May 2010: Stuff We Love

Leafin’ fine

Need a container that’s as lovely as the plants it will house? We like the classic lines of these urns from Ivy Nursery. They vary in price and size, but they’re all versatile enough to work on the deck of your contemporary cottage or the patio of your historic colonial.

Kitchen precision

Our family recipe box has an alarming number of smudged index cards that instruct us to use units such as “a handful,” “a knuckle’s-worth,” and “a pinch of.” While seasoned cooks might be comfortable eyeballing measurements, those with less experience in the kitchen may require some assistance. Say hello to the Taylor Digital Measuring Cup and Scale, also known as the end of your confusion about precise measurements and unit conversions.

The cup measures weight and volume, liquid and dry ingredients. The LCD readout appears on the handle, and is equipped to do various conversions (weight to volume, metric to English). Users can pre-set measurements and are given warning beeps when the desired measurement has been met; you can also measure multiple ingredients at once.

Pick up the smart cup at Sears for $29.99.—Lucy Kim

Mod on Park

Keep your eyes on the road! This place will turn your head with its unusual metal cladding and barnlike forms. Given that it was built in the ’50s, the mod look intrigues—but twisty Park Street means you’ll have to be content with a glance, and keep on wondering. 

Pretty faces

Time for a new clock? You’ll never be late if your timepiece is too attractive to ignore. Put a ticker in every room—on walls, on mantels, standing in the corner like a stern grandfather. Here are some of our favorites from local stores.