Spa Night etc.

Finally got to experience this whole "day spa" thing - as I was invited to the Body Bar Urban Spa in Silverlake for a presentation of L.A.-based Sircuit Skin cosmeceuticals' all natural treatments. The spa itself is lovely - very calming oriental-inspired decor & it smelled so good! 

I lucked into getting a 30 min. facial using the Mocha Loca lactic acid chocolate peel - and other products.  What a nice experience!  So soothing. And the Sircuit aesthetician was a real pro, gently massaging my face and telling me about the products. The serums, etc., that Sircuit produces are all natural - and you can tell.  But not at the high end of the spectrum - more towards the middle - altho $40-60 is still out of my range usually.  I came out with a glowing face - even though the aesthetician complimented my skin throughout. (So I must be doing something right.)

And afterwards I looked at how much the Body Bar charged for a 30 min. facial & it was $65!!  And the samples I got were worth more than $40 - so it was a profitable evening! Oh, how the other half lives....

I did get a discount coupon - but if I ever do pop for spa services I will probably go to www.lifebooker.com (in L.A. & NYC areas) for discounts.  There is a hair salon in my budget price range not far from me & I am going to try it out.

Put on the glam of my other side by wearing a tweedy jacket with my vintage 50's intaglio cameo-like pin, debuting my thrift shop 50's Trifari necklace and anonymous vintage clip earrings. (Clips are so hard to find, that I grab them, especially the vintage ones at a good price....)

I was looking at an article about a professional vintage jewelry collector on www.countryliving.com (they have collectible and antiques sections...) and I am always appalled at how pricey all this stuff has gotten.  Everyone at the spa night was oohing and ahing at a rhinestone ring I threw on at the last minute to lighten the black ensemble....and the story on that is that I got it at a junky Asian bargain store in Sta. Paula for maybe $3...and I have seen similar ones for 10 times as much.  Imagine.

All the colored rhinestone pins we used to think of as too gaudy are now very much in style! And as I said, fetch a pretty penny.  Check out the jewelry boxes of older female relatives who are fond of you, and you may find some treasures that they wouldn't mind parting with, as they don't really wear them anymore.  The overall quality of the older pieces is so much better - and even the prices I think are outrageous for vintage compare fairly well with contemporary pieces with lesser workmanship. And they have resale value, too!

I have a large collection dating back to high school - I have kept almost ALL of it and have lots to choose from. I have culled through it from time to time and sold off what I didn't love - and I do have a fantasy of being able to take all to market when I am an old lady!

This is my how-to-live-rich-when-you-are-not strategy.  Nice clothes to pull out and otherwise sweatshirts and jeans!

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Putting on the Glam

Seeing how the other half does it - my way.