Mattress of the 1 percent

Mattress of the 1 percentWhat do Jennifer Lopez, George Clooney, Paul McCartney and the Los Angeles Lakers have in common? They're among the rich and famous who reportedly sleep on an Aireloom, "the Rolls-Royce" of the mattress world.

The handmade luxury mattresses sell for a staggering $30,000. What makes them so pricey? Inventor and company owner Earl Kluft will be at Gabberts this week to answer that question and others about his mattresses. And, yes, visitors will get the chance to lie on an Aireloom and feel one for themselves.

Kluft's presentation will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Gabberts, 3501 Galleria in Edina. The event is free, but advance registration is requested. Call 952-928-3123 or visit. www.gabberts.com.

Strolling old MinneapolisWhat was the city like more than a century ago? Two upcoming walking tours by Preserve Minneapolis will take history buffs on a stroll back through time.

On Wednesday, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., a tour will focus on "The Edwardian Society of Lowry Hill East: Downton Abbey Meets Bryant Avenue." Lowry Hill East was the city's hot spot back in the early 1900s. The newly platted lots between Lyndale and Hennepin attracted upwardly mobile entrepreneurs who built their stately Victorian homes there. Who were they, and how did they live and entertain? Historian Kathy Kullberg will bring their stories to life.

On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a tour will visit "Elliot Park and the 9th Street Historic District." Elliot Park was one of the first residential neighborhoods in downtown Minneapolis, and the tour will visit the landmarks that give it its charm, including the Band Box Diner, 19th-century brownstone rowhouses, North Central University and the hospital district.

The cost for each tour is $5. To reserve space, visit www.preserveminneapolis.org/wpfile/tours/august-tours/.

KIM PALMER

Better bedroomsCandice Olson is back, this time with the aim of bettering our boudoirs.

In her newest book, "Candice Olson Bedrooms," the interior designer and TV personality shares her strategies in making more than 25 private retreats. All bear Olson's classic-meets-contemporary stamp, but they still represent a variety of styles and moods, from a bedroom inspired by an English manor house to a teenager's basement hangout.

Olson deconstructs each project, explaining the challenges she overcame and the style elements she chose. She includes room layouts, fabric swatches and plenty of photos, and she even provides a link to a website that lists the sources of the furniture, lighting, accessories and other items she used in each room.

"Candice Olson Bedrooms" is published by Wiley and sells for $19.99 in softcover.

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