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Salad has never seemed whimsical enough for me, so these plant salad tongs are a GODSEND. Thank goodness someone has taken it upon themselves to make salad fun again!
The serving utensils stand upright in the pot which is used for mixing your favorite dressing. It’s a fun addition to the picnic table, countertop, or even the window sill.
Salad tongs and fun, reunited at last! And, indeed, it feels so good.
Salad Plant Salad Servers, $26.00 @ Shop Fosters
Are there really men out there who would buy these, seriously?
And if there are, could you point them out to me, please, so that I can laugh at them?
Thank you.
(Don't even get me started on the 'Pouch Pads.' DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED. Just know that they are out there, and be afraid for the fate of Western Civilization.)
'Bottoms Up' (I SHIT YOU NOT) Bum Enhancers For Men, $40.00 @ BottomsUp.ca
(Sourced through Truemors)
When Web MD just won't satisfy your hypochondriac desire to jack up a seasonal-allergy sniffle into the bubonic plague, rest uneasy knowing The Complete Manual Of Things That Might Kill You will be there to turn your hysteria all the way up to ELEVEN.
The world’s worst maladies, conveniently organized by symptom (real or imagined), will ignite even the mildest hypochondriac’s fantasy life. We’re all going to die of something—why not choose an ailment that’s rare and hard to pronounce?
Indeed. A great gift for every old and/or infirm person in your life!
The Complete Manual Of Things That Might Kill You, $19.95 @ Knock-Knock
Full disclosure: I don't think that this cardy is really anything extraordinary to look at. I mean, it's fine - it's a wrap cardigan, which I like, with sorta interesting sleeves - but it doesn't seem to come in black and it's not all that different from the sorts of sweaters that you can get at H&M for much cheaper.
BUT. It's woven from bamboo, which is pretty freakin' cool. Unless you live with panda bears, in which case I would worry about them eating the sweater and choking on the buttons. Which, you know, not cool.
Eco Lux Bamboo Summer Cardigan, $88.50 @ Delight.com
Aww, these double-sided, monogrammed and special-dated necklaces from sweet addie are so sweet. A great gift for Moms -- you can put the initial of a child on one side, with their DOB on the other -- or for any special person in your life who you share an important date with.
Love Ones necklaces, $50.00 @ sweet addie
Seriously. Is there really any better way of proclaim one's devotion to la verde vita than with Kermit? Granted, he's not actually green on this tote bag, but you could totally get some fabric paint and DIY. And then you'd have an organic cotton Kermie tote bag featuring your mad DIY skillz, and is there anything cooler than that?
I think not.
"Think Green" Organic Cotton Kermit Tote, $38.95 @ Delight.com
The bland yellow post-it note is, like, SO 1995. So why not jazz up that boring staple of office workers everywhere with this Psycho Sticky Set?
With our Stickies Sets, this indispensable commodity now comes with wit and a desk-friendly tray for a true marriage of form and function. With six sticky pads of varying sizes, these sets will have you noting, tagging, and flagging in style.
You might want to consider using these ONLY with peers or subordinates, however. Sending the boss a sticky note with the label "Passive Aggressive" scrawled in bold font *might* be problematic. Jus sayin'.
Psycho Sticky Set, $12.99 @ Perpetual Kid
WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S WE COVET GIVEAWAY WOOHOO!!!
Wherever you live and whatever your background, I'm guessing if you're a lady in possession of the requisite lady bits, you enjoy the occasional self-indulgent foray into romance films (don't even get me started about how I recently cried like a bleedin' idiot while watching "The Lake House," OMG). There's no shame in that game, friends. EMBRACE THE WEEPINESS AND SUCCUMB TO THE CORNBALL. WE WON'T TELL ANYONE, PROMISE.
And so it has come to pass that we bring you this week's giveaway: a DVD set chock full o' lavishly staged classic romances (and can I just say: COLIN FIRTH!1!!!(dies)), retail value $99.95, because we ain't messin':
THE ROMANCE COLLECTION brings together eight perennial favorites in an extraordinary DVD set sure to delight all fans of sophisticated entertainment. Like no other films ever made these lavish realizations capture every nuance of the celebrated stories that have enthralled generations of readers.Titles included in this collection are: PRIDE & PREJUDICE: THE SPECIAL EDITION (2 discs); EMMA, JANE EYRE, LORNA DOONE, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (3 discs); VICTORIA & ALBERT (2 discs); TOM JONES (2 discs); IVANHOE (2 discs)
Don't even pretend you aren't squeeing right now.
And what do you have to do to get your hands on this baby? Comment. Now, and often, on as many posts this week as possible. Because one commenter will be randomly selected from all this week's comments late on Friday, and the more often you comment the more chances you have to win, ya dig?
Go on, tell us you love us. Is that really so much to ask?
Because, you know, there are just times when the perfect gift really is just a jar of sunshine.
(You don't need me to tell you that a little jar of sunshine is, like, totally an awesomely eco-friendly little accessory because sunshine is a totally renewable resource - until, you know, it collapses into itself or explodes or whatever it is that's supposed to happen, in which case we're all going to be dead anyway - and way better than sucking up more fuel or electricity. You know that shiz already. I'm just here to tell you that as a gift? A little jar of sunshine is cool and sweet - in the aaaawwww, how adorable, what a sweet idea sense of the word - and how often do you see that?)
Thanks to everyone who threw their hat in the ring for our giveaway of The History Channel's "A Global Warning?", but we now have an Official Winner:
(DRUMROLL)
Our lucky winner is: KIA!!!
Congrats, Kia! And the rest of y'all? Don't be sad! There's much, MUCH more free goodness where that came from. Look for another fabulous giveaway coming your way Monday! WOOT!
This picture pretty much describes how I feel right now, at nine-plus months of pregnancy with all the joy of backache and heartburn and - awesome of awesomes - false labor. So, yeah, this print speaks to me. I think I'll buy it.
I mean, why not? It's, like, thirty bucks and part of the proceeds go to The Nature Conservancy. And if my mood were to all of a sudden change while I was purchasing this print, I could click through the rest of BlueFlipArt's affordable art slash fundraising for good causes site and pick out something more like this. Or this.
At the moment, though, it's the weed-belching belly monster that's speaking to me. Go figure.
Prints from about $14.00, @ BlueFlipArt
Our weekly look at what We Covet readers are feeling covetous about...
Our friend Baltimore Gal Writes:
OK, so there are a few things that I covet. Two for now.
One is a Gee's Bend Quilt- which I could never afford- so I would settle for a reproduction rug that I could hang on the wall.- probably "Birds in the Air" or "Roman Stripes" or "Strips"- they're all so cool. I saw this exhibit when they came to Baltimore and was blown away by these women. Gee's Bend is a remote community in Alabama known for its brilliant and dynamic quilts. The Gee's Bend Quilt Collection, includes hand-loomed, flat-woven Pima cotton rugs from India, hand-knotted wool and silk rugs from Nepal, and hand-tufted New Zealand wool rugs made by craftsmen in the United States based on their designs. Classic Rug Collection, Inc. creates handmade rugs based on folk-art motifs and Barbara Barran's original designs. For more about the 39 African- American women who make these quilts, check out the NPR Program.
Another is a bookcase door which is about the coolest idea ever, as far as I'm concerned. The website talks about efficiency and space-saving but all I can think about is "cool" and "hiding".
Stripes rug, $4,599.00 @ Classic Rug
Our friend Ree writes:
[I covet] DHC Skincare and Food products. Have either of you tried their stuff? I love the Virgin Olive Oil (yes, that's really the name) for breaking up / cleansing makeup off, then the foaming cleanser - and especially the makeup primer.
I covet! the makeup primer.
Smooths over my acne scars and makes my foundation go on wayyyyyy smoother.
Cleansing Foam, $8.00 @ DHC
Thanks this week's awesome participants, and please keep your personal coveting picks coming!
A sampling of fabulous finds elsewhere that you might enjoy, courtesy of Friends of We Covet (FoWC):
Boston Mamas: 10 Green Tips
Ten easy green tips to cultivate your family’s awareness about the earth and its limited resources.
MomFinds: Win a Pair of See Kai Run Shoes for Baby
Tell us your favorite shoe from See Kai Run's Sping Collection for a chance to win one of two pairs!
One Chic Mama: Green Your Shopping
The Find Green is a fabulous search engine leading you to all things green.
Maybe it's because I'm - what? - eleventeen months pregnant, but just looking at this picture of organic cotton teething grapes makes me hungry. And thirsty. For a nice, juicy Bordeaux. With a side of grapes, and maybe some good cheese. And a man-servant to feed them to me.
Where was I?
Right. Organic cotton teething grapes, for your baby (although I suppose no-one would care if you were to give them an exploratory chomp yourself). Pretty, soft and totally eco-friendly. Sweet.
Under The Nile Organic Cotton Grapes, $5 and change, @ Amazon
Well, so long as it's turned into something useful, like this cool clock made entirely of recycled circuit boards. A perfect one-of-a-kind gift for your favorite geek, the shop has a variety of designs to suit any taste.
Circuit Board Clock, $65.25 @DebbyAremDesigns
Made with sustainable sugarcane and recycled paper, these 25-page mini-journals feature "original designs pairing vintage images with sage quotes from The Science of Culture (a stuffy book on etiquette from 1923)." Perfect to carry with you and jot down fleeting creative ideas (and/or important items for your grocery list).
The Science of Culture set (3 journals), $25.00 @ Five and a Half
I'm sorta undecided about the aesthetics of this foot massage rug. I mean, the pebbles are pretty, but if you squint a bit it could look like some kind of, um, unpleasant mess on your floor. But that's probably just me. I live in world of too much toddler puke and cat barf. You see pretty stone mosaic, I see upchuck.
Anyhoo. You could always just put in your bathroom where, really, the benefits of a foot massage rug could really be maximized (getting out of shower onto warm pebbles? Niiiiiiiice.) Or right beside your bed, where those pretty pebbles could be the first and last things that your footsies feel in the day.
Because, really, if you've ever walked over warm smooth pebbles at a beach, you know how good that feels on the foots. So just don't squint at the thing, and I'm betting that you'll love it.
(Also? Eco-friendly! Made from hemp and hand-woven by fair-trade rock-loving river nymphs Thai artisans! AWESOME.)
Foot Massage Rug, $195 @ GiggleFish
I was trying to come up with just one (okay, maybe even TWO) products from the Branch Home site to share and link to, but honestly, I cannot. For I basically want my entire home to be swathed in goods from this site. Not only is the design of the products awesome, the entire site is all about sustainability (from the Branch Home About page):
Instead of asking people to stop shopping (which is, of course, pretty impractical), what if we changed the paradigm of shopping itself? What if we could shop in a place that had already done the challenging thinking for us? A place where we could buy products that are wholly appealing on every level, but that are also manufactured and brought to market in such a way that we didn’t have to feel guilty about buying – or, eventually, disposing of – them?
SO. FREAKING. AWESOME. And exactly the sort of thing we all need, wouldn't you say?
Thanks to Maiken for the tip!
Okay, so I know that this product sends an environmentally mixed message. The eco-friendly way to take your latte is in your own mug, not in a take-away cup, even if it is made from recycled whatever and cozied in one of these cool handmade cup wrap cozie thingies. That said, sometimes you just don't remember to bring your own mug, yanno? And then you have to use one of those cardboard cup wrap things that prevents you from burning your hands, which is important, but which also contributes to waste, yadda yadda.
SO. Why not just have one of these handmade, re-usable merino wool cup cozies on hand in your bag at all times, so that whenever you forget your travel mug - which I know you always, always strive not to do - you can use it instead of the cardboard disposable one and feel good about the fact that you've at least minimized your waste a little bit.
Oh, and if it reminds you to ride your bicycle a little more often, all the better.
Cruiser Coffee Cozy, $6.00 @ Stitchella (@ Etsy) (Did you know? We luuurve Etsy)
I don't know what it is about cherries that makes them just so irresistibly compelling in any incarnation. Prints, jewelry, whatever - if it's got a little cluster of cherries on it, I'll probably like it. The same is just not true for, say, apples or bananas or eggplants. I don't want a little eggplant design stamped onto my wallet, or hung around my neck. I just don't.
But cherries? Yes, please. And all the more if those cherries are fashioned from vintage glass and interwoven with beads of olive jade and coral. Yum.
(And, also? Totally recycled materials. So it's, like, good for you. Or for the earth. Which, you know, same thing. Either way: score.)
Vintage Cherry Necklace, $105.00 @ GiggleFish
Since I'm apparently on the subject of cleaning products today, howsabout getting that kid of yours de-grimed, huh?
This 3-in-one shampoo from Method will do the trick -- along with their whole new line of kids & baby products (have we mentioned lately how much we LOVE Method? BECAUSE WE DO):
The gentle cleaners and in this body wash, shampoo and conditioner are made from natural materials like sunflower seed oil, coconut oil and corn sugars, and combined with moisturizing extracts of rice milk, mallow and olive oil ensure tear free and hypoallergenic cleaning without any dirty ingredients like numbing agents, pthalates or parabens.
What more could you ask for? I mean other than a magical, flying umbrella nanny to come in and do the actual scrubbing for you. You're on your own with that one, bucko.
Squeaky Green Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo, $7.00 @ method.com
I know, I know: COVETING LAUNDRY SOAP? O RLY?
Yes, RLY.
These Dropps laundry packs are pretty much teh awesomes. Enzyme-free, phosphate free, biodegradable and safe for septic tanks, these little detergent packets -- similar to those for dishwashers -- dissolve completely and reduce waste and the amount of plastic you have to recycle.
Everyone's happy, no one gets hurt, dig?
Dropps 20-Load Pouches 3-pk (60 loads total), $22.99 @ Target.com
(PSST! Also available in unscented and dye-free!)
In honor of Earth Week, We Covet will be giving away to one randomly selected commenter this week a copy of The History Channel's excellent documentary on our climate crisis "A Global Warning?":
Follow the world's climate experts as they investigate the most dramatic climatic events in history. It is a story of unimaginable extremes, extinctions of entire species and remarkable survivals in the face of total devastation. Learn the secrets locked away inside 300 year-old corals. Is it possible that the Arctic was once a tropical haven with crocodiles and waters hot enough to swim in? Scientists are racing to understand the weather of our past in the hope of preventing climate catastrophe in the future. Packed with breathtaking locations, dynamic special effects and exciting accounts, watch as a vision of the earth's violent past and uncertain future is revealed.
Simply comment at some point this week on any post to win! (The more comments you post, the more chances you have to win, so don't be shy!) We'll announce the lucky winner late on Friday, 4/25.
Good luck, and here's to Mother Earth!
Afraid being eco-friendly means succumbing to the scourge of crunchy-granola-y Dead Headesque style? (shudder) Well fret no more, cuz being green has gone modern, baby! Check out this sweet bag made from 100% recycled plastic -- not only thoroughly stylish, but VEGAN-FRIENDLY, PEOPLE. See, you can save the planet AND be totally hawt and patchouli-free, too! (wipes sweat from brow)
Starbright Satchel made from recycled plastic, $38.75 @ Delight.com
I don't ordinarily go for books or products that purport to help you live a better life - in # easy steps! But I make an exception for anything that might help me live a more environmentally-friendly life. Because, hey, I'm lazy. I can never remember what's supposed to go in the recycling box and what's not (egg cartons? yes? no?) So, any tips that I can pick up, real quick-like? More than welcome. And in the form of a cute little pocket-sized box of cards with tips on how to improve my eco-karma? All the better!
Unless, that is, I can't figure out how/whether to recycle the card packaging. Then I'll just be right back at square one.
Karma Coaching Cards, $15.95 @ GiggleFish
I'm ordinarily not one for flowery prints in any incarnation - not clothes, not scarves, not bags, not anything (some exception is made, however, for shoes with any kind of cherry blossom print. Can't explain why, it just is.)
But, you know, throw a funky bag with a cool, sort-of-geometricish shape to it and a grannyish print of paisley and pansies (pansies!) in front of me, and I could change my mind.
Sweet Life Bag, $95.00 @ Amy Butler Designs
I'm not sure what it says about me that most of the kids' products that I find I want to keep for myself. Am I young at heart? Am I juvenile? Am I in the midst of some mid-thirties regression? Or are they just making way cooler kids' stuff these days?
I mean, who wouldn't want a rolly-bag fashioned like a big penguin? A Samsonite rolly-bag, with super-sturdy wheels and lots of pockets? SHAPED LIKE A PENGUIN?
Seriously. That is all kinds of awesome, and if you were to stick an iPod with miniature speakers in the back pocket with Morgan Freeman's narration of March of the Penguins running on a continuous loop, that'd be even awesomer.
(If you picked 'juvenile' above, it should be obvious by now that you were correct.)
Sammies FunnyFace by Samsonite, 18" Dinky Upright (*snicker*), $94.95 @ Samsonite
Our weekly look at what We Covet readers are feeling covetous about...
Our friend Jessica writes: 
I'm a sucker for polka dots and bows, but usually find them too precious and akin to the frocks I dress my two year old daughter in for Sunday school. The dots and ties on this silky, trampy sandal are the perfect counterpoint to Laura Ashley, and the high heel and loud look are evening's answer to the practical accessories of daily momdom.
I want these in every color for date nights, weddings, charity events, hot and steamy trips to Trader Joe's. I think that if I had these babies strapped on my feet it wouldn't matter what I was wearing, what I weighed, that the biggest accomplishment of my day was quelling a tantrum at the library toddler hour. The power of the Caylie would transform me into a tarty art student who salsa dances on weekends, never cleans her bathroom and eats men for breakfast. Hey, I may no longer be able to pray my way into one of Betsey's trademarked floral Lycra dresses, but the shoes still fit and I covet wearing them.
Betsey Johnson Women's Chip Pump, $189.95 @ Endless.com
Our friend Kim writes:
I love this water bottle from CamelBak.
It's nice for driving or walking with a stroller b/c there's no twist toppy stuff going on-you can just leave the spout up and drink away-no spills. Great for the gym b/c it's way easier than trying to get the top off of a regular water bottle while running/etc. The straw goes all the way to the bottom so you dont have to tip it back to get to that last drip!
Loves it!
CamelBak 25oz. water bottle, $12.00 @ REI.com
Thanks this week's awesome participants, and please keep your personal coveting picks coming!
The other day I said that I wanted a room full of Tetris chairs.
I've changed my mind.
I want one room full of Tetris charis, and another full of Fatboys (*snicker*). (Am resisting dirty jokes, and also Fatboy Slim jokes, which aren't as interesting as the former, but still.) Seriously - what would be more awesome than a room with, say, four full-size Fatboy beanbag pillow/chair thingies for jumping on/rolling over/lounging in/sequestering children in? Okay, maybe a room full of Fatboys with a (locked) bar fridge and a giant flatscreen programmed to play Dora on a continuous loop during the day (omg you could totally fire the nanny and the children wouldn't even notice) and back-to-back episodes of Lost at night.
I think that I just drooled a little, thinking about that.
Fatboys, up to $299 @ DesignPublic
Filing this under Thing I Will Buy Once I'm Independently Wealthy: despite its obvious impracticality I totally LOVE this decoupage plate from Bombus:
This large 48cm plater is decoupaged in vintage 1970's comic strip. It makes a great peice of wall art or a centre piece for a table. It is collaged with layers of cuttings then given a smooth plastic lacquer finish.
A bit pricey, but Bombus has a TON of reasonably priced paper goods that use recycled maps, atlases and newspapers. Awesome looking AND eco-friendly, folks! Win-win!
Comic Decoupage Plate, $185.00 @ Bombus
I love my cats, I really do, but there are times - when they're giving their claws a workout on my lovely Indian wool rug or my awesome houndstooth print wing chair, for example - when I don't so much like them, yanno? And because I hate the idea of declawing, and Pet Smart cat scratch towers are hideous and useless, I've just had to deal with these moments of profound and disheartening cat-scratchy frustration.
But now! There is hope! Stylin' cat scratch posts that you can fasten to the wall and imagine are some kind of postmodern eco-art! I have no idea whether they work or not - tho' I suppose you rub one with a bit of catnip and you're good to do - but given that they're not hideous and they're not hideously expensive, who cares?
Wallflower Scratcher from $35 - $42 @ Design Public
Seriously. Have you not always wanted a gherkin? Just so that you could say, 'hey, like my gherkin?'
This one is one-of-a-kind vintage (c. 1953) from Ohio Knitting Mills, but if they sell it before you get to it, you could always opt for the Major Statement Vest (c. 1953) or the High Groovy Poncho (c. 1965). Whichever you choose, you're guaranteed to be the only one on your block to be rocking that particular look. Unless you live on Sesame Street (Old School intersection), in which case you've got that High Groovy Poncho already, and don't need any help from me.
Robin's Gherkin, $188.00 @ Ohio Knitting Mills
Maybe they're rats with wings, but you have to admit these pigeon ring necklaces are pretty neato. Hung on a sterling silver chain, each necklace "comes with a individual description of the
pigeon, their racing information and their likes and dislikes, some
have come from as far as England, Japan and Hawaii."
A one-of-a-kind conversation piece that simultaneously speaks of your unique, quirky taste, and love of filthy urban scavengers.
Pigeon Ring Necklace, $49.95 @ Chinnychinchin Shop
You'll feel a lot less guilty stocking up on cheap Marimekko for yourself at H&M if you draw your kids into your obsession with retro Finnish design. Being a pretentious hipster isn't just for grown-ups anymore: you can set the kiddie table with one of these Marimekko porcelain dish sets - you'll be wearing a Marimekko-print housedress, of course - and feel perfectly secure in the knowledge that you are raising children with perfectly appropriate superiority complexes.
Until the Marimekko plate gets chipped after being bashed by a grape-juice stained Marimekko cup, at which point you'll probably just wish that you'd saved these for yourself and let the little monsters use the cheap plastic Dora ware instead.
Marimekko tableware for kids, about $55.00 per set @ ModernKid
My daughter's history with plastic cups is a bit, erm, troubled (she prefers peeing in them to drinking out of them. Cocktail tumblers are for orange juice. Kid cups are for urine samples.) But that doesn't mean that I'm not determined to persevere. I don't like my bar supplies getting all chipped on her wooden kitchen set, and besides, brightly colored plastic cups are just more appropriate for two-year olds, yanno? We get weird looks from the neighbors when we sit, the two of us, on the front steps with our ice-and-OJ-filled cocktail glasses, garnished with little stir sticks and paper umbrellas.
So, these super awesome plastic training cups with giant elephant-eared handles? PERFECT. Because, a) even with the little umbrellas, the neighbors won't peg it as containing a cocktail, and b) the child can't get it between her legs to piss in. And it looks cool, too. Win-win-win.
Dumbo Cups, $14.00 @ HipBaby
If you love your iPod like me, you know that you must protect it at all costs. But if you're also like me, you loathe most of the bland, generic protective cases made commercially for the iPod.
Etsy to the rescue!
Check out this totally awesome handmade iPod case from QuietDoing! Made from heavy vinyl with a sturdy velcro enclosure, the back side has a clear vinyl window that allows you to use the touch control wheel. Plus? Cute as a button! Yay!
Available in a number of colors, and in iPod nano size!
iPod Classic Case, $28.00 @ QuietDoing
My dear husband
Jamie bought me a ring from The Carrotbox a few years back, and I've been smitten ever since. The site sells a wide variety of rings made from all kinds of materials (except the traditional metals) -- glass, lucite, resin, plastic, jade, wood, bakelite and even stone -- with unique, handmade designs.
Bonus: the vast majority of the rings are relatively inexpensive, ranging from $6-$85, with most under $30.
Head on over and explore all the awesomeness The Carrotbox has to offer (just *try* to keep your credit card in check).
I saw this bag at the MoMA store when I was in New York the other weekend, and thought it was pretty awesome. It's made from the pull tabs of over 1600 recycled soda cans, which is a lot of soda, and a lot of aluminium that would otherwise end up as landfill. But, you know, I'm not gonna spent $160 on some bag just cuz it's eco-friendly. It's gotta look good, which this one does, and have, like features, yanno?
Is bullet-proof a feature?
Masha Bag, $160 @ Re-Modern
This sweet paper cuckoo clock is perfect for a kid's room, and it's something you and your child could do together in just a few minutes!
The package comes with all the necessary clock parts and assembly instructions, and is available in blue, green or pink.
Cuckoo Clock Kit, $20.00 @ Cut+Paste
Okay, so, these are the geekiest things ever - EVER - but that doesn't make them any less desirable. TETRIS CHAIRS OMG. Can you imagine, like, having a whole room full of Tetris chairs, so that you could just go in there in the middle of the night when you can't sleep - or when you're really, really drunk - and move them around and try to make them fit together and then collapse on the floor in the middle of them all with your laptop or your iPhone and kick up an actual game of Tetris and say to yourself I am so META.
Or you could just get one, and sit in it while you rock the Tetris, and tell yourself the same thing. But the first scenario is way more fun.
Tetris Chairs, @ $220 each, @ Rakuten (sourced via Truemors)
Above and beyond all the obvious reasons to covet Woot, I just needed to take a second and point everyone to what may be the best product description ever written.
Srsly, ROFL and LOLZ!
Yay Woot!
This is, I think, very possibly the most useful item ever invented: a double-walled liquor bottle that keeps liquids perfectly cold (or hot. I, as a rule, don't drink hot liquor, but that's just me.) Which, as a vodka freak aficionado, strikes me as the perfect liquor cabinet accessory.
I'm ordering this now. So that the minute I am able to get back on the drinking train (pump and dump, betches, pump and dump), I will be ready.
Double-walled bottle, $99.00 @ The MoMA Store
I normally don't think too much about umbrellas. Mine is a rather utilitarian black compact little number, the epitome of function over form/fashion, and I've been totally comfortable with that for a long, long time.
But I ran across this Happy Storm Travel Umbrella the other day, and may have to rethink my whole "it's just a something to keep the rain off" attitude. Because, omg, HOW CUTE IS THAT? WANT. My plain old black umbrella seems so bland and inadequate now.
Happy Storm Travel Umbrella, $16.00 @ Fred Flare
So, I know that you don't know me, and that you probably don't go around buying gifts for total strangers, but here's the thing: I am eight and half months pregnant with my second kid and am not expecting a shower of any kind and wouldn't want anyone to go to that trouble anyway and even if they did it's really boy onesies and blue blankies and the whatnot that I need, but. I WANT THIS CHAIR. REAL BAD. Because, hello? It is the awesome.
So, um, you know, if you're feeling in the mood to lavish generous baby gifts on people you don't know - or, maybe, you know Tom Cruise and can convince him that miniature Eames chairs are a waaay better baby gift than fish tanks, and also, that he should direct some his largess my way - that'd be, like, cool. Yanno? Just sayin'.
Eames Miniature Elephant Chair $185.00, @ The MoMA Store
Question: What's worse than sporting a low-rise jeans muffintop?
Answer: A low-rise jeans muffintop accidentally exposed -- in the bulging flesh -- by a too-short top. The horror!
Luckily, some brilliant, understanding, and likely soon-to-be-very-wealthy woman has come to the rescue with the Blush Topless Undershirt, a solid band of fabric to be worn under short shirts that provides a pinch more coverage (and let's be honest: peace of mind). It's available in a variety of colors, and in maternity and regular sizes.
As someone who like to keep my jiggly muffin-y bits to myself, I feel certain I'll be wearing mine daily. And maybe to bed. And with my swimsuit this summer. And under the paper examination gown I'll be forced to don at my next GYN visit. The possibilities are endless!
Blush Topless Undershirt, $15 @ Bediboo
A sampling of fabulous finds elsewhere that you might enjoy, courtesy of Friends of We Covet (FoWC):
MomFinds: Win a Deluxe Learning Kit for Your Little Reader
Teach your baby to read with over $120 worth of books, word cards and interactive DVDs from Your Baby Can Read.
Moms Buzz: Keep Your Husband in Style! Men's Trend for Spring 2008
Fashion is also hot for men this Spring 2008.
There is always something trendy for all men's style. This Spring
season, men's trend is characterized by...find out!
One Chic Mama: Tangerine Dream
With bold colors hot this season, citrus spiked hues add a dash of warmth and a burst of color.
Schweet! Get an additional 20% off all sale items at Style Kid today and tomorrow only (April 10th & 11th) -- including this fab Chemistry Hoodie for a mere $11.20 with discount! At checkout input the discount code "SALE20" and get yer kidlet booty on the cheap!
This is brilliant: the Shemergency Survival Kit, a compact go-anywhere silver mesh case containing just about old thing you might need in a pinch. Each kit contains:
Folding hair brush with mirror, hair spray, clear elastics, earring backs, hand lotion, nail clipper, emery board, clear nail polish, nail polish remover, mending kit, safety pin, double-sided tape, lint remover, shoe shine wipes, stain remover, static remover, breath freshener, lip balm, dental floss, pain reliever, deodorant wipes, tampon, adhesive bandages, facial tissues.
Seriously, how smart is that?
Survival kits for every occasion can be found over on the Ms. & Mrs. site.
Shemergency Survial Kit, $20.00 @ Ms. & Mrs.
These are adorable, but I just can't figure out what they're for. I mean, sure, why shouldn't an apple have a sweater, but then again, why should it? Not that I'm anti-apple or anything - if apples want to wear clothes, then more power to them - but it just seems to me that the sweater yarn might get caught in your teeth when you bite into them.
Of course, if you're the type to put sweaters on your apples, you're probably naming them and organizing them into little families, so you're maybe not eating them. So maybe I'm missing the point entirely.
Apple Jackets, $20.00 @ The Curiosity Shoppe. One size, apparently, fits most medium apples. So if you have extra large or extra small apples, you might want to have them sized by a tailor or something. Because, you know, dressing well is all about fit. Stacey and Clinton taught me that.
(Try saying that five times fast, har.)
You know what you need? Cups with awesome number handles that are also -- BONUS! -- stackable. Not for any particular reason -- though you could give these to yourself and/or others to mark an anniversary or birthday or some other numerical-type occasion -- but mostly just because I said so.
And really, I know best, don't I?
Each 5.4oz cup is made of plain white china, no color options, and you'll like it that way, dammit.
Stackable Number Cups, $16.00 @ Fly-Bird
I need a new laptop bag. I need a good laptop bag. I have a cute Ben Sherman bag, but it a) is a bit snug for my 17" inch laptop (what can I say? I like 'em big) and b) got kinda banged up when I fell down recently running for a train (what can I say? Am clumsy. Hence need for proper laptop bags.)
My specs are pretty flexible: it needs to accomodate a larger laptop, it needs to also be able to fit peripherals, a cell phone and a New Yorker or two, and it needs to not be hideous. If it were actually pretty - which is to say, not industrial black canvas - that would be a super-awesome bonus.
You has cool laptop bags? SHOW ME THEM.
I'd like to talk to you today about a serious problem, one wreaking havoc in our cities, towns, and yes, even in our suburbs. It is a problem that all too frequently leads individuals to succumb to the scourges of drug abuse, alcoholism, prostitution, and, sadly, early death from preventable causes.
I'm talking about bird homelessness, people.
Too many birds are out there on the streets right now, turning tricks for seed, crashing in people's clothes dryer vents, vandalizing cars with crusty dollops of poop. It's a problem that ultimately impacts all of us.
But you can help. By buying this adorable yet functional birdhouse from Anthropologie, you can strike out against bird homelessness, and change someone's life. As the online catalog states, "this hollow, oversized nut is a cozy abode any wren or warbler would be proud to call home." Tru dat, my friends, tru dat.
Just a place to call home. Even junkie alcoholic disease-ridden whore-birds deserve that much, wouldn't you agree?
Acorn-Sweet-Acorn Birdhouse, $38.00 @ Anthropologie
You've seen those commercials for Ambien, right? The ones where they warn of possible side effects that include, and I quote: "sleepwalking and eating or driving while not fully awake with amnesia for the event"? If you haven't, go here and watch the video. I'll wait.
You back? Ok!
Yeah, so in light of all that I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that those of you suffering from insomnia get a friend to just hit you over the head with a hammer at bedtime (a hammer wrapped in a towel, people. Safety first!). Because seriously, the whole pounding-your-skull-with-a-hammer thing might in fact be a more reasonable course of action than taking Ambien.
Stupid drug companies.
Anyhoo, in honor of Ambien's towering achievement in pharmaceutical fuckery, I present for your amusement the following Ambien commercial spoof (which isn't too far off from the real ad spots and their litany of questionable side-effects, mind you), after the jump. Enjoy!
Continue reading "We Covet's The Cure Is Worse Than The Disease Award" »
This adorable stuffy monster thingy - designed so that kids, or anyone who loves monster toys, can stuff their hands and arms inside for warmth - is super adorable, but I kinda can't get over the fact that they're calling it a Muff Doll. Which is probably just a glitch that is totally unique to me - I freely admit that I have the mind of a potty-mouthed teenager - but still. Muff? We're not in the 19th century anymore, so when somebody says, oh, I wanna get my hands in that muff, my first thought is not that they're hoping to snuggle up with a handwoven arm warmer.
Which is not to say that it isn't lovely to warm one's hands and arms in something snuggly - and as a mom, I'm certainly in favor of kid accessories that fulfill the needs of both survival and play - but again, couldn't they please just call it something different? Like, say, coochy snuggler?
Muff Doll, $20.00 @ The MoMA Store
BEHOLD THE HORROR SCIENCE HATH WROUGHT! 
Okay, so it's just a stupid apple... well, sort of.
Actually, it's a Grapple -- an apple that is artificially flavored to taste like a grape, thus producing the most redundant and superfluous food item ever mass-produced by man. Congratulations, Grapple people, you win at being pointless! Woot!
Dude, what I want to know is when are they going to make a carrot that tastes like broccoli? Because THAT would be totally useful. Durr?
Get yourself a whole box of freakish grapey appleness if you dare, $39.95 @ Premium Fruit
Yippee! We received a METRIC TON of awesome email from you last week, proclaiming the glory and rightness of things YOU covet. And your submissions were so incredibly fabulous that we want to share as many as we can, so look for more readers selections to appear later this week... And please, keep your personal coveting picks coming! (PS: If you can also send us a link to somewhere the item of your choice is for sale, we'd appreciate it! Also please let us know if there is a URL you'd like to have your name linked to! okthxbai!)
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Our friend Jodi Writes:
Hi ladies!!
These have been the object of my desire for the last 3 months. I keep thinking that I will buy a pair when I get my bonus check...and then the bonus comes and it never is as much as I think it should be...and I do other things with it...like pay bills and all that.
Anyway... don't think I'm a dork... they are Chuck Taylors with a plaid tongue. LOVE them!!
Converse Chuck Taylor® All Star® Plaid Double Tongue Ox, $47.00 @ zappos
Our friend Sarah Writes:
Ever since Linda over at All & Sundry posted about them, I have spent every holiday drooling over the Superhero Designs necklaces. Kiwi and Joy are my favorites (you can see all necklaces here). BUT, at the pricey price tag (could I be more redundant?), I can only leave the browser window open accidentally and hope my husband catches on. (He hasn't.)
Of course, if my email is published on wecovet.com... yeah, who am I kidding? :)
Joy necklace, $99.00 @ superhero designs
This product was, apparently, invented by an Alaskan police officer who was worried about staying awake during long shifts, and also about chapped lips. Which, I don't know, seems a bit too metrosexual for men who patrol the snowy tundra of the continental north. Alaskan cops should have chapped lips, to go with their wind-burned cheeks and polar bear pelt coats. I can't really visualize an Alaskan cop with a perfectly moisturized smile, which, when you think about it, is really only a few tiny steps away from the slippery slope to waxed man-brows.
The coffee thing, though, I get. There's only so much coffee you can drink before your bladder starts bursting, and I imagine that in Alaska the outhouses are pretty cold and uncomfortable. For me personally, though, the advantage of replacing coffee with lip balm has less to do with the temperature of the outhouses in my 'hood than it does with my inability, as a pregnant woman, to hold my bladder long enough to waddle quickly enough, after a few coffees, to said outhouses. So, sure, alternate means of caffeine-intake? Always good.
Spazzstick Lip Balm, $2.99 @ ThinkGeek