Summer Movies

I've been seeing a bunch of the summer movies, but haven't found the one yet that makes my summer. The most recent was Wanted -- the superspy movie with James MacAvoy (my favorite since The Chronicals of Narnia). It has Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman and claims to have the most surprising and amazing effects since the Matrix. However, I couldn't quite connect to it or like it as much as I wanted.

Summary: Get Smart -- disappointing. The Incredible Hulk. Better but still waiting for something more exciting.

What's Cooking?

I grilled up some veg and salmon this evening that turned out pretty good. All you need is a little olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon and everything on the grill turns out fantastic.

I also tried cooking up some country pork ribs the other day. That was a bit of mystery meat before as I have never made it before. I used the crock pot, and it came out tender and fall-off-the-bone perfect. Asian seasonings and it was pretty yummy. But talk about fatty!

Another great meal at Alligator Soul. This time I had the jambalaya. Oh, mama. Crawfish, scallops, mussels, clams, shrimp, ham, sausage. This thing has got it all. I got it at the minimum 4 star spiciness, which was perfect. Next week they are having a crawfish boil. You better believe that I am gonna be there.

Worth Every Penny

I had heard about this movie. A mockumentary, the Grand's final poker tournament scene was a real game -- and they just filmed it as part of the movie. If a particular person lost then they were out of the tournament -- and out of the movie at that time.

This is the kind of humor I love. Quirky characters. Hilarious dialogue. You'll love it. Chris Parnell of Saturday Night Live is a standout here. His character is a social misfit, brilliant, but "off" who takes pieces of Dune to live his life by.

I loved this movie! And it had pearls of wisdom....such as "we are like water -- if agitated, then the way is not clear"....or something to that effect. I felt like that was totally talking to me.

And I adore Jack Black, so why wouldn't I like his characterization of a chubby panda who, a bit of a misfit, has big dreams.

Oh, the other little tidbit to remember: there is no secret ingredient. The answer is you.

The kids loved it too. I want to see it again! The fight scenes were awesome.

It's About Aliens

I finally got a little bit caught up on some movies this weekend -- yes, the classic double feature. It was a long day because both of the movies we chose were 2 hours each.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Spoiler alert -- the crystal skull is an actual alien's skull. It seems kind of dumb, but oh well. I was more impress at how well Harrison Ford and Karen Allen have held up after all these year.

You Don't Mess With the Zohan. The premise is ridiculous. An Israeli counter-terrorist just wants to cut and style hair -- and make people silky smooth. Don't forget this is Adam Sandler and he's been way too serious lately, so he pulls out all the stops in making this over the top crazy. I laughed a lot.

I read that popcorn actually has a lot of tryptophan in it. I don't know if it is true, but I was feeling mighty drowsy after gnoshing on my medium bag at the movie. I'm still sleepy!

Mmmm....cupcakes

I was told that Trophy Cupcakes are the best. I may just believe it. These cupcakes are insane! Talk about rich, moist and delicious. It is not for the faint of heart. And it's definitely a splurge any which way you look at it. The red velvet could be my favorite ever. I've always been against them because of the use of red food coloring. But the hint of cocoa and cream cheese frosting are quite delightful.

And the joint is so charming and retro -- who wouldn't be enchanted. Perhaps I will have my next birthday party here. Yum -o.

Ok, I give in

I have been resisting Grey's Anatomy for 3 years now. I mean, it seemed like a Sex in the City thing except in a hospital, where life is frivolous and people are shallow. McDreamy. Doctors sleeping together. All the hype. I thought that I'd seen it all before. Well, yes, in a way I was right. There is nothing new here, but I finally got talked into watching the series (season one, at least) and it was not bad! In fact, I rather enjoyed it. The characters were likable and the situations, while sometimes not plausible, still kind of fun and relatable. So, season 2 is in my queue. I'm sure at some point I'll get sick of this soap opera, but there's not much action on my Tivo these days and I get to watch episodes back to back!