10 restaurants to watch out for in 2011 (New York Times)

here are 10 dining places that, according to New York Times, are worth spending your hard-earned $$ on this year (2011).

nope, we're not just talking about the tab (although i'm willing to bet half of my annual salary that it would be quite hefty, too). you also have to factor in travel expenses (fare, accommodations, etc.), because these restaurants are located in various parts of the globe.

1. Aponiente
El Puerto de Santa María, Spain

2. Benu
San Francisco, CA (USA)

3. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
London, UK

4. M. Wells
Long Island City, NY (USA)

5. Mirazur
Menton, France

6. Mamofuku
Sydney, AUstralia

7. Restaurant Andre
Singapore

8. Restaurante Garzon
Garzon, Uruguay

9. Tickets
Barcelona, Spain

10. Willows Inn
Lummi Island, WA (USA)

hmmm... this makes for a nice screen cap but frankly, for most of us these establishments will remain as interesting items on a vaunted list -- like exotic species to be gawked at but unlikely to be savored.

but for those with deep-lined pockets, bon appetit!

more coffee news

being a huge coffee fan, i'm always on the lookout for any news or interesting developments that could put a positive spin on the art of drinking coffee in particular and coffee industry in general.

so, now if you're looking for a something that's a bit more rooted in hard science, you ought to check this article from New York Times, Heartwarming News on Coffee.


or if you want to get down to the nuts-and-bolts of the whole thing, you can go straight to this online piece on Scientific American.

there's some caution for lady coffee drinkers though. according to an Australian news website, women who drink an average of at least 3 cups of coffee a day may be in danger of 'shrinkage' -- in short, a Swedish study found a link between coffee intake and a decrease in women's breast size.

hmmm... i guess what we ought to keep in mind here is that most sensible of all warnings: "everything in moderation"

over a cup of coffee

after going through headlines, i decided to search for news relating to coffee houses and came up with a few interesting articles that might amuse some of you coffee drinkers out there.

here's an interesting item regarding best-selling authors and coffee shops -- or rather, the way coffee shops seem to inspire would-be authors to reach their goal.


and here's also a way for aspiring poets to share their work, although this seems to be more or less geared towards a specific group. nevertheless since this involves cafes, we might as well check this out.

now, here's an intriguing question: are there simply too many coffee houses out there? this article should provide with some sort of an answer.

happy reading folks. and here's a toast to you all!