Feature: The Get It Done Guide’s Car Services
Check out our customized and at home automotive services
By Seattle Mag December 31, 1969
Category: Shopping + Fashion Articles
Let’s face it: Life can be overwhelming. Who has the time to get the car fixed, spring clean like your grandmother, figure out how to properly install a car seat, plant a vegetable garden? Well, you can relax. All over town, pros are poised to help. We dug deep to find some of the best and most innovative personal services available. Set them to work, and all you’ll have to do is cross things off that to-do list.
MOBILE MECHANIC
Darwin Richard, who has specialized in on-site automotive services since 1992, takes great pride in bringing his expertise to your door (at home or the office). The Renton-based owner of Mr. Mobile Automotive Services can handle the full range of service and repairs—from lube and oil change to brake pad replacement, transmission services, drivetrain problems and more. Just think, no more need to arrange for rides or plan how to while away the hours in a waiting room. And next time your car breaks down on the roadway, would you rather call a stranger at AAA, or your own personal mobile mechanic? Richard handles roadside repairs, too. “We’ve traveled to Olympia, Everett and even Snoqualmie Pass for our customers,” he says.
Mr. Mobile Automotive Services 206.930.7788; mrmobileauto.com Repairs, $80/hour; service calls begin at $20
PERSONALIZED VAN TOUR SERVICE
Your house is brimming with visiting relatives, and you want to treat them to a special outing, like a wine-tasting tour. Do it in style by using Butler Transportation and its fleet of biofuel-powered Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans. Brothers Jeremy and Stuart Butler offer customized tours of Woodinville Wine Country complete with private tastings, barrel sampling, gourmet food (picnic style or restaurant) and, if you like, a personal sommelier. And when your out-of-town guests buy a bottle or two of Washington’s best, Butler Transportation will arrange to ship it back home, making airport security a breeze. Not a wine aficionado? They’ll work with you to develop a customized tour. Butler Transportation 425.883.0850 butlerseattle.com From $350/first three hours; $75/each additional hour
CAR SALES BROKER
You can spend hours visiting car dealerships and haggling with salespeople about price or you can buy a new car the easy way. We vote for easy. Buyer’s agent Heidi Hough, aka The Amazing Autowoman, has worked with Microsoft executives, auctioneer John Curley and others to deliver the perfect car at a price that’s usually at least $1,000 less than you could get it for on your own. Her fee includes delivering your dream car without the usual hassle. Amazing autowoman 206.909.2476 amazingautowoman.com Fee: $325–$375
AT-HOME CAR DETAILING
There’s no need to head to the car wash or detailer when your vehicle needs some spit and polish. Make an appointment with White’s Mobile Detail, Inc. (with offices in Seattle, Bellevue and Mill Creek), and a uniformed crew will come to you (be it at home or the office) and make your car look like new—both inside and out, thanks to their fully-contained mobile unit. White’s uses only water-based, biodegradable products, making them both convenient and earth-friendly.
White’s Mobile Detail, Inc. 206.423.7333 whitesmobiledetail.com $120–$295, depending upon car size and service
Originally published in March 2010
http://\/\/seattlemag.com/files/image/main/large/fixit_mrauto.jpg Shopping + Fashion Articles
1977 March 2010 2010-02-17 14:38:00.000 Feature: The Get It Done Guide’s Home Deliveries With these services, all you have to do is answer the door Category: Shopping + Fashion Articles
You know how much time it takes to run errands. Even worse, traffic is horrible, you spend more time parking than completing tasks and about the third time you throw (not literally, of course) the kids back into their car seats, you’re ready to scream. Instead of losing it, consider this option: Run errands by phone or email, instead of driving around town. In the greater Seattle area, a wide range of services will come right to your front door.
PICK-UP AND DELIVERY DRY CLEANERS
When your suit needs cleaning or you’ve got dress shirts to launder, call Bakker’s Fine Drycleaning (425.820.4103; bakkersfinedrycleaning.com), which picks up and delivers right to your home or office at no additional cost (assuming you are in one of their delivery areas).
MILK DELIVERY SERVICE
Smith Brothers Farms (206.682.7633; smithbrothersfarms.com) has been delivering hormone-free milk and other dairy products (from butter to cheese and whipped cream) to homes in the Seattle area since 1920. You’ll love the convenience, and your kids will love the udderly wonderful delivery trucks painted to look like black-and-white cows.
ONLINE GROCERY DELIVERY
If you like ordering books from Amazon.com—
and you’re in the right neighborhood—you can now get turnips along with your Twilight via AmazonFresh (888.533.5659; fresh.amazon.com), which even provides daily quality ratings on fresh fruits and vegetables. But Amazon has competition in the fresh foods category from New Roots Organics (206.261.2500; newrootsorganics.com). Proprietor and Phinney Ridge resident Carolyn Boyle personally selects the fresh fruits and vegetables for seasonal bins delivered each week. One recent selection included Mishirashu pears, Pink Lady apples, and Yukon Gold potatoes—all grown in the Northwest. Also in the running is Georgetown-based Spud! (206.621.7783; spud.com), which emphasizes locally grown foods and publishes the distance from its Georgetown-based warehouse to the producer so that you can gauge the freshness of its products.
SEAFOOD DELIVERY
Serving fish at your next dinner party? Surfin’ Seafood (425.821.1303; surfinseafood.com) delivers the latest catch, from king salmon caught in southeast Alaska to white prawns from the Gulf of Mexico—depending on the season—to your door in special coolers.
PET SUPPLY DELIVERY
Delivering your dog’s favorite foods and toys is the goal of Smiley Dog Pet Products (206.903.9631; smileydog.com). They also have a Treat of the Month Club for pampered pooches. And if you’re a cat person, they deliver food, toys and goodies for the feline in your family, too.
Originally published in March 2010
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1976 March 2010 2010-02-17 13:59:00.000 Feature: The Get It Done Guide’s Inside The Home Check out our guide to spruce up your space Category: Shopping + Fashion Articles
Let’s face it: Life can be overwhelming. Who has the time to get the car fixed, spring clean like your grandmother, figure out how to properly install a car seat, plant a vegetable garden? Well, you can relax. All over town, pros are poised to help. We dug deep to find some of the best and most innovative personal services available. Set them to work, and all you’ll have to do is cross things off that to-do list.
PERSONAL ART CURATOR
Aspiring art collectors can find out what type of art looks best in their home by renting a favorite work of art from Seattle Art Museum’s SAM Gallery, which has a large collection of works by Northwest artists available for rent or sale. Should you decide to purchase, at least half of your rental fee will be applied to the sale. Anyone can purchase from SAM Gallery, but only Seattle Art Museum members may rent art; memberships start at $30. In-home consultations are also available at no cost to help you assess your needs.
SAM Gallery Downtown, 1300 First Ave. 206.343.1101; seattleartmuseum.org $150 (on average) for three-month rental period
CONQUER YOUR CLUTTER
The professional clutter conquerors at Mount Baker’s Empty Your Nest Professional Organizing are dedicated to clearing out the past and making room for the future. Owner Amy Gray is a professional organizer, a certified health education specialist and a feng shui expert, and she and her team help clients with ADD/ADHD, hoarding, and chronic disorganization challenges. But never fear, those of us with
only mild organizational issues can still get help with our overflowing offices and inefficient kitchens. Gray and her associates will even address the energy and flow of your space with feng shui for a Zen home.
Empty Your Nest Professional Organizing 206.719.7525 emptyyournest.com $80–$90/hour
FENG SHUI HOME HEALER
Elizabeth Schermer, founder of Fundamental Feng Shui, uses phrases like “healing your environment” in her holistic approach to arranging interior spaces. The Greenwood-based practitioner combines the principles of feng shui with a variety of healing traditions, such as Reiki and space clearing, to create positive harmony in your home. Schermer will help you rearrange your possessions (a desk facing the door creates positive energy), recommend color changes (a soft green wall to induce serenity) and clear clutter to improve your home’s energy flow as well as the functionality of each room.
Fundamental Feng Shui Greenwood, 8406 Sixth Ave. NW 206.605.2506 fundamentalfengshui.com 20-minute phone consultation, free; One-hour in-home diagnostic consultation, $175
HOME ENERGY AUDITOR
Green up your home with a little help from Charlie Rogers, the Seattle-based Habitat Home Energy Specialist. A building analyst professionally certified by the Building Performance Institute, a national training and certification organization, Rogers will inspect your home for missing insulation, identify air leaks and heat loss, and prepare a report of recommendations for improvements (such as sealing windows, changing light bulbs and minimizing appliance usage), including an explanation of government tax credit incentives and utility rebate programs ($285 and up). In this business, Rogers says, small changes can mean huge benefits for a homeowner.
Habitat Home Energy Specialist Capitol Hill, 1631 Belmont Ave., Apt. 205
206.390.3348; habitataudits.com; $285-$565 for home http://\/\/seattlemag.com/files/image/main/large/fixit_curator.jpg Shopping + Fashion Articles
1975 March 2010 2010-02-17 13:32:00.000 Feature: The Get It Done Guide’s Personal Services Get the services you need conveniently in your own home Category: Shopping + Fashion Articles
Let’s face it: Life can be overwhelming. Who has the time to get the car fixed, spring clean like your grandmother, figure out how to properly install a car seat, plant a vegetable garden? Well, you can relax. All over town, pros are poised to help. We dug deep to find some of the best and most innovative personal services available. Set them to work, and all you’ll have to do is cross things off that to-do list.
WARDROBE ORGANIZER
Your favorite standby sweater is beginning to unravel, and your little black dress is two sizes too small. You need Susie Prets, a professional wardrobe organizer who has a degree in fashion merchandising and 18 years of retail experience at Nordstrom. West Seattle–based Prets will whip your wardrobe into shape (do you really need that blouse from 1995?), put together outfits for you from your remaining clothes and accessories, then shop for you and instruct you on fit and what works best for your body type. Suddenly, missing What Not to Wear doesn’t seem like a tragedy. Susie Prets $125/hour 206.228.1812 sprets.com
IN-HOME HAIR AND MAKEUP STYLIST
On your big day (or that of your daughter or best-friend), lower the stress level a little by having a Salon Maison consultant (we recommend Heidi) come to you. Voted “Best Wedding Hair and Makeup” service by Seattle Bride in 2008 and 2009, Bellevue-based Salon Maison will execute your previously created beauty plan at your home, hotel suite or venue so you don’t spend your wedding day frantically running between appointments. Once your hair and makeup are gorgeous and your bridal party is taken care of, the only thing left to worry about will be those pesky “I do’s.” Salon Maison 425.223.3278 salonmaison.net $325 covers trial run and wedding day
IN-HOME SPRAY TANNER
Avoid the embarrassing reveal of pasty winter skin this spring (and the risk of skin cancer) by having Green Lake–based Divine Sunless Tanning come to your home and spray your cold winter hue into a warm bronze glow. Owner Wendy Smith has eight years of experience creating colors tailored personally to each individual, and for groups of two or more, she will pop up a spray-safe tent in your living room for tanning parties. Before your spray, Smith can also treat you to a mani-pedi, makeup application or sugaring session to complete your mobile makeover. Divine Sunless Tanning 206.240.7883 divinetan.com $48/full body tanning session
IN-HOME PERSONAL TRAINER
It’s never too late to become physically fit, says certified instructor and local fitness guru Victoria Scott of the Maple Leaf–based Body Electric Fitness Company. She knows of what she speaks. Scott made the transition from an overweight, unfit smoker to one of the oldest women to make the U.S. rowing team for the 1991 Pan American Games. She’s also a USA Triathlon coach. Even if you have no interest in an Ironman, Scott will come to your home or office and create a custom fitness program to help you shed a few pounds and firm up—and then guide you through the workout. Body Electric Fitness Company 206.235.1948 bodyelectricfitness.com $75/hour
PERSONAL ERRAND RUNNER
West Seattle–based Nicole Rummer’s personal concierge service, GoFetch4U, specializes in freeing up time. One call to her and the dog will be walked, the groceries bought, the duplicate gifts returned and the thank-you notes mailed. Especially att http://\/\/seattlemag.com/files/image/main/large/fixit_closet.jpg Shopping + Fashion Articles
1974 March 2010 2010-02-17 13:04:00.000 Hot Button: Just a Juggalo A group of local music lovers is united by its loyalty to Detroit rap duo, Insane Clown Posse
