Chances are you’ve spent some time on a wobbly ladder or roof, braving the elements in an attempt to impress people you don’t really know (or like) with a dazzling display of illuminated creativity.  Holiday lighting is a tradition for most families and as a result of our unending need to outdo ourselves (and others) each year, the task becomes more costly…and dangerous.

There is another option.

Alanna Gentry and Ben Parson’s started Brite Ideas of Idaho after seeing the need to offer services to Idahoans that would effectively reduce the hassles of holiday lighting while enhancing the result.

Brite Ideas Decorating of Idaho offers a software program that enables them to take a digital photo of the house, design it, drop in the products from a catalog, and show the customer what their house will look like before they decorate it. No more wondering what you’re purchasing or what it will look like. For each item that you place on the digital photo, the program will calculate how long it will take; it plugs in your install time and take-down time plus labor. It also includes storage costs and gives you a quote right there. Hassle-free estimating and bidding.

Not only do they offer the traditional holiday Christmas lighting, they also offer a wide range  of “Linkable”  lights, which will give your home a crisp upscale appearance, “Starburst”, and greenery lighting .

This year they have included a “budget friendly” package where the do-it-yourselfers can call Brite Ideas and give the measurements of their house and they custom cut their lights, so that customers can install the lights themselves. The package includes the light string, bulbs and clips.

Brite Ideas Decorating
of Idaho Offers:

Design consultation

Their professional design consultants will meet with you to determine your lighting needs, whether it be holiday, event, home, or business. They can assist in designing a display, discuss and expand on your ideas, and offer advice as to the best type of lighting for what you want to accomplish.

Custom built displays

Do you have a custom lighted display idea? Or a special event, trade show, grand opening or party? Their experienced lighting technicians can build displays based on your design ideas.

Installation

If you’ve ever decorated, especially outdoors, you know that it can be time consuming and, even using Brite Ideas Linkables system, you still need to consider ladders, weather conditions, and the like. Wouldn’t it be nice to have it all installed for you?

Service and maintenance

How many times have you unpacked last years lights only to find bulbs broken, missing, or unlit? In the case of more complex displays, special wiring may be required. The lighting technicians at Brite Idease of Idaho are trained to offer you the highest quality service and maintenance on your lighted decorations. They will replace bulbs, repair damage, and do any necessary wiring to insure a safe and lasting display.

Take down and packaging

As easy as their products are to install and take down, wouldn’t it be nice to have it done for you? All wrapped and safely packaged for storage? They can even contact you at a pre-determined time to arrange scheduling for upcoming holidays, one less thing you need remember.

The Women at BridgeWalk Village

With a quaint Sun Valley charm and carefree souls, BridgeWalk is unique.

By Elaine Ambrose

 So you need a sassy new shirt and the perfect accessory for your home, and then you want to order some gourmet food for a gift basket before meeting friends for a fabulous lunch.  And, of course, you would prefer to do all this while surrounded by exquisite landscaping in a quaint village setting that offers popular community events.  

To find such a treasured place, you could spend days and a small fortune traveling to the boutique shops in Sun Valley.  Or it would take at least a day to search all over Boise.  But for a unique experience with fun-loving people, just mosey on down to The Bridgewalk on Aikens Road and discover a destination in the heart of Eagle that promises to become your favorite place to be.  
The four shops include the Blue Moose Café, Villa Décor and Design, Beside the Moose, and CLUB, a woman’s apparel store.  The owners bring together a powerful combination of experience and have invested their abundant talents and precious resources to turn this quiet corner of Eagle into a thriving attraction for hundreds of local residents who love what’s happening there.  Just follow the lighted bridge to find a charming collection of shops and to meet the friendly women who own them.  

 

Blue Moose Café

Marcy Anderson’s ancestors were true Idaho pioneers, and she loves to tell stories of her family who homesteaded in Valley County.  Her great-great-grandfather built a pool hall and general store in New Meadows, and loggers and ranchers came from miles around for supplies, haircuts, and to play some pool before going back to work.  Marcy learned to cook on the homestead with her grandmother, and she has fond memories of their home as a gathering place for neighbors and friends.
“I want to duplicate that community feeling at the Blue Moose Café,” says Anderson.  “We offer good food, regular community events, and an attractive place for people to relax and share good times.”
Anderson was raised in California where she became a successful PGA golf professional.  About ten years ago, she moved back to Idaho to find her roots – and cook up some good food.  She drove by a 90-year-old house on Aikens Road in Eagle and knew she’d found her home away from home.
“We remodeled the building, installed a commercial kitchen, added landscaping, and opened the Blue Moose,” she said.  “We could only seat 24 customers and the space was too small so we added a log cabin sun room that can seat 40.  We can serve up to 100 on the patio.  Future plans call for building an upper deck balcony surrounded with hanging baskets of flowers.”
Loyal patrons are fond of the specialty sandwiches, wraps and salads.  The Blue Moose Sandwich features toasted sourdough stacked high with turkey, ham, bacon and smoked gouda and assorted condiments.  Lighter fare includes the Maytag Salad – a splendid concoction of romaine lettuce, craisens, diced apples and chunks of blue cheese.  A typical lunch is ten dollars.  The restaurant opens at 11:00 a.m. and closes after the last person leaves in the afternoon.

The Blue Moose is famous for its special events.  The annual Doggie Palooza features live entertainment on the roof while people and their pets parade in costumes.  Anderson is planning regular activities throughout the year, including Halloween parties and elaborate holidays parties.   She also manages a successful catering business and can organize a gourmet meal for any size of private or business group.  For more information, visit her web site at www. Bluemoosecafe.net.

CLUB

CLUB is a women’s apparel boutique shop that offers one-of-a-kind pieces for the young and young at heart.  You’ll find colorful gauze tops, designer jeans, “bling-bling” belts, unique handbags, and seasonal dresses.  The store’s entryway entices visitors with a wooden cart full of festive flowers in vintage buckets and a creative collection of shimmering chimes tinkling in the breeze.

Owner Laurie Warner was a designer in Los Angeles who wanted to bring some city sophistication to match the emerging energy of Eagle.  She first opened her shop west of Eagle Road, but the location wasn’t good for walk-in traffic.

“I moved to The Bridgewalk three years ago” says Warner.  “This location is smaller but better.  We have a loyal clientele, and we enjoy our relationship with the other shop owners.”

 

Villa Décor and Design

To Beth Bindner and Sandie Gibson, every day is a holiday.  They own Villa Décor and Design and agree that they have the best possible jobs in the world.  And their world includes lots of charming ambiance with creative attention to personal style.  Their goal is to turn each client’s house into a home.  

“We are promoting a beautiful lifestyle, and we want people to feel good about themselves and their surroundings,” says Gibson.   “We exceed our client’s expectations in every part of the process.” Bindner and Gibson met a few years ago through their children’s activities.  Gibson is a designer and Bindner has business expertise, so they combined their skills and resources to open a shop in their homes as a hobby.  Soon they had clients come from Sun Valley and McCall as well as from throughout the Treasure Valley.  They opened a store on State Street and then moved the business to Eagle last year.

“We love to decorate homes for the holidays,” says Bindner.  “Some of our clients fly here and find their home completely decorated.  They trust us to do it right.  One of our holiday parties featured lit globes floating in a pool.  Other decorations include a mixture of silk and real flowers.”
For new clients, Gibson and Bindner will take photographs of a client’s home, download the photos onto their computer, and then add suggested décor so the client can visualize the design before deciding to purchase.  

“We love being at The BridgeWalk,” says Gibson.  “There is a creative, energetic feeling here, and the other shop owners are our friends and helpers.  We’re looking forward to a wonderful, happy holiday season.   The contagious atmosphere of this area and all the planned activities will encourage people to come, shop, and enjoy our special village on Aikens Road.”

Finding a stylist to make you fall in love with your hair just got easier with this basic guide to some of Eagle’s most notable salons.

Oh the endless fun of being a girl! As children we revel in the joys of dress up and tea parties only to grow up and realize that the shoes may have gotten bigger and the cosmetics more expensive. Time passes and circumstances change, but at heart we are still little girls longing to play dress up—and there is no better place to indulge these girlish whims than your local beauty shop. Eagle is fortunate to be home to many world class salons offering services ranging from basic cut and color to intricate hair extensions. So go on, indulge yourself. At least this indulgence is fat free.

DeeAnne’s Hair Design

1336 E. State St.
208.939.2349
   
Concept: Family salon
Product Line: Nexxus, Paul Mitchell, Joico
Services: Hair and nails
Open Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm and Sat 9 am-2 pm.
Walk-ins welcome, appointments encouraged
The Gossip: DeeAnne’s Hair Design is one of the oldest salons in Eagle.

Loose Ends Hair Design

148 N. 2nd St.
208.938.0357

Concept: Family salon.
Product Line: Pureology, Redken
Services: Just Hair—cut, color, style
Hours: Vary by stylist. Walk-ins welcome, appointments recommended.
The Gossip: This family-friendly salon opened by Christina Rosse in late April of 2009 is Eagle’s newest independent salon. They boast a comfortable environment where children and men are welcome.
Specials: Ask about the new client discounts.

Montage Studio Salon

1193 W. Winding Creek Dr.
208.378.9757

Concept: Montage is a Schwarzkopf Professional Salon specializing in color correction, highlights, structural cutting, hair extensions, eyelash extensions, pedicures, manicures, facial waxing, facials, microdermabrasion, make-up and massage.
Product/Color Line: Kerastase, Schwarzkopf (color line)
Services: Hair, nails, beauty, and relaxation
Hours: Tues- Sat 10 am -6 pm Walk-ins welcome, appointments recommended
The Gossip: Treasure Valley’s only Kerastase salon. Kerastase has won acclaim from numerous celebrities and celebrity stylists and was recently selected as one of In Style Magazine’s Best Beauty Buys of 2008.
Specials: Bring in any empty hair product purchased from Montage and receive 10% off your next retail product purchase or receive a complimentary in-salon treatment.
Purchase two or more Schwarzkopf products and receive a third of equal or lesser value free!

Salon Couture

868 E. Riverside Dr., Ste 220
208.938.9894

Concept: Boutique full service salon
Product lines: Redken, Pureology, Moroccan Oil
Services: Hair and hair extensions, nails, massage, waxing, aesthetics (coming soon)
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am -8 pm and Sat 9 am -5 pm. Walk-ins welcome, but usually work by appointment. 24 cancellation policy if you request more than one service.
The Gossip: Many of the stylists here are New York trained. The salon offers a full nail area, nail technicians who specialize in gel, acrylic, and natural nails.
Go for that spa feeling—Peau de soie silk table covers from local Satin Serenity enhance the stylish atmosphere. “We wanted to create a fun place where our clients could come with their girlfriends and spend the day. It’s an eclectic, fun salon,” says Nicole Stopelo, head stylist.

Stylin’

1121 E. State St.
208.938.5336

Concept: Full service salon for men and women
Product/Color Line: Redken, Schwarzkopf
Services: Hair, nails, and waxing
Hours: By appointment only
The Gossip: Stylin’ has a laid back environment with excellent service.
Specials: $10 off any nail service for new clients and $5 off any hair service for new clients when you mention this article.

Todd Stewart Salon

180 W. State St.
208.939.9867

Concept: Full service salon for men and women
Product Line: Todd Stewart Signature Collection, Schwarzkopf (main color line)
Services: Hair, nails, facial waxing, make-up
Hours: By appointment only Tues- Fri 10 am-6 pm and Sat 10 am -3 pm. Evening by appointment.
The Gossip: Listed in Elle Magazines “Best Hair of 2008” issue.
Wear color and design for a full 14 days and if you are still unhappy for any reason they will immediately schedule an appointment to adjust the color to your satisfaction. Todd Stewart offers a similar guarantee on their signature product line. Stylists will assist you in selecting the products right for your hair. If after purchase you are unhappy with your products the salon will exchange the products or offer you a full refund.
Specials: Todd Stewart offers new clients a $10 gift certificate towards a hair cut or pedicure service.

Two Rivers Salon and Spa

661 S. Riverside Ln., Ste. 100
208.938.9060

Concept: Full service salon and spa
Product Line: Bumble and bumble
Services: Hair, nails, waxing, massage, make-up, facials, body wraps
Hours: m-f 9-8 st 9-6, walk-ins welcome
The Gossip: Two Rivers is known for the relaxing environment. Enjoy a pedicure with your friends as you look out over the Boise River.
Specials: call for details about Mother’s Day and Father’s Day specials


Other salons in Eagle
Bella Beauty Supply and Salon  - 208.938.5632
Curl Up & Dye Family Salon  - 208.939.2312
Eagle Hair Fitness Salon  - 208.938.0330
Rocky Mountain Salon and Spa  - 208.938.8311
Sparrows Retreat  - 208.939.0732
Studio 233 Salon and Spa  - 208.938.2335
Sugar House Salon  - 208.939.0877