I Love Fair Oaks

Everything there is to love about living in Fair Oaks, CA Spotlight on local businesses, recreation, and activities in Fair Oaks, California. Love where you live!

Life & Style

Local Artist in Fair Oaks Neddy

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I love hearing Fair Oakians talk about growing up in Fair Oaks because people take pride in living in Fair Oaks.

One day when I was in the village I met an interesting fellow, Neddy, a local artist who was with some people at the Fair Oaks Coffee House and Deli and happened to be showing one of his works to them. We started talking and I learned that he’s lived in Fair Oaks since 1957. He moved here at 13 years old. He reminisced about riding bikes down to the river and even jumping off the old bridge.

We made plans to meet later that week and he brought some of his paintings to show me. He paints every day. “Easel time,” he calls it. Some of his best work happens by accident, he says. He’s not crazy about realism. “You’ve always got to be looking for something in the subject. You can’t try to make it look exactly like you see it, or you’ll try to be perfect, and that’s not going to happen. Just let it develop.”

Neddy loves hanging out in the Village. He sells some of his paintings at the Village Decor & Antique shop located in Fair Oaks Village directly across the street from the Fair Oaks Village Coffee House & Deli.

If you or someone you know wants to share some stories and photos of Fair Oaks, please get in touch with me at chrysti@ilovefairoaks dot com.

Hermie the Rooster Mural Unveiling in Fair Oaks Village

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Jacqueline Gorre, the owner of Cinderella Complex, let me know that Lori Wallace with Good Day Sacramento was going to cover the unveiling of the Hermie the Rooster Mural. We all arrived in the Village at 7 AM.

We gathered inside the boutique excited and eagerly anticipating the arrival of the news crew.

Lori Wallace and crew arrive!

Hermie the real rooster was at his corner totally oblivious about being the guest of honor.

This young woman kept Hermie calm and even got him to make his cameo appearance on queue.

the mural artists standing in front of the mural of hermie the rooster mural in fair oaks village

From left to right are Julie, whose father has owned the building since the 1970s and is the namesake for Hermie. Co-creators Matthew Mason and Alayna. In the magenta shirt is Karen Garman, the art teacher at Vella Vista high school, who has had Alayna and Matthew as students for four years and says they used the grid method to create the mural. In the center is the fabulous stylist, Jacqueline Gorre, owner of the Cinderella Boutique, who helped make this happen.

Fair Oaks Image Consultant, Jacqueline Gorre

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hot pink hat at the cinderella complex boutique in fair oaks village

Hello Fair Oaks!

The clothing we wear can transform us and give us confidence. But how do you know what’s the best look on you? Some of us have a natural knack for style, and some of us could use a boost. Or a boot. I love boots. But I digress.

I walked into CinderELLA Complex, greeted by the vivacious Jacqueline. I wasn’t even sure anything on the racks would fit me, but there were some cute blouses, and she brought over some pants, and I had fun trying on clothes. There were some gorgeous shoes and purses too. I walked out with three blouses and two purses for myself and two cocktail dresses for my niece. All of the items were under $10 each. Some were from her special sale rack in the back of the store. She has beautiful clothes in her shop.

She pulled pieces together for me that I wouldn’t have thought of wearing. And I loved it! I tend to be stuck in my look which is okay, but it’s a real treat to have a fashion consultant give you a wardrobe makeover. I felt like I was playing dress-up which is precisely what the name CinderELLA Complex means to Jacqueline. She says that as children we play, and it should feel the same way now.

Jacqueline has an eye for discovering the treasures hidden in the racks of some of the best boutiques in San Francisco, traveling there regularly to bring back designer clothing to sell in her store, CinderELLA Complex. An image consultant as well as a clothing shop owner, she is passionate about empowering her clients with confidence and their uniqueness. What we wear can transform us.

You can visit Jacqueline at CinderELLA Complex located in Fair Oaks Village, next to the Village Salon. It’s the building with the large chicken mural.

If you feel the need for a new look, or improving your image, Jacquline offers professional workshops on enhancing our appearance and also works one on one with clients on image makeovers, including fitness and nutrition routines. She will help you embrace your natural beauty and the transformation enhancing your whole being and self-esteem.

Jacquline believes that when we feel and look our best, we begin to project positive energy and that affects everything we do, and that includes our business and personal life. Fashion isn’t superficial. It’s the essence of who we are, and we should embrace our best selves.

Let’s show some LOVE to the business in Fair Oaks Village by sharing this. We’ll put the link to the GIVEAWAY as soon as we go live!

Follow CinderELLA Complex on Instagram and Facebook!

Pet Portraits (On a Budget)

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Behind the scenes looks aren’t always glamorous – but they are important, and always fun to see.

young woman wearing a tierra with her dog also wearing a tierra and getting a pet portrait

August 27th, 2018 my sweet, dorky, lovable German Shepherd, Emma, turned 8 years old and we had a blast! This year I decided to do a photoshoot with her along with her annual routine of treats, toys, walks, and birthday chicken dinner.

It was challenging. Treats were crucial. Commands were not always followed. Lots of laughing. Lots of hugs and compliments. It was amazing.

I recruited a dear friend of mine who had come over for tea and to wish Emma a happy birthday as my assistant and we went to my local Dollar Tree for some supplies – birthday headbands, a tassel garland, a “Hollywood” cardboard photo frame, and party blowouts, totaling to $4.08. Awesome.

Next, I set up my backdrop stand, 2 ProMaster strobes with an umbrella diffuser on each one, and my backdrop. By backdrop, I mean two 48 in. x 84 in. curtains, that I found on sale for $10 each, at my local Big Lots, (I swear!) right in my living room. I don’t need a big fancy studio to get professional shots done and neither do you!

I set the lights, my camera settings, took a few photos and then handed over my camera to my sweet friend so that I could jump into some shots. Here are some RAW, out of the camera, untouched photos of the actual struggle and process of pet photography, the set up, and the fun that we had.

We finished up the photoshoot, sang happy birthday, gave Emma her chicken, and as my friend drove home and Emma went to take a nap, I eagerly jumped on the computer to go through the photos and do a little photoshop magic!

Here’s a quick “before and after” Photoshop! Using just the crop and cloning tools, along with some exposure adjustments in Camera Raw.

Working on a budget will 100% require you to do more work, develop your skills in post production, and challenge you creatively, but it can be done – and with great results!

Emma and I believe in you.

Village Salon, the art of hair.

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Hello, my Fair Oaks lovelies! I am excited to introduce you to Rebekah, owner of Village Salon, located at 10145 Fair Oaks Blvd, Fair Oaks, California.

photo of rebekah kurtz noble
Photo by Chrysti Tovani

I am a regular customer at the Village Salon. My stylist is Crystal who is AMAZING! From what I’ve seen, all of the stylists at Village Salon are talented, established, and continue their education to stay on top of trends. It’s an enjoyable experience every time I get my hair cut and styled. Rebekah was so kind and friendly when I approached her about featuring the salon. We had a lot of fun!

Brianna May Rosalind did some very artistic photography, and I took some photographs of Rebekah while she was working. We did a Q & A style interview. I hope you enjoy!

Photo by Brianna May Rosalind

How would you describe your business?

We are a unique salon located in the heart of the historic old town of Fair Oaks Village. We focus on making sure our clients leave happy and maintaining a high level of professionalism that, you don’t always experience these days. Nothing is more personally rewarding than helping people feel good about themselves and the way they look!

Photo by Chrysti Tovani

What made you decide to open your business?

I was intrigued by the beauty industry from a young age. It became a passion. By my teens & the early twenties, I was already selling skincare and cosmetics for Estée Lauder at Macy’s followed by MAC Cosmetics at Nordstrom.

village salon
Photo by Brianna May Rosalind

After I graduated from cosmetology school, I chose to apprentice and work for one of the top salons in town for about five years. After that, I moved to self-employment station rental in another salon for a short time. I was so busy and had so many clients that it got the wheels in my head turning. My father is a successful entrepreneur, and he always encouraged me to think big. I had a lot of hairdresser friends with the same ethics, level of training and professionalism that I have. Found the right spot and decided to go for it. I’m glad I did because it thrived.

village salon
Photo by Brianna May Rosalind

Do you do any personal styling or weddings?

Wedding parties, proms, and school dances are regular here. We have over a dozen stylists who passionately specialize their own areas. From weddings & special events to precision cuts to crazy fashion colors to classic long hair to top quality lengthening extensions, we do it all! I could go on and on about everything we do. The best part is, edgy or conservative; we have the perfect fit for anyone.

What made you decide to choose Fair Oaks?

I moved to Fair Oaks from Folsom when I was almost 17. I started out doing hair at a salon about 5 miles down the road. Fair Oaks and the surrounding areas are where the majority of my clients live. I also have many clients that make the drive out from a lot further away, so I like that Fair Oaks isn’t far from Highway 50 and Highway 80.  I like to joke that Fair Oaks has all the salons like Fulton Ave has all the car dealerships. I have a lot of immediate family and friends here.

village salon
Photo by Brianna May Rosalind

What do you think your customers love the most about coming to your salon?

Clients have told me stories about past bad experiences of going into salons and the front desk or staff seemed snooty, catty or intimidating. We’re not like that at all! I receive many compliments on how friendly our team is! We really try our best to work together to make sure every client is greeted immediately upon walking in the door. We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable. Coming into our salon is like entering our home. It doesn’t feel corporate. It has good energy and warm hospitality. Our salon is neat because you get the upscale, fancy salon atmosphere mixed with the charming old town quaint shops, boutiques and eateries.

What is one of your favorite local spots to spend time?

My personal all-time favorite place to frequent in the Fair Oaks Village is Carmelita’s Mexican Restaurant!  It’s an enjoyable and different restaurant! The exotic-eclectic decor, upbeat Latin Jazz, and the breezy hilltop patio are all so delightful to me. Their menu has a lot of variety, delicious appetizers and beautiful plates. They make great diet-friendly cocktails too. I have a lot of great memories at Carmelita’s.

Wrap Up:

You can visit the Village Salon at 10145 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Fair Oaks, California. Located in the Fair Oaks Village where the chickens roam. The phone number of the Salon is 916-961-8900.

Streets of Bakersfield in Fair Oaks

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If you haven’t been to a Fair Oaks Summer Concert in the park, you need to go! I thought it would be crowded but there were just the right amount of people and the parking wasn’t too bad. We arrived a little early and I got my keto friendly sandwich at the Fair Oaks Coffee House and Deli.

The village is small so one thing you can do to avoid looking for parking is to take a Lyft or Uber and get dropped off. I do that whenever I have to go downtown.

It’s a real family affair. There are food booths where you can buy pizza and snacks. There’s also ice cream and root beer floats. Kids can run around and play on the slides ans swings. There’s a designated dance floor if you want to get up and move your feet to the beat.  Good times!

Robby James and the streets of Bakersfield band on stage at concerts in the park fair oaks california

Robby James and the Streets of Bakersfield is a tribute band that performs a bakersfield sound with songs by Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and other classic country singer/songwriters. They put on a great show at the Fair Oaks concerts in the park in July 2018.

robby james and the streets of bakersfield concert in fair oaks july 2018