photo courtesy of Tabercil

Want to know where Hollywood celebrities go to get ready for the red carpet? We all watched during awards season and wondered about their beauty and fashion secrets, but now you can stop wondering and get the same treatment yourself. This list features a few of the best beauty destinations in Los Angeles that are visited by some of today’s hottest stars.

photo courtesy of justluxe.com

Mars the Salon: 606 Westmount Drive, West Hollywood, California

Visited by: EXTA host Maria Menounos

Services: spa and gel manicures, massages, waxing, specialized services for men, private rooms

photo courtesy of justluxe.com

Murad Inclusive Health Spa: 2141 Rosecrans Avenue, First Floor Courtyard, El Segundo, California

Visited by: Actress Nadine Velazquez, Emily Blunt, Jessica Lange

Services: health consultations, facial therapies, massages, body treatments, waxing, hair, nails, spa packages

photo courtesy of justluxe.com

Prive Salon: 7373 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, California

Visited by: Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner

Services: hair, nails, make-up

photo courtesy of justluxe.com

LA Slim Wrap: 1313 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Visited by: Minnie Driver, Angela Bassett, Tyra Banks, Ellen DeGeneres

Services: spot treatment wrap, deluxe slim wrap, contour mineral body wrap

photo courtesy of justluxe.com

Rossano Ferretti: 345 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA

Visited by: Salma Hayek, Lady Gaga, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lawrence

Services: hair

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Het Arresthuis opened in 1862 and contained 105 prisoner’s quarters. It had a reputation for being a very intimidating place, and was also called ‘bolletjesbajes’ which translates as stuffer’s prison. After being abandoned for a number of years, the prison reopened in 2002, but then in 2007 it closed permanently and the hotel construction began.

The prisoners’ quarters have been converted to 40 rooms, including 24 standard size, 12 deluxe, and four suites. Every room is equipped with modern furnishings, air conditioning, flat screen TV, free WiFi and a coffee/tea machine.

Even though the cells have received a nice makeover, the original doors have been preserved.

Guests enjoying the courtyard

How the outside of the prison looks now as a luxury hotel

Fully equipped kitchen

Hotel bar

And the best for last—guests enjoying dinner in the dining hall. Definitely a unique experience!

Would you stay in an ex-prison on your next vacation?

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Inside you have Wi-Fi connectivity, Hybrid TV Tuner,  NavTrak, and a 64GB hard drive, and the exterior features chrome bumper grilles, privacy glass and self-levelling wheel badges.

According to Bentley.com, the 2014  Continental Flying Spur is “one of the world’s most advanced – and unique – 12-cylinder engines: a 552bhp (560PS) 6-litre, twinturbo charged powertrain that can propel the car from standstill to 60mph in less than five seconds” and it can also reach a top speed of 194mph (312km/h).

The cost for the Continental Flying Spur has yet to be revealed, but the car will make its debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

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You think you’re busy?!  You’re heart works even harder than you do.  February is American Heart Month.  Let’s give your heart some LOVE and thank it for all that it does.

The heart plays a vital role in all systems of the body:

Interested in detoxing?  The heart pumps toxins and waste to the necessary organs for removal.  It’s your very own cleanse…free of charge.

Want to get a good workout in today?  Your heart gets the blood pumping and the necessary nutrients to your muscles and bones for some butt-kicking exercise.

Want to fall in love?  When you’re heart skips a beat, pay attention!  The heart’s got it covered.

And all that brainpower at work would be nothing without the heart providing the necessary oxygen and nutrients to the brain for you to think straight.

So how about we just give it a break for a day?  No can do…the heart keeps working even when you don’t.

So even if we can’t give it a break, we can give it some TLC by choosing healthy foods, creating a balance between work and play, giving ourselves the rest that we deserve, and taking some time to breathe and be grateful for all that it does for us.

If you aren’t already doing any of these things, pick one and make that your goal for the month.

This February let your heart be your guide and you too will surely be thanked in return.

Follow Darwin on Twitter and Facebook for more great tips!
E-mail:  darwinfitness@gmail.com
Phone:  (832) 283-2448

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EVERNOTE

You can create to-do lists, capture photos, take notes and record voice reminders on Evernote, and sync everything across your computers and devices. Keep your notes organized with tags and notebooks, and share notes with friends via Facebook and Twitter or email them to your contacts. For iOS and Android. Free.

DROPBOX

With Dropbox you can bring all of your documents, photos and videos with you wherever you go. You can easily access and share any file you save to your Dropbox from your computers, devices and even the Dropbox website. For iOS, Android and Blackberry. Free.

BILLMINDER

Billminder helps you manage all of your bills from one place. You can sync your bills so everyone in your household knows when bills are due, and there’s also a tab for upcoming bills, so you have plenty of notice before the due dates arrive. View all of your bills on a calendar, and even track your expenses with comprehensive charts and graphs. For iOS. $1.99

1PASSWORD

The perfect alternative for trying to remember all of your passwords. This app stores your username and logins and locks them all behind a four-digit unlock code and master password. 1Password has a browser built right into it, so when you tap on a saved login you’re immediately taken to the site. For iOS and Android. $17.99

CHECKMARK

The Checkmark app sorts your to-do list by what’s closest to your current location, making errand running as efficient as possible. Set recurring reminders, timers and even a snooze so tasks are done when you’re ready to do them. For iOS. $4.99

Do you have any similar apps that you suggest?

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Meet Dan McGarrah from Reliant Chem Dry, our go-to guy for rug, upholstery and carpet cleaning in San Francisco. Domestic Concierge has been using Dan for five years to serve all of our San Francisco based clients. When Dan started the business 10 years ago, he established his motto “Our Speciality is Integrity,” and that is what he and his company are all about. Dan gets the job done and done right. You can feel confident leaving Dan on site while you head out to the office or run errands. We have let Dan into many of our clients’ homes to complete a job while we are out taking care of the many tasks our clients have us do and then come back to a job well done and lock up our clients’ homes. While we like working with Dan because he takes pride in what he does (he’s always on time, does a great job, and has a high level of integrity), we also like that Dan’s Chem Dry business

• •is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau
• •uses “Green Certified” water-based cleaning solutions that are baby and pet safe
• •has strong spotters and pre-sprays for those tough, hard to get out stains
• •uses a “steam cleaning” method that leaves the carpets less wet and dries faster
• •offers a highly effective stain-resistant protectant
• •has special treatments including Pet Urine Odor Removal, and Dust Mite Anti-Allergen
• •has off-site rug cleaning

Also, Reliant Chem Dry is offering Domestic Concierge clients in San Francisco a 15% discount off of all services!

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Those things certainly are important and fulfilling aspects of what makes us who we are.  And we learn and grow from them in ways that can hardly be put into words.  Perhaps what matters more than the way in which we define ourselves is the way in which we experience ourselves.

What I find in my work with clients is a common challenge often overlooked.  Whatever goal I might be addressing with a client – weight loss, improving sports performance, addressing chronic pain, or simply just their desire to feel healthy again – it has been my experience that they all share the same sense of feeling incomplete in some way.  This lack of “wholeness” might also be experienced as a disconnection from one’s self. Creating balance in all aspects of our lives can only stem from the balance we create within ourselves.  And this balance can only come from a foundation of health and vitality.

The topic of health and wellness is one that I am incredibly passionate about.  It is the foundation for living a life that is full, exciting, and allows for continued growth.  Our sense of well-being has a tremendous impact on our relationships with others.  It can impact the quality of our work and the value that we can provide to the people in our lives.  It is the basis for creating a life we love.

A big part of living a life of health is achieving that sense of balance that can so easily be lost in the everyday. But where do we begin in moving towards a state of optimal health?  Health tips are a dime a dozen, and yet we can still feel confused and lost.

This is where bringing it back to the basics can be most effective.  One must master the fundamentals in order to achieve true and long-lasting results.

The following are 4 key components to begin managing how we experience that sense of balance in our lives each and every day through a healthy lifestyle:

1.  Mindset – Our thoughts are the driving force for the choices we make.  More importantly, they carry an emotional charge.  Begin to notice the nature of the thoughts you have from moment to moment.  Become the observer of your own mindset.  And adopt a curiosity to your own mindset and how you might begin to make changes for the better.

2.  Nourishment – The food we eat provides the energy for all functions of the body, its growth and repair, as well as the necessary components to a properly functioning body and mind.  Observe the quality of the foods you are eating, not just the quantity.  Diet fads come and go.  But if you put your focus on eating high-quality foods first, then you are well on your way to building a strong foundation of health.

3.  Movement – Our bodies are designed to move.  Mobility leads to vitality.  Modern technology allows us to achive so much more with less effort.  This is a double-edged sword.  Make time each and every day to simply move.  Stretch, lift, walk, run, swim…whatever FEELS good to you. Again, beware of the fads.  Master the simple act of making time to move each day.  Movement aids in circulation, detoxification, and even the health of our vital organs.

4.  Sleep – All of that hard work and hard play can only benefit you when coupled with this important component.  Sleep allows our body to rest and recover in order to put out the same energy and enthusiasm (hopefully more) that we did the day before.  Improving your quality of sleep can work wonders on your overall state of balance and well-being.  Again, quality is just as important as quantity.  If you absolutely need a cup of coffee to wake up each day, you might ask yourself “why” you need it.

Does this sound too simple?  Of course it does.  Sometimes the most powerful tools are the simplest ones.  These are 4 vital components of health that, when properly implemented, can help you move towards an improved state of health and wellness.  It is only when we appropriately manage our own sense of self that we can begin to express it fully to others and feel whole once again.

Darwin Ruiz is a Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach in San Francisco.  You can read more about him at www.darwinruiz.com or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
E-mail:  darwinfitness@gmail.com
Phone:  (832) 283-2448

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TMI Colonics San Francisco

Jennifer says: “Sometimes you just need to shoot the shit–and I don’t mean literally! I have been getting colonics for about 7 years, both in Houston and in SF. I met Marianne 3 years ago at Avra and am so happy that she became a colonicpreneur. I’ll call Marianne “the colonic whisperer”. Like me, she is from Texas so that already gives her a star. Marianne is genuine, welcoming, became my friend, but most of all she is very knowledgeable in the colonic field. Her place is so inviting and makes you feel like you are visiting a home. The benefits I receive from getting colonics are more energy, a flat stomach, and making my insides feel beautiful. We spend so much money on making our outsides beautiful so why not take care of our insides because what happens in our colon can really effect our skin and our well-being. If you are hesitant or have been thinking about it but have not followed through–now’s the time to saddle up and see Marianne! I guarantee you will feel amazing walking out the door.”

Domestic Concierge: “Why should people get colonics?”

Marianne Morrison: “I truly believe that every person in the world should get colonics because every colonic is an investment in your health. I believe, and know from personal experience, colonics can prevent all kinds of diseases, cancers, autoimmune disorders, and other chronic irritations and illnesses. Colonics can help people lose weight, increase the quality of their skin, and feel fantastic! Even if you consider yourself to be “regular”, colonics are an important part of getting and staying healthy all the way to your core. I believe that there is not a single thing you can do for your body that is better than getting a colonic.”

Marianne Morrison, owner and operator of TMI Colonics

TMI Colonics is located in San Francisco, California and is owned and operated by I-ACT member and certified colon hydrotherapist Marianne Morrison. To learn more about TMI Colonics, visit the official website here and also make sure to ‘Like’ TMI Colonics on Facebook! *Domestic Concierge clients and subscribers receive 25% off at TMI Colonics!*

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