We Love Jam: Blenheim Apricot Jam, BBQ Sauce and Biscotti

by Ami Kealoha

Like having the best of the best Farmer's Market delivered to your door, California-based We Love Jam hand makes some of the most tantalizing jams, sauces and other treats we've ever tasted and sells them online. Using produce sourced from obscure varieties of fruits and refining recipes to perfection, their products are bursting with flavor and boast addictive qualities that make them disappear quickly.

Their pitch-perfect BBQ sauce, hitting the ideal vinegary sweet balance with a touch of heat, has fast become our favorite summer condiment. As recommended by the makers, the sauce is as delicious on grilled meats as it is on sandwiches, fries and any other excuse you can find to get it into your mouth. A 16-ounce mason jar is $10 from their online store.

Similarly habit-forming, We Love Jam recently introduced a citrus, dark chocolate and nut biscotti that's exceptional. With a subtle dose of hand-candied citrus, a liberal sprinkling of raw Mission almonds and hazelnuts with touches of Belgian chocolate, the combination goes well with coffee and teas. A much softer, more snackable texture than other biscotti, they're tasty on their own as well. The treats are made in small batches and a box of nine (packaged in biodegradable cellophane) is $10.

We Love Jam made their name with their exceptional Blenheim Apricot Jam. The makers started with the apricot variety back in 2002, producing an apricot jam with a superior flavor, color and texture to all other versions. They since discovered that the Blenheim is an endangered tree, which combined with its popularity makes for extremely limited quantities and a waiting list. Sign up now to reserve jars ($20 for 16 ounces and $10 for eight ounces) that will be available in August.

Though we've only had the privilege of tasting these three products, they're enough for us to bet that We Love Jam's other offerings, including bread and butter pickles, Fukushu Kumquat marmalade and the intriguing hoshigaki (hand-dried, massaged persimmons), are worth ordering.

Present & Correct Recycled Stationery

by Ami Kealoha

After experiencing the popularity of their paper goods selling in stores throughout the globe, the London-based stationers Present & Correct decided to take it online, opening their own store with goods culled from such far-flung locations as Korea, Peru and Osaka. From charmingly-packaged colored chalk sets to the rainbow-limned pages of a notebook, their well-curated offerings will likely delight event the biggest stationery junkies. We're particularly taken with a couple of Present & Correct's own repurposed products.

Made from vintage wallpaper sourced from the "grannies of London," the Wallpaper Postcards feature floral patterns on one side and a black and silver design on the reverse. A pack of five is £6.50 from Present & Correct or $13 from Etsy.

Also taking advantage of castoff gorgeous illustrations, the Recycled Book Envelopes transform pages from science textbooks, bird encyclopedias and cookbooks into exquisite ways to send a letter. Each set of comes with flat notecards and address labels, running £9 from Present & Correct.

Gino the Dog Collection: Design for Pets

by Ami Kealoha

by Laurice Parkin

Fans of Gaia & Gino, the Turkish company known for its quirky, luxe design objects, may not know that Gino is actually of the canine four-legged variety. So, it's only fitting that Gino, the beloved Golden Retriever of founder Gaye Cevikel (aka Gaia), has a say in the company's latest collection. Simply titled "Gino the Dog", the line's first collection melds form and function in a way that can be appreciated by human and canine alike.

The creation of the line was as exceptional as the pieces it yielded. In 2006, Gaia & Gino sponsored a six-month project in a studio class at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco where young, creative upstarts were given the opportunity to prove themselves with dog-friendly designs. Under the leadership of ever-prolific Yves Behar, a select few were chosen to be a part of the impressive debut collection deemed worthy of Gino's affection.

Our favorite is the "Wild" water and food bowl designed by Brandon Warren. The beautiful, glazed porcelain bowls were inspired by the organic, sculptural formations of river rock. Also look for the "Chew" designed by Jennifer Yoko Olson, a rubber toy which doubles as a table leg protector (in case your canine companion has the habit of mistaking your lovely table leg for a chew toy).

To find a retailer worldwide, go to their site.

Pillow Speakers

by Tim Yu

Surprisingly useful, these pillow speakers have the potential to transform sleeping experiences. Rather than getting up to adjust the volume or sleeping supine to accommodate headphones, with these two different systems listening is comfortable and changing volume is easy. Most importantly, sleeping partners will be undisturbed by your canned lullabies.

From earplug specialists Sensorcom, the first of the models involves wrapping a belt-like band that contains two stereo speakers around any pillow. A low profile makes it hard to notice when sleeping and the standard 3.5mm jack makes it compatible with most music sources. Purchase it for $70 from the Earplug Store.

If you prefer having the speakers integrated into the pillow, the Sound Oasis Pillow does just that. Two hi-fi speakers placed deep within the hypo-allergenic foam exert fair quality sound without compromising comfort. While the sound won't impress audiophiles, the pillow does the job for most music as well as for white noise sleeping aids. The speakers are removable for washing and again a 3.5mm standard jack enables a connection to a wide variety of players. It's $60 from the Earplug Store.

Justin Guariglia: Planet Shanghai

by Doug Black

Shanghai is a perplexing city. The "Pearl of the East" embodies the admirable characteristics of a modern metropolis, but often the inverse as well. In "Planet Shanghai"'s introduction, travel writer John Krich asks, "Is Shanghai the epitome of urbane sophistication or urban degradation? 'World' city or world wretch? Least 'Chinese' of China's fabled places or most irrefutably so?" Known for his photo work with National Geographic Traveler and Smithsonian magazines, photographer Justin Guariglia makes a case for each of those extremes through the 177 images that comprise this book.

Much has been made in the press of the great images of the city's pajama-clad residents, but "Planet Shanghai" takes a wide-ranging look at the city, both flattering and otherwise. Guariglia breaks the book into eight broad sections. "City" focuses on the grandeur and grit of the metropolis. "Style" pairs conventional street shots of locals interspersed with remarkably expressive portraits of people's feet. Other sections focus on daily life, food and leisure, with a brief portion of photos featuring dogs with their owners. The canine shots have a unique tenderness in a nation where dogs can still be considered a meal.

More photos from the book can be seen here and you can buy Planet Shanghai from Chronicle or Amazon.

Also on Cool Hunting: Guariglia + Chen: Qì