All posts filed under: Things for Relaxing

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 …

My Embroidery Kit by Lisa Grue

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Embroidery. The word conjures up the vision of wall hangings in the hallway of your grandmother’s house and delicate handkerchiefs that seem too nice for blowing your nose. Or, in the case of a new embroidery kit from designer Lisa Grue, a grinning skull that cheekily reminds you that “Shit Happens”. Created by Danish graphic designer and artist Lisa Grue, the collection is based on the concept of  Memento Mori — the idea that we must remember our mortality and pause once in a while to enjoy life. The modern embroidery kit contains everything you need to create a piece of quirky decor in the same stress-releasing, meditative way that has been done for centuries. You can pick one up for yourself, and your hippest grandma, from Grue’s web shop in June.  

Prizm Stand

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Resembling a sort of primitive Decepticon, the Prizm Stand from Hubb Innovations is a two-piece aluminum stand for phones, tablets, and MP3 players. Introduced at this month’s CES, the Prizm stand is made from aluminum alloys and precious metals formed into two identical parts that slide together. The low-profile stand comes in anodized colors including green, blue, pink, purple, red, yellow, and black, as well as premium metals like 14k gold, antique brass, antique copper, antique nickel, and carbon fiber. Ranging price from $24.95 to $34.95, the stands are a good gift idea for  sci-fi geeks, architects, engineers, or transforming robot aliens.

Zephyr Wireless Speakers

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Although our portable devices are extremely handy for listening to music, unless you wear headphones the sound quality needs to be enhanced by an outside source. Also, the darn things run out of power at the most inconvenient times (the middle of an eight-hour flight, with someone else’s toddler sitting next to you, for example). The Zephyr line of Bluetooth, high-definition speakers from SPAR, double as mobile phone chargers, making them the first portable, speaker/speakerphone/charger combination according to the manufacturer. A competitor to the JAMBOX, the line comes in three models: The Zephyr  300 can fit into a pocket and offers 12 hours of playtime; the 500 model fits into a bag or purse and runs for 18 hours; and the 550, encased in aircraft-grade anodized aluminum, is the largest of the three and offers 28 hours of battery life. You can throw one in the backpack for a picnic or beach trip or get one for a teen in place of an expensive sound system. With 28 hours of battery life, it would have …

Libratone Speakers

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Libratone is a Copenhagen-based audio company that offers line of speakers that blend wireless, hi-fi technology with a modern Scandinavian design. Introduced to the U.S. market last November, the speakers’ AirPlay connection gives you the freedom to move from room to room with your entire music library in the palm of your hand; an app streams audio wirelessly from iOS devices and Macs/PCs. According to the manufacturer: Libratone Live and Lounge … play like acoustic instruments, dispersing sound waves in multiple directions, reflecting them off the walls. This eliminates the sweet spot and gives you a 360° sound experience. To get a bit more technical, inside the cabinets there are five units each driven by dedicated audiophile amplifiers and each dedicated to spreading sound in a specific direction. This setup means that the system both spreads the sound and encapsulates you in it.   The collection features exclusive materials including a satin chrome handle, a wood body, a high-end piano finish, and Italian cashmere wool. A speaker made of cashmere wool? Sounds lovely. Available at select …

Skullcandy 2011 Roc Nation Aviator Headphones

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Aviator sunglasses are, hands down, the coolest eyewear ever created, and if you don’t believe me then you need to go rent Top Gun again. Skullcandy’s 2011 Roc Nation Aviator headphones (shown here in Brown Gold) transform the swagger of the jet pilot into some seriously fly audio gear. While the headphone’s performance reviews on the SkullCandy site are mixed, 92% would still recommend them, with owners citing comfort and the “optics inspired” polycarbonate housing. When I tried these on at a recent preview for the Consumer Electronics Show I thought they were stunning to look at and very comfortable (I didn’t have time to test the sound, but I’m no expert in that arena.) Would it be overkill if I wore these along with my old pair of Ray Bans while listening to the Top Gun soundtrack? Maybe, but it also might be the coolest thing ever. $149.99; free shipping in the U.S. with no minimum.