Building Your Own Bar
Bars have become the most popular remodeling project, according to designers who say that the trend is the latest reflection of today's more home-centered lifestyles. Besides providing a beverage center away from the kitchen, bars facilitate the transition between kitchen, dining room and family room in open floor plans. That means you can forget about that basement rec room with the neon signs - the latest bar designs are attractive enough to take center stage. If you plan to have a sink or dishwasher as part of your bar, you'll need to consider the location of existing plumbing lines (or prepare to pay a hefty premium to the plumber). But if the best place for your bar is nowhere near the plumbing, consider doing without a sink; you can always empty used glasses into a bus tray under the counter. Your choice of counter will do more to define the look and feel of your bar than any other component. The most economical bar top option is a laminate material, which offers durability and hundreds of color choices. Solid wood is more traditional, but it must be kept dry and requires care to prevent stains. (Byrnes seals wooden bar tops with five or six coats of urethane.) Stone surfaces like granite or slate make the most elegant bar tops, but they are expensive. Finally, metal bar tops (typically brass or zinc) evoke old-time saloons or Parisian cafés - but be prepared for lots of maintenance, because they need frequent polishing.

Blackjack History
Learn about the history of the popular card game, Blackjack. The 52-card deck was originally called the French Pack. Blackjack actually originated from French games such as "chemin de fer" and "French Ferme" and was first played in French casinos in about 1700 where it was called "vingt-et-un" (twenty-and-one). It has been played in the U.S.A since the 1800's after they, along with England adopted the 52-card deck.

All About the Jukebox
Do you have a love for the jukebox? Do you remember putting your coins in the old jukebox and then dancing with your favorite partner when you were in high school. To some extent those days are gone. The old jukeboxes are disappearing from the American scene, but this site brings the old jukeboxes back to life. Starting with the Nickel-In-The-Slot machine of 1889, which relied on an Edison cylinder recording with no amplification to entertain patrons at the old Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco to the present day you can trace the history of the jukebox on this fascinating site. The links on this site take you to some of the most extensive sites on the net concerning the history of the jukebox and jukebox manufacturors such as the Rock-Ola jukeboe company, Seeburg jukeboxes and Wurlitzer jukeboxes.

Hall of Poker
Hallofpoker.com is a site where one can play online poker, but there are also pages that describe the history of poker, a listing of monthly poker events, both online and otherwise, software to help people get better at poker and play at home, a listing of tournaments, and a tell-a-friend feature that lets you inform your friends of the opportunities available to play online poker. There is also a poker glossary, poker etiquette, a list of famous poker players, online poker game rules, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi Low, seven card stud, and online poker FAQ's.

For more, see GameRoomResources.com.