Information Overload

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is filling and inexpensive fast food. Their "mini" plates are often more than enough for a single serving. Some menu items are healthier than others. It'll be interesting to find out how catering from their San Francisco restaurant turns out for today's lunch... (Strangely, they don't have an option to deliver plates or utensils.) It's totally a coincidence that today happens to be December 7!

Happy Meal Toys To Cost 10¢ Extra In San Francisco

Heh, San Francisco's so-called "Heathy Food Incentives Ordinance" (Section 471.1–471.9) goes into effect tomorrow. The law prohibits restaurants from including free "incentive items" such as toys with meals if they don't meet the city's nutritional guidelines. Thus, McDonald's in San Francisco will begin charging an extra 10¢ for Happy Meal toys. Proceeds will be donated to local Ronald McDonald House Charities.

BK Chef's Choice Burger

Tried a BK Chef's Choice Burger on Black Friday. It tastes slightly better than a WHOPPER, and has 20 fewer calories. The real-life hamburger this infrequent Burger King patron received also looked like its marketing glamor shots, which is somewhat impressive, and disturbing. Excluding the convenience factor, it would have been worth paying a few bucks more for a burger from Super Duper.

Polar Bear Cooler

Living in the city makes it less convenient to store and lug around a large ice chest. Polar Bear Coolers are heavily insulated, soft sided coolers that fold flat. The company claims that they can keep ice for 24 hours in 100 degree heat. Haven't had a chance to test their marketing to the max, but it's definitely plausible given how cool the 48 pack model with 6 Icy Cools (100% purified, frozen water) mats kept food for half a day in the trunk of a hot car.

The Melt

The Melt (located a couple of SF blocks from The Sentinel) specializes in gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. $10 scores "The Classic" (PDF) combo consisting of a tasty grilled sharp cheddar with smoked bacon sandwich, a cup of competant tomato soup, a tiny plastic bag of potato chips, and a mini "The Melt" binder clip that keeps one's receipt attached to "The Melt" brown bag. Might opt for two sandwiches next time...

Penryn 2011 Food Bazaar

Enjoy the first weekend of Fall (September 24–25) at the 47th Annual Placer Buddhist Church Food Bazaar in Penryn, CA (right off Interstate 80 between Roseville and Auburn). The event known for the best barbeque chicken teriyaki in town runs Saturday (11am–5pm) and Sunday (11am–4pm) this year. Bingo is also back on both days in the air-conditioned hall!

My Coke Rewards

My Coke Rewards is actually a rewarding loyalty program for drinkers of Coca-Cola beverages. (Unfortunately, there are no puntos to be had for Coca-Cola Mexicano.) Membership is free and there are sweepstakes that can be entered without using any points. Tangible rewards such as a free 20-ounce bottle of Coke cost as little as 30 points, but members are better off spending 20 points for $10 off a $100 gift card.

Cake-Off4Kids 2011

Cake4Kids, a non-profit that bakes free birthday cakes for kids who might otherwise not have one, is holding a Cake-Off4Kids event one week from today in Sunnyvale. Cake tasting tickets sold out fast, but there's still limited space for cake entries in categories such as Ultimate Chocolate, Best Decorated, Best Tasting, Gluten Free, and Kids (under 16).

Safeway

Safeway is awesome. Their produce can be so-so, but they otherwise carry pretty much everything this shopper needs at reasonable prices. Unlike Whole Foods, employees of Safeway are generally trained in providing a decent level of customer service. Some Safeway stores even feature a self checkout option. They deliver, but it's totally worth the drive since their Market Street location in San Francisco features ample parking.

Grayline Housewares 12 Can Beverage Dispenser

Grayline Housewares "259 12 Can Beverage Dispenser" is a slick piece of coated bent wire for organizing 12-ounce soda cans in a refridgerator, or other flat surface. Cans load from the top-front and effortlessly slide down-back to the lower level, which makes the Grayline much better than throwing a 12-pack cardboard box into the fridge.