Created by a group of Korean, Japanese and American designers, each bear features intricate inlaid mother of pearl designs and the knowledge that no more than 99 other people will have the same bear. Designs range from $750 to $1010. The rarest? A white tiger patterned 6.5″ bear which was only produced 10 times, is also the most expensive at $1440 – and already sold out.

Don’t count the luxury market out just yet.

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It’s not exactly the sexiest piece of technology, we’ll admit, but consider this: How often have you taken your work outside, only to be thwarted by evil glare? Or have temporarily lost your vision trying to read a 60 page PDF at two in the morning? The Pixel Qi’s 3Qi Display is going to change all that. It’s going to transform the way you use your laptop.

Why is it so special, you ask? The Pixel Qi switches between your everyday color LCD screen, a low power black-and-white display (kinda like the Kindle’s E-Ink screen), and a transflective mode that makes your LCD screen visible in sunlight. And yes – this is a first generation product – but the very idea of its future incarnations has us and every other techie dancing for joy. Or, more accurately, blogging for joy. No one needs to see techies dance. Trust us.

Need even better news? You won’t even have to buy a new netbook to get in on the action. Pixel Qi is releasing DIY Kits later this year that will let you swap out your laptop screen with a 3Qi Display. And, according to Pixel Qi’s Mary Jensen, “It’s only slightly more difficult than changing a lightbulb.” The future is bright my friends – and yet still readable!

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We think a bird house is a great idea as a gift for a nature-loving friend, and with our eco-friendly suggestions for the garden both big and small, you’re sure to find the perfect one. And while you’re at it, why not buy some other birdy accessories to go with them? Despite the snow dumps we’ve been experiencing lately, spring is around the corner. No better time to have birds on the brain.

A HOME FOR YOUR BIRDS

Clockwise from top left: Ceramic Gourd Birdhouse from Terrain, $48 – fired at high temperatures to ensure durability, this is one gourd that should last a lifetime. Palatial Birdhouse, Cherry, from Anthropologie, $34. Eco-friendly Bird and Berry Birdhouse, $14.99 from World Market. Time and Again Birdhouse, Grey Pagoda, from Anthropologie, $58 – made from recycled woods and tins. Doorknob Birdhouse from Terrain, $98 – made from salvaged wood and vintage found doorknobs. J. Schatz Egg Bird House from Grounded, $135.

BIRDS FOR YOUR HOME

Clockwise from top left: Little Modern Birds Pillow by Chakra Pennywhistle, $50 on Etsy – made from 100% organic cotton twill. Dolan Geiman Bluebird Box Print, $650 on  pre=”on “>Nimli – digital reproductions of  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”of “>Geiman’s original artworks created with formaldehyde free, recycled wood panels and printed with Non-VOC and solvent-free inks. Coaster Birds n’ Trees set, $23, on Lekker – made out of non-toxic silicone by Modern Twist, a percentage of the proceeds goes to environmentally & socially conscious organizations. Bird Trivet on Terrain, $12 – made from a single piece of reclaimed pine board. k studio Bird Pillow on Design Public, $110. Balanced Design Flannel/Felt Bird’s Feet Pillow, $164 on 2Modern.

FEED THE BIRDS

Clockwise from top left: Birds Choice Oriole Feeder from The Backyard Bird Company, $32.95 – made from recycled plastic. Handthrown Stoneware Chickadee Feeder, $24.99, The Backyard Bird Shop. Window-Mounted Birdfeeder, $18, A+R Store – perfect for the small or urban garden. Seed Trumpet Birdfeeder, Pillar Blue, $38.18 – made from recycled glass. Habita Pot de Creme Hummingbird Feeder, Folklore Blue Leaf, $34.95 on The Backyard Bird Shop. Natural Birdhouse on Terrain, $52. Eva Solo Bird Table, $205, on Grounded – place this bird feeder wherever your heart desires, no tree’s necessary for this baby.

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How much could we pay?

We all know that a bottle of Cristal is the official drink of choice for the conspicuous champagne consumer, but what’s the Cristal of beer? And would it have been a better choice for Canada’s women’s hockey team celebration? Well, check out…

The World’s 5 Most Expensive Beers:

#5: Brewdog Atlantic IPA

Ahh, we love a beer brewed on the open seas. You can almost taste the salty Atlantic winds, that subtle flavor of months-old fishing boat.

Scottish brewery Brewdog created this beer based on a recipe from 1856 (you can’t beat a classic) and even went so far as to age it on the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean – on the company co-founder’s fishing boat, no less.

This is a beer that’s been through the elements, all right, including a: “tense barrel-rescue-mission, beatings from force ten storms, 60 foot waves and encounters with killer whales.”

Only 960 bottles were made available for American consumption, but you can sample this unusual brew for $25.99 a bottle. Not bad, considering this is a beer that’s probably seen more high-packed adventure in its short existence than most people see in their entire lifetimes.

#4: Tutankhamun Ale

Supposedly conjured up in a Cambridge basement laboratory using a recipe taken from Queen Nephertiti’s temple in Egypt, Tutankhamun Ale is definitely not your average brew.

And at $52 a bottle, it’s not your cheapest brew either.

We’re just wondering if this beer is as cursed as everything else bearing King Tut’s name supposedly is…of course, come to think of it, we’ve definitely been cursed by beer before. And we’re pretty sure that had nothing to do with King Tut.

#3: Sam Adams Utopias

This pricey beer is so luxuriously unique, it’s not even really a beer any more – it’s more like beer’s more sophisticated, richer uncle.

Utopias was brewed from the highest-quality hops in single-use bourbon casks. Non-carbonated and a whopping 25% alcohol, this is a beer that’s meant to be sipped with a cigar – certainly not chugged at a kegger.

And at $100 a bottle, you better believe you won’t  be chugging this ale any time soon.

#2: La Vieille Bon Secourts

If you’re craving beer, then Belgium would probably be a good place to start. With the world’s best-quality beers all coming out of one relatively small area, it’s no surprise that someone would want to find a way to get ahead of the pack.

And did they ever.

London restaurant Belgo invested in a whopping $1,160 12-liter bottle of La Vieille Bon Secourts, a ten-year old Belgian beer, that’s so big it takes two people to pour it.

Unfortunately, Belgo only has one bottle left - so we suggest getting mighty chummy with the owners if you want to snag this bottle for your Olympic ending party (men of the Canadian hockey team, this means you).

#1: Carlsberg Jacobsen Vintage No. 1

The world’s most expensive beer? Carlsberg’s Jacobsen Vintage No. 1 for $400 a bottle – that’s 12 times more per liter than its next leading competitor, La Vieille Bon Secourts.

Now, Carlsberg only produced 600 bottles – but before you go running off to get your own, you may want to consider what else you could buy with the same amount of cash:

Ah, decisions, decisions…

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You know the ones – they have enough dough to advertise during the Superbowl, they’re owned by foreign mega conglomerates, and one of them even has its own line of amusement parks.

Yup, we’re talking beer – and who could possibly be so bold as to face off against companies like Bud, Coors, and Heineken?

Sixpoint Craft Ales. This Brooklyn brewery was started up in 2004 by Shane Welch and has been attempting to shake up the status quo ever since. Luckily, they’re not going into the fray unarmed - they have some serious flavor and a healthy dosage of style on their side.

Sixpoint Craft Ales has used ingredients as out there as wormwood, carob, and chili peppers in their brewing adventures and see themselves as part of a craft brewing scene that “is setting all of the new trends and innovations” in the world of beer.

As they say on their, very cool, Web site: “Dozens of varieties consistently churn out from our brewery uninhibited by style guidelines, definitions, and preconceived notions of what beer should be. We take what we know, what we like, and what we aspire to be and create our own style.”

Sixpoint Craft Ales founder, Shane Welch, taste testing the ale.

And, clearly, New Yorkers are digging that style. Sixpoint Craft Ale’s Bengali Tiger was named the #1 beer for connoisseurs by The Village Voice, and the company will have sold about 8,000 barrels by the end of this year.

So – can a little company that believes in taste, quality, and rockin’ innovation really take on the Heinekens of the world? Well, probably not, but if Sixpoint Craft Ales keeps brewing, we’ll keep drinking.  After all, we’re talkin’ about a revolution, folks – it’s best to take it one frothy sip at a time.

Read More {Sixpoint Craft Ales}

Read More {Serious Eats}

Read More {New York Times}

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If the bank in question is Citibank, you’d be wrong {TechCrunch}. Fabulis is described as a “social network that helps gay men connect with amazing experiences nearby and around the world.” The site is currently in beta, but the company does maintain a blog which mostly covers things like business cards, t-shirt and clothing giveaways with the company logo and general posts about building the site.

Somehow, three separate people at Citibank found the content inflammatory enough that they closed the fabulis bank account for the “objectionable content” that was “not in compliance with Citibank’s standard policies.” The business account was then flagged for termination. {GigaOm}

Let’s take a look at some of the wildly inflammatory content on the fabuls blog that could be considered objectionable: there’s the announcement of raising $625,000 from the Washington Post among others, then we have the iPhone giveaway,  and the posting about setting up a development center in India, a post from a Facebook fan, and more giveaways. Whew!

That will definitely offend people who find money, iPhones, tech development, Facebook and branded clothing objectionable!

While someone at Citibank has had the common sense to realize that this was an enormous mistake, it’s seriously troubling that not one, but three separate employees in the compliance department found those offensive giveaways so objectionable that they would actually try to have the account closed. Even more disturbing is that a company blog is now sufficient grounds for a bank to leave you in the lurch if they desire.

Goldberg and fabulis, got what appears to be a sincere apology stating that the Citibank rep places “great value” on fabulis’ business and “is committed to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.” Which may be true at a corporate level, but still doesn’t correct the fact that it took media attention, repeated phone calls and somewhat public embarrassment before three separate individuals were overridden on the decision to close a customer’s account for seemingly no reason other than targeting the gay community via the web.

While fabulis may or may not decide to remain with Citibank, hopefully this will be an experience that leads Citi to more transparency over what content is deemed objectionable, and what an appropriate response is.

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Many designers are joining in the venture to provide a signature fragrance that works for men and women. Smell Bent has created a limited edition “Cruise Line” of scents with creative names like Tai’d Down and St. Tropez Dispenser {Splendicity}.

Another new lineup to note is Ninfeo Mio  by Annick Goutal. This scent is inspired by the Gardens of Ninfa, located 40 miles southeast of Rome {Beauty Basics}. Offered in two bottles there’s a square, masculine version, and another ribbed model which is decidedly for the ladies.

We love the his or hers option designers are going in with luxurious scents. Fragrance shopping can be a daunting task, with literally hundreds of scents to smell (and honestly, after the first few samples, your nose is usually too overwhelmed to be reliable). If you remember the butterflies you got in high school swapping CKone with your significant other, you’ll appreciate the resurgence of unisex scents. Plus, if your significant other doesn’t love it, you can always keep it for yourself!

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Google Italy

The first, is the conviction of 3 Google executives in a case involving a video uploaded to Google Video in 2006. The video showed an autistic boy being bullied by classmates, and was removed from the service once complaints were raised. A Milan judge ruled that the Google employees were responsible for violating the privacy of the boy who was the subject of the video, and sentenced them to 6-months in jail.

Essentially, the ruling holds community sites responsible for any uploaded content, even if they had no role in uploading the content – a ruling that goes against many others and risks setting a dangerous precedent. While Google certainly has privacy issues (perhaps you’ve heard of a little thing called Buzz), this is akin to suing the phone company if you receive a prank call.

In countries where there’s even less freedom of speech, analysts are starting to worry that this is a slippery slope to more restricted internet freedoms. {Wired}

Vogue Italia

But yesterday wasn’t all bad news as far as the Italian internet goes. Vogue Italia, who famously published a best selling edition featuring all black models – including plus sized Toccara of America’s Next Top Model, relaunched their website. {StyleList} The new home of the Italian Vogue edition (they formerly shared space with Italian Vanity Fair and Glamour at Style.it), features dedicated sections titled Vogue Talents, Vogue Black and Vogue Curvy.

The Talents section focuses on emerging and breakthrough designers, with the main slide dedicated to Rodarte. With a Target collaboration, CFDA award and many other honors under their belt, the Mulleavy sisters aren’t exactly new, but for those who don’t follow fashion intently they don’t have the name or brand recognition of say, Marc Jacobs. We also get a look at Danish designer Johanne Andersen and London based Dutch designer Michael van der Ham, a recent graduate of Central Saint Martin’s Masters’ program.

Some people have looked at the other two sections with a bit of skepticism. {She Finds} Do curvy and black women really need their own section? {the Cut} Why not just make them part of general coverage?

Yes, it would be nice if more magazines and their websites resembled Benetton ads. However, the decision to dedicate regular, ongoing coverage to two groups you’re unlikely to find prominently represented in any other Vogue around the world (magazine or website) is at least a step in the right direction. While most other fashion magazines applaud themselves for using the “curvy” size 4 Lara Stone, Franca Sozzani and her team at Vogue Italia seem to walk the walk for diversifying fashion more than any other magazine going.

In an ideal world, media would be a diverse representation of the world and beautiful women of all skin colors and body shapes would be chosen to represent products to an audience. We don’t live in an ideal world, and it’s nice to see that in a country where a judge has decided to hold a company responsible for the content its users upload, another company could on the same day give a voice to two groups who are underrepresented not just in Italy, but in many countries around the world.

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3. Try This On for Size

Diane von Furstenberg Barita Dress {Shopbop}
$325

Lucky Brand Aimee Flat {Shoebox New York}
$69

Martin + Osa Woven Mesh Bracelet {Martin + Osa}
$39.50

Siman Tu Coral Half Moon Earrings {Vivre}
$285

Proenza Schouler PS1 Large Shoulder Bag {Kirna Zabete}
Smoke Leather
$1995

What would you wear this week’s little black dress with? Let us know in the comments.

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