Tag: Dining

Throwing a dinner party for a bunch of astronomers or astrophysicists? I can think of no better way to serve up their meals than on these plates that look like the planets of our solar system.

How does one go about with making the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich? What about the perfect sundae or a banana split? These are presumably some of the most commonly consumed snacks and treats in the country, so most people really don’t need any directions on how to make them.

It’s hard to have a decent meal when you’re traveling or are spending extended periods of time outdoors, where you might not have access to tableware and basic utensils like a spoon and a fork.

I’m sure you’ve gone on first dates before. And I’m sure you’ve learned the hard way that first dates usually go worse the more you like the person you’re with. Most dates involve eating a meal – and where there’s food, there’s bound to be accidents – usually the messy kind.

Many people are uncomfortable with the prospect or even just the idea of eating alone at a restaurant. I’d like to say that I’m so confident that I can’t relate to this feeling, but I can’t, because I do.

Sometimes, certain foods are just tastier or best eaten using your hands. There’s chicken, for one, and let’s not forget ribs. You can use your fork and knife to maintain poise, but for low-key evenings at home, using your hands is the way to go – especially if you want to get all of the meat.

There’s a perpetual shortage of space in every home. That’s why multi-functional furniture pieces like the table that Daniel Liss designed have a huge inherent demand – because they let you do more and take on more functions in a singular piece.

We’ve seen a number of multitouch tables over the years, with the most notable being Microsoft’s PixelSense (formerly known as Surface). But most of these have very large screens and are designed for coffee tables or larger installations.

And so, Coca-Cola’s ingenious advertising campaigns continue. Remember their ‘Open Happiness’ vending machines that gave people free coke for a hug? This time around, they didn’t give out free drinks. This time, it was a complete meal – plus an awesome experience that they can tell their grandchildren about in due time.

I gave up on fabric placemats after having my sister and her young kids over for dinner one evening. While I adore my nieces and nephews, they are the messiest eaters on the planet and my placemats just had to go to the bin after their visit, since the stains were so stubborn and wouldn’t come off, even after several washes.

Here’s a geeky salt and pepper shaker for Windows fans. The Salty Pixels salt and pepper shaker is shaped like the classic hourglass cursor. Why? Because the new blue spiral thingy in Vista and 7 doesn’t look like a shaker.

Fred & Friends is at it again, with another one of their tongue-in-cheek household gadgets. This time, they’ve created the perfect salt and pepper shaker – the SWITCH.

Boy, it seems like forever since we featured any sort of Space Invaders goodies on the site. Thankfully, the Invaders’ drought appears to be over. Whether or not you like to throw extra seasonings on your food, you’ve got to love these Space Invaders salt and pepper shakers if you’ve got even a bit of 8-bit spirit.

These salt and pepper shakers are made to look like the S and P letter keys on your computer keyboard! They come with this cool box to complete the qwertastic look. I’m not sure I want to think about my PC during meals but I know there are folks out there who would like to seamlessly integrate computer references into every single aspect of their lives (not to mention, their Second Lives) so I’m guessing that’s the target market.

Japan’s Taguchi Craft company is readying a new sound system that’s designed to looks like pieces you might find on your dining table. The Supper Sound System is a series of speakers mounted inside of vessels that look like ceramic tumblers and bottles along with a base station that looks like a serving dish.

Star Wars may be over 30 years old, but that hasn’t stopped those LucasFilm merchandising folks from cranking out fresh ideas. That’s why I’m absolutely loving these R2 unit pepper mills. Imagine having the boss over for dinner, asking if he’d like some pepper on his salad, then whipping out one of these little droids.