Fish and blips In the housewares-that-talk-back-to-you department: The clunkily -- but aptly -- named GurglePot is a fish-shaped stoneware pitcher. It emits a gentle bubbling sound while dispensing its contents, as trapped air escapes the container's "tail." The 42-ounce pitcher, 91/2 inches tall, comes in several pastels and brights. The Piscean pitcher can pull double duty as a vase, without the sound effects. Available at the Nest, 8 First Av. S., Buffalo; 763-682-7773, for $45, or for $40 plus shipping at www.gurglepot.com.
KIM YEAGER
Happily neutral The wirebound "Neutral Color Schemes: Neutral Palettes and Dramatic Accents for Inspirational Interiors" (Firefly Books, $29.95) is good to go. Sized to tuck inside your satchel when shopping for paint, fabric and accessories, the reference guide will help jump-start a stalled-out room decor. Two hundred palettes make up the bulk of the book; each page is splashed with a main color and four suggested accents, as well as ideas for using them and hints about the emotions they evoke. Author Alice Buckley treats neutrals ("the least understood") with reverence; hers is a practical and engaging primer on color theory.
KIM YEAGER
Notes Oscar awards luncheon attendees Friday will get a taste of Minnesota in their gift bags at the Beverly Hills, Calif., event; Zeichen Press co-owner Fran Shea said the Minneapolis-based letterpress studio has paid a service to include three of its avant-garde cards in each bag.
