We’d love to have a fireplace, but in our New York City studio the closest we get to anything fire-related is our fire escape. (And sometimes, when we’re cooking, it’s the fire alarm.) What's a stuck-in-the-city girl to do?

We'd like to try candles that use wood wicks. They burn clean, and better yet, they make the same crackling, popping sounds of a nice, winter-weather fire.

A natural wood wick means there’s no metal that can cause indoor air pollution or possibly contain lead. In addition, we prefer beeswax or soy candles, not paraffin (a petroleum product) or that are scented with synthetic fragrance oils.

We found these candles that adhere to both:

Blue Goose Candles and Molds, Wood Wick Soy Candles, $8.95

Je T'aime Fragrances La Petite Fireplace, $16.14

Has anyone tried these types of candles? What do you think?