GurglePot is a whimsical jug with a delightful glug

With the world what it is today, we all deserve a little whimsy -- an unexpected pleasure that gives us a giggle.

I found my whimsy in the form of the GurglePot, a delightful pitcher in the shape of a fish that actually gurgles and glugs when poured. At first glance, I thought it was just a great-looking pitcher that matched my turquoise Fiesta ware, but after trying it out, I was completely smitten.

The GurglePot is the brainchild of local entrepreneur Matt Ellison, who after encountering a similar pitcher in France 10 years ago decided to attempt his own design. According to Ellison, the GurglePot is a more contemporary version of the Glug Glug Jugs that have been popular in England since the 1800s.

While the English version is more scaly and carp-like, the GurglePot is sleek and refined. When filled with liquid, air becomes trapped in the fish's tail. When tipped and poured, the result is a surprisingly loud and lilting gurgle. If you can't quite "hear" it, there's a sample of the sound at www.gurglepot.com.

Made of durable stoneware, the GurglePot is 9.5 inches tall, holds 42 ounces and retails between $40 and $45, online and locally at Mrs. Cook's, Molbak's and Anthropologie.

It comes in white, oatmeal, yellow, mustard, blue, aqua, green, moss, coral, red, cobalt and brown. New Fiesta ware-inspired colors out this month include tangerine, sunflower, chartreuse and pink. All the colors are fabulous, so if you're having trouble deciding which one to choose, rest assured that you can't go wrong with any of them.

GurglePot can be used for much more than holding water, iced tea or lemonade. I've used mine as a vase, filling it with peonies, sweet peas and early hydrangeas as a centerpiece for my summer dinner table.

And recently, out of desperation, my husband even filled and poured the GurglePot for our teething toddler who was having a full-on meltdown. Once she heard the sound emitting from the fish, she stopped crying and starting smiling. Thank you, GurglePot, for making my world a happier (and sweeter-sounding) place to be.

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