The G Collection, limited edition, couture-style line of hand-made chocolates created exclusively for Godiva by world-renowned pastry chef Norman Love, will be available for the first time ever at Mother's Day 2006. "Norman Love's inspired creation from Aaron Basha on the Palet d'Or piece is an exciting direction for our brand, which we know will resonate with Godiva's customers and moms everywhere," says Godiva Chocolatier President Gene Dunkin.

"We are excited to be celebrating our 10 year Anniversary of the Baby Shoe Charm with Godiva. Our designs have been compared to the sweetness of candy and how better to celebrate with than with the whimsical style of the G collection from Godiva." For Basha, Mother's Day is everyday. Basha has been charming moms everywhere for years, and has a long list of famed moms that you can find out about on http://www.aaronbasha.com/.

The 21-year-old actress will appear in Chanel ads beginning in 2007, the company announced Wednesday. Knightley succeeds Kate Moss, whose contract expired last October. The 32-year-old British supermodel had starred in the Coco Mademoiselle ads since 2002. Moss lost several high-profile modeling contracts last year after a tabloid published pictures of her allegedly using cocaine in a west London music studio.

"Keira Knightley is a bright, young actress who has already made her mark in a diverse portfolio of films, including her Oscar-nominated performance in Pride & Prejudice, " said Chanel artistic director Jacques Helleu in a statement. He also said Knightley's elegance, beauty and modernity parallel some of the brand's other previous famous faces, including Catherine Deneuve and Nicole Kidman, who represented Chanel No. 5. "(I am) really proud to have been asked to work with such an iconic house as Chanel, and thrilled to follow the extraordinary women who have been associated with it before," Knightley said in a statement.

• Autographed Advance Reading Copy of The Hazards of Hunting a Duke (Pocket Books), the hot new historical romance from bestselling author Julia London.
• Dark Demon by Christine Feehan (Jove), the thrilling, steamy new entry in the bestselling Carpathian vampire series.
• Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah (Ballantine), the heartwarming story of a woman who finds hope and inspiration in a mute six year-old girl.
• The Tao of Writing: Imagine, Create, Flow by Ralph Wahlstrom (Adams Media), the book that teaches writers how to invoke the principles of Tao to spur creativity.

We've just been overrun!" Reggie Bennett, a burly 41-year-old in full-body camouflage, shouted to the four young men behind him on a sunny day in the middle of March. "Our plane is down. We're going to our hole-up site!" One by one they followed his signal to move forward, crouching behind trees, carefully navigating through the brush, quickening their pace as they heard threats screamed behind them: "I see you, G.I.! You think you crafty, G.I., but I gonna put you in a cage so you can't get out!" They paused in a dried-up creek bed, Mr. Bennett bringing up the rear. "Keep quiet. There are land mines, B-52's and burnt craters all around us," he warned. "This is what a war zone looks — "

He was interrupted by a ringing cellphone. "You're going to my voice mail," he said, as he checked the incoming number. "I'm evading now!" But Mr. Bennett wasn't getting cellphone reception midbattle in Falluja. He was teaching his signature Hidden Pursuit escape and evasion class to college seniors who had forgone the wet T-shirt contests and beer bongs of Cancún, Mexico, and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the chance to dodge simulated gunshots and cannon explosions at Mountain Shepherd Wilderness Survival School in Amherst, Va.

*****

"They want to pretend they're on 'Lost,' " said Mr. Bennett, referring to the hit drama on ABC about a group of plane crash survivors trying to hack it on a remote island. "They watch those shows and think, 'Hey, that looks pretty cool.' " A former instructor of survival, evasion, resistance and escape in the Air Force, he started Hidden Pursuit last year after students, from retired radiologists to Google executives, asked for a more extreme challenge. Now it's one of his most requested classes.

Michelle Barnes, the vice president for marketing for the Outdoor Industry Association, a trade and lobbying group, said interest in wilderness and survival schools was piqued when "Survivor" became a hit show in 2000. (The schools are unaccredited so there is no official count.) Then, she said, participation leveled off, but the success of "Lost" has reignited it, and schools are adjusting to create ever more extreme and far-fetched experiences. "It's consumer marketing," she said. "People watch TV shows that show extreme adventure racing and extreme survival, and so schools are trying to add that twist to their programming." Huddled under gnarled tree branches in the Virginia backwoods, Mr. Bennett and company had just arrived at a temporary "hole up" location, where they could apply camouflage makeup. "First assess your medical problems — take care of massive bleeding," Mr. Bennett commanded his troops, who nodded earnestly, even though none appeared to have a scratch. "Now we restore fluids and apply camouflage."

"This is awesome!" exclaimed 23-year-old Garrett Foster, an engineering student. Soon the men were rubbing green, brown and black stripes over their faces and necks, occasionally pausing so one of them could take a picture with their point-and-shoot cameras. "This is the funnest part yet," said Justin Hightower, a 23-year-old political science major in Oklahoma, who said he signed up for the class because camping had "become boring." Mr. Bennett seemed surprised. "What about the firecracker part yesterday?" "That was cool, but I want to see you blow up a stump!" said David Brush, another student. Mr. Bennett leaned back on the tree stump. "Yep," he said in his Southern drawl, "we're men doing manly things."

California has always had a soft spot for ugly shoes. Birkenstocks and Tevas have caught on here, fortifying the state's reputation as a haven for gimmicky fashion. Not everyone thinks Ugg boots are ugly, but even people who do seem to wear them. Now come Crocs. They're rubbery. They're garish. They're a lightweight sandal-clog hybrid, and if a Niwot, Colo.-based company has its way, they're about to be omnipresent in the Southland.

On Monday, Crocs Inc. announced that it had replaced Nissan Motor Co. as the main sponsor of the Los Angeles-based AVP Pro Beach Volleyball tour, which automatically adds the shoemaker's name to the tour title. The move signals that the company, which initially hesitated to push into more heavily populated U.S. markets for fear of not being able to keep up with demand, is sharpening its focus on California.

Initially imagined for boating, Crocs have snagged a wider-than-expected following of fans, including children and chief executives. Made from a shiny resin, in colors that can be described as relentlessly cheerful, they are the rare fashion statement that can be hosed off. And weighing just 6 ounces apiece, they don't bog you down. The company, which made its first shoe in late 2002, saw sales swell to $108.6 million last year from $13.5 million in 2004. Crocs, which retail for $30 to $60, now sell in 6,500 U.S. stores and in 40 countries.

*****

Whether there is an upper limit to how stylish a Croc can be is an open question. Yes, the shoes lay claim to a few things that Manolo Blahniks can't — namely, they're made of an antimicrobial material that does not attract odor. But sexy, they're not.

How is ShopWiki different? Kevin Ryan, ShopWiki's CEO, tells us that, instead of relying on products feeds to populate its site, as some shopping sites do, ShopWiki crawls 300,000 sites. So ShopWiki comprehensiveness is one selling point.

The other is the abiity of users to write buying guides that anyone can edit or add to. This search for coffee makers turns up this buying guide. that people can add a comment to or edit.

"Hopefully, when you read the buying guide on ski boots or fondue pots, it'll help you figure out what you want,'' Ryan said.

Editors monitor the wikis to make sure the content is relevant, and to prevent companies from trying to hype their products.

Fast-acting products that offer immediate brightening, lightening, lifting or tightening effects often work by using ingredients that temporarily camouflage blemishes, spackle the skin, or stiffen it, making it feel tauter. But many of those instant products do not provide long-term benefits, doctors say. Quick-fix beauty items are to cosmetics what cellphone cameras are to technology: they are fun to use and offer instant gratification, but their results can be fuzzy. "Skin care is like dieting," said Karen Grant, the senior beauty industry analyst for the NPD Group, a market research firm. "You have to invest time and effort. There is no instant miracle cure."

*****

The company says the freezing effect comes from two ingredients: gamma aminobutyric acid, a substance found in the human nervous system that can block signals between nerves and muscles, and gynostemma pentaphyllum extract, derived from an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine. The company contends that gamma aminobutyric acid, a molecule that stays on the skin's surface, activates smaller gynostemma molecules and sends them through the skin, where they signal muscles to relax, according to Gene Beilis, a pharmacist who is the vice president for product development at Freeze 24/7. But the company has no scientific evidence to back up its claim that its products actually affect facial muscles.

*****

Dr. Born, the plastic surgeon in Toronto, theorizes that Freeze 24/7 really works by numbing the skin on impact and then solidifying when it dries, making the face feel tighter. Mr. Beilis agreed that gamma aminobutyric acid is a powdery substance that coagulates when it dries, gripping the skin in place. Another ingredient in the product, eugenol, a clove derivative used in dentistry as an analgesic, "gives you a cool, numbing, tingling sensation," he said.

*****

But even if the products work only superficially, they may have a long-term benefit, said Dr. Diane C. Madfes, a dermatologist in Manhattan. "You are instantly limiting the movement of the skin by putting a restrictive barrier on your face," Dr. Madfes said. If such a product is used daily, it may train the face to stop making movements that cause furrows, she said. "So you may prevent new wrinkles from forming or already-existing wrinkles from getting worse."

Dr. Born offered an alternative treatment for frown lines: Scotch tape. Ever since they were teenagers, five of his patients have been taping their foreheads every night, and they have no frown lines now that they are in their 30's and 40's, he said. There are no published clinical studies that prove Scotch tape reduces wrinkles, but it costs only $2.19.

Samuel Sheefeni Nuuyoma, the governor of the Namibian province where the couple is staying at a heavily guarded lodge, said he had breakfast Friday with the two stars, according to The Sunday Times of South Africa. He said Jolie had made those choices because "she loves Namibia."

Namibian immigration officials confirmed earlier this month that the couple and five other people, including two children, arrived in Walvis Bay on a chartered jet from Paris, prompting speculation their baby will be born in Africa. The couple has been shielded from reporters by heavy security at a secluded beach resort near Walvis Bay, in an area where Namibia's desert sand dunes descend spectacularly to the sea. But the Sunday Times carried what it billed as "exclusive" pictures of Jolie hugging 1-year-old Zahara and Pitt carrying sleeping Maddox, 4, to a sports utility vehicle. Both Pitt and Maddox sported matching haircuts.

It also had a photograph of a security official chasing a photographer along the beach. The newspaper also said Pitt had managed to evade paparazzi and go riding on an all-terrain vehicle in the Namibian desert and the couple and the two children have visited various game reserves and wildlife foundations. Nuuyoma said he wanted his guests to feel "at home and free." "Namibia is a country where everyone has the right to freedom of movement, and they must not feel inhibited when they visit this beautiful country of ours," he was quoted as saying by the Sunday Times.

But in Switzerland, a row over who owns the right to produce a specific Easter bunny has turned the day a little sour. Lindt says only it has the right to make its trademark golden Easter bunny, with a red ribbon around its neck. It is challenging Austrian company Hauswirth, which has been making similar ones for 50 years. Chocolate company Lindt has been making its bunny since the early 1950s and it is hugely successful. It sells 60m of them every year. To protect the design, the company copyrighted it in the year 2000.

"Our bunny is magical, majestic even", Lindt's managers say, "and we will protect it." There is just one problem, other chocolate makers make Easter bunnies too. And the small Austrian company Hauswirth's golden bunnies have, yes, red ribbons around their necks. The two rivals are now squaring up against each other in court. Lawyers for Lindt say the Hauswirth bunny must change its colours. They have suggested bronze wrapping instead of gold and a green ribbon instead of red. Hauswirth refused and lost the first round in court, meaning the Hauswirth bunnies could not be sold.

In frustration, the company began giving them away, delighting thousands of children across Austria for whom Easter came early. Now another day in court has been scheduled but not until June. Let's hope the chocolate hasn't melted by then.

Carey will be personally involved in all aspects of product development, packaging and marketing, the company said in a statement. "She is, unquestionably, a star of incredible magnitude. All over the world, people aspire to the values she represents," said E. Scott Beattie, chairman of Elizabeth Arden, in a statement Thursday. "We look forward to launching an inspiring new global fragrance brand with Mariah that will be a timeless classic."

A spokeswoman for Elizabeth Arden declined to comment Friday on the terms of the deal or the details of the fragrance. Other celebrities who have launched Elizabeth Arden fragrances include Britney Spears for Curious and Fantasy, and Elizabeth Taylor for White Diamonds, Black Pearls and other scents.

Ben Affleck, new mom Jennifer Garner is shoppin'! And this gal is a dedicated type. She's been hitting, somethin' serious, the racks at Life Size Kids at Fred Segal. Oh, and fer those of you at home who want to live and throw credit cards around just like Missus Affleck, all you have to do is go to www.lifesizekids.com. Fun stuff--if you're a breeder type, that is. (And before all you white-picket-fence folks get all huffy 'n' politically correct puffy, some of my best fagola friends are breeders!)

"[Garner] comes in all the time," whispered my shopaholic sistah in spying. "And she comes in by herself, which is rare." It's time for me to dig up the couture crystal ball. Katie Holmes, you are shopping in Beverly Hills. You are without your fiancé, Tom Cruise. Now, let me close my eyes and try to hear your inner monologue. Yes, terrific! I got it! Here goes: "Hello, shoe. I like you, shoe. You have a big heel, and I have a big belly. Shoe, say hello to belly. Hello, belly! Hello, shoe! I hope my big sunglasses don't fall on you. Please, no. Belly says, 'I am coming to get you, big sparkly shoe!' Bad belly. Big belly says, 'I like my shirt. I am a plebian. No, I am not. I like money. Did Michelle Williams get as big as me? I don't think she did. I am hungry. I want vitamins. I want teddy bears and soccer games! I want to eat a teddy bear.' Cutie coif then adds, 'I don't look like a soccer mom. I like my hair in a bun. I feel like I Dream of Jeannie, but I don't dream of Jeannie. I dream of Tom..." Yeah, whatev. Everybody from Paris H. to Lara F.B. hauls her nonexistent bum in there all the damn time. But hang on, here's my fave part to hate: Jen-doll's latest purchase was a T-shirt that read, "I Love Daddy." Wow. Ben, I sure as hell hope ya like that one, because I'm damn near about to lose my Morton's chopped salad. (I also hope you're on full-time dad duty, B.A., though I hear you ain't. Again, whatev.)

Look, another fan of this pink-and-blue haute-newborn spot is Katie Holmes. The Segal folk practically have 911 on hold whenever she stops by, so about to pop she appears. But here's where I have to be a little cagey, out of courtesy to my purchase-happy source. Katie went on a damn spree this past week and bought tons of stuff. And of course, she was not alone. She was accompanied by her assistant, who paid for everything--like clockwork. That's how it always goes down.

*****

Back in Fred Segal reality, I can't tell you exactly what Ms. H. bought. I've been sworn to secrecy, and even I am capable of shutting my damn mouth once in a while. But I will say this: Katie, very clever, indeed. You see, Ms. H., who really shops like nobody's biz these days (is she just "nesting," as new moms-to-be call it, or is she sublimating career interruptus?), purchased such interesting little adorable kiddie gear. All in blue and in pink. Oh, girl. Have you been having us all along with this boy-girl handicapping? You having one of each?

The buyer was Stephen A. Wynn, the Las Vegas casino owner and collector, confirmed two people familiar with the transaction, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of being accused of betraying confidences. Mr. Wynn did not return repeated phone calls seeking comment. Several years ago he would have been among the first that collectors thought of as a buyer. In the late 1990's and early 2000's he acquired art with gusto, snapping up paintings by artists from Rembrandt and Vermeer to Picasso and Cézanne.

But recently Mr. Wynn has been selling more than he has been buying. In October he sold two paintings — van Gogh's "Peasant Woman Against a Background of Wheat" (1890) and Gauguin's "Bathers" (1902) — to the hedge fund billionaire Steven A. Cohen for a total of $100 million. The paintings had once hung in the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art in Las Vegas, which Mr. Wynn founded, and were included in a 1999 catalog of the gallery's holdings. (When Mr. Wynn sold Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand in 2000, MGM transformed the gallery from a place to show Mr. Wynn's art collection to a kunsthalle, a museum without its own collection that presents loan exhibitions.)

The Turner he bought is a dreamy scene, one of three Venetian subjects the artist exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1841. This painting depicts boats on a cloudy Giudecca Canal, with the Doge's Palace in the background. It was being sold by St. Francis of Assisi Foundation, a nonprofit organization in White Plains that supports the missionary efforts of Capuchin priests and brothers worldwide. The painting was given to the foundation by an anonymous European collector. It had been on view for many years at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Two other bidders, another on the telephone and Robert Noortman, the Maastricht, Netherlands, dealer, in the salesroom, made serious attempts to buy the painting, which set a record price for the artist. The price was more than twice its $15 million estimate.

Jessica Simpson cut a multimillion dollar licensing deal for low-priced jeans and apparel and then failed to promote them as promised, according to a $100 million breach of contract lawsuit filed yesterday against the singer/actress. The Tarrant Apparel Group alleges that Simpson, 25, failed to support the clothing lines and even refused to be photographed wearing items from the JS by Jessica Simpson and Princy collections.

In its New York State Supreme Court complaint, an excerpt of which you'll find below, Tarrant contends that a three-year deal inked in December 2004 requires Simpson to be "actively involved" in promoting the clothing and that she should wear the garments at "public events, shows, and appearances" whenever "reasonably practicable." Simpson, the firm charges, "simply failed to provide the promised support." The complaint also notes that when Simpson was asked by the press last year to name her favorite brand of jeans, "instead of responding 'Princy,' she said 'True Religion.'" While Princy jeans retail for about $60, the trendier True Religion denim can cost more than $350 (for the unitiated, "Princy" is the nickname given to Simpson by her father/manager Joe).

The publicly-held Tarrant contends that the lines were crippled by the noninvolvement of Simpson, who once spoke glowingly of her clothing. "I'm completely involved. I will not put anything out there that I don't like myself," she told People magazine last year. According to Tarrant's lawsuit, the firm already has paid $2.2 million in licensing fees and agreed to $6 million in additional guaranteed payments.

Now rival CompUSA is taking a stab at the eBay drop-off market with a service it calls Easy to eBay. A rival of Circuit City’s, CompUSA, with 240 stores, has launched an eBay drop-off, auction listing and fulfillment service at stores in Las Vegas and nearby Henderson, Nev. CompUSA will compete with the 20 or so national franchise chains that offer stand-alone eBay drop-off services.

In addition to offering the usual menu of listing, packaging and delivery services for a cut of the final eBay selling price, CompUSA is offering something its rivals don’t: the option to receive credit toward purchases in CompUSA stores, in lieu of cash as payment for goods sold on eBay. “We’re in a unique position to simplify this for our customers and at the same time extend their buying power at local CompUSA stores,” says Larry Mondry, president and CEO.

"The U.S. Postal Service tells us it's unsafe, and now eBay is telling everyone that it is unsafe," said Matt Halprin, eBay's global policy VP. "So if a seller solicits or encourages offers to accept cash, [they are] encouraging unsafe payment methods and we do remove that seller's listing."

eBay managers approved the policy in October, but the change wasn't widely publicized or enforced until this week. Recently, several longstanding PowerSellers who have traditionally accepted cash complained that eBay is trying to force them to accept PayPal. eBay purchased the payments company in 2002, and is aggressively promoting its use.

Not permitted on eBay.com: Sellers may not solicit buyers to mail cash. Sellers may not ask buyers to send cash through instant cash transfer services (non-bank, point-to-point cash transfers) such as Western Union or Moneygram. Sellers may not ask buyers to pay with Stormpay. Finally, sellers may not request payment through online payment methods not specifically permitted in this policy.

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions including:

Listing cancellation

Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

Listing cancellation

Limits on account privileges

Loss of PowerSeller status

Account suspension

Suburbanistaism is cool of a leafy, heavily mortgaged variety, extending far beyond designer labels to embrace home decorating, consumer spending, career choices, mothering behavior, exercise habits, short-range choices and long-term goals. Just as in the fashion world, you're either in (as Heidi Klum says on Project Runway) or you're out, in the suburbs you're either a suburbanista or you're – well, you’'re a mom from New Jersey. There is a world of difference between the suburbanista and the old-fashioned suburbanite as depicted by John Cheever and John Updike.

Suburbanistas don't drink martinis, for one thing, limiting themselves to a little prosecco (this year's pinot noir) in the garden with the book club. And they don't have affairs, being too besotted with their children to have much sexual energy left for their husbands, much less the hunky guy who prunes the dogwoods. How can you spot a genuine suburbanista? While the suburbanista drives a family-friendly car, it's likely to be black or silver instead of dowdy suburban beige. Her standard-issue Center Hall Colonial features cool midcentury furniture and real art on the walls.

And although suburbanistas may no longer be slithering into size 2 Narcisos, they like to stay fit, doing yoga and tennis and kickboxing, walking with friends and lifting weights with a trainer. You won't catch a suburbanista eating chips while watching The Biggest Loser, or at least not admitting to it. The suburbanista rarely admits to any marital, sexual, child-rearing, psychological, or - most disagreeable of all - money troubles, even if paying the mortgage amounts to a monthly victory.

Although suburbanistas can't afford to put much aside for emergencies or retirement or the kids' college, much less give any money away to charities or embarrassingly needy relatives, they do invest in home improvements. Central air, Viking stoves and pie-sized showerheads are essential to high resale value – and selling the house is how they plan to finance their kids' college educations, their retirement and their eventual escape from the suburbs.

The DVDs -- part of a series called "Sesame Beginnings" -- are intended to be watched by parents along with their small children. Sesame Workshop developed the shows with help of experts from Zero to Three, a well-regarded nonprofit advocacy group. Despite that prestigious partnership, the project has drawn fire from other experts who note that the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against TV viewing for children under 2. They fear the Sesame brand and Zero to Three's endorsement will convince many parents their infants would benefit from watching videos.

"There is no evidence that screen media is beneficial for babies and growing evidence it may be harmful," said the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. "'Sesame Beginnings' will encourage babies' devotion to TV characters that have been licensed to promote hundreds of other products." There already is a huge market for videos aimed at infants: "Teletubbies" has been on the air for nearly a decade, sometimes drawing similar criticism, and The Walt Disney Co.'s Baby Einstein products are very lucrative. Sesame Workshop had stayed out of this field, but says it now has found an effective way to promote interaction between parents and children under 2 _ something its executives say other shows don't do well.

"We didn't go into this in an impulsive way," said Rosemarie Truglio, Sesame Workshop's vice president of education and research. "We wanted to invite the parent into the viewing situation, to give the adult information about child development." Working toward that goal, the videos show characters such as Baby Elmo and Baby Big Bird with their parents or caregivers, going through daily routines like feeding and bedtime. Truglio contends there is no scientific research justifying the "extreme recommendation" from the pediatrics academy to keep the youngest children away from TV. "The reality is there's TV in 98 percent of all homes, and parents feel comfortable with it," she said. "We have to stop blaming parents, and create responsible content for them. ... The key is moderation. We're not advocating just plopping kids in front of a TV screen."

*****

Zero to Three's executive director, Matthew Melmed, said he had no second thoughts about the partnership and accused Linn's group of misrepresenting the new DVDs. "These are not 'baby videos' -- these are DVDs designed to promote healthy parent-child interactions," he said. "Once people understand what this product is designed to do, the response has been favorable." More than two-thirds of parents with kids under 2 already let them watch an average of two hours of TV a day, Melmed said. "What we're trying to do is meet parents in their daily reality, to help them do a better job in what is really the hardest job any person has," he said.

Dr. Kyle Pruett, a child development expert at Yale University and member of Zero to Three's board, initially was skeptical of the new videos but said his views changed as he thought of how to improve options for parents who already had decided to expose their small children to videos. "These are the absolute antithesis of park-your-baby-in-front-of-the-TV kind of videos," he said. "They are thoughtful, informative -- it's not a corporate campaign trying to draw kids into TV life."