Antique Shopping in New Orleans

Imagine a world of antiques at your fingertips. Now imagine these treasures located in restored buildings, some dating back to the 1700s, in one of the most fascinating cities on the planet. All are found here along the streets of New Orleans, where the astute antique collector can find anything...from museum quality continental antiques to art deco statues to weapons used during the Civil War and much more. The quaint shops along the streets of New Orleans hold your treasure regardless of your taste, budget or passion.

There are three main shopping areas for the antique lover: Royal Street and Chartres Street, both located in the historic French Quarter, and Magazine Street, which begins in the Garden District and continues uptown.

Royal Street and Chartres Street are home to some of the most interesting and elegant shops in the U.S. Here the serious collector will find museum quality furniture, art and jewelry. The Travel Channel named Royal Street the “World’s Best Street for Antiquing,” and collectors world wide agree.

Magazine Street is home to a six-mile strip of artsy and eclectic stores, where the collector can find fabulous country French antiques, ancient Oriental pieces, vintage clothing, exciting art galleries and much more.

"Wait! Take your shoes off!"

Some people have a rule in their home that both family and visitors must take off their shoes when entering the house. Have you ever heard "wait! take your shoes off!"

They may have a number of reasons for having such a rule. They may worry about their carpet getting dirty, they may want to avoid their hardwood floor being scratched by heels, they may fear that shoes could pick up toxins that might harm their children or it may be that removing shoes at the door is part of their culture.

I live in New Orleans, where keeping shoes on in houses is common and I have seen how damaged carpets and floors can get. I also think removing shoes promotes a more relaxed atmosphere in the home.

In some countries having a shoes-off policy is not necessary. That is because removing shoes is the cultural norm and nobody would dream of not taking their shoes off. Countries where it is like this include Japan, Thailand, the Czech Republic, Sweden and many more.

Rolls-Royce Debuts Auto-Adjusting Purse Rack

Rolls-Royce’s 200EX concept car has an exciting new feature that must be copied by automakers around the world: It’s the auto-adjusting purse rack. It might sound frivolous, but I think the 200EX’s designers may have hit on something.

Today’s handbags can easily cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars, and there’s no reason a bag The purse rack pops out of the backseat’s center armrest. Yes, it’s in the backseat; this is a Rolls, after all, and if you actually own one, you probably have enough money for a chauffeur, too. When you set your purse on the rack, it automatically adjusts its leather-lined grips to gently grasp the bag. One of my constant complaints about cars is I can never find a good place to stash my purse. Ideally, I’d prefer that it not be on the floor, but sometimes it ends up there. I recently got a ride in a 2009 Toyota Sienna and was excited to see an integrated purse hook in the front passenger area. An auto-adjusting purse rack would be even better, and could easily work in less expensive cars. Imagine having one hidden away in a car’s center console. No more putting your purse on the floor, it’d have a wonderfully luxurious home of its own.

Style 101: Where are thrift stores in New Orleans?

While many shoppers crowd the malls trying to squeeze in budget purchases, some are ringing up additional sales at thrift stores.

Retailers say more shoppers, whether they wear Rolex watches or live on fixed incomes, are turning to thrift stores to find bargains. That trend translates to higher sales for bargain outlets.

When we look at competition today, it's astonishing, said George Gurtner, director of marketing and development for New Orleans-area St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores. Gurtner cites several new dollar stores now offering items for a fraction of what a mall would charge.

On a recent Saturday, I saw 207 classified ads for garage sales, and garage sales are our competition. It's becoming trendy to shop thrift, he said.

That means more sales for stores whose proceeds serve the needy. And the St. Vincent de Paul store on Terry Parkway in Gretna holds its own while surrounded by several dollar stores, Gurtner said.

At one point, only poor people shopped at thrift stores, but that has not been the case I'm sure for at least 10 years, said Michael Ferrara, director for Bridge House's two stores. Bridge House is a New Orleans-based nonprofit that sponsors drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Dollar stores have been around for years as part of a market now seeing remarkable success, said Ellen Tolley, spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation. Because of recent success, she said she did not have market share figures for these types of stores.

People do realize they can get a good deal at thrift stores and dollar stores, which are good at advertising, Tolley said.

In some cases, dollar stores buy another retailer's excess merchandise or food nearing its expiration date so it can sell the items quickly and cheaply, Tolley said.

Dinnerware dated from 1912, ladies' cocktail dresses, precious jewelry and other vintage items can be found at thrift stores for a fraction of their original cost. Gurtner, who finds many St. Vincent de Paul pieces at estate sales, almost priced one necklace at $1.95; upon appraisal, he found out it was worth $25,000.

Sales and donations are both up this year at many New Orleans-area thrift stores, including St. Vincent de Paul's seven stores.

People have a house full of trash and they want to clean their houses up, Gurtner said.

Despite their growing popularity among upper-income families, thrift stores still mainly serve low-income shoppers and those who have been ruined by fire or can't afford clothes for their children, Gurtner said.

The bottom line is we are serving the poor and homeless, and if we pay someone to pick up (merchandise) that cannot be sanitized and resold, then we're not doing our job, Gurtner said.

Proceeds from St. Vincent de Paul's stores, which totaled about $1.5 million last year, help pay for Ozanam Inn, a homeless shelter on Camp Street and The Community Pharmacy on North Broad Street, which fills prescriptions for the homeless and poor for free.

Business will be steady as long as good merchandise comes in. Bridge House runs specials on furniture, appliances and computers, trying to draw in more customers.

Never knowing what you're going to find is a big draw for customers, said Jan Gunter, spokeswoman for Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana in New Orleans, which covers 23 parishes.

You can go in with one thing in mind and come out with several things you didn't know you were going to find, Gunter said. (Merchandise) changes on a daily basis.

Goodwill's 13 stores in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas took in more than $6 million last year, which helped pay for its job-training programs. Goodwill Industries International is based in Bethesda, Md.

The Salvation Army, headquartered in New York, is thinking of buying new items, said Dan Delaney, administrator for all four Salvation Army stores in the New Orleans area. Shoppers tend to hit the malls or discount stores, Delaney said.

Salvation Army merchandise typically sells for about one-tenth what it would cost new at a mainstream retailer, Delaney said. An antique bed and dresser worth $15,000 or $20,000 will sell for $3,000; suits worth $300 sell for $20.

Salvation Army's store sales, which total about $3 million annually, help pay for a drug rehabilitation center that treats 125 people, he said.

So whether there is a specific item in mind or just out to satisfy your curiousity here are a few of the notable thrift stores in the New Orleans area:

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We are 'Obsessed' with Mariah's Look...

In my opinion, Mariah Carey always looks good- whether she is attending the Cannes film festival, going to the Apollo, or making a music video. Who knew 40 could look so good?

Mariah and her husband Nick Cannon, who's currently hosting "America's Got Talent," reveal they plan to renew their wedding vows annually. Nick said, "We're going to get married every single year in a different location. You've got to do it different every single year, different every time, themed weddings , all of that."

Nick admits he is a big fan of Mariah's curvy figure. He makes sure she knows it's okay to put on some pounds. He told UWeekly, "I always tell her, 'Girl, you've got all those curves and me with no brakes.'

The couple recently spent a reported $7 million on Farrah Fawcett's former mansion. They reportedly put in an offer to buy one of Los Angeles' most prestigious homes, the Saperstein Estate in Holmby Hills, in March.

We Wear Short Shorts!

There are many unwearable, unbearable trends in the shops this summer: sheer, harem pants, sandal shoeboots...

But the one that is causing the most amount of angst among anyone over the age of 18 is the wearshorts.

Now, this fashion statement has wandered in and out of favour over the years. In the Seventies, there was brown hot pants, complete with braces. In the Eighties, tailored 'city' shorts were all the rage.

But shorts can look fabulous. I am not a fan of Victoria Beckham's buttoned-up, over preened style, but the lookshe threw together to get on a plane last week was spot on: denim cut-offs the size of a hanky under an oversize grey T, a tailored man jacket, bare brown legs and shoeboots.

The baggy T and the man jacket are key: my rule is that if you are going to expose one part of your anatomy, it’s always a good idea, and far less sexy and anxious making, to cover up everything else.

I like the way Victoria has pushed up her sleeves, very Miami Vice-style: these man jackets are all very well.

If you choose a pair of denim cut offs, the rest of you has to be quite smart and tanned - unless, of course, they are just to wear on the beach.

I like a bit of a cuff, but please don’t roll yours up so short they expose pocket linings, or knickers.

Denim hotpants beneath a big, belted white shirt, black tuxedo and very high heels are so much sexier and more original than the ubiquitous skinny jean with sparkly, strappy top we’ve been seeing every summer for more years than I care to remember.

Combat trousers are back in fashion again this summer. Combat shorts are also everywhere on the high street, and the same rules apply to combats as to wearing denim cut offs: keep the rest of your look sober and polished.

I like to roll my combats up to the knee and wear them with gold accessories. They look great with a chunky pair of black boots, too.

But teeny tiny tailored shorts were the big (small) news on the catwalk for this summer .

Tailored black hotpants look great for evening: if you are a bit shy, why not team them with an immaculate knee-length black tuxedo.

Whether or not tailored hot pants are acceptable office wear depends on your status and line of business. Ooh, and of course your legs.

Let us not beat about the bush here: to wear shorts in summer you need to do so without the comfort zone of a pair of opaque black tights, or indeed tights of any kind.

And unless you want to be riduculed by the style elite you need very good, very long, very exfoliated, hair-free legs.

Can you wear short shorts at any age? Again, it depends on your legs, and how you wear them. It’s all about attitude. Just avoid anything in plaid, or checks of any kind, or anything Lycra best only seen on a bicycle, and you’ll be fine.

Jackson Family Wearing Versace to Memorial

[Michael in Versace during HIStory Tour. Photo: Dave Hogan, Getty Images 1997]

Right now, if you aren't already following along, the LA Staples Center memorial service for Michael Jackson is taking place, being live-blogged and streamed bymultiple news outlets.

Taking center stage is Michael's casket, a 14-karat gold covered, velvet-lined showpiece that costs $25,000. Perhaps this is the last time we will see him in gold, he nonetheless will be remembered for his glitzy stage outfits, and his late 1990s HIStory tour featured costumes by Versace.

Janet Jackson, knowing that Versace was one of Michael's favorite designers as well as a friend, approached Donatella about outfitting the Jackson family in Versace duds for today's service. From the live feed, it appears that the men are wearing black suits with gold ties and a single, glittering glove in remembrance of their brother's trademark

Even the wrist bands to enter the service are sparkling gold. Follow the parade of celebrities and fashion luminaries in the audience and stepping up to the stage to pay respect to the King MJ.

Channeling "The Gloved One"

Here are some fun shots we took as a personal homage to the greatest..

Love you MJ- Mariah

RIP My King...

You guys know that we have grown up with the Jackson family since being little. This family is very near and dear to my heart and it breaks my heart to see people I love go through so much pain. The world has truly lost the greatest entertainer of all time. I want to say how incredibly saddened I am by "The Gloved One's" death.