Archive | July, 2006

Lesson Learned?

31 Jul

Look away. I’m hideous.

Yes, I’ve done it again. Went to the beach yesterday — specifically, Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester — and used that Coppertone spray stuff (it was SPF 30 this time).

But despite the almost perfect weather (not beastly hot, not blindingly sunny), I still wound up with a bad sunburn.

And it’s a bit worse than the last time: my back is red (or at least the right side of it is), my upper lip is burnt (I actually went out and bought Blistex for it), I’ve got a red neck, and my face? Well, someone this morning asked me if I’d slept in a radiation zone last night because I’ve got that redness below my eyes again.

But since I haven’t scared any young children yet, I’m going to say he was just exaggerating. Continue reading →

Scarlett Feverish

26 Jul

Pick your journalism-related intro: “Breaking news” or “You read it here first.” Either way, Scarlett Johansson can’t act. That’s the real downfall of Woody Allen’s latest, Scoop, which I suppose isn’t sooooo bad, but considering Scarlett is the lead and is in most every scene, well, that definitely downgrades the film. And given how good she looked in Woody’s last film, the director really does her a disservice here. Otherwise, I laughed a few times and enjoyed the rest of the performances (well, other than Woody Allen’s, which was grating at times), but the plot is pretty thin and it gets wrapped up too easily at the end. So I guess Scoop for me is just a slightly above average movie (which is being a little bit generous). And that’s why it gets a C+.

Hell Hath No Fury

24 Jul

If you live in New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, maybe you’ve seen a billboard like the one above.

According to today’s New York Times, it’s part of an elaborate promotion by Court TV to promote a new show called Parco P.I.

Anyway, it’s good stuff, and the blog that goes with it, That Girl Emily is definitely worth a read — even if it’s all fake (the discovery of the cheating spouse happens around July 12, so you have to click through the archives to find it).

There’s even a fake surveillance video of the cheating hubby.

Yes, it’s sort of disappointing that it’s not real, but check out the blog anyway. Someone is having a very good time keeping this going.

Down Here It’s Just Winners and Losers …

23 Jul

What happens in Atlantic City stays in Atlantic City, and that applies to my money too.

As opposed to the last time I gambled, this weekend I ended up on the losing side.

But hey, all in the name of a good time.

After all, it was Jason’s bachelor party and we were at the Borgata, where there wasn’t much else to do but gamble.

And eat.

And gamble.

And eat.

So without going into too much detail about what we did this weekend — which was more than eat and gamble, by the way. I mean, it wasa bachelor party — I’ll just say our meal at Michael Mina’s Sea Blue was yummy (especially the Molten Peppermint Patty dessert) and a good time was had by all.

Kingston Deli: R.I.P.

21 Jul

As you may have noticed (if you didn’t already know), I can be a man of routine. After all, during the winter I observe Argyle Wednesdays and Tie Thursdays. I also tend to frequent the same places for lunch each week, including Viga on Thursdays, because I love their Blanco pizza, and Kupel’s on Sunday.

Today I learned that one of my other favorite places for lunch, the Kingston Deli, was closing. And not just soon, but today. What a loss this is for me.

Everyone needs a Kingston Deli in their work neighborhood. It’s one of those family-run, greasy spoon-type take-out places, that serves a steady and reliable selection of homestyle cooking, with great “dinner” plates. Before my company moved offices in December, I had the A Street Deli, which served the same type of food, only you always seemed to walk out smelling like you’d been there. Kingston Deli didn’t have that same kind of charm — actually, it had almost no charm at all — but I always enjoyed going in once or twice a week for the steak tips or chicken kabobs, always with rice and salad (see, even in a greasy spoon it’s possible to eat healthily).

So of course, when I stopped in for lunch today and saw the sign, I knew I had to stay and have a final meal. But sadly, they were all out of steak and chicken. I know it’s always questionable trying something new on a restaurant’s last day, but desperate times … So against my better judgement, I decided to go with the Salisbury Steak (with rice and salad, of course). Happily, I can tell you it was not bad. I mean, it was good enough to leave my feelings about Kingston Deli positive, but not so good that I’d want to have it again anytime soon.

In September, the Kingston Deli family will be opening a new location on Arch Street. Until then, the current home of the Kingston Deli will be dark and empty. I’ll have to settle for more lunches at Quizno’s or Viga, or I’ll have to go to Cosi more often. Not such a bad fate, but I’ll miss my regular Kingston Deli lunches.

Kingston Deli is dead. Long live the Kingston Deli.

Does This Make Me Crazy?

20 Jul

This is easily the best song of the summer. It’s a cover of the Gnarls Barkley song “Crazy” by Ray LaMontagne, who you might know from his songs “Trouble” and “Shelter.” I like Ray’s version of the song so much better than Nelly Furtado’s and even more than the original. (Did you know such a new song had already been covered so often?) Give them all a listen and tell me which one you prefer. Of course, you can just right-click on any of the links to download the files. And if you missed it the first time, here again is a link to Ray LaMontagne’s cover of “Crazy.”

Whose version of “Crazy” do you like best?
The original, Gnarls Barkley’s
Ray LaMontagne’s
Nelly Furtado’s
Can’t decide. They’re all great.
Neither. This song sucks.
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com

She’s Here to Stay

20 Jul

According to Us Weekly and the Boston Herald, Jennifer Garner is moving to Boston full-time because she wants to raise her daughter, Violet, in an “un-Hollywood” environment. Of course, this means her husband, Ben Affleck, will also be living here, but that’s just a sidenote. I’m more excited by the fact that my letters, emails, phone calls, visits, television commercials, web sites, blog postings, and good wishes haven’t gone unnoticed. Welcome to town, Jen! Let’s do lunch sometime soon.

Bloggers Are Cool

19 Jul

File under “Breaking News” …

According to a new study, people who blog are predominantly young, novice storytellers who enjoy describing their own experiences. Apparently we also have a growing audience in the online world. Who knew? So, thanks to the Pew Internet & American Life Project for sharing this info.

But seriously, the entire study is sorta interesting and worth a read for anyone who is interested in blogging, or bloggers in general. And if you’re interested in a particular blogger, well, either keep reading or send me an email. I’d be happy to fill in the blanks.

Super

18 Jul

Finally — a funny comedy. Trust me on this one: My Super Ex-Girlfriend is the real deal. It’s light, cute, fun, at times even silly, it strikes just the right tone, is the right length, and above all, it’s funny. This is a movie that for some reason is floating somewhere just under the radar. But hopefully it’ll catch on once y’all have seen it and go spread the word. I mean, don’t get the wrong idea; this one ain’t gonna win any awards. But for easy summer entertainment starring a superhero and a Wilson brother (if that’s your thing), this is the movie to see. It gets a solid B from me.

I Scream

17 Jul

Ladies and gentlepeople … allow me to apologize. I know you expect me to be up on all the important stuff and to pass along information that will help you live your lives better (he said, with all due sarcasm — as if you couldn’t tell). Well, I’ve let you down. So allow me to correct that mistake right here.

Sunday was National Ice Cream Day. Apparently, this holiday — and it is a holiday, as far as I’m concerned — always falls on the third Sunday in July. (Who knew? Not me.) Given the fact that it’s so unbearably hot here in Boston and elsewhere around the country, I suspect no one really needed an excuse to eat ice cream. Still, I feel bad about not posting something about this exciting holiday sooner.

SO, I am happy to announce that the entire month of July is National Ice Cream Month, according to the International Dairy Foods Association and the International Ice Cream Association. And, believe it or not, for this we also have Ronald Reagan to thank. (Seriously.) Should you care to celebrate by doing some reading about the history of ice cream, simply click here.

And there you have it. Now go out and grab yourself a cone or something. If you’re in the Boston area, head on out to Belmont for some Rancatore’s (I recommend the Hydrox or, if they have it, Cocoa Joel). If not, Edy’s will more than suffice (I love their Light Mint Chocolate Chip). Either way, stay cool … and enjoy.

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