Linda's blog

Green thumbs can get a little greener at Goldner Walsh Garden & Home. The Nursery is accepting all plastic garden pots and flats for recycling. Drop them off every weekend year-round. Just make sure they are clean, free of debris and neatly stacked (they do not have to be washed). Participants will be entered in a monthly drawing for prizes.

Goldner Walsh Garden & Home, 559 Orchard Lake Road, Pontiac, 248.332.6430

I was shopping in New York City last weekend and couldn't help but point out two boutiques to my girlfriends: Anna Sui and Shane & Shawn. If you're an avid reader of Strut, you know these lines are from Motown ex-pats who've made it big. It's nice to have a positive story to tell about the City.

We talked a little about Anna Sui in this month's Style issue (and how you can purchase her special blend of western-rocker-goth at Nieman Marcus).

The big news is that you can now buy Shane & Shawn at Nordstrom. Shoes created by these twin brothers are super comfortable. Both got their training at athletic shoe makers such as Nike. (To quote retro Easy Spirit ads, these shoes look like pumps, but feel like sneakers.) Pictured here (clockwise) are: Megan, $240; Clouise, $195; and Karlson, $195. Check out their Web site for pics from their Fall line. 

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Did you go Up North? Enjoy a last boat ride on the river? Or just a picnic with family? Tell us about your plans for last weekend in the comments below my blog. 

While I enjoy baking, I do not enjoy accumulating bakeware that either doesn't work or that I'll never use. So, even though I loved this train cupcake pan from Williams Sonoma I was hesitant. Did I really need to make little cakes shaped like trains?

The answer is yes. Absolutely. 

I made these last week (from scratch thank you very much) using the recipe that comes with the pan. The recipe requires you wash out the pan after the first batch to make the second. Both batches turned out perfectly. The cakes are super cute and perfect for someone like me who wants to have a little fun and doesn't want feel bad for not being a decorating expert. (I bought a can of Wilton's decorating icing and finished decorating these in about ten minutes. If the queen were coming, I could have just sprinkled powdered sugar and fruit on top and been good to go.)

If you haven't heard, an honest-to-goodness crepe stand has opened in downtown Detroit.

A crepe stand.

Like in Paris.

Who could resist? Recently, some fellow Strut-teneers and I made the short walk from our offices here to check it out.

August's theme is Moving On, chosen for this very transitory season. I've found some fun quotes to inspire you as you change gears. What are your favorite quotes for life's changes? Write them in the comments of my blog below. 

"The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions." 

- Ellen Glasgow

"The secret to getting ahead is getting started." 

-Sally Berger

Looking to for a different girls' day out idea? Maybe a trip out with Moms? Or your Moms-in-law? Maybe a fun outing with your son or daughter? How about The Henry Ford. I want to send you for free to spend a day enjoying one of the best attractions in the state -- not to mention the country. And you'll get to see Chocolate: The Exhibition before it ends. 

To win: Email me at talktous@strutmag.com and tell me the lessons you've learned from chocolate. It could be about how you've learned to stop counting calories. Or how you've learned to appreciate the calories you do intake. Or maybe just how much you love to share great things with the ones you love. Just tell me in 100 words or less today to be eligible. 

Mariposa Beauty Boutique & Studio will celebrate its one-year anniversary this Saturday, August 16, 2008 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. In celebration of its anniversary, the boutique will:

-Launch the trendy and popular Stila Cosmetics make-up line and offer complementary make-up applications by Stila’s national artistry team.

-Host an on-site animal adoption with the Michigan Human Society

-Present informal fashion show, complimentary wine & snackies, free luxury goodie bags

-Donate 10% of all proceeds to the Michigan Humane Society

The Henry Ford is an amazing resource and you get to go for free. All you need to do is email me at talktous@strutmag.com and tell me in 100 words or less about the lessons you've learned from chocolate (in tribute to Chocolate: The Exhibition now running at the museum). The email is due to me by 8/15. 

I'm actually a member of The Henry Ford and actually went just last Saturday. In case you need more reasons to enter this contest, here's a list of my favorite places at The Henry Ford Museum. 

If you knit and you haven't been to Artisan Knitworks, you should plan a trip soon. This Grosse Pointe Park shop carries some of the finest hand-spun and hand-dyed yarns in the area. In addition, all of their wearables (sweaters, hats, shawls, etc.) are made by professional knitters, not machines. 

The big news is that the shop is having a sale on almost all of its merchandise until August 24. Enjoy 20% off most everything but needles.