Sometimes having an office in SoMA is helpful, especially when you have to head over to the San Francisco Gift Fair where we spent a couple of hours yesterday. Trust us, it was – how should we put this – awful? That pretty much sums it up, at some point we were ready to just run out, but the rule says, you can’t leave until you haven’t seen even the most remote corner. So there we were trotting along when we stumbled upon this little beauty. Lo and behold in the furthest corner, tucked away was Pinky Tree.
At first we were chuckling, then we had a closer look, well we were sort of urged by Valerie, one of the owners to see what it was all about, then we started smiling, placed our order and here it is. Probably the worlds smallest living plant phone charm, keychain accessory, Tamagotchi, call it what you want that we ever saw. What is it? It’s a teeny weeny cactus in a teeny weeny glass jar. Sitting in real soil, with little holes in the bottom so you can water it once a month and see it grow.
Pretty hilarious was what we thought, but in fact those little guys really do grow if dealt with properly, Succulents and Cacti only need very little water and at that size they need even less. And if treated properly they can really grow up to become, well, grown up Cacti… We saw Valerie’s little friend and she had hers for a year now and is getting ready to take it out and plant it into a pot because it pretty much doesn’t fit in the little tube anymore.
Need we say more? Nah, that should suffice. Well maybe we’ll just tell you that you can’t get them anywhere else online in the US except here…
Colors: Pearlito, Pilly, Smoothy, Sphera
Price: $11 / 10€ plus shipping

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We just received a new batch of this delicious treat!
Mori Ex Cacao – roughly translates to death by chocolate. Now don’t get us wrong, we don’t want to encourage killing yourself by eating too much chocolate, but Mori Ex Cacao is the brilliant collaboration by D.L.&Co and Valerie Confections. These marvelous and macabre chocolate skulls are among the most extravagant confections made today. They are truly notable for the excellence and the purity of their ingredients. Obviously handmade, their organic nature renders them exquisite, expensive and an experience not to be missed.
Each of the three flavors come in a black satin gift box with a black bow around it making it an uber luxe gift for any discerning chocolate lover. Oh - and in case you were wondering how big they were, they fit in your palm, so they are definitely not huge or anything. If you order all three, then they’ll come in a big satin box that looks even more amazing…
One more thing: we are shipping them in insulated shipping kits with express service, hence the higher than usual shipping cost.
Color: Bitter White Brandied Cherry, Curious Chilli, Scorched Caramel
Price: $30 / 24€ plus shipping

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Please help; we don’t know what today’s Soupe is. No, that’s wrong, we know what it is, we just don’t know what to call it…
It’s designed by French design power house ibride (has nothing to do with iPod or such, but is pronounced more like a French ‘Hybrid’) – you might know their wonderful trays with the great prints – and is a great selection of plates and bowls and smaller bowls and more plates and it all stacks up in the shape of a ming vase.
See our problem? What do you call that?
We don’t know, but it’s probably not relevant either. It’s pretty fantastic, about 15″ (40 cm) high, hides 7 different plates and bowls, is made out of Melamine and printed with the most beautiful imagery we have seen from ibride in quite a long time! We first saw it in Paris last Spring and now it is finally available and we are quite excited.
Price: $125 / 80€

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We love the Dosh wallet, it first saw the light on C&M a year ago, almost exact to the day. And you love it too, that’s why we added it to the curated shopping section instead of having it only for a Soupe. But all good things come to an end and it’s time to say good bye to the Dosh as we know it.
And what’s a better way to say good bye than with a nice sale? See, we think so too and so we are knocking 20% off the price and are making room in our warehouse for something new.
What’s new? Oh, well, just some additional colors – like a dozen more - and the size – it’s now much smaller and only holds cards and bills - and the addition of a money clip – stainless steel - and a new surface treatment – much denser and stronger – and a bunch of other nice features.
So our favorite wallet has really grown up and become a real premium product. But along with all those nifty changes comes a nifty price increase, so expect the price to be almost double from what it is now.
That makes saying good bye even easier – especially with our little saying good bye sale
And for all of those out there who have no idea what the Dosh is that we’ve been talking about, let us formally introduce you: The Dosh wallet is designed and manufactured in Sydney, Australia and is quite a unique little puppy. It’s a blend of flexible and semi-flexible polymers (read thermoplastic polyurethane – not that we knew what that is…) that creates an amazingly durable, yet flexible and water resistant wallet. It is packed with a bunch of really clever features (why does every other wallet have these really deep credit card compartments?) and has a pretty damn smart ‘Smart Pocket’ that you can use to store all these little things that you carry around (SD cards, condoms, etc).
It comes in 4 pretty cool colors (white is our fave at the moment) and at 120 mm x 98 mm x 13.5 mm it’s pretty much the size of a standard wallet…
That’s it… Now say good bye and get yourself one while we have them at this great price!
Colors: Chocolate, Gray, Orange, White
Price: $48 / 36€

Technorati Tags: accessories, Charles & Marie, gadget hip, Soupe du Jour, stationary, wallet

Every once in a while we like a boiled egg for brekkie, and whilst there is an abundance of egg cups out there, few actually make it onto our list of things we like to see on our tables.
So we were quite delighted to come across this beautiful version which is not just elegant and simple, but also highly unusual. Clean and elegant lines that don’t distract, but the true amazement lies in the fact that the egg is ‘lying’ and not ’sitting’ in the egg cup. There’s some old story behind this and apparently eggs were always had this way until a very long time ago somebody came along and decided that the way we have them today would be the way forward. In any case, we love them and think they are fabulous and unusual.
And you know how much we like unusual!
Price: $20 / 12€

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We had this lovely product towards the end of last year for the first time and it was one great hit with all you out there, but it was also a wee bit spendy because the designer made them all herself! Now she’s all grown up, has a manufacturing partner and voila – the price is down to nearby half of what it was originally and she’s launched a couple new variants as well.
Have a look yourself, it’s a very, very sweet idea: Basically, it’s a card with a necklace wrapped around it. But that in itself wouldn’t catch our eye, so the trick is that the sterling silver pearls on the necklace create an image. Either a heart or a smiley or an infinity symbol – we are sure you can figure out the respective meaning. The new styles are quite nice as well: 18, 30, 40 – yup, made for the respective birthdays… Looking for 21, well that number has little or no relevance over in old Europe
Once it is unwrapped to its full length of almost 4 feet (46″ to be precise, or 120 cm), the meaning disappears and your secret love affair would never be recognizable in public as it turns into a multi-layered necklace. Only when you wrap it around the card, does the true meaning show up again and you can be all happy or sad, or… oh, the card is 7 x 5,5 cm (2.25″ x 2.75″) in case you are into details.
Now here’s a note for the guys: This is a wonderful gift for the girl in your life – they would never buy themselves a heart necklace. Just in case you weren’t sure…
Psst, we like that!
Price: $50 / 35€

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And to finish our round up of the sexiest new toys this week, here’s part three of the Usual Suspects by Jimmyjane…
Only recently introduced to the market, Vibrating Rings have immediately become a favorite. The first hands-free vibrators to become widely available, they’re an easy way for couples to share sensation.
Unlike the disposable products that are most common on the market, the ICONIC RING features replaceable batteries for an extended life. It’s also one of the most versatile products of its kind, featuring a unique touch-sensitive vibration mode and shower-friendly water resistance.
Embraced by many for their ease of use and no-nonsense design, Vibrating Rings are enjoyed by first-time vibrator users and experienced enthusiasts alike.
Now if that isn’t convincing enough…
Price: $36 / 27€

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Here’s part two of our sexy ménage a trois to start the week off properly: The Iconic pocket, aka ‘the pocket vibrator’
Pocket Vibrators were first produced in Japan over 25 years ago. Their compact all-in-one design made them the most portable vibrators available at the time – other mini vibrators were wired to a separate battery pack, and were clumsy by comparison. Pocket Vibrators were also among the first waterproof vibrators in wide circulation, ensuring that they immediately made a splash. While Pocket Vibrators were designed to be compact, they were also engineered to be powerful. The four hemispheres on the tip of the vibrator help intensify sensation by varying the contact pressure as they are moved across the body. The versatility and innocuous appearance of the Pocket Vibrator, combined with its usefulness for non-sexual massage, has given everyone a reason – and an excuse – to keep one handy.
Enjoy!
Price: $32 / 25€

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Oh my, starting the week off with an SDJ like this, is better than sex in the morning – which generally is pretty awesome – but pardon our language if you feel uneasy, it’s quite simply the newest addition to the already amazing line up of products that our friends over at JimmyJane just introduced, that gets us all excited!
It’s the Rabbit!
No idea what we are talking about? Well, we aren’t taking about the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, nor the white one that Neo had to follow, we are talking about the best known vibrator ever made! This “Rabbit Habit” is the original that inspired hundreds of derivative products. Created in Japan over 25 years ago, it was the first to offer simultaneous internal and external stimulation. This configuration was so successful that it launched an entire category of products, now known in the industry as “Twice As Nice” vibrators. The popularity of this design is telling. Conservative estimates indicate that over 5 million ‘Twice As Nice’ vibrators are made each year, and production levels are still growing. No stranger to the limelight, it has made appearances on numerous TV shows – most memorably, its cameo on Sex and the City in 1998. The curious appearance of the vibrator is functionally derived, but culturally embellished. The Rabbit Habit features a stylized rabbit attached to the base of a shaft, which, upon closer examination, is detailed to resemble a woman, complete with a caricature face, necklace, and bob haircut. In Japan there is a long-standing taboo surrounding the depiction of genitalia. As a result, in sexual implements dating back millennia, faces and other details were often sculpted onto otherwise phallic forms to soften their visual impact and disguise (albeit only slightly) their functional intent. Some of the more elaborate designs even included swords, kimonos, and other details to represent samurai and geisha characters. Today, an entire menagerie of Twice As Nice vibrators is available, featuring animals ranging from dolphins to sea horses, monkeys to birds. Now you can confidentially toy with this illustrious icon.
O.K. So we’ve got the Rabbit thing explained, now what about The Usual Suspects, why did JimmyJane create the line?
The answer is as usual simple: For pleasure of course! Jimmyjane seeks to provide broad access to products that are timely, playful, and provocative – always with a sexy twist. The Usual Suspects Iconic Vibrator Collection includes distinctive vibrators that are part of the curiosity and sexual zeitgeist of our time. It is in this same spirit that Jimmyjane has become a trusted leader in the sexual wellbeing market. The good guys over at Jimmyjane feel it is their responsibility to be your guide, and provide products that can be used with confidence. Unlike their other products, these products were not designed by their talented in house design team, but chosen from the most iconic products available. They tracked down the best of each style, distilled them to pure white, dressed them up in seductive fare, and gathered them into a single collection just for you. Moreover, each of the vibrators in The Usual Suspects meets their stringent quality and safety standards, is made of non-toxic and body-friendly materials, and is backed by their one year limited warranty. Talk about curating with an edge!
As you would expect, the Rabbit is presentably boxed in a design by Jimmyjane, buy or give this rabbit for delight.
Price: $90 / 69€

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We just love bringing things to the US you can’t get anywhere else and if they are as fabulous as today’s Soupe, then we are really excited!
So, here’s a fabulous innovation by Marguerite Deperrois that is so ground breaking that we immediately fell in love with it! It’s a water booster!
What’s a water booster you ask? A fabulous, 100% organic additive to the water you are drinking. But, it’s no banal powder or sirup, it’s a smart booster cap that you simply screw onto your standard – read small – water bottle until you hear it clic. Then 50 centiliters of 100% organic herbal essence is released into the bottle below, you shake it a wee bit and voila, you are ready to enjoy!
5 different flavors are available:
Energy, Sexy, Balance, Destress and Fitness (called Minceur in French). Each uses different ingredients to promote the desired effect, so in Energy you’ll find the usual dose of Guarana but this time combined with Acerola to boost your defenses and Ginseng for your vitality combine it with a hint of Orange and Cinnamon and you’ve got an energizing taste.
Sexy uses Ginger for stamina, Galangal to relax and incline sexual desires and Cardamom to increase your blood circulation. Add Bee balm and you’ll have a fabulous tropical taste.
Balance uses Peppermint to provide energy, Nettle to supply minerals, trace elements and amino acids and Ash tree to enable a good elimination of rejects and prevents water retention. Combined with French Vanilla it creates a refreshing taste sensation.
Destress uses Walnut and Calamint to calm you down at night, Hawthorn to relieve tension and Orange Blossom to soothe your tummy and relax your body. This is combined with the coolness of Verbena for a fruity taste.
Lastly, Fitness uses Yerba-Mate and Bitter Orange to burn off the flubber, Green tea to decrease the assimilation of fat and sugar while draining excess water stored in your body. And to make it all look pretty, Mango, Litchi and Kiwi re-enforce the natural glow of your complexion so you’ll look good while working out. The flavor is enhanced with Rosemary and Licorice for a smooth taste.
Sound exciting? We think so too. And because we couldn’t decide which ones we wanted to get, we have put together a pack of all 5 flavors in one. This way you can try them all to find your favorite. Don’t want them all? No problem, click HERE and get the 4 pack of your favorite booster.
Now if you are wondering how all this goodness gets into this little cap, well, that’s the magic part. Actually it’s not magical at all, the herbal essences are derived through a flash process to preserve the benefits of the ingredients and are 100% organic and natural, no chemicals are used or included. Each booster cap mixed with a small bottle of water tastes fabulous and provides your body with the elements it needs. One booster cap a day is all you need as the effect is immediately noticeable and including it in your daily routine is highly recommended.
You can use any water you like as long as it is chilled – who likes luke warm water any way? Oh, one last thing: the sugar content in the fruit is used to add a touch of sweetness, so each dose contains 5g of Fructose or 4 kcal per 100 ml…
That’s it, now get your hands on those booster caps and be the first to savour the goodness… And if you want to show off your inner frenchy, look at the name and change the pronunciation a little bit and suddenly you are saying ’some water’ in French. Bien fait!
Price: $15 / 10€

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