Sea Phantom Finally Getting Real Cred

Rumors of the Sea Phantom, albeit in varying degrees of truthiness, have been circulating for a while now, but the concept vehicle has just struck the engineering world's pot o gold this month as they're featured in the revered Popular Science. The vehicle is, as PopSci writer Gregory Mone puts it, "Half powerboat, half plane, and all agility, this craft dodges waves by hydroplaning above them." At speeds exceeding 100mph, it's claimed to get you, in complete comfort, to your destination as fast as a helicopter, but with the ease of operation of an offshore speedboat. Could this be a nod at the long-whispered blue highway? Check out pics of the 2006 sea trials after the break.

Cart Across Italy in the Ferrari of Your Choice

The Turin, Italy based company Red Travel is offering a unique service that may intrigue those of you a bit more independently-inclined than the traditional Europe-in-luxury goers: you can rent a Ferrari for one to eight days and scoot your way around the rolling hills, through the countryside, parallel to the ocean, or you know, whatever suits your fancy, from one end of Italy to the other. Some packages include stops at high-end hotels and spas in traditional cities, whilst others cater to a more rural-minded crowd with stops for dinner at a former convent and a farmhouse. Oh, and don't worry about trying to fit your bags in the little red hotrods; a tour manager follows you via GPS and can even arrive at your destination ahead of you if you wish. The four day trip from Rome to Siena and back will run you and your shotgun buddy €4,300 each (about $5,700), but the deposit on the car will set you back €15,000 (or about $19,800) until you bring her back unscathed.

Miu Miu Camoscio Tie-Dye Tote, Handbag of the Day

Miu Miu's new Camoscio Tie-Dye Tote is a great example of tie-dye done tastefully and well. The medium-sized tote is a great day bag, with both buckle-detailed double handles and a removable, cross-body shoulder strap that make it very easy to carry, no matter what you choose to fill it with. The bag, including the handles, is covered in soft suede and is accented with gold-tone hardware. It measures 8"H X 15"L X 4"W, but has some room for expansion if necessary. The bag is only available for pre-order right now, but will be out in May in time for summer. Price: $1,445.

DWR Champagne Chair Contest Winners Announced

Design Within Reach has announced the results of their annual Champagne Chair Contest, which invites would-be designers to come up with their own DWR-inspired creations using corks leftover from New Year's Eve champagne. The grand prize was just a $1,500 gift certificate to DWR, but the Veuve Clicquot-sponsored contest (and many of the corks, cages and foil wrappers were from Veuve Clicquot bottles) just might have given us a little peek into the work of some of the designers we could see in stores in a few years. Entries came in from all over the world, including Israel, Spain and Thailand, but the three top prizes all went to US entries (left to right, above):

• Grand Prize: Cantilever Block by Adam Weisberger of Louisville, Kentucky
• Second Prize: Kleeko Chair by Stacie Matrka of Columbus, Ohio
• Most Popular Award: Chair Squared by Edward Cristman of San Rafael, California