I’ve been drinking champagne since I was of legal age, but I never really appreciated what lovers of the tiny bubbles rave about until a friend bought me bottle of really nice champagne as gift this past Christmas. Let me tell you: there is a world of difference among varieties of champagne if you’re willing to throw it down for the good stuff.

I buy a lot of wine online, because it’s easier to buy it in bulk and I don’t have to dislocate a shoulder hauling it home from the store. Wine Dot Com is a good site to check out (and the name, so easy to remember!) and they have a pretty impressive selection of Champagne that will appeal to just about any wallet thickness/taste level and — the best part — they appear to be having a one-cent shipping special going on right now. I’d take this as a sign that you shouldn’t wait to check “Buy Champagne” off your Valentine’s Day/Night “To Do List.”

While you’re compiling your shopping list and chilling the glasses, check out this list of Cool Facts and Trivia on the history of Champagne below! You just might learn something (Example: did you know that Dom Perignon was a monk?)!

From Boing Boing Dot Net:

“This car sits in the lobby of the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, British Columbia. It once belonged to John Lennon, hence the paint job. But that’s not the only customization. Inside, apparently, there is a fold-out bed, a portable refrigerator, and a record player. There also used to be a TV. Bear in mind, all these changes were made in the mid-to-late 1960s, when the whole refrigerator-and-TV-in-a-car thing were much more impressive feats of technology.”

More Information, history and detailed photos of the paint job on this Rolls are available at This Link.

Thanks to Karl Brandt for The Tip!

Don Cornelius, creator and host  of the legendary Soul Train dance show, passed away early this morning (February 1st) of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Cornelius was 75 years old. The NY Times Arts section has an excellent Obit at This Link. Farewell, Don Cornelius. You were a true original, and you will be missed.

Fans of this Blog know that I search tirelessly for the funniest, most visually absurd photos and jokes on the web, so that I can share them with you. Because that is how I roll. I just stumbled across a funny website that collects Photoshop Fails and assorted hilarious photos on every subject you can imagine – perfect for posting on your FaceBook page – called Buzz LOL Dot Com, and you should check it out.

The first section I found was the page of hilarious Autocorrect mistakes from iPhone texts (see photo above) that I think many people with iPhones can relate to. The horror, the horror. I never get tired of reading these things!

Check the Shadows

Another section that’s completely ridiculous is their page of photos and ads that have been so heinously Photoshopped, you have to wonder at the lack of basic computer skills and limited mental capacity of the person who let that photo hit print. Unbelievable, but you’ve just gotta share!

And you know it’s going to be embarrassing for anyone who recognizes herself as one of the unsuspecting “models” who show up on a page called “Duckface Pictures” – which is just what it sounds like: people making that pouty, puckered “duck face” with their lips when they pose for any picture. That page also reminded me of This Meme that made the rounds few years ago. Mean spirited? Yes! Funny? You Bet!

Buzz LOL Dot Com, has lots of other funny stuff for hours of time wasting fun. Cruise on over there and download a few fresh photos to post in your FaceBook Newsfeed. I’ll be watching!

Make these babies for your Super Bowl Party using the recipe below:

A Russian Street Artist named Renald (from an area called Petrozavodsk) turns random public phone booths into Sharks using his own spray paint and stencils. Shark Attack on the Phone!

Thanks to Oddee.com for the Tip!

Elvis Presley — The King! — Offers you (or your Valentine, hint hint) a tiny hunk of Burnin’ Love in the form of these Cinnamon Flavored Mints! Here is what you get:

• Collectible Tin featuring Elvis
• Cinnamon-flavored mints
• Net wt. 1 oz (28.3 g)
• Tin size: 3-1/2″ x 2-3/4″ x 1/2″

Sale Priced at just $3.95 and available at This Link!

“Thank You Very Much, For the Mint.”

Here in NYC, we have a plethora of Pizza places going by the name of Ray’s, Famous Ray’s, Famous Original Ray’s, and endless variations on that ubiquitous moniker; it’s become a joke that even worked its way into the storyline of a Seinfeld episode. But the original Ray’s Pizza, the one that started all, was a joint located in Soho called Original Ray’s of Prince Street, which was first operated by Luchese crime family member Ralph Cuomo. Despite the checkered reputation of its owner, Ray’s was known for its fantastic Italian food and warm family atmosphere. Everybody went to Ray’s. Culinary history runs deep in the storefront restaurant at 27 Prince Street, and a new chapter to the story began on January 4th, when neighborhood local Frank Morano launched Prince Street Pizza in the same location where his family often ate Sunday meals together while he was growing up. Frank is an affable and customer service-oriented man; an already seasoned restaurateur who was seemingly born to contribute to the Pizza-making history of this particular address. Last summer, The Worley Gig proclaimed Donatella restaurant of Chelsea as the home of New York City’s best pizza, but we are now suggesting that, even if your current ‘hood has a pizza place on every corner, Prince Street Pizza could easily become the destination for your next slice – it’s that good!

Sicilian Rice Ball

Prince Street Pizza features a small but keenly focused menu offering a selection of unique starters, fried to order calzones and pizza options in both the Neapolitan (round pie) and traditional, thicker crust Sicilian (square pie) – the latter of which has spawned the in-house specialty slice known as the SoHo Square (Original Catch Phrase: “No Other Square Can Compare™”). Before delving into the hearty pizza options, we enjoyed a sampling of Prince Street’s amazing deep-fried Rice Balls in each of three varieties: Stuffed Prosciutto Balls (with Ricotta, Mozzarella and finely chopped Prosciutto), Neapolitan (gooey with melted Mozzarella and Romano Cheeses) and the Sicilian Rice Ball stuffed with a mixture of Chopped Beef and Peas in a Marinara sauce. Frank provided us with a selection of the savory sweet homemade marinara sauce and the creamy vodka sauce for dipping, which added to the comfort-food aspect of enjoying these crispy treats. The rice balls were a bargain, with an order of four being only $1.20 (for the Sicilian or Prosciutto) or 99 cents for the cheese only variety, so there is no reason not to start out your meal with an order. Dipping sauces (in 5 varieties) are .75 / .99 cents each. We were looking forward to trying the Crazy Calabrese (broccoli rabe & garlic wrapped in a Chinese egg roll and served with sweet chili sauce) but they were, sadly, not available on the day of our visit (providing us with a reason to go back!)

Humble Ham Calzone

Excited to try the Calzones, we chose the Humble Ham (just $7.00, wow!), which was huge and easily shared among three people. Overstuffed with tender, thinly sliced Ham, Mozzarella and a heavy curd Ricotta, the cheese melts and blends together to such a creamy consistency that my dining companions were convinced they were tasting a Béchamel sauce. All calzones, including Paulie’s Pepperoni (Stuffed with Cheese and Spicy Pepperoni, $7.00) and the classic ‘Cheese Please’ Calzone ($6.00) are served with a side of Marinara for dipping, or ask Frank for the sauce of your choice.

The Spicy Spring SoHo Square

The feast continued with a fresh from the oven selection of Prince Street’s signature pizza slices. Named for neighborhood streets, the SoHo Squares include the Prince Perfection (Fresh Mozzarella with secret sauce) the Mercer Margarita (thin crust pizza, marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil and garlic), the Broadway Breadcrumb (a cheeseless pie with seasoned breadcrumbs and tomato sauce) and the Spicy Spring (Fra Diavalo sauce, spicy custom-sliced pepperoni and fresh mozzarella). The Fra Diavolo sauce on our spicy Spring Square was tantalizing to our taste buds but not painfully hot, and it provided the perfect base for the custom-sliced pepperoni that curls up the edges and gets crispy in the oven. The crust on these pies is crisp on the bottom with a light fluffiness under the sauce and has just the right amount of chewiness. It’s easy to down several slices and feel like you have room for more. SoHo Squares are available by the slice for $3.50 /$3.75 or a whole pie for $24 / $26.

Neapolitan Slice Topped with Fresh Smoked Mozzarella

Prince Street Pizza also features four Neapolitan pizza options including an old-school Marinara & Mozz called the Original Prince, the Boozy Broome (Vodka sauce, fresh mozzarella) and the Green Machine, topped with Pesto sauce, Cheese and Gaeta Olives. We enjoyed the fragrant smoked fresh mozzarella on our Fancy Prince slice, which you can ask for in place of the non-smoked variety. Again, the thin crust on these 20″ pies is crispy and light, so you can indulge in a few slices without literally feeling weighed down. The pizza here is absolutely, eye-rollingly delicious. Dare we say it? The Best in the City! Neapolitan pizzas are $2.95 / $3.75 per slice, depending on toppings, and $18 / $26 per 20” Pie. Additional toppings such as Anchovies, Italian Sausage and Sautéed Onions with Green & Red Bell Peppers can be added to your pizza for a nominal charge.

The restaurant is intimate – seating only a total of twelve customers (at two counters, one on either side of the room) at one time, but they do a brisk take-out business and offer a limited delivery radius. Prince Street Pizza also offers “curb side pick up,” allowing customers to phone in their orders, then drive or bike up to the storefront and have their order brought out to them. The complete menu can be viewed in its entirety at This Link, so get your order ready now!

Prince Street Pizza is located at 27 Prince St (Between Mott & Elizabeth Streets) in Soho, New York. Open late, phone (212) 966-4100 for specific store hours and more information.

According to Neatorama, this is the snack everyone will be eating during the Superbowl next week, or whenever it is. Football is not my thing, but if you have a Superbowl party and make these Chicken Wing Cupcakes, I will come to your house and eat them with you.

We’re not sure if the surviving members of Joy Division or the estate of the late Ian Curtis has green-lighted Disney’s selling of these amazing T-Shirts inspired by the cover design of Joy Division’s legendary 1979 debut album, Unknown Pleasures, but if not I’d say that you should snatch one up now before someone throws a copyright infringement lawsuit their way (though it would be hard to imagine an entity as litigious as Disney not covering their asses on a venture this audacious).

“Waves” Mickey Mouse T-Shirt sells for $24.95 at This Link!

Thanks to Julio Diaz for the Tip!

Update 1/26/12: As predicted here, the shirt is no longer for sale. Details are available at This Link.