What would a cocktail be without a cocktail napkin? Forget paper. If you really want to impress your guests, serve them a drink accompanied by one of these pretty cloth napkins. Here are three DIY (for those of you who sew) and four ready-to-buy options! More

Item: SodaStream Fizz
Price: $179.99
Overall Impression: Less streamlined than some other models but the Fizz Chip indicator is very useful.

We are avid drinkers of carbonated water and homemade soda in my household, and the SodaStream, which can convert tap water to sparkling water in a matter of seconds, is one of the appliances we use most. When our SodaStream Pure model died after two years of near-constant use, I was curious to try the company's latest model, the Fizz. 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

A dozen mugs. A stack of porcelain plates. A few tea pots. How do you display your tabletop collections when they're not in use? From neatly arranged groupings on a shelf to hanging wall displays, these images show the myriad ways available to both show off, store, and keep safe your prized pieces. More

Serving bowls are essential: while your food may be the star, a beautiful bowl is necessary to really show it off. From ceramic and wood to stainless steel and recycled glass, here are five classic designs: More

Candlewick glassware was first invented by the Imperial Glass Company in 1936. Based on a piece of French glass, the president of Imperial Glass created a version of his own with balls on the edge. It was named Candlewick after a colonial sewing technique that also has balls along the edges. Produced until 1982, it became one of Imperial's best selling lines, and hundreds of different pieces were made. More

I think everyone in my family has some version of these placemats, and I resisted for a long time. Do you really need them, anyway? I had pretty linen ones for dinner parties. And setting a plate on a bare table seemed just fine for nightly dinners. But I bought finally bought some, and here's why I love them. More