Sunday brunch at the Wicked Hop -- The menu items and their names are reason enough to hit the Wicked Hop, 345 N. Broadway for Sunday brunch. The Sixto Lezcano -- three eggs with chorizo, cheddar and jack cheeses and a compote of sautéed onions and red and green peppers, sweet corn, black beans and cilantro. And, the Dick Bacon -- A warm flour tortilla package of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, cheddar cheese, sautéed onions, and red and green peppers. The Hop opens at 10 a.m., but you'll want to get there right away to snag an outdoor seat in the sun. All brunch entrees are served with choice of toast and a choice of side: Sunday spuds, cottage cheese or fresh fruit. Couple with your choice with the Hop's Bloody Mary for $6.50. The house recipe is served with a bleu cheese-stuffed olive, peeled shrimp, beef stick, Walnut Street portabella mushroom and a mozzarella whip. Really want to get a Sunday buzz? Go for the Glass Slipper bloody in a 67.628-oz. German boot with all of the accessories. That costs $26, but requires a $50 deposit. Check out the Web site. --Jeff Sherman

Brew City Tea -- This Third Ward teahouse has a catchy slogan: "The best pot in town!" But the quaint café and bulk teashop's charm goes beyond owner Jean Vitrano's clever innuendo. She offers more than 80 tea varieties, including black, green, herbals blends, oolongs, whites, chais and specials like caffeine-free rooibos and sweet children's flavors. Everything is available by the cup, pot or in bulk by the ounce. Her kitchen has grown since she opened in early 2007 and now on the food end she offers breakfast croissants, salads, wraps, sandwiches and panini. --Julie Lawrence

"Greetings from Bury Park" by Sarfraz Manzoor (Vintage International) -- I picked up this memoir in paperback thinking it was Springsteen-heavy, but wasn't disappointed to discover that in the end, the Boss is a bit player. While Saf Manzoor's passion for Bruce feeds his love of Americana and helps him understand the world around him -- even if he is a Pakistani boy in Britain -- the book is really about Manzoor and his father. The former, raised in Luton, is a child of '80s Britain, while the latter, who emigrated and spent years alone before being joined by his family -- is a traditionalist. Of course, this often puts them at odds. Manzoor finds solace but also understanding in songs by Springsteen, who had a troubled relationship with his dad, too. Especially moving is Manzoor's ability to understand his father a little better once he's gone. Perhaps even more touching are the little gestures his father made -- setting aside his ideas and his ideals -- allowing his son to test some unexpected (for a Pakistani boy) paths. Father's Day is coming, you know. --Bobby Tanzilo

Kenzoil --I was lost in thought while shopping at Whole Foods, and suddenly, a voice -- seemingly out of nowhere -- asked, "Have you tried Kenzoil yet?" For a second, I though he said "Pennzoil," but the friendly stocker nodded towards a sample display a few feet away and I quickly realized he was referring to the bottled, green, oily stuff. I dipped a piece of bread into the Kenzoil and instantly rewarded with flavor. It was like a lighter, more liquid form of pesto. I tasted basil, garlic and a couple of other unidentified spices (they don't even lists the secret spices in the ingredients) and although I was trying not to splurge during this shopping trip, I grabbed the small bottle (15 oz.) for $5.79. Kenzoil is a blend of extra virgin olive oil and the aforementioned spices, and it's very versatile. According to the bottle, you can use it on bread, pasta, salads, meat, veggies, potatoes, rice, eggs, etc. And, it's made in the Midwest; Ann Arbor, Mich. to be exact. --Molly Snyder Edler

The easiest health tip of all time -- I don't remember where I read this, so I can't give proper credit. Nevertheless, some expert somewhere advised drinking 16 oz. of chilled water almost immediately upon waking in the morning. The reason seemed logicial. Imagine working an eight-hour shift without having anything to drink. No coffee, no water, no Diet Mountain Dew. That would be tough to do, right? Well, you don't hydrate at all when you sleep. Research showed that drinking the water first thing in the morning kick-started the metabolism and led to increased energy throughout the morning. I've been doing it for a week and it seems to help. If nothing else, I'm drinking more water, in the morning and throughout the day, and that's supposed to be a good thing. --Drew Olson

Gas credit cards --Everyone hates paying a lot for gas, but when it comes down to it, you have three choices: drive less, get a more fuel-efficient car or pay less for gas. Obviously, the first two choices are the most dramatic, and I try to practice what I preach with a Prius and a scooter that gets a whopping 75 miles to the gallon. But since you have to fill the tank eventually, why not try a gas discount credit card? If you fill 'er up with your credit card, anyway, pick the gas station closest to your house, sign up for their credit card and start saving. Most of the cards don't have an annual fee, and for the first few months, offer savings of up to 6 percent -- that could be $5 per trip. Of course, after the introductory rate, it drops to 2 or 3 percent, which is more like $2. But every penny counts in this weird economy. And using your regular credit card saves you nothing. Pick one here. --Andy Tarnoff