The Modern Materialist : Interviews

Last Chance: Delight.com Contest + Discount!

Alex Zalben — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:33:00 GMT

It's your last chance, Materialistas: want to win a Magnetic Dart Sets from Delight.com? To enter for a chance to win, all you have to do is comment on the post linked here. The contest will be open until the end of the day, and then someone is being sent a sweet new dart set.

And, and of course, everybody can take advantage of this:

Discount: Get free shipping on ALL Delight.com purchases over $25 by using this code "ModernDelight" without the quotes; though, please note, it is case sensitive.Happy Thanksgiving!

Reminder: Delight.com Contest + Discount

Alex Zalben — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:28:00 GMT

Just a reminder, in case you missed it yesterday: want to win a Magnetic Dart Sets from Delight.com? To enter for a chance to win, all you have to do is comment on the post linked here. The contest will be open until the end of the day, and then someone is being sent a sweet new dart set.

And, and of course, there's the discount:

Discount: Get free shipping on ALL Delight.com purchases over $25 by using this code "ModernDelight" without the quotes; though, please note, it is case sensitive.Happy Thanksgiving!

Delight.com: The Interview + Exclusive Discount + Contest!

Alex Zalben — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:30:00 GMT

Guess what, Materialistas? Not only did we have a chance to get an exclusive interview with Tracey Tee, the co-Founder and buyer for Delight.com. Not only are we going to give you guys a chance to win a FREE magnetic darts game (more on that at the bottom of this article). But keep reading, becauser Delight.com is also offering an exclusive discount for Modern Materialist readers! They may be our favorite shopping site ever now, and here's why:

MM: Hey Tracey! Tell us a little about Delight.com; what makes you guys different from other shopping sites?

TT: There’s a lot that makes Delight.com different. Our customer service is top-notch, and we’re pretty sure you’ll have an excellent experience starting from the minute you order to receiving your box. Every box is beautifully wrapped up, and stuffed with lots of extra goodies like post-its and lollipops!

You can also vote or comment about our items, have fun browsing through our fun gift guides, listen to our weekly mix tapes, and read our fun write-ups about every product. We’re very interactive.

MM: That's all super cool, but how do you choose the products on Delight?

TT: Basically we ask ourselves “would we buy this?” if we feel honestly it is worth ours - and everyone else’s - hard-earned money, we will add it to Delight. Things need to be beautifully designed, insanely useful and of great value for us to present them to our customers. We really think your money should be well spent on Delight.com.

MM: What's the deal with "Today's Delight?" How does that work, and how does a product end up being chosen?

TT: “Today’s Delight” is our daily-featured item. Every day at Noon CST we offer a new product for sale at a special price for 24 hours. 99% of the items on Delight have been Daily Featured Items. This is how we designed Delight…a fast-paced, ever-changing assortment of hand-picked goodies. It’s fun!

MM: Okay, cool. So what's your best selling product?

TT: Our RuMe Bags and Envirosax reusable bags are by far our best-selling products. We have an amazing selection of eco-friendly items that allow people to make small, significant steps towards going green without completely changing your personal lifestyle. These bags are so pretty and so well designed, who wouldn’t want to use them? We were fortunate to launch both these brands in their early phases (we were the very first company to introduce RuMe Bags on Earth Day 08), which has solidified us a the go-to resource for fresh, fun and easy to use reusable bags, reusable bottles and other eco-friendly products.

MM: What's your favorite product that you think should be selling more?

TT: For daily use, EVERYONE should be using Better Life Cleaning Products. They’re 100% plant-based, bio-degradable and they work amazingly well. We sell lots of this, but we should be selling TONS. It’s a top-notch product that eliminates you ever having to clean with nasty chemicals again.

Also, a personal favorite of mine is our handmade 14K gold votive. (Yes, I know y’all don’t like it!) We don’t sell a lot of pricey items on Delight, so when we do, you gotta know we believe it’s worth every single penny. These are like jewelry for your table. They are spectacular and timeless works of art that will last forever. Plus, we’re obsessed with the designers, Kiln. Great, creative people from Brooklyn and we really, really believe in what they’re doing.

MM: It's almost holiday time; what have you planned that's special on the site?

TT: We’ve stocked up the site with lots of fun stocking stuffers that won’t be items of the day. We’ve amped up our product offerings so there is literally something for everyone. We did a fun “12 Days of Christmas in September” promotion that allowed lots of our customers to shop early and get great deals. Beyond that, we’re offering Free Shipping over $150 through Dec 31st, and you’ll have to sign up for our newsletter to see what we’re gonna offer Thanksgiving weekend. Lots of amazing deals to be had!!

MM: Okay, last question... What's the most delightful thing that's happened to you while working at Delight.com?

TT: I’ve been fortunate to watch Delight grow from an idea on a daily walk w/ my biz partner Lynda into a tour-de-force online shopping experience. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in just under two years…we have an amazing staff of the greatest, smartest, hardest-working gals you’ll ever meet, and a wonderful, dynamic customer base of thousands and thousands of happy shoppers who totally get what we’re doing. Every day really is an adventure, and it’s definitely Delightful!!

And that's it with Tracey, but I'm sure you guys are wondering about the contest, and the discount. First, the contest; then, the Discount:

Contest: Want to win one of the above Magnetic Dart Sets? To enter for a chance to win, all you have to do is comment on this post. That's it!

- You can comment as many times as you want, as long as there's at least one comment between you and the previous commenter.

- Please leave some way of contacting you, whether a link to your Nerve account, an e-mail, or otherwise.

- Contest will be open until Wednesday, November 26th. We'll contact the winner right after that. Or maybe slightly later, as it is Thanksgiving. Give us a break.

Discount: Get free shipping on ALL Delight.com purchases over $25 by using this code "ModernDelight" without the quotes; though, please note, it is case sensitive.

nobody&co: The Interview

Steph Auteri — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:04:00 GMT

Last week, I gushed like a fangirl all over nobody&co's innovative designs. This week, an interview with the team's art director, Giovanni Gennari, and copywriter, Alisée Matta. After the jump, book nerds can perhaps find the inspiration to create their own, unique bookcases.

1. Between the Bibliochaise, Piola, scroll table, and comfort table, you seem to be interested in designs that are both fun and functional. As one who lives in a small space, but still hungers for unique design touches, I obviously see the attraction in this. What are the reasons you happen to gravitate toward such designs?

It is important for us to work on ideas that appear in our minds but that we've never seen before; it's more interesting, tough, and exciting. They must be unseen and must have a purpose. Maybe our past as creatives in advertising has conditioned the workings of our thoughts.

2. As a book nerd, I was absolutely thrilled with your Bibliochaise and Piola designs. Did you guys have a personal need for such additional book space? If so (and just for kicks), what are your favorite books in your personal collections?

Our very first design project was la Bibliochaise. Ten years ago, we lived in a very small place, full of books and with nearly nowhere to sit. Problems are always the best inspirations.

Our first drawing of la Bibliochaise in that same year was a cube in which to sit in and with slits all around to put books in. Those slits all together contained 5 metres of books. Geometry is magic. Each time you draw a cube something wonderful can happen.

Piola arrived some time later and we love it; art and photography books really stand out in it and you can admire them even when not reading them. And the pegs give a lot of energy when you're sitting in front of them.

Alisée's favorite writers, read and reread over and over again for the beauty of their sentences, are Fernando Pessoa, Erri de Luca, Isaac B, Singer, Cioran, Siri Hustvelt, Antonio Tabucchi, etc.

Giovanni's favorite books are Don Quijote de la Mancha by Cervantes, Alexandre Dumas's Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine (it contains the universe), and the Pantone guide.

3. Could you tell readers a bit more about your design background?

Our design background comes from our childhood. My father was an architect who worked with Le Corbusier and Gropius, and so I grew up surrounded by Swedish and Danish design, primitive art, and Giacometti lamps. And Giovanni's mother was an antiquarian, so he grew up with a lot of 17th-century design...

4. What is pricing like on your designs? Are you working through retailers, or do customers need to send a request via your web site?

Our designs may be found in special shops around the world; if one particular piece can't be found in a particular country, you can contact us through our website.

5. Do you have advice for fine design-loving homeowners with a smaller budget?

We are nobody to give advice, but what we do is save money for the special design pieces we love instead of buying a lot of stuff we'd get bored with and that will just overfill our space. If when you've saved the right amount of money you are still in love with that particular costly piece: Buy it; it will bring you joy every day and become a friend forever.

That said, there is good design that costs less, too, and if you back it with an incredible colored wall (even dark grays or pink fuchsia), then you don't need to overspend at all.

Related: Designers We Love: nobody&co

Danny Kuo: The Interview

Steph Auteri — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:54:00 GMT

Howdy there! Last month, we took a look-see at Danny Kuo's stairCASE design, a taller bookcase that made it possible to reach the highest shelves. And I could definitely use those extra one or two shelves. Thoroughly impressed, and went ahead and got an interview for you guys.

1. Between the stairCASE and the double desk, you seem to be interested in designs that are multi-functional. As one who lives in a small space, I obviously see the attraction in this. What are the reasons you happen to gravitate toward such designs?

Now, after i have done more than 30 projects, I can see I am creating a personal style with multifunctionality. All done unconsciously. I think it might have something to do with my bi-cultural background. Growing up in two cultures makes you much more aware of different points of view. It also shows you that things don't need to be only black or only white. I like to change perspectives and show different perspectives by creating multifunctional products.

2. Could you tell readers a bit more about your design background?

After high school, I went to a pre-art school. This was an orientation year, where I got the opportunity to get in touch with different design fields: 3d space, 3d product, graphic, computer animation, painting, sculpture, photography etc. After that, I decided to go to the Design Academy Eindhoven. Here, I have studied in two different departments: Man and Living, and Man and Activity. Living is more autonomous and focused on interior products and living concepts. Activity is focused on appliances and daily usable products. Also, the industrial production process is important in the design process for this department.

Now I am doing my internship for Hothouse Design in Shanghai, Crecomu in Stuttgart, and YEH-collection in Stuttgart. For Hothouse Design, I am mainly working on wooden furniture. Crecomu is an international network for creative people; it has just launched its beta website and we are working really hard on improving it. For YEH, I am working on the production of the new collection and designing some new ceramic products.

3. Do you think that the stairCASE has a chance at mass production? (My fingers are crossed.)

From a functional-product point of view, I think this project has a 99% chance of getting into mass production. I am already talking with some manufacturers to put this into production, but there are still some technical and aesthetic flaws that I need to fix. But you never know how these kinds of projects end, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

...

Related: Concept: A Taller Bookshelf

Studio1Thousand: The Interview

Steph Auteri — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:10:00 GMT

Last week, we determined that Studio1Thousand had created a chandelier worth selling your soul for. This week, I get to pick the brains of the design team behind the constellation chandelier.

A Q&A, courtesy of Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn, the mastermind behind the magic:

1. What led you to focus your work on LED lights?

Initially, with the very first lights...the idea that the light did not need to be replaced was very attractive. That pushed me to think of ways to use it where this was highlighted. But that was 4 years ago, and that is only half the story. LEDs really offer lighting designers amazing opportunities to offer lights in forms that have never been seen before. They give designers a chance to stretch, contort, distort, and generally knead what we think of as lights, or what we think lights can or should look like.

2. How large is your design team, and how does such a collaboration work from project to project? More specifically, how did the constellation chandelier come into being?

The Constellation comes from a large cloud of ideas. Studio 1 Thousand is actually only one person, with help, lots of help, from friends and acquaintances. One person who was a ton of help was Michael Nuzzi. He is an electrical engineer, who had some (lots) of spare time. Other people include a community of designers who I went to Pratt Grad ID with: Ebbin Martin, Keen Gat, and Kandice Levero.

The Constellation was originally something that was based around an idea to mimic Queen Anne's lace. There is a feeling that the multiplicity of the flower was a good model on which to base the light. I thought a lot about the illumination plane, and what the lights would be supported by. That was very important because it would become the fixture itself. There is a sense that LEDs are not powerful enough by themselves. While that is true, it is important to stress that if we are to move to an LED-lit world, we have to understand a paradigm shift. This is more than just lighting. As consumption gets more and more expensive, we must try to consume specifically what we need. The Constellation was my effort to try to present a mass of LEDs, enough to be effective, in an enjoyable manner.

3. Do you plan to market and sell this chandelier?

The light is being made right now. The first run consists of ten units. The retail price is $5,000. I am looking for shops to carry the light. I will also take a limited number of custom jobs. People who are interested in buying one should start by contacting me first.

4. What recent design trends are you most excited about?

Design and creation in general is starting to move too fast for me. Through blogs (my frienemy), I get a lot of publicity, but looking at them too much, looking at design magazines too much, is overloading. One of the goals of these lights is to connect people with a feeling that is closer to their heart, to make things that remind people of things from their past. I am way more interested in things that a normal consumer with taste will like. I look at a lot of Japanese craft, baskets, George Nakashima, craft perfected over generations. My issue is that many things we create now do not engage people at the heart level; they engage people on a brain level. That said, the most amazing thing I have seen recently is Arik Levy's Fractal Cloud.

5. I feel as if your designs are aimed toward a more high-end market. Do you have advice for fine design-loving homeowners with a smaller budget?

This is one of my biggest complaints with my own designs. In conversations with the designers at Niche Modern, one of the gripes from their products was that it was not acessable to the average person. I feel the same way. I am working to try to make products that are accessable to all sorts of budgets. I think my advice for households with a more meager budget is to sharpen your eye and broaden your horizons. Deals can be had all over. I would like to be able to design things that I or my friends could purchase, but I resort to finding things on the street, craigslist, yard sales upstate...if there are any DIY people out there, they can talk to me about buying parts.

...

The MM Interview: Geoff Haggerty and the Comfy Bed

Alex Zalben — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:30:00 GMT

The MM Interview is a feature where I talk to people I like about stuff they love. This week, I'm talking to Geoff Haggerty, a writer for the Onion News Network who, for a very long time, had a teeny tiny bed:

MM: Okay, let's kick this off... You didn't have a bed for a while? Or what's the deal?

GH: Oh, no, I had a bed. It was a tiny twin mattress with boxspring that came from somewhere within the Haggerty family's store of hand-me-down furniture. It was actually better than the bed I grew up in, which was just a wooden platform with an old beat up mattress on top. It wasn't until very recently that I realized you were allowed to be comfortable when you slept.

MM: So what spurred you on to purchase an actual, adult, real person bed?

GH: Well, I'm not great with money. Usually I spend it all on frivolities like clothes and video games and somewhat nicer lunches. But when I got a freelance writing job on top of another freelance writing job, for the first time in my life, I had too much cash. I tried to relieve my bank account by buying my first iPod and even nicer lunches. Still had too much cash. So I started thinking, 'What is something large that I need?' The answer, of course, was a bed. Mind you, I don't have health insurance. I think I'll sign up right now, actually. I AM AN ADULT.

MM: Okay, I get it! Jeez! So what drew you to this bed, in particular?

GH: Well I knew I wanted a big bed. So the queen sizedness was a layup. Then my father and I went to the Sleepy's showroom with some coupons in hand. The bed saleswoman knew just the bed for me and took me immediately to what I quickly realized were the most expensive beds. I realized this quickly because each time I laid in one, it felt like I was experiencing waking sleep, embraced by pillowtop angels. They were about four or five grand each. We moved on. I decided to check out the cheapest bed, a $100 job. It felt like nails and glass and gnarled iron twisting like shrapnel under my back. We pressed on. Then I came across what was called a "Plush Pillow Top" number and laid across it. It was heavenly. (Quick interlude: Let me just say that having your father and a stranger watch you lying down on a bed is weird as heck.) I determined, however, that the bed was too girly (whatever that means) and went down one level of plush and landed at 'Plush Firm'. And it has served me well. And that is how I became the male Goldilocks.

MM: Nice! Congrats on that. So, without necessarily getting too explicit, any interesting stories you can share about the bed?

GH: Oh, you mean besides all the incredible sex I've had in it? Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. That's what it sounds like when I have sex. I'm sort of at a loss interesting story-wise. I mean, a bed's a bed, right? I will say that for the first month or so after I bought it, it completely felt like any extravagant purchase or gift. You know that feeling of, "I can't wait to play with my new video game or iPod or whatever?" Well I had that feeling, except with a bed. I got all happy and sleepy and tired at the same time and went to bed earlier than at any other time in my life. I love my bed.

MM: Okay, so looking forward to the day when you don't have your bed anymore, any thoughts on the next thing you want to get? Or is this bed for life?

GH: Well, it's got a ten-year warranty, so by the time I need a new bed I will be a rich 37-year old man. I'll just buy the most deluxe, amazing bed out there. Actually, that's probably not true. Those foam beds that contour to every part of your body weird me out. I don't want my bed to eat me. Or maybe in the future we won't need beds. Maybe in the future, we'll just take a pill for sleep. But not like a sleeping pill or anything. Like a pill that gives us sleep without us even NEEDING to sleep. Can you imagine that? A future without sleep? That's not the kind of future I want, Alex. Real answer: I'll probably get a king size. Mmmmmmmmmm.

The Simmons Beautyrest Birch Plush Firm Queen Mattress is available from Sleepy's, but they don't seem to sell online, and their customer service didn't answer my phone call or IM Chat, so you can get it from Sears instead. Suck it, Sleepy's. And be sure to check out the Onion News Network for more from Geoff!

[$770, Sears]

The MM Interview: Brian Heater and the Tiniest Camcorder

Alex Zalben — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:30:00 GMT

The MM Interview is a feature where I talk to people I like about stuff they love. Today I’m chatting with Brian Heater a writer for PC Magazine by day, and a comic book authority at night (almost literally… He works for PC Mag during the day, and blogs about comic books at night). As a man about town in two different worlds, Brian needed a handy video camera to document all his outings and aboutings, which how he came across the Flip.

MM: Okay Brian, tell me a little about yourself.

BH: Hi, I’m Brian. I live in New York. Between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM, I help run the blogs over at PC Magazine, including Gearlog.com [gadgets], Appscout.com [software], GoodCleanTech.com [green technology], and Technoride.com [car tech]. It’s a pretty great gig—one day it’s big breaking a big eBay scandal, and the next it’s hitting a keyboard with a baseball bat. At night I do music writings for publications like The New York Press, Spin, and The Onion. I also run a comic book site called The Daily Cross Hatch and weep softly to myself. Not over anything in particular, really, I just think it’s healthy to have a good cry from time to time, just so long as you don’t wake the neighbors.

MM: I said a LITTLE about yourself, Brian… ANYway, why did you end up looking for a video camera? Or were you not looking for one, and just stumbled across the Flip?

BH: The Flip found me, really. It showed up in the mail, hoping to find purchase in the pages of PC Magazine. The thing has rarely left my side since. In fact, it’s thanks almost entirely to the little camera that we began shooting videos for Gearlog. We have a video team here at PC Mag, but with the filming, editing, and various other post-production chores, things can be a bit sluggish, especially given the fact that the majority of that team is based out of San Francisco. With the Flip, production times are limited to the 3-5 minutes of shooting and the amount of time it takes to upload to YouTube (which, admittedly sometimes takes a bit longer than I’d care to mention). The Flip has a USB arm that flips out (hence the clever name), connecting directly to your PC. All files are saved in .AIV, so there’s no conversion needed before uploading. It’s all just drag-and-drop. [Check out a few sample videos, here.]

As you know, I was struggling a bit to come up with a good product to choose for this story. I wanted something bank-breakingly sexy. I mean, I’ve got an Apple notebook and an iPod, like everyone else in this city, but sometimes good things come in affordable packages. This sub $200 camcorder is firmly targeted at those us who couldn’t rush out and stand in line for the first iPhone iteration. It’s cheap, handy, and, according to David Pogue, has managed to snap up an astonishing 13-perecent camcorder market share in the US.

MM: Spoken like a true gadget writer. So, you like to break stuff, right? How sturdy is the Flip?

BH: I haven’t done any torture testing, per se (I’d be too sad to see my friend cut down in its prime), but The Flip lives in my messenger bag, most days, which is something that I would never consider doing to a more expensive camcorder. All said, it’s handled the daily dings fairly admirably.

MM: Any interesting or funny stories that have happened while using the Flip?

BH: Ha, a few, actually, most of which can be found on the above YouTube profile. The first video on the page was taken at this year’s CES. Someone in a fake “metal” wig was showing off a Guitar Hero-branded device involving a mini amp for playing “air guitar”—firmly targeted as people who can’t play real guitars, game guitars, or real air guitars all that well. We posted the video on YouTube, and in racked up somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 k hits fairly quickly. Naturally, it seemed like a good idea to maintain the page. On that same trip, we shot a video which will never see the light of YouTube, involving a colleague demonstrating a piece of urinal technology called the “Splash Guardian.” No actual urinating occurred, mind you—the segment involved fermented hops. In the end, however, probably best for all involved that the footage stayed buried. Other highlights from the YouTube page include a coworker hula-hooping to Wii Fit (he received some letters from admiring fans), dancing Japanese robots, and USB humping dog dongles.

MM: Okay, here’s my perennial last question: let's imagine a horrible day when the Flip breaks, permanently... Do you think you'll buy another one, or is there something else you have your eyes on?

BH: On my salary? Think I’m sticking with the Flip.

[$110, Amazon]

The MM Interview: Mary Burke and the Mobile Internet

Alex Zalben — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:00:00 GMT

The MM Interview is a feature where I chat with people I like about stuff they love. Today I’m talking to Zac Posen employee Mary Burke about the Verizon Wireless USB720 Modem, which she says is the perfect option for working on the road. Enough jibber jabber, let’s get this party started!

MM: Okay, so tell me a little bit about yourself (because we’ve just met, right? Nothing up my sleeves?)

MB: My name is Mary! I work in the Production department at Zac Posen, a luxury women's wear designer. I oversee all of the steps required to get looks from the runway shows made and sold in stores. It might sound cool, but it's still just a job.

MM: So why did you end up looking for a wireless modem?

MB: A lot of what I do at Zac Posen is data analysis. I record changes in the process, like increase in fabric usage, and keep track of all the details my boss needs to keep the process flowing. This used to mean that I couldn't take any time off, because someone would always need an answer, and I am the keeper of all the information! Which is dreadfully unfair, so I started to inquire about remote access from anywhere you can get Internet. I thought, if that's the only limitation, I should be able to figure something out! Little did I know that on a recent trip, I wouldn't be able to find Internet access except in the lobby of a not-so-nearby hotel. So I knew I had to come up with some sort of other, more stable, option. A Blackberry wasn't the answer because of the programs I need to use to access information (Access, Excel, and Outlook; often at the same time). Guaranteed internet access through a personal modem was the easiest answer.

MM: What drew you to the Verizon Wireless USB720 Modem in particular?

MB: This model in particular is not a PC card, so it works with my iBook; it uses the USB port, instead. Also, it was the cheapest
option at the time, and I didn't see the need for a modem with additional storage included. That's a cool idea, but not necessary
for me.

MM: And so it works great, huh?

MB: I like it a lot! I haven’t had any problems connecting so far, and the transfer speed is pretty fast. It's better than relying on Airport to find networks, because you can't get locked out by people who safeguard their networks from people like me. And it's better than DSL or Cable, because you're not tethered to anything; there's no limit to its wireless range. It's like I bought a new cell phone, but this phone can only call the Internet. And maybe someone can call me, but it will always be busy, because I’m on the Internet. So, while it's kind of a bummer that I can access my work computer from anywhere… I can access my work computer from ANYWHERE! Or at least wherever Verizon has coverage...

MM: Do you just use it at work? Or at home, too?

MB: I have only been using it at home so far. Though I can see it coming in handy at work during some meetings where instead of running back to my desk to check on a figure, I could look it up on my laptop. And, sure, it would be nice to leave work at work, but it's comforting to know I can take some time off and not leave my boss in the lurch.

MM: What's the most awesome thing you've done using it?

MB: It's not that awesome when all you're doing is work with it. But I have big plans to use it in Boston, Los Angeles, and Nashville in the near future. That's going to be awesome.

MM: That IS pretty awesome. Looking forward to the terrifying day when this doesn't work anymore, do you think you'll buy the exact same one, or is there something else you have your eyes on?

MB: Way to jinx it, Alex. Thanks a lot. But I guess I like to think that I've gotten the absolute best option out there. And that, by the time this doesn't work anymore, there will be some totally perfect new device that we've never even thought of yet. Or maybe I'll just have to give up my vacation plans again. Sigh...

You can get the Verizon Wireless USB720 Modem from Verizon, natch. And to check out the clothing that Mary makes possible, head on over to ZacPosen.com.

[$30, Verizon]

The MM Interview: Shayna Ferm and Her Amazing Sleep Machine

Alex Zalben — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Hooray! It’s a new feature, Materialistas, where I talk to people I like, about stuff they love. Today I’m chatting with comedian and graphic designer Shayna Ferm about her Homedics® SoundSpa Sound Machine, which she says she can no longer sleep without. Let’s kick this off, shall we?

MM: Hi Shayna! Tell me a little bit about why you wanted to buy a sound machine (or how you got it, if it was a present)?

SF: I fell in love with a sound machine that an ex-boyfriend had at his apartment about 8 or 9 years ago. He used to keep it on "white noise" and I could hear this high-pitched sort of music in it and if I focused on that, I would immediately fall asleep. I loved it but never thought to buy my own after we broke up. Years later I bought this hi-tech one that had aromatherapy pods and crap like that. It broke about the third time I used it. It took my husband buying me the one I have now to get me back in the sound machine saddle, and now I'll never stop using it.

MM: What drew you to the SoundSpa in particular?

SF: The best thing about this one is that it's 20 bucks, and fully functional!

MM: Now, you use it every night, right? Walk me through how you set it
up, how long you play it for, etc.

SF: It has a timer for auto shut off, but I don't use it. I let it that thing play all night long. I have it set on "waterfall" because it reminds me of standing in the shower and letting the water fall on me, and it relaxes me. I love long showers… Okay - now I'm getting a little weird.

MM: Any TOTALLY fascinating or funny stories involving the Soundspa?

SF: Hmmmm. I brought it with me when I went home to Denver for my wedding because I was afraid I couldn't sleep. Is that story-worthy?

MM: Sure! How long have you had it for? And how well does it run compared to when you first got it?

SF: Embarrassingly enough - I've used it so much, now when you turn it on, you have to have a magic touch to get the knob to turn just right so it stays on. The sound will cut in and out otherwise.

MM: When it (sorry to even suggest this) eventually dies, will you replace it with another one of the same model? Or is there something else you have your eye on?

SF: I believe I would get the same one. I feel a kinship to it after all these years. And the fancier one disappointed me. I like my trusty Homedics one.

You can get the SoundSpa over at Bed Bath & Beyond, and, as an added bonus, I highly recommend picking up Shayna’s new hilarious and awesome album, “Blonde.” It may not rock you to sleep, but it'll certainly rock you.

SoundSpa: [$20, Bed Bath & Beyond]

Blonde: [$12.50, ShaynaFerm.com]