Georgetown Cupcakes

Simply the best cupcakes I've ever had. More choices than you could imagine.

http://www.georgetowncupcake.com/

Farmer's Market - Dupont Circle

We spent a lot of time at the farmer's market. There were endless fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses to choose from.

http://www.freshfarmmarkets.org/markets/dupont_circle.html

Capital Bikeshare - DC

If I lived DC, I'd try them out.

"Capital Bikeshare puts 1,100 bicycles at your fingertips. You can choose from over 110 stations across Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA and return it to any station near your destination."

http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/

Dolcezza Gelato - Washington, DC

http://dolcezzagelato.com/

There's a location just north of Dupont Circle. There isn't a wrong choice to make. They all sounded good and tasted delicious.

Alberto's Pizza - Dupont Circle, Washington, DC

There were no leftovers! Very good pizza. I especially liked the thin crust.

http://www.albertospizzeria.com/

Luna Grill & Diner - Washington, DC

Near Dupont Circle. Try their Create Your Own Pasta!

http://lunagrillanddiner.com/About_Us/about_us.html

DUPONT CIRCLE
1301 Connecticut Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20009

Taking Back the 40 Hour Week

Good article!

Taking Back The 40 Hour Week
By Nick Corcodilos

Gmail

I've been noticing a lot of spam from hijacked personal Hotmail, MSN and Yahoo accounts. Some type of virus has been spreading. I haven't seen any yet from Gmail. Crossing fingers.

"Ten Rules of the Cheap Revolution"

"Ten Rules of the Cheap Revolution" by Rich Karlgaard, Forbes.

Lion's Tap - Eden Prairie, MN

Other burger restaurants in the Twin Cities have received more publicity over the last couple of years, but my favorite - by far - has always been Lions Tap. Don't go there if you want chicken. It's burgers and fries only, and they're the best. Service is quick, prices are reasonable. Tip: Their secret is the seasoning, and they sell it online.

Valleyfair

Valleyfair is an amusement park in the southwest metro of Minneapolis / St. Paul. It's mid-sized, but has a lot of newer rides. Try going on a Tuesday in August. The lines are very short.

Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment

July 2010

Bachelor's degree and higher Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

5.0%

July 2009: 5.3%

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t04.htm

RAGBRAI

I'll be riding a couple of days of RAGBRAI next week. It's one of the highlights of Iowa's summer. 20,000+ people moving from town to town.

It's one of my favorite burger joints. The burgers are juicy and big. Try the buffalo option. The chili fries were outstanding. Prices are reasonable. Friendly, fast service is a bonus.

Empire Burgers

500 South Main, Breckenridge, CO 80424

Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment

June 2010

Bachelor's degree and higher Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

4.5%

June 2009: 4.8%

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t04.htm

....it's an improvement.

Carnival

It's not every day that a carnival unexpectedly starts setting up next to my office.

Bullet Points

I tend to use bullet points a lot, but many programs don't have the option. Maybe our future keyboards will have one.

Here's a shortcut if you ever need a bullet point.

(Hold down) Alt (type in)0149

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East Bay Suites - Grand Marais

East Bay Suites in Grand Marais. We stayed there 13+ years ago for about $25, with a "bathroom down the hall". Since then, they've completely removed the old hotel and built a new one. (Prices have gone up a bit.) It's very close - walking distance - to everything you'll want to see in Grand Marais. Great service and lots of classy extras. We'll definitely stay there again.

Fish-n-Chips - Grand Marais

Lakeside view. Casual atmosphere. Reasonably priced. Fresh Whitefish and Herring from Lake Superior fried up with a side of fries. Very tasty. Go there. Dockside Fish Market

Fishin' Chics - Grand Marais

Captain David Williams gave us an entertaining 90 minute tour of Lake Superior. He also offers charter fishing and full outfitting services for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. www.fishinchics.com & www.bear-track.com

Worlds Best Donuts - Grand Marais

They simply are the best donuts. I don't usually eat donuts for breakfast, but in Grand Marais I do - sometimes more than once a day. Conveniently across the street from Sven & Oleys. World's Best Donuts

Minnesota - Grand Marais

You may have seen the bumper sticker. Probably the most famous restaurant on the North Shore. Very good pizza! Sven & Ole's Pizza

Minnesota - Betty's Pies

Save room for pie at Betty's Pies too. We all had our own favorite, but the 5-Layer Chocolate Cream was VERY good.

Minnesota - North Shore of Lake Superior

If you head north of Duluth, take the scenic route on Old Hwy 61. I ate half of the smoked Cisco in less than 5 minutes. I'm sure that the Brown Sugar Trout will be just as good.

Russ Kendall's Smokehouse at 149 Scenic Drive, Knife River, MN 55609.

Minnesota Travel - Duluth

If you're in Duluth, try Grandma's Saloon and Grill right off of Lake Superior. It's the home of Grandma's Marathon. Their Marathon Spaghetti is the best I've had in a long time.

Discount Travel sites

Think twice if you're traveling with kids and use discount travel sites. Just because "Suites" is in the name of the hotel, you still might end up with just a regular room and not the privacy you expected. Also, some don't allow a smoking room choices. Lesson learned.

Chicago Attractions

Here are a few attractions you might want to check out on your next trip to Chicago.

A cooking class at The Wooden Spoon on 5047 N. Clark Street. We had a lot of fun learning to cook various appetizers, and even a better time eating them.

• • •

You can't go wrong with breakfast at LUXBAR at 18 East Bellevue Place. Try the Eggs Benedict or any fruit plate.

• • •

An hour massage at Heavenly Massage at 1163 North State Street. Beautiful new facilities. Great massage.

• • •

Gino's East of Chicago at 162 East Superior Street. Some of the best pizza we've ever had.

• • •

We waited over 30 minutes to get Garrett Popcorn. Yes, popcorn. It's that good.

• • •

If you want to know what it feels like to ride your bike through downtown Chicago traffic, look up Bobby's Bike Hike. It was the highlight of our trip.

Hotwire

I used www.hotwire.com to book a hotel on a recent trip to Chicago, and saved about 50% off of the prices listed on the hotel's website. It's similar to Priceline, but you don't bid. You pick the time, price, and location. Once booked, you find out where you'll be staying. We were very happy with the Affinia Chicago Hotel. It was a beautiful hotel with great service, very close to the Water Tower.