Edible Art: Padded Cell

Padded cell days. We’ve all had them. You know those days when you get so frustrated/upset/crazy that you want to pull your hair out or bang your head against a wall? Now imagine that instead of a traditional padded cell, you find yourself resting inside a room entirely covered by cotton candy. Feel the soft, pink fluff against your skin. Smell the sweet, intoxicating smell of spun sugar. Ahhh…peace. Actually, in reality, a cotton candy cell isn’t quite as wonderful as it might sound. All those creepy, horror movie connotations are still there, but with a bit of fun thrown in. The cell, which was created by artist Jennifer Rubell for the Performa Arts' Red Party, is a freestanding structure that contains one door and one window. The door to the cell was opened at 9pm, but, prior to the big reveal, partygoers could peak through the window, viewing the interior. According to Rubell, the cell “acts as an escape” from the party, which is also “confining, threatening, and claustrophobic,” in its own way. “It is an object that addresses the dark side of pleasure, the price of pleasure, the possibility that pleasure is its own punishment.” ~Erin

The Scone Factory

I’ve recently rediscovered the joy of jam. I generally try to avoid nondessert related sugars, so I had, pretty much, cut it out my diet. Then, recently, a friend of mine bought me some of this delicious “no sugar added” jam and I’ve been eating it with gusto ever since! Given the current jam revival going on in my house, I was really excited to hear about this scone factory installation at Meesterlijk, a design and craft fair in Amsterdam. Designed by Dutch “eating designer” Marije Vogelzang for her former business partner Piet Hekker (together they cofounded the restaurant Proef), the intent of the scone factory was to give life to Piet’s vision of bringing collaborations between small scale craftsmen and designers to city centers. Such collaborations would not only help to revive the city, but also give work to independent artists and businesses. With this in mind, Marije create the scone factory, which featured a play-shop installation, live scone baking and eating, a jam collection displayed by color (my favorite part!), and a brainstorm wall. What fun! {Thanks, Marije!} ~Erin

Peacock Lollipop Holder

This lollipop holder by Jonathan Adler is totally impractical, but I think I love it. You certainly couldn’t keep the lollipops unwrapped, unless you were having a party or something, and they would be eaten quickly. If you left them naked for weeks at a time they would get all sticky and covered with dust. Yuck! Still, I really like the idea and the retro style of the peacock. It’s sort of like an updated take on the candy dish. J. Adler is the best. He always makes such cheery things. I hope everyone has a great holiday! :-) --Erin

Kitchen Stickers by Hu2 Design

I think my love of wall stickies is probably rooted in my childhood love of stickers, but, really, I think that it's the way that they easily transform an otherwise boring room that makes me a fan. I love the idea of completely changing a wall without the use of paint or stencils. These playful stickers by Hu2 Design would work perectly in a kitchen or dinning area. I espeically like the one titled Essential Dessert Recipes. It's a design element and a cookbook all in one! Click here to shop the Hu2 sticker collection online.

Godiva, Tokyo

When I first caught a glimpse of this Godiva store in Tokyo, I was completely awestruck. In this incredible chocolate shop, designed by the Japanese interior design firm, Wonderwall, chocolate covers the walls and drips from melting ceilings, making it like no other Godiva store that I've seen before. It's whimsical and funny and creepy all at the same time! Not bad creepy, but, you know, a sort of Hansel and Gretel creepy, in that you want to eat the walls, but you feel like they might attack you at some point! :-) To learn more about this strange and wonderful store, click here.