I always thought of gas keg tappers as high-brow.  After all, they don't require pumping and can help preserve the beer inside the keg much longer than a standard party pump.  But apparently there's an even more refined "tapper" for the sophisticated wine crowd.  The Vin au Verre  - French for "wine with glass" (wow, four years of high school French finally paid off) - can keep up to 8 opened bottles of wine ready to serve at the perfect temperature.  Made by EuroCave, the storage system can preserve the wine for up to three weeks, meaning you no longer have to force your dinner party guests to chug what's left of all the open bottles before they leave.  I'm sure this luxury item will be of great use to some, but I'm sticking with kegs.

I've planned a trip to Vancouver this May - and now all I can do is impatiently wait for May to arrive.  I've been reading about things to do in Vancouver, looking at Vancouver on Google Maps, staring at pictures of Vancouver - and of course, checking out the luxury homes in Vancouver!  The city is a hot spot for luxury homes because of its breathtaking beauty (majestic mountains, beautiful bay),  vibrant commerce (including the third-largest film production center in North America after LA and NYC) and diverse culture (more than half of Vancouverites have a first language other than English).

My dream Vancouver home has to be this 4000+ square-foot penthouse listed with Macdonald Realty Group.  The penthouse occupies the top two floors of a 20-story highrise that overlooks Stanley Park, Coal Harbour, English Bay, the rest of the city, the Gulf Islands and the mountains.  Stunning views aside, the home is incredible - I love the clean, contemporary design and the luxury amenities - such as the outdoor kitchen, media room, and 600-bottle wine storage.  I'm just imagining how amazing it would be to watch the sunset over the bay while relaxing in the hot tub!

And now for something completely different: this Vancouver tudor home (also listed with Macdonald Realty Group) emanates a more traditional elegance - but I love that its classic style is blended with modern appeal.  The house is gorgeous inside and out, with architectural finesse and graceful interior design. I love the sun-filled dining room that overlooks the lushly landscaped back yard.

It's hard to believe that these two very different homes are set in the same city.  I can't wait until May to see for myself what Vancouver has to offer.  In the meantime, I'll have to be okay with perusing luxury Vancouver homes online.

Thomas Edison once said, "to invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk."  That crude formula is certainly applicable to the creation of the Limited Edition Thomas Edison Table.  The tops of these novel tables are made from reclaimed floorboards taken from a recently torn down factory that was owned by Edison.  After being converted into a tabletop, the wood is coated with an eco-safe waterproof finishing, and then carefully secured atop a set of scalloped steel legs.  Obviously, Edison Tables will be offered for a finite period of time, and are sure to become treasured heirlooms.  Just imagine, your bowl of morning Froot Loops could be sitting on a board where The Wizard of Menlo Park once stepped.  These truly unique tables are available through VivaTerra, which offers a plethora of recycled and reclaimed luxuries, promoting what they call "eco living with style."