Giveaway : Areaware Magno Radio ($250 value) + Holiday Gift Guide

Areaware is a New York City based company that specializes in unique design products for the home that are equal parts quirk and function but also 100% awesome. From fun jewelry to adorable pillows to funky dishware, Areaware carries an impressively wide range of products with some of the most interesting and appealing designs I have ever encountered.

While I love decorating my own home with Areaware pieces, their product range provides especially unique options for all purpose gift giving. With the holiday season fast approaching, I thought I'd offer up some of my favorite gift giving ideas with you!

My top picks for gifts from Areaware:

Rabbit Large Cushion & Owl Large Cushion in organic cotton, $84 each
(also available in smaller sizes for $24-36)

Forget Me Knot Ring in Platinum ($720), 14K gold ($200) or Sterling Silver $50

Magno Radio ($150-300)



Animal Box: Rhino, $49



Loop Rattle (German Silver), $70 & Fawn Infant Body Suit (organic cotton), $30

My hands down favorite item from their lineup is the Medium Magno Radio ($250) which Areaware has very kindly provided me to tinker with!

front (beaaautiful wood body & dials)

back (fabric covered speaker + battery compartment)

I've decided that just about everything about this radio is perfect. From the gorgeous neutral color palette, oversized dials, contemporary-classic style hybridization, and beautiful wood grain to the sustainably harvested materials, Mp3 compatibility and lightweight portability.... I can't really think of a single thing I don't like about this design.

The radio can be plugged into the wall with an AC adaptor (not included) or powered via four AA batteries. An external antenna is also included as well as a connector cable that allows you to plug your ipod/mp3 player into the radio and use the radio as a speaker. The sound quality and reception is excellent and the product is very user friendly (perfect for all ages). At 7.5 x 7.5 x 4.25 inches, the radio isn't too huge/bulky but is large enough to be an attractive attention grabbing piece in a room. The Magno radio has definitely got to be one of the coolest things that I own!

goooorgeous details!

The designer of the radio, Indonesian native Singgih S. Kartono, has gone to great lengths to ensure that this product is designed and manufactured in the most ethical manner (through low environmental impact, providing jobs to villages in need of economic growth + more). The story behind the product really is wonderful and you can read much more about Kartono and the story behind the Magno radio here.

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Areaware is generously offering one reader their very own Magno Medium Radio (a $250 value)!

To Enter: Visit the Areaware website & leave a comment letting me know a product you saw there that you'd love to own.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end December 5, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Steph

**I was provided with the product mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Swatch : Autumn 2010 : New Gent

Currently in love with the color options for the New Gent watch from Swatch! Not a single color I don't like (okay, I don't like the purple that much). The olive, grey, white and... blue-y green one have me majorly swooning.

At the very affordable price of $65, I don't feel I can't really go wrong with picking up one of these. The only problem would be... which color to choose?

Aquasana : Shower Water Filter with Handheld Wand

We recently had a major surgery here in our household and one of the things that was recommended to make things a little in regards to the issue of limited mobility was to attach a handheld showerhead to our shower (in conjunction with a shower chair). After doing some research I found that Aquasana (the maker of various water filters for the home) happened to carry a shower filter with handheld wand. Cindy over at Aquasana was incredibly sweet and generously provided me with an Aquasana Shower Filter with Handheld Wand ($104.95) to try out at home!

Here is some information about shower filtration from the Aquasana website: "The American Journal of Public Health links chlorine to 'significant increases in certain types of cancer, asthma and skin irritations...' and stated that 'up to two-thirds of the harmful exposure was due to skin absorption and inhalation of chlorine in shower water'.

Most people don't realize that tap water typically contains at or above the level of chlorine recommended for swimming pools. A warm shower opens up the pores of the skin and allows a high rate of absorption of chlorine and other chemicals. The steam we inhale while showering can contain up to 20 times the concentration of chlorine and other synthetic chemicals as tap water, due to the fact that these chemicals vaporize at a much lower temperature and at a much faster rate than water. While over 98% of the water coming from the showerhead goes down the drain, 70% to 90% of the chemicals in the water vaporize before the water hits the shower floor.

Chlorine also strips the natural protective oils from skin and hair, causing excess drying and aging. Anyone who has ever gone swimming in a chlorinated pool can relate to the harsh drying effect that chlorine has on your skin and hair. Without the negative effects of chlorine and other chemicals found in tap water, your skin and hair retain moisture more effectively for a younger, healthier look and feel."

handheld wand

handheld wand : spray options

shower filter

Awesome thing about this shower filter #1: it is incredibly easy to install and the entire process took only a few minutes.

Awesome thing about this shower filter #2: The handheld wand has been extremely helpful and the quality of the spray is great. There are several pressure options so you can modify the spray for a more comfortable shower according to your personal preferences.

Awesome thing about this shower filter #3: The filter actually works! I had never used a shower filter before, but I absolutely love the results I am getting from this one. The filtered water smells better and has left my hair feeling noticeably softer, less dry and less brittle. I feel like with extended use of the filter my hair will be... magical. I have never really liked using a ton of hair products (serums, leave in conditioners, etc.) so the shower filter has been a great way to cut down/eliminate hair products and enhance the beauty of my hair naturally! My skin also feels less prone to irritation which is really great as well.

So far, I think the product would be well worth its price of the product for these results alone. Aquasana products do happen to carry a 60-day 100% money back guarantee, so even if you aren't sure about the results you'll be seeing and feeling, there is certainly no harm in giving the products a chance.

The shower filter alone (without the detachable wand) sells for $84.99 with replacement filter cartridges available for $52.50 (each filter lasts approx. 6 months). Aquasana also carries their own line of drinking water filters starting at $124.99 and whole house water filter systems starting at $999.00.

**I was provided with the product mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Sodastream : Sparkling Water & Soda Machine

The three things that I often get the most flak for all have to do with my drinking habits. No, not those kind of drinking habits, well, kind of. 1. I don't drink coffee (really), 2. I don't drink alcohol (no, really) and 3. I don't even like soda (yes, really!). And yet here I am with a Sodastream? Well, despite being called a Sodastream, this device is about so much more than just soda. Its all about sparkling water, fizzy fruit juices, creativity, saving some cash money, reducing waste, partying, having fun and, okay, soda too.

Sodastream kindly provided me with one of their Fountain Jet - Seltzer Starter Kits ($99.95) to try out along with an assortment of SodaMix flavors. The starter kit comes with a soda maker, 60 liter carbonator, and two plastic, refillable 1-liter bottles.

The soda maker itself doesn't run on electricity- you simply press a button to manually release the carbonation into the water bottle. Additionally, the 1-liter bottles are refillable which cuts down significantly on waste. Not only is the Sodastream eco-friendly, but it happens to be wallet friendly as well (I bet you never saw that coming): 120 L worth of carbonator refills is priced at just $29.99. Cue some math magically calculated by Sodastream and that turns out to a mere 25 cents per liter of sparkling water!

Based on my experimentation with the machine, the resulting drinks were actually much better than I expected. I was expecting drinks that were flat and bland, but the carbonation levels were excellent leaving me with nice, crisp beverages. The soda mixes themselves weren't something I enjoyed terribly as they do contain sucralose (Splenda)- although they don't contain aspartame (both sucralose & aspartame are artificial sweeteners). I did, however, really like the MyWater Flavor Essence mixes which add a light splash of fruit flavor to your sparkling water. These all natural water flavorings contain absolutely no sweeteners, artificial or otherwise. Personally, I primarily use my Sodastream for creating my own fizzy fruit drinks. I simply mix some sparkling water with a little bit of fruit juice (my favorite is grape), soooo refreshing!


My favorite aspect of the Sodastream (other than the results) is just how fun this machine really is. It only takes a few seconds to create each drink so you can please just about anyone with your own custom refreshments! It is a great conversation piece and is absolutely wonderful for entertaining at home, to take to a party (because its always a great idea to show up a party host) or to give as a gift to your favorite family.

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Nintendo Wii)

New Japanese trailer for Kirby's Epic Yarn! Okay, maybe I'm (more than) a few days behind in posting this, but my friend just sent me the link. EEEK! I've loved Kirby since Kirby's Dreamland came out in '92 (am I totally dating myself?), but this is just toooooo cute.

Epically cute even!

Also check out the trailer from E3:

Pink Digital Photo Keychain from Wholesalekeychain.com + Giveaway

Wholesalekeychain.com recently provided me with a Pink Digital Photo Keychain ($9.99) to test out here on the blog and I've been tinkering around with it for the past few days. I'm definitely not the most tech savvy person on the planet, or in this city, or in this household, or in this very room (and I'm the only one in this room... scary), howwwwever, the keychain is extremely easy to use! There is no software to install on your hard drive, just connect the body of the keychain to your computer via the provided USB cord and voilà, you are pretty much good to go.


The body of the keychain is made of a matte, pink plastic with a lightweight, but solid, construction. As a low cost digital photo display, the quality seems to be pretty much on par. The resolution of the images does leave something to be desired, but for the size of the screen (1.5") I would say that the quality is acceptable. It does seem that "up close" shots (ex. a person's face rather than their entire body) seem to look better on the device.

Whenever I see the keychain, I can't help but think of an old school gameboy with the image display slightly off center (closer to the top of the keychain). On the back of the keychain you'll simply find a few buttons which constitute the device's easy to use controls. Consumers also have the option of getting the back of their keychain engraved for an additional $5.99.

Although I can't speak for the long term durability of this product, so far it has been performing well and without any problems. Because its design isn't as sleek as it could be, I would say that this product is most suitable for kids or teens. Clipping onto a backpack to share pictures of Rover with school buddies, including as a party favor (with images from the very same party) or gifting to a friend who is moving away would all be awesome uses for this keychain!

Wholesalekeychain.com is generously offering a pink digital keychain
to one lucky reader!

To enter all you need to do is:
* Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS or via email (post your email address) and let me know which method you use to follow

For 1 extra entry each you can:
* Follow The Wide World Of via Twitter + tweet about the giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day)
* Post this giveaway in your blog and leave a link to your post

Please leave a separate comment for each entry! Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on September 26, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Mamipdx

** This Product Was a Free Giveaway. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **Sponsored by Tomoson.com

50% off most items @ arkitip

From the Arkitip newsletter: "In our 10+ years of publishing and operations, Arkitip has always supported art and an Artist's right to be creative without censorship or compromise. In running our business this way, it has been difficult to compete with other brands who don't care as much as we do about these things and we have missed many opportunities to make money in this way. Now that we have the attention of major brands to partner with, we are continuing on that path in creating custom content that is always relevant to our readers before anything else. In order to keep doing what we are doing through these tough economic times, we must have your support. While we are challenged, we find that you are also challenged to make art purchases and we want to help you to help us support what we do. To that end we are offering a 50% off sale for a limited time online. There is no need to enter a coupon code, the discount will automatically be applied to all items you add to your shopping cart that are included in the sale."

Includes: All Issue Editions including Collector Editions, All available Fine Art Prints (excluding below) even at Collector Prices, All Art Books, All Accessories and Garments

Excludes: Parra Fine Art, Steven Harrington Fine Art, Michael Leon Fine Art, Benefactor Program, Subscriptions

Arkitip Issue No. 0041, OriginalFake, $100 (was $200)
Edition packaged inside Arkitip + OF + Incase laptop sleeve


Arkitip + Parra + Loomstate Organics Tee, $22.50 (was $45)


Arkitip + André + DC + Incase Hip Bag, $10 (was $20)

iFrogz CS40 Headphones + Giveaway!

Part of the iFrogz EarPollution collection, the CS40 model headphones ($39.99 retail) combine comfort, style and affordability into an awesome set of lightweight, great sounding audio equipment. The "CS" in "CS40" stands for "Comfort Series" and while this might not be one of the droids you're looking for, it just might be just the set of headphones you've been waiting for.



The headphone's finish contains both glossy and matte elements to provide a sleek, ultramodern look. The speakers also also fold up into the headband for ultimate compactness (not pictured here) . You also have the unique opportunity for some self expression through the CS40's 5 great looking color options: white, blue, pink, red and black which are pictured at the top of this post. The white, pink, red and blue offer fun, vibrant hues (great for teens) while the black has a more classic, but equally appealing, vibe.

The speaker cushions have a unique design and fit snugly, but very softly, over your ears which is great for comfortable, extended usage:


The unique design really helps to minimize environmental noises AND helps keep your music from escaping to the unsuspecting outside world! You know, perfect for listening to those blast beats, Motorik, D-beat, dubstep... Frank Sinatra. The bass is particularly heavy, but clean, while the rest of the sound elements remain nice and crisp. Basically, these headphones sound great with everything, both the quiet and the loud.

With great a great look, sound and a nice selection of color options, the price of the iFrogz CS40s is certainly right at just $39.99. These make an excellent pair of headphones for home or travel for someone of any age. Definitely one of my new audio staples!

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iFrogz is generously providing a pair of CS40 headphones ($39.99 value) to one lucky reader!

*To enter all you need to do is visit the ifrogz website and leave a comment letting me know an iFrogz product that you'd like to try!

For one extra entry each you can:

* Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect
* Subscribe to The Wide World Of via RSS OR via email (post your email address)
* Follow The Wide World Of via Twitter and leave your user name
* Follow iFrogz on Twitter and leave your user name
* Sign up for email updates from iFrogz (near the bottom righthand side of the page)
* Post this giveaway in your blog and leave a link to your post
* Tweet about the giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry! Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on September 8, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Eve

**I was provided with a pair of ifrogz cs40s free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **

Hello Kitty Mini Fan @ Sanrio.com

Beat the heat cute style with a Hello Kitty Mini Fan! Available from Sanrio.com in pink or white. $10 each.

New Arrivals at MoMA Store

Apple Jar, $30

Hiroshi Fujita, 2009


Pear Jar, $30

From the MoMA Store website: "Resembling fresh fruit, this beautiful porcelain pot features a vibrant glaze and metallic luster at the stem. Perfect for serving candy and treats, or for storing jewelry. Hand-wash only. Made in Japan."

Sunburst Clock, $385
George Nelson, 1949

From the MoMa Store website: "One of the founders of American modernism, George Nelson is known as a creator of beautiful practical objects. This clock, with its iconic sculptural shape, is a reproduction by the Vitra Design Museum of the original mid-century design. Made in the European Union of painted aluminum and varnished natural solid oak wood with high-grade quartz clockwork. One AA battery included. 181⁄2”diam."

Safe Bamboo Radio, $80

From the MoMA Store website: "Pierre Garner and Elise Berthier, 2009 Made of renewable bamboo and eco-friendly PLA plastic, this AM/FM portable radio can be powered by winding the built-in crank or by AC power adapter (not included). Two minutes of cranking provide thirty minutes of listening. It also has an MP3 amplifier."

Poketo x Target

You can now view the entire Poketo x Target collection online at Poketo.com!

Timbuk2 Convertible Tote

Convertible Tote, $70

From the Timbuk2 website:

• Can be worn two ways: as a messenger or a tote. Has a detachable strap for the messenger configuration.
• Memory adjust True Fit cam buckle eliminates daily fit adjustments. Just unclick the cam, put the bag over your shoulder, and lock the cam back in for a perfect fit every time.
• Foldable top allows for expansion.
• Disguised zipper entry allows you access to the main compartment without moving the flap.
• Secure zipper closures inside and outside keep your goods safe.
• Lightweight fabric-backed Tarpaulin exterior is matte on the exterior and slick on the interior.

Yoshitomo Nara Clock back in stock @ Cereal Art

Yoshitomo Nara Clock @ Cereal Art, US$350.00

Features 84 unique images, one for every hour and minute!

SIZE: 4.5 in h x 7.5 in l x 3 in w / 11cm h x 19.05cm l x 8cm w
MATERIAL: Plastic, quartz clock mechanism
EDITION: open

Mimoco x Sanrio : My Melody, Chococat & Tuxedo Sam Flash Drives

New designer flash drives from Mimoco and Sanrio!

My Melody MIMOBOT, from $24.95


Chococat MIMOBOT, from $24.95


Tuxedo Sam MIMOBOT, from $24.95

Lomography Sale @ Velocity Art & Design

Lomography Diana F+ Snowcat with Flash, $55 (was $105)

Read more »

Lomography x Sanrio

Hello Kitty Fisheye, € 50.00 at Lomography.com

also available from colette

Tokidoki Donatella Mousepad

Donatella Mousepads are now available from Tokidoki.it for $12 each.


Do you know of any other cute mousepads? Link them up here!

"I Lock You" Anti Theft Device

pictures property of ilockyou.kingeshop.com

"I Lock You" is a new anti-theft device designed to prevent your purse from being snatched in public areas. I love the discrete, simple design!

From the Colette website: "If you like sitting at a table outside a café with your friends, here is the solution not to watch any more ceaselessly your handbag! With I lock you, it is hung on on the chair or on the table, finally gadget so practical as trendy! The plane also works on bikes, boats... Finally everywhere where it is necessary..."

"I Lock You" can be purchased direct or from Colette for €29

Itazura Cat Coin Bank

From the Ningyoshi website:

"Ok cat lovers! We have something for you... The latest Japanese cool electronic coin bank is the Itazura Coin Bank! Simply place a coin on top of the fish and hear a "Meow" sound. Watch the fuzzy cat inside the box open the lid slowly and grab the coin. So cute! Requires 2- AA batteries. By Takara/Tomy Japan." Available in brown and white.