Box o’ Noodles

Most veteran Chinese food shoppers recognize the Quon Yick Noodle Co. label when they shop for Asian pasta; its name is almost as familiar as De Checco in Western supermarkets. The Los Angeles-based company makes its noodles of wheat flour and a tad of egg white and packs them in convenient 5-pound boxes so you won’t have to run to the store every time the notion to cook a noodle dish strikes. Use them for everything from chow mein to pasta salad. Available at Asian groceries.

Garden Party

Even if you’re not the sort of person to give garden tea parties, you might be enchanted by the ceramic cups and saucers from Orange County artist Laura Purdy. We like her sugar and creamer set, decorated with tiny rosettes, which require delicate handwork. Available at Freehand in Los Angeles.