The Board of Visitors (the state’s oldest charitable organization) has begun selling its annual fund-raiser Care Cards, which earn buyers discounts of 20% at more than 400 Valley stores over a 10-day period in October. Money raised benefits Ryan House, which offers palliative care and end-of-life support for families with children who have life-limiting illnesses. Read the rest of this entry »

I have to do a little bragging: My friend Kathy McLaughlin is one of the first foreign journalists allowed to travel independently in Tibet since the uprising in March.

You can read her dispatches here. The part about her having an assistant made me insanely envious for a moment. … Read the rest of this entry »

I was calling around for future What’s in Store contenders today and learned that Mahsa, the boutique at Scottsdale Waterfront, will be closing in less than a week. Is this the shopping center’s first casualty?

(By the way, if you’ve got a favorite store you’d like to see featured, give me a shout and let me know.)

ammit

WHAT SAM WORE: 7/24/08
The shirt: Slim-cut cotton polo (H&M L.O.G.G.)
The pants: Classic khakis (Eddie Bauer — clearance!)
The shoes: Suede chukka boots by R.J. Colt (Last Chance)
The scent: The long-discontinued Versus by Gianni Versace, which I got 15+ years ago when I still lived in Colorado — thanks, Sharyn and P.J.!
Listening to: “Jager Yoga” by CSS

sammit

Ever had a friend who had a single redeeming feature about them, and the rest frustrated the bejeezus out of you so much you finally decided it was time to call it quits? It’s official: I feel that way about Melt, the bath and body care chain with a store over in Arrowhead Towne Center.

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This week the designers show how green they are TWO ways – they use environmentally friendly clothing, and only a couple of them do particularly well at it. The others … well, to borrow a phrase from Charlie on last night’s “Shear Genius” (who won hairstylist of the year at the CosmoProf awards in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, FYI): Some of the designers may be green, but others were “neon green.” I think we now know why they keep referring to this pack as the “most diverse” group of designers instead of, say, the “most talented.”

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Ever since I was a little kid I’ve always been fascinated by Grace Jones — which, looking back, was weird, a Montana tween in equal parts of awe and fear of a hard-edged New York punk/disco pioneer — but she’s never quite returned the favor. In fact, she’s the only musical act on MySpace who ever denied my friend request. (I took it very personally.)
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Half the fun of “Project Runway” is finding out what each week’s challenge is going to be, so I’m not sure why Bravo would have posted the summaries of every episode this season — including guest judges and design themes.  It seems kind of spoiler-ish.

On the other hand: Now I’m sort of excited about seeing what the designers pull out for guest judge RuPaul — not because I’m excited about RuPaul, but I’m hoping the challenge is about drag queen fashion. How crazy would that be? (Chris March from last season could have swept this challenge.)  But I might have to be recused from duties Aug. 27, when guest judge is — shudder — Rachel Zoe.  I wonder if the Bluefly accessories wall has a spray-tan machine and tongue-depressors to kick-start those eating disorders?

Now online merchant Weselleverything offers bags “guaranteed to cure ugliness.” Apparently it turns you into Olivia Newton-John, circa “Xanadu” (headband not included). And lest you think they’re being sexist, a men’s version also exists, although his role model appears to be a ’60s-era actor in a gladiator movie.

Of course, both note that for extra-ugly people, two bags may be required in case one breaks. $1.85 each.

And I would like to thank Francesca for sending me the link without suggesting I needed one. (Probably because once I told her it would be interesting to find out how much adorable baby boys like hers could fetch on the black market.)

Therapy in downtown Scottsdale (read my What’s in Store profile here) is trying to get rid of old merchandise with a super sale — all tops, dresses, shoes and handbags are half price, and all jeans are $85.  The clearance continues through July 26.

I got my new issue of Bazaar the other day (and congratulations, Glenda Bailey, on making Jessica Biel look mannish and like a graceless hoofer in her spread with a few different designers*). While I was leafing through the front pages I found a pair of Cesare Paciotti shoes I thought would be perfect for Shoe Hot or Not … but they’re not up on his website yet so I was forced to make a substitution.

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