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.
In his thought-provoking work, “Post Natural History,” Vincent Fournier envisages a more evolved world. The artist, inspired by utopia and scientific research, depicts living species that have taken on new forms according to environmental necessities and human desires. Jellyfish are data transmitters, flowers grow into jewelry and cats have psychic powers. Only 50 of these limited edition box sets were produced and each one is numbered and signed by the artist.
Out with the old and in with the new. Glen Garioch’s impressive single malt scotch whisky is aged completely in Virgin North American White Oak, known to flavor spirits quickly and intensely, and often reserved for only the “finishing” part of the process. However, Glen Garioch’s solid spirit holds up astoundingly well to the intensified flavor lent from new wood, and delivers a scotch described as “a velvet explosion of rich buttery, malt, chocolate and spice.”
While we still love a good flower arrangement, it is hard to argue with the physical and conceptual beauty of terrariums, which bring small worlds of sustainability and horticultural right to your home. As we struggle to control the future of our own-climate, we can take comfort in cultivating and caring for this thriving mini eco-system.
For seriously enlightened cocktail party conversations, provoke deep and philosophical banter at your next shindig with this serving tray, which depicts surrealist René Magritte’s “La trahison des images.” You and your guests can impress with art-history recall, as you debate the fine line between representation and object, all over a well-displayed vegetable platter.
Lego-nerds, poli-sci lovers and architectural buffs will adore this playful representation of the United Nations Headquarters. Just one of the models available in Lego’s landmark series, the building shows how two heads are better than one, as the final design merged the box-like structure proposed by Le Corbusier with the more open layout submitted by Oscar Niemeyer. The result is the iconic Turtle Bay property, now ready for assembly, disassembly and reassembly, all in the comfort of your own living room.
From Detroit-based watchmakers Shinola comes The Birdy 34mm—a handsome watch with just the right about of femininity and rugged accents. The Birdy features an elegantly slender double wrap leather strap, a decorative crown and case plating and a pearlized white dial, and is made with a commitment to the rebirth of American manufacturing.
Fit for the cardshark, magician, or amateur player, this delightful deck will add an extra element of fun to even the most elementary game of Go Fish. These festive cards showcase delightful hand-illustrated interpretations of your fave fauna. Added bonus? The cards themselves are derived from sustainable materials, and for every deck purchased, $1 will be donated to to the World Wildlife Fund, benefiting global conservation efforts.
There’s nothing like gifting a bag of beans from the roaster known to refuse serving espresso in a paper cup, so as not to compromise the integrity of their bean’s distinctive flavor. Born in San Francisco and branched into NYC, Blue Bottle’s beans do more than never disappoint; they elevate every morning brew into an exquisite tasting experience with a good little buzz.
A Turkish bath towel that can double as a scarf? Centuries of Turkish bathers can’t be wrong. It’s a modern notion to ditch the terry cloth for a handsome and moisture-defying Hammam towel. Born in Tunisia, this lovely piece of fabric has taken a detour to the US market and is ready to be your number one multi-use item. Woven from a lightweight, hand-woven cotton, the Hamman becomes even softer and more absorbent over its long and happy existence.
German watchmaker MeisterSinger’s elemental watches are modeled after the original time teller, the sundial. Their single-handed character reduces time telling to its purest primordial essence. It forces us to view time moving more slowly, and as a collective continuum rather than a fragmented combination of individual seconds, minutes and hours. Their Neo F Q’s distinctly elegant aesthetics provide as much serene pleasure as does the watch’s streamlined approach.
Always taking the same approach will yield the same results. The Inspiration Pad helps breakthrough ideas come from nothing more than a change of style. For those experiencing a case of writer’s block, the classic blue lines of this notebook are warped, jumbled, twisted and swirled for a fresh take on classic loose leaf, created by Brussels-based Art Director Marc Thomasset.
For serious risk-takers looking to jazz up their tootsies for the Holidays, look no further than Timothy Everest’s unique line of colorful and geometric hosiery. Manufactured in Wales by century-old cashmere and cotton knitware phenomenon Corgi, known to provide Prince Charles himself with an array of stockings fit for any royal occasion, these socks are sure to make a solid statement in the airport security line and beyond.
Sarah and William Allardice, the print-happy duo at A Fine Matchbox Co., use their vintage windmill press to create an array of intriguing and special matchboxes, which encase their signature sturdy, blue-tipped, extra-long safety matches. Who has room for freebie-branded matchbooks in their life, when each stroke of the flame can lend a small moment to look at something beautiful.
A solid addition to any gal’s arm party. Designed by Swedish-born, NYC-based designer Annika Inez for her By Boe line, this delicate bracelet embodies the artist’s mission to create subtle accessories that make a bold statement. While this stunning piece—available in silver or gold—may or may not lend psychic capabilities, the cuff definitely has just the right amount of simplicity and power.
Burger-lovers rejoice. From beloved London burger blogger Burgerac comes this illustrated placemat book, The Burgermat Show. A few years ago, 24 artists conceptualized works of art to double as placemats for a one-night burger extravaganza. Now their masterpieces have been recreated into a commemorative book, which includes mouth-watering burger recipes and 48 works meant to be torn out and used as placemats or prints.
A group of young furniture and product designers based in Milan named their collective “Memphis” when their record needle stuck on Bob Dylan’s crooning line, “Memphis blues again,” on radical designer Ettore Sottsass’s record player. The post-modern movement, which incorporates unconventional industrial materials, gaudy colors, blatant kitsch and disregard for the rules of balance is well represented in this beautiful compilation by Barbara Radice, which includes essays, photographs, drawings and sketches that all give a compelling snapshot of this groundbreaking moment in design.