YOUR PLACE.PARTY THRIFT: Beverly Clark has done it again. The Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. wedding planner extraordinaire ex·tra·or·di·naire adj. Extraordinary: a jazz singer extraordinaire. [French, from Old French, from Latin extra has published yet another book on how to party like society's A-list without spending a bundle. In ``Favorable Occasions: Favors for Parties, Weddings and Holidays'' (Wilshire Publications; $19.95), Clark instructs would-be society mavens on the finer details of decorating and the all-important party favors and place cards, and then categorizes them into projects for beginners to experts, indicating the price range and amount of time involved. Her book demonstrates that it's not always the gift that's important - merely the presentation. She takes an ordinary thing like scented bath soap and turns it into eye candy Images and animated graphics added to Web sites and interactive software that makes the information exciting. In other words, glitz, sizzle and pizzazz. See cornea gumbo. with a splendid bow, a few feathers or a silk rose on top, offering the soaps to guests on a large silver tray. Other creative ideas in ``Favorable Occasions'' include place cards made from tiny picture frames decorated with plastic jewels and silver charms, candles wrapped in glass beads and held in place with scrapbook A Macintosh disk file that holds frequently used text and graphics objects, such as a company letterhead. Contrast with "clipboard," which is reserved memory that holds data only for the current session. paste, and silver coasters topped with chocolates and wrapped up in tulle Tulle (t  l, Fr. tül), town (1990 pop. 18,685), capital of Corrèze dept., S central France. Firearms and other goods are made there. Tulle was built around a 7th-century monastery. . - Barbara De Witt De Witt, uninc. town (1990 pop. 8,244), Onondaga co., central N.Y., a residential suburb of Syracuse. PRESENTS WITH PRESENCE: Rachel Ashwell has taught the world about the finer points of what she calls Shabby Chic Shabby chic is a design style deliberately using worn and deteriorated items. History The style started in Great Britain and evokes the type of decoration found in large country houses where there are worn and faded old chintz sofas and curtains, old paintwork and - that English country decorating style that's big on flea-market finds - and now she's entered the lifestyle market. Apparently, our gift-giving habits need a little updating. In her latest book ``The Shabby Chic Gift of Giving'' (ReganBooks; $32), the Malibu resident who hosts the TV show ``Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic'' on the Style network shares memories of favorite gifts to family members and advises readers to think of gifts with a theme, geared to the recipient's interests or home decor. Not only is it a delight to read, but also to look at, thanks to photographer Amy Neunsinger. The book can be found at bookstores and the Shabby Chic boutique in Los Angeles this month. - B.D. BONSAI BEAUTY: Tiny trees in shallow trays called bonsai (pronounced BONE-sigh, not BON-zeye) have delighted the eye and soothed the soul for more than 2,000 years. Part art and part horticulture, the miniature garden was first created by the Chinese, who introduced it to the Japanese in the 12th century. Its triangular proportions are based on the Zen philosophy of the universe, with the highest point representing heaven, the lowest point earth and the one in between as man, explains Robert W. King in his hands-on book ``The Bonsai Kit'' (Running Press; $30). Besides being a fascinating trivia-filled book on the history and planning of a bonsai garden, King's kit includes a small shallow dish, stones and Jack pine seeds to start your own work of art within nature - with minimal effort. - B.D. ENERGY TIP: Drain a quart of water from your hot water heater's tank every three months to remove sediment that prevents heat transfer and lowers the unit's efficiency. Source: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving 3.9 million residents in 2006. It was founded in 1902 to deliver water and electricity supplies to residents and businesses in Los Angeles. (www.greenla.com) CLASSES THINK SPRING: Never planted tulip tulip [Pers.,=turban], any plant of the large genus Tulipa, hardy, bulbous-rooted members of the family Liliaceae (lily family), indigenous to north temperate regions of the Old World from the Mediterranean to Japan and growing most abundantly on the steppes or daffodil daffodil: see amaryllis. daffodil Bulb-forming flowering plant (Narcissus pseudonarcissus), also called common daffodil or trumpet narcissus, native to northern Europe and widely cultivated there and in North America. It grows to about 16 in. bulbs? Today's your chance to become an expert and bring home your own bowl of planted bulbs. Armstrong Garden Centers will hold a special class on planting spring-flowering bulbs at 9 a.m. today and again on Sept. 22 at Armstrong Garden Centers in Thousand Oaks, Sherman Oaks, Valencia, La Canada Flintridge, Glendale and Santa Monica. Class fee, which includes materials, is $20. For information, call (800) 557-5268. - B.D. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) no caption (``Favorable Occasions: Favors for Parties, Weddings and Holidays'') (2) no caption (``The Shabby Chic Gift of Giving'') (3) no caption (``The Bonsai Kit'') |
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