Tornado Potato

Belgian frites out, tornado potatoes in! This cleverly-named, spiral-cut potato is a popular street vendor offering in Seoul that drew national, or rather international attention on Sunday by being featured in The New York Times. Why didn't I think of this? Just run a potato through an apple-corer or commercial spiral cutter, skewer it, then deep-fry! Roll in ketchup or aioli, then you're in heaven. To be fair, the tornado potato has taken off in South Africa as well, where they've taken it one step further by making a chip dog, a hot dog and spiraled potato on a stick!

Okay, so why am I featuring the tornado potato, a favorite food blog topic this year (just see how many hits "tornado potato" gets on Google) on my blog? Because it's a sculptural masterpiece in design in addition to being a new member of the cholesterol on a stick team. It's an ode to pasta rotini and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City at once. The simple spiral design appeals to the visual senses, and in turn increases one's appetite and enthusiasm for the potato. Food stylists and industrial designers, feel free to marvel...

Fancy Fire

Imagine hosting a little barbeque on the beach with the Eva Solo Table Grill. It's small, so leave the porterhouse at home. The bowl is made of porcelain, lending some warmth to the steel handle and grill. This is a charcoal grill, but Eva Solo makes a large standing grill in both gas and charcoal. Check out the different versions here. In general, this cool Danish design company creates some amazing pieces for the home. My favorites include the garlic press and the apple corer.

Jewel Box Kitchen

Check out this clever kitchen in London, customized for a couple who love to entertain but live in a small space. See more photos and learn about this kitchen design on the Kitchn blog.

The pull-out wall with spice rack provides extra counter space for preparing food and closes shut to provide more space in the living room when not being used. What I really like are the doors that can completely hide the kitchen. This is great when you've got a pile of dirty dishes and have unexpected guests pop by!

Anchor & Hope Sails Off

Following the "haute seafood shack" trend that took off in New York City between 2002-2006 with joints like Mary's Fish Camp, BLT Fish, and Ditch Plains to name a few; Anchor & Hope is San Francisco's belated attempt to offer the lobster roll and its usual accompaniments. The restaurant has found an underserved niche in the the Bay Area and is welcomed heartily by east coast natives craving a touch of New England in the ever-present California cuisine.

The high ceilings with exposed beams and dangling ropes recall a messy mast of a sailing ship. They inspire a new career as trapeze artist or tightrope walker. The simple hanging light fixtures look as if they could have been repurposed from lightposts of a marina, but were undoubtedly new. If my eyes served me right, Anchor & Hope chose Emeco's 1006 Navy Side Chair for their guest seating. This indestructible chair is made from recycled aluminum and will hold up after years and years of wear. Read more about this mid-century modern chair at Design Within Reach.

Anchor & Hope took over a space that used to be an auto repair shop. Its exterior pays homage to its past by keeping the garage door and gritty shell that hosts the restaurant's name in preppy sailor letters. When the restaurant is open, the garage door opens to a wall of windows and a glass door that reveal the airy, nautical theme inside. I recommend popping by for happy hour when it's still light outside and you can sample the delicious array of first courses and local beers.

Ecochic Sipping

Introducing the perfect pair for a sustainable summer picnic!

These govino "go anywhere" wine glasses are made from shatterproof plastic (not containing bisphenol-A) and are reusable and recyclable. I'm typically not a fan of stemless wine glasses, but govino added a thumb grip to the side of the cup for easy handling. Having a firm grip on your wine glass is a must, especially as the wine continues to flow. However, if for some reason you accidently drop the cup, no worries. It will not break. How cool! The benefits of govino cups are two-fold, the low $2.49 price for each glass and the eco-friendliness of the products once you're done with them.

Pour some French Rabbit wine into your glasses and you're ready for action! The Boisset family vineyard in the Languedoc Roussillon region of southern France produces delicious biodynamic wine at competitive prices. To add to their organic practices, the Boisset family uses Tetra-Prisma packaging. These wine containers are 100% recyclable, use 90% less packaging compared to traditional glass wine bottles, and fit an extra two glasses of wine! I think this is much cooler than the wine-in-a-box trend of late. Here's to the wine industry caring about the environment and good design. Salud!

New Color for Le Creuset

Last week, Williams-Sonoma introduced an exclusive new color to its Le Creuset offerings - slate. This new addition is perfect for the modernist who wants to keep their kitchen in a neutral palette (or palate). It also references the ubiquity of stainless steel in the kitchen, the de facto appliance grade of the past few years. If you're hoping for a whole set of slate enameled cast-iron pots, you will have to wait or petition Williams-Sonoma. They offer it in the larger dutch oven and french oven styles only. While I would typically embrace a new sleek color like this, I prefer the colorful options that enhance the vintage style of Le Creuset cookware. Happy braising!

Cool Deal for Summer

Just in time for alfresco entertaining, this bright serving set offers a fun way to serve refreshing bites of sorbet, granita or gelato. Love the coordinating spoons that go with the porcelain cups and the clean white cup interior that highlights the color of cool treats. The miniature size of this set offers the perfect presentation for an intermezzo course. And to top it off, it's on sale now at Crate & Barrel for $14.95! Break out your ice cream maker.