A few months back, Rolling Stones fans lucky enough to live near an IMAX theater got the treat of seeing the legendary band on a 50-foot-plus high screen — a format that was almost enough to capture the still phenomenal physical presence of Mick Jagger (pictured with bandmates). Now that movie, the Martin Scorsese concert film Shine a Light, is available for the home-theater equivalent of IMAX, Blu-ray, making it the most rock-and-roll flick on the format of the summer, at least until The Doors arrives in August. There’s plenty of other new music on standard DVD, of course, from Bob Dylan and The Clash’s Joe Strummer to The Smiths and newcomer Amy Winehouse. The musical double feature of the moment, though, is as far from the Stones as can be: the raunchy Oingo Boingo cult favorite Forbidden Zone (newly colorized or in the original black and white) and the disco-on-skates cornball extravaganza Xanadu (recently turned into a hit Broadway musical) — both of which involve true-love-inspired trips to the Underworld and a lot of very peculiar song-and-dance routines.

Office organizers with style and a green streak should take a look at a new line of goods from design giant Herman Miller: The Teneo storage system was designed by Ayse Birsel and Bibi Seck (Birsel was just honored by the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design) and has earned the Silver “Cradle to Cradle” eco-certification, partly thanks to the recyclability of most of its components. Designed in modules that can be combined to fit the storage needs of workspaces both large and small, Teneo lets users decide how many shelves, drawers and mini-closets they want. It also offers a pleasing array of surface materials — from metal and wood veneer to felt and cork — and encourages customers to mix and match using an online Color Tool to visualize choices. Pricing varies, depending on finishes and options; a thorough price breakdown can be downloaded here. Teneo is availabe through Herman Milller dealers; to find a dealer in your area, enter your state or Zip code here.

I’m always a little wary when a handbag designer launches a “for Target” line, because no matter how adaptable-for-the-masses the styles might be, the necessity of using cheap materials to keep the costs on “Target” kind of spoils the package. Devi Kroll’s line was likable, but way too pleathery, and when “for Target” is emblazoned on Loeffler Randall’s handbags, the intent of finding something chic on the cheap is defeated. But the megastore has managed to pique my interest again with a promising line from Botkier. I’ve been stalking Botkier bags on eBay ever since my fashion-mag editor friend came home with a teal leather satchel two years ago. The strategically studded hardware and the delicately laced fringe are the perfect yin and yang, a winning combination of tough and chic. The flagship label’s fall 2008 collection showcases fluttery fringe, burnished metallics, and the signature Botkier hardware juxtaposed against buttery, rumpled leather, which I totally heart. Botkier’s incarnation of for-the-people couture (at a tenth of the couture price) actually manages to spark some style possibilities. The crackled patina of the gold hobo (pictured) blurs the line between real and PVC, and for $50, I don’t have to stalk it on eBay. A fuchsia bucket bag ($40) deftly approximates patent leather in a shape and style that’s a cookie-cutter version of some top-of-the-line models. The white python-patterned hobo ($40) may even prove to be a better alternative to leather - easier to clean or at least less painfully costly to replace than the real thing. That said, not all styles hit the mark: A too-plastic- looking black satchel falls short, and a shimmery-rose wristlet is nothing special. But with some careful editing (and removal of those Target-logo-shaped charms), Botkier’s new line could offer up some winners.

What do you get the science fiction fan who has everything, up to and possibly including a $50,000 life-sized Robby the Robot replica? The fine folks at Boing Boing Gadgets, who are fascinated by what the futuristic world looked like to designers in the fifties, spotted a creation right up their alley. Available through the professional glass blower Jeff Burnette’s Joe Blow Glassworks, they’re whimsically beautiful Raygunz — ray guns that are so colorful you’d hate to imagine them being used to make an old black-and-white Buck Rogers movie serial. Each is made of clear blown glass with bits and strands of colored glass attached and silvered highlights to make the whole thing more gun-like; they don’t light up or make sounds or anything, but when they look this cool, who cares? An assortment of the glass creations can be seen here — since each is a one of a kind creation, you’ll have to contact the artist to request a price.

When it comes to the continuing creep of advertisements in public space — from movie theater ads and motorized billboards to the obnoxious gas-pump recordings that turn an already wallet-squeezing trip into something even less pleasant — I’m firmly in the anti-proliferation camp. I don’t want to live in the world of Minority Report, where sensors read my identity and beam personalized ads at me on the sidewalk. Still, it’s hard to be 100 percent annoyed at the developers of FogScreen, a new kind of projection system that uses tap water and ultrasonic waves to throw an image onto a curtain of “dry fog.” For one thing, it’s scientifically neat and pretty cool to look at. For another, it seems tailored for use in places — night clubs, convention halls, et cetera — where people are actually hoping to be bombarded with commercial messages. Then again, few technological innovations stay contained once advertisers decide they’re useful. If these walk-through fog messages start trying to sell me soda at the airport, I’ll start shopping for portable dehumidifiers right away. Until then, party-throwers with cash to burn can add some dazzle to events by renting the projectors here.

Forget men – I fantasize about flooring. My dream floor? Cork, of course. Cork flooring used to be hard to find and outrageously expensive. But now, it is not only more widely available but also competitive with tile or hardwood in pricing. Cork choices go beyond that bulletin-board tan; check out the stunning installation photo gallery from Duro Design, and you’ll see why I’m floored by the beauty of cork. Cork is durable (lasting 30 to 50 years), easy on the feet, and sound-absorbing. Best of all, it’s Earth-friendly, since cork is bark shaved from the cork oak tree, which re-grows the bark after harvesting. Frank Lloyd Wright was onto this in the 1920s; he used cork flooring in many of his houses. Cork comes in tiles or planks and can be either glueless or glue-down. For a basic no-glue cork tile, see APC Cork’s Apollo Blend at Fast Floors (sale priced at $1.99 per tile). Da Vinci’s collection of glue-down tiles at Black River Flooring shows cork’s versatility in color, pattern, and price ($1.99 to $3.60 per square foot); check out the striated Evora tile. You’ll be floating over the price of the glue-down Lisbon Cork planks from Lumber Liquidators ($1.19). For convenience, Black River offers an amazing array of glueless floating-floor options that don’t even look like cork, such as DaVinci’s zebra-striped Tigris ($5.05; pictured above), the confetti-like Arguim ($5.65), and the marbled Lunar ($5.95) or APC’s geographical Cronus Night ($5.19; pictured right) and Odysseus Rose ($5.19). The most unusual take on cork is the Jelinek mosaic made from recycled wine corks; it can be stained in whatever color matches your décor and can even be used in showers and saunas ($20 at CorkStore.com). Cork comes unfinished (which may require waxing) or sealed with various finishes; for a primer on cork, visit Globus Cork Floors. That does it; let’s rip out the carpet!

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the selection of children’s toys on the market. But months and months of recalls and news about possible bad effects of long-term, consistent exposure to plastics has made many parents seek  toy alternatives. A return to the beautiful and classic art of wooden toys-making has spawned a renaissance in the business of playtime. In the U.S., Melissa and Doug wooden puzzles can be found at major brick and mortar and online retailers, as well as “Mom and Pop” stores. Their wooden sound puzzles can open up a world of experiences to a toddler, from exploring musical instruments to experiencing the sights and sounds of life on a farm. One of the most comprehensive online retailers for wooden toys is Oompa.com. They offer the best brands in wooden toys including Haba, Brio, Holztiger, Vilac and many more. For the ultimate in colorful (and oh-so-stylish) puzzle toys, consider the adorable Seadog Puzzle from Haba. And for toddlers graduating into the world of figurines, a Brown Owl or Song Bird from Holztiger are wonderful contributions to imaginary playtime. For a variety of pretend wooden food, go to Willow Tree Toys where you can find a colorful array of fruit, from kiwis to grapes. At WonderBrains.com, wooden building blocks take on a whole new sophistication. Instead of the basic squares and rectangles, kids can build Japanese, Mayan, Middle Eastern and even Russian structures. Today’s wooden toys are not only generous on design, but they are made to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Technophiles addicted to the latest/greatest new gadgets and electronics know that Japanese shoppers get most innovations long before Americans do. Short of hopping on a plane, there are ways you can to sidestep the system: For one, you can go through a middleman shopping site like Dynamism, which not only imports electronics from overseas but backs sales up with (gasp!) service and warranties. The site’s catalog is full of stuff, like the new G2 line of Vaio, which isn’t even listed on Sony’s U.S. VAIO site. Being this far ahead of the pack will set you back up to $3,900, but for that dough you get a keyboard that won’t fritz out if you spill water directly on it. More down-to-earth price-wise is a $179 Virtual Keyboard that uses lasers to project the keyboard’s outline on a flat surface, then transmits your virtual keystrokes via Bluetooth to your smartphone or PDA; in the dollar range in-between are more smartphones and handheld devices than your power strip could ever recharge. There’s an amazing-looking WiBrain that is a fully functional 1.5 lb. computer that runs Windows XP, has a split screen, a pop-up video camera and a high-resolution 4.8 inch touchscreen - starting at $699. Shoppers stunned by the price tags or overwhelmed by the spec sheets can take a breather with this cute little $15 cell-phone dangle called PuchiPuchi, which does nothing but replicate the sound and feel of popping bubble-wrap.