With the Olympics only two weeks away (Aug. 8 to 24, in Beijing), the world€™s focus is on American swimmer Michael Phelps, who won six gold medals and two bronze medals during his last Olympic outing in Athens in 2004. For all things Phelps to show your support, SpeedoUSA is the place to start. While in Beijing, the Phelps and the rest of the American swim team will be wearing the Speedo LZR Racer Bodyskin (pictured), billed as the world€™s fastest swimsuit — since its release in February, swimmers wearing these form-fitting suits have set nearly 40 world records. The LZR Racer can be pre-ordered for October delivery ($550). The Speed Socket goggles are like the ones Phelps wore in Athens; they have shatter-resistant polycarbonate lenses with UV protection ($25). A Michael Phelps silhouette T-shirt ($24) has an image of Phelps on the back, along with his signature, and the Speedo USA logo on the front. Zazzle sells a grey and blue €œTeam Phelps€ T-shirt ($21) with a more basic design. Put up this “Michael Phelps One More Time” poster with a striking photo of Phelps underwater ($10). Get a look at Phelps’ rivalry with fellow swimmer Ian Crocker in the DVD Unfiltered ($20) or improve your technique with the instructional DVD Personal Best: Butterly Instructional DVD with Phelps and his longtime coach Bob Bowman ($35). For the full story on Phelps, check out his autobiography, Michael Phelps: Beneath the Surface, ($16.50), which he wrote with Sports Illustrated writer Brian Cazeneuve.
Holy credit card, Batman! The Dark Knightsure does make you want to shop. The film, starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, scored the biggest opening in Hollywood history with $155 million. And while you may have already spent $10 on a movie ticket, there are superhero-sized amounts of Batman-inspired goods to keep the spirit of the movie alive. The official Warner Brothers Batman Store is a good place to begin. The general consensus is that Ledger steals the show as the Joker, so no doubt the black Joker T-shirt ($20) or the white “Why so serious?” Joker T ($20) is a good addition to any collection. A lunchbox with a Batman emblem is the perfect accessory for back to school ($14), while The Dark Knight limited-edition Batman bust ($66) or Joker statue ($165; pictured) could adorn the mantle of any comic-loving fan . At Target.com, fans can purchase The Dark Knight, a book featuring character sketches, director Christopher Nolan’s original shooting script and personal behind-the-scenes material created during filming ($27). Buzz is already growing for a possible Oscar nomination for the film’s music; pick up the movie’s soundtrack at Amazon ($13). Kmart offers fun Batman decor for youngsters. The Warner Brothers Batman rough bat valance ($12) goes perfectly with the Batman dark bat comforter ($25). Sweet superhero dreams!
Michael Tonello has been criss-crossing the country to promote his book, Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World’s Most Coveted Handbag. Squeeze this one into your summer reading list: It chronicles Tonello’s journey from New England based hairdresser/make-up artist to “Platinum Power Seller” on Ebay living in Barcelona. After moving to Spain for a job that falls through, Tonello turns to creative ways to pay rent. Eventually, he earns power seller status with Hermes products, specializing in the holy grail of purses: the Hermès Birkin bag, beloved by stars and socialites and virtually impossible to obtain through retail channels. A glance at eBay reveals asking prices from $14,000 to more than $55,000 (pictured is the elusive Hermès Rouge VIF Croc Birken with diamonds). BHTB is a fun romp and engaging memoir mixed with the allure of Hermès’ iconic bag. Tonello in person is a charming blend of Fred Astaire meets boy from New England. His Web site offers entertaining details about the book and author. I visited with Tonello at a recent signing, and he told me about his plan to produce a line of men€™s jewelry he’ll call His Inheritance (he wore a fabulous tourmaline ring he designed). He also plans to follow up his Birkin book success with a prequel detailing his adventures as a makeup artist/hairdresser. There may even be a series of children€™s books based on the antics of his cats, Dali and Gala. After persuading him to read some of his favorite BHTB passages aloud, I went to bed with visions of Birkins dancing in my head.
Pick a number between 1 and 10. Close your eyes and spin around once. Open your eyes. You were thinking of the number 5, right? Ok, OK, so we’re not as advanced as master magician/illusionist Criss Angel. But we do have some suggestions for getting into the spirit of magic in advance of Wednesday’s (7/23) Season 4 premiere of Criss Angel Mindfreak on A&E. Catch up on Season 1, Season 2 and Season 3 via DVD($15-$25). Pick up Criss Angel Mindfreak: Secret Revelations Book for $22 at A&E’s Angel shop. It includes 304 pages of intimate revelations and magical insights, plus reveals the secrets behind 40 mindfreaks. The Criss Angel Official Store sells everything from Criss Angel shotglasses to sweatshirts to belly button rings. The Angel 13 sweatshirt comes in 4 sizes and sells for $70. The shot glass set includes 5 glasses with different logos ($22), while the belly button ring features three CA Logos on baby cable chains dangling from a single 6mm crystal stone. For your little aspiriring magician, pick up a My First Magic Set ($15). The set includes 12 tricks created for small hands, plus the carrying case can be personalized. Magic-inspired gifts might be applicable for the casual fan. The magic wand letter opener is handmade to resemble a wand popular in the ’80s — Moon and star cutouts float along with shimmering metallic beads in the opener’s base ($50). The Magic 16 magnetic puzzle, a perfect accent for the executive’s desk, is like a spherical version of Tetris. And while it doesn’t take a magician to solve, it’ll take your own brand of abracadabra to find the solution.
Cupcakes have grown past their status as a fixture at third-grade parties. They’re becoming the artful stars of the bakery world. Cupcake-only bakeries are hot in big cities, and tiers of beautifully frosted cupcakes are replacing the traditional three-layer cake at weddings. Actress Katie Holmes kept herself and the crew of her movie Mad Money stuffed with cupcakes. Chicago Cupcakes has been featured on The Food Network and Ellen Degeneres’ show. This bakery will ship 24 freshly baked cupcakes (quick-frozen, packed in insulated boxes with dry ice, and delivered via FedEX) for $150. Chicago Cupcakes€™ flavors include almond joy, orange poppyseed, tiramisu and pineapple cherry. L.A.’s Famous Cupcakes delivers to all 50 states. Their €œcupcake bouquets,€ about $60 each, are fun for birthdays, baby showers, anniversaries, Thanksgiving, etc. If you can’t stomach designer cupcakes, make them yourself with Crate & Barrel’s €œ500 Cupcake€ cookbook ($15.95). After you’re finished, display them on their pretty three-tier cupcake stand ($37). Bed Bath & Beyond has the €œHello Cupcake€ cookbook ($16) and the very fun Wilton Silly Feet Baking Cups (little cupcake holders with colored feet), $10 for a set of four. And now that you’re hooked on the little confections, what better gift to give the baker in your life than a cupcake charm bracelet ($60) decorated with 20 tiny cupcake charms and small crystals.
Project Runway — the reality TV competition for clothes designers — launches Season Five at 9 p.m. Eastern on July 16. Sixteen designers are vying for the top spot, all hoping they’ll hear model/host Heidi Klum tell them “You’re in!” Celebrate the new season with some Project Runway online shopping. Kara Janx of Season 2 offers her kimono dress , ($220, pictured) made of soft rayon jersey that drapes to flatter any figure. Get it gray, brown or black, with its brightly colored sash. Ever-compassionate Tim Gunn, mentor to the show€™s designers, wrote a book last year, ”Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style,€ ($16). Gunn€™s message: find clothes that emphasize your best qualities, and don’t try to look like someone else. Michael Kors is one of the Runway, judges, and there are some great ballet flats in his online store. The vibrant red crocodile patent flats ($109) have the MK logo, and his gold patent leather Gaby flat ($109) would pair perfectly with a metallic silver outfit. If you€™re wondering what Season 4 winner Christian Siriano is up to, visit the Christian V. Siriano site (but you can’t buy his designs yet). However, Season 3 champ Jeffrey Sebelia sells his designs at Cosa Nostra Inc. Jeffrey€™s items include a cute knit hoodie with removable hood ($200).
Clarissa Dickson Wright (left), the portly women of the title, traveled around Britain in a Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle and sidecar to prepare old-fashioned British meals for different sets of guests. The setting for each dinner was nearly as interesting as the food — Westminster Cathedral, an Irish convent and a safari park — and the ladies always made a point of collecting fresh ingredients from local farmers, fishermen, butchers and bakers. They often broke into song, glorified “streaky bacon” and cream, and joked about vegetarians. The series ended when Paterson died of lung cancer in 1999. All 24 episodes are now available on 
