travel – Beyond The Kitchen Sink

What The Heck Is Smettanick?

The Joseph Joseph Worktop Saver, USA Gastronomy Map is “made in the United Kingdom by Joseph Joseph, masters of form and function,” according to the product description. It goes on to say that what you are seeing is a “12-inch by 16-inch worktop saver; made of toughened glass; heat resistant to 536-degree F.”

What it doesn’t say is what the heck Smettanick is.

There you see it, up at the top of Montana: Smettanick. Turns out, this caught the eye of many back in 2011.

According to a nifty little write up in the Seattle Weekly about this very design (by a British designer), Smettanick is a Russian sour-cream cake whose preferred spelling is “smetannik.” (Check out a recipe for smetannik here.) As for its popularity in Montana? Only Montanans know. However, the map is not a total loss: the inclusion of “ultimate buffets” in Nevada is not much of a head-scratcher, although it’s probably a good guess that Nevadans eat more than pine nuts and casino buffets.

Zing Anything Citrus Zinger

The portable water bottle has become common sight seemingly everywhere. (This would make sense, being portable and all…) The good news is that they offer an easy way to stay hydrated without the need to shell out cold hard cash while on the go. The bad news is water comes in only one flavor.

The Zing Anything Citrus Zinger (aka ZingAnything CitrusZinger) is a go-to solution for making a flavored water solution on the go. Combining a citrus reamer with a water bottle that is designed for portability, the beverage enhancer makes it easy to make your own hydrating concoction. Just screw a citrus half into the base and away you go.

For those that appreciate a little non-citrus fruit in their drink, these guys also make the Aqua Zinger, which is designed to masticate berries, herbs and really anything else that has flavor locked inside. But either version that works for you, really works for you, because don’t forget: refills are free!

Chinese Dinner Party 1929 Stella Benson Block Print

1929 Print Chinese Dinner Party China Chop Sticks Kuaizi Table Wok Stella Benson - Relief Line-block Print

This seems like a good opportunity to open up a new category. Welcome to the first post filed under ‘Decorative,’ enjoy!

What we have above is a Chinese Dinner Party 1929 Wood Block Print By Stella Benson.

I took the opportunity to learn a little about Stella Benson. She was born in 1892 to a wealthy English family. During her lifetime she traveled and wrote. Apparently she also made wood blocks. She died of pneumonia at the age of forty in December 1933 at Hongay in the Vietnamese province of Tonkin. She left behind a catalog of works that include multiple novels and poetry collections. (Via Wikipedia, July 2, 2012.)

The print above comes from a seller specializing in paper goods. They have a bunch of Stella Benson’s works available for sale right now. They images capture a sense of what travel meant to her. The seller has priced these at around $35 each, which seems incredibly reasonable to me. So if you are looking for a way to spruce up the walls in a unique way, definitely check out the PeriodPaper Storefront on Amazon. Good stuff.

Travel Bag Made Just For A Wine Bottle

Idea Mia WineDiaper Padded Absorbent Bag

Itâ€™s better to be safe than sorry, some might say, while others may believe that if something bad can happen, it will. Either way, if youâ€™re transporting a bottle of wine, the Idea Mia WineDiaper Padded Absorbent Bag has you covered. The reusable and sealable travel bag cradles wine bottles and absorbs spills if the bottle breaks. Practice safe wine transporting and the bag can be used over and over again. If only carpets worked the same way.

Continue reading Travel Bag Made Just For A Wine Bottle

Have your cereal and drink it too

Itâ€™s not uncommon to want your cake and eat it too. For some, this translates to wanting cereal and having it crunchy too. OK, well maybe thatâ€™s a stretch, but the spirit of the statement still stands. After all, itâ€™s simply a matter of wanting a nice bowl of crispy cereal swimming in milk. Even if you have to drink it out of a travel mug.

The Fresh Traveller by Arian Brekveld for Royalvkb makes it possible to enjoy crispy cereal and granola with milk, yogurt or whatever you may prefer. (Does anything crispy or crunchy work in orange juice?) Whatever your pleasure, you can now take it with you to enjoy classic combinations whenever, wherever. Of course with a price tag of $49, you may just be better off buying your box of Cap’n Crunch and pint of milk from the corner store.

Create the perfect mug of tea on the go

Why should coffee people have all the fun? Tea lovers need some love too, after all. Well, thatâ€™s where the Copco Tea Thermal Green Travel Mug comes in. Featuring a removable infusion filter for steeping loose-leaf tea on the go, the travel mug gives tea lovers the ability to get their get up and go while getting on the go.

The double wall construction keeps hot or cold drinks at their desired temperature, while the 14-ounce capacity keeps the fuel coming. Coffee hounds may have the advantage when it comes to accessories, availability and options, but when itâ€™s time for tea lovers to get exactly what they want, this loose-leaf infuser mug takes the show on the road.