the week that was and is - july 15th, 2009

Did you get your free 7-11 slurpee on Saturday to celebrate the 11th of July?

• Capital Ex starts this Friday. Please go sample all those healthy midway snacks. If you need to be enticed, the recent Calgary Stampede saw; Deep-Fried Jelly Beans, Sloppy Joes, BBQ Pulled Pork, Tornado Potatoes, Nitro Ice Cream, Deep-Fried Oreos, Pizza-on-a-Stick, Beignets, Deep-Fried Coke, Taco in a Bag, Hot Beef Sundae, Wheat Grass Juice. Sounds good, no?

• Speaking of the Stampede, how can it surprise anyone that a free pancake breakfast at midnight was a hit. We all get a hungry after having some adult beverages.

• CBC's look at the healthiest foods on earth. I wonder when people are going to realize we should eat products as close to their natural state while creating a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

• Speaking of food production, Food, Inc. is screening tonight in Edmonton. It's generating quite the buzz, even Chipotle Grill is getting in on things, but I wonder if the people who watch this are the wrong audience. Hopefully it can break through barriers and reach those consumer who are unaware of how discombobulated our food production has become. As long as we remember every argument has two sides, I think we'll be better off after seeing this.

• Interesting article from The Consumerist about McDonald's charging more money for the Value Meal, than the sum of the individual parts. I suppose it's smart to be on the look out where ever you go...oh yeah, and trust no one!**
  

• Tim Hortons exploded into Manhattan on Monday, opening 12 stores. "The stores are mostly located in former Dunkin' Donuts outlets, which were shut down last week and underwent whirlwind renovations over the weekend"

• Florida is putting legislation in place to stop the sale of Honey that isn't 100% pure. "Too often in the past, honey has been cut with water or sugar, and sometimes even contaminated with insecticides or antibiotics."

• Before heading down to Whyte for the Art Walk, I picked up what may be my new favorite Starbucks beverage. Unsweetened iced passion tea. So very refreshing, even if it isn't the most conducive container for a bike ride.

• I caught two loaves of bread having a stare down yesterday..Pretty sure the cinnamon raisin cranberry loaf came out on top. Although it looked like a tough fight.

** I've always wanted to make a Fox Mulder reference.