Birthday dinner at Masa: Mmmmmmm
Steak frites: Mmmmmmmm
Dos Masaritas: Mmmmmm Mmmmmmm
Dessert at Picco: Mmmmmmm
Good friends to celebrate with: Perfect.
Happy birthday to me!
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Good Yuntiff to Me
6 JunNot Singing in the Rain Today
4 Jun
Forget that Garbage song “I’m Only Happy When It Rains.” Today I identify more with the Carpenters, who sang, “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”
And when it’s a rainy Monday, that’s even worse — especially after a good weekend. So in that spirit, here’s a list of some of the things on my hate list right now: Continue reading
Movie as Mac-n-Cheese
13 May
Just like with pies, there are different kinds of movies. Some are huge but empty blockbusters. Others are small, personal statements. Still others try to push buttons. And then there are movies like Waitress that don’t appear to have any greater ambition than to be a glimpse at the life of someone different from us. They don’t blow you away, but they do go down easy. It’s like comfort food. Keri Russell (the fickle pickle herself) stars here as Jenna, a waitress in a southern pie shop diner, who learns she is pregnant with her louse of a husband’s baby, and finds herself falling for her obstetrician. One of Jenna’s few escapes is pie-making, and she spends much of her time creating different pie combinations that reflect her state of mind (for example, “Pregnant Miserable Self-Pitying Loser Pie” or “Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie.” Mmmmmm). Add in two fellow waitress friends (Cheryl Hines and writer/director Adrienne Shelly) and a quirky old guy (Andy Griffith), and you basically have the entire movie. As I said, Waitress is nothing earth shattering, but it is a good, enjoyable slice of life. Russell gives an endearing performance (totally different from how she was in Mission Impossible III) that makes you fall in love with her easily. This is a movie that makes you smile, even if it doesn’t make you think, and on a slightly chilly Sunday afternoon, you couldn’t ask for much more. I give Waitress a solid B.
We All Scream
22 Apr
It’s no surprise that after such a beautiful day, J.P. Licks was the place to be last night in Coolidge Corner. It seemed like everyone — jubilant Red Sox fans, parents with young kids, couples on date night, high school girls with little fashion sense, families, pets, etc. — was getting a scoop, and the line was out the door for much of the time that Joe, Marie, the twins, and I were there.
So how thankful was I that there was plenty of entertainment to go along with my soft-serve. No, I’m not referring again to the high school girls. I speak of the folks who tried in vain to get into the perfect parking spot in front. We’re talking premium rock star parking, with plenty of space to slide in. First there was a young lady who totally didn’t cut the wheel correctly, and who just had to answer her cell phone while parking — and holding up traffic, I might add. Her first try, she was still a couple feet from the curb. And after two tries, she just gave up and drove away. She was followed by an older couple who undershot it and actually bumped into the car behind them before leaving their car jutting out into the street and getting out — ignoring all the people who were watching and saying under their breath, “Bad parking job. I can’t believe they’re going to leave it like that.”
Why watching inept parallel parkers never gets old, I just don’t know. But on this spring night, it was great fun.
I Love Being a Carnivore
18 Apr
Somebody tell me: Is there a better burger than the ones made at Mr. Bartley’s in Harvard Square? Mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm!! Went there tonight with Tisha and just-back-from-Deutschland Nina and Jeremy. I had a bacon cheeseburger. Yum-o. What juicy, meaty, chewy, tasty, carnivoreriffic goodness. I may not like Cambridge, but this is one place I’ll always go back to. Of course, between my free ice cream last night and now my big ole burger tonight, it’s clear that I need to go on a diet. At least for a few days.
No Avoiding It
17 AprYou know, I tried to avoid American Idol Tuesday night. Really I did. After last week’s results show, I said I was done. So I went to Ben & Jerry’s at the Pru for Free Cone Night and waited on a long, long line that stretched from the B&J’s counter all the way around the perimeter of the ‘court to Pizzeria Regina. Didn’t mind it, either, especially when I was enjoying my free cone of Phish Food. And I loved when all the parents would show up with their smiling, happy kids and would try to convince the little ones that the line was too long to wait. But God bless the kids, who always knew better. “I don’t mind,” I heard one say. Kids always win, don’t they? Good for them. Free ice cream is worth it.
Anyway, and then I got home and was excited to turn on the TV to watch the Sox. And not just that, but Dice-K on the mound again. But I tell you … if Idol was an embarassment, this felt worse. Sure, the line might not be as bad as the end result, but c’mon — we (and I say we like it came out of my pocket) didn’t pay $103 million for 2-1 losses and three walks in one game. Didn’t pay $103 mil for wild pitches that load the bases, and runs that are walked in. What a bum this guy is. I can’t believe he’s 1-2. That makes him worse than a bum — he’s a loser! At first I thought it was just the weather, but tonight’s game was in a dome. It’s not the lack of run support. This guy should be lights out. So there’s really no excuse. And here come the Yankees this weekend. If Dice-K is our great hope to lead us to another World Series championship, then let me be the first to say it: we’re doomed. Again.
So … long story short, at 9:30 I decided to watch Idol after all (my DVR recorded it automatically — damn that series recording). And I have to say, Melinda Doolittle made at least part of it worth it. I just wish Blake Lewis did Ryan Adams proud. What an awful rendition of a great song. (And I won’t even mention that other guy.) But I promise I won’t be watching anymore. I’m so done with that show. (Until next week, I’m sure.)
Yum
15 Apr
It’s that time again, kids. This Tuesday is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s, or as I like to call it, The Most Wonderful Day of the Year. From 12 to 8 p.m., head on down to your local B&J scoop shop and pick yourself up a free cone of AmeriCone Dream or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough or Half Baked or Phish Food, celebrating its 10th anniversary. It’s all good. (Thanks to Stephanie for the tip.)
And in related news, Baskin-Robbins has apparently done away with their free cone night and instead now does a 31-cent cone night, a benefit for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. This year’s event takes place on May 2 from 5 to 10 p.m. Eat up and give to a good cause, all at the same time.
Martin: 15, The Man: 0
13 Apr
It’s one of my favorite Passover traditions: the day I go back to Shaw’s and return all my unopened, unused food. My philosophy on this is simple: if they’re going to overcharge me for food I need for only a week (and that in some cases really isn’t very good), then they’re going to take back whatever I have left after the holiday. Last year I got back $27 for my extra food. This year, thanks largely to smarter buying, I didn’t have as much to return, so I got a smaller amount back. Still, it was worth it. Here’s what I returned:
* two cans of tuna fish
* a box of cookies
* a two-liter bottle of soda
* a box of chocolate lollipops
* a jar of gefilte fish
All that was worth about $15 back in my pocket.
Now, I realize some may say doing this (and bragging about it) is chintzy, or worse, that it confirms a stereotype. I counter by saying there’s no reason why I should have to pay $5 for a box of 24 subpar bite-size cookies, or $2.59 for a can of tuna fish, simply because I have no choice in the matter. Every year we’re taken advantage of on Passover, and if I can even the score by returning what I don’t need and getting my money back, then I see nothing wrong with that.
Life Is Good
9 Apr
I know writing about it will serve as nothing more than a jinx, but I just had to mention that I’ve developed some really good T karma lately. For the past week, every day, as soon as I’ve gotten to the Boylston T stop to go home (or within a minute of my arrival), the C line has shown up. There’s been no waiting, and I’ve gotten home within about 20 minutes of leaving the office. It’s been almost as if the car was just idling by, waiting for me to get to the bottom of the stairs so it could pull up and let me get on. Did you hear me? This happens every day. That’s unheard of! It’s miraculous! It’s beyond the realm of possibility! It even happened yesterday, a Sunday, when I went to the movies. I thought I was powerful before. Now it seems I can will a T into arriving at my whim. That’s awesome.
But that’s not all that’s going well lately. We’re now within the last 24 hours of Passover, and I can already taste the hot rolls and pasta dinner that I’ll enjoy at Bertucci’s tomorrow night. The Sox are back at home (and a bonus: Harry Connick Jr. is set to sing the National Anthem before the game on Tuesday). I learned this weekend that Felicity is back (to back) on television, on Fuse. I found MP3s of an awesome live show by Amy Winehouse. And, I’m pretty sure Haley is safe. Now, if only the weather would warm up, then things would be near perfect.
And yes, I expect most, if not all of what I’ve written about to cease immediately (sorry, Haley). There’s nothing like talking about good things to make them end.
During Passover, Some of Us Are Still Slaves to Something
5 Apr
When you get right down to it, Passover really isn’t such a bad holiday.
But it’s one of the greatest ironies that while we celebrate our freedom from slavery, we do so by being slaves to food. You can’t eat anything with wheat or flour — essentially, no carbs — and if you’re observant like me, you only eat stuff that says “Kosher for Passover” on it and you don’t go out to eat. (Yes, this is the one week of the year when I’m Jewish by practice, as opposed to the other 51 where I’m more a Jew by identity.) Continue reading
Martin's Musings 