This evening, I went to Ravinia in Highland Park, IL for the first time to see Pat Benatar and Blondie perform live.  I highly recommend picking up a concert at this venue especially if the weather is nice; it makes a perfect setting for an evening picnic with friends and good music (if you get the lawn seats).  It was definitely a great way to end a Monday evening!  And don’t forget to bring your picnic accessories!

These accessories definitely came in handy for my picnic...available @ Pure Modern
Champagne Stop by Blomus
Bottle Opener, Square by Blomus
UU60 Wine Coaster by MuNiMulA - get the Wine Tray here!

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Swingy:  A swing made from a single piece of cardboard that you can take anywhere with you and supports up to 100kg.  Kids will be flying with this concept!  Designed by Dror Bren - via designspotter.com

Because we’re all a little creeped out by that stuffed and mounted antelope head on the wall, our friends at the NYC-based Areaware have created a coat hanger perfect for animal lovers and hunters alike, the aptly named Antlers Coat Rack by Thorsten Van Elten. Made of powder coated steel (8mm) and available in 3 colors. See it [ here ].

One of our most popular products at Pure Modern - and an item that we have offered online for some time now - for some reason Lexon’s Credit Card Calculator has never been featured in our web log. Maybe I’m just fascinated with tiny gadgets, but who isn’t. If you still somehow don’t own one of these by the time you’re finished reading this, you can find it [ here ].

Here’s a couple of great pieces of lighting I saw on Gizmodo over the weekend, and I think they pretty much speak for themselves. The first is made with industrial duct hose and traditional Japanese lantern from Kyouei Design via Likecool. The other is a 10” cube fabric shade with a cool retro pixelation design - available from Meninos via Unplggd.

Keep your Shot Glass Collection up on the shelf where it belongs - try the the Cold Shooters from everyone’s favorite novelty/whimsy company, Fred & Friends.

The Cold Shooters also make a perfect Jägerbomb companion. It’s like having one of those elaborate ice-luge sculptures but slightly less ridiculous.

Buy it from Pure Modern [ here! ].

Introducing Inatome’s Color Stick Fluid Lighter: As if smoking wasn’t already fashionable enough - this sleek little number will have you reaching for that cigarette pack again and again!

Get it [ Here! ]

Designer Omid Sadri has taken the simple dish of Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) and elevated it to an art form with his dish set. Each layer of the dish contains ingredients which complete the meal as unstacked. See it in action after the jump.

referred by Yanko Design

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Interesting with potential, yet definitely a conversation piece.  You be the judge.  Designed by Anderson Horta.

Here is a neat shelving concept by Benjamin Peter Design. The U*Shelf is made from high-density expanded polystyrene which is lightweight and strong; pieces fit together like a puzzle.  This design concept encourages the user to create various setups for storage.  Easy to change it up if you get bored with it.  I like that!

Tired of boring old garage doors rather than painting them this summer - add a new graphic billboard to the surface. They attach easily by velcro to the edges of the garage door (the standard up and over style) then trim the edge to fit. Made by style-your-garage.com they are available in single and multi-door designs and ship worldwide.

Before

After!

Thanks to Di at Designers Block UK for finding this one! See all the design at the manufacturer site.

Technorati Tags: outdoor

Recycled sails = great idea!  These ultra durable totes from Seabags make a great accessory to take to the beach.  Now i’m off for some fun in the sun in Wilmington Beach, NC! Maybe I’ll run into Kate Gosselin! 

Update: I did not run into Kate at the beach however, I DID put my bag to good use as you can see below!

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Your toddler will be rolling in style with this crazy cool, unique custom stroller from Kid Kustoms.  The Roddler Trike’s (converted from the Roddler Stroller) features and accessories include interchangeable custom designed fenders with brake lights, custom pedals, license plates, headlights, handle bar grips, billet detailed endcaps, foot pegs, white wall tires, and a trailer hitch to boot to tote that extra cargo in the wagon.  Prices range from the Classic Series starting at $1700 to $3500 for the Kustom Series ($295 for the additional trike conversion kit).  Your kid will be having their cake and eating it too and maybe even sporting a bumper sticker - My Other Bike Is One You CAN’T Afford!  You can also purchase an optional trike cover (from California Car Cover Co.) should your kid need to park this bad boy streetside! 

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This great advertisement seen on the streets of London is a wrapped Smart Car in a funky turf material. 

Looks great, resale value… not so much.

Need some bubbly to ring in the New Year?  Despite the bad economy, tough times call for desperate measures...AND cheap booze!  At an average of $9.99 a bottle, Saint Hilaire sparkling wine (by Jack Poust & Company, Inc.) is sure to give the other finer, higher-end champagnes a run for their money.  My personal favorite is the Extra Dry; crisp and elegant with a touch of sweetness (just like me!).  So forget paying top dollar for a bottle of champagne when you can pay top dollar...for a case of bubbly!  There is no need to end 2008 with 1 expensive bottle when you can have a few bottles for the same price!?  You do the math!  Saint Hilaire is available in Brut, Extra Dry, and Semi Sweet.