Expo gives customers a lift

Journal Staff WriterFor those looking to enhance their body, cover it up, or fill it up with great food, the Auburn Shoppers Expo was the place to be Thursday.More than 100 vendors displayed their wares, offered their services and some unique products during the event sponsored by the Auburn Chamber of Commerce.Amid the booths occupied by financial institutions, churches and business groups were artisans, retailers and helium-filled palm trees. Marilyn?s Fashion-a-tions was selling unusual ?body tees,? which are large white T-shirts with a silk-screen design representing the body many middle-aged men and women would like to posses.Linda Reilley, of Auburn, fancied a ?body tee? emblazoned with the bikini-clad body of a buffed 20-year-old supermodel ? minus the head ? wearing a grass hula skirt.?It?s right up my alley,? Reilley said. ?I want to wear it to an upcoming Hawaiian-themed family reunion.? Shari Smith, owner of Casablanca Salon and Spa, demonstrated a brand of mineral makeup that she says takes 10 years off your face. ?It?s a great facelift,? Smith said.She also offers permanent makeup applications and airbrush tanning at her salon.Airbrush tanning ?stains the outer surface of the skin,? Smith said. ?The tan usually lasts about two weeks.?Representatives of Thunder Valley Casino hoped to recruit of few gamblers to the Lincoln-area gaming facility by enticing them with boarding passes ? the casino version of a frequent flyer card. ?You can earn free food and other rewards,? said Berenda Wrest of Thunder Valley. She said most of the people who stopped by the booth already had their passes, but it was only early afternoon, still plenty of time left to tempt the masses.Mike Robinson, of Cool, tried his luck as he gave the Thunder Valley just-for-fun roulette wheel a spin. However, his thoughts were elsewhere. ?My favorite, so far, is the food ? and the pretty girls,? he said. Food seemed to be a recurring theme as visitors made their way through the Expo, stopping to munch on celery topped with herb cream cheese and meatballs at Penguin?s Catering.Chevy?s restaurant employees handed out free samples of tortilla chips and ample-sized portions of fresh salsa.The coffee flowed as Linda Lareau of Courthouse Coffee offered samples of flavored biscotti to passersby.The women stationed behind the balloon-covered booth of Balloonacy, of Auburn, said they were ?balloonatics.? ?We don?t mind inflation,? said Melissa Stevens, who was tending the booth. The company offers unique balloon creations for every occasion.Shay Chastain, 4, of Grass Valley visited the Expo with her grandmother Carrie Chastain and admired the fanciful balloon creations including an 8-foot orange-trunked ?palm-tree.??I?m sure it?s time-consuming to make,? Carrie said. ?I hope the balloons don?t pop.?The event is designed to bring several businesses together in one place and remind the public that the area has plenty to offer.