G-nails & Spa is the place to go for so much more than a gorgeous fresh set 

By ANGIE CUMMINGS — arts@theaggie.org

Sometimes picking a salon to get your nails done at can be as easy as crossing the street and walking in, but there are times when it feels as difficult and complex as finding a life partner. There is so much that goes into the decision to commit to a new salon; one must factor in prices, reviews, ambiance and so much more. Luckily for those of you who have yet to find a nail salon to return to for the remainder of your time at UC Davis, I have done the due diligence and investigative journalism to confirm that G-nails & Spa provides the most satisfying and even enriching nail experience in Davis. 

Run by husband and wife duo, Kiet Le and Tina Tieu, G-nails sits comfortably right on 2nd Street, in close proximity to the myriad restaurants in the heart of downtown (in case one were to be a bit peckish post-salon visit). Upon first entering the storefront, G-nails looks to be set up much like any other nail salon, with its rows of spa chairs, comfortable waiting area and minimalist yet cozy decor. Once you are seated for your appointment, however, you may start to notice the lack of any harsh overhead lighting (which is replaced by warmly lit hanging fixtures) and unique photography across the walls of this spa. 

“The photos [in G-nails] cheer it up instead of just a picture of the nails or a foot with a flower,” Le said of his choice in decor, in comparison to the standard types of ornamentation in nail salons. 

While I might not be an expert on quality photography, it is clear to see that the photos Le has chosen are of a high standard and possess artistic character you just cannot obtain from stock photos or decor at a department store. When I had my first appointment with Le last year, I asked where he got all these photos and learned every single one was taken by him. This was when I knew I needed to know more about his and this salon’s story.

“I’m not a nail guy, I’m a photographer,” Le said towards the outset of our interview. 

Le attended San Francisco Art Institute for photography, and has been featured in numerous exhibitions and galleries throughout the Bay Area. To this day, he works as a professional photographer when he’s not delivering excellent service at the nail salon. 

“[I used to do] travel photography, but after she [his wife, Tina] opened up here, I helped her out and we had more and more customers coming back requesting me,” Le said about his transition from traveling six days a week to having a prominent role in the running of G-nails. While he admits photography is still his primary passion, “nails are art too […] if you don’t have an artistic eye you can’t paint a nice nail or a design,” Le said as he effortlessly applied the gel polish to my right hand. 

When asked if he had a favorite of his photos up on the walls, Le promptly stated, “they’re just like your children, you know, they all equally get love […] each of them has their own story and memories.”

Le’s deep connection to these photos is quickly revealed as he discusses the stories behind them. 

“I go home to visit family in Vietnam and sometimes Thailand […] to document the places I’ve been before as a refugee […] to bring back the memories of the old days,” Le said. “A lot of my work is historical. I know Vietnam is a developing country so it changes a lot […] even my own house I can’t recognize.”

The backstory of these beautiful photos adds to their artistic value — with each framed photo on the wall, Le is able to give a deeper glimpse into the country and culture he grew up in. From stories of how plants are transported on motorcycles to a look into the covered markets he remembers his mother working in, Le provides so much more than just nail services. 

“It’s something you can look at and learn more about another culture,” Le said. 

Le not only takes pride in his passion for photography but also in the quality of the experience and service at G-nail. 

“We’ve got a lot of local regulars […] but it gets crazy busy when [UCD students] come back. Customers only give you a hard time when you don’t do a good job — so we don’t get that very much,” Le said with a smile on his face. 

By the end of my interview with Le, I had a flawless set of maroon squoval gel nails and a new breadth of information and appreciation for the rich histories and cultures he shared with me. 

“You got your nails done by a photographer today, so don’t complain, I’m no specialist,” Le said jokingly and all too modestly. 

Written by: Angie Cummings  — arts@theaggie.org

In tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John

By CLARA FISCHER — arts@theaggie.org

If you are anything like me, you were raised by parents with an avid love for all things old school. Many of my earliest and fondest memories take place listening to songs from the ‘70s or watching retro movies — including one of the most successful movie-musicals to ever hit the big screen: “Grease.” This movie-musical stars Olivia Newton-John as Sandy and John Travolta as Danny.

As a kid, I can’t say that I fully understood the meaning (or the myriad innuendoes) of the film. All I took to heart were the fun, flashy costumes and a killer soundtrack that I could easily dance to. Now, rewatching “Grease” as an adult who has been through the tumultuous qualms of the teenage years, I can relate to some of the movie’s themes on a personal level. 

At its core, the premise of “Grease” is about identity and the struggle to both find and maintain your identity amid the pressures of society — in this case, a brutal, unforgiving and dystopian landscape also known as high school. The beginning of the movie shows Newton-John’s Sandy as an outsider in the school’s social scene because of her demure, naive “goody two-shoes” persona, which is presented in stark contrast to the bold, provocative and even crass aura of the Pink Ladies and their male counterparts, the T-Birds.

Spoiler alert: Sandy doesn’t retain her overexaggerated sanctity. As she herself puts it in the reprise of “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” Sandy is “wholesome and pure, oh so scared and unsure.” She doesn’t fit in with those around her — even those who are more accepting of her personality, such as Frenchy and (to an extent) Danny, sometimes find her to be awkward in social settings. She sees a need to change in order to get what she wants.

And thus was born one of the most iconic moments in film history: Sandy’s transformation. Her all-leather, skin-tight ensemble, complete with red lipstick and a cigarette, has been chosen by many throughout the years as their Halloween costume of choice, signifying it as a cultural phenomenon. Much like Natalie Portman in “Black Swan,” our formerly virtuous heroine has stripped her good-girl persona and spends her final moments on-screen fully embracing a new, dark alter-ego.

While there is an argument to be made for denouncing this moment — and, in fact, “Grease” in its entirety —  as deeply problematic and anti-feminist, maybe there’s something to be said for Sandy’s complete 360. Through shedding her pure, girl-next-door image, she is able to shock everyone in her world by embodying the polar opposite feminine ideal; sexy, sultry and mysterious. She takes power into her own hands by playing into what society both reveres and detests: a confident woman. 

In some ways, Newton-John’s career has its own parallels to Sandy’s storyline. Rising to fame at a young age through an Australian singing competition, she landed the role of Sandy, complete with a personal recommendation from Travolta, who described her as “every guy’s dream.” Following the film’s instant success, Newton-John continued with her already impressive career and catapulted herself into ‘80s superstardom with the release of “Physical.” 

Where Sandy donned leather pants and a head of teased, curly blond hair, Newton-John rocked a turquoise leotard and pink tights while imploring listeners to get physical. Still, the two moments both represent turning points at which the women break from society’s simplistic view of them. 

Like Sandy, Newton-John also had doubts about breaking away from her good-girl image, reportedly calling her manager, Roger Davies, at one point and telling him “I’m afraid I’ve gone too far with this song.” Luckily for both her and the ‘80s pop cop music scene, Davies persuaded her to press on with the song, which went on to become one of the biggest hits of her career and a defining moment of the time period. 

Apart from being one of the leading pop trailblazers of her time, Newton-John also contributed hugely to medical research efforts following her breast cancer diagnosis in 1992. The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre was founded as a place to both conduct research and serve as a public hospital, combining modern medicine with holistic wellness. The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre was largely successful due to the unwavering support of Newton-John herself. After over 30 years of being a public figure for advocacy against breast cancer, the icon passed away at the age of 73 on Aug. 8, 2022.

So, thank you Olivia Newton-John for being an inspiration in many ways — I’ll have “Hopelessly Devoted to You” on loop for a long time to come. 

Written by: Clara Fischer — arts@theaggie.org

From a niche internet sensation to the big screen

By CORALIE LOON — arts@theaggie.org

On June 24, 2022, a new film with a long history, “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” (2022), hit theaters in the U.S. and Canada. This sweet mock documentary extends the storyline of a few videos, first uploaded to YouTube over 10 years ago, into an hour and a half of heartwarming conversation, lighthearted comedy and emotional nuance.

For those who missed the series of YouTube videos titled “MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON,” the concept of the 2022 movie may seem random and at least a little bizarre.

The original premise of Marcel the Shell is simple: he is a 1-inch tall shell fashioning a googly eye and a pair of brightly-colored sneakers, living alone and spouting innocent wisdom about the trials and tribulations of being a shell.

It wasn’t until the release of the motion picture this year that fans of Marcel became privy to new information: that Marcel identifies as a he (not a she, despite being voiced by actress Jenny Slate), living with his grandmother Connie in an Airbnb, and used to have an entire family before being separated from them in a traumatic incident.

The unusual concept for a full-length movie could be attributed to its story’s humble origins, which perhaps allowed it to break from normalcy and enter a realm as unpredictable as it was charming.

It all started in 2010, when Slate and her then partner Dean Fleischer-Camp spontaneously created a video with items bought from a craft store, creating a video in 48 hours that was only ever intended for a friend’s stand-up comedy show. As Slate improvised Marcel’s questions and answers, Fleischer-Camp (who never appears on screen) voiced a human who conversed with Marcel from behind the camera.

 It wasn’t until later that the film was uploaded to YouTube, quickly becoming an internet sensation that has now gathered over 32 million views.

Maybe it was the series’ unique combination of humor and strangeness, or sweetness and depth, that made it so likable. It was hard for me not to fall in love with Marcel in the first minute, when his tiny raspy voice introduced himself: “I like myself, and I have a lot of other great qualities as well.” One of the most tender moments in the movie — when Marcel quietly asks: “Guess why I smile a lot?” (What?) “Because it’s worth it” — was also in the second YouTube film.

The success of the original “MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON” short film on youtube led to a second (and finally a third) installation, each expanding the character of Marcel by a few minutes. In total, the three YouTube videos don’t even add up to 15 minutes, leading some (like myself) to wonder what a 90-minute movie could do to both honor Marcel’s spirit of smallness and sustain the audience’s attention.

As an original Marcel the Shell fan, I was excited for the theatrical release but also a little nervous that the filmmakers wouldn’t succeed in doing Marcel justice. After over a decade of anticipation, the pressure was on the movie to either go big or go home.

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” definitely did go big — in the smallest and most spot-on way possible. It took some of the most iconic lines from the original videos and refashioned them, such as the phrase: “Sometimes people say that my head is too big for my body and then I say, ‘compared to what?’” 

These small references are scattered within a larger story about loneliness and how one both grows into and out of it. As Marcel begins the search for his long-lost family, he experiences the hugeness of feeling lost, of belonging to a world that is partially out of his grasp.

The film couldn’t have captured the tone of the original videos any better, quietly and comedically exploring what it’s like to be so small in such a big world. It neither dragged nor lost its simplicity in the midst of a flashy plot, reminding me of the true heart and purpose of indie films in showing life just as it is: silly and fiercely profound.

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is a phenomenon that all ages can enjoy; while the youngest viewers may be enthralled by its cleverness and charm, older viewers are even more in touch with its heart, truthfulness and timelessness. This is a film that every person, whether they feel especially human or not, should watch.

The major motion picture is playing until August 17 in select theaters in the U.S. and Canada, but will hopefully be available to stream or rent digitally in the near future.

Written by: Coralie Loon — arts@theaggie.org