AARP Bulletin recently published a list of the number of supermarkets in each state and the District of Columbia as of 2008. Here are the Top 10:

California — 3,753
New York — 2,202
Texas — 2,145
Florida — 2,133
Illinois — 1,444
Pennsylvania — 1,428
Ohio — 1,350
North Carolina – 1,349
Michigan — 1,217
Georgia — 1,151

Source: The Nielsen Company

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In a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. respondents, 48 percent plan to visit a U.S. vineyard this year, with 40 percent planning to do so this fall. Travelers are most interested in visiting California favorites Napa Valley (29 percent) and Sonoma (18 percent), with the Finger Lakes, New York and Willamette Valley, Oregon tied for third place with eight percent. When it comes to good taste, 59 percent prefer red wine, 43 percent want white and 12 percent request rosé.

1. Napa Valley, California
The undisputed American capital of wine has earned its reputation thanks to seemingly endless picturesque vineyards and world-class wines. The valley’s gorgeous scenery serves as the backdrop to both amazing large-scale wineries as well as smaller, intimate (but no less excellent) wineries.
Top Value hotel in Napa, California: Chablis Inn – Average nightly rate: $114

2. Sonoma, California
Protected by mountains from excessive rainfall, Sonoma has an ideal climate for growing grapes on its numerous vineyards. Napa’s neighbor is smaller in terms of wine production, but has the highly sought-after wines and sweeping vistas to make it an enchanting wine destination.

3. Willamette Valley, Oregon
Oregon produces far less wine than its Californian counterparts, but distinguishes itself for its outstanding pinot noirs and other varietals. Willamette Valley, one of Oregon’s major wine-growing regions, has more than 200 charming wineries, and is considered the hub of the state’s wine industry.
Top Value hotel in Eugene, Oregon: Broadway Inn – Average nightly rate: $82

4. Yakima Valley, Washington
The oldest wine region in Washington, diverse Yakima Valley can grow many varietals, including chardonnay and shiraz. Nearly half of the wine produced in Washington begins with Yakima Valley grapes, but the Valley is also home to incredible orchards bearing a wide range of fruits.

5. Roseburg, Oregon
South of Willamette Valley, Roseburg has a slightly warmer climate and is situated in the Umpqua Valley, where impressive natural scenery is all around from waterfalls to wildlife. Pinot noir is the primary varietal here, but delicious pinot gris, riesling, chardonnay, and others can also be found.
Top Value hotel in Roseburg, Oregon: Quality Inn Central – Average nightly rate: $80

6. Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
A full-bodied merlot or pinot noir is not hard to find in Okanagan Valley, but sweet dessert ice wines are another treat produced in this wine region that features more than 100 different wineries. The area is also known for its fruit orchards and its clear, fresh lakes, drawing visitors for its climate and its beauty as well as its food and wine.

7. Finger Lakes, New York
New York’s largest wine-producing region, the microclimate of the Finger Lakes region provides ideal conditions for growing a range of varietals. Award-winning wines and sparkling wines, along with an exceptionally peaceful, beautiful setting, make the area well worth a visit.
Top Value hotel in Auburn, New York: Inn at the Finger Lakes – Average nightly rate $94

8. Traverse City, Michigan
The majority of its grapes are grown near the shores of Lake Michigan, making for the unique growing climate of the Traverse City area, an important wine-growing region in the Midwest. Baco noir, cabernet franc, and others are produced in Michigan Wine Country, along with rarer fruit wines and ice wines.

9. North Fork, Long Island, N.Y.
With its 4,000 acres of vineyards, Long Island Wine Country is gaining more and more attention for its wines and its intimate atmosphere. North Fork, on the eastern side of Long Island, is not only home to some celebrated local wines, but also to excellent fresh seafood and produce.
Top Value hotel in Riverhead, New York: Holiday Inn Express East End – Average nightly rate: $188

10. Oak Grove, Virginia
Virginia has a rich wine history dating back to Jefferson’s Monticello wines in the 1770s, and nestled in Virginia’s stunningly beautiful Northern Neck region, Oak Grove is home to one of Virginia’s largest, and oldest, wineries.

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Trying to add more disease-fighting antioxidants into your diet? The following 20 foods contain the highest antioxidant concentration.

1. Pomegranates
2. Small red beans (dried)
3. Wild blueberries
4. Red kidney beans
5. Pinto beans
6. Blueberries (cultivated)
7. Cranberries
8. Artichokes (cooked)
9. Blackberries
10. Prunes
11. Raspberries
12. Strawberries
13. Red Delicious apples
14. Granny Smith apples
15. Pecans
16. Sweet cherries
17. Black plums
18. Gala apples
19. Black beans (dried)
20. Plums

Antioxidants are naturally occurring nutrients that help prevent heart disease, cancer, and the effects of aging. Little is actually known about how antioxidants work or what makes them function best. Scientists believe that some antioxidants are more potent than others, and their potency can be affected by cooking or digestion. For example, the antioxidants in blueberries lose their potency when cooked, while the antioxidants in tomatoes become more potent when cooked.

So use this list to find antioxidant-rich foods, but for the best nutritional outcome, eat them in a wide variety. (Note that all the foods listed above are acceptable on the South Beach Diet; fruits would be introduced starting in Phase 2.)

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While George W. Bush was an early-to-bed sort, Barack and Michelle Obama were known to hit the town now and then in Chicago. If that form holds, Washington’s relatively dormant restaurant scene may get a boost from a young (and presumably more energetic) First Couple.

That prospect inspired Forbes Traveler to check out the D.C. area and identify the eateries most likely to benefit from some new occupants at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Here’s what they came up with:

Art and Soul

Ristorante Tosca

Blue Duck Tavern

Oyamel

The Oval Room

Founding Farmers

Bourbon Steak (Four Seasons)

National Democratic Club

Off the Record (Hay-Adams Hotel Bar)

Ben’s Chili Bowl

What makes these spots likely to thrive in a new Washington? Visit Forbes Traveler to find out.

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What makes a place romantic? That’s certainly open to debate. Never the types to do things halfway, the folks at Forbes Traveler surveyed five chefs from Bravo’s “Top Chef” to come up with its list of “The Most Romantic Restaurants in the U.S.”

Got a heart full of good intentions and a pocketbook to match?

Here goes:

– The Beacon, Sag Harbor, N.Y.

– Saddleridge Restaurant, Beaver Creek, Colo.

– Out the Door by the Slanted Door, San Francisco, Calif.

– Les Amis, San Francisco, Calif.

– The Restaurant at the Setai, South Beach Miami, Fla.

– Joel Robuchon, Las Vegas, Nev.

– The Savoy, New York, N.Y.

– Hangawi, New York N.Y.

– Off Vine, Hollywood, Calif.

– La Boheme, West Hollywood, Calif.

What makes these spot so extraordinary? Find out what the chefs had to say, and check out a slideshow, at Forbes Traveler.

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Trouble is, how to go about it? There are no shortage of diets out there, but different kinds work for different people.

According to well-being-guide.com, here are five of the most popular:

The Atkins Diet – Cut down on carbs, burn more fat.

The Zone – 40% carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein.

Weight Watchers -Foods are assigned point values, and you only get so many points per day.

The Macrobiotic diet – Eat only eat when you are hungry, chew slower, and divide daily portions up into rigidly set groups.

The Raw Foods diet – Replace cooked food with fresh, raw food filled with enzymes.

Read more about each of these at well-being-guide.com.

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Eight O’Clock Coffee 100% Colombian ranked number one in Consumer Reports‘ tests of 19 ground coffees, besting Folgers, Maxwell House, and Starbucks – America’s best-selling ground coffees.

CR’s testers focused on 100% Colombian – a best selling bean – for regular coffee. Most of the six decaffeinated coffees tested are a blend of different beans. Testers consider a great cup of Colombian to have lots of aroma and flavor, some floral notes and fruitiness, a touch of bitterness, and enough body to provide a feeling of fullness in the mouth. Woody, papery, or burnt tastes are off-notes.

Top Ground Coffee

• Eight O’Clock Coffee 100% Colombian ($6.28 per pound) — A CR Best Buy, Eight O’Clock costs less than half the price of Gloria Jean’s, Peet’s and other more expensive brands. CR’s coffee experts deemed it a complex blend of earthy and fruity, with a bright, pleasing sourness – a good thing in coffee parlance.
• Caribou Coffee Colombia Timana ($11.76 per pound)
• Kickapoo Coffee Organic Colombia ($14.33 per pound)

Top Decafs

• Dunkin’ Donuts Dunkin’ Decaf ($10.25 per pound)
• Millstone Decaf 100% Colombian Medium Roast ($11.59 per pound)
• Folgers Gourmet Selections Lively Colombian Decaf Medium Roast

Starbucks Coffee Colombia Medium, $11.53 per pound, didn’t even place among the top regular coffees and trailed among decafs. While the Regular rated “Good,” testers noted it had flaws such as burnt and bitter flavors, though milk and sugar may help.

Other trendy brands fared less well. Bucks County Coffee Co. Colombia, from Langhorne, Penn., tasted only OK, and Peet’s Coffee Colombia from Berkeley, Calif., was burnt and bitter, despite costing $14 per pound.

Weeks of sipping and swirling confirmed that even 100% Colombian coffee and its Juan Valdez logo don’t guarantee quality. CR’s testers unearthed other surprises: Chock full o’Nuts and Maxwell House have pushed coffee that’s “heavenly” and “good to the last drop” since 1932 and 1907, respectively. But off-notes, little complexity, and for Chock full o’Nuts, variable quality, put both behind Eight O’Clock.

How to Choose the Best Ground Coffee

• Consider how you take it. Coffees judged “Very Good” taste fine black. Milk and sugar can improve a mediocre coffee, but not even cream is likely to help the lowest-scoring coffees.
• Choose a good coffeemaker. The best rated by CR reached the 195 degrees to 205 degrees F required to get the best from the beans and avoid a weak or bitter brew. A top Michael Graves model costs just $40.
• Consider grinding for fresher flavor. Even the best pre-ground coffee just can’t beat the best fresh ground when it comes to taste. One top grinder from CR’s January ‘09 report, the Mr. Coffee IDS77, costs only $20.

The full results of the coffee ratings are available online at ConsumerReports.org.

Source: Consumer Reports

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So why does macaroni and cheese inspire such fierce loyalty among fans? That’s a good question, and one for which we don’t have an answer. (Sorry, but we’re list makers, not philosophers.)

Recently, Yahoo! Food convened a small panel to determine who packed the best box of one of America’s favorite quick treats. At risk of stirring up a hornet’s nest, here’s what the group came up with:

1: Pasta Roni Shells and White Cheddar
2: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Original Flavor
3: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Premium Thick ‘n Creamy
Tie for 4: Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original
Tie for 4: Back to Nature Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
5: Annie’s Shells & Real Aged Cheddar
6: Generic Store-Brand Macaroni & Cheese

So, how did they come up these results? Click on over to Yahoo! Food to find out.

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The ever-vigilant list-makers at Forbes keep track of just about everything, and lately, they’ve been casting an eye toward that checkout line. Using data compiled by Catalina Marketing of St. Petersburg, Fla., they were able to identify the home bases of America’s unhealthiest grocery shoppers.

How did they do it? Catalina calculated the total amount spent on more than 100,000 individual product codes deemed generally unhealthy at 17,000 grocery stores. Those figures were then corrected for total expenditures.

Here are the 10 areas that fared worst, in reverse order, with percentage of total purchase devoted to unhealthy items:

10. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wisc.: 10.19

9. Memphis, Tenn.-Ark.-Miss.: 10.27

8. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, Tenn.: 10.32

7. New Orleans, La.: 10.32

6. Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky.-La.: 10.65

5. Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C.: 10.9

4. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wisc.: 10.95

3. Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind.: 11.33

2. Richmond, Va.: 11.45

1. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wisc.: 11.47

To get a better idea of why these folks aren’t eating as well as they might, visit Forbes.

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Of course, life is full of temptations and side roads. And, just about the time we were getting ready to pack up the workout clothes and hop in the car, we came across this item from Forbes:

America’s Best Doughnuts

As you’ve no doubt realized by now, the editors here at GetListy will stop at nothing to bring our readers the best and most informative compilations we can find. How, then, could we resist this one?

At risk of ruining your calorie-cutting plans, here’s what Forbes came up with:

– Bouchon Bakery, New York, N.Y., Las Vegas, Nev., Yountville, Calif.

– Chef Mavro, Honolulu, Hawaii

– Coffee an’ Donut Shop, Westport, Conn.

– The Donut Man, Glendora, Calif.

– Doughnut Plant, New York, N.Y.

– Morning Call, Metairie, La.

– Randy’s Donuts, Los Angeles, Calif.

– Spudnuts, Charlottesville, Va.

– Top Pot, Seattle, Wash.

– Zingerman’s Bakehouse, Ann Arbor, Mich.

What makes these places so famous? Get the lowdown, and see a mouthwatering slideshow of delectibles, at Forbes.

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