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Today, we’ve collected responses to the most-answered question in our survey: Are you invited to dinner? What are you bringing?
Without further ado, here are a slew of things you can bring to the party, thanks to our favorite chefs, makers, designers, and stylists (and a few of our picks), so you’ll never show up empty-handed.
Something imaginary
Always a pair of pure beeswax candles. No one can have too many tapers! It smells lovely and – little known fact – purifies the air as it burns. – Fanny Singer Hafod Grange Dandelion Paperweight. We sell them in store, and they are made by the same company in England since Victorian times. I’ve given away so many it’s hard to keep track of who else has one. – John Baker of Mjölk Four light purple thistle napkins, tied in a bow with two hand-dipped red geranium drops. – Greer Stockman of Block Shop
If it’s a warmer month, we love offering the Astier de Villatte Mantes-la-Jolie candle. It’s fresh, crisp and quite interesting. -Designers Porter and Hollister Hovey If you can plan far enough in advance, Gohar World is always a crowd pleaser. But whatever I get, it has to be wrapped. I’m a bit old school when it comes to gift wrapping. I believe that the way you give a gift is just as important, if not more so, than the gift itself. – Writer Nicole Najafi
A ceramic piece from my friend @atelier_a_quatre_mains, a notebook from Antoinette Poisson, or chocolate from my neighbor Ducasse. You can follow the artisanal production of chocolate behind beautiful windows in a setting that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would only envy. – Designer Marianne Eveno for all occasions: this. -Shop owner Sandeep Salter
Something useful
A great knife sharpener, bottle opener, or set of cloth napkins. – Helen Rice of creative agency Fuzzco and Ponytail Shop
A package of tissues. There are so many great things out there right now, it’s hard to choose. – Event Designer David Stark Bottle of olive oil. – (Most popular answer! From chef and writer Claire De Boer, Alison and Jay Carroll of Wonder Valley, and writer Ajiri Aki)