In the western Caribbean, 12 miles off the coast of Belize, is the exclusive resort of Caye Chapel Island.  The island is 265 acres of pure bliss, with 2 miles of sand beaches, a private airstrip, deep water marina, an 18-hole championship golf course on the western side, and amazing seaside villas on the eastern edge.  The 3,500 square foot luxury villas have either two or three bedrooms and are all just a few sandy steps away from the Caribbean Sea.  Ensuring privacy and a true getaway experience, there are never more than 50 guests on the island at one time.  If you think being with nearly half-a-hundred strangers would cramp your style, don't fret - the entire island can be reserved at a mere $15,600 per day.  Yes, day.  Swim laps in the pool with no one getting in your way, grab the best spot on the beach, and golf at your own pace, all for only $650 an hour.  A small price to pay, I suppose, for the ultimate private paradise.

I recently installed ceiling fans in the bedrooms of my house, and unbelievably, there haven't been any short-circuits or flying sparks since I put them in.  They actually look quite nice; much nicer than the stock white fans that precariously dangled from the ceiling of my first apartment, but certainly nothing like the ultra-stylish Duplo-Dinamico from Matthews Fan Company.  I'm guessing "Duplo" refers to the unique design of the "double" motors and fans on opposite sides of the rotating axle.  The exact translation of "Dinamico" is probably "really cool looking."  The rare form of the really cool looking double fan is for more than just aesthetics; the rotational fans help circulate heat and air conditioning more effectively than traditional fans.  Maybe I can improvise and get the same effect by duct-taping a couple of those plastic desktop fans to the blades of my ceiling fans...maybe not.

My grandmother had a quirky habit that we mocked for years; she always saved wrapping paper. Please keep in mind, I never once saw her reuse it, but I think it was her way of remembering how beautiful the gift was even before she opened it. 

Perhaps it's for sentimental reasons that I've developed a bit of an obsession with wrapping paper. I will admit to owning a gift wrapping organizer that is considerably larger than my golf bag. Wall-mounted spool with yards of ribbon - oh yes, you bet. When it comes to gift wrapping, I am no lightweight. Wrap big, or go home, baby. 

If you have a penchant for exceptional paper, visit Paper Source. Their products are outweighed only by the super-friendly and creative staff.  Another site I happened upon is French Paper Company - they have a collection of whimsical, high-quality papers that I love. Last but not least, no proper package is complete without ribbon. One of my favorite sites is The Ribbon Factory; you can even create your own custom ribbon online.  

Oh, and if you are looking to buy a home where you can comfortably practice your obsession, look no further.  There's a palace in Dallas that has a room devoted solely to gift wrapping. With 48,000 square feet, the Champ d'Or has plenty of room for my ribbons.

Grandma would be so proud.

I chug my wine straight from the bottle; it gets the job done and doesn't dirty any glasses.  Some people pour their wine into these things called "decanters."  They're like big glasses used to pour the wine into regular-sized glasses - that's a lot of dirty dishes to clean.  Apparently the decanting process helps remove sediment from old bottles of wine, and also aids in releasing the aromas of a young wine.  If I ever did use a decanter, I'd like to use the luxurious Amadeo from Riedel, who has been in the wine glass business for over 300 years, through 11 generations of their family.  While the dirt is being removed from my wine, or if the wine is taking time to breathe, it will be displayed beautifully in the Amadeo.  The only problem is I'm not sure how I'd wash it - my sponge on a stick might have some problems with the curves.

Belgium has given the world several things.  Many of those offerings are great - like the waffles, beer and chocolate; a few I could maybe do without - like the Brussels sprouts and Jean-Claude Van Damme (with the exception of his martial arts classic Bloodsport, of course).  Most everything in Belgium, however, fits into the "great" category, from friendly citizens and delectable cuisine, to stunning architecture and a rich history.  The amazing qualities of Belgium are concentrated in an area about the same size of Maryland, and have earned the country the moniker The Essence of Europe.

Capturing that essence is this extraordinary castle in the south of Brussels.  Listed by Immobiliere Le Lion, the charming castle sits on over four park-like hectares (more than 10 acres) with a pond, pool and tennis court.  Looking at the stunning 18th century styling of this property fills me with a desire to see all of what Belgium has to offer...in stark contrast to my complete lack of desire to watch Street Fighter or Timecop. 

Late last year KOH Cosmetics unveiled their Diamond Nail File.  Already well-known for their luxury hand and nail products, KOH raised the bar with the nail file that features more than 28 karats of diamonds set in an 18-karat white gold grip - valued at 39,950 Euros (nearly $54,000).  But this product isn't all about the bling.  In my opinion, the greatest feature of this luxury item is the allocation of the profits it gains.  KOH has pledged to donate all proceeds from the sale of the file to Orange Babies, a charity that provides support to pregnant women in Africa who are infected with HIV.  The Diamond Nail File is the first in a planned line of diamond-studded products KOH will introduce over the next few years.  Sales of all products in the line will benefit Orange Babies.

I once made the mistake of buying one of those affordable (cheap) tabletop water fountains from the department store - the ones in aisle 5, right between the scented candles and CDs of mood music.  Unfortunately, to hear the "soothing" sound of the water cascading over the faux slate terraces and river rock you had to put your ear within six inches of the fountain, while the not-so-soothing hum of the water pump could be heard from the other side of the living room.  That surely wouldn't be a problem with a fountain from Spirit Elements, based in Boulder, Colorado.  They have a wide selection of Water Art Features, which are on display around the world in galleries and luxury homes.  Pictured is the "Maui Falls Wall Waterfall," part of the Semi-custom Collection.  Customers can choose from a variety of materials to create a one-of-a-kind waterfall for their living room, office, bedroom, etc.  - certainly one that wasn't found in aisle 5.

Spirit Elements also offers a number of high quality products in addition to waterfalls, including playhouses, pergolas and gazebos.

The most expensive candy I've ever bought (six bucks for a less-than-huge bag of Reese's Pieces?) was from my local chain movie theater.  In my view that's pretty outrageous, but that six bucks probably wouldn't be good enough to obtain even a microscopic grain of goodness from the La Madeline au Truffle.  This succulent sweet is served up by Knipschildt Chocolatier, which is based in South Norwalk, Connecticut.  Though it may lack the showiness of the gold-encrusted chocolate from Delafee International, the truffle is recognized as the most expensive chocolate in the world - a whopping $250 per 1.9oz piece.  By my calculations, the movie theater would charge somewhere in the low five figures for one of these treats (with special 50-cent discount if purchased with a soda).  Each indulgence starts with a rare French Perigord truffle that is surrounded by a Valrhona dark chocolate mixture, and then rolled in fine cocoa powder.  I suggest a robust 2% milk to wash it all down.

I learned just how unique and friendly the Emerald Isle is while on vacation in Ireland this May. While Dublin has an array of things to do – such as a tour of the historic Guinness Factory or a trip to Trinity College - the smaller, quaint towns are just as stimulating – full of pubs, traditional Irish music and dancing. The people of Ireland are extremely friendly and are always there to help you with directions- but perhaps best of all, they each offer suggestions for a place to go for a pint of the best beer around!

I found that my favorite thing about Ireland was the amount of churches and castles to see. On my ten day visit, I toured five castles and seven churches.  After a day of sightseeing, it was off to the Greyhound racing track, where my family and I spent (and usually lost) a decent amount of Euros. What better way to get over our losses than a trip to the local pubs, some of which were over 300 years old.  This gave us a chance to talk with the locals and find out why the people of Ireland take pride in their history and great brews!

On my restless eight-hour flight back to Chicago, I realized how relaxed I felt in Ireland. The lush green land was a serious change from my hometown of South Bend, Indiana, and the gregarious Irish people could make anyone feel at home.  I decided then that I would love to own a house in my new favorite country.

This traditional Irish home, listed with Ganly Walters and located in Co. Meath, is perfect for an Irish country-lover such as myself. It stands on 40 acres with 12 stables, hay barns, vegetable gardens, and easy-to-manage paddocks stations.

The home is only about 25 minutes from Dublin and only 10 miles from the towns of Drogheda and Navan. With five bedrooms and four bathrooms, it would be a perfect place to have family and friends for an extended stay.  And once they've visited, I'm sure they'll want to live in Ireland, too.

The vineyards and rolling green hills of the Beaujolais countryside in southeastern France serve as the breathtaking backdrop for the Chateau de Bagnols.  The chateau dates back to the 13th century and retains its historic ambience with stone towers, dry moat and a drawbridge entrance. Guests can soak in all of that history while staying in one of 21 luxury rooms and suites at the property.  The remarkable accommodations, certainly some of the finest in all of France, deepen the rich experience. 

Looking at the rooms now, it is hard to believe that when the chateau was acquired by the current owners in 1987, it was in a state of disrepair.  A team of more than 400 tradesmen helped this "Monument Historique" regain its grandeur.  It really would be impossible to give a proper summary of the splendor of Chateau de Bagnols in this forum. From its history including use as a medieval fortress and ownership by royalist families, the discovery of Renaissance and 18th century frescoes during restoration, to the delectable Michelin star Salle des Gardes restaurant - check it all out HERE.

I'm certainly no expert, having never stayed at Chateau de Bagnols, but it sure sounds nicer than my last hotel experience...Chateau de Super 8.