i’ve always wanted to try valerie confections’ chocolates but never got around to it. a couple of weeks ago, i bought some  to take to a dinner party and got some for myself to taste as well. the chocolate was divine. and lo and behold our friends that i bought them for were serving valerie’s decadent champagne petit fours for dessert that very evening! all i can say is, hello valentines day! do more than check them out, order them at www.valerieconfections.com, you won’t be sorry.

if i had to choose one designer right now whose clothing i could live in, i’d have to choose nili lotan. nili’s laid back interpretation of basics is so inviting. my current favorite pieces are her button downs that are so easy to wear and a bit more feminine than most, and her lovely lightweight knits. a visit to her tribeca studio + space is always a treat! www.nililotan.com.

if you haven’t already, checkout chance’s inspired line of beachy basics. tees, tanks and towels that all scream summer in the freshest way. i’m loving the elliot tee with custom made stripes by artist elliott puckette. founder and creative director julia leach also shares lots of fab art and design in the discoveries section on her website. what’s better than taking a chance with nothing to lose? www.chanceco.com.

loving illustrator and ceramist laura zindel’s version of a cabinet of curiosities. inspired by nature her collection features botanicals, insects and animals. use her tumblers to drink, as a vase, a pencil holder, or just something wonderful to look at. laura’s pieces are great gifts and would make any cabinet happy! laurazindel.com

you love your cashmere sweaters, you hate when they pill. thankfully, the laundress sweater comb comes to the rescue! after years of frustration, i finally found an answer to those stubborn unsightly nubs. just comb ‘em away and bravo, you’re sweater looks smooth once again. there’s also a sweater stone for heavier knits and blankets. so de-pill away at www.thelaundress.com.

as a family, we’ve been using cloth napkins for a long time. we even put smaller cloth napkins in the kids’ lunch boxes. not only are they nicer to use, but our family alone saves more than 3,000 paper napkins a year by using cloth! i’ve been on the lookout for new napkins for a while and finally found some stylish and inexpensive selections at williams sonoma. recently, williams sonoma has branched out in the linen category, from basic hotel staples and country french motifs into classic indian prints. the 20″ square, soft 100% cotton napkins are hand-screened in rajasthan, india by local master artisans and then dried in the sun to set the rich colors. they’re beautiful, durable and affordable. a set of four costs the same as a single designer napkin! so start saving money and paper napkins at www.williamssonoma.com.

i saw a necklace on an outing to silverlake this summer and could not get it out of my mind. something about the primitive nature of the mala bead really stuck with me. i decided to call vivier and bentley, the shop where i saw the necklace, to ask if they could ship it. lo and behold they told me about kathryn bentley’s online dream collective shop. made from oxidized brass and antique african beads, the pieces exude a primal quality while feeling delicate. the variety of rings, bracelets and necklaces are made in the united states and are very well priced. so get your dream on at www.dreamcollective.com.

on a recent outing to get my daughter a new pair of jeans, we ended up at the levis store. they told us about the curve jeans and proceeded to measure her. she tried on a pair of demi curve skinny jeans and they were perfect! not only was the fit great, but they were made of a substantial 12.5 oz dark denim as opposed to the thin, lightweight denim that seems to be used so often these days. plus, even though they were lowrise, the curve jeans seemed to have a bit more coverage in the back. the salesgirl said that most people fit into the demi curve even though there are 4 curve styles to choose from. so my daughter was set. however, as the weeks passed i became increasingly curious about how the curve jeans would fit on me. i needed to try them on. and boy am i glad i did. what a fit. and less than half the price of designer jeans. i bought 2 pair in different washes. having once been a diehard 501 wearer, i am nostalgic and happy about my return to levis. check them out at www.levis.com.

bacon. chocolate. i think you know where this is going. yes, chocolate with bacon. i first saw them on sale at whole foods, made by a chocolatier named vosges. it’s not typically a combination that i would be interested in. i usually eat my chocolate straight up. but the exotic combination was oddly tempting. then i read that vosges was opening in beverly hills and that their bacon-chocolate combinations were a must. needing a gift to bring to new york, i decided to visit the shop and check it out. i am glad i did. the bacon-chocolate sample was enough to sell me on the spot. but i sampled on. i was floored by black pearl bombalina cashews, which are dark chocolate covered cashews with ginger, wasabi and black sesame seeds. i bought an exotic candy bar flight for my friend and dark chocolate and milk chocolate bacon bars to bring home. my family devoured the decadent treats. i can’t wait to taste more of their amazing candy bars and seasonal chocolates like the 3 sophisticated flavors of skeleton lollipops they’re making for halloween. www.vosgeschocolate.com.

good looking trivets are hard to find. i love the simplicity of the propellor trivet by menu. the colorful trivets are designed by jacob wagner and made of silicone and plastic. each measures 8.3″ when folded together and fits easily into a utensil drawer. so if you’re less than delighted with your current trivet fare or worse, if you’ve been using old potholders on your table, maybe it’s time… www.emmohome.com.