The debate over privacy versus paparazzi in the Kate Middleton topless photo fiasco got me thinking about our gradual acceptance of people wearing less and less in public. Anyone who runs or bikes on trails throughout Arlington knows what I’m talking about. With every passing year, people are exposing more flesh — especially women. I remember in the 1980s when leotards and leg warmers were considered sexy and provocative. And even those were reserved for dance or aerobics classes inside. People who went jogging wore T-shirts, tank tops, shorts and sweat pants. Now, you see women running …

Brunch and me, we’re on a first-name basis. Breakfast and brunch are my favorite meals. Apparently Warren Brown, owner of CakeLove bakeries, shares this passion for morning meals. Brown recently hosted a book-signing event in Shirlington for his third cookbook, “CakeLove In the Morning: Recipes for Muffins, Scones, Pancakes, Waffles, Biscuits, Frittatas and Other Breakfast Treats.” The attorney-turned-baker has appeared on Oprah and hosted shows on the Food Network. He just opened a store in Fair Oaks Mall — his sixth, including the Shirlington location. I was delighted to find out Brown …

Most Arlington County students return to school today and for many parents, myself included, this means rebooting your schedule and preparing for the many email alerts and texts coming from your child, his or her teachers, the school, the county, the PTA, coaches and activity sponsors. The world is so wired these days and schools are trying to keep up. But for all the new technology, parents still have some of the same old school problems. Parental Involvement No matter whether we text or Skype to get the word out, there always seem to be a handful of parents doing most of the work. My son …

Like many professionals, Christiane Mitchell bought a new condo in a Ballston high-rise to take advantage of the conveniences associated with city living. But her heart never let go of the country, the tranquil New England place she called home in her young adult life. So when Mitchell decided to decorate her new home, she hired interior designer Charles Almonte, who helped her capture the color, serenity and delightful days she enjoyed in her youth. “Most of my young adult years were spent in the Berkshires, along the New York-Massachusetts border,” she said. “I lived on a farm with lots of …

I love dogs. I don’t own one. No need, because Arlington is doggy town. Everywhere I walk I see cute, cuddly dogs. Every size, shape and breed. Luckily for dog lovers, Arlington is one of the best places to own a pet. You’ve got dog-friendly trails and puppy parks galore. And then there is Wags n' Whiskers, a doggy fest like no other, happening this Saturday in the Village at Shirlington. This is a pooch-a-palooza. Everything dogs and dog owners like will be on display in Shirlington. Oh yeah, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, it’s gonna be on like Doggy Kong. The event will include pet …

With a recent royal wedding, the Summer Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, I can understand if all eyes are on London. But it seems retailers are busy pushing Paris. Everywhere I go I see Paris-themed products. From Target to Neiman Marcus, Paris is plastered on sheets, plates, cubs and canvas. The Eiffel Tower is more prominent in American stores than the Statue of Liberty. What is up with that? Remember just a few years ago, after the French opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq, we had folks using the term “freedom fries” to describe french fries? Now it’s Viva la Paris! …

I’m a mom. I like babies. Even when the cutie patooties are crying, I still like babies. What I can’t stand is the baby brigade. I’m talking about the team of moms who stroll into coffee shops, restaurants or the bookstores with screaming babies. These women commandeer corners of a room, seemingly oblivious to the destruction and disruption their little darlings are causing. They operate under the belief that having a baby gives them a license to annoy. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about the irritable, hungry baby who cries out. Babies are babies. They do what babies do. Who blames …

When Signature Theatre hosts its annual open house Saturday, expect a few proud whores to show up. The open house is free and takes place from noon to 10 p.m. in front of Signature Theatre in Shirlington Village. The all-day event will feature master classes, discount ticket offers and “Signature Idol,” a talent competition. Among the many activities will be live performances, including cast members from the upcoming run of "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas", which opens Aug. 14. When you see the poster for the show you immediately notice the word "whorehouse" emphasized. In fact, the word…

When you use a coffee house as an office, do you expect them to pay your bills? It sounds silly. But when people park their tushes at a business for hours and order nothing more than a cup of coffee, that's pretty much what they are doing. These coffee houses are businesses. The owners are in business to make money. They pay rent, employee salaries, utilities, taxes and, of course, for that comfy seat people sit in all day. A cup of coffee sold every four to five hours will not pay the bills. The longer you stay, the more you should pay. Why? Because those who use coffee houses as an office, …

With crains hovering over construction of apartment and condo buildings, it’s easy to assume Arlingtonians only prefer high-rise homes. However, even in this densly populated county, a handful of home styles, most pre-dating the 1950s, remain timeless and popular. The Bungalow The word “bungalow” comes from the Indian word bangla, which, in the 19th century, referred to houses built in the Bengal style. Bangla were thatched-roof cottages that had low roofs and porches built around them. The Clarendon and Lyon Park neighborhoods are filled with post-World War II bungalows and newer versions …

The storm that hit Arlington on Friday night caught many residents off guard. A fourth-generation Floridian, I weather storms well. I keep a small basket full of batteries, flashlights, candles and lighters at all times. Even so, like most Arlington residents, I was not prepared for multiple days without power. This made me rethink my personal emergency preparedness plan. I’m not talking about medical supplies. Let’s be real. For most of us, weathering the storm means finding ways to stay cool, connected, fed and entertained.  Staying Connected I own a Blackberry, Kindle Fire and a laptop. I …

A bold trend has come to light: More designers are using bigger and bolder lights in interior spaces. These light fixtures, once used to accentuate, now punctuate. Technically called accent lights, used to shed light on rooms, these fixtures are now show stoppers, garnering more attention than rugs, tables and chairs. Walk into showrooms or design houses and you will see lighting that wows. Like works of art, these light pieces evoke emotion as well as please the eye.  I started noticing this trend late last year, especially in kitchens where previously designers implemented what I called the…

Next time you feel bored with your kitchen, consider opening things up with open shelves. Inexpensive and easy to install, these shelves are making a comeback in kitchens. An easy way to add additional storage, open shelving can be as simple as a couple of spice racks above a stove or as elaborate as a system that fills an entire wall with no upper cabinetry. Can you live in the open? As appealing as open shelves look, they require a certain temperament and personality. Remember, everything is exposed — including broken or chipped dishes and all those mix-matched beer mugs. Before installing …

Decorating a small bath? This is your chance to go big on style. Avoid the inclination to minimize style simply because you lack space. Instead go bold with these simple ways to bring big style to your small bath. Glide on glossy paint. Cover white walls with a high-impact, high-gloss paint.  By high-impact I mean a deep dramatic color like burgundy or gold. I especially like bold colors in powder rooms where the space is more like a show room for guests. Hang a dramatic piece of art. So much of bathroom wall space is taken up by mirrors, tile and towels. Change the mood in the room with a …

One day I noticed a neighbor had thrown out three dining chairs. They were the cheap, basic starter chairs you find at discount stores. Two were broken, which is probably why they were thrown out. But one was in great condition except for a few spots on the seat. I knew I could turn that trash into treasure. When I was a girl, my mother, a creative woman who reupholstered our living room sofa three times, taught me how to easily reupholster dining chairs. This skill has saved me tons of money over the years.  You can do it, too. No sewing is required. All you need is fabric, a staple gun, …

Anyone faced with decorating a space for kids has come across the bedroom-in-a-bag approach to interior design. Usually themed and available at big-box relatilers, these kits include bedding, wall boarders, matching lamps, wall decals, waste baskets and rugs.  Yuck! Although it’s easy to give in to the whims and desires of little ones, creating “matchy-poohie” rooms is a mistake. Not only will you tire of the nauseating overkill on colors and cartoons, the children will grow out of the theme quicker than you can complete it. Instead, create timeless, classic rooms for kids by sticking with …

Whether you want to remodel or simply redecorate, when it comes to creating an outdoor space, it’s important to think beyond the typical to achieve amazing. Michael Sauri, an award-winning Clarendon-based architect with TriVistaUSA, transformed a poorly graded Arlington backyard into a luxurious hidden patio.  Sauri said the ultramodern house, built in the 1990s, sits on a lot that slopes down from the street at a nearly 45-degree angle. Most people would write off such an awkward backyard as unusable. Instead, Sauri used the slope to add drama to a deck/patio combo.  “On the left side of the…

Never has the color gray shone as bright and bold as in this year’s Washington D.C. Design House. The annual Design House, open to the public now through May 13, features the work of the area’s top interior designers. This year they transformed a 10,000-square-foot, seven-bedroom estate in Spring Valley into a showcase of ideas. While some designers went with a trendy bright orange or pale blue, gray is by far the hottest hue.  Perhaps the most stunning use of gray is in the family room, designed by Daniel K. Proctor of Kirk Designs in Baltimore. Proctor created four 8-by-4-foot architectural…

Clean lines and simplistic elegance make a Shaker-style kitchen suitable for any home. To create an authentic Shaker kitchen, the key is to keep it simple. Born in 18th-century England, the Shaker movement emerged in New England in the late 1700s and reached its peak in the United States during the Industrial Revolution. Keen craftsmanship became the hallmark of Shaker architecture and furniture design. Shakers considered work an act of worship. They pursued perfection as praise to God. In this pursuit, Shakers designed with three tenets in mind: utility, simplicity and durability. An …

I can’t recall how many times I’ve gone to the grocery store thinking I was out of something, only to return home and discover I had five or six of what I thought I'd run out of. It can be easy to lose sight of what you have when things are pushed to the back of deep cabinets and pantries. More storage is at the top of the wish list for most people who are planning a kitchen remodel. But more storage is less important than better storage. By better, I mean efficient, user-friendly storage.  The Container Store, Home Depot and other home improvement stores are filled with shelf extenders, …