Papito Blessedhands is a barber at 100 Willis St in Island Bay, Wellington, holding a 4.9 rating on Google. A good barber is judged less by the cut on the day than by how it grows out over the following weeks. The best ones ask how you wear your hair between visits, check for crowns and growth patterns before the clippers come out, and cut to suit your head rather than to a template. Regulars tend to stick with one barber for years, because that person remembers the length, the neckline and everything you always forget to mention. For anyone new to an area, a first visit is a kind of audition: arrive with a clear idea, then see whether they listen before they pick up the scissors. For Island Bay locals, Papito Blessedhands puts a well-rated neighbourhood barber within easy reach on Willis St.