Things We Love: Readers share their favorites

While Star-Advertiser staffers love a lot of things, we really love it when you, dear readers, tell us about items you can’t live without. Here are handful from a few of you. Keep them coming.

1. I purchased three of these cute House of Dorchester Celebration boxes from Neiman Marcus. They are perfect for any occasion — we thank people for almost anything; congratulate friends and family for graduations, weddings, baby showers and job promotions; or wish them a “Happy Birthday!” Each box contains six foil-wrapped chocolate hearts — three milk, three dark. They taste fabulous and are great for easy grabbing. I have used them in my gift baskets, too. Each box is $10, available at Neiman Marcus at Ala Moana Center. — Yvette Takemoto, Honolulu

2. I’m recommending this beef jerky, which may become someone else’s got-chew fave, as it is mine. A college classmate introduced me when he invested in the startup biz T.O.P. Chops Snacks, the brainchild of two recent Yale grads armed with Dad’s jerky recipe. T.O.P. Chops Beef Jerky comes in regular, teriyaki, sweet and spicy, and red chili pepper (hot!) varieties. All are ono and free of MSG, gluten, artificial preservatives and nitrites. A 3-ounce bag costs $6.99; $25 for a four-bag variety pack at topchops.com. — Louise Ing, Makiki

3. There are essentials perennially on my shopping list: dark denim shirts, Ecco shoes, Banana Republic’s Logan slacks. So I pop into stores, make a beeline for certain racks and usually walk away empty-handed. Until I spotted Conair’s Classic Wood Hairbrushes with 100 percent boar bristles at Longs. Different sizes are available for $6.49 to $10.29 — unusually affordable for a pricey item. The label boasts that “boar bristles distribute the natural oils in hair, leaving a healthy shine.” I don’t know if this is true. I can only say that for smooth, deep brushing, this luxurious brush far outshines any nylon one. Find the brushes at Longs Drugs stores. — Joyce Torrey, Honolulu

4. The moment I spotted a green-and-white ceramic garden stool with triangular cutouts and flora design at TJ Maxx at Pearlridge Center, I knew it was the one for my living room. I use it for an end table and for an additional seat. The 17-1/2-inch-high stool’s barrel shape makes it sturdy enough to sit on; the seat is 10-1/2 inches wide. It cost $39.99. I’m looking for another to use as a plant stand outdoors in my garden atrium with ferns and orchids. Various shapes, sizes, designs at a range of prices can be found online and at different outlets. (Editor’s note: We found this attractive blue-and-white ceramic stool ($189) among the current selection at Pier 1.) — Eugene Shimabukuro, Mililani

Please keep in mind that featured products may be in short supply and may not be available at all store locations; prices may vary. The information presented represents the authors’ opinions and experiences; your results may vary. Tell us what you are loving this week by emailing creilly@staradvertiser.com.