I was lucky enough to meet and interview the dynamic husband-and-wife team behind glassware and ceramic company Juliska. I have long admired their designs and have put them on the pages of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine a number of times, but after listening to them recount the tedious and time-honed way in which their products are made, I became infatuated with the beauty of Juliska all over again.

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Since opening late last year, Casa Verde Design has shown Minnesotans that environmentally friendly home products can work into homes of all styles, including elegant traditionals. With Earth Day quickly approaching (tomorrow, Wednesday!), the time is perfect to check out the show room if you haven't already. Join Casa Verde staff designers Rosemary Merrill and Liz Schupanitz along with notable chefs, furniture designers, and others from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as they discuss eco-friendly home design and prepare gourmet organic dishes at the show room's first-ever Gourmet Greens event. The event is free, but an RSVP is required. Call 612-353-4401.

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The intersection of art, history, and fashion—it’s one of my favorite things in the whole, wide world. With any luck, you’ll start to find me, on occasion, parsing the meanings and the histories behind the clothes we wear. For now, you can get a little taste by watching this video with the fabulous local costume designers who worked on Grey Gardens. We talked specifics: How does the central character Little Edie “shop her closet,” as the experts are now prone to saying? For that matter, why is she the perfect fashion icon for these uncertain times?  

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Just a quick note to point the fellas to a fleeting shopping opportunity . . . . But first, a tangent: Last year, after Neiman Marcus turned on the pressure, the folks at Gaviidae Commons opted not to renew the lease for Atmosfere, a particularly fashionable men’s store. So the proprietor simply moved his shop to nearby Uptown—but unfortunately, only about half of his clients (mostly businessmen) followed him there.

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I, unfortunately, missed the presentation of Monique Lhuillier's Fall 2009 collection at the Plaza back in February (a late flight), so I will no doubt be heading to her 50th & France salon to see first-hand what the designer is feeling for fall. Although only twelve of her thirty plus looks were shown at the Plaza that night, her dark, lush, and romantic take on fall 2009 feels right for the times.

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Folks, I’m afraid some sad news just came across the transmit: Ensemble, the charming Linden Hills women’s boutique, will close shop on April 25. The closeout sale begins immediately—modified store hours, too:

M-F, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sa., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Su., 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

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