Running With Scissors

I saw this movie last night despite some negative reviews. I just love Augusten Burroughs and wanted to see for myself.

I can't say I disagreed with the reviews that I have seen. But, I also can't say I hated the movie. It was awkward and choppy and weird in a lot of places, and didn't seem to have a good flow to it. But, how do you give this book about all these crazy people a good flow?

I loved Evan Rachel Wood in it. I didn't love Gwyneth or the fella who played Augusten.

But, I really really loved Annette Benning. I would suggest you go see the movie just for her. She rules the movie and every scene she is in, but not in a over the top sort of way. The woman is just brilliant and best be nominated for an Oscar for this.

Grade: C+ for the movie, A for Annette

Little Children

You may remember that I reviewed this book before and loved it. So, I was thrilled when I heard it was going to be a movie. Not to mention a little nervous how it would translate to the screen.

I loved it! They really take the tone of the book and bring it to the movie. It was one of the prettiest, most original movies I have seen in a long long time. Kate Winselt, Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Connely are all wonderful in it.

This is for sure going to be at the top of my list for favorite movies of the year. I hope it gains some more momentum and gets nominated for Best Picture.

Grade: A+

Green Zebra

A couple of weeks back I had an amazing fabulous night at Green Zebra. A friend threw a party for about 15 of us and treated us to tons of drinks and a seven course meal there. It was an amazing party.

Some of the dishes were really great, others not so much. I didn't understand why they would serve a chickpea pancake and then serve a risotto cake right after that. Too much cake going on! But the squash soup, the cheese salad thingy and the risotto cake all tasted really amazing.

The highlight for me were the cocktails. They have some really unique drinks that they create in the restaurant that you can mix with booze, like a dill lemonade, mulled cranberry and a ginger carrot drink that tastes really yummers with vodka.

I want to check it out when they aren't serving to 15 people to see how the food is. We were in a private room upstairs, but the downstaris space is super slick and cool.

Grade: The whole night gets an A, the food gets a B+

Lunar Park

This is Bret Easton' Ellis' latest endeavor. I am a big fan of his, and have read every book other than American Psycho which I hated and couldnt' get into.

This is the story of Bret Easton Ellis, famous novelist, who movest to burbs and find his house haunted and lots of crazy shit going on around him. But, to understand and follow you have to have some knowledge of his previous works.

If you have read him and like him, a must read, if you haven't or don't, stay away.

This is maybe one of my favs of his, despite some really silly scenarious.

Grade: A-

Schwa

I am back! Sorry for the absence, I just am up in the air how I feel about blogging. I like that my friends can stay up to date on me, and I like that books, movies, restaurants and experiences get chronicled, but...who knows...just not feeling it...

Anyway, had the best dinner of my life on my anniversary a couple weeks back. We went to Schwa, whose chef was just named one of the best new chefs in Food and Wine magazine. This meant I had to call in September for this November reservation.

I will spare the course by course, but it was a nine course tasting that blew my mind. Some highlights included the quaill egg ravioli, the lobster in lavender foam, the olive and stawberry shortcake dessert and prosciutto with beef consumme.

This place is tiny and the chefs serve as your servers. And it is BYO, which makes the 95 dollar a person pricetage easier to digest.

Call now and book a table. You won't regret it!

Grade: A+

Salt Lake City

I am headed to Salt Lake City on Friday for a conference until the middle of next week. Never been and not too excited about my visit, other than I have a friend coming to hang out with me.

Anyone been? Suggestions on what to do?

Grade: B+ is my anticipated grade

Moving...again...

I am moving for the second time in the past four months. It sucks. We will be paying more for about the same amount of space, but the place is super neat.

Grade: C

ADA Cafeteria

It is time that I reveal this place to the masses. The cafeteria on the second floor of the American Dental Association building is wonderful.

I work in that building to the right of it on Chicago Avenue in the photo. The prices are SO cheap and the food is really good. The best grilled cheese sandwich for just like two something. Today I had a mushroom swiss burger with onion rings and a drink, for six damn dollars! Freshly made and oh so yummers in my tummers...

Grade: A