Looking Good

Jan. 26, 2005

Lauren Caluory

Bride-to-be Lauren Caluory was checking out a recent Bridal Show in Traverse City when the Looking Good camera team met her. Lauren is a student at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, a position that gives her an eye for good deals on clothing. Here’s what Lauren was wearing that day, along with proof that you can dress quite inexpensively with a little imagination:

• Hair (self).................................$0
• Jewelry (fiance & Florida flea
market)....................................$?
• Sweater: (DZ group, Holland).....$1
• Jeans: (Old Navy).....................$16
• Purse (Valerie’s Vintage
Gallery).......................................$2
• Shoes (Dansko).........................$120

Total....................................$139


HeadBlade Classic................$15

Did you know there is now an entire industry based around shaving your head? True, specialty razors such as the HeadBlade are designed for shaving your dome without getting that nicked-up “scalped” look. With a non-stick rubber grip, you just lather up your pate (with specially-formulated head-shaving gel or foam, of course) and give it a scrape with the HeadBlade. And rest assured, you’ll be joining a long list of celebrity chrome-domes in the HeadBladers community. This one is sold via www.headblade.com, based in California, with the blades available locally at Rite Aide and Walgreen’s. Check out Google for other shavers, creams, foams, gels and blades designed to get your head as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

BELL’S WINTER WHITE ALE
Kalamazoo’s Larry Bell is the godfather of Michigan’s craft-brew scene. He started the revolution in 1985 with a 15-gallon soup kettle at his home brew store. Now 20 years later the State boasts over 50 craft breweries and at the Michigan Brewers Guild annual convention a couple of weeks ago at the Park Place, all draft handles point to this industry continuing to grow. Despite all the new breweries, Bell’s continues to be the benchmark and Larry shows no let up for his passion to make quality craft brews and his desire to differentiate himself from all others. A great example is his Bell’s Winter White Ale. Most “winter brews” are dark and hearty while Bell’s is a Wheat Ale, which is hazy-yellow (unfiltered brews are a Bell’s trademark) with golden highlights and a cloud-white head giving the sensation of the sun shining while it’s snowing. “It is gloomy enough in the winter so we wanted a beer that brightens things up,” laughed Bell, who was all smiles at the conference. A quick nose of this brew and one will sense hints of orange, coriander and cloves–all trademarks of a winter seasonal. Bell’s Winter White is smooth in taste with peppery banana bread flavors in the finish. Hurry, this brew will disappear at winter’s end and winter is almost over, isn’t it? Ask for it on tap at your favorite pub or find a six pack at your local retailer of fine beers.--- Rick Coates