Calling the Kettle

As my grandmother never tired of telling me, you can never be too rich, too thin, or have too many teapots. (She was always little off; clearly, it runs in the family.)

These lovely ones, then, are what I'll be dreaming about wrapping my fingers around each spring morning when I wake up. It's allegedly time for the season here in New York, but it really doesn't feel like it. That's fine with me, though. I never did prefer the iced-tea months which will be upon us soon enough.

First up, this sleek, brilliant red, Aladdinlike pot and four-cup set from Judith Weber.


I first spotted it in the gift shop Museum of Arts and Design (I paid attention to the exhibit, too, I promise, whatever it was) and fell for it, hard.

It then reappeared on a gift-buying trip to a housewares store in Soho -- it was fate, yes, but then I turned around quickly to voice my delight throughout the store and nearly broke $3,000 worth of ceramic vases, so I had to leave before anyone could pin anything on me.

And now, in the May issue of Martha Stewart, it's back again. And it's only $190, a small price to pay when you could possible get a genie to appear out of this thing. You just have to know how to rub it (another nugget from grandmother, God rest her inappropriate soul).


Next up, a more traditional but still stunning Japanese production from Takada Kenzo that was also featured in the Martha Stewart article.

OK, so this one is a bit over $200 (and that doesn't include those breathtaking matching cups), but it practically screams (if it were socially acceptable to do so in Japan) SAKURA with that cherry-blossom blush. And hai, the double-wire handles just take it over the top. How gorgeous would a perfectly brewed, emerald-hued Uji look sitting in that gentle pink, a few delicate green leaves drifting their way to nestle in the plum-rose bottom?

The blue-brown gradient is a pretty combination, too. Buy that one so the pink is left for me.