I've been working out of my sister's pad in Mission Bay, SF for the past week. The thing you have to understand about my sister is that she has a particular aesthetic sense, sort of Swedish practicality plus Japanese asceticism, and a dash of hedonism. So her apartment reflects that: lots of clean lines, uncluttered surfaces, lots of tans, greys and off-whites everywere. Oh and liquor, lots of liquor.
Not really my cup of tea, but I can appreciate the simplicity and elegance of it.
Case in point is the Chef'n Dual Pepperball, a kitchen tool that has been sitting on her kitchen counter where I'm doing my work during the day. I can't stop staring at it. I find it kind of beautiful really, particularly the contrast of the white sea salt crystals and the peppercorn balls. And it's a practical device, that cleverly grinds both salt and pepper, depending on which way you twist the handles.
Devices like this sort of fascinate me. Which is why I can spend forever in stores like Pylones, looking at hundreds of objects I have absolutely no use for.