Smelling the Roses

Duchess Marden Damascena Rose Water

Like a spritz of spring, Duchess Marden's Pure Rose Water is just the thing to ease the winter doldrums.  Made of 100% pure Rosa damascena (rose) water, Rosa bourbonia (rose) oil, and Japanese honeysuckle, it is as good for the soul as it is for the skin.  

$26.00 - 2oz.

Jeffre Scott Apothecary
Myers Park | 607 Providence Rd.
Piper Glen | 6432 Rea Rd.

Beautiful Ways to Count the Days

Cavallini & Co. Calendars
Beautiful Ways to Count the Days

Why wile away your days looking at a calendar whose depictions are drab?

Cavallini & Co. calendars feature 12 full-color reproductions of vintage and historic images of flora, fauna and favorite places.  Printed on thick ivory paper, images are beautiful enough to frame and enjoy even after the year has passed.
 

$21.95
Salutations | Ballantyne Village | 14825 John J. Delaney Dr.  Ste. 130 | Charlotte

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For a limited time, enjoy ONE of these three early holiday gifts from Salutations:

Gift #1 - Enjoy 20% off your purchase of any and all holiday items that are in stock ~ holiday cards, holiday photo cards, holiday invitations, holiday decor, holiday gift wrap, holiday place cards, holiday gift tags . . .  you get the idea!  {A savings of $25-$75 for 100 holiday cards!} This discount is not to be combined with any other discounts.

Gift #2 - Enjoy free printing on any holiday cards,  holiday photo cards, and holiday invitations that are in stock.  This includes the personalization of your card or invitation and, if you’d like, your return address on the envelope flap.  {A savings of $50-$100 for 100 holiday cards or invitations!}

Gift #3 - Enjoy free printing of your recipients’ addresses on the envelopes of any in stock holiday cards, holiday photo cards, and holiday invitations you purchase from those in stock.  You will just need to send Salutations an Excel spreadsheet of the names and addresses in their specified format!  {A savings of $100-$125 for 100 addresses!}

Bonus Gift - You can maximize your savings by purchasing any of the discontinued styles of holiday cards, which Salutations has just put on sale at 40% off, and choose either Gift #2 (free printing of your cards and/or return address) or Gift #3 (free printing of your recipients’ addresses).  




 

Buggin' the Bugs

Watch-A-Bug

Buggin' the Bugs

 

Get up close and personal with the world's littlest creatures.  More portable than a glass jar, Watch-A-Bug features a see-through mesh canopy and a plastic chamber floor.  The "one size fits all" wrist band keeps the critters close until the lid is popped to set them free.


$4.95
Bedford Falls Toys and Books | 4217 Park Rd. | Charlotte

Say Om

Charlotte Yoga
From "Oh!" to "Om"
 

That last little bit of thanksgiving feast had you saying, "Oooooh!"  Don't let that turkey have the last word!

Turn that "Oh!"  into an "Om" at Charlotte Yoga.  Flush out holiday hedonism with a Hot 26 class or enjoy an invigorating workout at one of their signature Power Yoga sessions. 

$25.00 - 3 class intro for new students
Charlotte Yoga | 1730 E. Woodlawn, Ste. E | Charlotte

Life is Good

Life is Good Designs
Positivi-Tees

As we gather today with family and friends to count our blessings and to give thanks, hopefully one singular theme emerges: 

Life is Good

Keep the message alive throughout the year by sporting a Life is Good signature T-shirt.  Shirts come in a variety of styles and themes for the whole family.

$30.00
Jesse Brown's Outdoors
4732 Sharon Rd. Ste. 2M | South Park
14825 John J. Delaney Dr. | Ballantyne

A Trio of Tales

Don Daily's Gifts of Christmas
A Trio of Christmas Tales

Instead of telling the tired tales of Grandpa Joe, Aunt Millie and the drama at the dinner table, this year, why not stick to the classics?

Gifts of Christmas is a hard-cover collection of three traditional holiday stories:  The Nutcracker, The Twelve Days of Christmas and The Velveteen Rabbit.  Beautifully illustrated  with watercolor images by renowned artist Don Daily, the images that accompany this trio of stories may become more memorable than the images that accompany your own.

$22.50
Bella Casa | 2907 Providence Rd. #102 | Charlotte

A New Spin on Old LPs

Record Bowl & Coasters

Vinyl records that were once destined for hi-fi heaven have been given new life.   These bowls and coasters are made from vintage recycled records and are one of a kind.

They won't get you rocking around the Christmas tree, but they will provide the perfect place for your drinks and snacks for when you do.

Bowl - $30
Coasters, set of 6 - $22

City Art Works | 1630 E. Woodlawn Rd.  Ste. 267 | Charlotte

Neela Market Totes

Neela Market Totes
Shopping in Style

The re-useable shopping bag is a trend that is here to stay, so why not start shopping with some with a little style?

The Neela Market Tote Pack contains five Neela Market Totes that fit neatly into a stylish carrying case for easy storage.

Neela Market Totes are re-useable bags that come in five chic patterns inspired by modern textiles.  Each bag is larger than a standard paper bag and holds the equivalent contents of three traditional paper bags.


$28.50
Paper Twist | 6401 Morrison Blvd. | Charlotte

30 Days | 30 Gifts | $30

Starting Monday:

30 Days | 30 Gifts | Under $30

Studio Spa Opens at Jeffre Scott Apothecary in Myers Park

Short on time plus short on money typically equals long on stress, but that doesn't mean that personal pampering can't be a part of the equation.

At Jeffre Scott Apothecary's new studio spa in Myers Park, you can enjoy a facial that is economical, efficient and ever so relaxing.

Known for the quality cosmetic and skin care lines sold at his eponymous boutique, Jeffre Scott created the studio spa to provide an environment in which clients could enjoy the benefits of a facial at an affordable price as well as sample a variety of skin care products before committing themselves to an entire product line.

I wanted to give people the opportunity to experience something new at a price which would allow them to treat themselves on a regular basis, says Jeffre.

Priced between $40 and $65 and lasting 30 or 45 minutes, these facial treatments are perfect for those living with both budgeted time and budgeted funds.

What sets the studio spa apart from its full-service counterparts is its simplicity.  Absent are the fluffy robes and flip flops.  What are left are all the essentials of creating a truly therapeutic and rejuvenating facial experience.  Situated behind antiqued mirrored doors, this mini-oasis consists of a body contouring chair, candle-scented air, soft music and a highly-skilled and knowledgeable aesthetician.

Each of the four facial packages available are centered around the store's signature skin care products and can be customized to address the needs of each individual's skin type.  

The Upper East Side Facial features Mario Badescu products and is designed to provide a quick pick-me-up for those who need a little relaxation, but are short on time.

The Grecian Facial features Korres products and focuses on providing hydration and antioxidant protection for the skin by using honey and almond based products.

The Royal Facial features Duchess Marden products which are enriched with Vitamin C and enhanced with the scent of roses.  This facial will not only stimulate the skin, but stimulate the senses. 

 The Ultra 4 Facial features Dr. Lewinn's products and is for those whose skin is in need of a little extra TLC. 

In addition to facial treatments, Jeffre Scott Apothecary also offers other personal maintenance services which include conditioning lip and eye treatments, which can be incorporated into any facial treatment, as well as brow shaping and make-up application.

My hope, says Jeffre, is that people can find 30 minutes out of 30 days to sit and relax and bring energy back to themselves.

For more information on the products and services available at Jeffre Scott Apothecary, please visit them at their two Charlotte locations:

Myers Park                              Piper Glen
607 Providence Rd                  6432 Rea Rd
704.339.0010                         704.544.0750

Last Minute Father's Day Gifts

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love the most is soap-on-a-rope."- Bill Cosby

Whether it was soap-on-a-rope, a tie, new shirt or a sleeve of golf balls you know you've been guilty of buying your dad the same-old stuff. 

This year be creative and surprise your dad with one of these unique gift suggestions!

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For the Sweettooth with a Sense of Humor Dad:  Animal Poop Candy

 

These gourmet chocolates come cleverly packaged as a bags of poo.  Enjoy a delicious assortment of chocolate peanut clusters, chocolate truffles and gourmet chocolate candies.  Choose from Moose Poop, Bear Doo Doo, Elk Pie and Dino Doo. 

Available at:   Envy | 1111 Central Avenue | Charlotte

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For the Wanna Be Starving Artist Dad: The Art Doodle Book

In "The Art Doodle Book," are the beginnings of drawings based on the works of 26 of the world's most renowned artists serve as starting points for the aspiring artist. The doodles are accompanied by a finished work by each artist, along with a mini-biography detailing the artist's style.

Available at:  Paperskyscraper | 330 East Blvd. | Charlotte
 

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For the Pampered Dad: One Hour Massage

Enjoy $10 off a one hour massage (reg. $75)*

For Gift Certificates or to schedule an appointment, Call 704.564.2005
 

Located in the Woodfield Corporate Center
near Johnston Rd. & Hwy. 51
 

www.lifekneadsinc.com

*cannot be combined with any other specials or offers

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 For the Beer Connoisseur Dad:  Ritzenhoff Draft Beer Glasses

 

Wow your beer loving dad with these playful, distinctive and collectible draft beer glasses by Ritzenhoff.  With a variety of designs avaiable, one is sure to match your dad's personality.

Available at:  Paperskyscraper | 330 East Blvd. | Charlotte

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For the Pet Loving Dad:  97 Ways to Make Your Dog Smile

 

This little book will teach your dad some new tricks on how to love and bond with his favorite pooch.  With tactics such as the Lower Ear Noogie, Lazy Man's Tetherball, The Lawrence Welk it will be hard to tell who will love the gift more, your dad or the dog!

Available at:  Main St. Books | 126 Main St. | Davidson

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For the Practical Dad:  Headrest Coat Caddy

 

Keep your Daddy looking sharp with the Coat Caddy.  Fitting on the back of any car headrest, this device will help keep your dad's suit jacket wrinkle-free.

Available at:  Outland Cigars & Gifts | Ballantyne Village | Charlotte

Have a Happy Father's Day!

Switchin' Kitchens | Making Dinner an Event without All of the Production

If you're looking for a break from your everyday dinner routine or if you need to get a dinner routine, the you need Switchin' Kitchens! Whether you are single, married, have a large family or small, Switchin' Kitchens offers you an affordable and convenient way to take the guess work out of what's for dinner.

At Switchin' Kitchens, you can prepare up to 12 delicious and healthy meals in about two hours. Each of their eight prep stations is equipped with all the necessary ingredients and measuring utensils required to prepare each meal. All you need to do is through on an apron, wash your hands and follow the recipes. Once you have compiled all of your ingredients, simply place your meal in the provided storage container and head off to the next station. They'll clean up after you.

With a menu that changes monthly and with 14 different entrees from which to choose, there are lots of opportunities to satisfy every one's tastes. Switchin' Kitchens only used fresh, whole ingredients, delivered weekly to the store. And for those who have special dietary requirements, each recipe is review by a registered dietitian and many of the entrees can be modified to meet any dietary need.

In addition to great tasting entrees, you can complement you meal with a delicious variety of prepared side dishes, as well as delectable desserts like their Nutty Earthquake Cake and Cranberry Cheesecake Bars, which are hard to resist.

If you don't have time to enjoy the total Switchin' Kitchens experience, not to worry, they can do the assembly for you. Just go on-line, select your entrees and let them know when you would like to pick them up. And if you're really in a pinch, just stop on in and pick up one of their daily fresh selections so you can take it home and prepare a meal that will really wow them!

Switchin' Kitchens is located in The Fountains on the corner of Ardrey Kell and Tom Short Roads.

Healthy From the Outside In

Radiant Skin Organic Spa - Providing Organic Skin Care


While many people are focused on eating more organics to keep their bodies healthy, aesthetician Jenell Boris, wants people to know that what we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in our bodies. At Radiant Skin Organic Spa, Jenell provides a more natural approach to her skin care treatments.

“People are just now figuring out and becoming educated about the fact that everything you put on your skin goes directly into the bloodstream,” says Jenell. This is why Radiant Skin Organic Spa exclusively uses Eminence Organic products; which are made from organically grown herbs, fruits and vegetables.

The signature service at this single room spa is the Zen Custom Facial. Designed to replenish the skin and rejuvenate the body, this relaxing 90 minute treatment begins with a thorough skin analysis followed by the application of Eminence products custom-blended for your skin type. The stress-relieving massages on the neck, shoulders, feet and hands are interwoven with the facial applications make this the ultimate facial experience (trust us, we know!)

Radiant Skin Organic Spa’s services are not limited to facials. Salt scrubs and detoxifying wraps are also on the menu. For those of you who are “inked,” Radiant Skin offers the Like New Tattoo treatment, which is designed to bring life and color back to your body art.

With most of the treatments starting at $85, Radiant Skin Organic Spa provides high-quality, organic treatments without the high price of a full-service spa.

Radiant Skin is located at 1111 Central Avenue.
Hours are by appointment. Call: 704.517.2408

Truly Green Gardening

As you head out this weekend to pick up your spring gardening supplies, instead of choosing to go to the big orange or the big blue,why not choose a little green? American Beauty Garden Center,located just two miles from the center city, specializes in organic,eco-friendly, and sustainable gardening supplies for both indoors and out.

From organic soils and natural pesticides, to eco-friendly fertilizers and beneficial insects, owners Pete Freedman and Alan Corder have stocked their store with everything you need to start and successfully maintain your yard and garden naturally.

“Organic and sustainable gardening doesn’t take the tremendous amount of work that people think,” Pete says. “All you need is organic seed, good organic soil and some simple organic nutrients to start.” Whether your yard is big or small or if you have no yard at all, American Beauty can help you create the perfect organic garden.
If the threat of cankerworms has you feeling cantankerous, you can also pick-up some
beneficial insects such as HB Nematodes. These voracious, microscopic predatory insects kill most types of yard & garden pests down to a soil depth of seven inches.

Also available are ladybugs and praying mantis egg casings, which, like the nematodes, help to eliminate yard pests. Plus, putting these pest hungry critters to work saves you the time of have to continually spray for the pesky little pests yourself.

And if the drought has got you down and out, American Beauty recommends installing a rain barrel to stop the rain from going down the drain, literally. “An 80 gallon rain barrel on a small house can easily be filled up by 1 inch of rainfall,” says Pete. In fact, he says that most houses in Charlotte can accommodate 2 – 3 rain barrels. That’s up to 240 gallons of unrestricted, guilt-free water for use in your garden or on your lawn.

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting out, you can be sure that the guys at American Beauty Garden Center will provide you with personalized service and practical solutions for all of your gardening needs. And for all of you self-educating types, they even carry magazines, most of which are free, to help you learn more about organic and sustainable gardening methods.

American Beauty Garden Center is located at 1331 Central Ave. or check them out on-line at www.abgardencenter.com

Go Local - Ten Reason to Shop Locally

For our shopping feature we were looking forward to telling you about a little store in Ballantyne that brought a wide variety of high quality, uncommon gourmet food products to Charlotte. We couldn't wait to tell you about handmade chocolates, imported olive oil, specialty sauces and popcorn that was to die for! But sadly, Charlotte has to say "goodbye" before it really had a chance to say "hello."

We recently learned that Gourmet Enhancements has decided to close its doors.

"While many of our customers really appreciated and loved what was available, we could never expand that loyal customer base to that critical mass necessary to keep the store open," said owner Sol Haberman.

We're disappointed that more people did not get a chance to enjoy Gourmet Enhancements' delicious offerings. We are certain that many of the distinctive and tasty products would have become your favorites, just as they had become ours. The loss of these unique products in the Charlotte marketplace is only one example of why TheLuckyLoop.com strives to increase awareness of all the great products and services that locally owned businesses have to offer.

We encourage you to continue supporting your local businesses, so that Charlotte continues to have interesting products and services available from local retailers as the market continues to grow.

Here are 10 other great reasons to consider supporting local businesses:

Why Support Locally Owned Businesses?

Local Character and Prosperity
In an increasingly homogenized world, communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character have an economic advantage.

Community Well-Being
Locally owned businesses build strong communities by sustaining vibrant town centers, linking neighbors in a web of economic and social relationships, and contributing to local causes.

Product Diversity
A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based, not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

Competition
A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.

Extra Attention & Quality Service
Small business owners compete by focusing on providing quality goods along with great customer service. Local business employees also take the time to get to know their customers.

Keeping Dollars in the Local Economy
Compared to chain stores, locally owned businesses recycle a much larger share of their revenue back into the local economy, enriching the whole community.

Local Decision-Making
Local ownership ensures that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions.

Jobs and Wages
Locally owned businesses create more jobs locally and, in some sectors, provide better wages and benefits than chains do.

Public Benefits and Costs
Local stores in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services relative to big box stores and strip shopping malls.

Environmental Sustainability
Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers-which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.