Who are we? Square Six is usually just me, Angie Cho. However, you will occasionally see Nhat and Jo come out of the woodworks with sweat on their brows and diehard concentration on their faces. Aleyna, Jino, and Olivia have also been known to cut, paste, and smile at insane hours of the night.
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Five Things I Can't Live Without: Furry and unfurry animals (a.k.a. friends). The internet with all its magical wonders. A huge collection of writing utensils. Tea in the afternoon. Carl rotary paper trimmer.
I Want to Party With: Pippi Longstocking on her flying bed. Albert Einstein on his bike. Dana Scully. Sydney Bristow. Rosalind Franklin.
I Am Here For: Making enjoyable and clever designs for people to buy for themselves or for their loved ones... (or for highly unpleasant people you'd rather not buy a gift for but must out of courtesy).
Tag! You're it! You are one of my choices for the following:
"List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now, shaping your summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they're listening to."
These ornate candlestick holders are imported from Holland and made of hand cast resin. They are so color-saturated that they'll really add a punch of color to your space. Available in Glossy Fuchsia, Lime Green, or Matte Black. • By Growing Veip, $46.00/pair at www.shopplasticland.com
This little crankshaft music box is only 1 3/4 inches long. You'll like this if: (1) as a child you were fascinated by gears and levers, or (2) you liked the film, Darjeeling Limited. There was one just like it attached to one of the brother's suitcases. These music boxes come in a surprisingly large selection of songs like, "Over the Rainbow" and "La Vie en Rose". • Kikkerland Music Box, $9.00 • http://www.kikkerlandshop.com/musicbox.html
This trike can haul 5 bags of groceries, your dog, or your kid. It's 6 speeds will help you get them home. The full circular chain guard keeps your pant leg from catching, and the matching rear fenders have reflectors. This trike is a beaut. I have the 3-speed version in black with a flame seat and skull hand grips, but I always seem to long for this one; changing the seat to white, and the hand grips to white with streamers. • Ebay.com: $389.99. Search "tricycle adult orange" on ebay.com.
All toy pianos are made out of tune. This makes the music on this album both beautiful and eerie. Think soundtrack to a modern-day Alice in Wonderland. My favorite tracks are Lennon and McCartney's Eleanor Rigby, and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
Pop Ink sells a variety of fun, color-saturated plates. Their images range in style from wallpaper patterns to pin-up silhouettes. Made of heavy-duty melamine, they are substantial enough for ceramic lovers and durable enough to make them kid-friendly. The busy parent will enjoy its style and convenience. • Popink.com: Fashion Plate #2, $9.00.
Break out this tabletop grill anytime you want. It uses canisters of liquid propane gas so there's no charcoal bag to lug around and no charcoal mess. The suitcase design allows you to clamp the lid shut and carry it to your destination by the handle. Its compact size and portability makes it a great fit for a casual picnic at the park, your apartment balcony, or even your dining table. You will probably end up using this more just because of its no-hassle propane canisters. • Arctic Deluxe Portable Grill, around $85.00
Folding bikes make riding a bike fun and convenient. You can throw it in the bus, in the subway, in your car... I like these bikes by Downtube because they're really affordable. The price includes all the bells and whistles, like a rear rack, flip up pedals, a bell, and even an elastic cord to tie stuff down to the rear rack. They say they keep their prices low by doing most things in-house (design, distribution, and retail). If you have a larger budget, you might want to consider Dahon. Dahon's folding bikes are really nice. I bought Downtube's 8-speed internal hub version in turquoise and changed the seat and grips to a brown faux leather. It looks great. • Downtube.com • Dahon.com
Crate and Barrel makes this acrylic pitcher with lid. I usually prefer glass pitchers, but the light-weight acrylic makes this pitcher a lot easier to pass around with it's generous 78-ounce capacity. That's over half a gallon. The lid is by far the pitcher's best feature. It turns to lock in it's contents. It keeps ice and fruit from tumbling out. And it prevents your drinks from absorbing the odors in your refrigerator. With its slick unadorned surface, the fruit in your sangria and the lemons in your lemonade really stand out. I have 3 of these in my frige: one with water with green apple slices, another with ice tea with orange slices, and lastly, one with sparkling fruit juice. Refreshing!
• Crate and Barrel: Acrylic Pitcher with Lid, $11.95.
Snap-N-Store storage products are great. They easily collapse when not in use by unsnapping and folding flat. Better yet, they are really affordable. The product line includes boxes for everything you can imagine from file boxes to magazine files. $8.00 for a large box. • Full product line at http://www.ideastreamproducts.com/SnS/SnSproducts.html.
This thing looks great and sounds good. Speaker buffs may turn up their noses at it, but for regular folks, the music sounds great. An Added plus: It's perfect for a Bring-Your-Own-iPod party: easy to use and gets people's attention. Made by Specktone.
If you like crocheted table clothes, this basket is for you. It's a bike basket that includes canvas straps to double as a shopping basket. Pedal around town in style. Designed by Swedish designer Marie-Louise Gustafsson.
Here is what iPod Speaker Reviews wrote about the Vers: "Excellent all the way around - 4.7 our of 5." These handy iPod speakers come in 4 different wood finishes to match your decor. Unlike the Specktone Retro reviewed earlier, the Vers can charge your iPod and comes with a remote. • By Vers Audio, $149.99. http://www.versaudio.com.
Blinc Kiss Me eyeliner won't smear, run, or fade. It sounds too good to be true, but in this case, it's absolutely true. After applying, it dries to a rubbery finish, and because of this rubber-like property, it slides off using just warm water at the end of the day. Crazy. After splashing your face a couple of times with warm water, gently graze a fingernail on each hand across the eyeliner, and it will slide off in a little rubbery strip. I find that the middle finger works well. No force necessary. If the $25.00 sticker price is bit much for you, try Mabelline Ultra Liner Waterproof at $5.00-$6.00. It works the same way; not quite as resilient, but it does a solid job. • Blinc: http://www.blincinc.com/us/kiss_me_eyeliner.php • Maybelline: http://www.maybelline.com/Product/Eye/EyeLiner/ultra-liner-waterproof.htm
The piano enthusiast doesn't need a little tyke to put this Schoenhut on his bookshelf. These little beauties come in red, white, pink, and black. They also come smaller and larger than the one shown here. Parents won't have to hide this one. • Schoenhut $55.00. http://www.toypiano.com/gallery.htm
This is a modern take on the classic secretary desk. Clean modern lines and unembellished surfaces makes it an easy addition to your home. Secretary desks are great because they conceal office mess and are really compact. The hinged front panel flips down making a clean workspace everytime. This version is by IKEA. It comes in black or white and has an optional hutch that can be mounted on top for additional storage. The hutch is also designed to conceal office mess with cabinet doors. • IKEA Alve, $199.00. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10115213
This handsome alarm clock is a reproduction from Henry Dreyfuss' original design from 1949. I really like the quality of the materials and attention to detail used in this reproduction. You won't see much plastic in this clock. It has a satin cream metal case and a brass plated metal bezel. Its face is white in the center and gradates to an ivory at the edges. This classic would look look great on any surface and color. • Gift Gadget.com: Westclox Big Ben 1949 Alarm Clock in Cream, $29.95. • http://www.giftngadget.com/sa-47617.html
The Apothecary Beverage Dispenser on the left is a class act. It holds 2 gallons, has a molded glass stand, and a metal spigot. If the $69.99 price tag discourages you, try the budget version on the right. It is $29.99, holds 1.5 gallons, includes a stand, and has a plastic spigot. (Please note: the twist-off spigot in the photo is wrong. The actual spigot is much better with a tabbed handle, like the one on the left). The advantage of the budget dispenser is that its shorter height makes sliding it into the frige much easier. Another thing to note is that regardless of which dispenser suits you better, the spigots have a tendency to leak slowly over time, so always place a deep plate or shallow bowl underneath the spigot when serving. • Ebay.com: search Apothecary Beverage Dispenser, about $69.99. • Target.com: Beverage Dispenser with Stand, $29.99.
The next time you go to a public restroom, you can relax with this clever little purse hanger. Open it up, and hook your purse to the bathroom door. It also might work off of tables, keeping your purse off the floor. • Collapsible "S" Purse Hanger w/Pouch, $4.95. • pursejewelry.com
The Silhouette Bed is almost too glamorous to sleep in. Made by Brocade Home (part of the Restoration Home family), this bed comes in a high gloss finish in Java (brown) or Leaf (green shown here). This platform style provides enough clearance for under-the-bed storage. • Brocade Home, $798.00 for a queen. www.brocadehome.com
This wall-mounted pot rack doesn't discriminate against people with modest kitchens. If you don't have room for the traditional ceiling-mounted pot rack and your pots are threatening to bury you alive, you can still organize your pots and pans by using this simple project from the Martha Stewart team. The creative use of a handrail and several S-hooks from the hardware store will rein in any unwanted kitchen chaos. If you want a sleeker look, try using IKEA's Grundtal rail and S-hooks for this project. They are very inexpensive and look great. • Martha Stewart's Pot Rack Project: marthastewart.com (search "pot rack") • IKEA Grundtal accessories: IKEA.com ($2.00 - $10.99)
This little gem is by IKEA. It comes in yellow or black in a beautiful semi-gloss finish. A versatile piece, it would work great as a sideboard, TV console, or sofa table. • IKEA: Trollsta (yellow, black), $349.00. • http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50137920
This is a clever three-in-one bed for space-challenged homes. It's a bench by day, single twin bed by night, and a double bed when you a special friend over. This is the Lubi Daybed, made by CB 2 (Crate and Barrel's take on modern furniture.)
Never again buy a million plastic cups for a party. Whether you're hosting a rockin' party for 60 people or a nice dinner party for 12, just buy the number of cups you need. These drink labels work on everything from beer cans to glasses to plastic cups. Each guest will know which glass is hers. Made by Clinqs.
The Buddha Bowl lets you sink into a cozy couch to enjoy a meal without concerning too much about spillage. It comes in a couple of different colors (e.g. yellow, blue) and 2 sizes (12 and 18 oz.) • By Flavor Design, $20. • http://flavourdesign.com/product.php?ProdNo=202
