Velvet

Editor's note: One girl shows her classmates the value of accepting someone who does things differently from them. On the first day of school, Velvet's classmates brought their teacher cinnamon tea, lace handkerchiefs and heart-shaped boxes of potpourri. Velvet handed her teacher an egg carton filled with seven rocks, her favorite red shoelaces and half a sparrow's egg. Velvet was odd. At lunchtime, Velvet not only carried a used brown paper bag, but inside of it were things like carrots and a butter sandwich.

Slash (feat. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators) performed at Rams Head Live on Thursday night. Contributor Jay Trucker has this review: The banner atop the stage during Thursday night's tour-opening performance said it all. In size-72 font was the billboard for monosyllabic lead guitarist Slash, followed by a colorful size-48 font promo for his current lead singer-collaborator, Myles Kennedy. Below Kennedy's name, in 12-point font was the name of their touring rhythm section, the Conspirators.  For their part, the Conspirators were a capable and enthusiastic group, tearing through a 19-song set that showcased Slash's solo material and his work withGuns N' Rosesand Velvet Revolver equally.

Velvet Elvis lives a lowdown life, stuck in cheesy motel rooms, smoky barrooms, swap-meet sales. Velvet Jesus gets hawked by the highway, sold from the backs of pickups with Velvet Sinatra and Velvet John Wayne.For sheer kitsch value, black velvet paintings have always had fans. But respect for the highbrow variety -- yes, there is such a thing -- has been hard to come by until recently.But in places such as chic, white-walled Huntington Beach Arts Center in Southern California, an art form generally scorned and reviled in museum circles is now being celebrated.

From the moment you get engaged, immediately after showering you with excitement and congratulations, everyone wants to know where and when the wedding will be. The dust hasn't even settled in your brain but you quickly realize that this wedding isn't going to plan itself. Before you can even consider the pretty little details, you must settle on a date. And you certainly can't set a date until you know where this massive event is going to take place. Fortunately, being as familiar with our fair city as we are, my fiancé I had a pretty short list of potential wedding venues.

One day in 1968 when Juan and Abel Velazquez were 15 years old, their father sat them down and placed before them canvases of black velvet. Jose Velazquez had been a boxer in Mexico City. Later, he taught himself cartooning and, from there, to paint on velvet, which is how he was supporting his family. "Time for playing is over," he told them. "It's time to make money." He took up a brush, dabbed it in pink paint and handed down to his sons the one craft he knew. Starting with a simple classic of Tijuana velvet, he taught them to paint the Pink Panther.

Leaping lizards! Velvet is back for men this fall. No, not lounge-lizard wear, but beautiful silk- and cotton-based velvet blazers in colors like black, chocolate brown and garnet. "Velvet blazers are being tipped as one of the season's hottest items for men -- for fashion-conscious men, that is," says David Wolfe of the Doneger Group, which forecasts fashion trends. In New York, velvet blazers are selling like crazy, in spite of the warm weather. Stephen Cardino, men's fashion director for Macy's East, says most of the store's stock is being bought at this point by 16- to 24-year-olds who wear them clubbing.

It is no coincidence that plush and velvet are synonymous with richness. Velvet, the traditional fabric of the holiday season, is the stuff of welcoming evenings and formal portraits before the fireplace.Even earliest memories of special dress-ups were the red, velvet dresses with white lace collar that were de rigueur attire for the annual studio photo that was sent off to grandparents and doting aunts.This season, velvet is everywhere, cut into everything, and it is almost impossible to shop without running a hand over something luxurious and soft.

Put on your woolly slippers and snuggle down: 1999 may be the most comfortable year of the century.At least that's the prediction of the trend watchers, futurists, magazine editors, consultants and book authors we questioned to see what was in store for us as the 20th century ends - not with a bang or a whimper, say our experts, but with a soft "aaahh."We'll eat comfort foods like mashed potatoes. We'll wrap up in cashmere sweaters. We'll buy recliners that do everything but walk the dog. If we get any more relaxed, we may not be awake to welcome in 2000.

On South Stricker Street, where outsiders are unwelcome unless they have drugs or money to share, Tony Shore has neither. He pulls up in his teal Ford Escort and, like a traveling street vendor, pulls a few unframed paintings from the trunk and props them against the car. His casually hip clothes and Yale sticker in the car window go little noticed by the people who spend every sweltering afternoon on these streets like it's their living room. They have known him all 28 years of his life, since before his clothes were cool, before he could hold a paint brush.

Realism in modern art was kicked off more than a century ago when Charles Baudelaire called for pictures that depicted "the heroism of modern life." One wonders what the poet would have made of the paintings of Tony Shore, whose acrylic-on-black-velvet images of family and friends in inner-city Baltimore are on display at Gomez Gallery through Aug. 27. Shore is a storyteller and heir to a long tradition of naturalistic painting about the lives of ordinary...

Rita's Italian Ice is debuting its newest flavor, Red Velvet Cake Cream Ice, on Friday. The new "rich and creams" flavor is a limited time offering. That's not the only news out of Trevose, Pa. Beginning next Wednesday, Rita's is offering 50 percent off Blendinis from 5 to 7 p.m. The Red Velvet Cake Cream Ice offer and the “Great Blendini” event will both continue through April 29.        

I've never been one for flowers. I don't want to smell like them, don't want to receive them, don't even want to take care of them. But leave it to Pazo in Harbor East to make me want to drink them. The Blue Velvet is the stylish restaurant's standout violet-infused cocktail. Crème de violette, a brandy liqueur made from the actual flower, is the sweet star of the show. "It's unlike anything you've ever had," said bartender Carmen Motto. She's right. Though the Blue Velvet consists of only three ingredients, its creamy blue tint and intoxicating, floral aroma is entirely unique.

Red velvet is huge at weddings but it's a big deal for Valentine's Day. You can line your sweetheart's Valentine's Day with red velvet from sunup to sunset. Red velvet waffles and pancakes make a striking appearance on the breakfast table. Treat someone to breakfast at the Blue Moon Cafe in Fells Point, where Sarah Simington's red velvet pancakes, studded with white chocolate chips, are making their annual Valentine's Day appearance. For cocktail hour, head to Morton's the Steakhouse, which is serving its red velvet cocktail, a pretty potion of prosecco, raspberry lambic and Chambord, garnished with a raspberry.

Jackie of Baltimore wants the recipe for a red velvet cake: "Two years ago at Christmas, I had the chance to taste this cake but I can't find a recipe anywhere. " — Baltimore Sun recipe finder, 1990 Hang in there, Jackie. If you managed to wait 20 years or so, thousands and thousands of red velvet recipes are now yours for the clicking. But why bake? You can now to grab a red velvet cake in the bakery of your favorite supermarket. And while you're there, you can load up your cart with Ben & Jerry's Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream and red velvet tea from Republic of Tea. Red velvet is thriving on restaurant menus, on and off the dessert page.

Cupcakes Gourmet, a Philadelphia-area "couture cupcake shop," is selling a $55,000 red velvet cupcake. The new Sparkling Red Velvet Cupcake features an eight-carat diamond engagement ring from Warwick Jewelers, based in nearby Exton, Pa. The very special cupcake will be available for year-round order. And cheaper smaller variations of the Sparkling Red Velvet Cupcake are available year round, starting at a carat and a half. Individuals interested in ordering the cupcake must call any of the three Cupcakes Gourmet locations at least three days in advance to schedule a viewing with the participating jeweler.

Thousands of years of textile manufacturing have resulted in limitless options for personalizing your home with custom upholstery, window treatments, pillows, and bedding. What's important about selecting fabrics is determining which ones work in different situations. To find out what materials are best for sofas and chairs vs. windows and dining areas, I talked with a few interior designers in the region to get some expert advice. I've organized that advice into three categories: upholstery, window treatments and trends.

A year ago, when Velvet and Ted Kitzmiller were still nursing injured squirrels, owls and other wild critters in the family room of their Pasadena home, they dreamed of one day caring for their furry friends in a top-notch veterinary clinic. Yesterday, the couple showed off such a facility to volunteers and supporters, including Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens. She had helped Noah's Ark Wildlife Center - the Kitzmillers' family room project - find expansive new digs on county-owned land on the Broadneck peninsula.

The shapes are familiar, but the fabrics make the differenc this season. Old favorites like the motorcycle jacket get refinished in metallics, denim, silk, vinyl and even velvet.

Last Saturday, I went to Dubai. No, not the glitzy metropolis in the United Arab Emirates; the club on 200 E. Redwood St. that opened in late January under a new name after two years as the troubled Velvet Rope. With the change, the owners hope to distance themselves from a tarnished old name and associate themselves with the luxury that Dubai brings to mind. But those aspirations might be too lofty. If rebranding was all that a bad reputation needed, Hosni Mubarak might still be in power.

We weren't surprised to find out Joe Fava is an interior designer and owner of the Fava Design Group in Florida. The 40-year-old attendee of the Family Tree's 19th annual Great Chefs' Dinner was as put-together as the table he designed for the event — a purple Pucci-themed creation. "Trendy with an edge" is how the Baltimore native describes his style. The look : Aubergine cotton button-down Nara Camicie shirt. Black velvet Dolce & Gabbana blazer. Gray and black striped Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo pants.