Irrespective of age, today's luxury homebuyers, seem to share pretty similar tastes. Kitchens are loaded with cabinets, granite countertops, Sub Zero refrigeration systems and other top-end appliances, in addition to butler's pantries. Such pantries are used to stack dirty dishes during dinner parties, store silverware and china and provide a bit of extra, concealed room for food preparation and clean-up. In today's luxury homes, main floors include offices or family computer rooms. Three- or even four-car garages are becoming increasingly common.

"Bonus rooms are also very popular," says Beckman. "It's the space over the garage where a room is built. They're often used as an extra playroom, an office, or home theater."

Hardwood floors are still "definitely what's happening," according to Beckman. Laundry rooms are back in vogue, while louvered doors in front of a washer and dry are out.

"If I feel worn out, I might have a sugar-free Red Bull. Those always bet me going. Not the regular ones, though-- there are 110 calories in those little things!"

"I eat low-fat and low-carb, but I can't cut carbs out completely. I like them too much. For me, it's all in moderation.I eat turkey burgers, chicken fish. And Boca Burgers are great, hight and protein and low in carbs and fat."

"I really like the Clarins self-tanner, but I usually mix it in with my moisturizer; that way, I know it'll never streak, because it's so subtle. You do that a couple of days in a row, and it's great."

A recent experiment in which a reporter visited various commercial corners of Manhattan with a high-grade thermometer found that almost without fail, the more ritzy the establishment is trying to be, the colder the air-conditioning is kept. In other words, the higher the prices, the lower the temperatures. Consider the clothing stores: Bergdorf Goodman, 68.3 degrees; Bloomingdale's, 70.8; Macy's 73.1; Club Monaco, 74.0; the Original Levi's Store, 76.8; Old Navy 80.3.

For the experiment a pair of professional-grade Mannix HDT303K digital thermometers were used. The temperature was measured as close to the center of each establishment as possible, away from any vents, moving air or doors. When the thermometers' readings differed (never by more than 0.4 degrees), the two were averaged. The reporter did not announce his presence as one but entered each place of business as a normal customer would. While a few degrees' difference might not sound like much, the feeling on bare skin can be surprising. Tiffany & Company (70.3), where a sterling silver baby rattle sells for $200, lacked the meat-locker-like sting of Hermès (68.6), which sells a stainless steel thermos for $1,200.

"There is still a status symbol in almost over-the-top air-conditioning," said Craig Childress, the director of prototype design for Envirosell, a New York-based consulting firm that studies retail stores' designs to help them maximize sales.

High-end retailers argue that cool air is a positive part of their image. "It's part of the whole environment package that we try to offer to our customers," said Tony Nicola, vice president for operations at Bergdorf Goodman. "We're offering the best of service in New York City, and what comes with that is how the store looks, how it's lit, the cleanliness and the temperature."

Last year Bergdorf's installed a new air-conditioning and heating system that features an array of software and sensors designed to keep the air near the target of 68 degrees. "I don't think it's too cold," Mr. Nicola said.

At least one shopper agreed. Sylvia Pastor, who lives on the Upper East Side, said she found the cool temperature invigorating, adding that it kept her shopping longer than a warmer temperature might have. "It's good for the store," she said. "But not for my pocketbook."

Gail Cooper, the author of Air-Conditioning America: Engineers and the Controlled Environment, 1900-1960 (Johns Hopkins, 1998), said the music, lighting, traffic flow and hygiene of modern retail stores would be impossible without air-conditioning. "You don't get outside air, you don't get dirt," Ms. Cooper said. Without air-conditioning, many stores would not be able to use the brightest lights because of the heat they give off, she said.

The stunning actress and mother-of-three has taken over from the singer as the face of Versace. Six images for the new campaign, which will appear in the glossies in August, were shot by Mario Testino is his London studio recently. "I have known Demi Moore for many years and never has she been as beautiful as she is now," Donatella told Women's Wear Daily. "Her presence is magnetic because it is entirely natural and never forced. Her personality comes shining through." And Demi was just as pleased about the project. "I was thrilled and honoured when they asked me to do the new campaign," she said. "Donatella is an amazing woman who has never been better and I adore working with Mario. The whole creative team was an absolute joy."

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A Levine Books), the most anticipated book release of the summer.
  
  
• Hero, Come Back (Avon Books), a collection of three wonderful historical romances from bestselling authors Stephanie Lauren, Christina Dood and Elizabeth Boyle.
  
  
• 78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published & 14 Reasons Why it Just Might by Pat Walsh (Penguin), the lively and plainspoken guide to getting published.
  
  
• Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (Back Bay Books), the hilarious, bestselling book of essays from David Sedaris.

Instantly awakening the senses, Grapefruit is a lively, uplifting citrus with a spicy heart. Grapefruit and tangerine are combined with vetiver and rosemary to create this outspoken citrus that seamlessly journeys from morning tennis to business lunch and on to evening cocktails.

Cohen said names like American Eagle Outfitters, which offer the popular destroyed look, and Lucky Jeans, with its new wash-and-flared leg style, are winners for back-to-school because they jumped on the trend a few years ago.

Arizona Jeans will also be a good seller, Cohen said. Sold at J.C. Penney Co., the pants come in the destroyed look with a comfortable, loose fit that caters to all sizes, including plus and maternity.

Levi Strauss jeans were selling at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Kmart should also do well selling its jeans, Cohen added.

"We're seeing embellished denim with embroidered back pockets of various designs like butterflies and lettering," said Dan Hess, chief executive of Merchant Forecast, an independent research group specializing in retailing.

"The codes have broken down completely," said Valerie Steele, the director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. "The other night I was at a dinner sitting next to someone who was talking about how he couldn't tell anymore, that he just didn't have any gaydar. And it was so funny. I couldn't tell if he was gay or straight."

What has sped the change is the erosion of the time-honored fashion hierarchy. For years gay men were the ones to first adopt a style trend - flat-front pants, motorcycle jackets, crew cuts - and straight men would pick up on it more or less as gay men tired of it. Now gays and straights are embracing new styles almost simultaneously.

"The lag time between gay innovation and straight appropriation is nonexistent now," said Bruce Pask, the style director of Cargo magazine, who is gay. "They're picking up the trends as fast as we are." Marshal Cohen, the chief analyst of the NPD Group, which researches trends in the fashion industry, noted that far more men now feel free to indulge an interest in style. In 1985 only 25 percent of all men's apparel was bought by men, he said; 75 percent was bought by women for men. By 1998 men were buying 52 percent of apparel; in 2004 that number grew to 69 percent and shows no sign of slowing.

"We have left the era when the defining line for men is one of sexual preference," he said. "Now, it's either 'I want to be stylish' or 'I don't.' " With the coming of the Internet, men, away from the scrutiny of salespeople, are free to shop in places they might not visit in person and to buy clothes that, stripped of the context of a store, lose not only gay or straight meanings but also intimations about class, age and race.

Whenever I'm doing a public appearance at one of our stores, I always use our "tickled peach" cheek stain and "danny & sandy" double-ended lip gloss on everyone. The colors are universally flattering and they make you look polished without looking too "done."

Mix a few drops of Visine or saline with your eye shadow to take it from dry to wet. Use the black end of one of our double-ended eyeliners and then go over it with our double duty eyelining brush dipped into "black magic woman" shadow.

For a classic "night" look, go for nearly naked eyes with really lush, beautiful eyelashes. This couldn't be simpler to do. I like our "valley of the dolls" shadow with any mascara. Finish off with a red lip (try tarte chianti) and red nails (Deborah Lippmann's My Funny Valentine is a great one).

Mix glistening powder with your favorite lotion or oil to moisturize your legs, and voila! A modern alternative to hosiery. When it's too cold to be hose-free, the glistening powder is also beautiful on collarbones. Material Girl is my favorite for adding a subtle sheen.

After doing a full face of makeup, wash your hands, but don't completely dry them. Pat your damp hands gently on your cheeks, nose and forehead -- it makes your makeup look less "done" and matte and more fresh and natural.

What newlyweds don't get excited by the sight of the trademark blue Tiffany's box? They will also be excited by these two seven-ounce, hand-blown Swedish crystal champagne flutes. These are the perfect gift for when the newlyweds celebrate their first anniversary.

And so the cognoscenti ask for Ombrelle Extreme ($11), Garnier's Ambre Solaire ($24) or the particularly coveted Anthélios XL by La Roche-Posay ($40 and more for a relatively small tube) at certain drug stores -- like Zitomer and Cambridge Chemists on Manhattan's Upper East Side -- or order it online from Canadian or French pharmacies or even on eBay. Though the F.D.A. does not track down and prosecute those consumers, the purchases are technically illegal.

"I started buying it from Canada," one 46-year-old New Yorker said about Anthélios, which she has used for three years. (She insisted that her name not be published because she did not want it publicly connected with illegal purchases.) The Canadian pharmacy Web site feelbest.com sells a three-ounce tube for a little over $20, which is less than half the cost at Cambridge Chemists.

The demand for Mexoryl is partly driven by one of the strongest motives: vanity. People are getting wise to the idea that UVA rays, less known than sunburn-causing UVB rays, cause classic signs of aging, not only wrinkles but also sagging skin, brown spots and yellow discoloration. And finding a legal sunscreen in the United States that effectively blocks UVA light, which Mexoryl-enhanced products do, is not as easy as it might seem.

But Mexoryl seems more effective than any of these at protecting against UVA light. In 2000, Canadian and French researchers slathered six brands of sunscreen and sunblock on the backs of volunteers and exposed their skin to a UV sunlamp for 15 minutes. The product containing Mexoryl (along with avobenzone, titanium dioxide and other ingredients) was more than twice as effective in protecting against UVA light as any of the others. The study was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

"That deeper penetration and deeper damage [from UVA rays] is what we think is really associated with premature aging in the skin," said Dr. Clay J. Cockerell, a Dallas dermatologist, who is president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The UVA rays can also damage cells and DNA in the dermis, decrease the skin's immunity and generate harmful free radicals. Though the exact mechanisms remain unclear, doctors assume these actions explain why UVA exposure is also associated with skin cancer.

For many years women have carried year-round bags. Now the summer bag is back. One of the beauties is the delicate flower-pattern design from Gucci, worn with a floral jacket. Copies abound, but there's no mistaking the real McCoy with its vibrant colors and delicate flowers, reminiscent of the Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters.

The SwissMemory 1GB knife contains the usual knife blade, screwdriver, nail file and scissors – but also has a mini LED flashlight, a retractable ball-point pen and a 1GB USB memory device. There's even Swiss Army's Secure-LOCK software to keep your portable data safe. Once again, you pay for your thrills — swissmemory 1GB retails for $197.

Born of quiet slate and polished stone, cool glass and falling water, BathHouse delivers a spa experience like no other. Visitors pass through an ultra-suede-lined passageway into a spacious lobby marked with white onyx floors and signature slate walls. Beyond the lobby, guests journey down a common corridor toward a peaceful rainfall before parting into separate lounges for men and women. On BathHouse's main level, areas of repose, where only the sounds of water emanate, complement communal areas where water is used to refresh and relax through hot-and-cold plunge pools and open rainfalls. Within private rooms, guests may enjoy total solitude while soaking in spacious four-by-eight-foot bathtubs under dramatic 23-foot ceilings. Connected by a glass-railed stairway, BathHouse's second level features 12 private treatment rooms, an area for manicures and pedicures, and a lounge where male and female guests may enjoy each other's company while awaiting individual treatments.

After almost a week at sea, I was making real progress in my morning yoga as well. (The first day's crowding had been solved by a sign-up sheet limiting the class to 25 people.) Now, when we bent over in a Forward Fold, I could touch the floor again. Thanks to regular applications of Jitesh's ice deliveries, which were waiting for me in a silver champagne bucket after each day's class, my Achilles was holding up. Though I already knew the poses, Robin and Michael's explanation of each movement's biomechanics -- "tucking the tailbone under opens up the pelvic floor" -- gave me new insight into my anatomy and alignment. When they combined the asanas we'd learned into faster-paced sequences -- moving us from the Mountain stance to a Forward Fold or from a Plank to a Cobra and on to a Downward-Facing Dog -- the veterans eagerly helped out the rookies.

"Has anyone calculated the amount of free advertising Starbucks is getting from all the photos that make the rounds of today's hottest A-List celebrities holding tight to their cups?..."

It has to be over a 100 millions bucks as they're getting both free endorsements from the most expensive stars AND free placement as the photos make the rounds in the thousands of media outlets, from TV to magazines to websites. We spent a short time collecting photos from the past few months, and found more than we could possibly post... Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, Mary-Kate Olsen, Drew and Fabrizio, Jessica and Nick, Nicole and her DJ, Pamela Anderson, Macaulay, Jessica Alba, Renee Zellweger, Madonna!

It is possible they're paying for the exposure, but couldn't find any "official" endorsements, and it seems unlikely (just in terms of the tremendous money it would cost to get all these top stars.)

"The mood is deeper, more mysterious, very different than in the past. Uma is an incredibly beautiful woman and a great actress, the perfect choice to capture the new spirit of enigmatic charm and timeless glamour," artistic director Marc Jacobs said in a statement. In the first images in the advertising campaign to be seen from August the Kill Bill star will be shown carrying the iconic Louis Vuitton Ellipse bag in monogram canvas.

Unlike her first campaign in which Thurman, favoured actress of director Quentin Tarantino, was photographed in a stark industrial environment, this time the campaign moves indoors into a more intimate setting. Jacobs' collection has been inspired by Vienna in its heyday, and Thurman will be seen against a background of rich colours and sumptuous still-life orchids to reflect restrained luxury and sophistication.

"I'm feeling wonderful! I'm so excited and I know that the commercial is one of the best things I've ever been a part of. So I'm very, very proud and anxious for everyone to see it."

"The whole campaign is so classic and timeless and beautiful, and it's not many black women that have their own perfumes. Not many women in the world! So for me to be one of them is just an honour."

Caddies should quiver when they learn of the Remote Golf Caddy, a self-propelled automated droid that follows you around the golf course, carrying your bag for you. It tracks you by following a pager-sized transmitter that you can clip to your belt. The Remote Golf Caddy then keeps a polite distance of 5 1/2-feet behind you as you play. It is powered by two 12-volt deep-cycle batteries and is driven by two omni-directional 1/4-horsepower motors that can get it over tough hills. It also has special electromagnetic brakes that let it stop when you stop, plus a special locking switch on the pager to keep it from running away from you every time you try to get a club. Plus, it holds two drinks, golf balls, tees, scorecards and has a storage area that can double as a cooler. It does not, however, offer any advice on club selection.

The evolution of flip-flops from geek to chic can be traced to open-toed shoes that prodded women to abandon pantyhose, coinciding with a surge in nail salons and toe rings. Who wants to hide pretty feet? Sections of shoe began disappearing on designers' drafting boards. Runway models paired the plebian flip-flop with bohemian smocks, then left on the footwear when they donned taffeta for evening.

Today's flip-flops are made of leather and velvet and raffia. They come topstitched and Western for men, and bejeweled and embroidered for women. Designer Sigerson Morrison first added a kitten heel: Who really looks good in flats? Translucent PVC versions are scented by color. Yellow smells like lemon. At www.flipfloptrunkshow.com pick from utilitarian $12 Havaianas to $40 Juicy Couture with hearts to $145 Lady Lanells, adorned with 300 Swarovski crystals and reportedly favored by Sex and the City actor Sarah Jessica Parker.

Men buy flip-flops, too. An Arizona style in leather was marked down to $5.99 at local Memorial Day sales. A man's most unusual option could be the "Just Married" flip-flops at www.theknot.com suggested for the honeymoon. The soles stamp the words Just left foot Married (right foot) in the sand as he walks, if he can manage to move with a ball and chain. Brides request white flip-flops for the ceremony, and six or seven pairs in pink for the bridesmaids, Robbins says.

Hotel heiress Nicky Hilton also appears seasonally challenged. She was photographed in sweats with the hood up (carrying a $200 Dooney & Bourke bag) wearing gym class-issue flip-flops.

Other celebrities insist on status. Newlywed Marc Anthony, the tabloids say, bought his bride, Jennifer Lopez, a one-of-a-kind pair of flip-flops bedecked with "feathers" shaved from 18-karat gold and worth $24,000.