Bar Accessories: The Quirky and The Cool

Whether it is the shot glass with a sassy saying or the electric shaker, nothing is off limits when it comes to novelty barware. Some of it is simply ridiculous and some are only of interest to the right person with a certain fondness of a character, theme, style or attitude. Then there are the things that are just plain cool; the one that, even though they won't replace your everyday tools, you just have to have them. Here are five that I've recently learned about that can be considered the novel of all novelty barware.

The Cool:

• R2D2 Ice Bucket with Han Solo Ice Molds- As a fan of Star Wars, this is pretty cool. I want it even though I can't find any details about it. Just think of the conversations surrounding a talking R2D2 that holds all your ice (what or when it speaks I don't know) and Han Solo frozen in carbonate floating in your glass! But how big of a glass do you need to fit that odd shape? Maybe some day we'll know.
• Binary Beer and Wine Glasses:- Unite your drinking geek with your computer geek (okay just a little "byte"). These glasses have a simple ring of binary code etched in them which translates to "beer glass" and "wine glass." Is there a cocktail glass? I'd like to channel my inner Cocktail-Computer Geek with a nice Martini also.

The Quirky:

• Reveo Gourmet Cocktail Tumbler- I really don't get it and it seems like one more electrical appliance that is neat at first but ends up in the depths of the cupboard. It hasn't been released yet and the details are fuzzy but supposedly this cocktail tumbler will quickly infuse liquor with fruit and other flavors. So if we wanted a quickly flavored drink wouldn't we just shake one up?
• Tequila 45- What a great marketing plan, using a bottle shaped like a gun to hold your limited edition tequila. To create a bottle of an extraordinary shape attracts attention and sales, just look at Bong Vodka, it works. However, in both cases you should expect some misconceptions if you plan on carrying these around or putting them on display. A year or so ago a friend had to spend a few extra minutes in customs on his way back from Mexico while packing this 45, but he didn't seem to care because the bottle was worth it (and the tequila wasn't bad either).
• Pick Your Nose Cups- This is just weird and I really have to wonder who came up with the idea and what they were thinking at the time. But they are cheap and fun, even if they are somehow creepy. These are a set of 24 disposable paper cups, each bearing the photograph of a different human nose. Your best friend Mary could pick up a mustache while she's drinking or Jim could suddenly have full, luscious lips.