Note to those in the habit of circling the Hallmark aisle
for four or more times: a musical greeting card blaring a robotic rendition of
some oldie but goodie isn't always enough to convey the true weight of your
feelings. If you're really hankering to show that special someone how much you
care, consider thinking a wee bit grander in scale and giving him or her the
whole world on a pedestal. Literally. Available in a range of sizes from
paperweight on up, these tabletop globes ($125-$550)
are currently spinning at The Society of Arts and Crafts
(175 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.1810). They're made by David Colombo, an
artist who knows his way around the world, having spent 20 years restoring
antique celestial and terrestrial globes as an art conservator. Covered with
hand-drawn typefaces and detailed illustrations, Colombo's creations are
inspired by early German and Italian globes from the 16th century, a time when
cartographers were pretty much winging it when it came to documenting that big
portion of the world then referred to as "New."
If your taste in worldly goods veers more towards the
otherworldly, why not follow that trajectory right over to Abodeon
(1731 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.497.0137) for one of these vaguely
extraterrestrial orbs disguised as a mild-mannered yet functional
appetizer pick set ($40)? Envisioned by industrial designer Mattias
Mikaelsson and crafted in Sweden, this perforated dome holds 13 weighty picks
ready to spear hors d'oeuvres or tapas at your next gathering. Made of an
easy-clean brushed stainless steel, these space-age toothpick alternatives have
enough sculptural flair to hold their own amongst the most colorful array of
mouth-watering edibles. And even if your Spam and pineapple appetizers aren't
quite breaking any new culinary ground, at least your serving piece is sure to
be out of this world.
