Hello! Artisanal, that midtown temple (fromagerie, if you will) of fine food and even finer cheese – has announced that April is officially Grilled Cheese Month. That’s right. A new variant of grilled cheese sandwich every single day for a month, plus chips, house-made pickles and olives, for $14.50. And if you pair it with their specially chosen wine or ale of the day, you get the drink for 1/2 off.

Now before you start crowing about how $14.50 is a lot for 2 slices of Wonder Bread and some Kraft Singles (augh!) … take a look at the menu. On tap for today: Tomme D’Alsace, a cow’s cheese from France (suggested pairing: Pinot D’Alsace Domaine Bott-Geyl Alsace 05, which, at 50% off, will run you $6.) April 11th brings Garrotxa, a goat cheese from Spain (with Moscato ‘ Vina Esmeralda’ Torres Catalunya 07, $4.50 at 1/2 off). April 13th? Pecorino Tartufo, a sheep’s cheese from Italy. April 17th? Gouda from Holland. April 25th? Gruyere from California. And so on. You get the picture, yes?!?

No excuses. If you love cheese or even just like it, head on over there and enjoy a very lovely meal, with drink, for $20. Comfort food at comfort prices .. at Artisanal!!

It’s Friday, it’s sunny, it’s spring, and our brains have shut off for the week. What you really want to do right now is look at pictures of animals wearing wigs.

Make sure not to miss the rabbit with Nellie Olson ringlets.

Tonight I want to tell you about one of my favorite contemporary artists, Maira Kalman. In addition to works like the one shown above, you may recognize her famous “newyorkistan” cover for the New Yorker.

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Undersea Volcano Explosion. Photo by Dana Stephenson/Getty Images

What you’re looking at is the eruption of an underwater volcano in the South Pacific, near the island of Tonga. The explosion, on March 19th, sent plumes of smoke, ash, and steam up to 100M into the air, but posed no danger to nearby island residents.

When was the last time you saw an image like this? More photos of the event can be found at The Big Picture, a photo blog by boston.com. If you’ve never checked out Big Picture before, I highly recommend bookmarking it and making it a regular pitstop. This blog puts up a photo series of new global events/people/places every few days, and the images are truly stunning – some of the finest photography you’ll see on the web.

Enjoy!

Wine, as the saying goes, is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

In that spirit, here straight from the NYT, are a dozen cheap and delicious wine recs. These come courtesy of one Kermit Lynch, who apparently owns a wine shop in Berkeley, CA.

Prosecco — Palazzo di Sommariva; $15
I have a weakness for Prosecco, yet it took me years to find this classy, crisp, dry, minerally example.

2007 Graves Blanc — Chateau Graville-Lacoste; $19
An unusually delicious, impeccably vinified dry white Graves, as versatile in its uses as wine can be.

2007 Calvi Blanc “E Prove” — Domaine Maestracci; $17.50
The west coast of Corsica has some great terroirs, as you will see in this stony vermentino. The granitic soil gives it backbone.

2007 Coteaux du Languedoc Blanc — Chateau La Roque; $16.50
From Marsanne and Rolle. The perfume is reminiscent of honeycomb and pit fruits — dry and lively on the palate.

2007 Bouzeron — A. & P. de Villaine; $20
The elegant Monsieur Aubert de Villaine fashioned this dry white jewel from his home village of Bouzeron in southern Burgundy.

2007 Corbieres “Gris de Gris” — Domaine de Fontsainte; $15
A fabulous rosé and my candidate for world’s greatest wine bargain — you take one drink of it, you’re drinking it all the time.

2007 Tavel Rose — Domaine de Trinquevedel; $18
A great Rhone vintage delivers beautiful fruit, spice and stoniness. One bottle fits every cuisine you can possibly imagine.

2006 Cahors — Clos la Coutale; $14
A dark, full-flavored malbec — drink it now, drink it 20 years from now.

2006 Bronzinelle — Saint Martin de la Garrigue; $15
Rhone grape varieties aged in barrels and demi-muids, Bronzinelle has a Provençal character with a slight Bordeaux accent.

2006 Chinon “Cuvee Terroir” — Domaine Charles Joguet; $18
Here is the perfect introduction to the marvelous cabernets of the Loire Valley. Joguet’s Chinon shows intensity, plenitude, stylishness and finesse.

2007 Pigeoulet Rouge — Brunier Freres; $17
An earthy, thyme-infused red Rhone from the makers of Vieux Telegraphe.

2006 Cairanne Rouge — Catherine Le Goeuil; $15
The viticulture is biodynamic — and to think, this chewy, fleshy, manly red Rhone was vinified by Catherine Le Goeuil.

A good glass of wine can be a little celebration all by itself. A votre sante!

Not Bono, but Close Enough

Attending a U2 concert is one of those things I need to do before I die. Back in 2001, my one chance at seeing them live was thwarted by a friend’s VERY ill-timed engagement party (and no, I’m not over it).

But it hurts a little less now. Why? Because instead of U2, I’ve got 2U. That’s right. Ladies and Gents, I introduce you to 2U – the U2 Tribute Band. As their website proclaims, they’re The World’s 2nd Best U2 Show.

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I count myself among those who use shampoo (and conditioner) daily, so I raise a skeptical eyebrow to NPR’s piece that claims daily washing of your lovely locks can rob hair of beneficial oils and cause damage.

That greasy feeling you get when you go a day without washing? Apparently that goes away once you stop washing so often. All those good natural oils – known as sebum, which brings back memories of adolescent acne, but I digress – are currently overcompensating for your heavy shampoo habits by working overtime.

I dunno. I admit it would save some time and money, and is eco-conscious as well … but still.

No Brazilians Allowed.

Could be a hairy time down the NJ shore this summer .. according to this article in the Philadelphia Daily News, the New Jersey Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling (a powerful entity indeed) is planning to ban all genital waxing, including the much-loved Brazilian Wax, from all salon and spa menus in the state. The Association of Salon and Spa Professionals is fighting back, although they haven’t had much luck so far .. and are encouraging women to sign an online petition at www.brazilianbikiniwax.org.

Ladies (and gents) of NJ, we support your right to wax! But if you need alternate waxing suggestions in NYC, let us know.

Tonight I attended the Ann Coulter-Bill Maher debate at Radio City Music Hall. The event kicked off the 2009 RCMH Speaker Series, tagline: “The Minds That Move The World”.

People, the mind of Ann Coulter is moving the world? Is something being done about this?

After watching tonight, the only explanation is that Ann is very smart, very strategic in the management of her career/persona, and very much lacking in the, uh, shame department. She’s just putting on a hell of a show. As her bookcovers attest, the moment she walks out onstage – tall, flowing hair, tight black dress and long skinny legs – she’s already something notable, whereas her male counterparts – the Bill Mahers and James Carvilles of the world – have to make their living with analysis and, you know, facts. (Ann likes to use what Bill refers to as “rectum statistics”).

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Since it was gorgeous out last Saturday (read: above 45, sun visible), Betsy and friends took an excursion to Brooklyn.   1 brunch, 2 bridges, 2 flea markets, 6 macaroons, and about 387 painfully hip young families later …  we report back.

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