Have you been on the fence about getting a Vitamix because of price ? I just saw that VM is offering their reconditioned units for $30 off through Dec 1. Plus, you can order it as a 3-payment plan (half down plus $15 the first month and the remaining half is divided over months 2 and 3). Add that to the free shipping and other freebies I mentioned a couple posts up and that is Merry Christmas to you ! : ) I think the reconditioned units are a great deal. You get a brand new, unused container, so only the motor has ever come out of the box. And the motor is checked/serviced before it goes back out as a reconditioned unit. I think most (all?) of the reconditioned machines were ones returned under their 30 day return policy, so they have hardly been used (or maybe never used!). $299 Certified Reconditioned Standard (reg 329, new starting at 449) https://secure.vitamix.com/Certified-Reconditioned-Standard.aspx 5200, 5200c, 5200s, Creations I, Creations II, Creations GC, CIA Professional Series, Pro 200, Total Nutrition Center, TurboBlend VS, etc. are all basically the same 2hp machine with different names. $349 Certified Reconditioned Standard w/Programs (reg 379, new starting at 649) https://secure.vitamix.com/Certified-Reconditioned-Standard-Programs.aspx The Pro 500 and the 6300 are those same 2hp machines that also have pre-set buttons (Smoothies, Hot Soups, and Frozen Desserts) and pulse. $439 Certified Reconditioned Next Generation (new starting at 557) https://secure.vitamix.com/Certified-Reconditioned-Next-Generation.aspx Pro 300, Creations Elite, and the 7500 (The "Next Generation" Machines) all have the 2.2hp motor that is supposed to be a little quieter (suspended motor design), they have pulse, and they come with the shorter 64oz container with the wider bottom (17.5" tall for the base plus container as opposed to 20.5"). $519 Certified Reconditioned Next Generation w/Programs (new 689) https://secure.vitamix.com/Certified-Reconditioned-Next-Generation-Programs.aspx Pro 750 is the above "Next Generation" 2.2hp machine that has the presets (Smoothies, Hot Soups, Frozen Desserts, Puree, and Clean) plus Pulse. My VM is not this newest model, it is a 2hp that does not have the presets. I do not recommend the 2-speed models that are currently $279 reconditioned (TurboBlend Two-Speed or CIA Creations). I also do not recommend the 6000 model which ONLY has timed settings with no speed control. All of the other models above have variable speed which is important IMO. It looks like none of the Next Generation models are $30 off, but I do not remember for sure what the price was before the sale started ??? Regarding the ones with the short 64oz container that only comes with the 2.2hp Next Generation machines ... you may want to buy an extra wet container with the smaller bottom (for example, the 32oz or 48oz) because the bigger bottomed short 64oz container doesn't do well with recipes under 2 cups (you don't have that problem with the sandard/tall 64oz container that comes with the 2hp machines). The 32 oz. does great with recipes that go down to as little as 3/4 of a cup and one cup recipes like mayonnaise, pesto, salad dressings, and marinades. Plus it is easier to get these smaller batches out of it as compared to the standard/tall 64oz, because the sides are not so high. I am pretty sure you can buy extra wet or dry containers for a discounted price of $100 if you buy them within a certain amount of time of buying your machine. Note the difference in the dry container and the wet container ... the wet container pulls things down into the blades, the dry container blows them up out of the blades. So if you were blending almonds, the wet container would be best for almond butter, while the dry container would be best for almond flour. A lot of the model numbers have to do with which cookbook the blender originally came with, which containers, and sometimes where it is sold. (for example QVC models or the 5200S and 6300 which are both Costco models) Oh, and here's a tip ... You can download the Vitamix Whole Foods Recipe Cookbook from the QVC website. See the gray 'learn more' section in the middle of the page. http://www.qvc.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?partNumber=K28091 edit: to add in reg prices

Thanks Christopher_H - i just posted on home decorating forum.

I think you've done a fairly good job and it's nice to see a bookcases full of books rather than doo-dads purchased from Home Goods. They just need a little tweeking. Examples..... It seems that you've arranged with everything centered. I'd mix it up a bit. 1st shelf - good 2nd shelf with elephants. Try moving the standing books to the left and the stacked group up against it. Adjust the elephants accordingly. 3rd shelf. Move books to the right. Use only the brass piece and print. Move the birds down to the shelf with the urn. 4th shelf. Remove the urn. Use the birds. One thing that would really help is to lighten up the back of the shelves. It can easily be done with wallpaper or even heavy-weight gift wrap. 2nd Bookcase.... 1st shelf is good. 2nd shelf - Remove the dictionary and stones. Add and move books to one side. Keep the bowl. 3rd shelf - Remove the initial. Use the bowl from bottom shelf and put stones in it. 4th shelf - Remove the glass vase and the little wooden signs. Put a few more books in there, again to one side. Keep the urn. 5th shelf - Line completely with books.

Nice and large room! IMO, you are trying ot squeeze too many chairs into the space. Add to that the dining room chars and barstools... chair overload. In the photos you've posted, the fireplace is being left out of the equation. It needs at least one chair closer. Have you tried the sofa on the window wall? There is also a lot of unused real estate between the living room area and dining area. I would enlarge the seating area to include some of this space. To define the areas, you could use sofa with a console table or cabinet back to back with the dining area.