Columnist Muriel Stevens: Celebration of cashmere is near

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 | 8:20 a.m.

Are you wild about cashmere? Do you adore the Kashmir goats that supply the fine, downy yarn?

Saturday, Saks Fifth Avenue at the Fashion Show mall will be filled with activities, and goats, live and faux, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At 11 a.m. Children's on One will host a children's book reading to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada. A "surprise" guest narrator will read. A goat petting zoo and goat photo op will please the youngsters and parents.

A Knitting with Cashmere session will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Gail Rhodes of Gail Knits in the Bridge on One department. DJ Toto Zara will offer Italian tunes; Italian coffees and biscotti will be offered.

To learn more about this choice event call 733-8300. Say maaa (just kidd-ing).

Haute Vegas Dogs: Donald J. Pliner boutique in the Forum Shops at Caesars has joined with Lied Animal Shelter to sponsor Haute Vegas Dogs. This lively event will take place Oct. 22 at the grass patio outside Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab restaurant.

Dogs from the Lied Animal Shelter will be among the pooches modeling the latest fall fashions from DJP's Friends of BabyDoll Pliner Collection.

Dog lovers can also get a sneak peek at the 2006 collection, which can be pre-ordered. Dogs from the shelter will be available for adoption.

The friends of BabyDoll Pliner collection includes jackets, day bags and airline carriers, leads, collars and harnesses, all designed for dogs 20 pounds and lighter.

Let them eat cake!: Author Dean Kapsalakis considers himself the guru of all who would like to believe that eating cake could help prevent osteoporosis and other ailments.

Kapsalakis is an emergency medical tech and avid cook and has a degree in Holistic Nutrition. The recipes he has developed demonstrate how to eat healthfully while enjoying such foods as hamburgers and chocolate-chip carrot cake. "Let's Eat Cake Diet," book ($15.95) is available in bookstores, amazon.com and cakediet.com.

Elle Living: Elle Living magazine includes Beauty Bar at 517 Fremont St. among its 21 Secret Addresses. So what is Beauty Bar? It's a kitschy combination of cocktails and comb-outs with vintage equipment and Elvis impersonators.

For a glimpse into the world of Beauty Bar visit beautybar.com or call 598-1965.

Foodborne illness: None of us are immune from foodborne illnesses (food poisoning). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in its annual report (April 2004) there have been significant declines from 1996 to 2003 in illnesses caused by E. coli; salmonella; campylobacter; and Yersinia.

Yet as our population ages, the threat continues. The weakening of the body's immune system goes along with aging. Food Insight, a newsletter devoted to health issues, offers these suggestions to older adults: do not eat soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, such as Brie and Camenbert, blue-veined cheeses or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco. Do not eat foods made with unpasteurized raw eggs. Do not eat raw or undercooked seafood. Avoid fresh unpasteurized vegetable sprouts and unpasteurized vegetable juices.

For more info visit cdc.gov/foodsafety/.