Robbie Myers is spotted wearing Bottega Veneta to celebrate Elle’s 25th

Elle Magazine celebrated their 25th anniversary last night at the ELLE 25 Summer Cocktail Celebration held in Wainscott, New York. Editor in Chief of Elle Magazine Robbie Myers hosted the event and was spotted carrying a classic and highly coveted Love Knot clutch by Bottega Veneta. The famous fashion editor paired her classic black Love Knot clutch by Bottega Veneta with an on-trend lace cocktail dress which was flattering and perfect for the event.

Robbie Myers carried the Bottega Veneta Love Knot clutch in black. The Love Knot clutch is one of the famous Italian design house’s most iconic handbags. Bottega Veneta offers the Love Knot clutch in several woven fabrications including satin, leather and suede. The clasp on the top of the hard box frame has a “knot” shape which is instantly recognizable and Bottega Veneta’s signature clasp.

At issue in Rohnert Park

At issue in Rohnert Park was the proposal's hefty pricetag and drawn-out process associated with the project, proposed by the Sonoma County Wast Management Agency. Councilmembers said they were committed to environmentally-friendly practices citywide, but decided unanimously that they needed more information to OK the ban.

Mayor Gina Belforte and councilmember Pam Stafford called the proposal "inefficient and cumbersome at best."

"We all understand the problems with plastic bags," Stafford said. "That's not the issue."

"I'm not against getting plastic bags out of the environment," Belforte said.
While Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie said "the evidence is overwhelming one-use plastic bags present a huge environmental disaster," he asserted the issue may be more about economics than education.

There needs to be an economic incentive, like five cents per bag, to spur compliance, he said.

Councilmember Joe Callinan said it should be the consumer's choice whether or not to choose plastic, paper or reusable.

Belforte said she thinks Rohnert Park can reduce or eliminate using single-use carryout bags without the expensive and lengthy California Environmental Quality Act process. The council was reluctant however, to halt the ban entirely; settling on revisiting the issue in the future.

According to an agency report, the ban would cost between $135,440 to $193,240 for a CEQA analysis, legal costs and drafting the ordinance, and an additional $137,000 annually to enforce the ban.

All cities countywide must be on board with the ban in order to move forward. What do you think? Should Rohnert Park comply with the waste management agency's recommendation to forbid the use of
plastic bags? Should it be up to the government to decide, or do you think it should be a personal choice?

Despite dire predictions of hellfire

Despite dire predictions of hellfire, brimstone and bumper-to-bumper traffic, the much-feared (and much-hyped) "Carmageddon" that was expected to ravage all of Los Angeles last weekend was somewhat similar to the Rapture two months before — if it happened, most people didn't notice.

That's because, in large part, people seemed to stay home, which presented real opportunities for local businesses that could take advantage of the glut of trapped customers.

CalTrans boasted to media outlets that its aggressive print, broadcast and social media campaigns kept two-thirds of drivers off of compromised roadways, making travel possible for that recalcitrant 30 percent.

In Santa Monica, locals and local businesses jumped at the chance to market Carmageddon-themed deals, like $4.05 menus at Angel's and the Daily Grill, or drinks with names like "Flat Tire" beers and "Road Rage."
Businesses that could draw people in as gathering places reported that they had done well over the weekend, said Kim Koury, owner of Spin Public Relations.

To some degree, Koury and a team of friends, all young professionals in Santa Monica, are somewhat to blame for that.
The team also produced videos, created T-shirts and merchandise and reached out to local businesses to encourage 405 specials to create a party atmosphere out of what was expected to be a car apocalypse.

Car-mageddon debuted three weeks before the actual event, complete with a calendar, maps and a countdown to the closure.

We went around the market

We went around the market and bought some stuff: orange chocolate chip cookies, a sack of beef jerky, some tomatoes, couple of apples. All that for about $13. The container cost more than the cargo.

On our return trip, we were so engrossed in the novel we were reading on our phone that we overshot our stop and wound up at the Glen Park station again. Lord, if it is your will that we visit Glen Park on this trip, send us some sort of sign.
We got on the train taking us back to Market, where we waited for the MUNI to haul us back up the hill.

Market and 24th is what some people might call a dicey area. It's one of the few neighborhoods in this glorious town that has defied gentrification. We don't mind it. There's a lot of everything there, a collision of Asians, Latinos, blacks, hipsters, old folks, homeless people. Not a lot of rich folks. Our Ferry Building tote stood out like a Gucci in the ghetto.

We sat on a bench near the front of the bus and watched the road for a while as things turned tonier by the block.
We glanced back to find a fellow in his early 30 s peering at us over the waistband of a pair of underpants that he was holding stretched out in front of his nose. We hasten to assure you that it wasn't repulsive. The androgynous undergarment looked like the sort of underpants they might give you in the hospital, if hospitals gave out underpants: They were fresh out of the bag, scrubs-blue, looked almost like they were made of paper, and seemed to maybe be disposable. Yeah, we were looking a long time and he was giving us a big guileless grin.

We turned and watched the road some more as the bus continued to climb the steep grade.
Finally, the road leveled out. We looked back at the underpants guy who was now at the very least shirtless and was apparently working at liberating his more southerly apparel. We seemed to be the only person paying any attention. The rest of the passengers certainly weren't self-absorbed as many of their haughty co-citizens in the nicer parts of the city. Probably, they had plenty of problems of their own and didn't need to add a disrobing bus passenger to their list of cares.

Forgetting that it's our sworn duty in this life to collect weird and marvelous stories for our readers, we reached up and pulled the cord and rose to wait by the doors to get off the bus in the extraordinarily eventless Noe Valley.

Ann from Dublin was travelling

Ann from Dublin was travelling via Dublin airport last week and had a most unpleasant experience and she contacted us: “We had our usual checklist complete for trying to make things as trouble free as possible,” she writes. She had made sure to use hand luggage within the dimensions and weight allowance, had her passport, had checked in online and printed out her boarding pass. Her liquids were in 100ml or less containers and placed in the resealable plastic bag. She was even wearing flat shoes so she wouldn’t have to take them off going through security.
“All was well until we reached the security screening area: Our liquids were in the resealable bag but we were told it was too big. We had measured the bag before purchase and had used it on previous trips. We told the person that it was the right size. He informed us that it was the wrong type of bag according to a Department of Transport directive,” she writes.
The security official then went to the person operating the screen “and they opened the bag and checked each and every bottle contained within. We then went through the metal detector, no beeps. The first bag came out along with the plastic tray of phone/wallet/belt. The line then stopped for three to five minutes, which I can only assume was to teach us a lesson. Eventually the second bag came out and we went on our way,” she says.
She also highlights another occasion when she was told that decanting shampoo into 100ml bottles “was not allowed, only original bottles from the manufacturer. On that occasion we had to rub some cream onto my hand to show that is was not a weapon. We hope that the operator at the X-ray machine enjoyed his little power trip.”

From bars to busses, NBA lockout would prove painfu

The $4 billion NBA basketball league looks to be barreling toward a lockout -- adding to the woes of the restaurants, parking attendants and city governments that count on its games for income.

Last-ditch talks with the league's owners collapsed on Thursday, according to the players' union, with the two sides far apart on issues ranging from salaries to revenue sharing. The expiration of their current agreement is just hours away.

The costs of a lockout could be enormous, particularly if the entire season were lost. In that case, the league's most valuable franchises, including the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, stand to lose more than $200 million each in revenue, according to estimates by Forbes.

Beyond owners and players, however, a lockout would be no less painful to countless restaurants, bars, and retail stores that depend on the NBA for foot traffic and sales. Many are only beginning to recover from the recession.

"Just about everyone associated with the NBA would be affected one way or another," said Neal Pilson, former president of CBS Sports and now head of his own sports consulting firm.

"After players and ownership, there is certainly a trickle down impact of some magnitude for the TV networks, the advertisers, the regional sports channels, the sponsors, the arena, the people who work in the building, local restaurants," he said. "It's just a huge impact."

Even city and local governments -- many of which are already under financial strain -- would feel the sting of a work stoppage since they collect taxes on sales of tickets, food and even Nike Inc's Air Max Lebron 8 sneakers.

In Chicago, the Bulls games generate about $173,000 a game in city and county taxes from ticket sales alone, estimated Marc Ganis, president of sports consulting firm Sportscorp Ltd. Add in taxes from parking and concessions, he said, and the losses amount to $250,000 to $300,000 each game.

Then there is mass transit, since in urban areas fans often take subways or busses to the games, and the arenas that host the games.

"Arenas can't rebook those dates, because they wouldn't know games will start again and most acts have to be well in advance," said Ganis. "Plus, the anchor tenant teams get the best dates, primarily weekends, and those are lost opportunities to arenas."

For the NBA and the businesses that depend on it, labor troubles come at a time when the league should be basking in the afterglow of a season when attendance and TV ratings rose.

Last September I drove dad to the golf course

Last September I drove dad to the golf course that we had played for years. Pop could hardly walk and couldn't communicate anymore. I helped him in the cart. "We" played three holes. I would hit shots and ask my dad what I should hit next. I'd ask him if he thought an 8 iron would be the right club and he'd smile and shake his head yes. I'd ask him if he wanted to hit a shot and he'd smile and shake his head no. We were on the course for thirty minutes. It was our "final round" and our best one.

Runner-Up was Craig Britter from Utah. Below is an excerpt from his entry:
I was four years old. We walked our 9 hole course and dad carried both his and my bag the whole way. We shared a bag of chocolate licorice, which i thought was a great treat. When I duffed a shot he would say "that's OK have another piece of licorice." I do remember hitting one solid shot that day on the 8th hole from the fairway right in front of the green. My dad was so excited for me that he gave me a high five and a hug. It was a special day and I like to recall that feeling in that moment every time I walk up that hole.

Rounding out the top five entries were James Carrochhi from North Carolina, Jordan Ruberti from Vermont and Paige-Lee Garris from Florida. For the grand prize winning entry, Mr. Neureuther received the Revolver Pro cart bag and T-700 travel covers. Runner-up Mr. Britter received the new Quad four-wheeled push cart by Bag Boy. The other top-five winners received Revolver Pro cart bag, T-700 travel cover and shoe bag.

A total of 25 winners were selected to receive Bag Boy prizes along with their fathers.

“The number of entries we received for the contest was overwhelming,” said Craig Ramsbottom, president Dynamic Brands. “Our panel of judges read every entry, some brought laughter and some tears. But one thing they all had in common was that golf created a true bond between them. The memories submitted are clearly ones that each son or daughter will hold onto for the rest of their life.

Inside Valentina's Intimate Apparel, three women owners offer customers a variety of goods and services

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - DONGAN HILLS - Count a few more reasons to check out Valentina's Intimate Apparel on Hylan Boulevard: Two enterprising women have joined owner Carmela Vasaturo with the launch their own businesses inside the shop, and celebrate with a grand-opening party tonight, starting at 6 p.m.

Donna Rea, Ms. Vasaturo's younger sister, transformed the large downstairs space into an inviting vintage clothing and accessories boutique, offering over 1,500 well-organized items of designer clothing and accessories on consignment, from Armani and Emanuel Ungaro to Jean-Paul Gaultier and Donna Karan. The clothing includes an impressive selection of dazzling floor-length evening gowns – brand new or gently worn – in a range of styles, with prices starting at $40.

Dongan Hills resident Lisa Ruggiero, a professional makeup artist and certified sunless tanning technician, is also on board with her new venture, Sunless in the City. She converted the rear of the downstairs space into an intimate "mini-spa" for spray tanning, and works upstairs on makeup consultations by appointment and walk-in.

City consults with disabled to make facilities more accessible

Citizens in Greater Sudbury are invited to attend a public consultation session June 16 to provide input into the city's 2011-2012 Accessibility Plan.

Under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001, the city is “required to prepare an annual accessibility plan to make it available to the public,” according to a press release.

The purpose of the plan is to “improve opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in the life of the city through identification, removal and prevention of barriers.”

Through the public consultation session, the city hopes to hear from “citizens with disabilities about their experiences with accessing municipal buildings, participating in programs or seeking municipal services from paying tax bills to visiting arenas.”

The city is hoping to “identify barriers to access municipal facilities...to remove barriers and to provide feedback on municipal services for persons with disabilities.”

The public consultation session is being held June 16 at 4 p.m. at Tom Davies Square in Committee Room C-11.

Citizens can download a copy of the 2010-2011 Accessibility Plan at www.greatersudbury.ca. Printed copies can be obtained by phoning Linda Purvis at 705-674-4455 ext. 4226. Additional information is also available by phoning 311 or (TTY) 705-688-3919.

Members of the Accessibility Advisory Panel include Ward 3 Coun. Claude Berthiaume, Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann, chair Linda Whiteside, vice-chair Lionel Courtemanche, Vice-Chair E.J. Craig Ticalo and members Bob Bannister, Earl Black, Norma Fitzgerald, Linda Mende and Andrew Oliver.

Four women arrested for theft

Thane, Jun 7 (PTI) Four women who robbed citizens in crowded localities were arrested and valuables worth Rs 5 lakh were recovered from them, police said today. The accused---Rajni Ramchandra (54), Sangeeta Kate (36) Swata Pramod (23) and Deepali (32)---were held by Thane Nagar police, which also recovered Rs 20,500 cash from them. About 11 tolas of gold ornaments, silver goods weighing around 450 gms, 38 mobiles, 6 ladies wrist watches, and a record 115 laides purses and handbags were seized from the women, police said. Their modus operandi was to mingle with the crowd at places like railway stations and shopping centres and flee with valuables after diverting their attention, police said. The women stole valuables from shops too with the help of four others, they said. The accused, who have been operating in Thane for a year now are residents of Bhandup, Diva and Kisan Nagar localities.

Willy Street's Hatch Art House A Gallery-Gift Shop Hybrid

When I stroll into Hatch Art House on Willy Street I instantly feel at home. Perhaps it’s the Tiffany-blue walls and soft yellow ceiling, juxtaposed against the polished concrete floor, reclaimed furnishings and the smattering of local, handmade jewelry, paintings and quirky décor pieces throughout.

It’s an art gallery, glam-ified—thanks to owner, artist and Portland transplant Tammy Schreiter.

“I knew I wanted to be here because it reminds me most of Portland—it’s up and coming; it has a good vibe,” says Schreiter.

Currently the six-month-old shop carries thirty-five local artists who make jewelry, accessories, handbags, photography, paintings and little decorative items. Many of the pieces use “upcycled” or reused elements, such as handbags fashioned from hardcover books, jewelry made with vintage elements and a chair découpaged with comic book strips. It’s not a new concept, but the stuff here are definitely items you haven’t seen before.

Schreiter sells her own paintings and jewelry too, and the name of the space references showcasing up-and-comers. She found many of her artists through visiting last summer’s Art Fair Off the Square.

“When you buy from us, you know where it’s from—the artist could be from two blocks away!” says Schreiter. “Madison’s on the right track for buying local—and that’s what we’re all about.”

Clockwise from top left:

HANDBAG HEAVEN Lisa Penning’s handbags and wristlets are made out of remnants, vintage fabrics and buttons and lined on the inside with a contrasting fabric. $36

SLEEK BEAUTY “Nathan Gieseke, a local glass blower, has pieces that are so affordable. You can buy a vase for $60, which is nice,” says Schreiter. Gieseke also uses recycled metalwork like gears in his work, too. $60–$220

ANYTHING BUT WATER Schreiter features one artist per month—but among her favorites from a few months ago were Tahlia Day’s watercolors and abstracts. $12–$800

The eighth annual event was co-chaired

The eighth annual event was co-chaired by The First Tee Board of Director members Steve Coman and Dick Schwob. Past events have been held at Pinehurst Resort, the Country Club of North Carolina, Pine Needles and Forest Creek.

“This event has raised much-needed funds for our volunteer coaches to offer 300-plus classes, clinics and tournaments each year,” said First Tee Executive Director Bill Baker. “It was a success due to the support of more than 20 corporate sponsors, including four teams from T.E. Connectivity and five from the Tin Whistles network of supportive Pinehurst residents.”

Dormie Shootout: The Dormie Club is holding a shootout tournament on Wednesdays that offers golfers a chance to play the heralded new Bill Coore-Ben Crenshaw layout at a bargain rate. The tournaments, using a four-person Stableford scoring format, are limited to 72 players, and prizes are awarded to teams and individuals.

The entry fee is $75, including carts and prizes. Caddies and forecaddies are available. For information, contact Randy Cavanaugh or Mike Phillips at (910) 947-3240 or (678) 982-0511.

N.C. Amateur: Brooks Honeycutt and Patrick Barrett, of Pinehurst, were among 15 players to earn berths in the North Carolina Amateur Championship in a qualifying tournament held Echo Farms Golf and Country Club in Wilmington.

Honeycutt tied for sixth with 74, while Barrett tied for ninth with 75.
Patrick Sawrey, of Smithfield, shot even-par 72 to earn medalist honors.
Christian McDonald, of Pinehurst, missed the cut with 79, as did Lincoln Jackson, of Southern Pines, with 82.

Third Ace: Dick Mitchell, a resident of Pinewild and the executive director of the Carolinas Golf Reporters Association, scored his third hole-in-one last week. Mitchell aced the 147-yard 17th hole on Pinewild’s Holly Course with a 5-wood.

As per rules of the Mid-day Meal scheme

As per rules of the Mid-day Meal scheme, a school has to supply prepared food for at least 20 days a month but the target could not be met as they could not get rice regularly.

At some point of time, the supply was made for three to four months together, he went on to reveal.

Owing to the irregularity in the supply of rice, cooks appointed for preparation of food got their monthly honorariums without discharging their duties.
Even though, food was not supplied to the students, the cooks received the amount sanctioned for buying firewood and other food items, which is ' 50 a day.

Local MLAs sometimes intervened in appointing cooks to the schools, another headmaster disclosed.
When Hueiyen Lanpao asked an official of the ZEO office, he said that the rice under the scheme is being supplied to the schools after submitting indents to the DC concerned who in turn furnish them to the FCI authority.

They do not measure the weight of each rice bag at the time of offloading at the ZEO godown.
In some instances, each bag weighed less than 50 kg due to rupture of gunny bags.

There is no question of deducting rice by the officials of the ZEO, he said alleging that the teachers often lodged complaints after they had siphoned off the rice before depositing it at their schools.

Apart from this, most headmasters are not sincere to put up the exact number of students in their respective schools.
For example, when only around 20 students were enrolled in some schools, they put the number students over 100 in order to get more rice.

Besides this, most of the headmasters do not maintain the stock of the rice left over each month even though the left over rice which resulted from the absence of students are to be kept in their stock and to submit a detail report to the ZEO, the official added.

Thanks to globalization, uneasy public sentiment about foreign cars has waned in recent years.

In particular, young Koreans have driven the change. Foreign automakers say the general sentiment has turned to “favorable” from “negative” as younger generations, born in the 1970s and 1980s, have become mainstream buyers.

They also say the number of Korean female drivers of foreign-made cars has been increasing recently, regardless of age.

“Younger customers have less negative sentiment against imported cars,” a spokeswoman of Audi Korea said. “This means the general perception of foreign cars is changing fast.”

She said young customers in their 30s and 20s have been buying more foreign cars over the past few years.

A BMW Korea executive said that the rise in demand from younger consumers reflects their liberal attitudes and stronger individualism, with the Internet era and increased overseas travel also contributing to a weakening of nationalistic sentiment among youth.

“Young customers just choose what they want of their own free will, without caring much about conventional ideas,” the official said.

He said many imported car models with affordable prices are now also attractive to young drivers, adding that until the 1990s, high-income male customers in their 40s and 50s were the mainstream customers.

Prada shop in Scottsdale to rouse Valley fashionistas

Italian luxury retailer Prada will open its first Arizona store at Scottsdale Fashion Square later this year.

The high-end Milan fashion house, led by head designer Miuccia Prada, has been noticeably absent from the Arizona retail-fashion scene, and its arrival reflects the area's growing shopping clout.

Prada currently operates boutiques in 10 U.S. markets that sell women's, men's and some children's clothing and shoes in addition to handbags, jewelry, eyeglasses, belts and leather goods.

The Scottsdale store is good news for Prada fans who have seen the label become scarce in the Phoenix area as the designer has moved to enhance the exclusivity of the brand.

Prada has steadily reduced shipments of its products to upscale department-store chains such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barney's New York, where the label was once readily available.

Prada contends its brand is cheapened when the products are subject to department-store discounts.

Instead, Prada and other luxury labels, such as Gucci and Dior, have been pressing department stores to lease them space inside their stores for independent boutiques, or concessions.

In Las Vegas, Prada staffs and operates a boutique inside Neiman Marcus. The fashion label shoulders more risk with a concession but has more control over prices.

Not all retailers are cooperating. In February, Barney's turned down Prada's request for concessions, which prompted the designer to pull its women's wear out of all of Barney's stores, including its location at Scottsdale Fashion Square.

The spat with Barney's further reduced the availability of the Prada label in the Phoenix area and may have contributed to the decision to open the stand-alone boutique.

Prada did not return calls seeking comment on its decision.

The Prada boutique will be located near rival Gucci on the mall's second level where a sign announces the store's expected arrival. An expected opening date is unknown.

Prada was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada as a leather-goods shop that sold trunks and handbags. His granddaughter Miuccia took over the business in 1978, and with help from business manager and eventual husband Patrizio Bertelli, she built it into one of the world's top fashion labels. The brand became a household word with the 2003 novel "The Devil Wears Prada" and its screen adaption in 2006 starring Meryl Streep.

There are now more than 250 Prada boutiques worldwide, that generate more than $2.4 billion in annual sales.

Google faces its next big challenge

There is, in the words of Jeff Atwood, "trouble in the house of Google". It's not unrest within the company that he's talking about, though; it's externally among users who are beginning to find that when they try to do searches to evaluate or buy consumer items - such as dishwashers, or iPhone 4 cases - or to find a site that will give them some useful answers, that Google's results are awash with spam.

In fact, the problem that plagued the first generation of search engines such as Altavista now seems to be gaining traction on Google, which outdistanced those earlier rivals precisely because it dumped the spam so effectively.

Paul Kedrosky ("investor, speaker, writer, media guy, and entrepreneur") noted in a plaintive post in mid-December that

    "Over the weekend I tried to buy a new dishwasher. Being the fine net-friendly fellow that I am, I  began Google-ing for information. And Google-ing. and Google-ing. As I tweeted frustratedly at the tend of the failed exercise, 'To a first approximation, the entire web is spam when it comes to appliance reviews'."

Kedrosky noted that "Google has become a snake that too readily consumes its own keyword tail. Identify some words that show up in profitable searches - from appliances, to mesothelioma suits, to kayak lessons - churn out content cheaply and regularly, and you're done. On the web, no-one knows you're a content-grinder."

He also adds that "Google has to know this. The problem is too big and obvious to miss."

And indeed Google does know about this. Jeff Atwood at Coding Horror - one half of the creators of Stack Overflow (the other half being Joel Spolsky) and the other "Overflow" sites (which let people ask questions on a topic and the better ones get voted up - like a, ahem, better version of Quora) - had already noticed how sites which scrape Stack Overflow and its siblings actually rank better on Google than the original.

Now, Stack Overflow allows scraping, as long as there's a link back to the original (which cannot be a nofollow); yet even with this, it ranked below the scraping sites.

Atwood consulted Matt Cutts, Google anti-spam king:

    "We did a ton of due diligence on webmasters.stackexchange.com to ensure we weren't doing anything overtly stupid, and uber-mensch Matt Cutts went out of his way to investigate the hand-vetted search examples contributed in response to my tweet asking for search terms where the scrapers dominated. Issues were found on both sides, and changes were made. Success!"

Except it isn't really success. It's a temporary respite. As Atwood points out moments later, "Anecdotally, my personal search results have also been noticeably worse lately. As part of Christmas shopping for my wife, I searched for 'iPhone 4 case' in Google. I had to give up completely on the first two pages of search results as utterly useless, and searched Amazon instead."

New shop fuses fashion, furniture

By Gloria Young

Journal Staff Writer

Eclectic finds, fashions and exotic teas are the latest addition to Central Square in Auburn.

Local entrepreneur Anthony Sadeghi opened Karma Goods this weekend.

It is his third business in the area. He also owns Karma Café on Sutter Street in Old Town Folsom and Gelayo, a frozen yogurt shop, on Auburn Folsom Road in Granite Bay.

The Auburn store has mix of jewelry, handbags, glassware and furniture items.

There’s even a tall fireplace that came from an old home in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights.

Fireplaces are a favorite with him, and he has them in all his stores, Sadeghi said.

Art is another major focus. Sadeghi already has collected numerous pieces, including several miniature works done by a Cameron Park artist.

“I want to support local artists,” he said, adding that he is looking forward to participating in this season’s art walks.

He’s also planning to accept small jewelry and art consignments.

A section in an alcove of the store is devoted to teas. Sadeghi is putting together a display of a couple of dozen dry tea varieties. He also keeps a pot of hot tea perking, ready for customers to sample, he said.

Some of the items are getting a second incarnation. Sadeghi has refurbished bed frames as signs for the store.

“In this economy, you have to be creative,” he said.

The suggestion to open the Downtown Auburn business came from customers at his Folsom café. After he thought about the idea, he decided to pursue it.

Auburn’s distinctive appeal was a deciding factor. He grew up in Bournemouth, England and said Auburn reminds him of his hometown.

“It has the same Victorian feel, the same gorgeous buildings,” he said.

He’s also impressed with the friendly atmosphere.

“To me, Auburn is the best kept secret,” he said.

Sadeghi said he is looking forward to being part of the Auburn community.

“I like to participate,” he said.

Once it becomes established, Sadeghi has more plans for the store. He said he’d like to bring in live music and hopes to use a room in the back for classes on selecting teas, spiritual themes and other topics.

Initially he had hoped to have a café at the site, but has put that on hold because of the expense of adding a commercial kitchen.

In addition to his business interests, Sadeghi is a professional photographer.

Next door at Kids Closet, employee Michele Sardella said she loves the idea of the new store.

“They’re very nice people,” she said. “We think that type of business will be a wonderful addition to Downtown Auburn and a real asset to the plaza. It will be another business draw for shopping during events.”

The secret life of handbags

Two men, an artist and a sociologist, have separately undertaken an exploration of women's handbags. Pierre Klein, a photographer and video-maker, asked women to empty their bags and explain the contents for the purposes of an exhibition entitled Elles Vident Leur Sac. Apart from the literal sense, this also means "to get it off one's chest". Jean-Claude Kaufmann, a research sociologist, carried out his own analysis of women's hidden secrets, publishing his findings in Le Sac, un Petit Monde d'Amour (The Bag, a Small World of Affection). So what prompted this inquiry? "Powerful curiosity," in both cases, compounded by the fact that, as men, "we are brought up with the idea that you don't look in women's handbags".

When a female friend happened to spill the contents of her bag in his presence, with a guided commentary, Klein realised he had learned more about her in just a few minutes than in several months' acquaintance. "Each object was linked to some anxiety or fear, with a story of its own. Once the contents were spread out on the counter, I saw the makings of a photo," he explains. This was the starting point for the project. Klein decided to film 50 women emptying their bag, asking them to explain each item. Then he took a photograph of the result. "They very soon started talking about their private life," he adds. "I had no idea they would go so far. They hadn't realised the importance of what was in their bag."

Women's handbags certainly contain an odd mixture of things. In the one belonging to Chrystel (not her real name), 33, there is a notebook, a pair of panties, a packet of contraceptive pills, some snaps, a pen, an American dollar, a good-luck candle, lipstick, a camera, a toothbrush, a mobile phone, a pair of socks and more besides. "There are two categories of object: things women consider essential (phone, keys, tissues, aspirin, makeup, wallet); and the rest, all the apparently useless treasures related to memorable events, emotions and superstition," says Kaufmann.

But the oddest items may prove essential. Ilhem, for instance, has a compass because she likes to sleep with her head to the north. To guard against ill luck many women carry charms, ranging from dollar bills to some personal token invested with magical powers, or a little doll or soft toy that becomes a comforter they unconsciously touch.

Some items recall happy or particularly intense moments. There are plenty of pebbles and seashells, perhaps a love letter, often photos of loved ones, little notebooks to record fleeting emotions, a phrase found in a magazine, the address of a restaurant, shopping lists, resolutions, the names of books.

Such a bag is reassuring, ready to cope with any eventuality: a book to read on a journey, a bottle of water in the event of thirst. Some carry teargas to ward off assailants. One woman who used to prefer small bags moved house after her husband's death and switched to larger receptacles, laden with books and notebooks as if to fill the gap.

If a bag is lost or stolen, all hell breaks lose. "The owner feel as though she has lost part of herself," says Kaufmann. "The handbag is a key piece in the day-to-day construction of identity." Some describe it as "a little house", "a bit of myself", "a puzzle in which every piece is part of my life", or indeed "a memory store".

Our close companion may give rise to feverish irritation. It is supposed to make our lives simpler, responding to our every whim as an extension of ourselves, but objects often go astray, above all mobiles and keys. "In just a few seconds affection switches to hatred," Kaufmann says. We complain bitterly about its shortcomings, entirely due to our own disorder. Finally in a rage we empty it on the desk.

But there is more to a bag than just its secret contents. It is also there to be seen. "It's a female attribute, an expression of style," Klein says. "A woman's handbag is a bit like a man's car: it corresponds to the image they wish to project."

Often classified as a fashion accessory, handbags are nevertheless essential items. Some women are very loyal to their bag, only making a change to go out in the evening or on holiday. Others have a whole collection of bags, chopping and changing to suit their mood. But a bag must be attractive, particularly as it is an instrument of seduction, intriguing and surprising men. "It is a bit of a hiding place, something women don't share, despite sharing a lot in other ways," says Geneviève Djénati, a couples and family therapist.

A handbag contains everything intimate relating to our bodies: makeup, lipstick, tampons and condoms. It's a private space, an ambivalent object with an outside for show and mysteries hidden inside. One of the reasons women carry so much in their bags is that they act as "resource persons", according to Kaufmann. For the benefit of children, their partner, friends, relations or even workmates, their bag is full of comforters, items such as biscuits, wipes, sweets, tissues, water.

But do handbags reveal a form of alienation? "They are certainly a sign of compliance with a gender stereotype, which starts in childhood games and dictates that bags are essential female attributes. There is a downside to the idea of triumphant 'hand-bagging', particularly when after the pleasures of seduction, the bag is weighed down with family responsibilities," Kaufmann concludes.

Nic Cage bailed following arrest

Nicolas Cage was arrested on Friday in New Orleans on a domestic abuse charge after an allegedly drunken row with his wife, Alice Kim. A Face Off, you could say.

According to reports, the argument started when the couple couldn't agree on whether the building they were stood in front of was actually the home they're currently renting in the city.

It's claimed Cage then started hitting parked cars before challenging officers to arrest him, which they did, obviously.

Talking to CNN, New Orleans Police Officer Garry Flot said:

"He and his wife were standing in front of a residence that he insisted was the property the couple was renting. She disagreed, and Cage grabbed her by the upper arm and pulled her to what he believed was the correct address.

"[Cage then] began striking vehicles and later attempted to get into a taxi.

"Police, who had been called by on-lookers, arrived to find Cage heavily intoxicated.

"The officers subsequently took Cage to Central Lock-Up.

"There were no visible signs of injury on his wife's arm."

In a slightly bizarre twist, Duane Chapman - AKA reality star Dog the Bounty Hunter, posted bail and uncaged Cage, calling himself "a truly dedicated fan of Mr. Cage."

Reports that he was transferred to jail on a convict jet with Steve Buscemi and John Malkovich are unconfirmed.

The 47-year-old Oscar winner, who has previously been married to Patricia Arquette and Lisa Marie Presley, has had well-documented financial problems in recent years and was even rumoured to be facing bankruptcy at one point (in the end, he just flogged a few of his homes).

He is now due in court on 31 May 2011. Regardless of the verdict, I'd like to know who was actually right in the disagreement…. WAS it their home?

America’s Next Top Model Review: I’m Number One!

It was go-sees week on this episode of America’s Next Top Model and the competition got a little dicier when the models were made to hustle just a little bit harder than they have been. Being the talent and posing for world renowned photographers and designers is easy. Running around town and booking your own gigs is the hard part and that’s what the go-sees process was all about.

Tyra kicked off the show with a huge announcement: the remaining five girls at the end of the episode would be packing it up and heading to Morocco. So now that the stakes were a little higher, it became every model for herself. Basically, the go-see challenge involves the models scrambling around town and meeting designers in hopes of being booked for shoots. Tyra helped the remaining six get their modeling portfolios together and sent them out into Los Angeles with good old fashioned roadmaps as their guides. In today’s world of GPS and Google, there isn’t too much room for paper roadmaps that unfold to the size of a small tent anymore.  Also, the fact that many of the girls seemed to be directionally challenged only added to the mayhem of making it to each go-see. Molly, who is now my confirmed favorite in this competition, was completely frazzled throughout the challenge but at least she made it to the majority of her appointments. Alexandria, on the other hand, was absolutely loving the fact that she’s from the L.A. area and had no problem finding her way around. Everything has been coming up roses for this girl despite her rocky start. Not only did she make it to four of her five go-sees, she later won the Lana Marks designer handbag campaign challenge which she is now the face of. Alex may be all drama in the house but she knows what she wants and destroys the competition like some sort of modelzilla stomping through a village of lesser models. She’s getting ahead and I guess I can’t hate her for that.

For the final challenge, the ladies got to model some eco-friendly couture designed by Michael Cinco in one of the loveliest settings they’ve been in so far: the Olinda Landfill. Talk about a dump. While the girls posed in recycled garments made of leftover rubbish, they tried to keep their perfect poses while avoid getting defecated on by flocks of seagulls. Morocco is looking even better than before at this point, I’m sure.

Deliberation time seemed to level the playing field a little. Every girl had some sort of struggle throughout the episode whether it was that they didn’t make it to enough go-sees, they didn’t get good feedback from the designers or they had some sort of attitude going on. All except, once again, Alexandria, who just happened to be wearing a Chanel “No. 1” tank top as if to say she was indeed the alpha-model. I guess she was right because she booked all 4 of her go-sees, had the best photo of the day and would definitely be going to Morocco. Talk about being in it to win it! Molly got a lot of flak this episode with some of her on-set complaining and who could blame her- it was a nasty landfill. This put her in the bottom two with Jaclyn. I’m completely used to this Tyra-tactic of trying to teach the girls “lessons” by scaring them straight and putting them in the bottom two. I mean, I guess it kind of worked on Alexandria who is now a total powerhouse. Let’s be real though, Molly is leading in the competition and Tyra is no fool. Unfortunately, sweetie pie Jaclyn won’t be catching the next flight to Morocco.