Salt and...Butter laces?

The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies (110 Exchange St., Portland) is having a giant moving sale tomorrow - desks, chairs, office supplies and more, plus some docu-specific stuff: darkroom equipment, recording gear. It's cash and carry, so bring your piggy bank. And a truck - they are headed to Congress Street and plan on traveling light. The sale is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., get there early!

If you find yourself in Harvard Square on Saturday, stop by Concepts Fishing Co. and snag your custom Lobster Nikes. Officially named the Concepts Lobster Dunk, the sneaker retails for $150, and if you're among the first 200 purchasers also on the menu are some lobster essentials: shell cracker, bib, wet nap as well as a T-shirt and "butter" shoelaces. Yum?

Surf's up

Tonight surf artist Andy Davis is at Corduroy Surf Boutique and Gallery (59 Market St., Portland. 347-3545) to promote his clothing line, Ando & Friends. Get Andy's signature art (surf culture surrealism on paper and mixed media) on tees, hoodies and board shorts -- and he'll be on had to sign 'em. This Meet & Greet is from 6 to 8 p.m. and also promises live music, door prizes along with food and drink.
And, check out one of his designs below, from the spring/summer line:

Don't you know that you're toxic?

Arguably the last great Britney song (post-Oops!..., pre-KFed), Toxic will always have a place in my heart - and my ipod. And while it's also a great way to describe that perennially negative coworker, it's hardly the descriptor I want for my makeup. But, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, we flirt with toxic products daily. And we're not talking minor toxicity either - if you thought lead was relegated to old buildings and made-in-China toys, you might want to check that lipstick case.

But what to do? Start tonight, with Stacy Malkan, author of Not Just a Pretty Face, at Longfellow Books. (Full details here.) Malkan will discuss her latest tome that chronicles the science, politics and story behind the cosmetics we use as well as her work with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. According to the Campaign, 70% of personal products tested showed the presence of industrial chemicals linked to birth defects. Yikes.

I've already dumped my makeup bag and am in the process of checking out each product on EWG's Cosmetic Safety Database. I'll blog the results tomorrow, but suffice to say my summer beauty routine will be even more pared down than usual.