Mini news. Our eyes red from the red-eye, we are so happy to be back from the Maxi-State and in the heart of the Mini-City.
We have already had the pleasure of fumbling for our keys as we stood in our small doorway, squeezing into a seat on the E train with all our bags next to a big guy who didn't know the meaning of personal space, and ordering a large coffee at the small cafe next to our apartment where everyone sits at tiny tables, drinking coffee, working on their laptops and leaving the cute waitresses big tips.
Which is to say that the Smallest Coolest month continues with more apartment submissions and small, cool items that we find enlarge apartment life. And we would like to know:
What is the Smallest, Most Useful Object in your apartment?
MGR
The aerator on the kitchen faucet. May not "do" a lot to some people, but I just lived without one for 11 days and almost lost my mind! Finally got one yesterday, and ahhh... how the previous tenants lived without one for 13 months, I will never know.
For years I have maintained that my peppermill is my favorite smallest, coolest object. And everyone's always looked at me like I was nuts. But there's nothing like grinding fresh pepper.
The first thing that popped into my head was also a kitchen gadget. I have a little fake egg to drop in a pot of water. It lets me know when all the real eggs are done cooking. Now I can make deviled eggs without worrying if I'm gonna slice open a slimy, runny yolk.
While not small by the above standards, I'd have to say my Bagless Stick Shark (Model-- EP600) has been one of my smartest small-apartment spends (a "whopping" 40 bucks). While no Dyson, it is more than serviceable for my studio and takes up only a tiny footprint, requires no bags, and has a handle that retracts.
My fully geeked-out universal remote. Controls the stereo, the theater, the lights in the theater. It's like magic. Its screen glows a comforting blue in a dark room. It replaced a pile of ugly remotes cluttering up the theater area.
Recently inspired by a certain pair of architects to minimize,... I also bought a universal remote this weekend. And am looking forward to the day when I can double my apartment's liveable square footage by sizing down to a laptop computer.
My car comes in second with it's Italian manufaturing company, famous for the Lambretta scooters of yester-years, Innocentti, my British designed Italian model Mini Minor is just the kats meow and I'm glad to, no proud to be the owner of such a fine motor car.
www.sethforester.com/images/mini_front.jpg and
www.sethforester.com/images/mini_back.jpg
And April 24 is my birthday. Happy birthday to me! That's no small fact though.
Seth
the key to my front door, esp the one hidden in my hallway when my cat runs out and I run out after him into the hallway and the wind blows the door shut...
and I have been locked out that way many a time b4 I hid the little key in the hallway - I won't say where. far from my door, needless to say.
If I have to technically pick a gadget or something technically IN my apartment, I would say my Chi hair straightener. Transforms a tired-don't-feel-like-going-out look to HOT
the key to my front door, esp the one hidden in my hallway when my cat runs out and I run out after him into the hallway and the wind blows the door shut...
and I have been locked out that way many a time b4 I hid the little key in the hallway - I won't say where. far from my door, needless to say.
If I have to technically pick a gadget or something technically IN my apartment, I would say my Chi hair straightener. Transforms a tired-don't-feel-like-going-out look to HOT
takes up lots less space than hair gels or clips, or hair dryers, or sprays, etc. works better than any cream or powder the makeup industry sells, and it is slim, and with a long cord so you can use it far from an outlet, not a very big footprint - only problem is where to put it when it is on and hot...
Doug,
Let me just preface by saying that I don't have a PHD. But, Be careful of using too much black pepper...our digestive systems do not or generally have a hard time digesting it. I heard somewhere that finely grinded peppercorns (ie. white pepper)is better for you...on your system. And it has a bit more bite to it, somehow! Bon Apetit!
The Coolest thing I can think of in my apartment is my handy dandy briefcase which converts into a mini hand cart. Yeah! Really! So very Jane Bond...I know! My co-worker had one and spoke of how handy it was for her...especially when trucking things around the city. I take it with me whenever I think there will be a moment in my day that I will need to save my palms from those evil plastic straps that stores provide to carry the heaviest of items. And, when the time comes for me to press that little button on the handle and the conversion takes place...well...I can see from my peripheral vision that the unsuspecting crowd around me is in as much awe as I was when I first encountered this dynamo on wheels! Get one...everybody...they're as near as your closest Staples.
PAS, I'll definitely look into it. At the very least I should give white pepper a try because I do hear it has a much finer flavor. Thanks for the suggestion!
I don't overdo it with the black pepper, though. I use a normal amount, and never extra salt. It's just that I get a kick out of the grinding as opposed to a shaker.
My other favorite small helpful beautiful thing of late is a Christopher Dresser-designed, Alessi-reissued Toast Rack, which I use to organize event-related mail.
www.unicahome.com/catalog/item.asp?id=542
It is one of the most modern looking things in my home, yet was designed in 1878.