All posts filed under: Things for Fun

KINTO Tableware

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One of the best things about going to the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) each season is discovering manufacturers that I never heard of and becoming a fan before I’ve left the booth. At this winter’s show, that company was KINTO Co. Founded in 1972 as a wholesaler of porcelain and ceramic tableware in Japan’s Shiga prefecture, the company began to develop their own designs in glass, wood, ceramic, and other materials, for the Japanese lifestyle in the 1990s, and started a full-scale export business in 2009. Based on the simple premise of creating products “to make our lives comfortable”, their line includes a range of coffee and tea related pieces as well as other designs. New this year is the Couleur teapot set, which combines a modern design form with the classic Japanese teapot. The microwave- and dishwasher-safe set includes a pot, cup, and saucer. Inside the pot, the spout is covered by a delicate porcelain strainer that is an example of the company’s craftsmanship. KINTO also launched an elegantly glazed new tableware …

Pluck Egg Separator

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Separating eggs takes a moderate amount of confidence, but once you have it mastered you don’t need any tools, just your hands and the eggshell. But for those who feel a bit less confident in that arena, a well-designed egg separator is a practical kitchen aid. Invented by Mark Fusco, Pluck is the latest release from the product development company Quirky. It features a clear end nozzle and a white silicone top with a visible seam that I wish could have been avoided in the manufacturing process; the two parts come apart for cleaning. Pluck is easy enough to master: Break an egg into a bowl, then squeeze the white silicone bulb to suck out the yolk from its dear friend albumen (the white) into a clear plastic chamber. When you release the squeeze, the yolk slips out intact and ready to use or discard as needed. I gave the Pluck a test-run this morning as I prepared some egg whites for breakfast. I rarely eat yolks anymore, and I usually separate eggs using just the …

Dish Bunny Drying Rack

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You had a bad day. The faster you needed to work, the slower the internet wanted to go. The dog destroyed another pillow and you came home to find her sitting in the middle of a pile of fluff. You turn on the kitchen light and realize you forgot your lunch leftovers in the work fridge. It was pasta bolognese, and it would have been amazing right about now. You are about to scream when you see something that makes everything a little better. It’s a dish rack. A white, wire dish rack that is in the form of a cute little bunny. Aww, that’s better now, isn’t it? Measuring 19.7” wide by 9” deep, the Dish Bunny was designed by Chris Koens. It is available for £27.95 via Pretty Dandy.

The Alarm Dock for the iPhone 5

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Designed by New York City-based industrial designer Jonas Damon for Areaware, the Alarm Dock is made of sustainably harvested, new growth beech wood to mimic the classic bedside alarm clock. Simply download the flip clock app, insert the phone into the dock (the connector can be pulled through so the phone, or iPod, can be charged while in use). Note that this is a simple holder for your phone, and does not come with built-in electronics or speakers. Here is a video of how it works. The Alarm Dock, designed for the thinner profile of the iPhone 5, measures 6.75 x 3.5 x 2.5. It is available in a rainbow of colors for $40 from Areaware.

Movember Bottle Opener & Money Clips

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In honor of Movember — the annual event in November where men grow mustaches in order to bring awareness to the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options for cancer — 1% percent of the sale of the mustache-toting bottle opener, money clip, and money clamp from bottleBoss will be donated to support awareness and education for men’s health issues, especially prostate and testicular cancer. According to statistics provided by the Movember movement, one out of two men will get cancer in their lifetime and one in six men is expected to get prostate cancer.  All of the funds raised by the movement will go towards prostate cancer and testicular cancer initiatives. $9.95 (bottle opener); $15.95 (money clip); $19.97 (money clamp).