Shelf-ish Reasons

You buy these shelf liners by the yard. They’re better than paper; like the liners many bars use, they let the air in so damp glassware can drain. Available at Utensils on Larchmont in Los Angeles.

Skin Deep

This is the kind of guy Chris Schlesinger is: “I’ll try any kind of food at least once--particularly after a long day of surfing and a couple of rum drinks.” That’s from the introduction to his book “The Thrill of the Grill” in which Schlesinger describes how he came to love the scotch bonnet and other chile peppers. Schlesinger, chef-owner of the Boston restaurants East Coast Grill and the Blue Room, put his chile knowledge in a bottle a few years ago when he started marketing his own hot sauces, Inner Beauty.

Ay, now, there’s the rub: Inner Beauty spice rubs. Some are fiery; we’re partial to the West Indies From Hell blend made with habanero chile, curry and citrus, second only, in our opinion, to the Southeast Asian blend with ginger, galangal root and Sichuan pepper. Others, like the Jake & Earl’s All-American BBQ and the Mediterranean blends, are tamer. At supermarkets or call (800) 352-1352 for locations.

Fall Fashion

Dress your table in the newest “washed” earthy colors from the Pottery Barn. The price is right. These Sausalito salad plates are $8 each; the candles are $3 apiece. Dishwasher-safe, wood-handled flatware are $45 per five-piece setting.