LOS ANGELESLIVING VOL XXXV • NO. 1 • EVEN MARCH/APRIL 2014
LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Contents
12 - 19
HOME FASHION
Taking Elegance One Step Further With Automated Window Coverings Getting Organized
20 - 22
KITCHEN & BATH
Discover Your Ideal Kitchen And Bath Environment
Give Your Worn Out Wood The “Wow” Factor
Solutions For Updating Your Bathroom
Protect Your Flooring, Furnishings And Artwork From The Sun Without Changing The View Out
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Introducing Waterford’s® London Collection
Could Mold Be Making You And Your Family
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Sick?
25
HOME REMODELING
A Kitchen That Exceeds All Expectations
26
GO SOLAR
Solar–Good For The Environment And Your Pocketbook
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EXTERIORS & LANDSCAPING
Take Back Your Backyard With Motorized Exterior Awnings
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AUTOMOTIVE
Wash And Wax To Go: Mobile Detailing Is The Answer
32 - 33
HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS
Reshape Your Body In 20 Minutes!
When you visit a 10,000 sq. ft. furniture gallery, you have access to everything—from luxurious interiors, beautiful accessories and fine window-wall treatments to Hollywood glamour décor. Additionally, design experts can help you create the home of your dreams with award-winning design. To see more of Freestyle Interiors, featured on the cover, you can call them at 949-387-6149 or toll-free at 1-855-859-0234. They are located at 800 E. Dyer Road in Santa Ana. You can also visit their website at www.freestyleinteriorsca.com. They offer white-glove delivery and additional design services for your home or estate.
LOSANGELESLIVING PUBLISHER WALLY HICKS III
MARKETING SPECIALIST ALLISON ALBAIJES
Advertising MAiling Address Affluent Target Marketing, Inc. P.O. Box 18507 Anaheim Hills, California 92817-8507 (714) 446-6280 FAX (714) 446-6294 (888) 612-7400
www.losangeleslivingmagazine.com
For comments to the publisher: wally@keyaccess.com The opinions expressed in the editorials are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Los Angeles Living. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, we cannot supervise the way in which information found in Los Angeles Living is used. Los Angeles Living is produced bi-monthly by Affluent Target Marketing, Inc., P.O. Box 18507, An a heim Hills, California 92817-8507. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. All submitted materials, including images, logos, and text, for advertising and editorial are assumed to be the property of the provider, and Affluent Living Publications can take no responsibility for unintentional copyright infringement. Affluent Target Marketing, Inc. has the right to refuse advertising. CIRCULATION VERIFIED BY U.S. POSTAL RECEIPTS.
homefashion
Taking Elegance One Step Further with
Automated Window Coverings And the Newest Technology utomated shades allow function to meet form by offering homeowners full enjoyment of that million-dollar view and creating beautiful atmosphere by controlling the light that surrounds you. With timers, iDevice applications and other types of innovative home automation technology, you can allow the sun to wake you naturally, protect your view from the sun’s harsh glare and know that your privacy is protected at night. Astronomical time clocks can automatically raise your window coverings 30 minutes before sunrise, lower them 30 minutes after sunset, and even adjust to protect furnishings throughout the day. Experienced automation specialists offer complete project management for automating all types of window coverings. They combine expert product and design knowledge about window treatments such as solar sunscreen shades; Roman shades; draperies and natural shades to provide homeowners with a smooth and beautiful transition into using the latest in automation technology. Automation isn’t just for roller shades anymore. Lutron® shading solutions offers homeowners cutting-edge control with the Sivoia QS™ line of controllable shading products. The silent QS motor accommodates sunscreens, blackout roller shades, custom fabric Roman shades, natural grass shades, wood blinds and track systems for draperies and sheers. Drapery tracks are custom-built to fit your window and available in both straight and curved configurations up to 90 degrees. Drapery systems can also be dual mounted over windows and sliding glass doors for two layers of fabric. For homeowners looking for the most dramatic window presentation, motorized plantation
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LOS ANGELES LIVING • MARCH/APRIL 2014
shutters add upscale elegance and value to your home. Easy programming and operation using electronic keypads with backlit buttons and custom engraving provide homeowners with immediate control of natural light with a touch of a button. Remote control capability is also available for complete control at your fingertips anywhere in the home. Automation specialists will customize all keypads and remote transmitters to suit your needs and specifications by programming individual and group controls for all window coverings. Automated shades are even capable of integrating with your current home automation system and iPad and/or iPhone. The green choice for the modern-day homeowner, solar powered roller shades are a fashionable and functional solution. With their fully self-sufficient off the grid application, solar powered roller shades take an average window into an energy efficient treatment with no external control. The system harnesses the power of the sun to deliver a green window solution that is forever powered by the planet’s most natural light source, all with a touch of a button! Licensed and insured craftsmen provide the finest quality, factory-trained installation working together with the audio/video technician and lighting designer to ensure seamless integration and control of window treatments with lighting and other electronics. For more information and an in-home consultation from automation experts, you can call Window Collections at 310-773-9792, or visit their showroom and design center located at 11704 Wilshire Blvd., Suite D-212 in Los Angeles. You can also visit them online at www.windowcollections.com. ONLINE AT LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
homefashion
Getting Organized s space in the family home continues to be a problem, more people are searching for alternatives. The solution is to get organized. Take an inventory of everything you want to store in the space. Determine what you want to keep and get rid of the rest. Once you know what you are going to keep in the space, determine where everything will go. Group similar things together (all shoes or all shirts), and sketch the space to draw a plan. Use all of the available space. Since storage space is hard to come by, it is important to store things neatly and efficiently. Smaller shelves, cubbies, or baskets can make good use of the space where clothes are not hanging in the closet. The last decision you need to make is how you want your organized space to look. Whether you decorate with an art deco flair or are more traditional, it is important to create a space in the look that reflects your style. The hard thing is getting started. Look at your calendar and make a date. If you are having a difficult time or just don’t know where to start, call an expert. There are professional organizers and custom closet companies that help people every day. The key is to take the first step. For more information or to schedule a free design consultation, you can call Closet Factory at 800-692-5673 (please mention code 62). Or, you can visit them online at www.closetfactory.com
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homefashion
Give Your Worn-Out Wood the “Wow” Factor Renewal Made Easy—Change the Color and Give It New Life! Cabinet Renewal
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igh style has moved from the runaways of Milan to our own homes. Chic trends and quality craftsmanship are the necessities of a home renovation. Whether a homeowner is preparing to sell, upgrade, or simply fix something that isn’t quite right, options and choices abound with N-Hance® Wood Renewal. While the ‘70s and ‘80s were a great time for many things, most homeowners want those years taken out of their kitchens and off their floors. Browsing local remodeling store aisles, it’s easy to fall in love with the colors and sophistication of today’s cabinets and floors. However, when a homeowner starts to visualize bringing a new look into their home, there is a good chance they will be overwhelmed with the timeframes and budgets. New floors mean a room cannot be used for days and sometimes weeks, while flooring and cabinets are demolished and replaced. Say good-bye to home cooked meals, and hello to eating out. Getting today’s freshest finishes and updated looks can seem out of reach, but there’s a new alternative to the expense, mess, and sheer chaos of ripping out floors and cabinets—let skilled craftsmen renew the floors and cabinets in a matter of days. Homeowners can upgrade to quality finishes that are well-rooted in the new millennium Lightspeed™ is the process of refinishing your hardwood floors or cabinets and curing them with powerful ultraviolet light that is only available from N-Hance. There is no more down time. Your floor is 100% dried and cured before the technicians leave. Bringing life back to your wood dramatically updates your home and minimizes downtime and expenses, instead of having parts of your home ripped up, ripped out, and banished to the landfill. Using time-tested techniques to renew existing wood floors and cabinets, the craftsmen remove wax and dirt build-up that make wood look flat and lifeless. The renewal process thoroughly cleans the surface, restores lost color, repairs damaged areas with less mess, and applies an elegant instant-cured Lightspeed finish. Have you always wanted chocolate cabinets or a rich cherry finish? You can go darker for a more modern look, for up to a third of the cost of replacement. To begin the process, craftsmen will come in, evaluate your home, and provide an estimate for renewal. Often, homeowners who want to put their home on the market want to give it the “wow” factor in a number of days versus weeks, minimizing costs and maximizing convenience for getting their home sold.
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Before
After
Basic Floor Renewal
Before
After
The possibilities are endless for all your tired wood. To rejuvenate your cabinets and give new life to your doors, trim, and floors, you can call the N-Hance Wood Renewal of Los Angeles, serving West Los Angeles, at 310-558-3080 or visit them online at nhance.com/westlosangeles ONLINE AT LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
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homefashion
Protect Your Flooring, Furnishings and Artwork from the Sun WITHOUT CHANGING THE VIEW OUT
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he sun’s UV light can ruin your home’s interior in no time, causing fading of your fine furnishings, flooring and artwork. Now there is a way to enjoy the sun while not only maintaining, but actually improving your view outside. Prestige window film by 3M is a superior way to protect your finest assets without changing the look of the glass. Innovative Prestige window film provides you with a crystal clear solution to fading by blocking out 99.9% of the damaging UV rays. The benefits don’t end with fade protection. Prestige film also blocks 97% of the sun’s infrared heat, significantly cooling your home and reducing the demand on air-conditioning. This can reduce cooling costs up to 20% by maximizing energy efficiency. This is no ordinary window film. Prestige outperforms other types of window film including ceramic, metalized and dyed films. Prestige is virtually invisible on the glass, keeping the room light and airy and it has no added reflectivity, so you never have that dark mirror appearance associated with standard window tinting films.
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Some of the best aspects of Prestige: • Works as soon as it is installed • Requires no maintenance and no upkeep • Pays for itself in preservation of your interior and in energy savings • Guaranteed to last a lifetime Campbell Window Film is the authorized 3M installing dealership for Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange Counties. They offer free estimates and consultations along with lifetime warranties. They can provide you with samples of the Prestige window film and explain the installation process, which is clean and quiet, and can be completed usually within one day. Campbell Window Film can assist you with finding your perfect window solution. For more information, you can call them at 800-580-9997 or visit www.campbellfilm.com
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homefashion
Introducing Waterford’s® London Collection ounded by William and George Penrose, Waterford® was established in the heart of the Irish harbor town of Waterford in 1783. Waterford crystal chandeliers, lamps and light fixtures represent the finest in home furnishing design and luxury. Each chandelier, lamp and fixture combines the unmatched radiance of Waterford crystal with elegantly shaped shades and brilliant metallic finishes—making Waterford lighting the perfect choice for those who desire sophisticated and luxurious lighting to bring a sparkle to an entrance hall, hallway, dining room, living room, bedroom or office. Waterford’s new London Collection was designed by Jo Sampson, a specialist in the creation of luxury interiors for hotels, restaurants and private homes. Chic and glamorous contemporary designs feature innovative technology and brushed metal finishes. Each piece in the London Collection is illuminated with state-of-the art warm LED lighting.
ONLINE AT LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Designed by Jo Sampson
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With these exquisite pieces, Jo Sampson has recreated the feeling of warmth with interior pieces that become focal points, fusing sleek contemporary design with ambient lighting. Included in the collection are the London wall mirror, wall light, table light and single pendant light. Each piece creates shimmering accents to any home. For more information on the London Collection and other Waterford creations, you can call Lighting Zone, Inc., located at 17354 Hawthorne Blvd. in Torrance, at 310-921-9495, e-mail lightingzoneinc@aol.com, or visit them online at www.DreamOnLighting.com. In addition to an extensive collection of high-quality light fixtures, Lighting Zone also carries mirrors, accessories, and fine art objects to complement and enhance your lighting choices.
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kitchen&bath
Discover Your Ideal Kitchen and Bath Environment
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LOS ANGELES LIVING • MARCH/APRIL 2014
f your kitchen and bathroom are lacking the style and personality you desire, then it’s time to discover a unique solution that challenges traditional design conceptions. The truth is, the design of your living spaces is fundamental to creating a fresh and exciting feel in your home. You want to make sure that your kitchen and bathroom are a perfect fit for your lifestyle. Indulge in the latest styles and features from both European and local manufacturers. By visiting just one showroom, you can have the exclusive opportunity to experience numerous designs and layouts of cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting and many accessories. Italian designers bring the art of sensuality back into your kitchen while making the space more functional and efficient. If your taste is not towards the contemporary, there are traditional offerings available as well. A full design team will listen and work with you in order to achieve the look and feel that you are seeking. From initial design to completion, professionals will make the process easy with careful planning, scheduling, installation and assistance. Designer Kitchens is an ideal choice for all of your kitchen and bathroom remodeling needs. Offering Italian cabinets from Astra Cucine, UltraCraft euro-style cabinetry that come with an incredible 100-year warranty, Shiloh cabinetry, Caesarstone ® quartz countertops, and much more, they have been serving Los Angeles County for over 10 years. Designer Kitchens is fully certified, licensed, bonded and insured General Contractors. For more information and a free consultation, you can call them at 310-474-5120. You can also visit their website at www.designerkitchensla.com or see their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/designerkitchensla ONLINE AT LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
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kitchen&bath
Solutions for Updating Your Bathroom
ow is the time to update your bathroom with a new look. By working with what you already have, professionals can offer several affordable, long-lasting solutions that can be installed in about a day, making your bathroom renovations a possibility. There are so many things you can do that will deliver quick yet dramatic results. If you want to avoid a complete tear-out, bathtub liners are an ideal way to achieve an attractive tub that looks good-as-new. High-quality acrylic liners are slip-resistant, easy to clean, available in different colors and will never crack, peel or fade. Liners are also available for showers, featuring exclusive MilGuard™ mold- and mildew-resistance. Tired of scrubbing your bath or shower for hours without any satisfying results? In a standard shower or tub, the walls and floors are
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porous, providing a breeding ground for mold, mildew, bacteria and soap scum. Innovative shower and tub enclosures are crafted with resilient 100% American-made acrylic and infused with Silver Shield® bacteria fighting technology. You can convert an old tub to an updated acrylic shower enclosure and enjoy a functional bathing area that is unbelievably low-maintenance. Another smart place to focus your attention is on the bathroom cabinetry. Cabinets serve as a focal point for the room as a whole. As a result, the right cabinets can mean all of the difference between brilliant and just plain boring. Brand new custom cabinetry can be built from the ground up and installed into your home for a seamless fit. You can also work with what you already have and reface your existing cabinets. The Vianvi Signature® cabinet refacing process creates the look of new cabinetry without the same price tag. With the touch of something as simple as gorgeous cabinets, your bathroom will feel like a brand new, upgraded space. From an upgraded bathtub to the ultimate remodeling experience, Reborn Cabinets Inc. and Bath Solutions is a licensed, bonded and insured full-service home remodeling contractor. Working with you every step of the way to create the look you’ve always wanted, Reborn can provide you with everything to complete your new bathroom including countertops, vanities, sinks, tile, flooring, cabinetry, and so much more. For more information you can call them at 866-573-2676 or visit www.RebornBathSolutions.com ONLINE AT LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
foryourinformation
old is a serious hidden health threat to homeowners. The reason why mold can be so dangerous is because most people don’t even realize that they have it, let alone that it might be making them sick. Unfortunately, the truth is that mold is everywhere and it’s crucial that you take control of the situation. People that are sensitive to mold can experience skin rash, runny nose, eye irritation, cough, nasal congestion and aggravation of asthma or difficulty breathing. People with low immunity or have respiratory issues may be at increased risk for infections from mold growth. Some molds produce toxins called mycotoxins. When people are exposed to mold mycotoxins, they may suffer toxic effects including fatigue, nausea, headaches, and irritation to the lungs and eyes. If you think your family members have health problems caused by exposure to mold, you should consult your physician and find a reputable mold removal company. Moisture levels within the environment cause mold growth. The first step in mold remediation is determining what is causing the moisture and allowing the mold to thrive. It is important to alleviate whatever is causing
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the moisture. It will not help in removing the mold if the initial causes are not solved. Before starting mold remediation work, it is necessary to isolate the affected areas. Air scrubbers are installed to prevent unnecessary spread of mold spores that can easily travel through your home. It can also be spread throughout the living space by entering air conditioning and heating systems. There are techniques remediation experts do such as encapsulation, application of antimicrobial treatment, sanding and other methods. There is specialized equipment from wet vacuums, thermal imaging cameras, moisture meters, HEPA vacuums as well as the proper chemicals. Some remediation requires the removal of affected items such as drywall or cabinets. Air scrubbers are capable of capturing virtually every airborne particle and are run 24 to 48 hours after treatment of affected areas. Be sure you hire trained professionals to remediate mold. If you know someone who suspects they have mold, you can give KRB Construction a call today at 310-766-5555.
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that Exceeds all
Expectations Photos By: Jessica Claire
he kitchen is so important to our daily lives. It’s where we convene and create holiday feasts for our family and friends. It should reflect your style while being exceptionally functional. When it comes to kitchen remodeling, whether you want to update your living spaces for yourself or to upgrade before selling, the process can be a major overhaul to your home. However, there is a reason why a kitchen remodel is so vital. Every other room of the house can be updated with furniture and décor—but a new kitchen involves more permanent decisions. Whether your kitchen needs a slight facelift or a completely new look starting from scratch, a remodeling project will require serious thinking about the overall look and feel. Key concerns of kitchen remodeling typically include elements such as cabinets, backsplashes, islands, countertops, lighting, appliances, and more.
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When you meet with a kitchen designer, the first step is to set your budget. However finding your inspiration is just as important. As you look at kitchens you love, make notes about what specifically attracts you. Which of these are the most important to you? It can really help to identify a theme or a trend. Modern looks that include dark wood and stainless steel provide a new classic, while an old world or European style offers warmth and sophistication. And last but not least, don’t forget how functionality should affect your design. While these are all important components to think about, your kitchen professional will ultimately assist you in bringing your vision to life. At 24 Design Construction, your needs is always the primary focus and their team will work with you from planning to completion. The 24 Design Construction brand is a one-stop-shop that provides all services under one umbrella. For more information, you can call them at 866-344-4252 or visit www.24designconstruction.com.
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gogreen
Solar — Good for
the Environment And Your
Pocketbook
oing solar means largely reducing or completely eliminating your power expense, all while personally contributing to making your home, your community and the nation itself more green, sustainable, and self-sufficient. Imagine opening that familiar utility bill next month and seeing it nearly zeroed out. But not only for your next month; for your next year, for your next decade, and for the next 25 years—the amount of time modern solar panels are guaranteed and warrantied to capture clean energy from the sun to light up your home and provide you and your family
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with all the electricity you need. Solar has come a long way over the last few decades. Today, the United States is committed to catching up to and surpassing the other countries of the world that have already enthusiastically and successfully established solar power as the most viable, green and reliable source of energy available and making solar installations more affordable than ever before. Thanks to a generous 30% tax credit and as much as a 35% cash rebate from your local utility company, the net cost of the system is often only a fraction of the overall cost. Most systems will pay for themselves in
two-to-four years worth of utility bill savings, and from there it is simply 20-plus years of money you no longer have to spend each month. For most, that is between $100,000–300,000 in your bank instead of a utility company's coffers. Moore Solar & Green Construction is committed to helping you actualize this opportunity with confidence and competence. In an industry where online quickie quotes, cookie-cutter systems and impersonal service abound, they specialize in one-on-one consultations, free on-site inspections and designing a system tailored very specifically to your home. With decades of hands-on experience and time-tested know-how, they will make it easy, affordable and enjoyable for you to go green and start saving money right now. For more information, you can visit them online at www.mooresolar.com or call 323-221-1260 to schedule a free site inspection!
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The Continental Patio Awning Deployed
Take Back Your Backyard With Motorized Exterior Awnings
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hen you invest in a home, you are buying more than just an interior. Think about it—if you didn’t like spending time outside enjoying the view and your beautiful surroundings, then you could have just bought a condominium. There’s a reason why you bought your beautiful home. The real question is: are you using it to its full potential? One of the main issues that might be keeping you and your family from completely utilizing your backyard is the weather. While basking in the sun for a few minutes can be nice, there quickly comes a point when it simply becomes overwhelming. What if you had the luxury to spend time outside whenever you want, whether it’s day or night, and always feel comfortable? Retractable shading systems allow you to finally take control of your backyard. Enhance your outdoor living experience by creating the functional space you have always wanted. One of the best features of innovative motorized awnings is that they don’t change the look of your home. Instead, they can enhance your backyard by adding color, more versatility and creating a new usable space. When an awning is retractable, you can have shade when you need it and sun when you want it. Therefore, depending on the weather and your needs, the control is totally in your hands!
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The Continental Patio Awning Retracted
An awning can be either deployed or retracted. While deployed, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your outdoor surroundings in comfort while being protected from the sun and other natural elements based on the system you choose. Watch the kids play in the pool and enjoy your backyard in the shade without worrying about getting too much sun. Relax by your outdoor fire pit at night and soak in the ambiance of your stunning landscape in the moonlight. When an awning is retracted, it disappears from sight and doesn’t change the look of your exterior décor. Essentially, a retractable shade system helps protect both you and your home at all times. When retracted, you can help protect your investment. Invest in your outdoor living spaces, reclaim your space and start appreciating every aspect that your backyard has to offer. For more information about high-quality awnings and other systems, you can contact Alpha Productions, Inc. at 800-223-0883 or visit them at www.alphaproductions.com. Alpha Productions has been manufacturing their Suntamer® products in the U.S.A. since 1978. They design, manufacture and install all of their own systems. With the majority of their business coming from client referrals, Alpha Productions always strives to provide the best possible customer service experience.
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automotive
Wash and Wax to Go: Mobile Detailing is the Answer
m
obile auto detailing companies will service your car at your home and of course, bring every piece of equipment they need along with them. Talk about convenient. Detailing a car is more than simply washing it. The best detailers begin by washing the car by hand. After the car has been professionally detailed and protective coatings applied, soapless washes are then preferred to preserve the car’s finish. Waxing to remove minor scratches, oxidation, and embedded dirt followed by an application of a teflon-type coating is the important next step. Since this special Teflon coating fills in minor ridges, when polished the finish looks like glass with a definite high gloss and added color depth. Applied twice a year, this Teflon coating helps the glossy shine stay year round, serves to protect the car and makes overall maintenance a snap. To apply wax and Teflon coating more effectively, professional detailers change buffing pads several times while working on the car. By doing this, rocks and grit are not allowed to gather in the pads only to be ground back onto the finish.
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As a result of their smaller, more personalized service, quality mobile care detailing companies can offer Teflon car coating at tremendous savings when compared to car dealers’ costs. Rubber dressing of all rubber seals and tires happens next. Make sure the detailer you hire uses a non-silicone based rubber dressing, as dressings with silicone tend to cause the rubber to crack and wear out. A complete car detailing appointment can include as little or as much as your car needs. Exterior detailing includes washing, waxing, application of a teflon-type protective coating, and an application of a rubber dressing to the exterior rubber items only. Interior and exterior car detailing includes all the exterior detailing items plus shampooing the interior carpets, dressing all interior rubber parts and door jams, and cleaning or conditioning every part of the interior. We also do mobile oil changes. A quality mobile car detailing service in your area is Wally’s Mobile Auto Detailing. You can call at 714-478-0615 or toll free at 1-888527-3430 or email them at WallysAuto@aol.com
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healthbeautyfitness
Reshape Your Body in 20 Minutes! By John Colman
When Diane Rand reached age 50, she got concerned that her weight was slowly creeping higher and her clothes were feeling too tight. As a practicing physician in San Diego, she knew the diagnosis. “Your muscles atrophy as you age, and this slows down the metabolism,” says Rand. “I knew it would keep getting worse if I didn’t correct it.” The antidote? Effective weight training. But, she’d never lifted weights before. Plus, her full-time job as a physician as well as her family life left little time in her schedule for exercise. Fortunately, Diane read an article about “slow-motion” strength training, a revolutionary new exercise method promising a firmer, stronger, more shapely body from just two 20-minute training sessions per week. Even though the time efficiency and results sounded almost too good to be true, she decided to enroll with a personal trainer at The Perfect Workout, a local company with 14 private fitness studios in Southern California specializing in this unique approach. Right away she noticed immediate increases in her muscle tone and energy. After several months she’d also dropped one to two clothing sizes and was fitting into clothes that used to be too small. “My trainer pushes me in a safe way, and I walk away feeling great after each session,” says Diane. “This is the wave of the future.”
Lean Muscles—The Key to Reshaping Your Body The Perfect Workout’s trainers encourage clients to build lean muscle tissue which increases the body’s metabolism, burning extra calories even while you’re sleeping. Many people—especially
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Physician Diane Rand firms her body during a 20-minute training session at The Perfect Workout.
women—have a fear of “bulking up” like a bodybuilder if they were to start strength training. In reality, if you’re older than 25, it’s much more likely that too little muscle is the problem rather than too much muscle. In their book Biomarkers: The 10 Keys to Prolonging Vitality, William Evans, Ph.D., and Irwin Rosenberg, M.D., show the research demonstrating that adults who don’t strength train lose an average of a half pound of lean muscle tissue each year starting at age 25. As an example, a typical 55-year-old woman will have 15 pounds less lean muscle (and significantly more fat) than what she had at age 25. Muscle takes up less
space than fat, so this typical 55-year-old woman has arms and thighs that are softer and less firm, wears a larger clothing size, and has a slower metabolism that burns fewer calories each day. Effective strength training changes all of this. It increases your body’s metabolism, causing you to burn more fat and calories all day long. Strength training reshapes and tones your legs and arms. And since muscle takes up 20% less space than fat, adding muscle and losing fat will make your body firmer, smaller, and more shapely. A fit 140-pound person can wear clothes several sizes smaller than an out of shape 140-pound person. ONLINE AT LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
healthbeautyfitness How Can Slow-Motion Strength Training Work So Quickly? Slow-motion strength training involves brief and demanding workouts to get great results. The basic concept? Lift relatively heavy weights excruciatingly slowly (10 seconds to lift, another 10 seconds to lower) for as many repetitions as you can until you’re unable to move the weights anymore. And when you learn to challenge your muscles as deeply as a skilled trainer can teach, it’s impossible to workout much longer than 20 minutes, even if you try. Dr. Philip Alexander, physician and faculty member at Texas A&M University’s College of Medicine, explains that it’s the intensity of exercise that stimulates greatest changes. “A slower repetition loads the muscles more effectively and efficiently. It’s harder!” exclaims Alexander. “That’s why it stimulates such a great total response from the body.” Dr. Alexander has tracked hundreds of subjects using slow-motion strength training, noting significant improvements in muscular strength, HDL cholesterol profiles, bone density, and glucose tolerance. Other research adds more supporting data. Two separate studies by Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., and one study by Ellington Darden, Ph.D., demonstrate that slow-motion strength training produces 50% to 59% faster improvements than regular weight training. And because the repetitions are harder, each training session must be limited to 20 minutes—making this exercise method quite time efficient.
Arlene Esgate tones her arms as part of her 20-minute training session in San Diego.
Joyce Reclaims Her Youthful Figure 54-year-old Joyce Magnuson had always been slim and slender when she was younger. But in her mid 40s, life’s stresses caught up with her and she began gaining weight. “During the next few years, I kept getting heavier, until I was thoroughly broken and disgusted with myself,” says Joyce. Fortunately, she happened to read an article about slow-motion strength training and how it would reshape her body with just two 20-minute training sessions per week. The effectiveness of ONLINE AT LOSANGELESLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
the method made sense to Joyce, and she decided to enroll with a personal trainer at The Perfect Workout. After five months of combining an effective nutrition plan with two 20 minute training sessions each week, not only had she gotten stronger, she’d lost 43 pounds and dropped from a size 16 to a size 10. She was also able to get completely off the blood pressure medications that she’d previously needed to take. She adds, “The perk is
looking good in the current styles. Even Macy’s keeps me motivated to stay fit!” The Perfect Workout has 20 private studios throughout California that specialize in one-on-one personal training with the slow-motion strength training method, including these Los Angeles area locations: Redondo Beach (310) 697-1238, West LA (310) 500-2005, and Thousand Oaks (805) 413-4880. www.ThePerfectWorkout.com MARCH/APRIL 2014 • LOS ANGELES LIVING
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