CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Interview with Alison Etter about Coy – her new product line

November 27, 2009 by Nicole S. | Comments (0)

In an industry filled with expensive high-end lines and cheaper mediocre ones, the Coy hair products are designed to bring high quality products to their users at affordable prices. Local Derby Salon owner Alison Etter and her business partner Tom Newell are cutting out the middle man in their innovative marketing strategy and are selling Coy directly to its users (think no more salon-inflated price tags. We asked Alison to give us the inside perspective on what it took to launch this new product.

How would you describe your business/marketing strategy for launching this new product?
Coy’s goal is to reach out directly to stylists and owners at high end salons and to share the products with them. We are really hoping to create a line that meets their needs as well as those of their clients. Our distribution model is unique in that we ship directly to the end user so we eliminate the working capital demands for small, cash-strapped salons and make our products more affordable to customers.

What do you expect to be your most popular product in the line? Why?
It is hard to say since we are so new. So far Construct matt pomade and Sculpt sculpting polisher have created the most buzz both being unique in performance and function. Nourish Shampoo has also been popular due to its sulfate free formulation.

People may be surprised to know…?
The amount of money that is spent on all the layers of distribution to bring a product to the salon. Cutting out these layers allows Coy to make a much higher end product at a lower price.

What or who inspired you to start your business? To create this new product line?
Coy’s co-founder Tom came to me with this idea for distribution and it seemed truly innovative for our industry. I was also searching for a new product line for Derby that the stylist would love and clients could easily use at home.

What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Setting unrealistic goals and expectations for a new line, we realize it will take time to embrace a new brand and distribution model. We are confident that the products are amazing and once stylist are comfortable with the system they will love it.

What makes this new product unique?
The distribution system – In our system, clients use their stylist number (mine is 6) and go to www.coyhair.com to order their products. The order is then shipped directly to them and commissions are paid to the salon and stylist. This system allows our salons to reap the benefits of a broad, high-end line without the excessive working capital costs of holding it on the shelves. In turn, our clients are able to get products at a lower price and have the convenience of home delivery.

In addition, the quality of ingredients and level of product performance we were able to create at an affordable price.

What is one of your favorite insider tips that every girl should know about hair styling?
Cocktailing-mixing and layering the perfect products to get what you want-for me Coy canvas and form are essential.

Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
The Local Vine and Branzino both in belltown.

Beyond Turkey: Fabulous Dining Hotspots for the Holidays

November 25, 2009 by Nicole S. | Comments (0)

Guests coming in to town for the holidays? Let some of Seattle’s pros do the work in the kitchen and enjoy your company while you relax together over fine cuisine. This is the perfect opportunity to explore some of the city’s most fabulous (and female powered) restaurants and splurge on a gourmet meal!

Joule (joulerestaurant.com) – At this Wallingford hot spot, Chef Rachel Yang blends Korean flavors with French cuisine to create a unique blend of flavors for the more sophisticated palate. If you are tired of the traditional American fare after Thanksgiving, this is a perfect place to branch out with entrees such as Bison Hanger and Whole Mackerel and sides of Zucchini Basil Pancake or Kimchi. After dinner you and your guests can venture to try the Sweet Chili Profiterole.

Tilth (tilthrestaurant.com) – Named one by New York Times as one of the top-10 best new restaurants in the country in 2008, head chef/owner Maria Hines specializes in “new American cuisine using seasonal and organic Northwest products”. With an ever changing menu, no matter what the option you are guaranteed to find the freshest ingredients around. Some particularly spectacular sounding current dishes: Pumpkin Cardamon French Toast for brunch or Carnaroli Truffle Risotto for dinner.

Volterra (volterrarestaurant.com) – For some mouth watering Italian decadence head to Volterra in Ballard, voted best Italian food in the city in 2007. Start your festivities by proposing a toast with one of the house speciality cocktails. The Tuscan Limoncello Rosemary Drop or Ultimate White Peach Thyme Bellini sound intricate and appealing. Whet your palate with the Baked Eggplant, then delve into the Dungeness Crab Ravioli (this is the Northwest) or Wild Boar Tenderloin. End your evening with Chestnut Panna Cotta for a delightful autumn flavored dessert.

The Pink Door (thepinkdoor.net) – One of our favorite local spots, with no sign to be spotted just a simple yet chic colored door to signify its presence. Found up the street from the Pike Place Market in the heart of downtown, the Northwest Fish of the Day has got to be your best bet for fresh and tasty. Apart from the food, this place is worth checking out just for the atmosphere. With Cabaret style entertainment every night of the week (excluding Monday) you are guaranteed entertainment along with every meal.

Black Friday Steals and Deals – Seattle

November 23, 2009 by Gina | Comments (0)

The day after Thanksgiving is one of the biggest shopping days of the year! As much as you dislike the crowds and craziness of Black Friday, these deals and events at local shops and boutiques will have you excited to face the stampedes of shoppers. Check out this list of some of our favorite shops to see their sales and special deals for CRAVE Blog readers:

4 Your Eyes Only 1815 N 45th St Suite 211 4YourEyesOnlyOptical.com 30% off select frames in store, including Alain Mikli, Beausoleil, Face a Face, and LaFont. Also mention CRAVE with your purchase and receive a free CRAVE Guide book.

Bella Bean Couture 321 W. Galer St. bellabeancouture.com Mention CRAVE for 10% off all Bella Bean Couture dog collars, leashes, and harnesses.

Bellefleur Lingerie 720 N 35th St bellefleurlingerie.com Mention CRAVE for 20% off a custom order nightgown.

Bleu Papillon 3315 W Mcgraw St bleupapillonseattle.com Mention CRAVE for a 15% discount off entire purchase.

Calidora Skin Clinic 2613 NE University Village St. calidora.com Get a $20 gift card free when you purchase a $100 card. Get a $40 gift card free when you purchase a $200 card.

Camelion Design 5330 Ballard Ave NW cameliondesign.com Mention CRAVE for a 20 % discount on any single items in the store/ Not valid on sale items, with other offer or on previous purchases. One per customer.

Canopy Blue 3121 E Madison St canopyblue.com 15% off all black or mostly black regular priced merchandise.

Click! Design That Fits 2210 California Avenue SW ClickDesignThatFits.com Receive one free mercury glass ornament with any purchase of other holiday decorations, including beautiful wood snowflakes and fanciful handmade stockings (while supplies last).

Coastal Surf Boutique 2532 Alki Avenue SW coastalseattle.com Shoppers who spend $80 or more will receive a free $20 Coastal Gift Card.

Dish It Up! 2425 33rd Ave West Suite B dish-it-up.com Mention CRAVE for 10% off any wine purchase and 20% off reg. priced merchandise.

Ella Mon 5404 22nd Ave NW ellamon.com Select collection of designer holiday wear, including Sequins Dresses, Tuxedo Jackets, Velvet Pants, Skirts, Embellished Tops, and more! Values up to $500
 all priced at just $100 or less.

Fancy + Pants 1914 Second Ave pantsunderpants.com Mention CRAVE get 10% off.

Flora and Henri 919 east pine street florahenri.com All non-sale merchandise will be 30% off.

Grace & Company Paperie 271 Madison Ave S Suite 101 gcpaperie.com Mention CRAVE for 25% all wrapping paper.

High Maintenance Skincare Studio 1706 Bellevue Avenue highmaintenanceskin.com $20 gift certificates to the first 25 people to purchase anything at the spa.

Hilltop Yarn 2225 Queen Anne Ave North hilltopyarn.com Free gift to the first 25 customers, sale on yarn from 15-35% off, and free snood pattern with yarn purchase.

Jackson Fish Market www.astorybeforebed.com One free e-book recording for CRAVE readers with coupon code WF3C-YF4R-EF9D. Grandparents or parents can record video of themselves reading children’s e-books to kids over a webcam. Demo: www.astorybeforebed.com/recordings/demo

Laura Bee Designs 6418B 20th Ave. NW laurabeedesigns.com First 20 people to mention the CRAVE BLOG POST will get a free CRAVE book. Mention the CRAVE BLOG POST for the entire day and receive $5 off any purchase of $20 or more.

Louie Permelia 4610 Village Court NE louiepermelia.com Mention CRAVE while you are shopping and recieve 25% off your purchase. Complimentary Gift Wrap with any purchase.

LUCCA Great Finds 5332 Ballard Ave. NW luccapaperworks.com Mention CRAVE for a 50% discount on “Lucca Paperworks” cards.

Miro Tea 5405 Ballard Ave. NW mirotea.com Mention the CRAVE blog and get a 10% discount on all food and beverage purchases.

Paper Delights 2205 North 45th St Ste B paperdelights.com Mention CRAVE for a free gift with purchase.

Private Screening Vintage 3504 Fremont Pl. N. Mention CRAVE and get 20% off in-store.

RED 6900 East Green Lake Way N. Suite 126 redseattle.net Mention CRAVE and receive 10% BACK on all Red Gift Cards purchased between November 27th and December 31st and Mention CRAVE for a COMPLIMENTARY TRAVEL SIZE OF CASTAGNOLA SKIN CARE OR BODY CARE when purchasing a retail size (value: $9-$27).

Retrofit Home 1 419 12th Ave retrofithome.com At the register say ‘i wanna beat the season’ and you will pick a discount out of a hat for 10-40% off your entire purchase. FREE magnetic birdie with every purchase! FREE CRAVE book with any purchase over $50.

Sabrina Love Handbags sabrinalovesbags.com 25% off the entire collection online with the code BLKFR in gift code box.

Trendy Wendy 211 Broadway E. 50% off Paul Frank, Tokidoki and Lucky13 brands. Mention CRAVE get free parking validation at 401 Broadway.

Trudy’s Floral Design 509 Olive St. trudysflowers.com Mention CRAVE for a 5% discount.

Veridis 1205 E. Pike St veridisclothier.com Food Drive: bring in 3 cans receive $10 off any purchase. Complementary chair massages between 2-7pm.

Vixen Day Spa & Boutique 3209 W McGraw St vixendayspa.com Mention CRAVE and receive a very special gift!

Wax On Spa 621 N. 36th St, 521 15th Avenue East, 93 Wall Street, waxon.com Free 4oz body butter for any brazilian wax. New Fremont location: free wax care kits.

Whimsy Home DĂ©cor 1535 14th Avenue whimsyhomedecor.com Mystery ornaments will be on their trees which and each ornament will correspond with a specific discount on Christmas Trees.

Young Pilates & Fitness, Inc 1001 W. Howe St youngpilates.com Mention CRAVE for a 10% discount on all class.

Now that you know the special savings that are happening on Black Friday, grab your girlfriends and spend the day shopping in at these great local shops!

Also check out @craveseattle for more deals look for #cravedeals

* the CRAVE company is not responsible for any changes and variations with these discounts and deals

A Local Independent Business Owner’s Caucus

November 20, 2009 by Gina | Comments (0)

Since the economy took a turn for the worst last year, sales have decreased and businesses have struggled. Some of our favorite places have even had to close their doors. Something needs to be done about this. You want your business to stick around, right?

On Tuesday November 24^th Linda Snyder from Ladies Who Launch (ladieswholaunch.com/seattle), will be hosting a discussion for all local independent business owners. She will start the conversation with topics like how to ramp up the retail energy going forward and how to get the word out about your business. This is a great opportunity for you to hear what other businesses are doing to stay afloat and to share your opinions and ideas. Come join this free meeting and add your expertise to the discussion.

Pertinent Details:

When: Tuesday Nov. 24th, 7-9pm

Where: 5Focus 1009 8^th Ave N., Seattle, WA 98109

Interview with Kim Pham of Browlick

November 13, 2009 by Jessica P. | Comments (0)

Central District based waxing studio Browlick is the brainchild of entrepreness Kim Pham. This passionate lady has truly elevated the art of waxing in the Northwest and considers it serious business. A recent email exchange lead to the fun Q and A below:

What was the inspiration behind starting your business?
Hairy People & Badly Behaved Brows

Tell me about the Browlick experience and your beauty philosophy?
Keep it real.

Which celeb has the most enviable brows?
Kim Kardashian

Who are your role models and/or mentors?
Lady GaGa

People would be surprised to know…
I used to predict the weather for the Seattle P-I. I now predict the future of your brows.

Pamper, Protect and Purify: Best of Seattle Facials

November 4, 2009 by Inna | Comments (1)

After a brutally hot summer and the weather changing fast your skin could use a break. Treat yourself to a rejuvenating spa facial and hit the holidays running! We’ve compiled a list of where you can find the best facials in town whether you’re looking to get away from the crowds of the city or somewhere to go during your lunch break it’s time for some R&R:

Fresh Facials and Skin Care – Fresh, local, organic, and vegan; we are not talking about what’s for dinner! Fresh facial masks are hand created weekly for each customized treatment, with fresh produce and local ingredients from the Seattle area.

Spa Noir – Grab you champagne flute and head down to this Belltown jewel the last Tuesday of the month for sultry spa specials. Their skincare products are handmade and 100% natural, grown organically in Hungary.

Banya 5 – “The urban spa experience” where old world wellness rituals meet a chic contemporary environment. Come here to experience traditional european facials customized to your skin.

Helle – Skin Sanctuary and Boutique: Located in the historic Georgetown district this spa is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. If you can’t make the drive out, no worries, Helle on wheels will come out to pamper you in your own home.

Spa Blix – Just because you need a minute to yourself, doesn’t mean you can’t give back to the community. This spa donates 10% to local charities; so stop being selfish and get a facial for the better good of the community.

Ummelina – Step into this sanctuary and get transported to another world where new and ancient healing rituals are blended with state of the art spa technologies to give you the best natural results.

Jill Bucy – There is a reason this spa was voted the 2008 best spa in seattle! Using french methodoligies and products you’ll walk out feeling “extraordinaire!”

Girl on Top – Book Tour This Friday

November 4, 2009 by Lilla | Comments (0)

In Girl on Top, career expert Nicole Williams takes 20 tried-and-true dating rules every CRAVE girl knows (and have probably used) such as “Play Hard to Get” and “Don’t Give Away the Milk for Free” – and shows you how to put them to use when the object of your affection is your job. With her ingenious approach – taking the tactics used to land a man and applying them to your career—you’ll be able to handle any work situation and come out on top. Finally, the advice no one else has been willing to tell you, right at your fingertips!

About the Author:
Nicole Williams, the original Girl on Top, is your tell it-like-it-is big sister who happens to be an expert in all things career. As a best selling author and founder of WORKS by Nicole Williams, she has re-defined the world of work—making it glamorous, relevant, and get this—fun!—to modern women who refuse to settle for a less-than-thrilling career. Get more of her advice at nicolewilliams.com.

Pertinent Details:
Who: You and a hand-selected group of women you need to have on speed dial.
What: The event of the season wrapped around Nicole’s new book Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules into Career Success.
When: November 6, 2009, 6-9pm
Where: The Limited at South Center, 315 S. Center Seattle, WA 98188
Why: Because no one does their best work on the bottom.
And if that’s not enough, how ‘bout:

• A filled-to-the-brim gift bag (Full of stuff you’ll actually use)
• An exclusive 40% discount at The Limited
• Advice from Nicole (Hey, people pay big bucks for her words of wisdom)
• Free-flowing cocktails

RSVP today at www.girlontopbook.com/tour