How is it I DID NOT buy these stocks years ago?? Yeah, I’m still kicking myself for that. Either way, I’m lovin’ my iPhone more everyday (even with firmware v1.1.1)…

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Starbucks to spread 50 million pieces of iTunes love

In order to promote its new partnership with Apple and the Wi-Fi Music Store, Starbucks plans to give away 50 million iTunes songs to US customers. Between October 2—the launch date of the Wi-Fi Music Store capabilities at select Starbucks locations, according to a separate announcement of the company’s today—and November 7, the coffee kings at about 10,000 stores will hand out roughly 1.5 million free song downloads per day. That’s a lot of songs… and coffee.

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[via Ars Technica]

The 80th Annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy is now in full effect until September 23rd. I haven’t been there in years, but will definitely be making the trip this year. Highly recommended!!

[Feast of San Gennaro]

Why go Merlot when you can call a Cab? Don’t miss this one. Outstanding!

About a week ago I was wolfing down some McDonald’s on the go in my car (yes, McD’s, The Bell, and BK are still my kryptonite). Anyway, I was trying to fit my medium fries into my cup holder, but it just wasn’t fitting. I’m thinking, why don’t they make these containers circular so they fit in cup holders? I can’t be the only one thinking of this. Sure enough, I go to Burger King today and what do they have? The “Frypod”… a new holder for fries (and onion rings) that fits in a cup holder. Sometimes it’s just the little things that make the difference

My buddies took me out for a nice 40th Birthday dinner at Flirt Sushi in Allendale this weekend. Awesome. Thanks guys!

Some post-dinner fun at Borders:

Thanks for the pic Javiso!

Since I’ve been on my health kick, I’ve been eating bananas daily. I had to post this because I tried it and it really surprised me (yes, one of those simple things in life). Who knew?!

I’ve been opening my bananas stem-side first all my life. On Friday, David showed me how monkeys open bananas. They pinch them on the other end. Boy, it’s a lot easier. I’ll never open a banana the dumb way again.

[via Boing Boing]

La Famiglia Ristorante… one of my favorites for Italian cuisine! Please visit them on the web and in Bogota, NJ.

One of my favorite things about traveling is eating. I just love sampling different kinds of food. Whenever you speak to someone about fine cuisines of the world, the UK is typically NOT mentioned. However, every time I’ve visited London I’ve never had a bad meal. Granted, most of the UK restaurants I’ve eaten in have been non-British cuisines, but even the local places where I’ve had “fish and chips” or “bangors and mash” have been great.

My short trip to the UK this week is definitely continuing this trend. Starting with the many meals on my American Airlines flight (in Business Class), it’s been nothing but good eatin’. I don’t care what they say about airline food — the meals in First/Business class are awesome (and it better be for the prices they’re charging for tickets these days). One thing you don’t do in First Class is go hungry.

During my first full day in London this week I ate lunch at a nice Italian restaurant called Hamilton’s (seafood & pasta), a second smaller lunch at The Gaucho Grill (Argentinian empanadas), and dinner at Shanghai Blues (Chinese). Besides the food, there was some good wine sampling going on too.

Shanghai Blues was incredible… the decor, service, and food was simply top notch. We ate family style and I was able to sample some of the best dim sum, chicken, scallops, prawns, beef, and desserts I’ve ever eaten. One of the wildest things I’ve ever seen was the way they served the fried rice — the entire order was enclosed in a paper thin wrapping of fried eggs (like a giant but thin omelet)… very original (and delicious). Check out Shanghai Blues at their website (even that is very well done).

Good thing I’m on my exercise kick.

Xingu — a nice dark beer from Brazil

Coffee really IS good for you. Who knew?!

Now comes news for people who still aren’t convinced: Coffee is the number one source of cell-protecting antioxidants in the U.S. diet, according to a study by researchers at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. Of a study of 100 foods—including tea, chocolate and cranberries—coffee outranked them all.

[Article at Psychology Today]

Heineken’s New Clear Label

While in Manhattan yesterday I ate lunch at Virgil’s Real BBQ in Midtown. I had the Beef Brisket sandwich and all I can say is it was OUTSTANDING! The meat was piled high and was so juicy and tender. Great selections of sauces and seasonings too (but this meat didn’t need any help). I’ve sampled some good BBQ in Austin and Houston and Virgil’s was just as good, if not better. If you get a chance, visit them at 152 W 44th St (between Broadway and 6th Ave).

I’m heading down to Texas this week on business (my NOLA trip was canceled for obvious reasons). Looking forward to some more good Texas eatin’ (and 100 degree weather). I’m listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble as I type this… talk about getting in a Texas mood. Stay tuned from some moblog posts.

Putting those brewery production lines to good use:

During disasters, beer and soft drink makers sometimes divert their resources into producing drinking water for survivors. After the Northridge earthquake, one big brewery in LA did this; the same happens back east after floods and hurricanes. Jacob Appelbaum shot this snap of a can of “Floodweiser” — drinking water donated by an Anheuser-Busch brewery in Texas for Hurricane Katrina victims at the Houston Astrodome…

[via Boing Boing]