Today is July 11th. That means it’s 7-11. And that means it’s free Slurpee day. It is also supposed to get up 99 degrees in Denver today, so the timing couldn’t be better. Take note of the flavors in the store you went to and add it to the SlurpeeFlavors.com Flavor Map. Below is a comprehensive list of current (and past) Slurpee flavors. If you know of a flavor I’m missing, put it in the comments and I’ll add it to the list. Be careful out there kids.

Slurpee Flavors
7-Up
7-Up Green
7-Up Ice
7-Up Tropical
Amp Energy Freeze
Artic Burst
Banana
Banana Split
Black Cherry
Black Pina Colada
Blue Berry Blast
Blue Meanie (Australia Only)
Blue Raspberry Rush
Blue Shock
Blue Vanilla
Blue Woo Hoo! Vanilla
Bruisin’ Berry
Bruisin’ Berry Grape
Bubble Yum
Café Latte
Candy Cane
Cherry Coke
Citrus Splash
Code Red
Coke
Coke Classic
Cotton Candy
Cranberry Sprite
Cream Soda (Barq’s)
Crystal Light Berry Pomegranate (Sugar Free)
Crystal Light Cherry Limeaide (Sugar Free)
Crystal Light Orange Pineapple Ice (Sugar Free)
Crystal Light Passionfruit (Sugar Free)
Crystal Light Peach Mango Fusion (Sugar Free)
Crystal Light Raspberry Ice (Sugar Free)
Crystal Light Strawberry Banana (Sugar Free)
Crystal Light Tangerine Lime (Sugar Free)
Diet Pepsi
Dr. Pepper
Fanta Banana
Fanta Birch Beer
Fanta Blue Cherry
Fanta Blue Raspberry
Fanta Ginger Ale
Fanta Grape
Fanta Green Lemon Lime
Fanta Green Melon
Fanta Kiwi Strawberry
Fanta Mandarin Tangerine
Fanta Orange
Fanta Orange Cream
Fanta Pina Colada
Fanta Pineapple
Fanta Purple Berry Cherry
Fanta Raspberry
Fanta Red Licorice
Fanta Super Sour Apple
Fanta Super Sour Cherry
Fanta Super Sour Watermelon
Fanta Vanilla
Fanta Watermelon
Fanta White Cherry
Fanta Wild Cherry
Fanta Wild Cherry Reduced Calorie
Frawg
French Vanilla
Full Throttle Blue Demon
Full Throttle Frozen Blast
Game Fuel
Grape
Grapefruit
Grapermelon
Green Apple
Gully Washer
Hawaiian Punch
Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red
Hawaiian Punch Green Berry Rush
Honeycomb
Iced Tea
Jolly Rancher Sour Apple
Kryptonite Ice
Lemonador
Licorice
Lime
Livewire Orange
Mango Bango
Margarita
Mellow Yellow
Minute Maid Blue Cherry
Minute Maid Blue Raspberry
Minute Maid Blueberry
Minute Maid Cherry
Minute Maid Grape
Minute Maid Lemonade
Minute Maid Orange
Minute Maid Passionfruit Orange
Minute Maid Peach
Minute Maid Pineapple
Minute Maid Raspberry
Minute Maid Strawberry
Mocha Chocolate
Monster Black Ice
Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew Blue Lightning/Shock
Mountain Dew LiveWire
Mountain Dew Pitch Black
Orange
Orange-Pineapple
Pepsi
Pepsi Blue
Pepsi Samba
Pina Colada
Pineapple
Pitch Black Grape
Powerade Ice
Purple S-cream
Radiation Rush
Raspberry Crystal Light
Red Cherry
Rootbeer
Rootbeer (Barq’s)
Shrekalicious
Sierra Mist
Slurpucchino
Slurpurita Pomegranate
SnowBawls (Bawls)
Sobe Citrus
Sour Peach
Sour Strawberry
Sour Watermelon
Sprite
Sprite Ice
StawberrWii Banana
Strawberry
Strawberry Banana
Strawberry Cream
Strawberry-Kiwi
Tropical Punch
Tropicana Twister Berry
Twizzlers Strawberry
Vanilla Coke
What-a-melon
Wild Cherry Pepsi

There is are naturally occurring stimulants theobromine and methylxanthine compounds found in cocoa beans will cause vomiting, heart problems, seizures and death in dogs. Despite it’s morbid premise this amazing National Geographic infographic will tell you exactly how much chocolate it takes to kill your dog. Other foods to keep Fido and Spot away from include:

Alcohol - Alcohol depresses brain function in dogs and can send them into a coma. It can cause further damage by turning their blood acidic.
Onion - An onions damage to canine hemoglobin is cumulative, so small tastes over time can be worse than wolfing down the whole bulb. It will eventually cause anemia.
Grapes - Toxicologists have found that grapes and raisins can cause acute renal and kidney failure. As few as ten raisins or grapes, anywhere from nine ounces (255 grams) to two pounds (0.9 kilograms), could be fatal.
Macadamia Nuts - Experts have yet to determine why just a few of these nuts can produce tremors, even temporary paralysis, in a dog’s hind legs.
Garlic - Dogs don’t have the necessary enzyme to properly breakdown the compound thiosulphate so garlic, in any form, breaks down a dog’s red blood cells, and large amounts over time can lead to anemia and possible kidney failure from leaking hemoglobin.
Coffee - The caffeine in a cup of java is a methylxanthine compound that binds to receptors on cell surfaces, precluding the normal compounds from attaching there.
Bread - Like alcohol, ingestion of yeast can cause fatal damage. Active yeast found in raw bread dough releases alcohol as it grows.

Day three was spent in apathy, on the couch, working (poor word choice) off the over indugances from the day before.

We did manage to hit up the wonderful Borough. This restaurant is aiming its services at those interested the new locavore trend. All of the ingredients are locally grown and produced in New York City and used to create dishes inspired by the five boroughs. Green and delish.

On Sunday we went and a homemade brunch and pleasant morning visiting friends and relatives we headed down to Columbus Park to play Soccer.

We started that evening off at the Cub Room (which is nice but pretty unmentionable) for cocktails and then headed down the street for sushi at Blue Ribbon Sushi. From the time you walk up to the non descript restaurant front, to walking down into the little cubby hole entrance, to the impressive line of sushi chefs, you know you have stumbled upon something special. The sushi was outrageous in the best way possible. Lilly Allen eats there seven times a week. I had the pleasure of trying box style sushi (mackerel) and jellyfish sushi - two things that you can’t find in Denver (if you know otherwise, I’d love to find out about it). We finished the night off at with a couple of drinks at a bar I can’t remember the name of (too many Karin Ichiban) where we were entertaining enough for the bartender to buy us a round.

The next day I flew back to Denver thankful to have experienced a culinary New York, but also just as thankful to be home.

New York Auto Insurance Quotes free quotes

I had a slow leisurely morning on my second day in NYC. Taking time to enjoy my coffee, finish my book, and have a nice breakfast. Then I jumped headfirst into the chaos that is Times Square on Black Friday.

I relieved my crowd-induced-anxiety by heading over to Madison Square Park where I enjoyed the, well-disputed-best-burger-in-New-York-City, at the Shake Shack. I was a little surprised they were actually open this late in the season.

After that it was off to have a look at two of my favorite buildings in the city. The Flat Iron building
And the American Radiator building.

Afterwards I headed over to the Freemans. I wanted to check out this little secret gem hidden away in an ally of the LES. It was cool, but veering on too cool. I stayed for a couple of beers before heading to Lorely for a tall glass of German suds and the meeting of friends and family.

Then it was off to our big dinner. For reasons I won’t get into we had a “break the bank” expense budget that had to be spent and it was my girlfriend’s parents 40th anniversary. We also had reservations at Perry St. This was a Jean-Georges Vongerichten (his blog) joint. He’s is probably one of the most famous chefs in NYC. And this was probably the best meal I ate all year (and probably in the top ten meals I’ve eaten ever). We went haywire in this place ordering several appetizers, all kinds of special cocktails, desserts, wines and entrees (grilled tenderloin of beef with herbal spinach and liquid gruyere for me). It was wonderful for everyone. The restrooms were out of toilet paper though. Not the type of thing you’d expect from a place like this.

Afterwards we to Turks & Frogs which I believe was having a sewage problem. I have no idea why we stayed there so long but the experience was disappointingly if not for the company. We quickly scuttled over to The Otheroom. This place was great. The music was perfect all night, the atmosphere was fun, dim and cozy, the people were really cool, the women were hot and the men were gay (mostly). We stayed here till about three am.

Our adventure home included three taxi rides, a car accident, the new jersey transit system, some tears, getting list in Secaucus, and a $60 cab fair. Ouch.

If my previous trip to Manhattan was all about the sexiness, then this last trip was all about the foodiness.

We started off at Spitzer’s Corner where I had my first pork belly sandwich. It was good but there were way too many tomotoes on it for my taste. I can verify that the hickory smoked hamburger is incredible though. We also started with a dozen oysters from the raw bar that really hit the spot. Spitzer’s main draw, however, is not it’s food but it’s incredible selection of beer. I had a couple of the Golden Monkey Tripels which were great, but, at 10% alcohol, they quickly did some pretty good damage.

Thursday started off with a trip to the Macy’s day parade, an American Thanksgiving Day tradition. There were throngs of people and it was hard to get a decent view but it seemed like on of those things I needed to “check off my list”. I’m glad I got to see it when I did because it seems that every year the parade degenerates into more of a marching/floating advertisement and less of an actual parade. Someday it will implode on itself. Lunch involved a pretzel and hot dog street food. Dinner was, of course, the traditional turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, salad, rolls, gravy, wine combo that we have all come to know and love. Given the choice, I would take a green chili smothered burrito over turkey anyday, but I have come to terms with the traditional holiday fair and always enjoy my annual turkey meal.

My birthday week (last week) was so full of kickass it’s hard to comprehend.

It started out last Friday by heading over to a friends for drinks and then going to the Murray Farm Massacre. I haven’t been to a haunted house since I was a child but The haunted house was certainly frightening and well designed. I’m no stranger to corn mazes though, and this one pretty much sucked - way too easy (even at night) and not all that freaky.

Saturday we threw a raging halloween/costume party at our house. G made seven crockpots worth of homemade, slow-cook, goodness. The were black lights, and costumes, and spooky sounds to boot. The night finished with a big ole dance party that devolved into everyone dancing on the furniture. This resulted in one broken kitchen chair, a burning wig in a chandelier, snack carrots ending up in mysterious places, and one skull nearly cracked open. It was all worth.

Sunday mostly involved laying on the couch and recovering from Saturday’s debauchery.

On Tuesday we got the new Tivo hooked up. This thing is absolutely brilliant. It has already started changing the way I watch TV and I haven’t watch a commercial in over a week. Not to mention I have all kinds of great movies lined up that I’ve been waiting to see.

For my birthday, G and I hand bacon cheeseburgers (from my very favorite hamburger shack down the street from us) and champagne for dinner. I am also now a real art owner. G gave me a signed and numbered Audrey Kawasaki print called “Nest Hair”. Number 55 of a limited print of 100. I’m in love with it. It’s one of the coolest gifts I have received in a long time.

Thursday we met my Dad, his wife, my bro, and pandy out for a sushi dinner. Johnny Holly’s has great sushi and fantastic service without the pretentiousness. If you are ever thinking about going to the sushi den, drive ten blocks further south and go to Johnny Holly’s instead. You’ll be glad. If you are hankering for any sort of asian food that isn’t on the menu, just ask for it, and the kitchen will fix it up for you.

Thanks to everyone for making my week be so tremendous.