Drink your morning coffee out of one of these mugs, and you'll have the added bonus of letting everyone know what letter your name starts with. Each initial on one of these fancifully shaped mugs is embellished in a girly flourish, with flowers and/or birds and/or butterflies. Last time I checked, some of the letters were on back order. Anthropologie also sells some more masculine monogrammed mugs.

$6.00 each, Anthropologie

A friend of mine and I love going for tapas, a variety of Spanish appetizers. I can never get enough Gambas Al Ajillo (shrimp with garlic and olive oil). Now you can serve tapas (or any other appetizers) at home with one of these cool trays. You can choose from either a 18- or 22-inch-long wooden tray with four porcelain bowls.

$29.99 or $49.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

Know what's fun? Decorating cookies. And this set has everything you need to create your masterpiece in frosting. It has four icing colors, eight metal decorating tips, and 10 disposable decorating bags for easily piping the icing onto the cookie or directly into your mouth.

$24.95, Sur La Table

From a distance, these delicate bowls, made from either gold or silver wire, almost look like they are carved out of ice. Plop one on your table to display fruit or other decorations. They come in three different diameters: 10 inches, 12 inches, and 14 inches.

$14.00 to $20.00 each, Mxyplyzyk (click on "living wares")

Deep down inside I know that water poured from this nine-inch glass pitcher would taste the same as any other, but it just seems like it would be more refreshing, doesn't it? This pitcher would also make a pretty vase.

$38.00, Anthropologie

Here's how the ancient Egyptians displayed their fruit. What? It's true! I saw a gold, hieroglyphed version of this at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Okay, I'm lying, but I'm sure Cleopatra would have been really into this chic chrome fruit stand. If chrome plating had been invented 2,000 years ago. You know, because it's a pyramid.

$28.00, Chiasso

One of my favorite things about Top Chef is how the chefs all yell, "Hot behind! Hot behind!" when they walk around the kitchen with hot pans. (I wish I could yell that at my job.) If you want to keep your hot behind...I mean, hot pan...from burning your table, try this pretty iron trivet. It even looks great all by itself.

$18.00, Anthropologie

I need to remember to pick up a pair of these before Thanksgiving. I've tried wearing sunglasses when chopping onions, but they don't really work, and it's too dark to see what you're doing. I like how these goggles mold to your face to block out the onion fumes that make you teary.

$19.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

Coffee's always a nice finisher to a good meal, especially when you serve up the sugar and cream in cool containers like this little porcelain set by a Swedish design house. It looks great just sitting out on the table.

$30.00, Rare Device

If you're feeling prim and proper (but still a little whimsical), have a spot of tea in these fun teacups. The colorful set comes with four cups and saucers, all in slightly different shapes and sizes, in various pastel colors. They all come packaged in a pretty hatbox.

$35.00, Rosanna