Tableware

CONSIDER this humble sugar shaker, a staple of kitchens and coffee shops across the land. About 35 million have been sold -- maybe double that if you include all the knockoffs -- and not one of them labeled a work of art. Yet that's exactly what they are, says design historian Bill Stern, a connoisseur of ubiquitous and unsung objects. "This decanter is iconic," he says, "the very essence of modernism, a perfect meld of function and form."

A German firm has begun offering eyeglasses with detachable frame arms that double as chopsticks or forks so sushi fans can eat on the go. "The idea came from the common need for cutlery at any time," said "ic! berlin" company director Ralph Anderl, who uses the frames. They cost $330 or more and are made from lightweight stainless steel that fits together without screws.

Hoping to reduce injuries and deaths among youngsters, the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to make it illegal to sell knives, blades or other stabbing weapons to anyone younger than 18. If signed by Mayor Richard Riordan, as expected, the proposal would take effect in about a month. Under the proposal, any merchant who sold a stabbing weapon to a minor would be charged with a misdemeanor violation that carries a sentence of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Hoping to reduce injuries and deaths among youngsters, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to make it illegal to sell knives, blades or other stabbing weapons to anyone younger than 18. If signed by Mayor Richard Riordan, as expected, the proposal would take effect in about a month. It targets merchants who sell such weapons to minors and would penalize them with a misdemeanor violation carrying a sentence of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine per offense.

An 11-year-old honor student who packed a knife in her lunch box to cut a piece of chicken has been suspended and arrested on charges of having a weapon at school. "Mom was busy, and Dad had gone to work," Charlotte Kirk said, explaining why she packed the smooth-edged steak knife with her leftover peas, chicken and apple on Oct. 18.

Chopsticks, with a history that dates 5,000 years, provide a simple and neat way to get small bites of food to your mouth. They also may contribute to arthritis in the fingers. A study of 2,500 elderly residents of Beijing who had used chopsticks throughout a lifetime of eating and cooking has linked the mechanical stress of manipulating chopsticks with osteoarthritis of the thumb, index and middle fingers.

Do you fumble with chopsticks, dropping food midway between plate and mouth before surrendering to the good old fork? If so, take heart. Research shows that even the Japanese are forgetting the ancient art of eating with two sticks. "Japanese have been using chopsticks for more than 1,300 years, and it's a representative cultural asset," said Masaaki Yatagai, a children's education specialist at Mejiro Gakuen Women's College. "Yet, Japanese today can't use chopsticks properly at all."

A jury took just 20 minutes to find Steven Douglas Mattson guilty of stealing flatware from a department store, then trying to return the knives and forks for a $161.61 refund. Mattson, who represented himself during the three-day trial, was convicted Wednesday of felony burglary and petty theft with a prior, charges that typically carry a prison sentence of 16 months to three years.

OK, so Bing never dreamed of a mauve Christmas. That doesn't mean you can't use mauve, and many other colors not associated with the yuletide, to decorate the holiday table. Setting a festive table, according to Orange County decorators, requires imagination--visions of sugar plums, fine china, matching silverware and a smashing centerpiece. They encourage hosts to use color and table ornaments in new ways.