Always on the lookout for a quality slim leather wallet/card holder, this unique design caught my eye and I’ve fallen for it bigtime. Probably one of my favorite accessories (besides a timepiece, or dare I say it- watch), is the wallet. My style began with a sweet florescent Velcro tri-fold from when I was 13 and needed somewhere to hold the $26 from my first paycheck. Then in High School, it was a leather tri-fold with a huge photo-album style insert for pictures. Over time I increased the need for slots, pockets and folds to carry my life in, even developing the notorious ‘fat-wallet’ pattern on the rear-pocket of my jeans. Then I discovered another way (only slightly guided by

I’ve been trying to bring a minimalist simplicity I enjoy in other parts of my life to my wallet for years now. It evolved from the tri-fold wallet, to the bi-fold, then to the card wallet. I’ve toyed with the idea of a simplistic money clip, but I’ve never been able to fit all of my cards in there. I mean, you have your ATM card, 2 credit cards (one Visa, one Amex), drivers license, health insurance card, transit card, not to mention the actual cash needed in the city. That is may paired-down list too! Gym membership card, car insurance card, business credit card, starbucks card… you get the idea. Coin takes care of all of this with it’s

Is it a candle, a mini fireplace, a huge lighter, a flaming art piece? It could be all of the above. Nu-Flame combines glass, wood, steel and fire to create these tabletop fireplaces that burn clean bio-ethanol fuel. This means a clean, smokeless flame in unique patterns to create dazzling ambiance. Place it on your desk, inside or outdoors, even mount it on your wall for a modern take on a medieval lighting feature. Find their whole line at Nu-Flame or get a great deal from Touch of Modern. [ad name=”go-STIL-smbanner”] Cero, Irradia and Caldo Fireplaces by Nu-Flame from $89

Lower wattage artsy exposed filament bulbs are all the rage, just look at any trendy wine bar, whiskey bar or haute gourmet restaurant. They provide soft, pleasing light in twisted shapes and forms sans shade. Pendants, desk lamps, industrial fixtures, anything which exposed bulbs can model their beautiful filaments sculpted curves have always been the domain of incandescents and neon… no longer! Enter the PLUMEN 001, a first in energy efficient Compact Florescent Light (CFL) light bulbs with design in mind. Now you can power that ritzy new gastro pub in energy efficient style. “The dynamic, sculptured form contrasts to the dull regular shapes of existing low energy bulbs, in an attempt to make the Plumen a centrepiece, not afterthought.

Now this is cool. I love modern lamps with a touch of technology, but Angela Jansen and Ger Jansen at Light-Light do it right! Their two offerings (so far) are the Eclipse and Silhouette Floating Lamps, by Crealev (Crealev Levitation Technology). Extraordinarily clean design paired with touch on/off function and of course, the trademark floating halves of the lampshade provide for a near perfect lamp. Combining classic styling with modern technology, the Design Academy Eindhoven graduate designer, and mechanical and electrical engineer developer have managed to define modern lighting. The secret is the electromagnetic technology which separates the two halves of the lamp, leaving the top floating. Exquisite! [ad name=”go-STIL-smbanner”] Eclipse & Silhouette Floating Lamps by Crealev from $1,477

Recently I happened upon a curious pink marbled block at an upscale grocery store which caught my attention. What was this odd culinary delight, why is it here, and how does it work? It happened to be a huge brick of what I usually keep pebble sized in a grinder next to my stove, pink Himalayan salt. As useful as it is beautiful, these blocks an bricks can be used for baking, curing, flavoring and for presentation. I even saw one carved into a bowl for preparing and presenting salads, imparting a hint of salt and further enhancing its flavor. The blocks can be used as a cooking element in the oven since they are able to hold and retain

Granted, I am writing on a WordPress platform currently, I have been blown away by SquareSpace 6, the new version of a very powerful website creation platform. I am lucky to be one of the chosen few to beta this new platform, and wow, is it cool! Build a custom website in no time, all through drag and drop- no coding, fuss or muss. If you are an artist looking to show some of your best works and want to avoid the hassle of designing and coding your own (or hiring someone to do it for you), you really should look into Squarespace. It works exceptionally well to show off photos, artwork, and portfolios, and makes it so easy to

If I was into rings, or wore one say… because I was married – it would have to be cool and unique, and these rings fit the bill nicely. The silver is re-claimed and it is inlayed with rosewood, how cool is that? I don’t know how it is done, but I’m sure it isn’t easy. Hint to you married guys, your wedding ring can actually be stylish and not just a piece of metal on your hand. $295 from Simply Wood Rings via Chic Ecologist [ad name=”go-STIL-smbanner”]

Slightly random, but very impressive. A conversion of a Russian BRDM (Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle) armored car into a pimpin’ off road luxury transport. Fitted with an intense sound system, GPS Navigation, TVs, DVD players and an amazing custom leather interior conversion, its like climbing into a limo. There is some disagreement as to whether this baby can swim (amphibious vehicle), but it is equipped with a periscope and most likely night vision as well so you can anonymously stare at your admirers. via englishrussia.com, pics from zr.ru