The holiday (food) spirit has my engine revving, so a simple comparison comes to mind. Who wants to eat a microwaveable Christmas dinner if you can have one homemade? The same goes for Mexican food, yet too frequently people disregard this essential element in a potentially delicious and nutritious gustatory experience.

Pinches Tacos delivers on the home cooking front; everything is extremely fresh and made from scratch. This is real Mexican food, the way it's supposed to be. It's family-run and downright delicious: no waiters in funny costumes assault you, and neither does sauce from a can. Just walk up to the counter, order from the myriad options, and then take your skull-emblazoned number to the table of your choice.

My favorite Pinches Tacos delight is, well, a taco. Given its name, one would hope that the tacos are incredible, and indeed they are. The best on the menu? The Taco Camaron. I don't usually enjoy shrimp, but this tasty treat has me ordering not one, but two, to the elation of my stomach and the envy of all the gawkers driving by... More >> ..

Maestro Dobel has hit New York! The world's first-ever diamond clear-aged silver tequila, it is, like a diamond, judged by four C's: clarity, complexity, crispness, and craftsmanship. A unique blend of reposado, anejo, and extra-anejo tequilas, Maestro won't be available in New York until 2009, but I was lucky enough to try this unique elixir at a tasting event held at Bijoux Lounge.

 

The lounge was dark and cozy, and all the tables and couches were lined with diamonds-an ambiance that contributed to the chic and innovative flavors of the tequila. A variety of drinks created by STK LA's Pablo Moixx were served, all of which tasted amazing. Although I have to say that my favorite drink of the night was Maestro on the rocks with a splash of lime, I was for the first time able to sip a glass of straight tequila and truly enjoy it. Heavy hors d'oeuvres were passed, as well; just like the tequila, they titillated the tastebuds... More >> ..

Justin has been searching for a New York City pad for some time now, and has finally decided to purchase. His new condo cost him $4.774 million, boasts three bedrooms, and has an amazing 2,995 square feet of living space, giving him plenty of room to work on his new dance moves. The condo occupies the entire fifth floor of the Pearline Soap Factory condo building in the TriBeCa neighborhood (414 Washington St). Some of the condo's features include:
         - Three baths
         - 14 floor-to-ceiling arched windows facing in all four directions
         - Views of the Hudson River
         - A gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances
         - A 52-foot-long living/dining room
         - A wine cooler
         - Electronically powered shades
         - A sound system
Now Timberlake and his gal Jessica will have an NYC condo in which to lay their heads next time they're in the city... More >> ..

On September 11, 2008, just over two months ago, gas prices had skyrocketed and my boy Diddy was ranting on YouTube that he had been forced to fly commercial because the bicoastal life plus the private jet was becoming too costly. He begged the government to intervene. And intervene they did, by bailing out my banker buds as we watched markets reach historic lows.

And then there were the automotive industry's Three Stooges, the ones from Detroit who couldn't get the message that flying three separate private jets to their congressional bailout hearing in D.C. was going to cause consternation (see the opening sketch of November 22's Saturday Night Live for further information).

But this morning's headlines tell me that gas prices are at a three-year low, averaging under $2 a gallon nationally. You know what that means? It means I want to party like it's 1999 (when gas was just over a dollar a gallon), and rock the PJs wherever I go-so long as Big Brother Al Gore isn't looking over my shoulder... More >> ..

Thanksgiving is a time to appreciate all of the intangible and priceless aspects of American life handed down to us by the Indians, like whiskey, casinos, and those little red forehead dots. Of course there are also the more discrete gifts, such as the constant availability of hamburgers and frappuccinos, and the educational programming of the E! network, all of which were made possible by the Indians' so graciously offering to move away from the coasts to places that Caucasians are unable to inhabit, like Canada, and the many mid-American states whose names have been long since forgotten.

Also, let's not forget the season's many uses for pumpkin, which is an integral part of my autumnal sex life: the scent of warm pumpkin is one of the strongest aphrodisiacs for women over age 38, surpassed only by the odors of bunion cream and diapers.

In contrast to her relatively taciturn partner, Victoria Beckham grew up as the daughter of a wealthy engineer, who loved to embarrass the famous brunette by dropping her off in the family's Rolls Royce. Young Vicki once claimed that she felt victimized by her family's ostentatious habits, though she matured (as most members of the elite, thankfully, do), and eventually accepted the nickname "Posh" with good grace.

 

In an ironic twist, Victoria's spouse was meanwhile circling the suburbs of London, kicking soccer balls and posing in front of mirrors-two talents that created both the world's largest sports superstar and one of People's "Sexiest Men Alive."

 

David Beckham grew up in Leytonstone, a modest suburban area in the eastern section of London. The country's favorite footballer only spent two years in the three-bedroom Victorian townhouse, but that was enough to spark international focus on its recent sale... More >> ..

Teddy's, the subdued oasis tucked privately away from the trash-filled yet glittering street that is Hollywood Boulevard, captured my heart quite some time ago. Our longstanding love affair began when I turned the ripe old age of 21. Some may scoff at my presumed naiveté, as I am now only a marginally riper and older 22, but in Hollywood, a yearlong love affair constitutes quite a track record.

I fell for Teddy's ambiance first. Burnt-orange candlelight seeped through the darkness. The beat came next: the jams Frankie and Sam pump up are just loud enough. And I felt pretty slick when I bared my infamous black-light-visible-only admittance stamp to the doorman upon re-entry after a mad dash through The Roosevelt's lobby to the ladies' room. But these delights are just pieces in the puzzle that, once complete, reads, "Teddy's es numero uno en mi corazon."

What truly makes Teddy's lovable is the atmosphere... More >> ..

When invited by my buddy Ted to dinner at a bakery, I was skeptical. I'm not one to enjoy pizza for breakfast or eggs for dinner, unless the pizza is Gordon Ramsay's £100 pie at Maze in Grosvenor Square or the eggs come in the form of Norma's Thousand-dollar Omelet at Le Parker Meridien. But I digress.

Swarming with a mixture of hipsters, cougars, gays, and an actress from Heroes (which will hopefully be cancelled by NBC before I can be tortured with bad writing for too much longer), Mani's clientele bespeaks its location at the intersection of Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Hancock Park.

Disclaimer: At Mani's, you pay 25 percent more for any menu item than you would at most places. But Mani's is committed to using organic products, so you get what you pay for. Mani's Mango Avocado Salad offers a great example. Combining my favorite sweet fruit with my favorite luscious fruit (which I actually consider a vegetable), it's described on the menu as follows: "Take a tropical vacation on your lunch break with slices of fresh mango, avocado, red onions, and chopped tomatoes on fresh mixed greens... More >> ..

Everybody knows that Jesus was a big fan of prostitution, but it's a lesser-known fact that he also created the first bagel when Madame Magdalene decided to use a loaf of bread as part of their bedroom antics. A few days later, JC was sending some luke warm soup back in a restaurant. He got angry and smashed his fist on some nearby seafood, and the miracle of bagels and lox lives on today. Shalom!

Personally, my favorite way to enjoy them is to eat one half at a time, with the other half covering where my bald spot would be if I were actually kosher, and then say something in Yiddish like "You shorted me on change by three cents!" or "Oy, I think I'm catching a cold!"

Tom Colicchio has finally completed a project that was two years in the making. After clearing a year's worth of alternate Tuesday nights, Colicchio debuted his tasting menu back in October. The open kitchen, which is next to his restaurant Craft, only seats thirty-two. The tasting menu, called Tom: Tuesday Dinner, offers seasonal ingredients and platings hand-crafted by Colicchio himself; Colicchio has pledged his presence at every single seating. To guarantee a seat, reservations must be made six months in advance, parties must number either two or four, and parties cannot total more than four people.

All the food offered at these tasting dinners comes from local markets. Colicchio believes that "foods that grow together, go together," and the nine-course tasting menu may change at the last minute depending on market availability. Dishes such as "Hudson Valley Rabbit with Black Truffle, Bacon, and Chestnuts" and "Sweetbreads with Marinated Grapes" demonstrate the synergy between seasonal ingredients and Colicchio's skill... More >> ..

Native New Yorkers avoid them and tourists are drawn to them; the lighted billboards in Times Square are famous. While many billboards have garnered attention for their controversial content, the one sponsored by Ricoh Americas Corporation is famous for a reason that everyone can agree is a positive one: their $3 million advertising surface is powered by wind and solar power. The billboard can store enough backup power to light up when conditions are less than optimal (i.e., gloomy or still) for up to four days.

The billboard is situated across from the most popular place in the world to be on New Year's Eve: 1 Times Square, where the ball drops. Its sixteen turbines can generate energy at wind levels of just five miles an hour, and it also boasts 64 solar panels. While lease numbers have not yet been released, use of the billboard is projected to come in at around $200,000 a month, with a three-month lease required to leverage the advertising power of the famous corner... More >> ..

When Scottish author J.M. Barrie penned Peter Pan in 1904, young audiences were enchanted by the elaborate fantasy world filled with free-spirited youth and time-hating pirates. They still are. But as most mortals do grow up, these interpretations melt with age, and rational old-timers instead see Peter Pan as a naïve child who never matured and adapted to reality. No wonder Michael Jackson chose Barrie's psychologically numb protagonist to inspire his infamous Neverland Ranch, where tykes came to live out their youthful fantasies-or those of Jackson.

 

Nestled among Santa Barbara's vineyards, the Neverland Ranch served as a complex playground, complete with theme park rides and endless corners in which children could lose themselves in play. Despite the property's questionable owner-an '80s pop sensation whose crotch-grabbing won him his fame-parents still allowed Tinkerbell to whisk their children off to this twisted universe... More >> ..

Like TLC, JFK, and WMD, BBQ is one of the great mysteries of the acronym world. No one really knows what it means. The common assumption is that it means either "dirty" or "delicious" (or both) in some long lost, Deep South dialect. I first learned of the art of BBQ during a short tryst with Kathy Bates (back in her sexy "Fried Green Tomatoes" days). She won me over with her intense stares from across a crowded restaurant, her chin dripping with tempting BBQ sauce (prior to this I was unaware as to what the reddish-brown liquid was, and I was intrigued by someone who put chocolate on a brisket, or who ordered brisket in general).

Of course, it got gross quickly, as sex with the heavier set usually does (except for Camryn Manheim, of course... she gets me every time with those sexy, form fitting, lawyerly pantsuits). However, I did take something from the experience: I now use BBQ sauce in all my plus-sized sexual endeavors (apparently as they get older the craving switches from cake to BBQ).

While many people are paring down their Christmases because of the worldwide recession, it's business as usual in the Takashimaya Department Store in Tokyo, Japan. The first floor of the department store is known for its extensive luxury food selection. Packaged in decorative boxes, these items are meant to be given as gifts.

But Takashimaya recently revealed the centerpiece of their Christmas 2008 gift collection: a chicken stuffed with truffles and foie gras. The price tag on this holiday entrée? $859.

These are no ordinary Perdue chickens. The aristocratic birds will be flown in from Landes, France, to be stuffed with a mixture of black truffles, white sausage, foie gras, and chestnuts. One chicken is said to serve six to eight people. Only twelve will be available this year, and only one has been reserved for Christmas Eve so far, but the spokesperson from Takashimaya is optimistic that the rest will sell, pointing out that it's still early in the holiday season... More >> ..

There's nothing better than starting your day with a warm stack of pancakes, short or tall, fresh off the griddle and slathered in butter and syrup. Actually, pancakes are pretty fabulous at any hour of the day.

Located atop L.A.'s famed Sunset Tower Hotel, The Terrace serves its own perfect pancake. This decadent version, however, is savory, in contrast to the traditional sweet breakfast-hour treat. Crispy yet light, The Terrace's lobster-stuffed potato pancakes are a luxurious take on a classic: large chunks of lobster nestle inside a potato pancake pocket. Drizzled with a marvelous black truffle sauce, the pancakes melt in your mouth as you enjoy a symphony of perfectly balanced flavors on your palate.

It may be a challenge, but take your time enjoying this dish: the crisp and creamy potatoes, smooth lobster, and sharp but not overpowering truffle sauce deserve the attention.