Have YOU Heard of 800-GOOG-411?

I always seem to find out about cool stuff well after everyone else. I am a low-tech, day-late, dollar-short kind of guy. For the longest time, I thought TiVO was a salad dressing. I was also under the impression that an iPod was a newly discovered antioxidant plant material.
Needless to say, I eventually found out what all these things are--like a year later. That's why I wasn't surprised to discover that I am one of the last people in my circle of friends to find out about what's called 800-GOOG-411.
What is it? Well, 800-GOOG-411 is a free phone information system, just like good old Pac Bell's 411, but better. I love Google! They're coming up with great new things all the time, and the best thing is--they're usually free. What an amazing company Google is.
Basically, 800-GOOG-411 allows you to find phone numbers and addresses. But, the best thing about it is that you can also search for types of businesses.
So, if you want to locate a strip club in Antioch, all you have to do is say the city name and then say "strip clubs." Then it gives you the top 8 in the category (some place named "Good Time Girls" is number one, for those who are interested.)
You can find places by city name, zip code, or even cross streets. So, it's ideal if you're traveling out of town and don't know the area.
But, the best thing is--it's free. Every time you call the standard 411, the phone comapny charges you anywhere between fifty cents to more than a dollar, so you can save a ton of money with 800-GOOG-411 if you call 411 a lot, like I do.
Plus, half the time 411 operators give you the wrong number, which means you have to go back and bitch at them until they give you a credit, which can take months to appear on your bill.
Hats off to Google for once again making our lives a little easier...and less expensive. Now if we can just persuade Chevron to start giving away free gas!
For more information about this great service, check out Google's blog.

Nautica Watches

When John Rimaldi asked me what time it was yesterday, I looked proudly at my Nautica watch and said, "It's 6:01, man."

"Are you sure?" he asked me.

"Yes."

"'Cause it feels like 6:05, 6:06, maybe."

"Then why did you ask?"

"I thought you'd know."

Now I was mad.

"You see this watch, John? This is one of those Nautica watches. Do you know what that means?"

"Uh, whaa?" John was on his heels now and I knew I had his attention.

I was yelling now.

"If you ask a guy with a Nautica on his wrist what time it is, don't question it, buddy! A Nautica never falters and always gives the correct, precise time. Not one millisecond off ever...EVER...capice?"

Before I could think about it, I had John by the collar and he was shaking.

"Yeah, I get the point," John said. "And I'll be getting a Nautica--tomorrow!"

Do you think Brad Pitt ever had a zit?

Brad Pitt is probably the biggest heart throb out there in the celebrity world today (ahead of even George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Beetlejuice) and every time I see him I always wonder--did this guy ever have a single zit in his life? Some people get all the breaks. Some guys get all the luck. I bet Brad Pitt wakes up hung over looking better than 99.9% of the men out there on the planet today. I doubt it ever happened, but if Brad had a zit, he should probably know about http://www.acenecuresrevealed.com/, so that he could purchase some pimple cream online. Even the best-looking guys on the planet need a little help now and again!

Waterbar Has Seafood to Dive For!

With spectacular interiors, an incredible view of the bay and some of the finest seafood I’ve ever eaten, the Waterbar is a new gem in San Francisco that represents all of the culinary greatness, creativity and passion this city’s food scene has to offer. Highly successful restaurateur Pat Kuleto has designed a place that has it all. Kuleto has now opened eight restaurants in the Bay Area that all do incredible business and garner top reviews. It seems as though everything the man touches turns into gold and Waterbar is surely no exception.

The restaurant seats 275 diners in two dining rooms, a private dining area upstairs and an outside patio that can accommodate 50 patrons. Two 1,500 gallon aquariums containing assorted aquatic life are the focal point of Waterbar, especially when the moray eels come out of their underwater lairs. The swimming fish are fun to watch, but the real stars of this show are the fish coming out of the kitchen, many of them having been roasted in a wood-burning oven.

The foundation of Chef Parke Ulrich’s menu is built on seafood that is sustainable and local, with an emphasis on fish that has been harvested in an environmentally responsible manner. Ulrich, who was the executive chef at Farallon for more than a decade, is a veteran expert around seafood and it shows in every dish we had the pleasure of sampling the other night when we visited Waterbar.

To get the meal rolling, we had several delicious salads and appetizers, including Emma’s Favorite Salad (named after Ulrich’s daughter) featuring fuji apple, endive and aged gouda grilled cheese; a Dungeness Crab Gratin, with roasted bone marrow and truffle glacage; a Sweet Fennel Salad with green olives, orange and Pecorino Romano; and a Sea Scallop Ceviche, with sweet potato, smoked salt and paprika oil. The salads were so much better than the standard Caesar and garden salads you find at many restaurants. I am so tired of those types of salads. And the ceviche was so fresh I thought the scallops might still be alive.

For our entrees, two of our party of four had what the Waterbar calls The Rock Cod “Colbert”, which the menu describes as “our version of fish and chips.” It’s basically an entire fish that’s been deep-fried, slathered with a wonderful remoulade sauce and served on a bed of citrus coleslaw. Accompanied by some of the best French fries I’ve ever encountered, I would have to say that this dish is one of the more memorable fish offerings I’ve ever had anywhere. They keep the head and the tail on the fish, but fillet the body, so you won’t have to worry about a bunch of bones while eating this gastronomical wonder. I wouldn’t want to get my cholesterol levels tested after eating “The Colbert”, but while I was eating it I didn’t care. It is crispy without being greasy and full of interesting flavors and textures.

Our friends ordered the Grilled Wreckfish with potato gnocchi, English peas, bacon and red wine; and the One Pound Petrale Sole. Both dishes were expertly prepared and artfully presented. Other interesting items on Waterbar’s menu include things for non-seafood lovers, such as a New York Steak, served with asparagus, sun choke hash and caramelized onions, and a Heritage Pork Chop, with butter beans, fennel, aged sherry and an olive relish. They also have a wide assortment of oysters, crab, and shrimp dishes.

The desserts we sampled at Waterbar, many of which were conceived by Executive Pastry Chef Emily Luchetti, were sensational. We had the Ice Cream Sandwiches with a milk chocolate sauce; a Warm Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Cake with coffee ice cream; a Strawberry Cream Parfait with mascarpone and meringue; and a Champagne Sorbet. Waterbar also offers a wide range of specially selected cheeses from all over the world.

The bar/lounge at Waterbar features a wide selection of beers, wine and cocktails, including a mean daiquiri and some specialty cocktails created by the restaurants top mixologists. They also have a 23-page wine list, crafted by Steve Izzo that features current vintages and old classics.

Waterbar
399 Embarcadero (near Folsom)
San Francisco
(415) 284-9922
http://www.waterbarsf.com/

To see more of my restaurant reviews, visit http://www.bestofbayarea.com/

Acne: There IS a Solution!

When I was a teenager (way back in the '70s) if you had bad acne, you pretty much had to live with it. Well, things sure have changed. With the new technologies, people with acne have more solutions available than ever. There is a great Web site called www.acnecuresrevealed.net that can really help you find the best acne remedy for you. Don't get depressed or give up hope if you suffer from bad acne. Check out this site and clear up problem acne today. Like they say--zits are the s--ts! It CAN be healed and it should be healed!

Screen Your Employees!

In today's recruiting and hiring world, you never know who you're going to get when you take an employee on board. That's why a good employment screening service is so valuable. You see the guy in this photo? Sure, he has a great resume. His references had nothing but incredible things to say about him. His track record is unmatched and unquestioned. But, after he's been working for your company for a few months, you find out the truth-he's an Internet porn addict, bed wetting miscreant with a major crack problem. If you'd only screened him better, you wouldn't have the problems you have now. So, save yourself a lot of heartache-get a good employment screening system today!

Nomar Hurt Again?

While Dodger fans are obviously psyched about getting Manny Ramirez, the fact remains that this team is still not ready to make a run at postseason play. There are still way too many questions marks, one of which has to do with the physical condition of Nomar Garciaparra.
For the past few seasons, Nomar has been unable to stay off of the disabled list. This seems to happen to many players in his age group. Once the injury bug hits, it becomes an ongoing thing. Nomar has had a long list of ailments and every time it seems as though he’ll be able to play on a regular basis, something comes up.

Questions about Nomar’s health abound-is it poor conditioning? Has he simply lost his ability to perform as he did in the past? Or is it just bad luck? Only time will tell.
Regardless, Garciaparra is back on the disabled list once again-for the third time this season. It’s got to be frustrating for a competitive, top-tier player like Nomar. And the fans can’t be happy. The man has to feel guilty as well—pulling down a big salary to sit on the bench or languish at home. In the meantime, the Dodgers are three games out of first place and could be fading fast, Manny Ramirez or not.
If you’re a Dodger supporter like me, this is a time of hope. But, I fear it’s a false hope. The team will not be able to catch the Diamondbacks if they continue to lose players to injury and underachieve.
This appeared on http://www.cbssportsline.com/ today:
The Dodgers made room for Manny Ramirez on the active roster Friday by placing infielder Nomar Garciaparra on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
Garciaparra, who had been starting at shortstop, was injured Sunday making a tag while covering third base against the Washington Nationals. Garciaparra was placed on the DL retroactive to Monday, and will be eligible to come off Aug. 12 when the Dodgers play Philadelphia in the second game of a four-game series.
This is Garciaparra's third trip to the disabled list this season. He missed the first 14 games while recovering from a fractured bone in his right hand, and was sidelined for 62 games from April 26 to July 3 with a strained left calf. He is hitting .279 with five homers and 19 RBI in 27 games.
"He's been working at it and he's getting better, but he's still a long way from being that shortstop that can go to his left and to his right," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "Basically, we talked to him about this yesterday and he was resistant to it based on the fact that he was getting better and he felt that he could help the ballclub.
"Even though he may be able to play in 12 days instead of 15, I think we can take this luxury now that we have Manny and we've got a little more bench strength. He's just taking one for the team, basically."
Ramirez, acquired from the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, made his debut for the Dodgers on Friday night against Arizona, playing left field and batting cleanup.

Halloween Parties Are Almost Here!

I love Halloween! It's one of my favorite times of the year, with all the inventive costumes, awesome parties and trick or treating. I remember how much I loved the Halloween season when I was a kid. I was amazed that you could actually walk up to someone's house and that they would GIVE you FREE candy! What a great tradition. When I was about 10, I even went back to a couple of houses in our neighborhood the day after Halloween to see if they would give me candy again. Of course, the didn't--but you can't fault a guy for trying! Anyway, now is the time to start thinking about sending out Halloween invitations if you're having a costume party! Whether you're a boy or a ghoul, Halloween is one of the best nights of the year!

My 2008 NFL Fantasy Team: Am I Dreaming?

Last week I did my 16th annual NFL Fantasy Draft on my annual Houseboat Lowlife Weekend. I won the first year (1992) and again in 1998, but I have not won since. I seem to have lost my touch.

Last season I was in first place but then dropped my last six games (Ouch!)

The main reason for my demise was the fact that my first two picks got hurt.

(RB Larry Johnson and WR Marvin Harrison)

In last week's draft, I chose 7th and was surprised when Brian Westbrook (pictured) was still available.

With my second pick, I selected Terrell Owens. (If he doesn't get suspended for over celebrating or tries to committ suicide, I think he'll have a great year.)

I went with a RB with my third pick and took Lawrence Maroney (I think New England will run more in '08 and that he will get most of the carries)

I then had to go for a QB, so I took Derek Anderson from the Browns (I think Cleveland makes the playoffs this season)

Some of my other risky picks:

Trent Edwards, QB, Buffalo

Frank Taylor, RB, Jaguars

Donte Stallworth, WR, Browns

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons (do you think he'll get to start?)

Hines Ward, WR, Steelers

NY Giants Defense

Any fantasy gurus out there? Let me know what you think of this team.

Sales Make People Happy!

Why is this guy (or girl) smiling ear-to-ear? (Well, he or she would be if they had ears) Well, because they heard about the great sale taking place right now on http://www.buy.com/, the web site where you can find some of the greatest deals in the entire universe. Sales are an everyday thing at http://www.buy.com/; they're the tradition rather than the exception. You can $ave big bucks by accessing this site and ordering things from electronics to jewelry. So, if you want to smile like the person in the photo above, get online and get to http://www.buy.com/ right now. To wait would be frivolous and foolish!