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Best Old-House Neighborhoods of 2011

Many of North America's best old-house neighborhoods are in long- or formerly forgotten cities, towns, and 'burbs that are worth a fresh look. They're also places where you'll discover some of the best, most architecturally eye-popping older houses on the continent. With help from our friends at Portland, Oregon-based PreservationDirectory.com--who distributed our nomination forms to more than 14,000 historical societies, neighborhood groups, and preservation nonprofits--we've tracked down off-the-beaten-path places that are home to block after block of stately brownstones, Cape Cods, Colonial Revivals, Victorian-era cottages, and more. Check out the following gallery to see six of the old-house neighborhoods that won over the editors of This Old House this year. For all 64 Best Old House neighborhoods, visit thisoldhouse.com

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Top 10 Deadliest Garden Plants

Your garden may be a relaxing retreat, but it's not a place to let your guard down, especially when it comes to small children and the family pet. Some popular plants you prize for their ornamental beauty can turn into toxic killers within minutes if ingested, whether consumed out of curiosity or by mistake. With this list you'll know what flowers, shrubs, and berries to warn young, inquisitive minds about and which bushes and flowers to keep out of paw's reach. You'll also learn the symptoms of poisoning because—after prevention—rapid treatment can be the only defense against death.

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A Great Gatsby Landmark, About To Be Leveled

The days are numbered for the "green light that burns all night" at the end of a Long Island dock in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. The Sands Point home, called "Land's End" has been scheduled for demolition after years of being on and off the real estate market, its asking price of $30 million being too high for those with even the richest of literary home-owning hopefuls.

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Top 10 Wackiest Bathroom Products

There's nothing money can't buy these days. Perhaps you've considered blinging out your commode with thousands of Swarovski crystals or wished you could work on your golf swing while you answer nature's call? No? Well, here are 10 wacky bathroom accessories you didn't even know you wanted, anyway. See all 31 Wackiest Bath Products right now at thisoldhouse.com, or keep reading here at Buzzfeed for our Top 10

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Post Office Becomes Luxury Home

When family doctor and design junkie Sarah Belhasen decided to move back to the town she grew up in, she wanted a house with character. For the history buff, Americana collector, and Paintsville, Kentucky, native, the town's former post office was a perfect--if out-of-the-ordinary--fit. Take a tour of her post-office-turned-home here.

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5 Deadliest Wildlife Home Invaders

Thinking of putting off the repairs you meant to do this month on your house? To the following animals, holes, spaces and gaps in your houses exterior raises the chances of wildlife invaders on the inside. With spring coming, take a good look at the following suspects, and ways you can prevent problems with unwanted animal visitors in your house. See the full story, featuring EXTRA wildlife home invaders like bats, bees, and mold, at thisoldhouse.com

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Top 10 Outrageous Luxury Doghouses

Some people would do anything for their dogs. But while that often means making pets feel like family, these elaborate doghouses take the phrase literally. Whether designed like an antique replica of American architecture or sporting a sound system more expensive than a second mortgage, the following doghouses just may be more luxurious than your house.

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Luke, I Am Your Toaster

Seeing Darth Vader in your toast your idea of a religious experience? This official Star Wars product is equipped with two temperature settings, so you can keep your toast light or bring it over to the dark side, complete with a rendering of your favorite masked one burned into the surface of your starch. About $55 at thinkgeek.com

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The Chickenborg Egg Cuber

Mother Nature always has to make things difficult. Take eggs, for example. Why make them round? How is one supposed to comfortably eat a hard-boiled egg when it keeps rolling around the plate? Enter the Chickenborg Egg Cuber, a gadget that allows you to improve upon nature's best by changing the shape of everyone's favorite breakfast food. About $6; Think Geek

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5 Wacky Kitchen Products

While these gadgets aren't exactly essential to a functioning kitchen, we don't really care. After all, it's not about what you need, it's about what you want. And we want wacky. Here are a few of our faves, but you can see the whole list of Wackiest Kitchen Products IV at thisoldhouse.com.

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12 Coolest Celebrity Homes for Sale Right Now!

Not very many of us can afford to live like Hollywood stars. But, for those of you with a few million dollars in the bank, it just so happens that Nicolas Cage's beautiful Rhode Island mansion and Michael Jackson's swanky Los Angeles chateau are up for grabs. Here, we'll take you on a tour of a dozen celebrity homes currently listed with real estate search engine extraordinaire trulia.com

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$1 Homes for the Holidays

Having a hard time picking out a proper gift for your main squeeze this year? Well, instead of shelling out the big bucks for a tried-and-true HDTV or a diamond-studded bracelet, how about saving some money by getting them an entire house instead? Just as we did last year, This Old House presents a gallery of historic old houses, each of which can be had for the low, low price of one paltry dollar—or for free. The only catch: You must be willing to restore the house or, in some cases, move it to a new location. See all of our $1 Homes for the Holidays

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