International celebrations

Paris. Milan. New York. The Mall of America in Bloomington.

For one night only, the second floor of Nordstrom joined the ranks of top fashion locales, providing the setting for a top-notch designer runway show last month that benefited the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

The fall 2010 lines of Oscar de la Renta, Missoni, Michael Kors, Gucci and Lanvin dazzled the crowd with many Minnesota-appropriate luxe sweaters and coats. The Chanel fur boots would surely keep feet warm in subzero temperatures.

Kelly Carlson, of "Nip/Tuck" and "Melrose Place" fame, happened to be shopping at the store that day and was invited to stay for the show. The actress, who's now a brunette, had her eye on the more glamorous apparel, including a full-length gray gown.

"It's perfect for the red carpet," she said. "It's sexy, and it will photograph well."

She'd surely have somewhere to wear it.

REVOLUTIONARY TIMES The "Bastille" was stormed again last weekend (at the University Club in St. Paul).

For the annual Bastille Day Celebration produced by the Alliance Française, cardboard boxes stood in for the Parisian fortress-prison that was stormed by rebels on July 14, 1789, in a pivotal event of the French Revolution.

Bastille Day celebration is a natural for Minnesota, said Christina Selander Bouzouina, executive director of the Alliance Française of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

"There's a very large French community here," she said. "The French were actually the first Europeans in Minnesota."

Festivities included French music and food and an extensive collection of Citroën cars. But the young rebels stole the show as they attacked the model Bastille with squishy balls. Kaeden Knoblauch, age 5, enthusiastically called out, "Surrender! Surrender!"

Which made the evening a memorable history lesson for everyone in attendance.

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177