CALGARY, Alberta — Prince William and Kate launched the Calgary Stampede to wild cheering Friday, then headed for Los Angeles, having endeared themselves to Canadian crowds with a skillful mix of royal pomp and playful informality on their first official trip abroad since marrying.

The pair, sporting white cowboy hats, waved from their car at crowds of well-wishers lined 10 deep along the 2.8-mile parade route under sunny skies. They later joined hands and pushed a red button to launch the parade, one of the world’s largest.

The Calgary Stampede is a 10-day exhibition and rodeo that celebrates the western Canadian way of life.

Canada is the first official overseas trip for the couple since their April 29 wedding, and the newlyweds were cheered almost everywhere they went. T

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Robert Thies made a name for himself in the piano world in the most dramatic way imaginable—by winning the gold medal in Russia’s Prokofiev Competition.

It was 1995. He was 24. The account he gives of the occasion is both human and harrowing. “This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I say this not just because

I was chosen to be the gold medal winner,” Thies confides in

an e-mail. “Certainly that was an honor that I deeply cherish and appreciate. But the experience of competing in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the bitter cold of December was rich with so many emotions.

“Physically I lost about 7 pounds in the 2.5 weeks I was there. There was s

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Reality TV star Kim Kardashian graced the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine August issue, talking about how she keeps her relationship with fiancé Kris Humphries hot – even long distance – and about how her fame can be a nuisance.

Celebrity Magazine CoversKaty Perry, Rolling Stone

“I started praying for breasts when I was, like, 11,” she laughed. “And God answered that prayer above and beyond, by, like, 100 times, until I was like, ‘Please, stop, God. I can’t see my feet anymore. Please stop!’ I was a lot more rectangular then. I didn’t understand my body. Someone in sixth grade called me ‘Over-the-shoulder boulder holder.’ I didn’t know I could use them.

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NEW YORK — Eliot Spitzer was bounced from CNN’s prime-time lineup on Wednesday, having spent less time as a TV host than he did as New York governor.

CNN reshuffled its schedule to add a new program by former CNBC personality Erin Burnett, move Anderson Cooper’s flagship newscast into the tough 8 p.m. time slot and eliminate Spitzer’s “In the Arena” program.

CNN has asked Spitzer about staying with the network as a commentator but no decision has been made, said Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN/US. Spitzer released a statement referring to his time at CNN in the past tense.

“We engaged serious people in conversations about national and global issues in a way that was informative and challenging,” Spitzer said. “

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WASHINGTON — Sommelier is usually a title reserved for wine experts, but one local beer director has recently won the honor.

Food & Wine magazine names Greg Engert, director at Birch & Barley and Churchkey in D.C., as one of the sommeliers of the year. The magazine says he brings the same seriousness to beer that wine aficionados bring to their craft.

For instance, Engert likes to focus on pairings. It’s “not just saying we have great food and great beer, but bridging the gap between the two,” he says.

Another local man also made the national list.

John Wabeck from Inox in McLean, Va. has “compiled an incredibly thoughtful, food-friendly” wine list that is “heavy on Burgandy,” says the magazine.

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2012 – The Musical!: By Michael Gene Sullivan. Directed by Wilma Bonet. San Francisco Mime Troupe in Bay Area parks through Sept. 25. One hour, 25 minutes. Free. (415) 285-1717, www.sfmt.org.

“You try summing up corporate crimes in one paragraph,” the head of a small radical theater troupe exclaims in frustration after having made just such a brief, passionate attempt. In truth, she does a pretty good job at hitting many of the main points but it’s still incomplete. How about in one play?

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