Virgin Olive Oil Is for Amateurs

Don't you just hate food snobs? Those people whom you find at the grocery store or out to eat who say things like, "Don't you just love a good Butterhead, I really just can't stand a Summer Crisp... well I guess I could eat it if it came early in the season." And all along they were just talking about lettuce? Well you finally have a some ammunition to sound cultured and in-the-know with regards to olive oil / vinegar (a little obscure, but that makes it all the more impressive). Old Town Oil is the mecca for all things olive oil and vinegar related. You can find flavors of vinegars that you didn't even knew existed from Pomegranate (my favorite) to pear to red apple. Pair that with Meyer Lemon 100% Extra Virgin olive oil, and you will be in heaven. Any salad or bread dip seems to take on a new form when you get to spice it up with these unbelievable flavors. This makes for a great gift... or a great hobnobbing moment when you comment (in your best nasal voice) "I really do prefer a 18 year balsamic over that very young 12 year. What about you?"

Anti Coffee

I am a tea-drinker. I have several cups of tea every morning and often have a calming chamomile before I go to bed at night, but I would have never called myself a tea connoisseur... until now... after my trip to TeaGschwendner as I can tell you the difference between a white tea, a green tea, an oolang tea and a roibush tea. Now that I have the gloating out of the way, you must go to a TeaGschwendner should you ever be in the neighborhood of one. I have never seen so many different types of tea with a fragrance and aroma unlike any teas I have experienced. I typically buy my tea at Trader Joe's because its cheap and easy, but after a steaping lesson and an explanation of the difference between tea powder in tea bags (Grrross!) and real tea leaves, I am a convert -- no more tea bags for me! Now its not cheap but you will not be disappointed by your purchases. I sampled both the Bosa Nova, imagine drinking chocolate minus the thickness and Smooth Strawberry Dream, imagine a sweet summer afternoon, which were both lovely. So order an old standby if you must but live a little dangerously and order an exotic flavor for fun. That way you can have tea any time.

FREE Internet at Starbucks

So in an effort to stop the slide of their earnings (I guess putting a topless woman on their cups / the launch of Pike's Peak / Giving people $2 drinks if you will commit to going to Starbucks twice in a day hasn't worked out), Starbucks has decided to offer "free internet" to its loyal customers. What "free" means in the world of Starbucks:

- You must have a Starbucks gift card
- You must have used said Starbucks gift card in the last 30 days
- You have to register the card online.
- You only have internet for two hours; so no, you can't check every one of friend's profiles on Facebook... but you can get to all the "Recently Updated"

All of this means that internet at Starbucks is technically free as long as you don't mind jumping through a few hoops but at least they aren't flaming. Since Starbucks are now ubiquitous, you are only a few blocks away from some caffeine and online shopping pretty much anywhere in Ameria -- except maybe Alaska -- Sorry Sarah.

Spice It Up

So let's be clear -- I don't cook; I eat breakfast foods for dinner because cereal doesn't need an oven. Now that being said, certain stores can definitely inspire the inner cook even in me. One of those shops is The Spice House. I went to their store in Chicago which was just such a treat as you can sample various rubs, seasonings and spices. They have a fantastic selection of seasonings to make your own salad dressing which would definitely encourage me to eat more vegetables. You felt like you are experiencing what cooking should REALLY be like, using authentic spices... not some powder that you bought under florescent lighting wondering how grocery stores can charge SEVEN dollars for a 3 oz. bottle. The Spice House even sells gift packages -- a perfect present for someone who you are hoping will cook you MORE meals in the near future... Sounds like a win-win to me!