerizing after-hours clubs or dance- by-yourself Club Z outings where we'd sometimes party with people like singer Luba. He'd introduced me to The Isabella Hotel where I witnessed my first "mosh pit" - thinking at first a fight was starting or something. Ha. I was always kind of on the fringe looking in, not really part of the scene, but Michele always made me feel welcome anyway and in turn his friends. So what if I didn't have a mohawk or good tattoos or play an instrument. I was ok. Besides, I had a cool trench coat, and a certain naive quality that was just amusing enough to warrant having around. Ha. Truth was, they all respected Michele and his opinion. Everyone downtown knew him. Even musicians respected, even sought out, his opinion on music. Yup...those were the days! Ha.

The Doctor is in!

Anyway, I bring this all up because recently I had to get a hair cut and was at a loss what to do. Last time out I was relaying what I wanted to the hair dresser, all the while assuring me she would do what I wanted, which was to let it grow long but neaten it up. She kept nodding yes and agreeing, but in the end, I looked like a skinny Fred Flintstone. It finally dawned on me she spoke no english! WTF!@#!

So I made plans when I heard from my friend again recently who has since moved to Whitby, Ontario, Canada where he and his wife Anne have a wellness salon - Kerti Therapeutics - located in a building called the House of Pearson no less lol - where she's a licensed Homeopathic Doctor and he's also running the hair salon as both oversee the other wellness tenants and product-lines like their truly organic, made in Canada, skin care products Skin Essence.

Rock & Roll Never Forgets!

My original "do" as sculpted my Michele back in the day

M may not work at the same rock and roll pace as he once did - or maybe he does - at any rate he's still a first rate hair stylist, and debating foe, who, with age, has gracefully learned the craft of letting the "salonnees" enjoy a hint of win. Ha.

With knowledge of both old school and new and how hair works, you can't go wrong putting your head in his hands...which is part of their wellness experience I'm imagining! I wasn't surprised he still remembered the odd quirks and nuances with my hair - it's been 5 years since he cut it last - but I guess I'm always shocked he can get it to look good  - to me - where all others have failed so often.

All I can say is Whitby is lucky to get them ( Also an opportunity to learn from a master as he's hiring stylists now too!)  ; one healing with natural remedies, the other healing through esteem - with wellness through looking good. Looking good and feeling good - a nice healthy combination! Mental, spiritual and physical healthcare. Just don't try to control the music! Lol. To see more about their services check out Face Book!
Call to book an appointment @ 905-493-7200

TP Out!