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Restaurants Turn to Bartering; Wine Sales Up

• Some restaurants are making a return to bartering, trading food for services like pest control. [WSJ]

• Wine sales in 2009 are expected to be higher than in 2008. [Reuters]

• Julia Stewart, CEO of Applebee’s parent company, is trying to revitalize the chain as she did for IHOP. [Forbes]

• Lingering devastation from last year’s Hurricane Ike means this could be the last season for Galveston Bay’s oystermen. [NYT]

• “Seamless web,” “hale and heardy,” and “shake shack” are all among the top-ten Google searches in New York City. [Google via Eater NY]

• An Upper East Side Mister Softee will be known as Mister Soup for the winter. [Fork in the Road/VV]

Restaurants Turn to Bartering; Wine Sales Up