I’m not much of a Vodka man. Generic vodka requires sugary mixers to remove the medicine-like taste from it while most good vodkas are too harsh to sip neat and require a Bond-like martini and a tux to make you look like you’re not an alcoholic for drinking vodka straight.

Little did I know that sitting in the back of my fiancée’s freezer lied a beautiful Icelandic small-batch Vodka from the distillers of The Balvenie, Reyka Vodka. Not only does it have a clean, sweet taste but it’s also a ‘green’ vodka — in both senses of the word.

From the About.com review:

Amidst the clean air of the village of Borgarnes in western Iceland, sits the distillery where Reyka comes together. The entire operation is run by the abundant geothermal heat of the land, a factor that led to the naming of the spirit as Reyka (Ray-kuh) is an ancient Icelandic word for steam or smoke…Reyka has a strong “green” aspect to it. A delightful nose of sweet rose and fresh cut hay fills the senses with clarity.

I couldn’t agree more with this description. There is a muted sweetness to this vodka that makes it not only a pleasure to sip but abhorring to mix with anything else.

Photos courtesy of Lovely Package

A few months ago when the iPad was announced my initial thoughts were that it would be a great device for the majority of people who didn’t need a powerful computer to simply consume and share media. As well, I thought that if you had a notebook and an iPhone that you probably didn’t need an iPad.

However, after having used Uproot’s new iPad and checking out some of the great apps built for the device I’m starting to think that in fact it’s my MacBook that will be the device I won’t need very soon.

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via (Cool Hunting)

When it comes to design, Britain always seems to be a step ahead. My first adult trip to London was in 2003. I remember being impressed at how seamlessly the Brits had integrated next-level technology and playful design into an old-world surrounding. Everything from The Tube’s Oyster Cards to the Swiss Re building to the upcoming 2012 Olympic games in London showcase Britain’s flair for creative technology and design.

I’m sure all of the above are captured in Design in Britain – Big Ideas (Small Island). Put together by the Design Museum, it details achievements in British design in categories such as Architecture, Identity, Fashion, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Furniture Design and Car Design (which apparently aren’t Industrial Design?).

Despite the odd categorization, I’m eager to crack open this book and learn more about how this country produces such great work and who’s behind it.

(via Dezeen)

When you’re a jeans and t-shirt guy like me, it doesn’t hurt to have Happy Socks to change things up.

(Via Esquire)

For the upcoming Wired issue, Khoi Vinh and a couple of his crew from NYTimes.com put their spin on Craigslist. Just don’t call it a redesign:

Any truly serious redesign of Craigslist would inherently look very different from what we produced, and we kept that in mind from the very beginning. And, yes we took some artistic license, too, which is why it’s probably more accurate to call this a re-imagining than a redesign.

Craigslist has been awesome for me over the years – I’ve used it to sell my car, look for a job, buy vintage furniture and everything in between (except the adult listings). It’s clear that the new design takes into account how to make user flows like that even easier.

Hopefully, Khoi’s ideas can seed a refresh of this great tool.

Palm has introduced their second multi-touch phone, the Pixi.

I’m not sure if it’s the smaller form factor, smooth edges (unlike the Pre which cuts into your thumbs when typing), or the permanent keyboard, but I think I like it better than it’s predecessor.

QLOCK TWO from the Dutch shop Biegert & Funk

Beautiful illustrations from San Francisco-based graphic designer Richard Perez have me buzzing about the type of artwork I want in my new digs.

(Check out the store too.)