Salvage fashions, subversive penguins, a win for nature, and will Ryan replace Larry? It's last links

Another win for nature lovers as the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council buys the 192 acres that complete the  Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. Daily Breeze

Ryan Seacrest in talks to replace Larry King? Fishbowl LA says yes. No word yet on who gets custody of all those suspenders.

Campaign signs for a candidate for Superior Court judge are breaking city laws, says Will Campbell at LA Metblogs.

Former Pasadena City College prez (and current state senator) Jack Scott has been named chancellor of states community colleges. CoCoTimes

A book about a penguin family with two dads tops the American Library Assn.'s most challenged book list. Again. Details from Nick Owchar in our fab litblog, Jacket Copy

The head of Mexico's federal police, who had taken on the war against the nation's drug cartels, was gunned down today. Mean Streets

The Salvage Fashion show - getting creative with recyclables. LA Taco

You don't want to mess with moms who are this mad about the state's education budget. The Homeroom

Retreat to a simpler time with lawn bowling in Redlands. SB Sun

--Veronique de Turenne

Photos: AP, LA Times

It's Fashion Week...somewhere

The closest most people will ever get to the glamour of New York Fashion Week is by watching the upcoming finale of Project Runway. But don't mope.  Put on your Prada pumps and practice your runway walk because it turns out there is probably a Fashion Week near you.

The big event in West Coast fashion is coming up at Fashion Week LA. However, fashion fans in the 805 area code beat L.A. to the punch last weekend at Ventura Fashion Week (by the way, apparently fashionistas differ on how many days make up a week). Not sure if Vogue was there but the Ventura County Star captured the highlights on video.

Missed the Ventura show and don't want to deal with L.A. traffic? Then how about heading to Palm Desert later this month for Fashion Week El Paseo.  Is Fashion Week Barstow far behind?

--Jesus Sanchez

Photo: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

The face of a new runway trend?

 Sometimes we get a photo so odd and so perplexing, we just need to share. We're generous that way.

Here's how fashion designer Junya Watanabe sent his models down the Paris runway today.

Think it'll catch on?

--Veronique de Turenne

Photo: Christophe Ena / Associated Press