http://local.yahoo.com/info-21379565-cardinal-barber-shop-palo-alto
by David1959
03/15/2009
Not sure what to make of this place. I went in for a hair cut but came out with a lot more.
It all started out normal, got my hair trimmed (whats left of it) and I thought I was done. he asked me if I wanted a free shave, I said sure. Once he put the hot towel over my face, is when things got really bonkers. He started playing a love song, now being that it was only the two of us there, I was not sure what to make of it, until he started rubbing my hands with baby oil. Don't get me wrong, I am as straight as an arrow, but man did that feel good. He asked me if I wanted him to continue and I couldn't resist and said yes. One thing lead to another and we ended up exchanging numbers just for friendship purposes.
Other than that, it was a great place to get a hair cut and free shave.
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by Gretch
03/15/2009
Pretty good haircut. The oils were a bit much.
I walked right in and was seated immediately. There was no one else there but the barber who said he owned the place. He was a very nice old fellow and had a salty swagger of a proper old barber about him. The place was fairly clean and there were scented candles lit near the chair I was in. Pomegranate and vanilla I believe. Anyways, it was a nice haircut and he cleaned up the trim with a straight razor, which is something I've come to expect from any decent barber lately. He did shave a small gap between my sideburns and my hair though. Not a big deal as it'll grow in after a couple days, but still something that was a small annoyance. He asked if I wanted a straight razor shave and I agreed. It wasn't too much extra and I like to get em when they're available as a treat. The chair leaned back, he put a hot towel over my face and began honing his razor again. He moved the towel up to just cover my eyes and then lathered on some hot shaving cream over my stubble. At this point he got a little bit touchy feely and stood behind me breathing deeply while he held one hand under my chin and another on my chest. He told me to breathe with him. Then he spread the collar of my shirt and started dripping scented oils onto my neck and chest. It was fairly uncomfortable but I didn't want to seem rude, so I just let it ride, as it were. By this time he'd neglected the hot lather long enough for it to go cold and hard, which made the shave pretty grueling. I think he smelled my hair at one point. He would shave a section of my face and then caress it with some of his lavender oil. It was nice I suppose, just a bit much. He was a bit close most of the time, but I figured it's a different culture and I can't judge. He smelled very nice, so I didn't mind too much, though his private area was very liberally presented against my arm and torso for most of the shave and haircut. After it was all over I paid him the money plus a tip, which ended up being 25 bucks or so. He asked if I wanted to stay and watch tv with him. I declined as I had somewhere to be, but I probably would have gotten outta there regardless as he was being pretty forward at that point, continuing to hold my arm and rub my chest.
Good haircut, bad shave, a bit on the overly friendly side, but I think that's just his culture. Don't go if you're not comfortable with another man's package grinding into your arm for 30 minutes.
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by Bobo
01/24/2009
The barber who owns/runs this place gives a good haircut. For his age, the barber has very steady hands with the scissors. He uses a straight razor and wet lather to trim your edges, and generally does a fantastic job.
Things did get weird towards the end of my haircut. He started using a scalp massager, which is a nice touch. The problem is, he started massaging more than my head. He started massaging my neck, then my arms. The whole time he kept pulling my arms onto the arm rests, and every couple of seconds would say something like "Relax, Relax, this is a good massage, youre going to feel like a new man." This seemed a little odd, but things got REALLY CREEPY really fast as he started rubbing his crotch on my arm and started breathing heavily.
I knew what was going on, so I told him I had to go. He told me some hair fell down my shirt, and started pulling up the back of it. I bolted out of the chair, grabbed some money from my wallet, and paid him. He offered me a beer, but I told him I was driving and didn't want to get a DUI. Looking at some of the comments below, I'm glad I didn't accept his offer. As I was leaving, he told me to come back if I needed another haircut. I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon.
A point-breakdown of my ranking.
+5: Great Haircut
+1: Close attention to detail/wet-shave
-5: Frotteurism / Sexual Assault
In the final analysis, I'll give this place 1 star. You'll get a great haircut, but you might be in for more than you bargained for. You might enjoy it though, if you're into creepy 60 year old Cuban men.
