Several weeks ago viewers of Good Things Utah (ABC4) and The Daily Dish (CW30) said goodbye to Reagan Ledbetter. She felt that she was missing out on quite a few things with her boys and wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. It was an agonizing decision for her to give up her career but in the end, she decided that family is first. She could be with her sons in the morning before school, spend the summers with them and be available for her husband's roping competitions that normally are Friday - Sunday without having to take time off of work.
Reagan had been one of the original hosts of GTU (9 years) and TDD (1 year). Her departure began a talent shakeup at both stations. On her last day, it was announced that the producer of TDD was also leaving. A couple of weeks later, Marti Skold announced she was leaving for a job at News14 in Raleigh, NC so that she could be closer to her children and her husband's family. Last week, Angie Larsen announced she was leaving for a position at Usana as the new Senior Manager of Corporate Relations. This was stunning as she denied any plans for leaving only a few weeks prior when Marti Skold left. Her stated reason is also spending time with her sons as she will now have a normal schedule. The exit of Marti and Angie left holes in the local morning newscast where Angie was an achor and Marti was the meteorologist. This leaves Nicea Degering as the only original host remaining.
There were several weeks of tryouts for the shows with many promising candidates. The first person chosen is Brianne Johnson. She was the one person that I was really hoping would not be hired. She does not have a journalism background so this is a huge learning curve for her. Her nerves really got the best of her when she was trying out because her already squeaky voice was on "squeak overload" and her on-air persona was really fake. This has calmed down somewhat now that she has been hired on full-time but the fakiness is really annoying. (I give her the benefit of the doubt that she may be a terrific person off camera.) It also does not help matters that Reagan was the warm and calming influence for Nicea and Brianne is somewhat of a sycophant. I am not sure how the process will work for filling Angie's chair but my hope is for a journalist who is on GTU and sits in the morning anchor chair along with Don Hudson.
On the morning news broadcast, the new weather anchor is really lame. Not sure if this is his normal personality or if the producers are trying to be "edgy". Either way, Marti is sorely missed. With Angie leaving, I decided to check out KSL's local morning newscast. Considerably more professional and I enjoyed it enough that I will probably switch stations in the morning. I will miss Don Hudson as he seems like a genuinely nice person.
On TDD, there was always a great back and forth between Nicea and Reagan because their close friendship off-air was very apparent on-air. Yes, they had scripts but they mainly just riffed it which was refreshing. The show has become really boring and lifeless without Reagan. I also dislike Nicea reading the FB comments as she has a really bad tendency to summarize rather than read the actual post, sometimes losing the meaning of the original post. Reagan just simply read the post on-air and would sometimes comment if she agreed or disagreed, always in a very polite way. Nicea can sometimes come off as being a bit nasty. At this point, I see no reason to continue watching TDD and took it off of the DVR schedule. I will, however, miss Don Hudson and Brian Carlson in the "Dishing with the Dudes" segments.
The rumors on FB suggest that Angie, Marti and the TDD producer were actually pushed out. Management did not do themselves any favors by suggesting that all of the changes were "merely a coincidence". It is so unfortunate that two really great shows have gone downhill so quickly from "must see TV" to "if I am really, really bored TV". As a viewer, I do not blame Reagan in any way because her choice was merely a catalyst for the changes that followed.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
11/11/11 and Fashion Place Mall's Grand Re-opening
Fashion Place Mall had a grand re-opening on 11/11/11 with a total of 11 new or reopened stores. Crate & Barrel, The North Face store and H&M have opened stores in Utah for the first time with this addition to the mall. Other stores include Ann Taylor, Yankee Candle, Bastille, Brio, Art of Shavings and Loft. I was most excited about Crate & Barrel and The North Face store.
There was much hullabaloo about H&M. The first 500 people in line when the doors opened received a gift card with values between $5 and $500. News reports estimated that there were approximately 700 people in line. People began showing up at 4:30 am or so. There had been a false report on Facebook that stated the mall would start allowing people to camp in line Thursday evening at 10:30 pm but it was a hoax. The H&M is a full line clothing store in that it has women's, men's, maternity and children's departments. The maternity and children's departments are on the second floor. The store offers women's sizes through 14. However, their clothes are slim European cut so most women need to go up from their regular size. It is unlikely that I will purchase clothes for myself but their accessories are reasonably priced. I will also shop for my grandson from their children's department.
At Crate & Barrel, the corporate rep was absolutely shocked at the flooding of customers when they opened the doors. There was a group of women at the beginning of the line who had driven down from Montana for the opening and they were really excited. I am so with them. I will, however, delay gratification and wait until January to go check out the store.
Despite the madness at the mall, Skip wanted to go directly to The North Face store after I picked him up at the airport in the evening. We had to park very far away from the entrance but we enjoyed the walk. The North Face store was not too crazy. They were giving away gift cards but very few. Our ticket garnered us free t-shirts. I was really surprised that the t-shirts, which were a marketing tool, were not crappy cheap ones. It was so wonderful to be able to shop in a The North Face store rather than at Dick's Sporting Goods because of the variety of product and helpful salespeople. Our two big finds were "e-tip" gloves and jackets with "side vents". The e-tip gloves really work so if you have a touchscreen device (iPhone, iPad, etc.), they are worth the money. The salesperson, Kaycie, helped me find a jacket that keeps me dry and blocks the wind but does not make me sweat. I am a polar bear so it needs to be really, really cold for me to need a warm coat. The side vents allow airflow to keep me cooler. LOVE!!!!! We spent a lot of money but we had saved up because we were anticipating the store opening. We will definitely be returning again and again to this store.
There was much hullabaloo about H&M. The first 500 people in line when the doors opened received a gift card with values between $5 and $500. News reports estimated that there were approximately 700 people in line. People began showing up at 4:30 am or so. There had been a false report on Facebook that stated the mall would start allowing people to camp in line Thursday evening at 10:30 pm but it was a hoax. The H&M is a full line clothing store in that it has women's, men's, maternity and children's departments. The maternity and children's departments are on the second floor. The store offers women's sizes through 14. However, their clothes are slim European cut so most women need to go up from their regular size. It is unlikely that I will purchase clothes for myself but their accessories are reasonably priced. I will also shop for my grandson from their children's department.
At Crate & Barrel, the corporate rep was absolutely shocked at the flooding of customers when they opened the doors. There was a group of women at the beginning of the line who had driven down from Montana for the opening and they were really excited. I am so with them. I will, however, delay gratification and wait until January to go check out the store.
Despite the madness at the mall, Skip wanted to go directly to The North Face store after I picked him up at the airport in the evening. We had to park very far away from the entrance but we enjoyed the walk. The North Face store was not too crazy. They were giving away gift cards but very few. Our ticket garnered us free t-shirts. I was really surprised that the t-shirts, which were a marketing tool, were not crappy cheap ones. It was so wonderful to be able to shop in a The North Face store rather than at Dick's Sporting Goods because of the variety of product and helpful salespeople. Our two big finds were "e-tip" gloves and jackets with "side vents". The e-tip gloves really work so if you have a touchscreen device (iPhone, iPad, etc.), they are worth the money. The salesperson, Kaycie, helped me find a jacket that keeps me dry and blocks the wind but does not make me sweat. I am a polar bear so it needs to be really, really cold for me to need a warm coat. The side vents allow airflow to keep me cooler. LOVE!!!!! We spent a lot of money but we had saved up because we were anticipating the store opening. We will definitely be returning again and again to this store.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Twilight Mania
For those of you who are not Twilight fans (or have a life), there is a new Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn - Part 1, that premieres next week. Utah takes the Twilight fandom to stratospheric level of crazy.
For the non-fans, Twilight is a series of books and subsequent movies based upon the books. They are in the young adult fiction category and are horror/romance novels (heavy on the romance, light on the horror). The author is Stephanie Meyer, a Mormon who attended BYU. These books have made her a legend in Utah. The sales figures for the books and movies in Utah are so high that the production company does a few special things for the Utah fans that are normally reserved only for NYC and LA.
The first item is a display of costumes from the movie's wedding scene. The only U.S. cities with such a display are NYC, LA and Sandy, UT. It is located at the Megaplex 17 - Jordan Commons. The "Exclusive Movie Display" includes the dresses, tuxedos, shoes and jewelry of the following characters: Rosalie Hale, Alice Cullen, Jasper Hale and Emmett Cullen. There is also framed copy of the wedding invitation. The display is behind bulletproof/shatterproof glass to protect it from theft. The aspect I found interesting is the size of the costumes. The dresses are size 0, thus displayed on a little girl's mannequin. The tuxedos are displayed on boy's size 10 mannequins, which shows you how small these actors are and the creative camera angles necessary to make them appear larger.
On premiere night (Friday, 11/18/2011 at 00:01), there will be a "VIP Party" at the Megaplex 17 - Jordan Commons. There will be goodie bags similar to those handed out at the world movie premiere on Monday at the Nokia Theatre LA. However, the contents are from local businesses and there may or may not be some of the actors in attendance. If there are actors from the movie, it will most likely be secondary characters but I could be wrong. Musicians who have music on the soundtrack will be performing as well. I have no idea which musicians.
Businesses all through the state have purchased entire showings of the movie on premiere night. They give the tickets to customers and employees as well as friends and relatives. Only one theater in the area had tickets left this morning and I am sure they are gone now.
I do not really understand the craziness surrounding the Twilight phenomenon since I am not a fan. Sparkly, angsty vampires and romance novel plots are not really appealing to me. I prefer the Southern Vampire Series universe (Sookie Stackhouse) of author Charlaine Harris. However, this movie is Breaking Dawn - Part 1 so I am assuming that the craziness will return with Breaking Dawn - Part 2.
For the non-fans, Twilight is a series of books and subsequent movies based upon the books. They are in the young adult fiction category and are horror/romance novels (heavy on the romance, light on the horror). The author is Stephanie Meyer, a Mormon who attended BYU. These books have made her a legend in Utah. The sales figures for the books and movies in Utah are so high that the production company does a few special things for the Utah fans that are normally reserved only for NYC and LA.
The first item is a display of costumes from the movie's wedding scene. The only U.S. cities with such a display are NYC, LA and Sandy, UT. It is located at the Megaplex 17 - Jordan Commons. The "Exclusive Movie Display" includes the dresses, tuxedos, shoes and jewelry of the following characters: Rosalie Hale, Alice Cullen, Jasper Hale and Emmett Cullen. There is also framed copy of the wedding invitation. The display is behind bulletproof/shatterproof glass to protect it from theft. The aspect I found interesting is the size of the costumes. The dresses are size 0, thus displayed on a little girl's mannequin. The tuxedos are displayed on boy's size 10 mannequins, which shows you how small these actors are and the creative camera angles necessary to make them appear larger.
On premiere night (Friday, 11/18/2011 at 00:01), there will be a "VIP Party" at the Megaplex 17 - Jordan Commons. There will be goodie bags similar to those handed out at the world movie premiere on Monday at the Nokia Theatre LA. However, the contents are from local businesses and there may or may not be some of the actors in attendance. If there are actors from the movie, it will most likely be secondary characters but I could be wrong. Musicians who have music on the soundtrack will be performing as well. I have no idea which musicians.
Businesses all through the state have purchased entire showings of the movie on premiere night. They give the tickets to customers and employees as well as friends and relatives. Only one theater in the area had tickets left this morning and I am sure they are gone now.
I do not really understand the craziness surrounding the Twilight phenomenon since I am not a fan. Sparkly, angsty vampires and romance novel plots are not really appealing to me. I prefer the Southern Vampire Series universe (Sookie Stackhouse) of author Charlaine Harris. However, this movie is Breaking Dawn - Part 1 so I am assuming that the craziness will return with Breaking Dawn - Part 2.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Utah's Arid Climate Creates Havoc - Hair
I have commented previously on the arid climate in Utah so I will not rehash it. Just as it causes my skin to overproduce oil, it also causes my scalp to overproduce oil. In addition, the ends of my hair became very dry within a couple of weeks of our arrival. I take excellent care of my hair - natural, brush it with a wooden handle paddle brush (100% dry), large tooth comb when wet, hair oil, vegan (sulfate free, paraben free, petrochemical free and phthalate free) shampoo and conditioner, and do not use heat appliances (blow dryer, curling iron, flat iron, hot rollers, etc.). I was perusing Costco and saw a Kirkland Signature brand shampoo and conditioner "Moisture". It was reasonably priced and is packaged in very large bottles. Its scent is not too strong and with Kirkland Signature brand, I can be confident that the product is vegan and not tested on animals (direct or third party). So, I decided to give it a try.
"Moisture" is safe for color treated hair, which is not a necessary feature for me. It is 100% vegan, sulfate free, paraben free and gluten free. Because the shampoo is sulfate free, your hair needs to be soaking wet when you apply the shampoo or it will not really lather. Before you apply the conditioner, you must gently squeeze as much water out of your hair as possible. I wash my hair every third day and it stays clean and soft between washes although it is fluffier on day one, which is normal. I have been really happy with these two products and have since purchased another bottle of shampoo. My husband likes it because it is not perfumey.
A couple of weeks after my initial purchase, there was a segment on GTU about hair care products. One of the hosts said that her stylist had actually recommended the "Moisture" products. The stylist said they are the best thing she has found for the dry hair here in Utah, especially for those women who color or highlight their hair. The host also said that she had met women whose primary purpose for having a Costco membership was the beauty products. I have found many great products at Costco but until I saw this segment, I had no idea about the popularity of the "Moisture" shampoo and conditioner.
I highly recommend the "Moisture" hair care products from Costco.
"Moisture" is safe for color treated hair, which is not a necessary feature for me. It is 100% vegan, sulfate free, paraben free and gluten free. Because the shampoo is sulfate free, your hair needs to be soaking wet when you apply the shampoo or it will not really lather. Before you apply the conditioner, you must gently squeeze as much water out of your hair as possible. I wash my hair every third day and it stays clean and soft between washes although it is fluffier on day one, which is normal. I have been really happy with these two products and have since purchased another bottle of shampoo. My husband likes it because it is not perfumey.
A couple of weeks after my initial purchase, there was a segment on GTU about hair care products. One of the hosts said that her stylist had actually recommended the "Moisture" products. The stylist said they are the best thing she has found for the dry hair here in Utah, especially for those women who color or highlight their hair. The host also said that she had met women whose primary purpose for having a Costco membership was the beauty products. I have found many great products at Costco but until I saw this segment, I had no idea about the popularity of the "Moisture" shampoo and conditioner.
I highly recommend the "Moisture" hair care products from Costco.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Reality TV in SLC - Flip Men
Spike TV's new reality show, Flip Men, is shot here in Utah. It stars Doug Clark and Mike Baird (The Foreclosure Boys). They are flippers who focus on foreclosed properties in the Salt Lake County area. Clark and Baird first began documenting their experience with photos of the weird stuff they found in the foreclosed homes. After awhile, they decided to take videos and upload them to YouTube. Their YouTube channel became really popular, which caught the attention of someone at Spike TV. The project manager is funny and pretty blunt with Clark and Baird. They have a security guy who lives in homes that are located in the not so great areas of the valley. Each episode shows the entire process from the auction to breaking into the house, clean up, repair, staging and sale. The one element of this show that is really cool is that they do not always make a profit. So many of the flip shows on HGTV, etc. present flipping as an easy way to make quick money, which is really not the case anymore. Most of the properties they purchase are sight unseen. The show is part Hoarders and part Holmes on Homes.. If you are a fan of either of these shows, you will really enjoy Flip Men. New episodes air on Tuesday nights and repeat on Saturday mornings.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Search for a Vet
We have fur babies in our family, one cat and one dog. With the frequent relocations, it was easier to go with Banfield (Petsmart) because we could usually find one in relatively close proximity and transfer of medical records was simple. The vets we had at each location varied from the competent doctor to the "are you sure this is for you?" doctor. SLC is our permanent home so I needed to find a new vet clinic.
My search criteria: general medical, general dental, general surgery, hospital services, 24-hour care, boarding options, more than one vet on staff, well designed website and decent reviews. I found that Mountain View Animal Hospital met all of my criteria. I had assumed that I would need their services for our elderly lab but the occasion rose that I needed them for our kitty.
Kitty was very ill. I called and due to the emergency, they were able to get her in same day. This fantastic, especially since we were a new patient. When we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the "cat entrance". Not having to walk my very freaked out kitty past barking dogs was nice. Despite living with a gentle and loving dog, she is very afraid of dogs. The staff at the reception desk greeted us immediately. They were very friendly and warm. Rachael (sp?) had me fill out paperwork and conversed with me while we were waiting to see Dr. Price. When Dr. Price was ready, we were taken into the cat exam room. There was a comfortable padded bench, something definitely lacking in the Banfield facilities. After talking to me and examining Kitty, she took Kitty back for x-rays. A staff member offered me a beverage - water or a Coke product. Kitty immediately trusted Dr. Price and she was pretty good through everything (x-rays, medication injections, saline injection, etc.) until the very last treatment. She was really unhappy about that treatment and I could hear her screaming. When I freaked out, the vet tech ran back to find out what was happening and reassured me that Kitty was fine. When Dr. Price explained the treatment, I understood why Kitty freaked out but that she was fine. It was traumatizing but needed to be done or she would get worse. Dr. Price and I discussed treatment going forward. They gave me a puppy pad in case she vomited in her cat carrier during the ride home.
Dr. Price called the next day (Saturday) to see how Kitty was doing. She will be calling back today to report the additional lab test results. I cannot say that I have ever had the doctor call me as follow up from any of the Banfield facilities. Every person we interacted with on this visit was wonderful. We are definitely happy with Mountain View and will utilize their services in the future. I will not hesitate to refer others to them.
My search criteria: general medical, general dental, general surgery, hospital services, 24-hour care, boarding options, more than one vet on staff, well designed website and decent reviews. I found that Mountain View Animal Hospital met all of my criteria. I had assumed that I would need their services for our elderly lab but the occasion rose that I needed them for our kitty.
Kitty was very ill. I called and due to the emergency, they were able to get her in same day. This fantastic, especially since we were a new patient. When we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the "cat entrance". Not having to walk my very freaked out kitty past barking dogs was nice. Despite living with a gentle and loving dog, she is very afraid of dogs. The staff at the reception desk greeted us immediately. They were very friendly and warm. Rachael (sp?) had me fill out paperwork and conversed with me while we were waiting to see Dr. Price. When Dr. Price was ready, we were taken into the cat exam room. There was a comfortable padded bench, something definitely lacking in the Banfield facilities. After talking to me and examining Kitty, she took Kitty back for x-rays. A staff member offered me a beverage - water or a Coke product. Kitty immediately trusted Dr. Price and she was pretty good through everything (x-rays, medication injections, saline injection, etc.) until the very last treatment. She was really unhappy about that treatment and I could hear her screaming. When I freaked out, the vet tech ran back to find out what was happening and reassured me that Kitty was fine. When Dr. Price explained the treatment, I understood why Kitty freaked out but that she was fine. It was traumatizing but needed to be done or she would get worse. Dr. Price and I discussed treatment going forward. They gave me a puppy pad in case she vomited in her cat carrier during the ride home.
Dr. Price called the next day (Saturday) to see how Kitty was doing. She will be calling back today to report the additional lab test results. I cannot say that I have ever had the doctor call me as follow up from any of the Banfield facilities. Every person we interacted with on this visit was wonderful. We are definitely happy with Mountain View and will utilize their services in the future. I will not hesitate to refer others to them.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The One Disadvantage of Mountains and Winter
I have discovered the one disadvantage to the beautiful snowy winters in Utah. I do not fly on commercial aircraft. Why? The TSA. I will not be subjected to the back scatter x-ray machines until they have been tested independently and proven safe. Because I will not go through the back scatter machines, this means that I would be subjected to the "sexual assault" method of detecting terrorists. Although one can still be selected for this method even if you go through the back scatter machine and do not set off any alarms. I will not submit to this type of search. If selected for such a search, I would decline and from what I have been able to ascertain from various blogs as well as news sources, this means that my luggage would be confiscated, no refund for my airline tickets and possibly subjected to arrest. Thus, I do not fly via commercial aircraft.
This now presents a problem. Skip can drive to northeastern Kansas in one day via the northern route. (north to Wyoming, through Nebraska and south into Kansas at 1,086 miles in 17 hours) Our daughter is due to have our first grandchild in December. This pretty much cuts off the northern route as an option. Because of his job, he would need to do a four-day weekend and fly into KCI. My only option would be to drive the southern route alone. (south to Flagstaff, through the panhandle of Oklahoma and north through Kansas at 1,628 miles in 28 hours) Because of health issues, I can only drive 6-8 hours per day so this would be a very long trip and costly due to hotel stays, rental car and pet boarding while I am gone. In addition, Kansas does not currently have reciprocity with Utah so I would not be able to legally conceal carry my pistol, which is not a good thing on the long stretches of rural highways in Kansas.
If I were fabulously wealthy, I could fly private jet but since I am not, I will most likely be moral support via Skype and FaceTime rather than in person until May or June when it is safer to drive to Kansas via the northern route. I really despise the TSA.
This now presents a problem. Skip can drive to northeastern Kansas in one day via the northern route. (north to Wyoming, through Nebraska and south into Kansas at 1,086 miles in 17 hours) Our daughter is due to have our first grandchild in December. This pretty much cuts off the northern route as an option. Because of his job, he would need to do a four-day weekend and fly into KCI. My only option would be to drive the southern route alone. (south to Flagstaff, through the panhandle of Oklahoma and north through Kansas at 1,628 miles in 28 hours) Because of health issues, I can only drive 6-8 hours per day so this would be a very long trip and costly due to hotel stays, rental car and pet boarding while I am gone. In addition, Kansas does not currently have reciprocity with Utah so I would not be able to legally conceal carry my pistol, which is not a good thing on the long stretches of rural highways in Kansas.
If I were fabulously wealthy, I could fly private jet but since I am not, I will most likely be moral support via Skype and FaceTime rather than in person until May or June when it is safer to drive to Kansas via the northern route. I really despise the TSA.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Utah's Arid Climate Creates Havoc - Skin
The arid climate in Utah is fantastic as compared to the east coast. Heat without humidity makes the high temps in the summer more tolerable, even for a polar bear such as myself. However, it dries out your skin. Which for me, means that my skin goes into oil-producing overdrive. So, I need moisturizing skin products that are oil free. I also need scrubs that do not irritate the skin. It seems as though every time I found a great facial scrub, it would suddenly become difficult to obtain. I did some research and discovered a product that acts as a gentle scrub but is actually not a scrub. It is a Clarisonic device. The Clairosonic device cleans your skin and basically preps it for the products you apply after cleansing. It is manufactured by the same company that makes the Sonicare toothbrushes and it uses the same technology.
Full disclosure - I have naturally oily skin and because my skin burns easily, I wear sunscreen 365 days per year.
I ordered a unit from QVC (Item A218419). While I did not need the Bliss Face & Body Collection products, I ordered this from QVC because I had thirty days to use it and if I did not like it, they have a no questions asked return policy with full refund and I just pay for return shipping. I would not be able to do this at a department store. I chose a solid purple color as some of the reviewers on QVC complained about the cherry blossom units, stating that the design appeared to be peeling.
The QVC set included three brush heads (deep pore, body and sensitive), a Clarisonic Plus unit, a charger and the Bliss collection (face cleanser, body wash and body moisturizer). I use the deep pore brush head on my face and then I use the body brush head. Switching out the brush heads is really easy, even in the shower. I apply the cleansers to my skin first and then use the brush as it is more effective than applying the cleanser to the brush first. I have used the Bliss products and my own products and see no difference based upon cleansing product. The first few times, I only did one half of my face and body so that I could determine if the Clarisonic was making any difference or just expensive hype. The best comparison example is using the Sonicare toothbrush. The Sonicare gets your teeth significantly cleaner than using a regular toothbrush. Your teeth have a really slick feel to them, similar to how they feel after a professional cleaning at the dentist. This is what happens to your skin. If feels as though you have used really good body and face scrubs but you are only using cleanser. The body parts where I see the most benefit are my face, decollete, upper arms and thighs. My skin is softer and my face is not freaking out with excess oil. I also have to use less moisturizer when I get out of the shower.
It is a somewhat expensive product but if you total the cost of face and body scrub for a year, you are about even so it was worth it to me.
Full disclosure - I have naturally oily skin and because my skin burns easily, I wear sunscreen 365 days per year.
I ordered a unit from QVC (Item A218419). While I did not need the Bliss Face & Body Collection products, I ordered this from QVC because I had thirty days to use it and if I did not like it, they have a no questions asked return policy with full refund and I just pay for return shipping. I would not be able to do this at a department store. I chose a solid purple color as some of the reviewers on QVC complained about the cherry blossom units, stating that the design appeared to be peeling.
The QVC set included three brush heads (deep pore, body and sensitive), a Clarisonic Plus unit, a charger and the Bliss collection (face cleanser, body wash and body moisturizer). I use the deep pore brush head on my face and then I use the body brush head. Switching out the brush heads is really easy, even in the shower. I apply the cleansers to my skin first and then use the brush as it is more effective than applying the cleanser to the brush first. I have used the Bliss products and my own products and see no difference based upon cleansing product. The first few times, I only did one half of my face and body so that I could determine if the Clarisonic was making any difference or just expensive hype. The best comparison example is using the Sonicare toothbrush. The Sonicare gets your teeth significantly cleaner than using a regular toothbrush. Your teeth have a really slick feel to them, similar to how they feel after a professional cleaning at the dentist. This is what happens to your skin. If feels as though you have used really good body and face scrubs but you are only using cleanser. The body parts where I see the most benefit are my face, decollete, upper arms and thighs. My skin is softer and my face is not freaking out with excess oil. I also have to use less moisturizer when I get out of the shower.
It is a somewhat expensive product but if you total the cost of face and body scrub for a year, you are about even so it was worth it to me.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Search for a Stylist
Every time we move to a new place, the search is on for a new hair stylist. Skip works in the transportation industry and this means that he usually has few female coworkers from which to obtain salon referrals. Therefore, the search is up to me. Engrbabe's first rule, if you do not have an internet presence, I cannot find you.
The first salon I found was Sanctuary Salon & Day Spa, located at Fashion Place Mall. They have two locations but this was the location we tried. Pricey and most of the staff that I observed were unprofessional and immature. The stylist we found was ok. Skip went twice and I went once. I was unimpressed. Then, the stylist left. They called to notify Skip that she was gone (left voicemail). When he called to schedule a new appointment, he was told that because he "failed to keep his appointment", he would need to leave credit card information on file and be charged for that appointment. He had assumed it had been cancelled because his stylist had quit but this was not the case. This salon was scratched off the list and he did not pay for the "missed appointment".
The second salon I found was Kellie & Co. in Sandy. Receptionist did not greet us. The waiting area was very uncomfortable - hard wooden benches with no pillows. The stylist did not listen during the consultation. She was definitely on autopilot as she immediately picked up the clippers, which Skip specifically told her three times not to use, and ran them through the hair on the back of his head. In order to "correct" this mistake, she cut his hair a short military cut. He was very unhappy and describes his experience as "a scalping". No way I was letting her touch my hair.
Third time was the charm. I found Salon Dante & Day Spa in Union Square. Kailee, who is actually a barber rather than a hair stylist, is great. Skip likes her because she is friendly, cuts his hair the way he wants it and she also does traditional straight razor shaves. I had an appointment yesterday and she did an excellent job. My hair looks great and she did not spend any time pushing product or services. This for me is a plus. I have long natural hair and I only use vegan products, which most salons do not carry. In addition, I refuse to have any chemical processes applied to my hair. The chemical smells in salons make me sick enough as it is so I do not need additional chemicals applied to my head. I do not purchase spa services so I cannot attest to whether they are worth the money or not.
If you live in or near Sandy, I would highly recommend giving this salon a shot.
The first salon I found was Sanctuary Salon & Day Spa, located at Fashion Place Mall. They have two locations but this was the location we tried. Pricey and most of the staff that I observed were unprofessional and immature. The stylist we found was ok. Skip went twice and I went once. I was unimpressed. Then, the stylist left. They called to notify Skip that she was gone (left voicemail). When he called to schedule a new appointment, he was told that because he "failed to keep his appointment", he would need to leave credit card information on file and be charged for that appointment. He had assumed it had been cancelled because his stylist had quit but this was not the case. This salon was scratched off the list and he did not pay for the "missed appointment".
The second salon I found was Kellie & Co. in Sandy. Receptionist did not greet us. The waiting area was very uncomfortable - hard wooden benches with no pillows. The stylist did not listen during the consultation. She was definitely on autopilot as she immediately picked up the clippers, which Skip specifically told her three times not to use, and ran them through the hair on the back of his head. In order to "correct" this mistake, she cut his hair a short military cut. He was very unhappy and describes his experience as "a scalping". No way I was letting her touch my hair.
Third time was the charm. I found Salon Dante & Day Spa in Union Square. Kailee, who is actually a barber rather than a hair stylist, is great. Skip likes her because she is friendly, cuts his hair the way he wants it and she also does traditional straight razor shaves. I had an appointment yesterday and she did an excellent job. My hair looks great and she did not spend any time pushing product or services. This for me is a plus. I have long natural hair and I only use vegan products, which most salons do not carry. In addition, I refuse to have any chemical processes applied to my hair. The chemical smells in salons make me sick enough as it is so I do not need additional chemicals applied to my head. I do not purchase spa services so I cannot attest to whether they are worth the money or not.
If you live in or near Sandy, I would highly recommend giving this salon a shot.
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