Northwest Gold Coast

In the charming waterfront community of Edmonds, Washington resides the chic and eclectic retail boutique C’est la Vie.   Opening its doors to the community in 2001, the shop experienced such a successful first four years that  owner and founder, Colleen Bowman and her husband, Michael, decided to expand the boutique and relocate to a larger retail space just down the street from the original store.  

Colleen, a former buyer for Nordstrom,  opened the shop so she could allow her own vision to permeate every inch of  the inviting, unique shop.   Colleen  spearheads the business as lead buyer and merchandiser.  Michael directs the website and Internet side of the business. In 2008 Susan Dunn brought her great eye and business acumen as she became a partner in the business.   And warm and  knowledgeable staff  underpin a positive shopping experience for the shop’s loyal customers.  

What makes C’est la Vie unlike  any other retail boutiques is the light, bright, welcoming ambiance and the one of a kind art, wall sculptures, home decor, jewelry and women’s fashions and accessories found inside.   Merchandise is ever changing and always new.   Once items are offered in chain stores, they are removed from C’est la Vie.  

Two product lines currently  featured at C’est la Vie are the Heather B. Moore custom personalized jewelry line and the
luminous Fire  & Light recycled glassware collection.   Heather B. Moore jewelry is uniquely created for each customer  to be personal and one-of-a-kind.   Customers  choose the metal (14kt gold or silver), chains, tags, medallions, stones, coins, and charms  to be used in  each custom piece.   They  also define the  monograms, names, dates, phrases  and sayings to be engraved on each medallion, coin  or tag.   The resulting engraved necklaces, bracelets, rings  and cuff links express the individuality of each customer.

Fire  & Light is a beautiful line of hand-poured glass tableware that is made in the USA.   The dishes are made from over 91% recycled glass.   The glass is crushed, poured and pressed, which creates a luminous look that gives the glassware it’s brilliance and sparkle.   There are 8 attractive eye-catching colors available in-store and online.  

For more information on this artisan boutique,  (named  as one of  the top 5 best Western Washington gift shops in Best of the Northwest by Evening Magazine),  please visit their website at www.clvcatalog.com, or visit the store in Edmonds, Washington at 320 5th Ave S.   You’ll be glad you did.

Tags: Shopping by Michelle Leonard
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So how does an off-airport parking lot go green?

SeaTacPark.com, located just south of Seattle Tacoma International Airport, has implemented four strategies to reduce air and water pollution, paper waste and energy consumption.

Water Filtration System
Ask SeaTacPark.com Manager, Dave Bass, and he’ll tell you, “To begin with, before parking a single car, it is necessary to install a system that will separate out contaminants such as (sediment and oil) from lot runoff before the water is released into the city’s storm water system.   The Vortechs Model 7000 Stormwater Treatment system installed at SeaTacPark is a high-performance system which uses a combination of swirl-concentrator and flow-control technologies to maximize treatment even during peak flows so that the quality of water released from the site will sustain the rich wildlife of the Puget Sound area.”

Natural Gas Shuttle Bus
Then the lot added a 2009 Champion 14 passenger Natural Gas (NGS) Shuttle Bus.   SeaTacPark.com’s shuttle was literally the first of the 2009 shuttles converted to use compressed natural gas in a BAF Technologies engine system.   In fact, SeaTacPark.com’s shuttle is featured on the cover picture of the manual that is issued to maintenance companies.

Electric Vehicle Outlets
Next the lot began to offer parking spaces with electrical outlets to accommodate electric vehicles.   SeaTacPark.com has 4 spaces which are available on a first come first served basis.     Electric vehicle drivers are encouraged to phone 206.824.2544 or email info@SeaTacPark.com the day that their parking episode is to begin to ask whether outlet spaces are available.

Paperless Reservations
The most recent step has been to offer the best rates without requiring hardcopy paper reservations.   SeaTacPark.com’s online reservation system recently has been updated so that it is clear that the parker need not print and bring in a hardcopy of the reservation form.   While those that prefer a hard copy may still print and bring it in, those that wish to reduce their ecological footprint, can simply tell the lot attendant at checkout the name under which the reservation was made.   The lot attendant will look up the name in the reservation system and offer the parker the best rate (daily, weekly or monthly) for the actual period parked.

Tags: Services, Travel by Elizabeth Paulsen
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Launching July 1, 2009, a new program aimed at assisting students in U.S. colleges and universities will be available through AffinityCare, Inc.  The program consists of a wide range of prepaid services including relationship, emotional wellness, financial, and legal consultation.

As a population, college students report that when they become stressed or feel anxious, depressed, and even homesick, their academic performance is negatively impacted.  According to the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment in Fall 2008, approximately 47% of students surveyed felt hopeless at one or more times during the prior school year and about 30% of the surveyed students felt depressed to the point of not functioning.

The purpose of the AffinityCare Student Assistance Program (ASAP) is to help college students work through the issues that can cause undue stress or depression so that they can be more successful in their studies and personal life. The service includes a confidential 24 hour/7-days a week helpline, unlimited direct phone consultation and assessment with Masters-level counselors, face-to-face consultation, and extensive online resources and educational materials.  The program can be purchased for a low monthly flat rate directly through the ASAP website, www.studentassistanceplan.com/signup.php.

The concept of an assistance program is not new. Many businesses have been providing this type of support to their employees since the 1940s when R.M. Macy and Co. and the Northern State Power Company began providing this service to employees. The goal was to help employees with personal issues so that they could maintain high attendance and work performance.

“Expanding the assistance program concept to support students and their parents was a natural development for our company as we had already been offering these types of services to employer groups and insurance organizations for many years.  As the father of a college age student, I became aware of the need to provide an additional level of support to students.  Most educational institutions provide on-campus support services for students. The reality is that many students are just not comfortable scheduling an appointment on campus, but would be more comfortable calling a professional from the privacy of their dorm room whenever they need to talk.  We see our program as an additional safety net supporting students and parents as they go through these tumultuous transitional years,” states Ken Larsen, AffinityCare, Inc. President.

For more information, visit their website at www.studentassistanceplan.com

Tags: Education by Elizabeth Paulsen
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Prior to starting Express Linen Service, owner, Theresa Phan, created beautiful and memorable wedding receptions through MIMI’s Bakery and Decoration.   Then, as MIMI’s grew from a service that supported only its immediate community to a service that expanded to supporting events in multiple states, Theresa became aware that her customers consistently needed elegant table cloths and chair covers.   So she developed her own proprietary patterns, secured yardage from the best mills in the country and founded Express Linen Service.

Today Tukwila-based Express Linen Service specializes in creating and renting elegant and affordable linen, napkin, table runner, table-overlay, and chair cover rentals for every type of occasion.   The items are manufactured using Express Linen Service’s proprietary patterns and are available in a wide variety of colors and fabrics.

In order to provide high quality at an affordable price, all linens are washed and pressed after each use in Express Linen Service’ own laundry.

Express Linen Service’ clients include retail clients, leading hotels, restaurants, country clubs, banquet facilities, and event planners.

Express Linen Service finds its success in its ability to listen to the needs of its customers and staff.   By listening, they are able to help create memorable, unique environments for each event.

A 20% discount is available to contracted vendors and retail clients are welcome.

The show room is located at 14603 35th Ave. S. Tukwila WA 98168.

To make a show room appointment or get more information, email Theresa Phan at info@expresslinenservice.com or phone 206-246-2292.

Tags: Services by Elizabeth Paulsen
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