“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is the overall, hands down, best movie of 2013.
I like, but am not a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings, and so I was happily surprised on how much better the prequels are. “The Hobbit” is still able to capture the imagination of the young and old, and Peter Jackson, who is a fan himself, was able to bring those visions of imagination to life on the big screen.
This movie has everything you want in a great film, plus the added bonus of mythical places, beings, and creatures. Anyone who says that “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” isn’t the greatest movie of the year is either a liar or hasn’t seen it yet. I give the movie two gigantic thumbs up and I recommend seeing it in theaters.
“Thor: The Dark World” what the hell happened spoiler alert…Captain America cameo, Loki dies, and Thor loses his hand.
This film is not as good as the first, but it does a good job following the story line from “Thor” and “The Avengers”.
A big part of this story is the relationships between family and friends and the choices that we all must make in life, but “Thor 2” is not heart-warming at all. In fact there is a lack of emotion where there should be some, but I couldn’t tell if the entire cast was emotionless due to being bad actors or that the script and director had them go in that heartless direction. Either way Erik Selvig said it best, “I need to get my pants”; and with that I give this movie two thumbs down and I recommend you wait to see it when it is released on DVD.
“Frozen” is the perfect go to movie if you are 5 years old.
It has everything; action and adventure, love, princesses, a talking snowman, and singing…lots and lots of singing, sometimes of the same song. For the most part I hate musicals, and this movie was killing me to sit through it, but my nieces would love it because it was written for them (not them specifically, but for their age group).
Even though I personally hated it, the film did a good job going after the attended audience. I give this movie 1 thumb up and I recommend you wait to see it when it is released on DVD.
We did it again! Pitted the kids against each
other to come up with some tasty eats; this time in the sandwich
category. They invented them, we shopped, we made, we ate, we voted. The
winner is: TIE!
How can you lose? Abi’s Honey Mustard Chicken
Sandwich tops sourdough bread with sticky grilled honey mustard
dressing. The remaining dressing was turned into a flavorful sauce that
was spread over the inside of the bread, then simple finished with
sliced red tomatoes, and happily consumed. This is a very delicious
sandwich!
Poke’s Awesome Sandwich is different, but just as
delicious. It starts off with a roasted garlic mayonnaise spread over
sourdough bread. The filling is amazing…err…awesome: piled on perfectly cooked bacon, melted cheddar cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and crispy
outside soft inside fried potatoes. This has everything you want in a
sandwich.
Seriously…I’d eat either or both of these sandwiches right now!!!
I believe in this movie, but not in the final product; meaning that I love the writing of “Gravity” and what they were trying to accomplish; however they went with the wrong actress.
I like Sandra Bullock, but she is not a strong enough actor to stand alone on the big screen. Being the only person on screen for any film has to be one of the hardest things ever because the actor is the center of attention, no one to play off of, they have to be charismatic to grab on and hold the viewer, etc. etc.
If you do not already know, I cannot stand George Clooney as an actor; the man cannot act. However, I have never been so happy to see Mr. Clooney’s dramatic return towards the end of the film; he was the saving grace. It wasn’t that George showed up with new acting abilities, or took an acting class between takes; it was that he provided a needed break from the crap Sandra Bullock was putting out on her solo trek through space. I’m not joking…Sandra Bullock’s performance was so bad that George Clooney out acted her. I’m sorry Sandra because that’s mean and probably hitting below the belt, but it’s the truth. I love you, but this was the wrong role.
This is a hard review and so I’ll split it down the middle. For the writing and the idea I loved it. For the acting I hated it. Wait…the entire opening with Houston talking was stupid, and it would piss me off if these people were being paid with my taxes and were like that in real life. I’m probably missing the whole trying to be relatable to the audience, the characters were probably friends with a long history, and Clooney’s character was “that guy”, and so forth and so on; but they missed the mark.
Time to vote! I give this movie two big thumbs down, and I recommend you wait to see it when it comes out on TV.
I made Abi two different b-day ice cream
cakes. The 1st being an Oreo cookie ice cream with a cookie crust, and
yes I used a torch on the cake and also lit candles (confidence = fire +
ice cream).
The 2nd ice cream cake is an Arctic Roll. Very
50’s bring your boss home for dinner kind of dessert, but it is
delicious. Chocolate and vanilla swirled cake with raspberry jam all
rolled up with vanilla bean ice cream. Yum!
The winner is: ME and whoever else shared in these tasty treats!!
I drove through Canada like the boss…Vancouver
BC had nothing on me, except trying to keep us there with the stupid
freeway that goes through the city and becomes regular
streets….stupidest thing ever. I even took an unknown shortcut down a bus only street because I could (or wasn’t paying attention).
The moral of the story is that we are now honorary Canadians because
Canada loves us; we feasted on Poutine and had some real Canadian Maple
Syrup.
Poutine is pictured…
Almond Honey-Soy Chicken with Noodles
isn’t a takeout…it is a make-in. Homemade, but I put it in a takeout container
to fool the people. Guess what? It worked!
In this latest episode Donna remakes her mother-in-law’s cheesecake, but with a coconut sugar twist on the old no-bake classic.
I go with a simple taco salad of iceberg lettuce, jicama, roma tomatoes, black beans, and plain corn chips; topped off with a spicy Mexican inspired faux ranch dressing. I also attempt a no yeast, no flour bread that I am sure will be a crowd pleaser in some diet circles.
http://youtu.be/O7CR9jxURJU
I was feeling chipper this morning and decided
to make a mid-week breakfast, which is unusual for me. Blueberries and
Cream Stuffed Waffles, then topped them with the stuffing…a ridiculous
way to start your morning. If this isn’t enough to fuel you through
lunch and into dinner, then nothing will. It is one of those things that
are so delicious that you actually crave the next bite while you’re
eating it.
“The Family” is a heartwarming tale of a mafia family hiding out in witness protection in Europe after the dad (played by De Niro) turns state’s evidence against the mob; well as heartwarming as a mobster and family can be.
The dad doesn’t take crap from anybody, the mom is just as bad, and the son and daughter are tougher than your average suburban teenagers; which has the FBI moving the family every few months because they can’t stay out of trouble, but still trying to stay one step ahead of the mafia who is looking to kill them.
Robert De Niro and Tommy Lee Jones’ characters have this love hate relationship/friendship that adds a great underlying chemistry to the film; the film is worth watching just for their portrayal of these roles while together on the screen.
De Niro’s character starts to write his memoirs and starts becoming known as an American writer, who is asked to review/debate an American movie, which happens to be “GoodFellas”. I found this quite amusing, and so will anyone who is a fan of “GoodFellas” or of De Niro’s work.
Another great De Niro throwback is when he grabs a baseball bat and says, “Al Capone always said, 'Asking politely with a gun in your hand is better than just asking politely.'" Al Capone never really said that, or was at least was never quoted as saying that. What Capone really said was, "You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone." The throwback part is that Robert De Niro said those exact words while playing Capone in “The Untouchables”; so “The Family” in a way is playing homage to De Niro’s gangster past, which to me is fantastic.
This movie is a great gangster flick without it being a gangster flick. I liked it a lot and I give it two thumbs up, but even with that I recommend you wait to see it when it is released on DVD.
Panda Express claims to be “Gourmet Chinese Food”, but I’m sure that they are more Asian inspired then actual Chinese, gourmet or not.
However, I have never been to China or any part of Asia, so in all honesty I do not actually know what traditional Chinese cuisine should taste like.
I do like Panda Express’ take on Asian food, and find it better than a lot of other similarly priced Chinese restaurants, which would be the buffets. I like that you can sample food before you buy it, and I like the different choices of food (a burger joint gives you different versions of a burger). Panda Express is different than other fast food restaurants because it gives you a break from burgers, sandwiches, and tacos, but stays within the same price range and speediness of a traditional fast food joint.
I enjoy Panda Express and go there whenever I am in the mood for orange chicken and don’t feel like making it myself. Plus who doesn’t like the American take on Chinese food by cracking open a fortune cookie and ending every fortune by adding the words “in the bathroom” (fortunes are so much funnier that way, especially if you have kids like I do).
McDonald’s is the king of fast food, and they are untouched as the # 1 fast food restaurant chain in the world.
You get what you pay for, and that is okay in the MCD’s world because you get exactly what you would expect; no bells and whistles and no cup holders. Meaning that McDonald’s is just as advertised; if you want something healthier, better tasting, fancier, big loaded up burgers; go somewhere else, and McDonald’s is fine with that.
Are their burgers the best? No, and sometimes that is what you want; a cheap eat-em-up burger. The fries are the best in the fast food category (and maybe reaching into some other restaurant categories too), and that is a given with solid numbers to back up the data.
McDonald’s is good at what they do, and I cannot fault them for that. They don’t pretend to be something they’re not, and they don’t try to hide it behind high prices. McDonald’s is cheap eats, but you’ll see business men in suits talking about work, a dirty homeless guy eating off the dollar menu, and elderly guys meeting for coffee all in the same restaurant, all at the same time. I hate to say it, but that is world unity.
McDonald’s is here to stay and I am happy that they are.
“The Classic” burger at Killer Burger…Vancouver, WA location is a fantastic choice when you’re needing to get full with fresh made in house burgers and fries.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! Killer Burger is the place to be…always eating is the life for me! The taste is out of this world! I highly recommend the Vancouver, WA and the Portland, OR locations.
Side note: All you can eat fries!!!!
Eating at Dairy Queen will cost you as much as eating at a casual sit down restaurant, but without the comfort or atmosphere of a casual sit down restaurant.
Their food is on the lower end of fast food quality standards, and their prices suck (if I didn’t mention that before).
I know that DQ is famous for its Blizzard ice cream treats, and I am sure that the price point is somewhat similar to other famous ice cream chains, but is it good? YES…ice cream is good! There is nothing bad about eating ice cream in my book of logic, especially with added toppings. So DQ has the ice cream right, but everything else is so wrong.
My advice to Dairy Queen is to get over yourself, drop your prices, and be happy with who you are; you’re a fast food restaurant chain and that is ok, so start acting like it.
Kentucky Fried Chicken seems to be on a downhill slide, at least in the city where I live in because the restaurant chain has been closing its doors.
KFC’s food always smells good, and it tastes good too, but it is so greasy that it bothers me to eat it. I feel as though I need a shower to wash all the grease oozing from my skin after eating just one piece. Their grilled version is worse because it is like eating chicken jerky, no flavor and too much texture.
However, their chicken wings are delicious and I can take on a bucket full by myself. The wings are spicy and flavorful, plus the price point is right on the mark with other wing places.
So other than the wings I never choose KFC as a go to joint, but my family disagrees and so every once in a while we end up going just to feed the family’s craving. Since most of the stand-alone stores are closed in my area I get a break when choosing KFC because the newer restaurants are a combo unit with Taco Bell, A&W, or other places owned by the same company. We go in, and at the same counter I’ll order a taco and my family can order chicken…”winner winner chicken dinner”.
So if you’re in the mood for chicken I would recommend that you spend the same amount of money at a deli somewhere and get twice as much for the price and have a party.
Jack In The Box has some great commercials, but unfortunately their food doesn’t back up the hype.
Don’t get me wrong because I like them; I like them a lot, probably more than most fast food joints but there is still something off about the restaurant chain.
I know what the problem is, but I cannot truly explain it. The problem is the employees. I have been to Jack In The Box establishments up and down the West Coast, from new and modern to old and beat up. No matter where it is, the look of the structure, or the cleanliness of the restaurant itself; I cannot get past trusting the employees with my food. I have to make sure that I stand up near the counter and watch them make my food no matter if I’m dinning in or out (I would never go through the dive up window).
I have never had tampering with my food (that I know of), I have never had a messed up order, nor has anyone ever been impolite. I have no reason to mistrust Jack In The Box employees, but I do. And there lies the problem because I like their food (for the most part).
Correction: I have had a rather large sharp bone in my food before, but it was not the employees fault, the stores fault, or even the company’s fault for that matter. It was explained to me that Jack In The Box buys all of their meat from a meat processor and it is already cut and formed before they get it. The company did give me some free food vouchers to come back as I was not hurt in the least bit. I never used them however; not because I am above free food, but because I forgot about them and then they expired.
Jack In The Box is okay, but I haven’t been able to shake that feeling of trusting any of their employees in any of their locations. So for that they get one thumb up for their food in the fast food category, and one thumb down for their untrustworthy employees.
Tacos and fries are delicious and should always be served together.
