Pacific Beach Mingle Debuts Nail Salon Reality Show

I have spent many a night sitting on my neighbor's patio, listening to the drunkard conversation of Bar West patrons stumbling out of the door as well as his incredibly hilarious stories centered on the drama he has encountered in his nightly bar-hopping escapades in Pacific Beach.

Presumably, when most people think of Garnet Avenue they are also reminded of the 2am sounds of 20-somethings partaking in a night of boozing amidst PB's myriad of eclectic bars and clubs. But a different kind of reality has hit the scene, diverting our familiarized knowledge of its notorious nightlife into a world of primping and pampering.

From hair and nails to waxing and tanning, it seems that every street corner of Pacific Beach dons an everyday salon to cater to your beauty needs. But don't let yourself be so easily fooled by the seemingly typical salons; walk into the world of Mingle Salon on Garnet Avenue and you will find that this is not your everyday run of the mill salon.

From the first moment I opened the glass door to the Mingle back in March, finding myself surrounded by hot pink and teal walls and chic antique chandeliers, I knew it wasn't going to be like my ordinary experiences with nail salons in the past. First and foremost, the salon is composed of a staff of English-speaking girls and one straight guy - definitely not your typical beauty parlor here.

Fast forward to September: I recently sat down with Melissa, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed 31-year-old owner of Mingle, who was more than enthusiastic to dish about their up and coming reality TV show which premiered their first webisode on Myspace on August 22.

"We've always had our clients telling us to consider a reality TV show because of our interesting dynamic," says Melissa. "And I've always wanted people to acquire a better image of nail salons because I believe that we deserve just as much praise as any other type of salon out there."

Melissa was approached by a producer who introduced the idea of a reality TV show based around her unique Pacific Beach salon. With help from her fiancé, nightclub mogul, Mike Viscuso, who owns San Diego's very own On Broadway, Belo, and Deco's, Melissa was able to utilize Streamlight video to produce the show.

"We're hoping to get picked up by Bravo so that we can expand the basis of the show," says Melissa. "At the same time, we don't want to wind up just like any other salon-based reality TV show out there. We want people to know that we're all really good friends here, that our clients are our friends here, and that we are people you can watch and actually relate to."

While Mingle has recently been acquiring an excessive amount of attention in the past few months (their premiere at On Broadway last month bragged a guest list of 800 attendees and next month they are planning another party at Kress, Melissa's fiancé's L.A. nightclub), don't be so quick to assume that their salon has renovated its humble persona into a pretentious demeanor. Mingle still offers simple manis and pedis ranging from $18 to $25 a pop and a lengthy list of waxing and skin care options that won't leave a hole in your wallet.

So, as much as the inebriated bar scene conversation seems to amuse us on a regular basis, take heed in knowing that Pacific Beach is now home to a newly-fashioned set of drama full of man waxes, gossip and glamorous living. "We want people to see what really goes on behind the scenes of salon life," says Melissa. "We're all excited about the show and to see where it takes us."

And Melissa was quick to announce we won't find any kind of phony Sunset Tan sham going on in the Mingle show. We'll let you Insiders be the judge of that.

The Mingle Crew

Aside from Melissa, the "Mother Hen" of Mingle, here are a few juicy tidbits on four of the other Minglers to look out for on the show.

Danielle
Who: The 31 year-old "big-haired" blonde straight from Jersey.
Job: Manicurist
Drama: After repeated attempts to change her into a "West Coast Girl," the farthest the Minglers have gotten is getting her to wear her jeans below her belly button.

Marcus
Who: The 28-year-old cousin of Melissa who showed up one day and started doing stuff.
Job: Salon Manager
Drama: A little mix of work and play, he and Kristina are currently doing what the other Minglers call their "thing" right now.

Kristina
Who: The 20-year old blonde who is the youngest of the Minglers, and quasi-attached to Marcus.
Job: Manicurist/ Make-Up Artist
Drama: A little mix of work and play, she and Marcus are currently doing their "thing."

Justine
Who: Mingle's 24-year old pregnant skin and waxing girl.
Job: Esthetician
Drama: She's the hot soon-to-be-mom in her twenties with close ties to the San Diego Chargers and all the local strip clubs - the gossip is bound never to stop.

Insider Tip: Just a heads up, the only thing dirty at Mingle is the conversation. Want to get more dirt on the Mingle crew? Watch the Pacific Beach salon drama unfold on their MySpace webisodes until Bravo picks up the make-your-own reality show at MySpace.com/MingleShow.

See, it's true - anyone can have their own reality show, even right in your own backyard. Find more Pacific Beach spas and salons here.