Curiosities: Metroship Houseboat

The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book came in the mail the other day, and the first order of business was to skip all the clothing and look for those notoriously expensive pipe dream gifts. Enter the Metroship Houseboat. Now, boats have held a certain charm for me since I saw the movie Houseboat starring Cary Grant and Sophia Loren. The Metroship Houseboat...well, it sort of (get ready for the pun) blew the other one out of the water. For $250,000 you get a sleek, modern vessel, replete with hardwood floors, double paned glass windows, a W hotel bed, and a gourmet kitchen. It's not huge (48' x 12', with 7' ceilings), but it's a cozy getaway for two. Just don't forget to bring the credit card or bricks of gold.

Found Objects: Kabuki Color

Imagine if you could package the art and intrigue of Kabuki theatre in a mini bento box. Francois Nars, make-up maven and founder of Nars Cosmetics, has tried to do just that with the creation of his limited edition "bento box." Captivated by Kabuki make-up, Nars brought home  a small pot of Kabuki lip color from Japan as inspiration for a new product that's been years in the making. There are run-of-the-mill lipsticks, and then there's this: two glorious, brightly colored lipsticks poured by hand into small cups that rest in a little black box (special lip brush included). Ideal for the lover of theatre, make-up, or anything beautiful, really. Note: The race is to the swift.  Only 1,000 sets will be sold in the United States, available beginning November 1.