The things I do for you, dear reader

Arrrgh. Preparing to start one of my least favourite tasks right now - transcribing taped interviews. At least this one was with a couple of dudes who totally charmed me. But then, I'm a sucker for intelligent men. Please see previous references to Man of the House, or  MOTH. This of course, in part, because they make such a refreshing change from so many of their gender who share in the running of local, provincial and federal government. But that's a whole other column, isn't it? 

The tape comes from a talk at the Interior Design Show (a subject I have thoroughly, perhaps even shamefully, exhausted) with Stephen Burks, a New York-based industrial designer whose Readymade Projects works with craftspeople in the developing world to create décor products ­— often out of salvaged material — and connects them with higher-end brands for distribution and marketing.His pal, Dr. Kenneth Montague, Toronto-based curator was also there. The two work with people like Capetown-based Willard Musarurwu, who creates fantastic wire furniture, using skills he learned in childhood. In Toronto, Musarurwu’s work is available at Snob,  which is one of my favourite local shops, and an absolutely delightful spot to learn about and buy African décor and art.

Speaking of Snob, I’ve a mea culpa to share. In a recent column, I showed pierced-tin lighting fixtures above, pointing readers to Dutch retailer Zenza. At the time, I didn’t know that Snob carries the line. Now I know. And so do you.

Biggest question forming in my mind right now - why do I feel odd that many of these global items exist in the luxury category? If you need to be loaded to have them, aren't you a bit like those Victorian adventurers who plundered China, India and Africa, when Rule Britannia was in place? If so, is that a bad thing or a good thing? At this point, I have no position on the  question. When I do, I'll let you know forthwith. No surprise there to MOTH, who claims he "enjoys" the fact that I have "robust opinions" and that I share them in a "respectfully unvarnished" kind of a way. What a guy.