Tasty Benefits of Giving at the Spoonful of Ginger Gala Boston

By: Jessica Cickay

At the 8th Annual Spoonful of Ginger gala to benefit the Joslin Asian American Diabetes Initiative (AAID), I successfully managed to enjoy not only a spoonful, but a forkful, a bowlful and, true to my eating style, a how-can-I-fit-more-plates-in-my-handful of tasty bites for an important cause. For more information about this cause, click here. Hosted in the Museum of Fine Arts’ Art of the Americas Wing, the event allowed guests to learn the tasty benefits of giving. Giving their time, their knowledge, their voices and their donations, guests received exactly the intended goal of the AAID: “A one-of-a-kind food tasting event featuring Boston’s finest culinary artists.”

Healthy and Happy: Taste Testing the Revamped McDonald's Happy Meal

By: Finance Foodie

McDonald’s is launching a new Happy Meal campaign that engages families in the benefits of balanced eating and active play, aiming to make nutrition fun for kids. The campaign launched a few weeks ago nationwide and includes the following initiatives:

* Nationwide availability of McDonald’s new Happy Meal that automatically comes with apple slices and a new kid-size fry

* New Happy Meal TV Advertisements, will be the first that support McDonald’s nutrition commitment to promote nutrition and/or active lifestyle messages.

* "Happy Meal Chefs" contest gives two parent and child teams the opportunity to help in the creation and testing of new, nutrition-minded Happy Meal choices alongside McDonald's executive chef Dan Coudreaut. Beginning now through April 18, the contest is seeking top inspiring stories from families who enjoy cooking with wholesome ingredients at family mealtime. Ten kids will win and trip to the 2012 London Olympic Games and two will name honorary “Happy Meal Chefs.” Families can enter at happymealchefs.mcdonalds.com

Bahr Che -- Hop Over to the Hip New Wine Bar on Astor Place

By: Anne M. Raso  

Bahr Che is located on the side of a posh apartment building called the Gwathmey Siegal Apartments on the highly gentrified Astor Place--and it is quite easy to walk past. But don't let that happen to you! When you walk inside, you'll find the minimalist modern atmosphere relaxing (this is not a loud NYC students' "hang" like the nearby joints on St. Mark's Place). I went there more for the bites than the wine (Bahr Che called itself a "wine and cheese charcuterie"), and was pleasantly surprised. Let me point out that everyone on the staff know the wines there inside and out and offer you at least a few free pours before you have to pick! That sort of wine knowledge and generosity should be at the core of any Manhattan wine bar, and it's not! You'll find the staff friendly and hip--but most importantly, helpful.

Getting "Goony" Seann William Scott & Liev Schreiber - A Quick Q&A For Their New Film Goon!

By: Anne M. Raso

We were lucky enough to catch up with Seann William Scott and Liev Schreiber at the NYC press day for their new minor league hockey comedy and ultimate "boy flick," Goon! We had a chuckle because they were hanging out with the Hanson brothers, the real life Canadian minor league players who starred in the ultimate hockey film Slapshot (but we hear the Hansons advised Scott and Schreiber how to make their characters even goonier)! We suggest that if you see this film, you have a strong stomach for a lot of bloodshed on the ice, and a lot of crude humor. This is not the kind of film Schreiber usually does, but we have to admit--there is something charming about him in a macho handlebar mustache and we kind of wish he kept it, LOL!

Lucky Charm - Taste Testing the McDonald's McCafé Shamrock Shake

By: Finance Foodie

It's everybody’s lucky day, as the seasonal McCafé Shamrock Shake is now available nationwide at participating restaurants across the country for the first time ever! The creamy, mint-flavored shake made with McDonald’s low-fat vanilla ice cream, "Shamrock Shake" syrup and topped with whipped cream and a cherry has been an annual limited-time menu favorite since its introduction in 1970. Typically appearing on restaurant menus in select markets only around the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, this year is the first time in history that customers nationwide will have the opportunity to experience the “Simple Joy of McCafé” with a Shamrock Shake.

Glorious Gluttony: A Guide to Phoenix Eats and Treats

By: Finance Foodie

Desert character. It can’t be conjured, landscaped or kindled with twinkling bulbs. John Ford knew that. So did Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis L’Amour. Spend a few days in Greater Phoenix and you’ll understand, too. America’s sixth-largest city still has cowboys and red-rock buttes, but is also home to a burgeoning culinary scene. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend a week eating my heart out (all in the name of research!) in this desert town. I ate at restaurants not found in any guide book and visited nightspots known only to locals. And I did this all in what is arguably Phoenix’s dreamiest season: early spring, when cactuses begin blooming and daytime temperatures loll around 70 degrees. So without further ado, here are my top culinary picks from my trip.

Dive In - The Pool at the Arizona Biltmore