An assortment of news items from the fashion world. ...more

February 17, 2009

Suspected U.S. missiles slammed into a compound near the Afghan border Saturday, killing about 30 people, local officials said. Most of the dead were thought to be militants linked to the Taliban or al-Qaida. ...more

February 15, 2009

Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling and their controversies are gone. The gray hairs on Theo Epstein's head have started to sprout. ...more

February 13, 2009

For the most part it was an awful week. Even in the sports world, where a lot of us go to hide from the daily drumbeat of bad news, we had to deal with the likes of Michael Phelps and Alex Rodriquez, two of sport's more visible figures and bigger disappointments. ...more

February 13, 2009

The floral industry survived the Great Depression. It did so because people tend to be gushier and more romantic during difficult times, said Trish Bechtelheimer, owner of Westover's Flowers and Gifts. ...more

February 13, 2009

The second the chimes sounded inside his home, Bill Tsompanidis knew he had an intruder. ...more

February 10, 2009

START YOUR DAY OUT RIGHT Whoever connected the dots between Valentine's Day and chocolate, our hat's off to you. Seriously. Well done. But though it's one thing to enjoy chocolate, it's quite another to eat, sleep and breathe it. Chocolate connoisseur Barbara Passino, famous for making decadent breakfasts at her Napa Valley inn, would like you to start your day with chocolate. Her recipes in her new book, "Chocolate for Breakfast" (The Gerald & Marc Hoberman Collection, $40) include Chocolate Omelet with Blueberries in Pinot Noir sauce, Poached Apples in Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Cups and Chocolate-Chocolate Pancakes. Now, there's an idea we can get behind. ...more

February 8, 2009