We think it’s inspiring when an industry bands together to support a worthy cause. So we were delighted to hear about the upcoming Fashion Forward event, featuring a Saks Fifth Avenue runway show of holiday and resort looks and benefiting the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the nation’s oldest HIV/AIDS organization dedicated to prevention, treatment and care. The event — to be held Nov. 16 from 7–10 p.m. at New York City’s Metropolitan Pavilion — will be hosted by one of our favorite fashion experts, Tim Gunn of Lifetime’s Project Runway.

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Having already worked our way through soy, almond and rice milks, we decided to try a box of the Living Harvest Unsweetened Original Hempmilk at our local Whole Foods. Holy yum! When we poured it over some whole-grain cereal, we couldn’t believe how rich and creamy it tasted. What’s more, it contains an impressive amount of protein, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (lots of healthy omega-3’s and a small amount of omega-6’s). Sold, we started adding hemp milk to baked goods (banana bread), pasta sauces (for mac and cheese) and soups (creamy pumpkin), in lieu of high-fat dairy.

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Back in the ’90s, we once sported a haircut similar to reality star Kate Gosselin’s — and considering tart-tongued scissor wizard Tabatha Coffey’s take on the style, we know we made the right decision to grow it out. Coffey, formerly of Shear Genius fame, recently landed her own show on Bravo, Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, which airs Tuesdays at 10 pm. The Australian-born hairstylist, 43, gave us some great tips for maintaining our current ‘do.

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We firmly believe in beauty recipes that have been handed down through generations, especially when they produce natural skin-care products that are economical — and that sound delicious. Return to Beauty: Old-World Recipes for Great Radiant Skin (Atria, 2009) from skin-care expert Narine Nikogosian contains formulas for moisturizers, toners, eye creams and face masks made from simple, fresh ingredients such as avocado, egg, yogurt, olive oil, mango and orange. Nikogosian — whose celebrity clients include Charlize Theron, Ellen DeGeneres and Alfre Woodard — also divulges some of her family’s beauty secrets.

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Whenever we listen to lounge orchestra Pink Martini, we conjure a mental image in which we’re hosting a sophisticated dinner party, with fascinating, worldly guests who eventually clear a space for dancing. In our fantasy, we’re wearing vintage Chanel or a cocktail dress from Betty Draper’s Mad Men closet, and, of course, the 12-piece ensemble is playing in the background. Bandleader/pianist Thomas Lauderdale has said, “If the United Nations had a house band in 1962, hopefully we’d be that band,” which makes sense of our daydream.

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When we saw a recent World Freerunning & Parkour Federation (WFPF) promo on YouTube, it sparked our curiosity: Is scaling walls like Spider-Man really the next trend in fitness? And not just for skinny teen boys, but for women our age? Developed in France, parkour is fairly new as a recognized international sport. In parkour, athletes use the cityscape as an urban jungle gym to free-climb walls, swing from scaffolding, jump over banisters and balance on barriers. Now Equinox in New York City is bringing the sport indoors, offering its members a taste of the action with Parkour Power Play.

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Earlier this year, we told you about Gilt.com, an invitation-only online shopping site that offers sample-sale prices on luxury brands such as Badgley Mischka, Cynthia Rowley, Versace and Vera Wang Lavender Label, to name a few. The 36-hour sales have been so successful that Gilt has expanded with three new sites — Gilt Fuse, Gilt Man and Jetsetter — and has a new iPhone app and desktop widget as well.

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Nothing makes our lives feel more balanced and full of positive energy than when we support worthy causes, whether it’s spending our Saturday afternoons mentoring high school students or participating in sports leagues that help raise money for charity. If you’re interested in volunteering, finding the right opportunity is just a mouse-click away.

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Like many interested in healthful eating, we’ve been trying to skew our diet toward more seasonal and local ingredients, but we haven’t always been sure where to turn for delicious, simple recipes. Many locavores in the know have already bookmarked HarvestEating.com, where chef Keith Snow has shared his tips, recipes and video instructions for finding and preparing seasonal foods for the past three years. Now, Snow has compiled The Harvest Eating Cookbook (Running Press, 2009) with more than 200 recipes for appetizers, sandwiches, breads, soups, salads, sides, main dishes, desserts, drinks and more.

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