A few items that caught my eye:

  • Red Wine May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer: A new Cedars-Sinai study shows that drinking moderate amounts of red wine may lower the risk of breast cancer. Please define “moderate amounts”. I want to make sure I’m getting enough.
  • Newsworthy for those of us in NY’s Capital Region: Mazzone Hospitality has launched its “Angelo’s Preferred” rewards program, which gives customers reward dollars based on purchases. You earn 1 point for every dollar spent at participating locations and every time you reach 500 points you get a $25 gift card automatically added to your Rewards Card (plus, you get a $10 Reward just for registering for the card). Additional benefits include rewards on your birthdays and anniversaries (my birthday is coming up soon – February 3 – in case you’re thinking of getting me a little something), and some other perks.   You can accumulate points at the following Mazzone properties: Angelo’s 677 Prime, Angelo’s Tavolo (Scotia), The Inn at Glen Sanders Mansion, Patron’s Club at the Hall of Springs, Aperitivo Bistro (Schenectady), Prime at Saratoga National, and the New Prime Bar & Grill in Clifton Park.  Go get your card: www.angelospreferred.com.
  • If you like Starbucks (which I do – I really really do), then you should head over to your local shop this weekend for a free tasting of their new roasts, and cast your vote for the one you love most. Starbucks even promises a thank you gift. The tastings will be going on in the US this Thursday-Saturday (Jan 12-14). Canadians have to wait til February 9-11 for their tasting. Ha ha, Canucks. That’ll teach you not to live where it’s so damn cold that it takes a whole extra month to get there.
  • thaaat's right...bring it right over here....

    Take a look around the office – someone there is bound to be carrying around that blasted Girl Scout Cookie order form. Yes, it’s Girl Scout Cookie Time and I’ve succumbed to the crushing pressure of extra calories to help my friend’s daughter earn a badge (you’re welcome, Joe). And coincidentally, Bob also ordered two boxes from his friend’s daughter. So now we’ve got SIX FREAKING BOXES OF COOKIES coming to our house.  I’m really only half-complaining: one of those boxes will contain my beloved Samoas. Yeah, baby. Also arriving with our order: this year’s new cookie, the Savannah Smiles.  Savannah Smiles are wedge-shaped lemon cookies, dusted with powdered sugar.  They’re named after the place where Girl Scouting began, in honor of the Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary. DAMN YOU GIRL SCOUT GOODNESS. Don’t you know I went on a(nother) diet this year???

  • Speaking of diets, are you feeling a bit filthy on the inside? Do you feel the need…the need to cleanse? Well, our pal Gwyneth Paltrow is offering readers of goop, her ridiculously awful “lifestyle website”, the opportunity to shell out $425 for the goop cleanse. The cleanse consists of…oh, who the f*** cares. Gwyneth Paltrow, you skinny bitch, you can kiss my ass. I’ve got an idea – how about a 99¢ Beefy 5-Layer Burrito from Taco Bell? Same results, 0.23% of the cost.

Well, I’m so disgusted by the thought of Gwynnie’s cleanse that I need to end this here.