Glamorama

I really love this book by Bret Easton Ellis. I just re-read this story about Victor Ward, a NYC male model who is kind of sort of famous. He moves through the NYC club celeb scen in the first half of the book in a mindless description of parties and endless name-dropping. But, there are a few really strange things happening, and suddenly the book takes a really insane turn.

I can understand people who hate this book. Ellis comes off in most of his books as simply throwing downt he lives of these really dislikable people, but he does it to make a point, a social commentary. So, every now and then you find yourself hating yourself for loving these hateful people. You want to live their life, but you want to hate their life all at the same time. Who else can write a book about terrorism and modeling in the 90's like this.

Oh, and did I mention the hottest sex scene ever in a novel? Victor, another male model and a former female model all take some X and do it like crazy. I re-read that long scene like 10 times the first time I read the book. It is so hot!

Can't wait to read his next book, Lunar Park.

Grade: A

Trader Joe's Toaster Pastries

Well, Trader Joe's did something wrong. I love that place so hard, but a while back I got their Organic Toaster Pastries to take to work for breakfasts. I just finished the last pack today. I have had them for 4 weeks and only eat them when I would be really hungry and broke in the morning.

Well, they suck. They taste like you are eating apples and saw dust.

Grade: D -

Rose Angelis

I actually ate at Rose Angeli's (1314 W. Wrightwood) a couple of weeks ago, but waited until a day that I needed a pick-me up to write about it. Because I was really truly amazed by this place, as were my Dad and step-mom who took me there.

My roomate had recommended it a few times to me, but I just never made it to this sort of out of the way spot in Lincoln Park. It is a large old home that has been converted to a really charming restaurant, including what looked like a great patio to the side. The place was huge when I was there, and empty, but we got there really early in the night, and from what I hear it gets packed many nights.

The food was some of the best Italian I have ever had in my life. I started out with this amazing garlic and gorgonzola cream soup, and got my first glimpse of their huge portions. This rich soup was so amazing, but so creamy and thick that I couldn't eat much of it. My parents shared a caprese salad, that said was one of the best they had had before.

Then, our entrees arrived and all of our jaws dropped. The portions were so crazy-huge. I had a dish with chicken breast, spinach and portobello mushrooms that rocked my world. My Dad had gorgonzola tortollini with grapes and walnuts and more gorgonzola in a cream sauce that he couldn't stop raving about and my stepmother had the lasagna, which was the size of her head.

Seriously, check this place out. I want to go back really soon!

Grade: A+

Word Verification

So, I finally did the word verification thing after getting some stupid ads, but I like the words they make you type in sometimes. In honor of me installing this, post a comment and tell me what your word was.

My word was: fgyamv

Grade: B

Time Out Chicago

I fucking love Time Out Chicago. Let me give you a list why:

- Look at this cover. The covers are always fun!

- The food listings focus on cheap local spots, but also include some nicer places, and are all over the city.

- They aren't afraid to be crass or swear.

- They have a Gay & Lesbian listing that is really cool.

- Having Time Out in Chicago puts us in the same league as New York and London that have weekly Time out pubs.

- It is cheap to get home delivery. Just 19.99 for 1 full year! Wow! Get it now!

Grade: A

Flightplan

"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts because we are leaving anything close to reality."

Last night I checked out a preview of Flightplan. And it blew. Jodie Foster is great and does as good as she can in this movie. But, the plot is so unbelievable, which you can sort of expect, but there were some really horrible lines delivered and the tone of the scenario was just bogus.

The story is about Foster's character Kyle, who is an engineer who helped design the plane she boards with her daughter. They are flying back to the US with the body of her husband, who died just 5 days earlier. Her daughter shows up missing and we spend the next hour or so looking for her daughter. It all starts to get silly when the flight crew is just downright rude to her.

I mean, toward the end I was on the edge of my seat a few times, but it was typical suspense gimmicks and twists that did this to me. Don't go see this in the theater!

Grade: D+ (I can't bring myself to give anything with Ms. Foster an F, and I did get into it a few times during the movie.)

The end of Big Brother 6

I didn't even watch the finale last night. But Maggie won. For those who aren't fans, this is Janelle above who totally should have won. She was in the final three and was awesome. I couldn't stand her at first, but grew to love Janelle.

At least that horrible demon of a woman, Ivette, didn't win. She gives all lesbians a bad name.

Goodbye Kaysar and Howie and Rachel and Janelle, who I loved. See you next summer Big Brother!

Oh, and check out this totally awesome clip of every time Julie Chen said "But, first..."http://www.tvgasm.com/archives/big_brother/001211.php

Grade: A for the show F for Maggie winning

The Constant Gardner

The Constant Gardener is a lot like every other thriller/mystery out there. Oh, except the acting, directring, cinematography and script are way better! But honestly, this has all the elements of a typical thriller, but somehow manages to redefine the genre with amazing performances and a style all its own.

Ralph Fiennes is truly amazing and I would pay money to watch him sleep for two hours. His understated performance helped set the tone of the film and defied the typical grieving/angry husband performance we have seen in other movies with storylines like this.

I really truly loved this movie, but at the end of the two hours it was still a thriller and isn't anything that is going to stick with me for months to come. I predict it won't stick with Academy voters either.

Grade: B+

Oscar Predictions - September Updates

Well, the Toronto Film Festival is over and the movie that got the most hype was Brokeback Mountain. I think this buzz gauranteed the movie a Best Picture nod come next year. But, all the hooplah got me way excited about the movies coming out the rest of the year. I feel like this is going to be a great year. Here are my predictions. Your thoughts?

Best Picture

1. Brokeback Mountain
2. Munich
3. Memoirs of a Geisha
4. Walk the Line
5. Jarhead

Best Director

1. Steven Spielberg – Munich
2. Ang Lee – Brokeback Mountain
3. Rob Marshall – Memoirs of a Geisha
4. Terrence Malick – The New World
5. David Cronenberg – A History of Violence

Best Actor

1. Joaquin Phoenix – Walk the Line
2. Heath Ledger – Brokeback Mountain
3. Phillip Seymour Hoffman – Capote
4. Jake Gyllenhall –Jarhead
5. Ralph Fiennes –The White Countess

Best Actress

1. Judi Dench – Mrs. Henderson Presents
2. Zhang Ziyi – Memoirs of a Geisha
3. Charlize Theron – North County
4. Reese Witherspoon – Walk the Line
5. Joan Allen – The Upside of Anger

Supporting Actor

1. Peter Saarsgard – Jarhead
2. Jake Gyllenhall – Brokeback Mountain
3. Bob Hoskins – Mrs. Henderson Presents
4. Daniel Craig – Munich
5. Ed Harris – A History of Violence

Supporting Actress

1. Gong Li – Memoirs of a Geisha
2. Michelle Williams – Brokeback Mountain
3. Toni Colette – In Her Shoes
4. Frances McDormand – North Country
5. Catherine Keener – Capote

Best Original Screenplay

1. Munich
2. Crash
3. Breakfast on Pluto
4. Walk the Line
5. The New World

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. Brokeback Mountain
2. Capote
3. Jarhead
4. Memoirs of a Geisha
5. A History of Violence
   
   

Naivehelga

So, my friend Amanda has a blog, Naivehelga. You can get to it in the links to the right, but I am not going to put a link here. She started it the same time as mine and the premise is the same: review stuff.

But, she totally posts more than I do and her reviews are more in-depth. I am pissed. Her blog is what I wanted mine to become. Damn you, Amanda! I never should have encouraged you to steal my idea.

Grade: A - for her blog D for her stealing my idea

Roy's

I ate with my Dad on Wednesday night at Roy's. This place was pretty awesome. It is actually a chain of restaurants that started in Hawaii, which made me a little hesitant. But, the food was really impressive. It is Hawaiin themed, but nothing too obnoxious.

I started with the Canoe Appetizer. A sampling of portobello ravioli, shortribs and coconut shrimp. It was good, but nothing really stood out as amazing, so I started to get a little nervous about my choide for dinner for the night.

My entree was the butterfish. This fish is truly amazing. Flaky, moist fish in a creamy sauce that is so rich and melts in your mouth. Some of the best fish ever in my life. My father had the filet and that was really awesome, but the sauce on it was a little too sweet and overpowering.

Then, we finished with the chocolate souffle lava cake. Holy shit, this was the best part, and I am not a desert fanatic like some. But, just totally amazing.

Grade: A-

Noodle Zone

This Andersonville spot recently expanded and added a new room with a sushi bar. I had been to the asian spot a handful of times in the past, never very impressed. They offer a mix of Thai and Chinese dishes for the masses. Every time I had been every dish seemed a little bland and made for the masses. It is standard asian fare along this strip of Clark St.

But, last night I went there and hit up the new room they have added. It is really cute in there, sushi bar along one wall and just a much hipper vibe than the room next door. The sushi I had was really good. Fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. The standard Thai and Chinese dishes seem to still be the same, but I was happy with this places update. Oh, and the servers were a tad cranky and no too personable.

Grade: B+

Friendster

All you Myspace people out there can bite me. I love Friendster more. Ever since I signed up with this site I have never grown tired. Go to www.friendster.com and check it out. If you are my friend already, you should totally leave me a testimonial about how great I am. And if you aren't my friendster on there, then go on and check me out. E-mail addy is baasecha1@hotmail.com.

They continue to make tweaks and changes to Friendster, but I love the concept. I have been reconnected with a few people via this site, and love to browse profiles.

The downside is the occasional glitch when the site gets weird and it always says you have messages, or when certain features just don't work.

Grade: B+

Lost

I just watched the first 4 hours of Lost last night and am already hooked. I knew that the show had a lot of fans and was getting some rave reviews. I mean, this isn't a television masterpiece in any way, but it is original, fun, and something totally different than most TV crap. There are for sure some silly television aspects to this, some bad dialog, some stereotypes, etc.

The downside is that I really want to watch the whole first season before the second one begins, but there are like 24 episoses or something. That is a lot of sitting in front of my TV after being sick all last weekend and sitting there for a long time. But, this show is so good! There are 48 castaways on the island, so a never-ending opportunity for back stories, weird twists, etc. I have avoided a lot of the gossip and speculation over the show, knowning that I could get wrapped up, but I have finally caved in. So, what do you think the story is? A dream? Are they all dead? Don't tell me too much, cuz I have a lot left to go.

Grade: B+

Sick stuff edition

Well, those were just any germs, they were strep throat germs!! I am still getting over it, but back at work now. Here is a wrap up of some reviews from my weekend

Gatorade: A

Powerade: C

Chicken Noodle Soup: D

Chicken Vegetable Soup: C+

Jell-O: B

Televisions as a whole: C-

My roomate and other friends who kept checking in: A+

Suddenly getting sick

I got sick in the span of lik 10 minutes last night. I got a headache, then a few minutes later my throat felt scratchy, then hurt. I still feel really icky and might go home. When I get a cold or strep throat or something it usually comes on like this.

The upside is that maybe I will just go home and rent Season 1 of Lost and check that show out.

Grade: F+