The Cheapskate Edition

Continued from page 5

I was a little more leery about getting my hair cut. For that, I made an appointment at the Independence College of Cosmetology (815 West 23rd Street, 816-252-4247), which charges $5.50 for a shampoo and cut. The school's salon was utilitarian; rows of mirrored stations were arranged under harsh fluorescent lights. When I arrived on a Thursday morning, elderly women with tightly curled hair were packed into the waiting room. The students looked a bit more hip; a few had red or pink streaks in their hair. My stylist had dyed black hair with blond and blue streaks. Following my directions, she carefully cut off about an inch and left me with jagged layers. Her supervisor then came over to help her with my bangs and to even things up a bit. From the side, my hair now resembled a comma.

Finally, I went for a massage. Getting an appointment over winter break was a bit tricky. The High-Tech Institute, near Ward Parkway Shopping Center at 9001 State Line Road (866-296-2110), was booked until late April. The $24 massages at Heritage College (1200 East 104th Street, Suite 300, 816-942-5474) sounded appealing, but my appointment was canceled due to bad weather, and I couldn't get into the Massage Therapy Training Institute (9140 Ward Parkway, Suite 100, 816-361-7733) until after my deadline.

I ended up at Pinnacle Career Institute (816-268-3401). Located near Interstate 435 and Holmes in one of those anonymous office parks lining the highway, the drab building turned out to have a relaxing massage room inside. The lights were dim, and new-agey pan-flute music played in the background. My masseuse was a graduate of the school who was helping out over the holidays, and she rocked. The hourlong session was a combination of Swedish and deep-tissue work; she smoothed out knots I didn't know I had and pulled and stretched limbs. She solicitously asked about a suspicious-looking mole on my arm and reminded me to drink a lot of water after the session. Even better than the fantastic massage was the price — $25 plus tip.

That brought the pretax grand total for my tour of salon schools to $60.50. Which left a lot for other necessities — such as nail-polish shades other than neon orange or pearlescent blue.

DON'T SPEND BEER MONEY ON PARKING!

By DAVID MARTIN

Worries about parking for events at the Sprint Center are hugely overblown. For years, football fans have paid more — and walked farther — to park outside Arrowhead Stadium.

City officials have identified 10,000 parking spaces within three or four blocks of Sprint Center. Garages and lots close to the building charge $10. But with a little thought and footwork, concert fans and sports lovers should be able to avoid parting with a sawbuck until they stand in an arena beer line.

City streets are the best option. Most downtown thoroughfares allow street parking, which is usually free after 6 p.m. For the best spots, look for roads where stopping is not allowed during the evening rush. Main Street south of Truman Road, for instance, was wide open at 6:15 on a recent concert night. The arena is but a 10-minute walk from there.

If it's a weeknight and drinks and dinner are part of the plan, 10-hour meters are good sources of cheap parking before 6 p.m. Ten-hour meters line Charlotte and Holmes, among other streets. Walnut south of Truman is another choice spot for people arriving early for evening events.

Those who don't trust their own parallel-parking skills can stick $5 in an honor box in a lot at 11th Street and Wyandotte just east of the Lyric, about six blocks from the Sprint Center. The new City Center Square garage, five blocks away at 11th Street and Baltimore, charges $6 on weekends. The garage that envelops Quality Hill Playhouse, about seven blocks away at 303 West 10th Street, costs only $3. That price is supposedly reserved for people attending events in the theater district; a small fib might be all that arenagoers need to qualify for the rate.

BUZZ ON A BUDGET

By LORNA PERRY

God love the happy hour, for it was designed with one goal in mind: To get happy on the cheap, via consumption of inexpensive alcoholic beverages. Here are some of the deals that make us the — hic — happiest.

Willie's

Monday Microbrew Night at Willie's brings sweet deliverance from watery domestic beer. Fresh pints of Boulevard, Fat Tire, Flying Monkey or Blue Moon cost $2.50 a draw from 8 p.m. until kicking-out time. 1501 Grand, 816-527-0122.

Lew's Grill and Bar

During Tuesday Bewsday at Lew's, from open to close, every beer in the house — bottle or draft, domestic or import — is $2.75. And the pickings aren't slim; Lew's carries a wide selection of domestic and import beers. 7539 Wornall, 816-561-2492.

The Red Balloon

The state of Kansas doesn't believe in happy hours, but you can guzzle to your heart's content seven days a week at the karaoke palace known as the Red Balloon. All day, every day, the Balloon offers hefty 32-ounce "schooners" of Busch or Miller Lite for a wallet-friendly $4.50. If that's 50 cents too much, come in on Tuesdays, when those same schooners cost $4 apiece. 10325 West 75th Street in Overland Park, 913-962-2330.

Charlie Hooper's

Hooper's brings hump day to a close with Wednesday Import Night, when almost every import bottle in the house costs a measly two bucks (OK, the larger bottles might be three). And Hooper's stocks an impressive 140 imports, so it'll take a lot of happy hours to cover that territory. The happy hour starts at 5 p.m. and runs until close. 12 West 63rd Street, 816-361-8841

Denim and Diamonds

Hands down, the Northland's Denim and Diamonds gets the cheap-libations prize. Wednesday night there is Ladies' Night —that means the gals pay a $2 cover at the door and then get to drink 10-ounce cups of well drinks, beer or wine for 25 cents apiece all night. That's two and a half cents a sip, people. 1725 Swift, 816-221-7330.

J.R.'s Place

If the idea of drinking from a giant schooner appeals to you but the prices at the Red Balloon are still outside your price range, J.R.'s in Olathe offers 34-ounce domestic draws for $3 every Thursday. All. Day. Long. 20238 West 151st Street in Olathe, 913-254-1307.

La Bodega

From 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, La Bodega throws one of the premium happy hours in the city: the half-off happy hour. Tapas, wine, premium well drinks, cerveza and sangria are all half-off. This includes refreshing pitchers — not just glasses — of red or white sangria. Word to the wise: La Bodega's happy hour is popular, so reservations are highly recommended. 703 Southwest Boulevard, 816-472-8272.

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