As part of my preparations for the July Lifestyle feature on curly hair, I got to interview one of my heroes: Lorraine Massey, a legendary curly girl, hairstylist, entrepreneur, author, and even a socio-political agitator of sorts. I first learned of Massey circa 2002—that’s when one of my gal pals passed along her then-new book, Curly Girl. Part manifesto, part beauty manual, it was the first time I’d encountered someone who felt as isolated as I did about my unruly locks. It also marked the end of my daily shampoos, as well as a new era for curl self-acceptance.

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Top Twin Cities architects will converge on the beautiful Hotel Ivy in Downtown Minneapolis this Thursday evening, and the time is perfect to see and hear about some of the best new homes around. The scene is the RAVE Awards, produced by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and the Minnesota chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

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Star of The Hills, fashion designer, and now author, Lauren Conrad, was at Mall of America yesterday for the signing of her book, L.A. Candy. While I was originally supposed to do a video blog with her, her handlers decided last minute that we couldn't shoot any video.

Le sigh.

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In today's New York Times Thursday Styles section, Eric Wilson wrote on of the most succinct stories I've ever read on how trends are created. If you've ever seen The Devil Wears Prada, you might remember Miranda Priestly's lecture directed at Andy Sachs's ignorance in regards to the fashion industry:

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We at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine have known for months that this year's ASID Showcase Home would be pretty cool. My colleagues and I worked with a team of 40-plus interior designers, architects, and contractors on the renovation of the 1951 home in Edina's Sunnyslope neighborhood—and although the project maintains the home's mid-century modern roots, it also features the latest in environmentally friendly materials and elegant furnishings that can easily translate to homes of many styles.

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