Spring is here and the fragrant jasmine is beckoning us outside to enjoy it. It is a beautiful, fun time of year, but also very busy. In addition to fundraisers like Hogs for the Cause, the PRC Home Tour, outdoor festivals like French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest are right around the corner as well. If you aspire to attend more than one of these spring events, well you’d better get your ducks in a row. Because preparing for these events plus tying up loose ends before the slow rollout summer is a juggling act. And every great circus performer needs his/her bag of tricks. This leads me to what I am shopping for this week. To execute all these plans and last-minute to-dos, I need a handbag that’s up to the task. Something stylish but strong and multifunctional. A reliable companion that will swallow up all the papers, toys, keys and snacks I can throw at it, all while remaining supportive (and preferably nonjudgmental) about the random receipts and melted candy in there too. Here are several from local shops that fit the bill: