Tortoiseshell Goblets: Nordstrom, Various Locations

The Fall tortoiseshell trend is picking up, now seen (aren't you glad that I didn't say "spotted") at Nordstrom ( Menlo Park Mall, Edison; Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold; The Mall at Short Hills, Short Hills; Garden State Plaza, Paramus). While I have my reservations about colored wine glasses--they have a way of making wine look unattractive--I do like the idea of tortoiseshell glassware.

Think of how lovely these would look on a fall table...the clear stems providing a visual rest between a warm-toned tablecloth and the bowl of the glass; the gold tones of tortoiseshell picking up the warmth of a gold-rimmed china place setting. With a table like that, who cares if your wine looks off.

Photo from Nordstrom.com

Paper Dolls For Grown-Ups: Pinnacle Galleries, Belmar

I will confess: I hesitated to post this collection of 19th Century paper dolls from Pinnacle Galleries in Belmar (912 Belmar Plaza, 2nd Floor), for fear of being labeled batty, fussy and all the other adjectives used to describe people who use dolls as decorative statements.

But as I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of displaying these hand-cut relics. It's a lot like the current toile resurgance: a reminder of the olden days, but interpreted in a modern way.

Here, it's all about the display. The black velvet backing transforms the dolls in to a graphic statement, enhanced by the repetition of the dress forms. The frame is fancy enough to evoke the period, but not too overwrought as to detract.

I'd like to see this juxtaposed with genuine mid-20th century furnishings or alongside re-interpreted classic period furniture. Whatever you do, don't put this with toile, or in a very cluttered, antique-filled room--there won't be enough contrast to make this look sophisticated.

(photo from pinnaclegalleries.com)

Polka Dotted Teacups: Urban Details, Spring Lake

September is the perfect month for taking trips over to the beach. The garish crowds have thinned out, the water is still warm and you probably won't have to pay a beach fee to be there.

Personally, I've always liked the beach towns in Monmouth County. While the South Jersey beaches are picturesque, they feel a bit too remote for my tastes. I'd go as far as to say that my comfort levels are inversely proportioned to the percentage of pine trees I'm around.

Anyway, I found some lovely spotted teacups at Urban Details (1111 Third Avenue, Spring Lake). The teacups, part of the Mona collection by Milani, add a bit of Dorothy Draper-esque whimsy to a table setting. I certainly believe that we should all incorporate a tiny bit of polka dots in our lives. Why not on a tea cup set?

While you're in Spring Lake, pay a visit to the Bottle Shop (1400 Third Avenue), one of the best wine merchants in New Jersey. Whether or not you start taking to serving champagne in tea cups is entirely up to you.

(photo from milanihome.com)

Stop Burning Your Cupcakes: Domain, Multiple Locations

I'm a pretty bad cook--but I'd like to think it's because I have to use an electric stove that was manufactured sometime during the Carter administration, instead of a blinding lack of culinary talent on my part.

So it's with very high hopes that I'm recommending the very-pricey but oh-so-adorable Aga cooker from Domain (Bridgewater, Freehold, Marlton, Paramus, Princeton, Short Hills, Woodbridge). At roughly $9,000, the enthusiastic site assures us that the Aga will make cooking effortless, energy efficient and nearly guaranteeing delicious results.

The Aga, a mainstay in Europe, comes in about a dozen colors (including electric blue, above). If it doesn't improve your cooking, at least take comfort in the fact that an Aga will usually increase the value of your kitchen, should you ever decide to move.

(Photo from domain-home.com)