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Welcome to InsideHook’s Staff Picks, a compendium of all the stuff our editors have been digging on recently.
Vintage Cushion Cases by Revival Rugs
My girlfriend and I just scored a killer set of five antique French metal dining chairs, and they are, uh, about as comfortable as you’d expect a slab of cold early 20th-century wrought iron to be. Know what they need? Some vintage handmade Turkish throw pillows. Know where I’m getting ’em? Revival Rugs, aka my favorite direct-to-consumer company, bona fide industry disruptors who source their textiles directly from rug dealers in Anatolia and then ship ’em direct to their customers, slashing prices by literally thousand of dollars in some cases. People, I cannot impress enough upon you how fired up I am about these pillow covers. They are $35 a piece. That is a BANANAS price for this level of quality. Get them. Inject them straight into your veins (and your living rooms). Your home could use a dose of sultanate swagger, I assure you. — Walker Loetscher, Editor in Chief
que Bottle
CLANK. That’s my current water bottle prison-breaking from its holder on my backpack and meeting the train floor yesterday morning. The thing rolled eight rows before a friendly commuter scooped it up, handing it back to me and my fire-engine-red cheeks with a sad, knowing smile. I am definitely in need of a water bottle that’s less bowling ball, more portable, which is why I’m snagging a que for $20. The silicon bottle collapses down to just four inches when not in use, handles both cold and warm drinks, comes with a stainless steel cap, and can even be tossed in the dishwasher. — Tanner Garrity, Associate Editor
Delacroix by Sébastien Allard and Côme Fabre
I went to the Met’s exhibit of French Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix last weekend — for which this retrospective book is a companion — and finally understand that Cameron Frye meets Seurat scene. That is, experienced a personal moment with a painting in a museum that traditionally inspires naps and/or resentment for tourists. Besides visual art, Delacroix was known for his passion, prolific journals and tendency to shock his colleagues. In other words, he’s my role model going into the new year, and this tome is my how-to guide. (Bonus: Take 25% off with code FESTIVE18.) — Alex Lauer, Senior Editor
Mu6
Noise-cancelling headphones are a necessity for me in New York (they’re the only thing that keep my hour-long subway commute sane), but an elevated pair costs easily over $300. A cheaper option we just tested: the just-crowdfunded, wireless Mu6 (mu-six, et it?), which delivers a Bose/Sony level of quality for just $150. When we played with a set this week, we were impressed: super comfy on the ear, a few different levels of noise reduction and 20+ hours on a charge. Plus, they adapt to your hearing via a simple test when you first try ’em on. As well, they offer a few things we hadn’t seen before, including a magnetic charging stand and cool trick where you can quickly reduce volume by just touching and holding the left earcup. Not that we want to be interrupted. — Kirk Miller, Nation Editor/Managing Editor
Erstwhile World Hemisphere Map
I’m a sucker for maps. In another life I think I could have been a cartographer, because I can look at them all day long. This particular map is a recreation of a famous one from 1917 entitled The World In Hemispheres, which is obvious if you simply cast a glance towards the circle-filled illustration. It’s printed on sturdy canvas strung up between aged timber batons with a hemp rope for hanging. It’s also rather large, at over 3′ x 4′, so only purchase if you have the wallspace to handle such things. (Ed. note: Also perfect for the flat-earther on your Xmas list.) — Eli London, Director of Partnerships and User Acquisition
— Danny Agnew, Creative Director
THE BEST THING WE DRANK THIS WEEK
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Just launched and already pretty difficult to find, Guinness Stout Aged in Bulleit Bourbon Barrels is exactly what it says it is: the iconic full-bodied stout aged for eight months in whiskey barrels. The result? The best of all worlds: you’re getting chocolate, oak and vanilla notes, and an elevated 10% ABV.
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