Tick Tock Couture Florals

In Los Angeles floral shops are a dime a dozen although the prices definitely are not. Unfortunately, high prices don’t equal quality, beauty or often delivery which means you could easily spend a small fortune on a small, non-memorable bouquet.

When my best-girlfriend was having a birthday and I wanted to send flowers to her work (a very stylish and famous salon in town), I knew that the flowers had to be special not just for her but also look good on her table since her high-paying clientele would be staring. I needed a statement. I needed same day delivery. I needed it all with a budget under $100.

Over an hour of surfing online and phoning, I found Tick Tock Florals. I emailed them the photo above and asked if I could have a similar arrangement for around $85 plus delivery. They said, of course! And a few hours later I received a gushing call from my girlfriend who could. not. believe. the. flowers.

They were beautiful, arranged amazingly, unique and special. And they were there at her table only a few hours after my call and within my budget. And her guests? Equally impressed!

Tick Tock Florals may cost more than picking up a bouquet at the grocer or by ordering from a generic 1-800 flower company, but the difference in price, personal service and experience in receiving are certainly worth the extra money. The next time you have a special someone to celebrate and want to make a statement, try sending an arrangement. Actually, why not just send one to yourself? You know you deserve it.

Tick Tock Floral
1603 N. La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Toll Free: 800-893-6688

John Frieda Salon

It’s a fact - I’ve paid more for hair color than some people spend on rent but I’ve never paid for a hair cut. I’ve always been a one length kind of girl who just had a trim. But that hasn’t been working for me lately, especially in this town. It was time for me to get an actual ‘do and for that I needed to go to the best salon in Los Angeles.

Stepping into the old school world of glamour that is the John Frieda Salon (now run by the infamous, talented and oh so charming Serge Normant) I felt a twinge of panic; was my hair good enough for this world-renowned salon? Were my shoes alright? Would I know how to dish with the best of them? Walking into the lobby I felt far too plain and feared I’d be out of place. Luckily, from the moment I was greeted I knew that was just all in my head.

Surprisingly relaxed, low-key and friendly, my super stylist to the stars, Jessica Tingley, put me to ease right away when she complimented my hair and said, “but I think we can do better.”

I agreed. My current hair left me looking 16 and although young is good, 16 when you’re 31 is not. A queen of the layers, Jessica is the Ferrari of hair stylists; taking my hair from drab to dreamy in under 8 seconds (Ok, it was a little more but I didn’t mind; she’s as personable as she is fantastic at hair). Taking off inches without sacrificing length, my hair, once blow dried, looked amazing. And for the first time I felt I had a personal style without being styled. Not only that, it was the first time in a salon I actually relaxed thanks to poolside drinks in a beautiful setting that can only be described as LA.

Beauty here doesn’t come cheap; stylists begin at $150 but if you need a major change and want a little pampering without having a poodle on your lap then this is the place to do it. Besides, your hair cuts grow out so wonderfully that you can stretch visits up to six months (an update: my layers grew out so amazing that I only have to get a cut twice a year with a couple of (complimentary) bang trims. And the best part? I was able to effortless re-create the style at home. Now that’s worth the money.).

TIP: At this salon, people stick to what they do best so don’t expect your colourist to cut your hair (she won’t) or vice versa. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no multi-tasking going on here. This salon will do almost anything for their clients including ordering you in lunch or giving you a mani-pedi outside.

Sally Hershberger at John Frieda
8440 Melrose Place
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 653-4040

Healthy Spot

Everyone in LA seems to be on a health kick so it only makes sense that dogs are getting in on the organic action, too. And Healthy Spot is bringing good old fashioned pet care to a hip, organic pet shop world.

Part store, part spa, part pet community center, this store has it all - if it’s good for your pet, it’ll be here. From hard to find dog brands like Evo to beautiful beds (with removable slip covers that you can order separately to match your changing decor, of course), to vitamin supplements and over all pet health care, it’s all here. And if you’re overwhelmed by their selection of toys and treats, don’t worry - this highly trained and caring staff can answer any and all questions. Trust me, I think I asked them everything I could think of when I had to get supplies for my dog who was going to have surgery.

And speaking of surgery, after my pooch was healed enough, I brought him in for a one hour massage to help relax him and stretch out his healing leg. He. Loved. It. and came out wagging his tail and smelling like lavender. And only in LA would your dog be given affirmations after a massage!

The full service salon offers the basics plus a few things you probably don’t want to do at home (like teeth cleaning). When you walk in, you see a lot of happy dogs getting clean and you never, ever smell any dirty dog smell at all which is great considering there are always dogs here. They have training classes and big aisles so it’s easy to bring your dog. And with parking in the back, there’s no reason not to.

TIP: They also sell treats and supplements as well as frozen raw food.

HEALTHY SPOT
11870 Santa Monica Blvd. #106-582
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
Ph: 310-458-2004

Santa Monica Mountains Hike & Shuttle

The shuttles allows you to combine a mellow morning of exploring the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area with an afternoon of lazing at the ocean without having to worry about searching for beach parking (which saves you money since the shuttle is free!). The route has 11 stop and shuttles running two directions so you can hike one way and shuttle back the other.

More ambitious hikers can now try a 13-mile section of Backbone Trail by parking at the free lot near the trail head on Kanane-Dum Road, then returning to their car by boarding the shuttle at its stop on Malibu Canyon Road. And bicyclists can take advantage, too, by using the shuttles bike racks.

Since most people in LA are used to driving and not walking - this is a welcomed service (especially since the vans are air conditioned!)

Park Link Shuttle
Hourly stops 8-5:20 sat, Sun & Holidays.
1.888.734.2323

Suddenly Slimmer

A friend of mine arrived in town recently to attend an award show. For the past few weeks she had been watching everything she ate but she still didn’t feel comfortable in her dress. “I need to detox… fast!” she cried, when I rang her to arrange a lunch date. Living in Los Angeles I hear about a wide variety of wonder diets and miracle solutions. I had heard of one treatment which I felt might suit her as it claims to help you lose inches off your body in only an hour. The place is called Suddenly Slimmer and the moment I told her about it, she was dying to try it out.

We went to the Westwood location on a sunny weekday afternoon. The premises is small in size and discreet looking from the outside. Although an advantage to clients wishing to sneak in, it may take you a few moments to actually find it! On arrival, my friend filled out a questionnaire and we then followed our therapist into a small room. Here, her measurements were taken and written down so that they could be compared to her final loss. This treatment can be taken up to three times a week and works well with a diet. Ellen DeGeneres featured Suddenly Slimmer on her show earlier in the year and actually had the Slim Wrap Mineral Treatment in her run up to hosting the Oscars!

Of course, we had believed that this was a no work way of losing inches. Wrong!! We soon learned my friend would be wrapped like a mummy from head to toe. For me, this was funny, for her, quite uncomfortable. Then, just when we thought the worst was over, she was led to the outside room where she was told to chose an exercise machine for the next hour. Neither of us saw that coming! I decided to leave for a coffee (as I was laughing too much) and left her watching TV on a tread-mill. Apparently, the idea is that you must keep moving once the wraps are on. I suppose no pain no gain!

I returned an hour later to find my friend looking relaxed and happy, drinking a glass of water. It turns out she lost seven inches all over, which is quite a lot. Not only did she feel much slimmer but her skin felt much tighter after the treatment. The following night she slipped into her dress with ease and her only regret is that she isn’t in Los Angeles to get more treatments on a regular basis!

Suddenly Slimmer
Address: 1313 Westwood Blvd. CA 90024.
Tel: 310 479 4922