Conference center adds Italian design to Mansfield (Fort Worth Business Press)

Looking very much like an upscale Italian villa – OK, maybe a church – Mansfield’s new Aristide Event and Conference Center stands out. Particularly in Mansfield. And also because it’s part of the 90,000-square-foot Tuscan on Walnut Creek office complex, itself a tribute to Italian architecture.

Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice aims to get your attention (Seattle Times)

He's settling into his new job as president and CEO of The Seattle Foundation and is one of three who will lead new Mayor Mike McGinn's "youth and family initiative." Rice is now positioned to do what he says every leader should: use his bully pulpit to advance causes closest to his heart.

Sondra Kirtley: One Crafty Lady (The North Coast Journal)

You’re going to another wedding and they’ll be throwing rice. Oh, that’s right. You’re not supposed to throw rice because birds will eat it, and their little bellies will swell and explode.

Save on wedding costs by doing your own reception centerpieces (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Do-it-yourself wedding centerpieces are one of the easiest ways to save on your reception costs. Lynn Jawitz, floral designer, event coordinator and owner of Florisan LLC in New York, says oversized centerpieces "are so last year."

Recipes: Cream Cheese Pound Cake and Rose Red Velvet Cake with White Chocolate Frosting (Seattle Times)

Cake is all the rage these days takes to the TV shows that feature fancy cakes.