Trends
We love a good find -- a funky messenger bag, a set of moroccan tea glasses, steel drums, bespoke shirts, African chocolates and tech toys -- and we're betting you'll love them just as much as we do. Stick with us to find out what's hot, what's new, what should be on your radar.
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The Willow Collection - Recycled Glass
$35-58.00 Raise a glass to your eco-conscious choices with this sweet set of tumblers and goblets made from recycled Napa Valley wine bottles. The recycling process is, in itself a work of art where the head and base of the bottles are fashioned into goblets and tumblers that are fire polished, tempered and finished either clear or frosted, with or without the signature etching. Available in sets of four. Greenhome.com |
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A Kehinde Wiley portrait is classic in its influences, defiant in its interpretation -- brothers rocking the Roc-a-ware or a throwback jersey while striking the pose of an aristocrat copped from one of the classic portraitists, Titian or Gainsborough or Reynolds. These urban lords, standing defiantly against florid, rococo backgrounds, represent, as Wiley has explained, “an interrogation of the master painter, at once critical and complicit.” You can feast your eyes on Wiley’s work at several contemporary venues worth their salt. But the inside joke and double-take comes from seeing these young bloods captured on one of the most pedestrian of canvases – a beach towel. Currently on sale in the gift shop of the new New Museum of Contemporary Art in Manhattan, the towels are a sign of the evolutionary trend in museum store tchotchkes. Wiley’s terry cloth joins an array of artists interested in designing more accessible forms of their art, yet clear in their determination to veer far away from the traditional puzzles, ties and coffee mugs. The beneficiaries? The artists, whose work (and income stream) branches out to parts heretofore unknown; the exhibition venues, who expand their patron offerings (and income stream) in ever-more innovative ways; and, finally, those of us who worship from afar and can now get up closer and more personal.
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Barack the Brand? 
"Blue Magic, that's a brand name, like Pepsi. That's a brand name, I stand behind it, I guarantee it."
-Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) in American Gangster
While it may not be the best idea to equate Barack Obama to the highly potent heroin Blue Magic from the movie American Gangster, it’s clear Obama is a brand that many Americans stand by.
With all the hoopla surrounding the possible Democratic presidential nomination of Obama, it wouldn’t take long for pop culture to hop on board. First, it was the YouTube phenomenon Obama Girl, then tons of celebrity endorsements including the popular Will.I.Am music videos, but with Barack Obama-inspired shirts, hoodies and yes, even shoes sprouting up everywhere, our favorite son is officially a pop culture icon.
More relevant than trendy tees with hip sayings (think: Team Aniston, Team Jolie), it’s evident Obama has surpassed mainstream politics and has gone where many politicos have never gone – consumerism. Unlike Rock The Vote or Vote or Die campaign apparel, which encourages non-partisan youth participation in the voting process, apparel with saying such as “BaRock The Vote!”, “Obama For Change,” and “Audacity is the Ladder, Climb with the Steps of Hope,” these wearers loudly and proudly support Obama for the presidential nomination.
Dwamina Drew and Chris Coutee-Bouyer of Enstrumental, a Chicago-based socially-conscious clothing line produced their special-edition Obama ‘08 line before Obama announced his candidacy.
“We figured that whether or not he ran for president that the youth, especially African-American youth, need to see a living productive, positive, individual who looks like them,” Drew explains. “Fashion is important to the consumer and we wanted to leverage style to promote political advocacy. People should stand for something. We want our shirts tell stories and represent something much bigger than design and style.”
To take things a step further Enstrumental is also supporting the Obama campaign directly, by donating eight percent of Obama ’08 sales to the campaign. “We believe in giving back to the community. By donating to the campaign, we are supporting a man who wants to support community. We picked eight percent because of him running in '08,” adds Coutee-Bouyer. “…Young people are really inspired by him. They see themselves in Barack.”
Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve… -Iman Jefferson |
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Men's Leather Watch Case
$65.00 
For the man with a serious watch collection, or the guy who wants to build one, a leather watch case keeps his favored time pieces close at hand and in mint condition. Velvet lined case holds eight rolled watches, and the glass lid allows for surveying his entire collection at a glance. Monogram service available. www.redenvelope.com |
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Godiva Chocolates
$65.00 
Indulge your chocolate fetish with nothing but the best. A super luxe Godiva sampler includes buttery pralines, creamy caramels, rich truffles and a dozen more treats guaranteed to seduce your Valentine. Single? No worries -- go it alone. www.godiva.com |
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Lulu Guinness Tattoo Vanity Case
$147.00 
Nothing says "cheat on me and I'll tear your heart out" more stylishly than this laminate vanity case from the creative genius of U.K. upstart, Lulu Guinness. Printed, laminated canvas with --surprise! -- bright red lining. Obsession with the object of one's affections sold separately. www.luluguinness.com |
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Snowpeak Compact Chopsticks
$25.00 
For you NBS snowfiends with a taste for Thai, pack these high tech chopsticks for your trip to Breckenridge. Made of recycled birch baseball bats and stainless steel, the collapsable eco-friendly design houses the wooden tips inside the hollow steel handles for storage. Nylon travel sleeve ensures you'll make it through a TSA frisk. www.rei.com |
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Miyasol Designer Bags
from $85.00 
What do you get when you combine an architectural aesthetic with the people skills of a bartender? Miyasol. Designing under the mantra of “reinventing urban elegance,” this upstart house creates unique bags in sizes built to accommodate files, diapers, laptops and party favors. www.miyasol.com |
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HUE Hi-Def Webcam
$79.99
Compatible with Macs and PCs and shoots from a multitude of angles, this sleek new take on the static, boxy webcam makes a style statement about you and your system. Operates on its base or can be plugged directly into a laptop for ultimate portability. Who says technology has to be black and white?
www.huehd.com |
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Delphi Satellite Radio Receiver
$170.00
The gazillion options minus commercials on satellite radio is cool, but, up until now, the display was just – well – boring. Enter the Delphi Express RC, a plug-and-play receiver with a full-color split screen that lets you see what’s playing now as well as what’s playing on up to five other stations. We like to think of it as picture-in-picture radio. www.xmradio.com |
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Gordini Lobz Audio Ear Warmers
$30.00 
Drop the right hint to stay warm and wired with a set of Gordini Lobz. The all-weather nylon and fleece ear warmers hold removable stereophonic earphones that will keep melodic riffs wafting through your frontal lobe the entire time you’re dashing through the snow. Or shoveling the walk. Or taking the half pipe at Heavenly. www.gordini.com |
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Handmade Shirts by Emmett of London
$195 US 
Let's face it, the Brits make the best shirts going. All the in-crowd raves about Thomas Pink , but they've slipped a bit since going worldwide. Emmett, on the other hand, still does limited issues of handmade shirts from their Kings Row storefront. And they come with great subtle details that the Brits are famous for – extra long tails so they stay in your pants, contrasting color lining and stitching, longer arms so just the right amount of cuff peaks out from your suit jacket. Timeless and very unstuffy.
http://www.emmettshirts.com |
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I Am Cuba: The Ultimate Edition
Deluxe DVD
$35.96 
This haunting tale of the Cuban revolution is political, romantic and pure propoganda. Yet the 1932 classic by Russian filmmaker Mikhail Kalatozov still resonates for its editing, innovative camerawork and multi-layered script. Three quarters of a century later, I Am Cuba captured the imaginations of two of cinemas most provocative talents -- directors Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola -- who put their support behind the distributors of this lost classic, Milestone Film & Video. Deluxe set includes the I Am Cuba DVD, a film about the life and career of Kalatozov and The Siberian Mammoth, a documentary on the making of I Am Cuba. Add it to the collection of your favorite film buff. www.milestonefilms.com |
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Kaas Glass Works
Glass Currency Tray
$96.00 
Add a touch of luxury to any friend’s home with a decoupage glass tray from Kaas Glass Works in New York’s West Village. Each piece featured in their themed collections is made by hand using reprinted images found at flea markets, antique shows and estate sales. This 6” x 12” tray can hold coins, keys, napkins or the karma of prosperity. www.kaas.com |
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Untitled, 1984 by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jigsaw puzzle
$17.95
"Every single line means something."
Graffiti artist turned neo-expressionist Jean-Michel Basquiat was a fixture on the 80’s New York art scene. Make him a fixture on yours with this intricate 1,000-piece puzzle of his work Untitled, 1984. www.pomegranate.com
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Darryl Carter Collection Monogrammed Tree Skirt
$299.00
Now chances are you never thought of getting a monogrammed skirt for the Christmas tree. But if you're the type to take Christmas decorating and style VERY seriously, designer Darryl Carter has the perfect home accessory.
www.frontgate.com
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EBONY Collection Prints
$49.99 and $199.99 
A set of limited edition reproductions have been selected from the private Johnson Publishing Company Art Collection exhibited at the historic JPC Chicago headquarters.
Own your own piece of Black history from one of the most compelling and extensive Black art collections in the United States. Available as canvas or glossy prints. www.EBONYCollection prints |
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iTouch Media Player
from $299
 If you thought you loved your iPod, wait until you get your hands on an iTouch. Juiced with the same touch technology as the iPhone, the iTouch lets you navigate through your music, photo and video files with panache, and the full screen lets you view your stash the way they were meant to be seen. Wi-Fi capability lets you add to your collection. Who could resist? Available in 8GB and 16GB models. www.apple.com |
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V. Sattui Wine Club
$31-$125/Month 
Napa used to be a great vacation. But the movie Sideways all but killed the glory days when you could drop in on a small winery and get a free taste. After the traffic jams and elbowing your way through tourists yelling “No F**king Merlot!” you’ll be lucky to hit three, maybe four in a weekend. But the V. Sattui winery makes it all easier with their Wine of the Month Club. The touristy feel of their actual winery masks the fact that they make some of the best wine in the Valley. Moreover, it’s not available in any store in America, so you’ll be special when you get it. We prefer the Red Wine Only club ($41 -$86/mo) which features Zins and Cabs that will impress even your snobbiest guests.
www.vsattui.com |
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ION USB Tape Deck
$130.00 
Remember that scene from Hustle & Flow where Terrance Howards hands Ludacris a cassette, and Ludacris looks at him like he’s a nut. Well, if you’ve got a house (and glove compartment) full of tapes, and we know you do, then you’re Terrence Howard and the rest of the digital world is Ludacris. Is you crazy? Join the 21st century with this USB tape deck that can plug directly into you MAC or PC and convert all your crappy analog tapes to equally crappy MP3s – but they’ll be digital. www.costco.com |
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Playboy After Dark Vol. 2 DVD Set
$33.00 
The concept was simple. Get a bunch of interesting people from all walks of life – black, white, musicians, poets, novelists, politicians – have a great cocktail party and film it as a TV show. That’s what self-described (fairly accurately) genius Hugh Hefner did with Playboy After Dark and the result was fascinating. You’d be missing the point is you watch these DVD’s for the performances. Interesting as they are, you have to look deeper. The racial dynamics, the clothing, the makeup, the cool poses, the self-consciously hip conversation. It’s a fun watch and a great history lesson between the lines.
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Moroccan Tea Glasses
$39.00 .jpg "morocco")
Ditch those Flinstones jelly jars and raise a glass to tradition with a set of gold etched Moroccan tea glasses. Signal civility and hospitality when you offer refreshment in this elegantly appointed demi-service. Serve with a side of panache. Sold in sets of six (6)
www.themoroccanbazar.com |
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Leather Travel Journal
$45.00 
Send globe-trotting friends on their way with a sturdy, stylish travel journal. Great for jotting down memorable restaurants, hot clubs and special finds. Pocket-sized gem made of Torello leather includes a travel summaries section, conversion tables and a graphing section for the budding cartographer in you. And, like that all-terrain SUV sitting in your garage, you can use it for just mapping out your neighborhood. Also available in mocha. www.paper-source.com |
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Teapot and Cups Gift Set
$175.00  Never worry about finding a duplicate under the tree. This unique combination of ceramic, walnut and cork has been fashioned into a sleek, elegant design that will add hipster caché to your daily cup of China Green Tips.
www.weegohome.com |
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Rebecca Norman Clutch
$215.00 
This black leather clutch sports a hot pink gemstone and hammered pewter accents that say “holiday” and beyond. The perfect gift for that quirky, artsy friend who works a style all her own. Also available in tan leather with a turquoise gemstone. Approximately 9” long x 5” tall.
www.bettinaduncan.com |
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Blackboard Wall Clock
$80.00 
Take multi-tasking to a new level by keeping an eye on the clock and the to-do list at the same time. Made from natural Pennsylvania slate, this cool taskmaster looks great hanging anywhere. Enviro-friendly manufacturing means no high-emissions production process and the chalkboard eliminates the need for paper.
www.eco-artware.com |
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Neon Lights
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Be the superstar you were born to be. Put your (or, less self-serving, someone else’s) name in lights. Great for personal spaces like that basement karaoke bar you've been wanting to set up, instant celebrity in the bath, or your office cubicle around annual review time.
www.Tootstubing.com |
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Classic Sultan Telephone
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Make each phone call a classic. A replica of the cradle-style Turkish model, the Crosley Sultan Phone is the perfect blend of form and function with a nostalgic rotary look and modern push-button technology. Wood construction on square beveled base and handle. Features 44" cloth cord, ringer volume control, and center auto redial medallion. Size 7"l x 7"w x 9"h, Weight 5 lbs. www.backtobasicstoys.com |
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Heifer International
Gift of a Goat (US$120.00) / Share of a Goat (US$10.00)
Take the old chocolates-for-teacher tradition and kick it up a notch. Heifer International is a non-profit organization that teams up donations of livestock with families in need of sustainable means of subsistence. A donation of one goat to a Kenyan family can mean nutritious dairy products for the children, milk to sell at market and, later, newborn kids (goats) to pass along to other families in the community. The Heifer Project has a host of different livestock and communities from which to choose. Become a global citizen and give the gift that keeps on giving. www.heifer.org |
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Labyrinth Balance Board
$89.99 
Give your kid’s Xbox-developed powers of concentration a change of pace with this off-line motor skills game. Maneuver the wooden ball from outer rings to inner rings by rocking and tilting ~ add balls to increase the challenge. High-density birch plywood. (Age 5+)
www.backtobasicstoys.com |
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Calypso Steel Drum
$99.99
What better way to spend a snowy day than hammering out a Caribbean beat on this pint-sized steel pan drum. Not a toy, but a smaller version of the real thing that produces authentic calypso sound. Diatonically tuned and designed to teach playing essentials. Comes with wood stand, two rubber tipped mallets, and songbook. Made in Trinidad. (Age 8+)
www.backtobasicstoys.com |
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Georg Jensen Living
Wine Decanter $160.00
Water Carafe $210.00 Known for clean, spare lines, Georg Jensen presents some of the most world-renowned product designers of elegant home ware. These two essels -- one for wine, one for water -- feature long, slender necks, generous bowls and silver-rimmed lips to eliminate spills. Elevates both the conversation and the libation. www.georgjensen.com .jpg "decant")
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D.L. & Co.
Art Nouveau Collection
$85.00 Newbauer flowers, a third-generation family florist, has been
growing their own flowers for more than 80 years, a practice
that has fine-tuned their fragrance sensibilities beyond reproach.
The company recently partnered with Douglas Little & Company
to present a collection of beautifully crafted candles made with
fragrances capable of scenting an entire room for more than 16
hours. The Art Nouveau Collection includes Tunisian Jasmine,
Muscat, Cassis, Poppy, Bay Laurel and Lotus Absolut.
Breathe. www.neubauersflowers.com .jpg "candy")
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Panerai Watch
$5000.00 - $26,000
Rolex? Cartier? Bling? Get real. Time to grow up now. Elegance has its own
language more powerful than diamonds. Join The Rock, The Governator, Brad
Pitt and Bill Clinton and become a Paneristi, the exclusive club of enthusiasts
who follow this collection of Italian diving watches closely. They’re the perfect
combination of simplicity, power and international flair. Look, everybody can’t
go to Jacob the Jeweler. Somebody has to hoist the flag for taste.
Why not you? www.panerai.com |
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TrackStick GPS Tracker
$269.00
Technology can be good or bad depending on how it’s applied. This is a
perfect example: The Google Earth “Trackstick.” Just as you might guess,
it’s a portable tracking device that lets you see whatever you need to keep
track of on a Google Earth Map – in real time. Great for families who worry
about their kids' whereabouts. Also for cars, pets, and luggage if you fly a
lot and are subject to disappearing suitcases. Before you get any other
bright ideas for usage, just think about this: If you distrust your spouse
enough to track them with GPS, your relationship is already shot to hell.
www.googleearthstore.com |
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InsideOut Collection Champagne Glass
$60.00 Top designer Alissia MT has just introduced a line of glassware that breathes new life into the unassuming cocktail. The InsideOut Collection nestles iconic shapes within a glass cylinder that looks, to the naked eye, like a simple drinking glass. Pour in the beverage and voila! the classic design within is revealed.
Besides being incredibly beautiful in its simplicity, the design serves a very practical purpose: by the warmth from your hand never coming in contact with the glass actually holding the drink, beverages stay cold. Chill the glasses beforehand for maximum visual impact. Glasses are handmade, measure 1.5" wide, 9.25" tall and come in sets of 2. http://www.alissiamt.com |
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Swirl Syndicate T-shirts
$20.00 Swirl Syndicate was created by former style columnist
Leigh-Ann Jackson as a result of her experiences
with her bi-racial daughter Simone, who looked more
like Jackson's red-headed husband than her brown-skinned
mom. This collection of tongue-in-cheek tees is meant to
take the taboo out of the race topic and celebrate the beauty
of having a rich mixed heritage. Swirl Syndicate designs are
printed on sweatshop-free 100% cotton T-shirts. http://www.swirlsyndicate.com |
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MADE Fair Trade Brass Pendant
$58.00
The concept behind MADE is trade, not aid. All products are designed by known designers, then crafted by artisans within communities across East Africa. Designs in this series are produced in and around Nairobi, Kenya. Designed by Pippa Small and made by Aman. http://www.made.uk.com
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Inside:
Though evidentiary support is hard to come by, the idea of Portuguese missionaries spotting glistening Africans skimming the waves of the Atlantic on boards of bubinga wood is immensely pleasing, supremely empowering, and ranks with Timbuktu and Khemet in bolstering our pre-colonial superiority.
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Adrienne P. Samuels
Chairmen of the Board
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