From my experience traveling to New York City is never complete without dining in one of the more unique restaurants within Manhattan, the 21 Club, 21 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019.

Once a glamorous speakeasy, today ’21′ is one of the most celebrated restaurants in New York City. In addition to its two restaurants, the Bar Room and ‘Upstairs’, this four-story townhouse features ten private party rooms ideal for celebrations, meetings and banquets, including the legendary Prohibition-era Wine Cellar.

My wife and I dined Upstairs at 21 and had one of the finest dining experiences you can have. Our waiter, Christopher, was by far the best waiter, and I hesitate to call him that, I have ever seen. Calling Christopher simply a waiter is like calling the Mona Lisa a paint by numbers painting. He exceeded every expectation we had.

He seemed to read our minds because he was right there whenever we needed his services and provided the right wine with hardly a description from us of what we wanted. He escorted my wife down the steep stairs when she went to the restroom. He took our picture before dinner and took another after dinner, only after clearing the table and putting down a clean table cloth.

The food was excellent, I had the salmon and thought it was cooked to perfection. The upstairs area is small but not cramped. You get special service, as provided by Christopher, while in the upstairs area. The cost of each meal was $40 which include appetizer, main course and dessert.

There are many places to have a delicious meal in New York City but few give the level of service provided by the 21 Club. Thank you, Christopher. We hope to stop by on our next trip to New York this summer!

If you make your reservation online you get free champagne, which we did.
Oh, and we saw Spamalot after dinner and were entertained. Clay Aiken did a good job as Sir Robin.

From my experience sushi should be judged by quality, not quantity.

There are times when you crave a quantity of SUSHI and you feel the need to go to one of those “All You Can Eat” buffets in town that has SUSHI . D-O-N-’-T!!!! According to the Health Department, these places will not have the best fish or the best storing conditions for what you will be served.

I will just say, quality will win every time. My favorite QUALITY SUSHI Restaurants here in Richmond, VA are Haru Sushi in the Village Shopping Center and Akida on Robinson in the Fan. If you are in the area, you will be pleased with the freshness, creativity, and most of all SAFETY of the food!

Original Pickle click for larger image	Extra Pickles click for larger image

From my experience when you are at a restaurant and asking for another pickle wedge because the pickle wedge that given to you was pathetic in both size and visual presentation, you need to be specific about the reason you are asking for another pickle wedge. Otherwise, you may get another crappy pickle wedge or two. Thank you, Baker’s Crust, for three of the sorriest pickle wedges I ever saw or ate. Yes, I wasn’t too proud to eat them.

Now here is a nice size pickle wedge.

P.S. The Jersey Grinder I ordered was very good.

One of the disadvantages individuals have when going to organic food markets is that it is nearly not possible to tell if the food is really organic by simply looking at it. Regrettably, there are a few growers that take advantage of the new interest in organic foods, get their regular foods to organic food markets, and sell them with the promise they have produced in a truly organic environment. Without insisting on seeing a certificate on their property, several consumers are not really getting for what they are paying.

Before purchasing anything at organic food markets, consumers need to become educated in what all is involved in making organic products. The type of natural products which can be used for pesticides as well as the steps needed to produce organic compost for fertilizer. By knowing what it takes to make organic foods they can ask the best questions of vendors at organic food markets to insure they are getting organic food.

Sometimes, sellers at organic food markets use only natural compost for fertilizers, but if they allow commercial mowing services for example to dump grass clippings into their compost bins, they might inadvertently be adding chemical pesticides in the compost and subsequently in the food they produce. Controlling every factor of their product is an important part of giving certified organic products.

Taste does Not Always Tell a True Story

In addition to there being little or no distinction in the food items at organic food markets than those grown in the traditional environment, the taste is generally the same. While some may claim they can taste the difference, for the most part taste and appearance of organic products can closely resemble those grown with chemical enhancements.

Reputation is all that organic food markets have as far as enhancing their business and most operators will closely guard that reputation. If a vendor is found to be violating the trust of the organic food markets operators, they’ll banned from participating and in some instances, their practices will be made public. It is done not only to ruin the offending vendor but to save the integrity of the market. In todays market, the organic food stores are recommended to have POS cash register or POS computer systems to ease the consumer transactions.

The health advantages and also the help given to the environment is what is driving some people to turn to organic food markets for their food supplies. Occasionally it might be cheaper that commercial organic suppliers, but usually only if the product is considered in season in that area. Similar to traditional farmer’s markets, the organic food markets are open for people who want fresh garden products without the chemicals added.

One of the disadvantages individuals have when going to organic food markets is that it is nearly not possible to tell if the food is really organic by simply looking at it. Regrettably, there are a few growers that take advantage of the new interest in organic foods, get their regular foods to organic food markets, and sell them with the promise they have produced in a truly organic environment. Without insisting on seeing a certificate on their property, several consumers are not really getting for what they are paying.

Before purchasing anything at organic food markets, consumers need to become educated in what all is involved in making organic products. The type of natural products which can be used for pesticides as well as the steps needed to produce organic compost for fertilizer. By knowing what it takes to make organic foods they can ask the best questions of vendors at organic food markets to insure they are getting organic food.

Sometimes, sellers at organic food markets use only natural compost for fertilizers, but if they allow commercial mowing services for example to dump grass clippings into their compost bins, they might inadvertently be adding chemical pesticides in the compost and subsequently in the food they produce. Controlling every factor of their product is an important part of giving certified organic products.

Taste does Not Always Tell a True Story

In addition to there being little or no distinction in the food items at organic food markets than those grown in the traditional environment, the taste is generally the same. While some may claim they can taste the difference, for the most part taste and appearance of organic products can closely resemble those grown with chemical enhancements.

Reputation is all that organic food markets have as far as enhancing their business and most operators will closely guard that reputation. If a vendor is found to be violating the trust of the organic food markets operators, they’ll banned from participating and in some instances, their practices will be made public. It is done not only to ruin the offending vendor but to save the integrity of the market. In todays market, the organic food stores are recommended to have POS cash register or POS computer systems to ease the consumer transactions.

The health advantages and also the help given to the environment is what is driving some people to turn to organic food markets for their food supplies. Occasionally it might be cheaper that commercial organic suppliers, but usually only if the product is considered in season in that area. Similar to traditional farmer’s markets, the organic food markets are open for people who want fresh garden products without the chemicals added.

Your type of drink can say something about who you are – if you believe the marketing companies who target the mass markets with multi-million dollar commercials and campaigns. But how much can this information be trusted?

Enjoying both beers and wines is not a mutually exclusive pastime – I personally drink both and conform with neither stereotypical image of either drinker – I’m not a young stud hanging out with great looking babes in a bar while ice-cold longnecks are guzzled by the truck load nor a wrinkly, liberal-looking, spectacle-wearing foodie with leather patches on my elbows.

The global cultural significance of wine and beer is due mostly to their extremely long histories. Who actually invented beer and wine is lost in time, but both originated from the Middle East and probably have been made since Neolithic times (around 5000 B.C.) – certainly the ancient Egyptians and various empires based to the East of the Mediterranean Sea have documented wines and beers as well as irrefutable archaeological evidence.

Certainly in those ancient times, there was no such thing as an NFL or Nascar event while cheese & wine parties were not exactly on the social menu. The division of potential consumers using marketing, and by extension, social stereotypes for beer and wine markets has created a false picture of who actually drinks them. Since wine producers in California started making headway in international markets bck in the 80’sWine was the alcoholic drink of the masses in Europe and not the upper crust – beer was drunk as water, simply because it was safe to drink due to the alcohol content and in fact, beer was not brewed for the purpose of getting drunk, at least, not in the beginning but to purify water.

Mass production of beer really started in the 20^th Century – in previous centuries other forms of alcohol dominated demand for getting smashed – and wine was one of the dominant beverages. With mass production came mass marketing and for beer sales, blue collar workers were targeted with drinks which were ice-cold and quenched thirst after a hard day’s work. Girls, cars, smiling friends and being Mr. Popular in the bar were all part of the marketing mix thrown at potential beer drinkers being sold on fizzy, yellow brews. The small breweries with a good brew have been left at the margins of the beer industry and appreciated by beer aficionados.

Marketing perception is rarely an accurate reflection of reality, if you consider that wine was discovered probably at an earlier date than beer from the archaeological evidence, wine would appear to have been the caveman’s first choice of fermented brew. If a caveman preferred wine to beer, this hardly matches the marketing perception that beer drinkers do not have taste nor being a hard-working macho-man precludes you from enjoying wine. If you’re looking for a race to drunkeness, while not advisable, wine is a better candidate since it is more potent.

On the other hand, wine experts and followers will probably point to the labor and skill which goes into creating a fine wine – the reality is that brewing beer also requires just as much artistry and imagination as producing a good bottle of plonk. The plethora of small breweries and family-owned brewers that have maintained their tradition for generations gives testimony to the great diversity of skill, taste, and ingenuity when it comes to making the best alcohol possible.

The bottom line – downing a beer or slurping a wine is not predetermined by social status or marketing categorization – it all comes down to one thing no matter who you are or what you do – your own taste.

By Mark Trumper, the guiding force of MaverickLabel.com, the Internet’s leading provider of labels, custom stickers and custom wine labels. From asset labels to shipping labels to custom wine labels, MaverickLabel.com can provide all of your label needs. Call 1-800-537-8816.

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If you have been struggling with targeting throughout your day, you could be missing some urgent nutriments. Taking a supplement that helps support memory function can be exactly what you want to put you back on track. Focus Factor contains all of the nutriments that are most important for perfect brain health. From the 1st time you take this supplement, you may feel sharper, focused and more on top of your game than previously. Here are 4 reasons why you must start a routine with Focus Factor.

1. Approximately 5.3 million US citizens have Alzheimer’s disease. It is the 7th leading reason for death and there is currently no cure. While Focus Factor does not claim to heal this illness, it increases the levels of neurotransmitter acetylcholine which aid in learning and memory functions of the brain. The natural substance that is used to help in this positive memory function is DMAE. DMAE is in tiny amounts in the brain and is known to have significant brain enhancement effects. It is in fish and works to stop memory loss in older adults and reduces the quantity of age spots that show up on the brain.

2. Folks use energy drinks to get them thru the day. What may be considered a dearth of energy may very well translate into a scarcity of focus. Energy drinks can be very damaging to someone that is afflicted with foreboding. The high amount of sugar will most likely bring on a nervous feeling that is doubled for an individual who is already anxious. Botanical extracts, such as Bacopa, Huperzine and Vinpocetine are used in the supplement Focus Factor and do not have any of these negative side effects. The extracts are even known to provide positive advantages for someone with epilepsy or foreboding. It’ll support concentration and memory function without any negative side-effects.

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Give Focus Factor a try today and see how it can achieve an advantage your body. Free trials are available. ‘These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product isn’t intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.’

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