March 2010

If you love Arclinea kitchens and cooking demos of Italian food (that you later get to eat!), we recommend stopping by Arclinea Chicago at 314 W. Superior St. on Thursday, March 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. for the event Italia in Cucina. Chef Federio Comacchio of Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush will be manning the stove.

—GINA BAZER

Dad always said it’s what’s on the inside that counts. So when he sent along an e-mail filled with these kitschy but clever photo tarpaulins, I finally figured out what he meant! They’re made by a German firm that went from window and door decals to Style Your Garage. Neighbors will certainly stop in their tracks (or move!) at the sight of your swanky new Cesna, mid-life crisis mobile, stable doors, garage band, or any of the many hilariously designed cover-ups SYG offers on their site for $200 and up. So whether you have a warped sense of humor or no solution to your unsightly “up and over” garage door—they’ve got you covered. The site says they are as easy to attach as a screen in a window. All it takes is the Velcro fastener system they include, 15 to 30 minutes, an extra hand, measuring tape and a bit of moxie.

—BARRI LEINER GRANT

Naomi Cooper, director of marketing and public relations for Pierre Deux, the French Country boutique, was in town last week to present a preview of the company’s new spring line. If French Country isn’t your style, fear not: We spied plenty of things at the new store in River North that would blend beautifully with many types of décor. In particular, we loved these mega bottles ($120) of hand-blown glass (they’d look terrific grouped on a side table) and this line of pillows (shown: 12 inches by 18 inches, $250) from Ankasa, hand-embroidered, from France. Couture for your couch.

—JAN PARR