When lifelong San Pedro resident Erika Sogliuzzo found a nail salon she loved, she wanted to tell the world about it. And so, a blog was born.
On SP Good and Bad, the 37-year-old mom of 2-year-old twins recommends the best shops, eats and services according to her inner circle of gal pals. So far, she's covered nail salons, eyebrow groomers of various sorts, gift shops and Mexican restaurants. This week's poll covers dry cleaners, so feel free to weigh in, if you think you've got the inside scoop on the best laundress in San Pedro.
Read on for a Q&A with Erika and links to her best stuff.
San Pedro memory growing up:
Okay, scary San Pedro memory, When the Sansanita Tanker Ship blew up I thought it was Moby Dick flapping his fin on the water. I remember peering out the window to the dark sea overlooking the point-wondering where he was...I was so young; I couldn't fathom an explosion like the one we experienced. Why I thought that, I'll never really know, but I think everybody who lived here at that time, remembers where they were when it happened.
Why did you start the blog?
The whole blog thing derived from an email I sent to my group of girlfriends. I suggested a new nail shop in town -- I personally think I discovered a secret little gem in town! After nearly 10 days of group reply emails saying "okay, I'll try it" or "my nail place is great too," my best friend Sarah wrote me back and said "why don't you just start a blog." so I did. It allows me to opine about things I see or hear and allows others to post their ideas and suggestions as well. To me the blog is the modern way to say -- "Hey check this place out -- I really liked it" or "See for yourself, but I didn't care for it." Friends always ask "who did you use for this and "where can I go for that." The blog is what I affectionately call a "San Pedro background check." That is, are they any good? Can you trust them? Who are they related to?
What has been your most popular blog post?
Has to be the nail salon post! I referred 14 friends and at least 9 of them have checked out the salon-and loved it! The funny thing is, the salon itself has no idea who I am or who I sent in. I just get a kick out of discovering something new, liking it and allowing my friends and family to enjoy it as well.
Have you ever posted anything you later regretted?
Not as of yet...I'm sure I will though-it's inevitable. However a man did comment on my Mexican Food Restaurant "poll" and how I didn't include EVERY OTHER MEXICAN FOOD RESTAURANT IN TOWN -- including fast food chains... I very politely referred him to the Daily Breeze Annual BEST OF SAN PEDRO poll which includes any restaurant in town. But seriously, the polls on the blog are for fun-just a reader's insight into the GOOD and BAD in San Pedro. So far, so good. No pun intended.
Has anyone recommended anything on the blog that you later tried and hated? Or loved?
I do intend to try the eyebrow threading referral. In fact, I have time this week to do so. I did however, have a reader try the eyebrow threading person and she loved it. I'm sure as the blog grows-so will the opinions about what's STILL good and what's NOW bad! Things evolve. But that's the way life is-there's the good and the bad and the unknown-that is what I am aiming for with this blog-to discover the unknown and allow me and the readers to try something new, too.
The blog has a decidedly girlie angle -- lots of posts about OB-GYNs and eyebrow grooming. Is there any place for men in this blog?
You know, I would love to diversify the blog with information for men. But honestly-a man can call up his friend and say "Dude, where'd you get your brakes done?" Other man replies "xyz brakes-talk to Lenny" okay sounds good. End of Conversation. For us girls to call our friends-we have to figure out if we have time to talk, if they are in the middle of homework or dinner for the kids, have we talked in awhile, can I spend my free-time talking to her? Should I call her later? It's rarely a short conversation, UNLESS of course, I am talking on my cell phone and driving across Western Avenue-this way we just get cut-off by the ridiculous lack of cell service on Western Avenue. Dare I mention my cell phone company? Now, we all use email-text messaging and my blogsite.
What's something every San Pedro resident should know?
Eventually we all will be related to one another and you can name everyone in town and have one degree of separation between us all! I'll put that on the record for generations to follow! I'm sure of it!
What's your favorite thing about living here?
I love how you can go to 25th Street Vons and see people you haven't seen since High School. On the same note, this is something that CAN drive you crazy about living in San Pedro. And don't get me started on Ralphs on Western-you absolutely have to put on make-up, do your hair, dress nice...I swear every time I go there, it's someone new. My friend Josephine and I joke about "okay, we'll talk at Ralphs" and we both don't work there. It's that level of comfort that makes San Pedro the community we belong to and what keeps us here and coming back! There really isn't anonymity anymore, but, it would be weird for us not to know someone when we walk down the aisle. Does that make sense? It even happens when you are traveling abroad!
What drives you crazy about living here?
Just a couple of things like the lack of cell service around town and ironically the drivers who talk on their cell phones on Western where there are cell-signal drop zones everywhere...please, fellow community members, stop talking and start driving...might even help with traffic, another thing, move over to the right when you are turning into a shopping center. Don't take up the whole lane; think about the cars around you. And the pedestrians walking so slowly in the cross walks. Different story if you cannot walk fast, but it's the young kids taking their time, I feel like shouting "One more thing HURRY IT UP!" They'll understand someday when they get to be my age.
Let's see, the banners on the bridge on Gaffey. That so needs addressing, can we just put up an environmentally friendly electronic bulletin board that says Happy Birthday or Car Wash on Saturday or Sunday? Maybe the Chamber could start a fundraiser for it. I have a great idea for Graffiti, too. It's on one of my posts.
List three blogs you love to read.
Politico.com, x17 or tmz.com, and the dailybreeze.com, of course.
I frequently check the blogs listed. I love to read the readers' comments, it cracks me up-and my friends, Dave and Christina -- the things people get so heated up about...we laugh all the time about it.
RELATED POSTS:
L.A. Farm Girl dishes on where to get the best produce in the South Bay
Janice Hahn's blog
Q&A with a South Bay blogger and foodie
Leave a comment