You could never accuse Dr. Catherine Joy Sparks of being spineless, considering her entrepreneurial spirit in the wake of our challenging economy. The West Seattle resident and professional chiropractor has practiced here for 20 years, and just expanded into a new business in a new building next door. When? About a week back.

Her chiropractic business occupied the 1917 cottage house at 4204 Southwest Oregon, at 42nd Avenue, for about two years. That has moved to the remodeled building at 4208 Southwest Oregon, one door west, next to Shadowland and across the street from the Senior Center. She has located her new business, Bella Nouveau European Day Spa into the cottage, her former chiropractic office.

Her chiropractic office offers acupuncture, massage therapy and rehabilitation. Her day spa includes anti-aging facials, acne and rosacea therapies, full-body waxing and more. Her medi-spa offers botox, radiesse, Dysport and other therapies. She remarked that more patients come in these days with shoulder and back pain due to carrying heavy backpacks around.

Sparks sees an overlap between those services offered in her two buildings.

"Health and beauty are intertwined," said Sparks, a long-time member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine who is committed to naturopathic healing methods. "We encourage people to both be healthy inside and enjoy beauty outside, and real beauty is supported by good health."

Sparks developed Novelle Health and Beauty Products which she plans to wholesale while also using the line in her facility. These include Ultimate-C Skin Repair Serum with two types of vitamin C, Restore Antioxidant Eye Cream with vitamin C and white tea extracts, and Reveal Daily Exfoliating Lotion with vitamin E, and red wine and caffeine extracts.

Novelle won "best of show" at the March 5-7 Northwest Women's Show in Seattle.

Sparks, an accomplished equestrian, is also a former champion ballroom dancer. She recalled, "I danced with Rick Pride and because my legal last name is 'Joy,' we were called 'Pride and Joy.'"

"Catherine's got a long history working in this neighborhood," said Bella Nouveau Spa coordinator Naomi Hansen. "Novelle is a local product and this unique building has its own charm, a little getaway for those who want to pamper themselves and feel renewed."

Bella Nouveau
4204 Southwest Oregon St.
(206) 938-6698