A Few of Derek's Favorite Things...

It's true that it's my job (and pleasure) to shop for the Curiosity Shoppe. But that doesn't mean I really get to shop in the Shoppe. So this Holiday Season I thought it would be fun to do a little shopping in my own Shoppe. Here's a handful of items I want to take home with me at the end of every day (clockwise from top left, sorta...):

1. Birdie Light by Kiel Mead. Kiel is a very talented young designer working in Brooklyn. He's got a wonderful aesthetic, and hits all the right notes for me: funny, functional, beautiful. (And I just realized he has 2 items on my list! Go Kiel!!)

2. Eye Clock. This is one of those things we sell here that if you get it, you really get it. If you don't, you don't. I love this clock. It's magically expressive and makes me happy. (For those of you asking yourself, "How is that thing a clock??", the one in the photo above reads 10:20. Get it?!))

3. Comb USB. I've been looking for a reason to carry a comb around in my back pocket since 1987. This is the excuse I've been dreaming of. Looks totally badass and holds 2 Gigs of data. And it keeps my hair in check.

4. Jason Polan Curiosity Shoppe Holiday Sampler. One of the biggest thrills of owning a business is collaborating with people you admire. I'm a huge fan of Jason Polan's work. He's an amazing artist, and an all around cool dude. He's always got a million projects going, so I'm especially thankful that he took the time, energy, and effort to make something super special for us this Holiday Season.

5. Handmade Baseball. Not many people know this about me, but I used to be a total "sport". Spent the first 14 years of my life with a baseball in my hand. But you don't need to be athletic, or even like sports to appreciate this gorgeous object. The lemon peel design is based on ye-olde baseballs, but the stitching gives these beauties a real contemporary edge.

6. Rope Money Clip. Hey, it's that Kiel Mead character again! I think money clips are classy. And I love rope. So there you go.

7. Wrench Bottle Opener. Looks like a cast iron wrench, feels like a cast iron wrench, opens bottles in a snap.

8. Letterpress Coasters. I love these super fun "Put It There Pal"coasters designed by the talented Matt Singer. The shape, the colors, the sentiment...right up my alley.

9. The Thing Issue #7. The Thing is a quarterly art subscription started by two amazing local artists Jonn Herschend and Will Rogan. We are 1 of 3 stores in the world lucky enough to carry Issue #7 which consists of a pair of glasses related to a new book by one of our favorite novelists, Jonathan Lethem, and designed by Selima (of Selima Optique) and Matt Singer (Oh wait, that makes 2 people who are on my list twice! Go Matt!!). The frames are super stylish (you can have your own prescription put in them) and the concept is great and fun and totally intriguing.

10. Poem Cup and Saucer (with pen and notebook). My morning ritual consists of coffee drinking and list making. This was made for me. And it looks great.