The Best Bet
Why? Italian dinnerware has been stuck in a design rut for decades. The classic hand-painted depictions of floral arrangements or rural scenes, while charming, can overpower a table, distracting from what’s really important: the food. Match’s new Convivio collection, made in Italy, breaks the mold with rich monochromes, while nodding to its roots with a traditional Mediterranean palette of olive green, mustard yellow, and cobalt blue. The plates, bowls, cups, and mugs mix well with more traditional pieces, and act as a stylish, subtle backdrop to your dish ($40–$90 at Barneys New York).
(1) Yelena Malcolm’s locally made chocolate truffles experiment with unusual—and delicious—flavor combinations like honey and thyme (boxes from $28, online only at 7to3chocolates.com).
(2) Kiton’s men’s suits rank among the world’s best; who knew the company was hiding an equally impressive women’s collection? This off-white jacket is made of incredibly soft cashmere ($3,218; 212-813-0272).
(3) Unlike most projection alarm clocks, the Sharper Image’s Color Flow model includes temperature and date information, and a regular-size LCD display ($49.95; sharperimage.com).
(4) For a truly traditional holiday, a handmade, two-seater sleigh is hard to beat ($1,350 at Kimberly Hall Kids; 212-254-4006 or argington.com).
(5) Take the work out of shopping the art market with Chelsea gallery Mixed Greens’ first-ever mail catalogue, which includes original works by artists like Coke O’Neal (pictured), Mary Temple, and Leah Tinari (from $200; 212-331-8888 or mixedgreens.com).