Cool Hunting

Yoshitomo Nara Glassware for Cerealart
Made by Cerealart, the Philadelphia producer of contemporary art multiples, these new drinking glasses feature designs by renowned Japanese artist, Yoshitomo Nara. Known for his "kawaii" or cute style that adopts the look of animated cartoons, the tumblers are made in Japan and—like his other pastel, sad-eyed characters—are sure to find fans among adults and kids alike. Available from Cerealart in three different sizes,...

Matchstick Garden
Making gardening (or at least the planting part) easier than lighting a match, Matchstick Garden is a matchbook that holds 10 cardboard matches loaded with seeds ready for planting. Available in wildflower (Cornflower, Shasta Daisy, Corn Marigold, and Field Poppy) or herb (Basil, Chives, Parsley, and Thyme), simply insert a seeded matchstick into soil, add water and sunlight, and watch your garden grow. The...

Alessi Spring/Summer 2008
Alessi's upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 product line builds on their reputation for smartly-designed kitchenware. This season, the Italian company employed the talents of a handful of celebrated designers to create some interesting twists on standard fare. One example is the sleekly egg-shaped “Pop-Up” bottle cap opener, which is work of Milanese designer Giovanni Alessi Anghini. The pressure-operated mechanism removes the bottle cap in one downward...

Ice Cream
Phaidon has a knack for publishing massive overviews that inform, educate, become trusted resources for years to come, and—as is the case with their "cream" series on emerging artists—boast amazing packaging as well. The latest edition, Ice Cream, is no exception with its rainbow mylar cover that takes us back to our sticker collection days. Fortunately, what's inside the cover doesn't disappoint, including some...

Fun Night Lights
Okay, it's a generic title but there's something to be said for these bizarre night lights that are liable to scare a small child worse than whatever's lurking in the closet. The purplish plasma bulb takes on a Frankenstein-esque quality while the fiber-optic blue looks like the head from a sci-fi Muppet character or Mystery Science Theater 3000. For only $12 for the pair,...

Capsule Letters
What better way to surprise that significant other than with a message secreted away in a coat pocket or under a pillow to be discovered later? These small plastic vials are a sort of a "message in a bottle" to break all kinds of news. The possibilities are limited only by your sense of humor or decency. But seriously, these mischievous tubes are less...