Movin' on up!

Well, I'm already on the Eastside, but I am moving up...Little Courtney, Big City has to take a pause from new posts as I pack and move, pack and move... I promise there will be more fun posts to come soon!

Cheers,

LC

Factoria's Secret

In my line of work, I have been very involved in a number of fashion related events. So much recently, people who don't me too well assume I am specifically in the fashion industry. And while, I find this quite the compliment, it's definitely not that true, at least not very often. I love fashion and think of it as an artform, but when it's either snoozing for 10 more minutes or walking out the doors and lookin' like SJP? Well, I think you can figure out the answer on that one...yeh, I'm falling into the stereotypical pattern of PNWer's and more often choosing comfort over fashion...but, there's one savior who picks me up when I fall down and helps me out when I am broke but need new clothes.
That savior, my dear friends, is Loehmann's! I noticed this place when I would drive by Factoria on 405, but assumed it was just like a Marshall's/TJ Maxx or Ross. In conversation once, one of my good friends commented that she was a "Loehmann's girl." At first, I thought, oh goodness, she must not be talking about that place in Factoria, but, in fact, she was! She promised it was so much better than Marshall's, so I figured I'd give it a chance.
Sure enough, I was not disappointed! The look and feel of the place is the same as a Ross/Marshall's, but the selection is SO much better. I literally find lots and lots of designer pieces, not just a few designers, that, honestly, are very matronly that I often find in the other discount retail stores. I've come home with some great finds, particularly some Kenzie items, a great marc by marc jacobs bag, and some other labels that I will see in the dept. stores for like 75% more just a few months ago!
Loehmann's also has lots of coupons that come in the mail regularly once you sign up for their free rewards card, making the deal even sweeter!
So, I definitely recommend this place for great clothes in general, but especially if you want to have money for groceries this week too!

http://www.loehmanns.com/

Feeding my face (my skin that is!)

Contrary to what's on the labels on the products I'm going to write about, I'm not writing about food. I actually wanted to share the skin moisturizing products I've found because I know wrinkles are far too concerning to so many of us!



I'm using 2 products from Avalon Organics, which is actually a natural and organic skin care line that is pretty popular and can be found in many grocery stores and pharmacies (not just Whole Foods). I've even found the line at Target and QFC.

I use Avalon Organics Skin Nourishing Antioxidant Intensive Vitamin C Sun-Aging Defense Face Cream mostly at night, but sometimes it's so delicious smelling I'm compelled to use it in the morning as well. This baby smells like a tall glass of refreshing O.J. and is a "daily firming repair enriched [cream] with skin soothing lipo-filling complex." It is refreshing and soaks into the skin quickly. I highly recommend adding it to your daily regime. There's lots of products out there to fight wrinkles, aging, sagging, dryness, etc. if you pick this product or others, I just encourage you to go with something that you can understand and you know why you are putting it on your skin. I doubt you'd eat something if you didn't know what it was and, for the most part, how it was made, so why would you put something that was full of chemicals and fillers on your skin?

The other Avalon Organics product I'm currently using to moisturize my face and neck daily is the Moisture Plus Lotion with SPF 18 in Lavender for sensitive skin. The calming scent of this moisturizer always reminds me to stop for a moment in my early morning rush and take a deep breath. It gives me a brief moment to calm down and (try) to regain some balance (although I'm always running late). In addition to the SPF protection against UVA and UVB damage, Vitamin C & E are added to defend against free radicals.

What I love about this label is that I can understand the ingredients, and why they are in this product. Some of the other key ingredients include Lavender and Licorice root to help sooth redness, organic flax and borage oils for hydration, and chamomile, white tea, and aloe.

There's tons more products by Avalon Organics and you can check them all out at www.avalonorganics.com

My minerals

When I started really getting into a healthy and natural lifestyle, and actively cutting out preservatives and plain ol' crap found in pretty much everything I was eating and using on my face and body, I began with my make-up. I threw out all the make-up full of talc, parabens, tar, and a million other scary things that were in that stuff and switched to mineral make-up. First, I almost fell for the trap of buying Bare Essentuals brand mineral make-up, b/c the marketing was great, but after a bit of research I discovered they still added talc (natural yes, good for your skin? no.) to their product so I didn't go with them.

It's awesome, 'cause in the last few years the mineral make-up industry has exploded and there are tons of great brands out on the market. The brand I'm currently using, and have been for about 2 years, is Mineral Concepts. Carol Jeanne is the owner of Mineral Concepts and her customer service and goals won me over even before the make-up did!

Most mineral make-up companies are happy to send samples at a very nominal cost, or sometimes even free! When I began trying to find a great mineral product (or as my guy calls them, "my minerals") I didn't know what to look for or how it would look on my skin, and I was nervous to invest but really wanted to make the change. Carol chatted with me on the phone and asked a bunch of questions about my skin type, coloring, etc. She them sent me out a bunch of samples so I could make sure I ordered what worked best and felt right. It's been a great experience since!

One tip she gave me that I think is really important is that you need to use a good quality brush made out of non-synthetic hairs to really get the best look out of the make-up. Sometimes cheapy brushes can make the minerals look shiny rather than natural.

And although I personally don't support Bare Essentuals current product, I do think stopping in to a Bare Essentuals store or a Sephora (they sell B.E.) and ask for a makeover with the product. Then you can wear it all day and get a good sense of how it feels and looks on your skin.

You can get more info. on Mineral Concepts at http://www.mineralconcepts.com/

Oh, one last thing - my make-up lasts FOREVER! It's an amazing investment. I am still using all of the make-up pots I bought over a year ago and since they are natural and there is no need for preservatives they don't "go bad!"

Fancy water is hidden in my tap

No, seriously, did you know that water otherwise-known-as Dasani flowed from the tap in my kitchen sink? Well it does, and I didn't know either until I was reading one of my fav. mags, Seattle Metropolitan. Their newest issued had a great article on Seattle water and that our municipal water is the same stuff you spend $1.25 a bottle on at the grocery store with the Dasani label!I just don't know what's more amazing, that I drink bottled-water-worthy water every day or that people are paying so much for it b/c of the label?Seriously, if this doesn't get people to stop spending money on water bottles that aren't reusable and just go join the junk party in the landfills then I'm not sure what will...come on folks, if you live here in the Seattle area don't take your fancy-pants water for granted!

Paper Trail - just what this stationary addict needs

Little Courtney's growing up...the homebuying process has begun. Since I've been on the West Coast, I've lived in Redmond, and we'd like to continue to sow our oats in such a pretty place, although this means looking through all the ugly box condos and Brandy Bunch style homes that populate this region in hopes of finding something with character on the outside as well as the inside. We think we found what we are looking for and that landed us in the beautiful, new Redmond Ridge.

We took a little drive around the area, including the retail areas. There's the usual teryaki place (there are more Teryaki places that Starbucks around here, what gives?), the nail place, the grocery store, the Starbucks, and the Paper Trail! I was stoked!!! I love stationary!!! I love sending out letters on all sorts of paper and love recieving fun, decorated notes back in the mail.

This shop carries all sorts of great stuff for the big occasions like a wedding to fun stuff for the letters to grandma and your friends sprinkled around the globe.

If Redmond Ridge becomes my home, then the Paper Trail just may become my second home!

Paper Trail in Redmond Ridge is off Novelty Hill in Redmond.

Check out updates on the HPL site!

Lots o' new photos, links to articles, and more have been added to www.halfpastlavish.com! We've got some fun events coming up, but if you've got an event need, please don't hesitate to give this girl a call!!!

"Follow your dreams, transform your life." - Paulo Coelho

Little Courtney loves Big(foot) Bagels

As transplanter in my new hometown, I'm used to having to state my name and where I'm originally from when meeting new folks. Sorta like the first few days in Elementary school each year until your teacher has you go around the room sharing your name and your favorite summer vacation memory until they finally remember everyone's name. So, I felt compelled to start this post off letting you know I'm from NY, but you already know that, right dear readers and pals? :)

Well anyways, I'm from NY, and we seem to like carbs, sugar, and anything edible but bad for you a lot more than the folks over here in the PNW. It was a bit of a culture shock when hot dog "restaurants" weren't easy to find (practically non-existent to be honest) and pizza and beers weren't the staple meal for a night out with friends. It's always a bonding moment when I meet other East Coasters and we lament over all the great foods we can't find on the West Coast. One of the great breakfast staples I miss is a good bagel.



I really took for granted the quality and taste of the bagel from the east coast. I didn't even know how good it was until I couldn't have it! Yeh, there's a chain out here that does an okay bagel, but really, it's just okay. I try to understand and sympathize when mid-westerners or West Coasters go on and on about how great these bagels are, but oh, if they only could have a great East Coast bagel readily available to them would they, could they truly know.

But, I do have good news! I did find a great little bagel shop in Woodinville that can satisfy my cravings till my next flight back to NY. Bigfoot Bagels in Woodinville makes a great bagel. Dense, but chewy, great flavor, crunchy on the outside...ya know, I don't really know how to explain it I just know it doesn't taste like a round piece of bread with a hole in the middle, which is what most other bagel joints in the area that I've had the chance to try taste like.

I'm glad to know others like Bigfoot as well. They are pretty busy, and if you go there closer to brunch than breakfast they might have already sold out of some flavors. No worries though, so far all of the types I've tried are great!

Bigfoot Bagel is located at 14126 NE Woodinville Duvall Rd Woodinville, WA 98072, (425) 488-9899

Coming Full Circle or This Girl Just Wants to Have Fun

This past Tuesday I felt this odd sense of coming full circle. I've thrown the saying out here and there, but don't think ,in my still-under-30 years of life, that I experienced it until this past week. This past Tuesday this girl had lots of fun at the True Colors tour with Cyndi Lauper and the B-52's. It was such 80's pop-lovin' fun! As a little 5-year-old I used to dress-up as Cyndi and Madonna dancing as only 5-year-olds can (or so I thought) to "She Bop" and "Get Into the Groove." Randomly, or not (since my ma often seems to have semi-psychic occurrences), my mom emailed me that she had this fond memory of my dress-up days when I used to dance around to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." I wrote back only to tell her my dreams were coming true, and I would be in the audience of Cyndi's concert that very night!

Listening to Cyndi Lauper brings very vivid memories and emotions back to me as she came in and out of my life at various important stages. First, when I was a little tyke, then I rekindled my love of Cyndi when I bonded over her with one of my oldest and best friends, and then again when my younger cousin discovered cool 80's music (only making me feel slightly old and scarily retro) and fell in love with Cyndi!

So Cyndi and her neon mohawks and larger than life hot pink skirts has been a part of my life for a long time. And this past Tuesday I felt was a beautiful next chapter of my life through the vocals of Ms. Lauper. I had never seen her live so this was something I've waited about 23 years or so for, and I was able to experience this concert with one of my newer, but also bestest, friends. I felt waves of emotion at that concert and realized my dancing hasn't gotten much better since I was five, but at a Cyndi concert it's not about that. It's all just about Girls having fun!