I'm a huge fan of quick and easy. No, not what you're thinking. (At least in this case.) Quick and easy like cooking on a weeknight after a long day. At that point all I want is a lot of flavor without a lot of effort. So, rather than have to eat out of styrofoam box, I became good at finding shortcuts.

One shortcut is using simple marinades on meat and fish. Marinades that are big on flavor, but take only a minute or two to make. Nothing complicated. One way to do this is to use flavored vinegars.

Chef Rafael Palomino, owner and executive chef of Sonora, Pacifico and Palomino's Grill restaurants in New York, offers some great vinegars infused ...More

• Blades of Glory - Will Ferrell and Jon (Napoleon Dynamite) Heder. On ice skates. In spandex body suits. With Will Arnett and SNL's Amy Poehler. Hilarity ensues.
Date Index - 2 out of 5. Once she realizes this silly farce is not really about figure skating like you told her, you're in trouble. ...More

Several readers have written in asking for a few drink recipes that are a little different than the usual mixed drinks. And are impressive when serving the ladies you're entertaining. I like where your heads are at.

I have a couple you'll love. They're based on the "Vinotini", a cross between wine and a martini, and the creative result of six months of cocktail research by the team at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.

Vinotinis are complex drinks with many layers and textures, and are something ...More

From Boing Boing: A restaurant in Japan has a goldfish tank in its deep fryer. With live (unless they try to escape) goldfish. I can only assume PETA does not have a chapter in Japan.

Because water and oil don't mix, ...More

Once you've been messing around in the kitchen for a while - getting more comfortable, showing off for your dates, getting feeling back in that reattached fingertip - you're gonna want some better tools. The knives you bought on late ...More

Spring has hit. The thawing has begun. And golfers are anxious to get out and swing some clubs. Before heading to the links, throw a copy of the Zagat guide, America's Top Golf Courses 2007/08, in your bag.

Zagat interviewed over 6,250 avid golfers who played over 560,000 rounds of golf last year. (That averages to about 90 rounds each. These people played some golf.) Their opinions in the areas of Course, Facilities, Service, Value and Cost formed the rankings of the top 1,075 public, semi-private and resort courses in the US, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Surprisingly the number one course isn't in any of the golf meccas ...More

I'm one of those guys who scribbles notes on everything. Constantly. Scraps of paper everywhere. My short term memory is worse than my grandmother's (she sent me a Christmas card just last week), so I've learned that if I don't write something down immediately, it's gone forever.

I've thought about getting one of those digital recorders, but it's just one more thing to have to carry around. And unless I write myself a note to remember to bring it with me, I'll just end up leaving it on the kitchen counter anyway.

But I usually have ...More

People are anal about their water. (I figured I'd just jump right in today.) So many things they're particular about. It's gotta be distilled. And come from a "natural source". If they're extra picky it must be Artesian. Then there is the sparkling vs. still debate. ...More

• The Pursuit of Happyness - Will Smith and real-life son play a real-life father and son in this inspirational drama of a man struggling to make his life better against incredible odds.
Chick Watchablity Rating (CWR) - 5 out of 5. She'll love the heavy drama, the bonding between father and son, and the tear-inducing scenes.

• Children of Men - It's 2027 and because no woman on Earth has been able to conceive for over 18 years mankind is on the verge of extinction.
CWR - 1. It's bleak. It's dark. It's sci-fi-ish. If Clive Owen wasn't the leading man she wouldn't watch at all.

• Turistas - Thick, Brazilian jungles. Attractive, barely-dressed 20something tourists. Murderous, revenge seeking locals. All add up to one really stupid and boring movie.
CWR - Doesn't matter. You won't want to watch either.

• Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj - College humor. Gratuitous sex and nudity. No possibility of plot. Is there a better way to spend a Saturday night?
CWR - 1. She might find some of it funny, but this was made for guys. And she'll hate it.

• The Shield: Complete Season 5 - Detective Vic Mackey is still the baddest cat in the urban jungle.
CWR - 2. But if she's into gritty, violent cop shows marry her.

• Happy Feet - Adorable animated penguins tap dance their way into your heart. (I'm joking. You'll only rent this under duress.)
CWR - Off the charts. But again, rent it only if you need to earn some points. Or lost a bet.

Try and sit in front of the TV watching sports all weekend and not have a bowl of snacks nearby. No pretzels. No chips. No dip. Nothing.

Never happen. We watch sports, we snack. It's part of our genetic makeup. Cavemen used to sit around ...More

Think she's cheating? It's possible. A recent study showed 40% of women having extra-marital affairs. (I'd have something to say to you ladies, but 60% of men will have them too. Hence my decision to remain the Bachelor Guy.) And that stat doesn't include the percentage cheating on someone they are just dating. That number has to be higher. (Just a hunch, based on my own informal research at every bar or party I've ever been to.) So there's a strong chance if you think your girl is cheating on you, she is.

Want to know for sure? (If your answer is "no", I'm coming over there to slap some sense onto you.) FindOut Research has just published "Exposing Infidelity -- The Inside Secrets of How Spouses Cheat... and How to Catch Them". Based on extensive interviews with men and women who have been cheating on their spouses for a year or more, the book outlines the the warning signs of infidelity, how to identify the techniques unfaithful partners use to conceal their activities, and how to catch them in the act. (I know what you're thinking, but it is NOT to be used as a how-to manual.)

They also offer a companion software program called Evidence Finder, which can scan a computer running Windows for deleted emails, documents, pictures, and even video. (Hey honey, look what I found!) Get on it, Sherlock.

$24.95
www.findoutresearch.com

You can find hundreds of places online that list drink recipes. But if you want those recipes served up with a side of snarkiness, topped off with a generous helping of lounge music, head over to thebar.com. ...More

You can't over-stress the importance of proper tools. Sure you can improvise with what you have lying around, but to quote Chris Rock: "You could drive a car with your feet if you want to. That don't make it a good f***ing idea." Well said, Chris.

If you're going to mix drinks for dates at your place, ...More

• Shooter - Marky Mark Wahlberg is back in action hero mode as Bobby Lee Swagger (seriously), an ex-military sniper caught up in a web of conspiracies and lies. Mayhem ensues.
Date Index - 4 out of 5. You'll love the action and climactic chase scenes, she'll love love watching Marky run around sans shirt.

• Reign Over Me - Adam Sandler tries once again to prove he's all grown up by choosing drama over comedy. If you've seen the previews you've seen the whole movie, but basically he plays a man who looks remarkably like a young Bob Dylan that lost his wife and children in 9/11, and then his mind. Not exactly a feel-good way to spend two hours.
Date Index - 2 out of 5. This one is tricky. It's a tear-jerker, so she'll be crying and looking to you for support... and to see your reaction. If you're crying she might think you're either a sensitive soul, or a complete weenie. Too tough to call.

• Pride - 1970's inner-city youths and their coach learn pride and earn redemption through competitive swimming. Yes. Swimming. (I thought the same thing, but it's based on a true story, so...) It's the same underdog formula you've seen a hundred times before. Terrence Howard as the swim coach is excellent, but he's no Denzel, and this is no Remember the Titans.
Date Index - 3 out of 5. It is about sports (kind of), and has Bernie Mac in it, so you'll be able sit through it for the most part. She gets to see young, ripped, inner-city teens in Speedos.

If you've watched ESPN at all this past week, you know that this weekend marks the introduction of NASCAR's "Car of the Future". Over seven years in development, the new design is boxier, taller, and has improved safety features. (I thought fans only watched for the crashes.) ...More

Chocolate has been riding high ever since studies started to show benefits ranging from increases in heart health to boosts in brain function. And chocolate's reputation as a mood enhancer is legendary. (You married guys know what I'm talking about.) ...More

If you're a fan of whiskey (and aren't we all), get to Chicago on April 13.

Malt Advocate magazine is holding their 7th annual WhiskyFest Chicago, featuring "more than 200 of the world's finest, ...More

Before there was the Man Show Kid, there was Larry "Bud" Melman. For over 20 years David Letterman sent the sour-faced Larry "Bud" out into the streets of New York to interact with an often bewildered public. He became a late night icon. ...More

Cops and the military get all the coolest toys. Hopped up with the latest gadgetry. For instance, they don't just have binoculars. They have laser rangefinder binoculars. Everything is designed to be multipurpose. And to double as a weapon. (i.e. the Official Navy SEAL Can Opener/Death Dart.) ...More

When's the last time you saw something that was so impressive it stopped you in your tracks? Something that made you wonder how in the world it was possible. I can only think of two things: Donald Trump's hair and Numi Organic Flowering Teas. And only one works to impress your date. ...More

• Rocky Balboa - AARP-card-carrying Balboa steps into the ring for the final time. Again.

Chick Watchablity Rating (CWR) - 2 out of 5. (Pure testosterone. Or, in Stallone's case, pure HGH. Invite her only if she likes boxing. And shirtless 60-year-old men.)


• Blood Diamond - Leo's looking for a priceless diamond and he'll stop at nothing to get it. And, just like in The Departed, Leo's actually watchable. He might finally shed his teen heartthrob rep. And I can't believe I'm saying that.

CWR - 5 (Leo's looking sweaty and scruffy. And it's about diamonds. She'll love it.)


• Eragon - Unless you're 12, who cares?

CWR - 0 (Unless it's your daughter and she's 12, then 4.)


• Cheers: The Complete Eighth Season - Sure the series was sliding downhill. And even hearing "NORM!" was starting to get old. But it's still a classic.

CWR - 4 (Before-she-was-huge-I-mean-really-huge Kirstie Alley holds her own against the drunken regulars with enough smart aleck comebacks to keep your girl laughing.)


• JAG: The Complete Third Season - Catherine Bell. In uniform. Enough said.

CWR: 3 - (Naval officers in uniform should hold her attention for a while.)

Leave it to the casinos to find a way to help you lose more money, more easily. Say hello to the Arriva Card, the first credit card designed specifically for use in casinos.

75 casinos across the US, including The Borgata, Trump and Hard Rock Las Vegas, are also part of the Instant Credit program that allows you, a "responsible gaming patron", to apply for up to up to $10,000 in immediate credit. (That doesn't sound dangerous at all.)

Accepted at over 800 casinos in the US and Caribbean, Arriva does offer better terms on cash advances than traditional credit cards. They offer a grace period, give reward points, and charge lower fees and interest rates than many other cards. Just don't get too carried away, Diamond Jim.

www.arrivacard.com

We live for weekends. Two whole days of doing whatever you want, until whenever you want. (Except you married guys. You have honey-do lists to complete, kids to watch, in-laws to visit...)

But weekends can also take a toll on your body. Not just the usual hangover, but physical pounding as well. Pick-up basketball ...More

Here's something I honestly didn't know: Beef jerky is a high protein, low fat, nutritious snack. Judging by the people I've always seen eating it, I just figured it had to be bad for you. ...More

Attention amateur chefs: the deadline for entry in the 2007 National Beef Cook-Off is almost here.

The National Beef Cook-Off, the country's premier amateur beef-cooking contest, (not like those underground, back-alley amateur beef-cooking contests you read about), ...More

As I wrap up the St. Patrick's Day drink recipes, I leave you with three that give you some good choices for everyone and anyone celebrating with you tomorrow.

One is a martini, (but looking at it I'm thinking it would make a great punch), one is perfect for the ladies, and one's a shot, for getting the party started. Quickly. ...More

The most requested recipe I've posted is Grandma Hawkins' Homemade Irish Cream. Hands down.

I originally posted it back in December of last year, and I have personally made it three times. For Thanksgiving. For Christmas. And for New Years. And I will be making it again tomorrow night. By request ...More

If you're going to celebrate St. Patrick's Day right, you gotta do it in an Irish Pub. (Otherwise it's like celebrating Christmas in a synagog.)

To find an authentic Irish pub in your city you could drive the streets listening for the drunken refrains of "Come Back Paddy Reilly", or you could go online and access Zagat Survey's 2007 Top Irish Pubs Guide.

To let you access their guide online, Zagat teamed up with Irish Spring, the people who crammed the fresh, clean scent of the Irish countryside (minus the sheep smell) into a bar of soap.

Select your city and get back a list of pubs complete with address, phone number, average cost and ratings of food, decor and service. And if you're "familiar" with Zagat's "unique and concise" restaurant "surveys" where they "enthusiastically" place an "unbelievable amount" of "quotation marks" around every other "word", you'll find those included as well.

To access the guide click here.

After the corned beef and cabbage is cleared off the table it's time to get down to a little St. Patty's Day dessert. I'm gonna go ahead and assume you've outgrown the green frosted cupcakes in the baked goods aisle at the supermarket, and suggest something a little more adult.

The first is an alternative to the traditional Irish coffee, going for more of a tea feel, from the folks at Bushmills® Irish Whiskey. Distillers of whiskey since 1608 they know how to make your St. Patty’s Day more fun than a busload of drunken leprechauns.

The drink is called the Burning Bush (I'll spare you the double entendres), and to make it you'll need:
1 1/2 oz Bushmills® Irish Whiskey
1 oz honey
3 oz hot water
Lemon wedge spiked with cloves

Place lemon wedge in a toddy glass. Pour whiskey and honey over lemon. Fill with hot water. Stir.
www.bushmills.com

The other suggestion is a unique dessert/drink recipe from LaLoo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream. Yup, goat’s milk. It’s much lower in fat than traditional ice cream - 4.5 grams vs. 17 grams, you gotta watch that gut - but is just as rich and creamy. (BONUS: LaLoo's has a $1 off coupon you can download here.)

La-Loo’s Deep Chocolate and Guinness Float
2 generous scoops La-Loo’s Chocolate Ice Cream
2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup
4-5 ounces Guinness Beer

Put half of the beer in a tall, chilled mug. Add chocolate syrup and mix. Float ice cream on top of mixture and fill with remaining beer making sure to create foam on top for added drama.
www.goatmilkicecream.com

Everyone knows "a guy" who has the inside track on great deals. Where to save $100 on a home theater. How to get a discount on a custom suit. Where to get a free bowl of soup when you buy a hat like that.

Dealio.com is a site where anyone who has the scoop on a great deal can log on and post it for anyone to take advantage of. Other posters can add to or revise a posted deal, keeping the info as fresh and accurate as possible.

Searchable by tags, the deals are also rated by members, which does a couple of things: keeps people from posting ridiculous garbage and scams, and let's you can see at a glance whether the deal is worth clicking on. (There are still a lot of "deals" that are simply rebate listings, but overall the info is definitely worth looking at.)

It's hard to know on comparison shopping sites whether the top results are actually the best deals, or are listing from merchants who pay them the highest fees, but Dealio displays the lowest price merchants at the top of the list, making it easy to find the best deal. They also include eBay listings (both fixed price/storefront and auctions) for a more complete "snapshot" of current pricing for many products -- new, used or refurbished.

Their "auto-trigger" function lets you know instantly when you are one click away from overpaying for virtually any product sold online. And their Dealistrations show you visually which listed deal is the best, if there are several places to buy.

Addicted to getting the best deal? You can download the Dealio toolbar (because having 16 up there isn't enough already) for instant best price alerts and the hottest deals of the day.

www.dealio.com

Oh, you know Spring is just around the corner when the new barbecue grills get released. It's like Christmas in March.

Weber-Stephens, maker of grills under the Weber and Ducane brand names, announced a total of 23 new models for 2007, including an entire new line under Ducane named Affinity. Twenty three new models? Tailgaters and backyard chefs start marinating the meat and bagging the wood chips.

The new Affinity line opens with the 3100 at $349 and moves up to the top of the line 4400 at just $549. What do you get for under six bills? 605 inches of gas-fueled cooking area, four 48,000 BTU burners, a flush-mounted side burner, and a blue flame rotisserie burner and Rotis-A-Grate® cooking system with Smoke-It-Tray® you can use with those wood chips to add hickory or mesquite flavor to whatever you're grilling. (Isn't this the part where Tim Allen starts grunting?) That's a lot of flame-broiled bang for your buck.

All Affinity grills come in LP and natural gas versions, ($20 more for the gas versions), and are made with top-quality materials for durability and reliability. They're also backed by the same real-person customer service Weber has been known for.

Start shoveling a spot for it on the patio... I think I feel it warming up already.

www.ducane.com

March Madness is underway, and with some strong underdogs this year, (like my America East champion Albany Great Danes. Come on, we had #1 UConn nervous there for a while last year), it's looking like a wild ride to the Final Four.

Chances are you won't be home in front of your TV for all two week's worth of games, but you can stay on top of your brackets with Orb Network's free MyCasting service.

Downloading the free app to your Windows-based PC let's you beam live or recorded TV to your web-enabled PDA, laptop, or mobile phone. You just have to make sure your PC has a supported TV tuner card. If not they have detailed instructions on how to install one on their website. (Opening up the back of your PC and screwing around in there... entirely up to you.)

Now you can catch the weekday afternoon games at work. Just keep the sound down and your mouse on the minimize button.

www.orb.com

For seven years Jack Tripper tried unsuccessfully to get in the pants of his roommates, Janet and Chrissy, while hilarity ensued.

This Saturday, TV Land celebrates the 30th anniversary of the comedy classic Three's Company with a 24-hour marathon starting at 8pm Eastern time, and running through 8pm Sunday. (I know that's St. Patrick's Day and you'll be at a pub somewhere, but that's why God invented Tivo.)

The marathon picks favorite episodes from the series' 1977-1984 run, starting with two half hour-long "best of" shows. Shown in no particular order, the marathon includes two of the three test pilots that were shot (a rarity in the sitcom world), and a couple of episodes from the little watched spin-off Three's a Crowd, (where Jack finally gets a girlfriend and all the sexual tension is released. Nice work network execs).

I say watch the early shows, before the smoking-hot, pre-thighmaster, Suzanne Sommers was replaced by boring ex-Rams cheerleader Jenilee Harrison and Norman Fell's brilliantly homophobic Mr. Roper gave way to Don Knotts' aging Barney Fife-ish Mr. Furley. (Side note: am I the only one who thinks Janet would have been a wildcat in bed?)

Some quick Three's Company trivia from Wikipedia.org:
• It is a remake of the British sitcom Man About the House.
• Jack, Janet and Chrissy lived in apartment 201, directly above the landlord unit.
• Barry Williams, AKA Greg Brady, made an appearance as Janet's boyfriend.
• Fifteen years after its original airing, after being notified by a viewer, American Nickelodeon network quickly edited an episode where John Ritter's scrotum was briefly visible through the bottom of a pair of blue boxer shorts.

For a schedule of episodes click here.

St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday and I can already hear the bagpipes in the distance.

In the interest of doing whatever I can to ensure you drink anything but green beer, I am posting several drink recipes this week. Yes, I know that green beer is fun and girls think it's cute, but drinking cheap beer dyed bright green is alcohol abuse. If you're going to drink, drink the good stuff. St. Patrick himself would be offended if you didn't.

Today I am posting classic Irish beer recipes from Guinness. They are incredibly easy to mix and perfect for toasting St. Patty. Brilliant!

Guinness Shandy
• 3/4 pint Guinness
• 1/4 pint lemon-lime soda

Add Guinness to a pint glass and top off with lemon-lime soda.

Half & Half
• 1/2 pint Harp
• 1/2 pint Guinness

Add Harp to a pint glass. Add Guinness by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon.

Recipes courtesy of thebar.com

Use a paintball gun, go to war. It's the law.

Newsweek is reporting that army recruiters are trolling paintball tournaments looking for new soldiers. At a recent event in Coram, NY an army recruiter stocked a tent with "Army of One" key chains, coffee mugs, footballs, baseball caps, T shirts and customized dog tags.

With over 300 participants decked out in camo and combat boots, it was only a matter of time before the booth was overrun with teenage guys handing over their names and email addresses in exchange for the goods. The recruiter's comment was, "This is our target audience." No pun intended. (I'm guessing next they'll hit the video game arcades looking for recruits of the future.)

So if you're planning on competing in a paintball event - and according to Newsweek's article a surprising 10.4 million of you are, more than play baseball, surf or snowboard - watch your flank. You could be getting scouted for the real thing.

Buying a car sucks. From beginning to end. The research, the test drives, dealing with sales guys whose job it is to screw you... All of it.

Fortunately there are a number of good sites you can use to minimize the pain by maximizing your knowledge. Edmunds.com is one. KBB.com is another. A new site that looks promising is truedelta.com.

In addition to the usual pricing info found on other sites, TrueDelta also has in-depth, user-submitted reliability and fuel economy info. And it's the only site that updates its results every 90 days, as opposed to once a year like most other sites.

Another thing I like about them is their side-by-side comparison guide where you can pit two cars against each other. You get a quick visual of all the specs and options for both, plus actual costs, with a summary of which car comes in cheaper.

You can also sign up as a panelist and contribute data on your car, and help share the knowledge.

www.truedelta.com

This Saturday is St. Patrick's Day. Meaning at some point you will be drinking. And singing "Danny Boy" at the top of your lungs. And waking up in a strange hallway curled in the fetal position. But before all that comes the toast. And there are no better toasts than Irish toasts.

According to Colum Egan, Master Distiller of Bushmills® Irish Whiskey, “The most important aspect of any toast is the words themselves. The toasts are often short poems, mixing great tidings with a bit of whimsy and a large dose of Irish charm.”

If you're looking for the right words this St. Patty's Day you can hear some of Colum's top ten favorites by calling 1-800-BUSHMILLS. He'll also give you some tips to make your toast a memorable one. No word on whether he'll be listing the lyrics to "Danny Boy".

Whenever I hear that a new razor is coming out on the market, I always think of the classic scene in This is Spinal Tap where Nigel Tufnel, showing off his amps to the interviewer, explains how they go all the way to eleven, instead of the standard ten. They are better, he explains, because while others can only go to ten, he can "push it over the cliff" and go "one louder".

Razors makers seem to have the same mentality: Just add one more. For decades the twin blade was the norm. We accepted it. Nicks and all. Then the triple blade hit. Smoother, not so many nicks. We liked that. So they went to four blades. We liked those too, so of course, now we have five blade razors. Pretty soon they'll sell us on the Wall O' Blades that mounts next to your sink and you'll simply slide your face up it for the cleanest, closest, most effective shave you can get from a wall full of razors.

Pity the millions of disposable razor users who have had to lag behind, stuck in the triple blade era. Unable to experience the joys of going "one louder". Until now.

Schick® recently launched their new Quattro® Disposable, the first premium four-blade disposable razor. Not your father's cheap plastic razor, the new Quattro has many of the features found in its non-disposable version.

Along with the four synchronized blades, it's got two aloe-enriched conditioning strips and a compact pivoting head. And, unlike the slippery plastic stick handles of other disposables, the ribbed, rubber-coated handle lets you get a firm grip on things. Now you can push it over the cliff and go one louder.

$7.49 for a three pack
www.shaving.com

New into the shopping search arena is TheFind.com, describing itself as "a discovery shopping search engine that delivers a comprehensive, relevant and visually compelling shopping experience optimized for lifestyle products." Once your head stops spinning you realize that all that is just marketing-speak for "it has in-depth descriptions and pictures."

Still in beta, the site uses its "Product Ranking Engine" technology to rank more than 150 million products from over 500,000 stores. The results it returns come with large product shots, and hovering over the pic gets you a description with a price range and what online stores carry it. You can also save results for future purchasing in a MyFinds section.

I tried their much-hyped "Find Similar Items" tool that is supposed to drill down your results to give you a narrower and more focused search. Great idea, but it's a little hinky. It's purpose is to let you find similar products to what you originally searched for, and offer suggestions. Depending on what you're searching for the results can run from Perfectly Matched to Hilariously Random.

A search for DVD players yielded hundreds of thousands of results. Choosing "Find Similar" while on a portable player resulted in just a few thousand results, all portable players. But when using Find Similar while looking through "golf drivers" I actually ended up with ten times more results, ranging from NASCAR hats ("drivers" as in stock car racers) to various tools ("drivers" as in driving a post into the ground). Pretty entertaining, (I wasted a couple of hours looking to see what other interesting suggestions it made. One of my favorites: searched Golf Tees, got back several types of Novelty Teeth), but not helpful. Hopefully they'll get that cleaned up before it comes out of beta.

www.thefind.com

Here's a new trend for 2007 that I like the sound of: drinkable desserts.

Last week I talked about after dinner drinks. (You can read the post here.) This goes one better... after dinner drinks that rival decadent desserts.

They're especially good for those dates that really want to have dessert, but for vanity reasons refuse to order one. ("Oh the Chocolate Mousse Tartlet Supreme looks sooooo wonderful, but my cousin's wedding is coming up...") With these drinks she can enjoy "dessert", but not feel so guilty after. I'm guessing the alcohol helps the "who cares?" attitude.

Recently Baileys® held a Drinkable Dessert Challenge to find the best new drinkable dessert recipes featuring their Irish Cream liqueur. After choosing five finalists in the professional division and five in the amateur division, a winner was selected from each. Dennis Frisk from New Castle, PA was chosen as the amateur winner for his “Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake in Mint Condition”, (top picture), and Jessica Taylor from Indianapolis, IN was chosen as the professional winner for “Mocha Mint Bavarian”. (I'm sensing that the judges had a thing for mint.)

Dennis says his inspiration came from the popularity and appeal of cheesecakes, and the varieties that appear on restaurant menus these days. Jessica says her inspiration came from the idea of adding mint to mousse. (There's a joke in there somewhere.)

Because I've always got your back, I am posting both recipes here.

www.baileys.com

Stepping in it: bad. Chewing it: good. MensHealth.com recently reported on several studies that show chewing sugar-free peppermint gum, which costs about 25 cents per pack, may have greater health benefits than $100 worth of prescription drugs. (I can hear pharmaceutical lobbyists sharpening their spin skills as we speak.)

Here's what the studies found:


DENTAL HEALTH - The sugar-free sweeteners found in the gum help you produce more saliva. That keeps your breath fresher and helps fight cavities.

NAUSEA RELIEF - Compounds in peppermint slow stomach contractions, helping you feel less queasy.

WEIGHT LOSS - While you chew they say repetitive jaw movement helps you burn calories, and increases your metabolism by up to 20 percent while you chew. (This one, I'm not convinced. Burning calories by just chewing? Wouldn't cows be the skinniest creatures on the planet?)

MOTIVATION and ANXIETY REDUCTION - The scent of peppermint can improve your mood and helps you work harder at the gym.

MEMORY IMPROVEMENT - The chewing motion increases bloodflow to the brain, boosting memory by as much as 35 percent.

www.MensHealth.com

OK, kids. Today's word is "tostada". A tostada is defined by The Food Encyclopedia as: "a Mexican tortilla, usually crisply fried and topped with meat and vegetables." Fried and topped with meat? Gotta love that Mexican cuisine.

I found a great version that goes one better - by bringing tequila into the mix. Tequila-Cured Salmon Tostadas is a recipe from Fonda San Miguel, a favorite of Austin, Texas restaurant-goers for over thirty years.

It's a little more complex than the usual recipes I post, but even novices can get it done, and it's well worth the effort. The salmon has to be cured in tequila a full day in advance, but it goes together quickly once the fish is marinated.

It makes an impressive appetizer for that dinner for two you promised to cook her. Just make sure she knows how much effort you put into it.

Here's how you do it.

Wine enthusiasts and winos alike mourned the passing of a wine-making legend yesterday. Ernest Gallo, founder with brother Julio of E.&J. Gallo Winery, died surrounded by his family at age 97.

After over seven decades in the business, the Gallo brothers, (Julio died in a car accident in 1993), are widely credited with helping convert Americans into wine drinkers, making California wine famous and respected in the process.

Producing some 80 million cases of wine each year, Gallo's winery is said to sell one of every four bottles of wines Americans drink. They are also the creators of some interesting and legendary brands as well. Brands like the super low-end and super high-alcohol content Thunderbird, and the fruit-flavored Ripple. (A favorite of Fred Sanford, if I'm not mistaken.)

They were also one of the pioneers, under their Bartles & Jaymes brand, of the wine cooler - consumed in mass quantities by drunken, Spring Breaking college girls everywhere.

Thank you Ernest.

I gotta be honest with you. This is one of those things I never really thought was a problem. Apparently a lot of guys are finding putting on condoms to be too hard (pun intended), and too time consuming.

Pronto Condoms, a South African company, thinks there are enough slow, clumsy glove users out there that it warrants a "condom for the new millennium". Their website cites the difficulties using "ordinary" condoms, and I quote: "Let’s face it, using an ordinary condom is a real pain in the butt. (They really say that. And not in an ironic way.) First, you have to tear the pack open, often using your teeth. Then you have to take the condom out of the pack – this is a slippery business at the best of times. Next, you have to figure out which is the right side up, before you can unroll it..."

I'm frustrated just reading about it. The revolutionary technology they've come up with to combat all this confusion is their crack-open pack with built-in speed applicator. Yes. A speed applicator. Built into the package. (THE package, not YOUR package.) Because, seriously, who has an extra nine seconds?

Still can't figure out how to use it? Pronto has this handy video that shows you how quick and easy putting a lid on Little Jimmy can be.

Right now it's only available in South Africa, but hopefully it'll make its way across the pond to the US. Because if it's faster and easier, we want it.

www.prontocondoms.co.za

[Thanks to Ron for the link]

Let's face it. None of us are getting any younger. You might be pushing 30. Maybe pushing 40. And it's pushing back. Hard. (You guys in your 20's stop laughing and pay attention too...)

Those late nights partying in clubs, weekly poker games clouded with cigar smoke, even stress from work all take their toll on your face. Especially on your eyes. We've all shown up for work on Monday morning with more bags under our eyes than a Delta carousel. After a while those bags take longer and longer to disappear. Until one Monday morning you wake up, stumble over to the mirror to shave, and see your dad staring back at you. And dad looks bad.

Fortunately, modern science has come up with ways to correct the damage we do to our faces every day. Moisturizing your skin regularly is one way. And using special creams around your eyes is also highly recommended by all the experts I talk to. Yeah, I know. Your girlfriend uses eye cream. So does your mom. The very term "eye cream" makes you cringe. But suck it up. Once those bags and wrinkles start showing up and girls start noticing, you'll be reaching for whatever you can to stop them.

Dr. Sebagh's Eye Expert is one to reach for. Made specifically to reduce puffiness and erase wrinkles, it has ingredients such as ceramide-like, hazelnut oligopeptides, and hyaluronic acid that firm skin tissue and restore moisture. I'm not big into the science, I just know I tried using it before, during and after a Vegas trip. And even though I barely slept for three days, my eyes didn't betray me. Which is good. Because my staff thought I was at a business conference.

$80 Available at Barney's in NYC, Chicago, Dallas, LA and Boston and online at www.blissworld.com.

He was the original rebel without a cause. He was what all of the posers in Hollywood now pretend to be. His style and mannerisms are still widely copied, his look emulated.

Killed driving his Porsche Spyder at age 24, James Dean embodied the mantra "Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse", (although the line was actually spoken by actor John Derek). James Dean is one of those rare guys whose legend and popularity live on long after they're gone. James Dean is an American icon. (Jimmy Dean is an American sausage maker.)

Mighty Fine, an LA-based design studio, let's you pay homage to Dean, (the icon, not the sausage maker), with their James Dean tee. Be a rebel on casual Friday. (Does not come in Giant size.)

www.mightyfineinc.com

What's more perfect than a martini glass? It has classic design, clean, simple lines, and performs its function flawlessly. (Except in a crowded bar when you get banged around and spill precious liquid.)

Bombay Sapphire Gin felt the classic glass could use a little updating and recently held their 4th Annual U.S. Designer Glass Competition. Up-and-coming industrial designer, Michael Kritzer of Georgia, beat out hundreds of entrants and 10 finalists with his "Palletini" design. (Top pic.)

The Palletini is made in blue and silver mother-of-pearl colored glass, and has no stem. A thumbhole on the long side enables the drinker to hold it like a painter's palate. Which I'm sure is perfectly stable after 2 or 3 martinis.



Kritzer is off to Milan, where the Palletini will face off against the winners from 27 other countries.

The People's Choice Award went to my favorite, the "Bloom" by Nicholas Blair. (Bottom pic.) Its deep reservoir holds an integrated olive skewer made with strands of emeralds and sapphire colored glass, a functional reinterpretation of classic design.

No word on whether any of these will be available to buy. I'll keep you posted if I hear.

You can check out the other design entries at www.designerglasscompetition.com

It's March. The time of year when thoughts turn to Spring Break, tropical vacations, and an end to the unrelenting frigid misery that is winter. (Look out your window. Nothing but cold and gray. It's like living in a black and white photo.)

A technicolor paradise of bright green palm trees, deep blue waves, bikini-clad sorority girls, and lots and lots of caramel-colored rum are waiting just a short flight away. And to get the party started - and keep it going - you'll need music. Lots of uninterrupted ...More

I have discovered what may very well be man's greatest invention since the shoe horn (every guy should have a shoe horn, by the way): I give you - the Robotic Beer Launching Fridge. John W. Cornwell, a student at Duke, has invented a minifridge that will load itself a beer and catapult it to you across the room - accurate to at least 13 feet. As long as ceiling fans aren't involved.

I know. I didn't believe it at first, either. But watch the video.

Admittedly it's a little rough looking design-wise. And if you're lazy enough to need one, then you probably just did away with the only exercise you previously got. But come on, how jealous would your buddies be if they saw this in action at your pad? You'd have bragging rights until one of your friends trained a beagle to open the fridge and fetch him a beer.

Video link

"Woke up. Got outta bed. Dragged a comb across my head."

While that might have been a day in the life of Paul McCartney, chances are your day is more like: "Woke up. Hit snooze. Woke up again. Hit snooze. Woke up. Realized you were 20 minutes late for work..." etc.

Whether you're a bad "morning person" or just had a particularly late night, (hey, it's not your fault TNT started "True Lies" at 11pm), Rise-N-Shine, a Sparta, NJ, company, says they have the product for you.

Their new supplement, "Wake Up On Time," is designed to get your day started with a bang. (No, not in that way.)

Taken before you hit the hay, Wake Up On Time claims you'll "effortlessly wake right up in the morning feeling alert, happy and ready for anything your demanding schedule throws at you." Um. Sure. They forgot to add "with birds singing and sunshine streaming through your windows". If this little pill can defeat a night out bar-hopping and drinking till 4 am, and still get me up and "ready for anything", (other than drinking a pot of coffee on the couch until mid-afternoon), I'll be impressed.

If you want to give it a shot head over to www.wakeupontime.com.

There's something about following a great dinner with an after-dinner drink. And depending on what your after-dinner plans are, the drink can set the tone.

When the plans require energy late into the night (whether you're going out or staying in) many opt for the old reliable: An energy drink and vodka. That's fine. But there are better, classier, options.

An espresso martini is one of my favorite ways to end a dinner and start a night out. If you don't have access to an espresso maker, you can use espresso flavored vodka. Van Gogh Vodka makes some of the best flavored vodkas I've tasted, and their Double Espresso makes an incredible martini.

Launched last November, Double Espresso has vaulted into first place as Van Gogh’s bestseller, and is a favorite among many bartenders. Each liter is packed with 10 mg. of caffeine, and is low in carbs, unlike energy drinks which have a ton of sugar.

You can shake Double Espresso with ice and serve up as a great, fast and easy espresso martini, or try one of the recipes below. I chose these specifically for their "dessert" appeal after a dinner for two. (Just trying to help set the tone.)

If you want more, Van Gogh has a library of over 8,000 free martini recipes on their website, www.vangoghvodka.com.

Double Espresso Chocolate Martini
1/2 oz. Creme de Cacao Liqueur
2 oz. Van Gogh Double Espresso Vodka

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker. Add crushed ice and let stand for five seconds. Shake vigorously for five seconds. Strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with Hershey`s Chocolate Kiss.

Espresso Chocolate Rhapsody
1/2 oz. Van Gogh Chocolate Raspberry Liqueur
1 oz. Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
1 oz. Van Gogh Espresso or Double Espresso Vodka

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker and add crushed ice. Let stand for five seconds. Shake vigorously for five seconds. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with Hershey's Chocolate Kiss.

Texas Hold ’Em
1 oz. Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
1 oz. Van Gogh Espresso or Double Espresso Vodka
1 oz. Van Gogh Coconut Vodka
A splash of light half & half cream

Shake all ingredients with crushed ice, then strain into a martini glass.

www.vangoghvodka.com

Do blondes have more fun? Do gentlemen prefer blondes? Apparently not. AskMen.com and Sunsilk, maker of products that turn brunettes into blondes and vice versa, conducted a Blondes vs. Brunettes survey, with over 4000 men responding.

What did they find? Nothing good if you're a blonde...

• 59% of men are having one night stands with brunettes vs. 41% with blondes.
• More guys would make a move on a brunette in a bar, if given a choice between the two.
• Over 87% of men said they have more intelligent conversations with brunettes than blondes. (Anyone surprised by this one?)
• Nearly 75 percent plan to marry a brunette, if they haven't already.
• Almost 80 percent of men would prefer to bring a brunette home to meet mom.
• 75% of men prefer to wake up next to a brunette, but 60% said they have an equally good time in bed with both blondes and brunettes. (Apparently 15% just want the blonde to leave after.)

And the stereotypes live on...
Blondes lead the pack in the following categories:
• Life of the party (48% vs. 9%)
• Air head (63% vs. 2%)
• Gold digger (51% vs. 5%)
While brunettes' true colors came through in these categories:
• Intelligent (58% vs. 3%)
• Serious (64% vs. 4%)
• Good sense of humor (32% vs. 15%)

Sorry about that Blondes. If you're upset and need some consoling, and maybe a hug, I'm here. As long as you leave before morning.

Hugh Hefner is, for obvious reasons, one of my heroes. He’s the world's most famous bachelor. His magazine created an entire genre. And his personal style puts everyone else's to shame. The man is living the dream. Actually, he's living multiple dreams. The type of which I once made the mistake of telling a now-ex-girlfriend about.

Now Hef and Playboy introduce their Rock the Rabbit project, which blends cutting-edge music with classic fashion. They recently asked twenty musicians to design a custom line of limited edition T-shirts, placing their own personal stamp on the Rabbit Head brand and logo.

Artists like The Flaming Lips, The Thievery Corporation, Rhymefest, Lil' Jon, and the Trainwreck Riders are involved, each putting a new spin on an old icon. I highly recommend you go to www.rocktherabbit.com to view the designs. (And I promise the site's safe for work.)

Playboy will offer the limited edition Rock the Rabbit shirts at the Playboy Concept Boutique at the Forum Shops, the Playboy Boutique at the Palms - both in Las Vegas - as well as online at www.shopthebunny.com. For $39, you can dress like Hef... without having to resort to wearing silk pajamas in public.

And one final reason to salute Mr. Heffner: The original prototype Ts will be auctioned off to benefit LIFEbeat: The Music Industry Fights AIDS. (www.lifebeat.org)

I turned on the radio this morning and caught the tail end of a discussion about a survey ranking the top five or ten types of guys that get all the women.

I only heard the top four. Numbers 4, 3 and 2 were: Surfer Dude, Musician and Artist. I can see that. One is a laid-back, easy-going, (read: brain-dead, unimposing) guy who is fit, tan, and engages in a relatively dangerous sport. (Cue swooning perky chicks in bikinis.) The other two are sensitive types who "speak" to women through their art. (Cue swooning emotional chicks in all black and heavy eye makeup.)

After much discussion they got to the number one choice. Athletes? Financial Wizards? Guys With a Sense of Humor? Sensitive Types Who Cry During Kodak Commercials? Nope. The number one type of guy women find most attractive is: Guys Who Cook.

So you can ride the waves and write love songs all you want. If you want to score with women, make them dinner. (Have I not been telling you this?)

Can't cook? Learn. (Tip: Watch Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network. Trust me.) And I'll be posting more recipes and tips regularly. Until then, fake it. Start with things that are so easy to prepare you can do it even if you can barely make toast. A good place to start is by finding products and dishes that require minimal cooking skill.

Go get some stuff from Tastefully Simple. They have over 50 gourmet products that are good to go either right out of the box, or by adding one or two other ingredients. Examples? They have a Milan Sunset Pasta Sauce Mix that only requires you to add diced tomatoes and a splash of olive oil. She'll think it's homemade. For dessert they have a number of options that'll make you look like a pastry chef. The easiest is the Chocolate Ugly Cake. Dump the mix and some water into a pan and bake. Spoon into a wine glass, top with fresh raspberries and you're in.

They have soups, seasonings, breads, dressings and snacks as well. Whatever you need to go gourmet. And most products run between $3.99 and $12.99, so she can eat like a queen, without you spending like a king.

Available at www.tastefullysimple.com