Trophy Case: July's Best Local Stuff
Image: Schoolhouse Electric
DESIGN
Schoolhouse Electric’s new line of lights includes its first LED fixture—the Penny Pendant—in a sophisticated copper high-polish finish.
$250, schoolhouseelectric.com
Image: SchadenFreezers
COFFEE TABLE
Innocent childhood Popsicle jokes—setup on the stick, punchline revealed when the treat is gone—take a bleak turn in SchadenFreezers, a parody picture book created by Wieden & Kennedy creatives Jason Kreher and Matt Moore. “Why did the circus close? A long chilling list of animal rights violations!” $10.65, schadenfreezers.com
Image: Michael Novak
TRAVEL
Queen Bee’s Weekender Travel Bag is a stylish vacation tote that works as well on the beach as in the airport. Locally designed and manufactured, “it’s not high fashion, it’s more practical,” says Queen Bee owner Rebecca Pearcy. “Bags need to work and be comfortable.” $180, queenbee-creations.com
Image: Mike Novak
WORKSHOP
What distinguishes a good whiskey from a bad one? For one thing, the length of time inside an oak barrel. The short cut: drop a Time & Oak American white oak “whiskey element” into a cheap bottle for 24 hours or more (don’t try our lazy method below!), and the horizontal cuts expose the wood’s capillaries to help soften the harsh finish. That $10 bottle won’t ever taste like top-shelf, but it will go down easier! $14 for two single-use sticks, timeandoak.com
Image: Keen
OUTDOORS
Made out of two cords and a rubber sole, the Keen Uneek aims to revolutionize sandals by providing all the traction, support, and comfort of an athletic shoe. “We live in a town with shoe people who all make shoes the same way,” says Keen’s Ryan Riggs. “Let’s challenge the norm.” $100, keenfootwear.com
