Say you're going to have a dinner party and you're using tumblers instead of stemware. Well, this simple balloon trick makes your average cup look like high-end dipped glassware. Want to see how it works? More

Item: Cuppow
Price: $7.99, plus shipping
Overall Impression: The Cuppow can be used with any standard canning jar to create a good-looking, sturdy and affordable travel mug.

The first time I saw the Cuppow, I thought it was one of the smartest ideas I'd seen in awhile. Canning jars make good everyday glasses, but they aren't the best for on-the-go drinking, especially with hot drinks. Enter the Cuppow, a BPA-free lid that works with the standard canning ring to transform any wide mouth or regular mouth jar into a commuter mug. With all my anticipation, I was afraid it wouldn't live up to the hype, but I was pleased to find that there is even more to like about this lid than I originally thought. More

Quitokeeto (pronounced "kee-toh") is an online pop-up shop curated by Heidi Swanson (of 101cookbooks.com) and Wayne Bremser. With an eye towards beautiful, lasting design, the shop features utilitarian kitchen "jewelry" and unique products from small producers. Their aim is to stock a very short list of things that are special, lovely, and worth owning. More

As a wine taster I am always interested in how wine tastes in different glasses. Many times the verdict is simply 'different' - not necessarily better or worse, but rather a personal preference. While I have definitely have my firm favorites I am always on the lookout for different styles, shapes and materials in glassware. More

Do you decant your wine? There are real reasons to do it for clarity and aeration. But ultimately it's about personal preference; some people really love to pour and drink wine from a beautiful glass decanter, or they like how it looks on the table. These 10 decanters range from jaw-dropping expensive ($750!) to a much more modest $27, and all prices in between. More

As it is Wine Week, I thought I would revisit the topic of wine glasses. Do some wine glasses enhance the wine better than others? Would you invest in expensive wine glasses? Are all 'good' wine glasses expensive? More

Confession: I don't own stemmed wine glasses. This has as much to do with my semi-nomadic life and casual entertaining style than any deliberate choice I've made. Usually I'm quite happy with my eclectic collection of glass tumblers that serve as wine glasses. I like their charm and casual, everyday vibe that says 'relax and enjoy!' But not always. More

Our love of meals in jars is no secret, but with their versatility and good looks, jars are useful for holding more than just food on the table. And if a plain glass isn't your thing, we have a few ways to dress up even humble old spaghetti sauce jars. More

Do you have a mug or tea collection threatening to overwhelm your interior cabinet space? Take a cue from these photos and hang them on hooks instead. This look is particularly fetching with brightly colored mugs or teacups, but simple white has a charm all its own. More

When you join households with someone and you're both out of your 20's, you find you have a lot of kitchen stuff. There are discussions of what to keep and discussions of what to buy. In my case, glassware for the home bar has made it to the top of my "buy" list. But where to start? More