I have been using Gmail a whole bunch lately and getting deeper into the advanced functionality. One of my favorite features is the search operators. These Ginsu Knives allow you to both find and filter email.

I found a help page that gives a great overview of the search operators that I find really useful. It's not hard to find the page but I thought I'd link you to it anyhow - Click Here.

Example:
from:Dave(friday funny) - returns email that is from Dave with the words 'friday' and 'funny' in the subject

Until I started using Gmail more I had no idea these features are there, and I think most folks are the same way. Finding email is my second biggest feature requirement for an email and this makes my life easier.

Amazon rolled out a new kind of affiliate widget recently - the MP3 Clips Widget. It's pretty cool as it allows me to put a little flash doo-dad on my page and you can sample the tunes that I'm digging. I actually have used the Amazon music service (actual name eludes me). I have no love for iTunes and their DRM bullshit. Amazon gives me what I want, tunes tunes and tunes.

So, for this installment, Vampire Weekend and their self titled album... These guys rock. Love the album. I actually blogged one of their songs a while a go Walcott Insane Mix #2 - freaking awesome. So, stream a sample and if you decide to buy, thanks, I actually got it from Amazon Download too. Otherwise head over to Pandora and check the Vampire Weekend station I'm groovin too.

BeerMenus.com, this site looks that useful and definitely deserving of it's own post. After futzing with it a bit, it looks pretty great for browsing. Finding the page that had the Smuttynose stuff took a bit more work than I would have liked. The search requires you to be pretty dead on with a match, e.g. 'Six' does not return much but 'Sixpoint' returns the Sixpoint Craft Ales offering. In addition you can subscribe via email to when an ale house has specials so you're up to date on the latest, and their RSS appears to be pretty full featured. The site looks wicked useful. I'll be frequenting it... frequently.

Wait, there's more

They are having a launch party.

BeerMenus Launch Party Sat. 5/24 at Blind Tiger Ale House!

By Will, 3 days ago

We’ll be there starting at 5pm and we hope to see you there!

A bit ago I did a post about Smuttynose Brewery's Robust Porter and I promised that I would get information about where you could get their beer here in NYC. Well, from the better-late-than-never department, here is a link to a site Kathleen pointed out to me beermenus.com. It's a nice little site that tells you what beers are being served at what bars and/or what bars are serving what beers. I love it when a website provides real value to humanity.

To keep my promise about getting you that information about Smuttynose (the brewery never returned my email about where you can get their stuff in NY), here is a link to a page listing Smuttynose's offerings with links to what bars are serving them.

Taking a break from cleaning up my file system to free up space and make sure I have a good back up of the stuff I want and I came across a great commercial from a few years ago:

Falafel Porn, originally uploaded by astoriahermit.

Fantastic dude on Falafel action to the last bite.

Finally I make it to Falafel Drive In, originally uploaded by astoriahermit.

I have been meaning to go here for years. Thanks Andrew for the directions. Corner of Revey Ave & Stevens Creek in San Jose California (just east of I880).

This site (williamsburgeats.com) came to my attention and I thought I would share. The do have my favorite BBQ place as the only location under their BBQ category. I think I like the simplicity of it actually.

On the cable car, originally uploaded by astoriahermit.

Had to shoot the view.

Blogging while on cable car, originally uploaded by astoriahermit.

We had to. Vijay had never been. (Hyde at Pacific)

Found the one Republican in San Fran, originally uploaded by astoriahermit.

It is hard to see in the photo, but that is a McCain sticker on his bumper. Good news, he's enviornmently friendly.

Grubstake, originally uploaded by astoriahermit.

We had our second meal at Grubstake near the corner of Polk & Pine in San Fran. Good stuff, cash only.

More to come...