Sassy stiletto booties and fitted trench coats, pumpkins that turn into bright jack-o-lanterns, crispy, cool air and the colorful leaves: these are a few of our favorite fall things. As the weather shifts and the days grow shorter, don't be surprised to find yourself feeling inspired to finish writing that novel you haven't worked on in months, or wanting to revamp your wardrobe during a spontaneous shopping spree. Fall motivates. It encourages creativity and introspection, and we at CRAVE are eager to celebrate this transitional time of year with our latest happenings.

A pink carpet, dope DJ, VIP swag bags, bubbly and sweets will make this the event of the season. Walk down the pink carpet (to the throb of Britney’s ‘Womanizer’ of course) and get photographed by the paparazzi before being greeted by a personal shopper who will help you pick the latest to-die-for frock. Warning: do not leave your credit card at home!
Click here for more info

My girlfriends and I love working out together, but need to mix it up once in a while. We’re constantly on a mission for fun, engaging, monotony-free workouts. Classes at Burlesque Beauties in Vancouver, BC offer the perfect solution for gals like us!

Foundress and creator Carla Catherwood (aka Miss Victoria) walks us through a typical class at Burlesque Beauties.

Imagine this: you and a few friends walk into a studio. You are greeted by an energetic and wonderfully positive teacher who will start the dance class by leading you through a fun, sensual, womanly warm up though movement, stretch, and strengthening! Then you will learn to dip and strut across the floor. Shortly after, the teacher will lead you into a fun, sassy, classy, and sexy dance routine! You will dance, sweat, laugh, and most importantly learn the value of being a strong and confident woman! Why run on a treadmill when you can just dance it all out?!

Intrigued? Sign up for the Santa Baby dance workshop, Burlesque Beauties’ special 4-week dance workshop, taught by Miss Victoria, for those ladies who want to learn some fun, sassy, and sexy holiday moves to the song “Santa Baby.”

It can be a gift to yourself, a sister, friend and even your man…

For more information email Carla Catherwood at info [at] burlesquebeauties [dot] com.
Burlesque Beauties was featured in our newest CRAVE Vancouver book, which comes out next week!

What’s your favorite, creative way to exercise?

It’s that time of year again! The second annual CRAVEshow! will be at McCaw Hall at Seattle Center on Wednesday December 10th, 2008.

The Experience
CRAVEshow! 08 is Seattle’s premier holiday event for smart, urban-minded women, showcasing six empowering themes to motivate and inspire YOU!

The Show
CRAVEshow! 08 features a fashion and beauty runway, local boutiques, fitness demonstrations, luxury spa services, and a lifestyle stage. Browse through droves of boutique and designer wares, pausing along the way for a glamour makeover, tasty nibbles, and a bubblegum-pink manicure.

When: Wednesday, December 10th, 5pm-9pm
Where: McCaw Hall at Seattle Center, 321 Mercer St
Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door

Sponsored by Seattle Magazine and Go Red for Women. Click here to learn more and buy tickets!

 

Motivation gone on holiday? Check out these tips from Traci Barnum of Fly Fitness on how to stay fit through the season!

• Since evenings are full of cocktail parties during the holiday season, we recommend working out first thing in the morning to ensure nothing will get in your way of your routine.

• Recruit a few of your co-workers or friends to exercise with. It’s harder to blow it off, if someone is waiting for you.

• Join or put together your own “Turkey Trot” or “Jingle Bell 5k” for your friends and family. Nothing beats a good run before a long day of eating. You can even make t-shirts for your event and offer some yummy, healthy treats to kick off the day!

• Spice up your routine. Map out fitness classes all around the city. Most gyms offer a small drop in fee. Mix it up by trying a spin, dance, boot camp or any other class that interests you.

• Instead of hosting a cocktail party hire Fly Fitness to put on a Sporty Soiree for you! Some ideas:
Dashing Through The Trails Sporty Soiree
Sweat-n Santa Sporty Soiree

• Invest in hip work out clothes! It really makes a difference if you have something other than a beat up old t-shirt to wear to the gym.

• We need all the Vitamin D we can get. Purchase rain gear and dress in layers, and get outside as much as you possibly can!

A house full of relatives during the holidays can be a blast and a major source of stress. Every season I make a point to take a pre-cation, a local get-away that me helps me collect, calm, and center myself before the storm of bustling activity hits. I like to visit cozy towns, secluded mountain cabins, and even rainy beach resorts.

I wanted to share some of the great places I found while searching for this year’s pre-cation destination in the Pacific Northwest.

Doe Bay Resort and Retreat
107 Doe Bay Road, Olga WA, 360.376.2291
Rustic, down-to-earth environment. You can start the day with yoga practice and a trip to the soaking tubs and sauna, take a guided kayak trip in the afternoon and have a delicious meal in the waterfront
café, hike in nearby Moran State Park and then read about the things you’ve seen in Otter Lodge, their guest lounge and library.

Kahler Glen Golf and Ski Resort
20700 Clubhouse Drive, Leavenworth WA, 509.763.4025
Gorgeous destination resort filled with year-round activities. Enjoy golf, skiing, snow shoeing, tennis, swimming, hiking or just relaxing. Located in the pristine Cascade Mountains, ideal for winter sports and
recreation.

Skamania Lodge
1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way, Stevenson WA, 800.221.7117
Set on 175 fabulous wooded acres in the spectacular Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. There are over 70 waterfalls nearby, including the famous Multnomah Falls.

Sun Mountain Lodge
604 Patterson Lake Road, Winthrop WA, 800.572.0493
A year-round destination resort, Sun Mountain Lodge in beautiful Methow Valley offers the outdoor enthusiast a unique playground and luxurious lodging.

Willows Lodge and Spa
14580 NE 145 St, Woodinville WA, 877.424.3930
Located in Woodinville’s wine country, Willows Lodge and Spa is within walking distance of Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery and Red Hook Brewery. It has a scenic location on the Sammamish River, and is just 25 minutes from Seattle.

Whats your fav winter get-away spot?

Been craving networking opportunities in a fun and comfortable environment? We hear you loud and clear, and we want to let you in on something fantastic–every third Sunday from 2-4 pm, the mavens at CRAVEbusiness will be hosting intimate, informal business related discussions at a coffee shop or other casual local venue. Initially the talks will be focused on a monthly business topic; however we will boldly go wherever the conversation takes us!

Join social media strategist Erin Anderson as we discuss how not to be overwhelmed by online social networking. Learn effective ways to broaden your company’s reach by utilizing web/email marketing and social media networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Discuss simple techniques for building a community around your business by using online networking to your advantage.

Speaker: Erin Anderson, Social Media Strategist
Topic: Don’t Let Online Networking Consume You!
When: Sunday, November 16, 2-4pm
Where: Pan Pacific Hotel Lobby Bar
Price: $25 per person

Click here to learn more and sign up!

The average Thanksgiving dinner contains over 2000 calories, meaning you could pack on a entire pound from just one meal. We are all about indulgence within reason, and were so happy to find a fantastic article by “Women’s Health” contributor and dietitian Lisa Drayer that explains how we can enjoy Thanksgiving traditions while keeping the meal under 942 calories! Find selected examples below, and read the rest of Drayer’s article here.

Wine
(5 oz glass), 120 calories
If the family drives you to drink, choose wine. You can go with white or red (only a 3-5 calorie difference per ounce). But note: red wine offers resveratrol, a healthy antioxidant, in higher amounts.

Turkey
(about 3 oz., or the size of a deck of cards), 107 calories
Go for skinless breast over thigh; dark meat is higher in saturated fat and calories.

Gravy
(1-2 tablespoons) 8-16 calories
Use a soup spoon instead of the spout of that 1950’s gravy boat to serve yourself. You’ll use less.

Sweet potato
(1 whole, baked, with skin) 103 calories
Do your best to pass if the sweet potatoes are candied or in casseroles, which can pack as much as 300 calories per cup.

Read more of Lisa Drayer’s Thanksgiving meal tips.

What is your favorite thanksgiving tradition?

We all are aware and have become increasingly conscious of our carbon footprints, but what about water footprints? Amol Rajan of The Independent explains in a recent article, “the concept of water footprints–or ‘virtual water’–will tell consumers the amount of precious H2O that has been used in the manufacture of products they buy. As with carbon footprints, a ‘virtual water’ figure will indicate the extent to which a particular product has cost the earth. And, as with carbon footprints, the message is clear: less is better.”

Rajan points out that a cotton shirt, for example, has a water footprint of 2,700 liters, tallying up the water evaporated in irrigating and growing the cotton, as well as the water needed to wash away fertilizers. Recycling such products, and thereby minimizing fresh production, could make the earth’s water resources go much, much further.

Concerned? Mix vintage finds into your wardrobe. Here’s a compilation of our fav local shop spots:

1. Pretty Parlor (119 Summit Ave E, Seattle, 206.405.2883)
Alongside the vintage marvels and distinctively styled couture including slips, silk lanterns, parasols, boas, vintage patterns, jewelry, cocktail dresses and sparkly pumps, you’ll also find fabulous fashions by indie designers.

2. Le Frock (317 Pine St, Seattle, 206.623.5339)
Great source to find a vintage party dress from earlier parts of the twentieth century and a sassy purse to match.

3. Private Screening (3504 Fremont Pl, Seattle, 206.548.0751)
Here you will find Deco to Disco, Rockabilly, Romantic Classic 20’s, 60’s, and some funky 70’s to 80’s. Private Screening holds the city’s largest selection of quality vintage suits and shirts.

4. Isadora’s (1915 1st Ave, Seattle, 206.441.7711)
‎Unique collection of exquisite antique estate jewelry, elegant vintage evening wear and exclusive wedding gowns created by our own designers.

5. Sugartown Vintage (2421 NW Market St, Seattle, 206.789.1400)
Extensive, incredibly organized collection of hip vintage duds from 1960-1990.

What’s your favorite vintage find?

I’m a last minute kind of girl, so you can imagine the anxiety I experienced after seeing candy canes while standing in line for Halloween treats on October 31st! After the initial shock wore off, I embraced the holiday spirit much earlier than I usually do. On November 1st, I became determined to really prepare for the hustle and bustle of the months ahead.

I decided the first step in keeping the mood alive was to fill my house with simple, stylish holiday decor. I immediately went to the extensive online catalog of Seattle-based design megastore Velocity, and assembled this must-have wishlist:

1. Artecnica Xmas Light
Dancing snowflakes, twinkling stars, and even holiday cookies flutter on Tord Boontje’s ingenious xmas light, bringing warm holiday spirit to any room.

2. The Polished Antler Multi Taper Holder by Roost
These gorgeous candlesticks are cast in recycled aluminum from real antlers, then burnished to a high shine. Perfect to display throughout the winter.

3. Penguin Ornament from Roost
Hand-crafted of natural materials, this quirky penguin family is endearing whether waddling across a table or decorating a mantel in their finest black tie.

4. Boreal Forest Trees from Roost
Create a wooden wonderland of delicate birch veneer trees. Each piece is skillfully laser cut, leaving a burnt edge that helps to define the detailed shape.

5. Heath Ceramics Plaza Serving Plates
Set your holiday table with contemporary square shapes, mix and match with existing tableware lines or simply use your Plaza pieces as serving trays.

6. Vitra Algue
Algues are at one and the same time interior design components and decorative elements. Reminiscent of plants, the plastic elements can be linked together to form web-like textures - from light curtains to opaque, thick room dividers.

What decoration gets you psyched for the holiday season?

CRAVE is a proud event partner of the first annual Goodwill Glitter Gala, a fundraiser for Goodwill’s free job training and education programs.

The Gala will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 6pm at the Sheraton Hotel in Seattle.

We would like to invite you to this night to remember to help support Goodwill! There will be a lively reception, a fine Northwest dinner, a dynamic fashion show, entertainment and a silent auction.

Learn more about the Gala and buy tickets here.