Obsessed: Man Shops Globe

Keith Johnson with his sister-in-law (and co-shopper) Pam Senk in Paris.The design blogs have been all a-flutter about this new series on the Sundance Channel called Man Shops Globe. I was intrigued, but since my already-too-expensive cable selection doesn't go up that high, I thought I'd be out of luck. Thank you to iTunes (and to Victoria Smith for figuring this out), because you can order up the season pass of this show for just $13.99. And, after the first episode you'll be HOOKED. (The show airs on Wednesday nights, but with iTunes you can watch it any time. I love technology, don't you?)

Keith Johnson is the Found Objects Buyer (yes, I know) for Anthropologie. You know those massive and kooky antiques that create the romantic vibe in the stores? Well, they're all all his doing. He shops for antiques, accents, art, crafts, and textiles throughout the world and brings them back to your local high road. While some pieces are one of a kind, others get reproduced by the Anthropologie team and sent everywhere. Johnson also scouts out fabulous unknown artists and designers, and then commissions them to create original things for the brand.

Overall, this show celebrates probably the coolest job in the world. While frustrated that I don't have this job, my heart is tap dancing all over the place at the indulgent pleasure of knowing that someone has it, somewhere. A visual delight that's like designer candy, the show gets you as excited about The Find as if you were actually on the shopping expedition yourself. If you love design, old stuff, shopping, antiquing, travel, or just a good bargain, this show is fantastic.