Fabio

Fabio Taglioni, the Italian designer whose revolutionary valve system helped to establish Ducati as the world's greatest manufacturer of performance motorcycles, has died. He was 80. Known as "Dr. T," Taglioni died of a heart attack July 18 at his home in Bologna, Italy. Taglioni was Ducati's design soul. His innovative engine is, in large part, the reason for the company's renown in the world of premier race bikes.

Both discs from these Italian period-performance bands contain seven of Vivaldi's descriptive concertos, some of which overlap--or do they? For instance, each disc includes a "La Notte" Concerto with different catalog numbers, in different keys, yet they are indeed the same piece, albeit one with a recorder lead and the other for strings and harpsichord only. However, another title, "La tempesta di mare," is given to very different concertos on each disc, in content as well as instrumentation.

The bohemian chic of Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice has been a destination for the indie food crowd since Joe Miller opened his doors almost 10 years ago. Last year, Joe's was joined by Lilly's, and now Fabio Flagiello completes the trendy triumvirate with his 1-month-old restaurant, Fabio.

Got Katsu?: Katsu Michite has opened another restaurant. He already owns Katsu 3rd (because it's on 3rd Street in L.A.). This new one is supposed to take the place of his first Katsu, which opened in Los Feliz in the early '80s and closed in 1998. It took Michite two years to find a replacement location, but he finally landed in the Valley at the old Peking Pavilion space in Studio City.

Music requires sacrifices, everyone knows. But does it have to cut into your golf game? "My handicap used to be 15," conductor Fabio Mechetti said recently. "It's now 30. Par for the course varies from 82 to 120." Mechetti was describing the effects of his busy conducting schedule in a phone interview from Jacksonville, Fla., before leading the Pacific Symphony on Wednesday and Thursday at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

Duck, Duck Goose: The laws of physics are so mysterious. We always assumed that if we were traveling 73 mph and collided with, say, a small bowling ball, we'd be dead. So how is it that Fabio--while riding a 73-mph roller coaster during a publicity stunt in Virginia--survived an assassination attempt by a low-flying goose? According to various press accounts, the hunky supermodel was coming down the first drop when a 10-pound bird flew into his face. The goose was killed.

Fabio, the Italian model whose craggy but sensitive face has appeared on more than 1,000 romance novel covers, is also the spokesface for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Naturally, that butter substitute company features him big time on its Internet site, where you can read a Fabiography, enter a contest to win a phone call from the King of Romance, get romance advice and romantic vacation tips, and--need we say it--download diet recipes featuring I Can't Believe. The address: www.tasteyoulove.

The casting call went something like this: "Wanted. Male Caucasian. One-hundred to 200 pounds overweight. Must be willing to wear a Speedo in the surf." After going through 75 portfolios, they found their man: 38-year-old Michael Glover of Redondo Beach. He measures 6-foot-6, 400 pounds, has deep blue eyes and apparently looks good in a Speedo bikini.

Talking about the future: Unless you're dating Jeanne Dixon, this is the ultimate turn off. Having testosterone means living fully in the moment, in the Now. Guys are Zen-like creatures, dammit. Macho bodhisattvas who understand the transitory nature of beingness in a causally connected cold and indifferent universe. Because of that, nothing irks us more than when Little Miss Let's-Be-Clairvoyant-Together has the bad taste to jolt us out of the present, especially while we're trying to fully appreciate a particularly seminal episode of "The Simpsons."