Updated daily, the Buy section is a deep directory of stuff we love. From this collection we organize Gift Guides for the holiday season and special occasions all year long.
A drum kit sized to fit your fingertips, Sphero’s Specdrums 2 Rings are designed to detect colors and play an assigned musical note for each. Simply wear it with the screen facing down and tap everyday objects to make a beat. Whether using the device’s preset library of instrumental sets or recording your own samples, you can make songs during a commute, at your desk or even on your own clothing. Each box comes with two rings, instructions on how to pair them with Specdrums MIX app, and a multi-colored playing pad.
Designed in collaboration with the very talented, multi-disciplinary artist and designer Geoff McFetridge, Warby Parker’s new “Edgemont” sunglasses are vintage-tinged and available in two colorways—peppercorn tortoise or (our pick) rosemary crystal. Crafted from hand-polished cellulose acetate, they feature scratch-resistant lenses, which protect wearers from 100% UVA and UVB rays.
A non-alcoholic standout in Suntory’s beverage portfolio, BOSS Coffee is a line of canned, caffeinated drinks. One of our favorites from the range, the Cold Café Au Lait, is now available stateside after years of success in Japan. Its perfectly proportioned formula of flash-brewed coffee, cream and sweetness afford easy drinking in all seasons. For the listed price you’ll receive 12 eight-ounce cans (with the brand’s William Faulkner-depicting logo)—which are best served cold or over ice.
With no hub necessary, each Gosund smart wall socket connects through WiFi to its dedicated app, offering control from (one or multiple) smartphones. Whether used to turn electronics on or off remotely, or to pair them with Alexa or Google Home, the multifunctional plug is simple, straight-forward and potentially energy-saving. Further, each plug can be preset to an automated schedule through the app. This is the US version but the international brand offers many other options.
Packaged inside biodegradable membranes, Dropps’ dishwasher detergent pods are eco-friendly, while still strong enough to combat grease and food debris. Free of harmful dyes and fragrances, the soaps can be naturally broken down by 55 different species of micro-organisms commonly found in river water—if they make it there. For the listed price you’ll receive 64 pods.
Turn this Meditation Tree stencil into a piece of art with paint-by-numbers guidance. Accompanied by four shades of green paint and a fine-tipped paintbrush, the entire art set will result in a glorious rendition of an indica plant.
Czech natural winemaker Milan Nestarec’s Danger 380 Volts is a funky and dry pétillant naturel that includes refreshing notes of apple, grapefruit and white peach. Crafted in the pétillant naturel style (aka the méthode ancestrale, in which wines are bottled before initial fermentation is finished, resulting in a natural sparkling), it’s slightly bubbly, cloudy and has an almost cider-like quality.
Made in collaboration with NASA, LEGO’s homage to Apollo 11’s endeavor is intended for individuals over 16 years old. It includes a complex lunar lander to assemble, a semi-realistic depiction of the surface of the moon to situate it on, two golden helmet-adorned figures to place and countless exterior features to manipulate. When complete, the final product is a nostalgia-laden depiction of those famed first steps.
Despite the title, UK-based It’s Freezing in LA! focuses on climate change on an international level. Their third issue, titled “Protest,” covers global strikes, marches and walkouts that have been initiated in opposition of fossil fuels, mining, and much more. But, this issue also addresses potential solutions, how new construction adheres to recent legislation and the challenges companies face when switching to electric vehicles. It’s Freezing in LA! is edited by Martha Dillon and art and design are handled by Nina Carter and Matthew Lewis respectively. Price is in Pounds.
British mixed media artist Joe Webb combines found images to make otherworldly, cosmic scenes. For “Controllers” (a four-color screenprint made in an edition of 75 with Jealous Gallery), Webb plays with proportions and skews the viewer’s perception, placing an astronaut high above Earth but in the sightline of suited men behind a control board. The sky is covered in a black diamond dust overlay—replicating millions of stars—and the piece is printed on 410gsm paper stock. With each purchase, a tree is planted in Madagascar, thanks to a partnership with Eden Projects. Price is in Pounds.
Crafted from sand-washed silk habotai with satellite images printed all over, RÆBURN’s flowing NASA dress documents the environmental changes due to climate change. The oversized dress features slits on either side and a v-neck, and is a loose, lightweight option that will transcend seasons. The brand uses the same NASA images on plenty more garments too—shorts, pants, coats and accessories for all genders. Each is made to order and delivered within one to two weeks after ordering.
Legendary DJ/producer/composer Jeff Mills (aka The Wizard) is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing by releasing a conceptual album inspired by the moon. Available as a double-LP (or on CD), the record, called Moon — The Area of Influence, will be made up of Mills’ nuanced, cinematic and Detroit-rooted techno. In his words, “This album and the imagination that helped to produce it should be considered as a proposition with open-endedness and no foreseeable conclusion. It is a chemistry of facts and feelings based on then, now and forever.” Set for release 19 July, it’s available for pre-order now.
Using the brand’s in-house modified Calibre JJ04 automatic moon phase movement, Christopher Ward’s 40.5mm C1 Moonglow watch keeps the time and carefully guides two illuminated 3D moons around the dial. With a stark black face, punctuated by white hour and minute hands and a red seconds hand, the watch is undoubtedly dignified. Just like the Apollo 11 landing, which it commemorates, the timepiece features plenty of technical innovation. In the dark, the moon, hands and indicators glow boldly thanks to the Grade X1 GL C1 Super-LumiNova coating.
Inspired by the Japanese Mamachari and the British Royal Mail Bike, the CERO One electric cargo bike is super-customizable—offering options that will suit many riders. With a modular cargo system and interchangeable baskets and seats for both the front and rear, it weighs just over 56 pounds. Electric-propelled (with a 93 mile range), the bike features a 504Wh battery and 250W Shimano motor to push riders up to speeds of 20mph.
Issue #2 of Honolulu-based, artist-led Tropic Zine focuses on the Filipinx diaspora—aiming to “decolonize, deconstruct, and reimagine” what it means to identify as such. The publication has been printed in an edition of 500 and includes contributions from Leah Danze, Catalina Africa Espinosa, Jasmine Wenzel, Calla Camero, Taissa Fromme, Azuré Keahi, gentofish and many more.
Available in six fun colorways, the Little Tokyobike is a sized-down version of the brand’s classic cruiser. It’s outfitted with training wheels, wide tires (for all kinds of surfaces), as well as a handlebar brake and a classic coaster rear brake. The comfy seat is adjustable from 42cm to 62cm, and the entire bike weighs 22 pounds. There’s even a handle for adults to carry it once the ride’s over.