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Blur-berry
Ten years ago, Alexis Bittar began working with Lucite to create hand-carved, hand-painted jewelry. Since then, the 32-year-old Brooklyn native has amassed such a following that Burberry recently approached him to design a line of baubles, taking their iconic plaid pattern into a new medium. The whimsical collection consists of bangles, cuffs, flower pins, and a collar that are immediately recognizable, even if a little blurry ($195-$425).
BURBERRY
9 East 57th Street/212-371-5010
Chip Clip
It’s only one inch square, but the tiny Hit Clip delivers major sound. Just pop a chip in this portable player, insert earplug, hit start, and Britney Spears is belting out “Oops … I Did It Again.” The line currently features seven hit singles from Spears and pop sensations ‘NSync, Sugar Ray, Faith Hill, and M2M, with more to come by Thanksgiving. We can already see them collected and traded by the ‘tween set (player $9.99 with one chip; additional singles $4.99 each).
FAO SCHWARZ 767 Fifth Avenue, at 58th Street/
212-644-9400 or www.fao.com
Card Carrying
Even if you’re a devoted convert to computer solitaire, you know there are occasions when a virtual deck of cards won’t do. For those times when you want to play in style, Umbra has introduced the Ante playing cards, a sleek, capsule-shaped deck with a geometric design on one side and designer Valerie Sippel’s take on the suits on the other. Best of all, they’re housed in a cool translucent plastic case ($5).
SERVICE HARDWARE
1338 Lexington Avenue, at 89th Street/212-534-1510
THE TERENCE CONRAN SHOP
407 East 59th Street/212-755-9079
Toteworthy
Designer Neal Decker has always had a bag fixation. But he doesn’t like the feeling of a messenger bag over his shoulder. “A tote bag is an elegant solution to having something just flung over you,” says Decker, whose line made its debut just a year ago. To wit, his roomy tote (sixteen inches tall by fourteen inches wide) is a classy combination of Donegal tweed and crimson faux croc – on trend, but not too trendy ($175).
BIRD
430 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn/718-768-4940
Light Show
On a recent visit to his hometown, Indianapolis, designer Dennis M. Weddle came upon a stash of lamps by mid-century ceramics legend Marshall Studios. He promptly bought 300 in various shapes, sizes, and colors to showcase in Motherload, his newly opened Williamsburg vintage-furniture and home-accessories store. Sold without shades, the lamps range from small table models ($150) to hanging fixtures ($350). Who says you can’t go home again?
MOTHERLOAD
324 Wythe Street, Brooklyn/718-388-6116
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