DVDs and CDs scattered about? No clue where to put them or even where all of them are? Same here – my whirlwind of countless DVD and CD cases are piled on top of one another in random plastic bins. But a solution looms on the disorganized horizon – a machine that can do all the organizing for me! The Kaleidescape System stores and organizes DVDs and CDs so I can relax – that is, if I had $27,000 in my pocket to pay for it. This multimedia storing device can connect your music and movies to any player you set up in your house – simply import your DVDs and CDs into the machine and it does the sorting. In addition, Kaleidescape sells entire DVD collections such as The New York Times Best DVDs You've Never Seen, Just Missed, or Almost Forgotten.

So I don't have to organize OR shop for my DVDs and CDs anymore? Perfect! Where do I sign up?

A couple years ago I had the pleasure of staying at The Venetian in Las Vegas.  My stay was great - the room was beautiful, the shopping and restaurants were fantastic, and I did very well in the poker room (as I'm sure everyone is interested in my card skills).  The Venetian is certainly a luxurious marvel, but try as it may to recreate Venice, the gargantuan oasis in Nevada simply isn't the "Queen of the Adriatic."  On the other hand, the Ca Maria Adele provides guests with a true Venice experience.  The real Venice.  The one in Italy.  The hotel is located in a refurbished 16th century palazzo and looks out over a canal and the church of Santa Maria della Salute.  Engulfed by a well preserved historic neighborhood, the Ca Maria Adele offers convenient travel to San Marco Square via boat that stops right outside the hotel lobby.  Among the accommodations of the intimately luxurious 14-room hotel are five theme rooms, including the regal Doge's Room, the romantic Fireside Room, and the lively La Salsa Noir.  Whatever your choice of room, your stay at Ca Maria Adele is sure to be a memorable one.

My "dream destination list" is a directory of locales that is ever-changing, but Spain always seems to remain at or near the top.  Of course I want to see the sights - Barcelona Cathedral, The Grand Mosque of Cordoba, and Mediterranean beaches to name just a few - but I also want to actively experience and soak in pieces of the country's rich culture and history.  Things on the to-do list include Valencia's Fallas celebration commemorating Saint Joseph's Day over two exciting weeks in March; the frenetic La Tomatina tomato fight in Bunol in August; and, of course, Pamplona's San Fermin festival in July to run with the bulls.  This simple schedule seems to require a much extended trip or multiple voyages - both fine by me.  Either way, much more planning is necessary. While my extensive research of the country will have to continue, it has already led me to many discoveries, including some magical Spanish luxury homes.

A privileged hillside position offering stunning day and night panoramas of the bay and city below is the setting for this Javea villa.  The home effortlessly combines modern amenities with a traditional Andalusian Spanish design - perfect for my tastes, by the way...maybe if I save every Euro I get over the next several decades...never mind, back to reality.  A colonnaded patio as well as a private courtyard lead inside to a modern kitchen, wine cellar and luxurious master suite.  Then it's back outside on the private terrace to take in the stunning views. This is truly a remarkable melding of traditional styling with state-of-the-art comforts.

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At this very moment I have a condominium under construction and I am giddy with anticipation about moving in to it. However, the idea of picking out all of my finishes and fixtures made me go from overjoyed to overwhelmed within a matter of minutes. I've never had the luxury of starting with a blank canvas, but having to pull the trigger on every little decision can be dizzying. Luckily I stumbled upon a website, Plan-It Granite & Marble, that helps take some of the guesswork out of my selections; I can match my cabinets (cherry) to my counters (Silver Sea Green seems to be the front-runner) with the click of the mouse. Add to that, I found out important tips to keeping my marble and granite in tip-top condition. Even though I haven't moved yet, it's never too early to start thinking about resale value!

Despite having beautiful homes, luxury homeowners tend to spend plenty of time traveling, whether for business or leisure. Unfortunately, this can mean spending an evening packing, lugging heavy bags through the airport, opening suitcases to find wrinkled clothing, enduring troublesome customs checks or perhaps waiting for bags at the baggage claim to no avail. For those who are constantly on-the-go but want to be dressed to the nines for every occasion, this grueling travel routine can be skipped - thanks to Garde Robe, a Manhattan-based wardrobe storage, valet and organization service. Garde Robe will pick up, photograph and catalog clothes for people in the New York area, store them in a temperature-controlled loft and place them digitally into a cyber closet that can be accessed online. Clients of this service can arrange to have their items shipped to any location; when they arrive at their destination hotel, their clothing, accessories and even toiletries will be there waiting in perfect condition. Garde Robe also offers packing and laundering services, as well as tailors, image consultants and makeup artists who will visit the home or hotel. If you travel to or from New York frequently, or if you just need a place to store some extra clothing, sign up for this service for a huge relief.

Anyone in retail knows that babies are big business. It seems that baby gifts, baby clothing and baby furniture get bigger, better and more expensive every day. If you hope to bring up baby in style, you better bring on the Benjamins. Perhaps the most extravagant item I have seen recently is the Fantasy Coach from Posh Tots. A cradle or crib seems so drab when the wee one can drift off in a handcrafted coach. The Fantasy Coach requires six months lead time and carries a price tag starting at $47,000 (glass slippers not included).

Two days ago, I received a last-minute invitation to attend Wine Spectator's Grand Tour 2007.  I had no idea what the event entailed, but I knew it had something to do with wine - so of course, I went!  I didn't realize how lucky I was until I walked into the ballroom packed with booths serving the top-scoring wine from over 200 vineyards all over the world!  I was actually giddy, dancing around from booth to booth like a whirling dervish.  I had to remind myself to be cool, try and blend in with the sophisticated connoisseurs surrounding me.  This was a tough thing to do, since I felt like a kid on Christmas surrounded by candy and ponies - but somehow I pulled myself together and began the tasting tour.

At first, I was overwhelmed - I didn't know where to start!  But I decided to begin by celebrating my amazing luck with champagne and sparkling wines.  An interesting development in the wine world: rosé is back in style, and the sparkling version makes for a great summer celebratory sip.  At least that's the word on the street - and by "street" I mean the booths at the Grand Tour 2007.  The experts at these booths were more than willing to answer all my questions and make suggestions for other booths to visit.

So I took their advice - I moved on to test crisp, melony, grassy Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand; dark ruby black cherry Pinot Noirs from Oregon; spicy berry Burgundies from France; rich cocoa Syrah from Australia; and even ripe raisiny Porto from Portugal.  Each sip was delicious, complex, and luxurious.  It took everything I had to spit out most of my wine to avoid potentially ruining my "play it cool" plan with slurred speech and stumbling gait.

I admit, I didn't pay for my ticket - but I gladly would have.  Considering that each sip I took was probably worth at least $10, the ticket price for an evening of incredible, rare wine was well worth it to those who did pay.  I highly recommend the event for anyone who loves wine - whether you're an expert or just an enthusiast, you'll enjoy this night of gustatory bliss.

Just remember to spit.

The International Fighter Flight Centre (IFFC) was established in 1996 in Port Macquarie, Australia and offers thrill-seekers with the means a unique adventure.  The IFFC provides an opportunity to strap in and go on an "Adventure Flight" in either a BAC Strikemaster Jet or CT4-A Fighter Trainer.  Passengers can choose from a variety of missions - from the more mild "Trainer Mission" all the way to an adrenaline pumping, heart pounding "Air Combat Dog Fight Jet Mission," which entails you and a friend being part of a two-plane dogfight with real tactical maneuvers and extreme speeds.  Missions range from 20 to 40 minutes and can be digitally filmed and put on DVDs for participants. The more extreme missions aren't cheap, but top dollar is a small price to pay to be a Top Gun for a day. And I'm sure any adventure that recommends having a friend drive you home is well worth it. Relentless quoting of the movie Top Gun pre, during and post-flight is optional and, I'm assuming, included in the price.