11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Explore: Swirl And Slice Specialty Foods Market
To contact us Click HERE
Whatever your plans are tonight, cancel them. Cancel your plans for this Thursday and every Thursday this summer so that you can attend the Swirl and Slice Specialty Foods Market in Union Square in Somerville.
What is this market you ask? It's an outdoor market, much like a farmer's market, but instead of produce and flowers, this market showcases wine, cheese and everything delicious you can pair with them!
Interested? The market is every Thursday from 5:00pm - 8:00pm in Union Square from this Thursday through Thursday September 20th. Learn more on the market's website.
Have you been to the Swirl and Slice? What was your best find?
*Images courtesy of Union Square Main Streets.
What is this market you ask? It's an outdoor market, much like a farmer's market, but instead of produce and flowers, this market showcases wine, cheese and everything delicious you can pair with them!Interested? The market is every Thursday from 5:00pm - 8:00pm in Union Square from this Thursday through Thursday September 20th. Learn more on the market's website.Have you been to the Swirl and Slice? What was your best find?
*Images courtesy of Union Square Main Streets.
Dining Out: Otto Pizza
To contact us Click HERE
For over a year now I have been wanting to try Otto Pizza in Harvard Square. Every time I walk by it I am reminded that I need to set aside a time to plan to dine there. Then something magical happened, I read online that Otto was planning to open a location in Coolidge Corner in Brookline!
Just about two weeks after Otto opened its doors in the space formerly occupied by Friendly's on Harvard St, my cousins and I headed there for dinner.
Beneath the arch of bricks, Otto has two cherry red doors welcoming guests. In the front window are pizza boxes with the restaurant's logo.
When taking a picture of the boxes I saw that Otto's was first established in Portland, Maine! I had no idea. I thought the Harvard Square location was their first.
Inside the restaurant the first thing you see is the take out counter. Otto has several specialty pies ready and waiting for you to order a slice or two. Normally pizza joints only have one or two flavors available by the slice, but Otto has at least eight!
On the left side of the restaurant is a bar, which seemed to be popular for parties of two who didn't want to wait for a table.
Behind the bar is a large group table and counter seating in the window that overlooks Harvard St. That is definitely the prime people watching spot!
The right side of the restaurant is the main dining room which has an industrial feel to it. As you can see, the night we went the sun was shining brightly and illuminating the whole room.
After a twenty five minute wait we were escorted to our table, which was at the far end of the dining room beneath this very fun, 1950s style portrait of a women making dinner.
Each table was numbered and ours was apparently number six! A very bubbly waitress popped over to deliver us menus.
The Otto menu is 99% pizza with a few salads. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the small pizzas ranged in price from $9 - $12. Very affordable!
Since it was our first time at Otto, we decided to try a few different flavors of pizza. Between the three of us, there are strongly varying preferences, so we wound up with a wide range of pies.
We eventually decided on the four cheese, the butternut squash with cranberry and ricotta, and the three cheese tortellini.
I was most excited to try the three cheese tortellini which was a cheese pizza topped with pasta! I've only seen pasta topped pizza in New York City (sometime around 4:00am) and I was dying to try it.
This pie was fantastic! In addition to the tortellini (which are delicious on their own, but even more delicious on top of pizza), this pie had juicy tomatoes and a perfectly crisped crust.
The four cheese pizza was underwhelming. Despite the medley of cheese, it tasted bland and in this case, desperately needed tomato sauce.
Our third pie was the butternut squash, cranberry and ricotta. I had high hopes for this one, but was disappointed. The squash was pureed instead of cubed, which made the texture of the pizza too mushy. The cranberries were great as was the herbed ricotta cheese, but overall, the pizza was too sweet.
Two days later I had the butternut squash pizza leftovers for lunch and honestly, it was better on day three!
I was so happy to finally make it to Otto and I am now madly in love with the tortellini pizza. Before we even left I was already thinking about when I could go back to have it again.
I will say, if you're planning to eat dinner at Otto, prepare to wait for a table. Also be advised that this location is crowded with families and as such, children are running around in between tables and in and out of the front door all night. Lastly, don't get attached to the first waiter or waitress who visits your table, as Otto seems to have a zone defense going on and you'll eventually make contact with the entire team.
Have you been to any of the Otto Pizza locations? What was your favorite pie?
Just about two weeks after Otto opened its doors in the space formerly occupied by Friendly's on Harvard St, my cousins and I headed there for dinner.
Beneath the arch of bricks, Otto has two cherry red doors welcoming guests. In the front window are pizza boxes with the restaurant's logo.
When taking a picture of the boxes I saw that Otto's was first established in Portland, Maine! I had no idea. I thought the Harvard Square location was their first.Inside the restaurant the first thing you see is the take out counter. Otto has several specialty pies ready and waiting for you to order a slice or two. Normally pizza joints only have one or two flavors available by the slice, but Otto has at least eight!
On the left side of the restaurant is a bar, which seemed to be popular for parties of two who didn't want to wait for a table.Behind the bar is a large group table and counter seating in the window that overlooks Harvard St. That is definitely the prime people watching spot!The right side of the restaurant is the main dining room which has an industrial feel to it. As you can see, the night we went the sun was shining brightly and illuminating the whole room. After a twenty five minute wait we were escorted to our table, which was at the far end of the dining room beneath this very fun, 1950s style portrait of a women making dinner. Each table was numbered and ours was apparently number six! A very bubbly waitress popped over to deliver us menus. The Otto menu is 99% pizza with a few salads. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the small pizzas ranged in price from $9 - $12. Very affordable!Since it was our first time at Otto, we decided to try a few different flavors of pizza. Between the three of us, there are strongly varying preferences, so we wound up with a wide range of pies.
We eventually decided on the four cheese, the butternut squash with cranberry and ricotta, and the three cheese tortellini.
I was most excited to try the three cheese tortellini which was a cheese pizza topped with pasta! I've only seen pasta topped pizza in New York City (sometime around 4:00am) and I was dying to try it. This pie was fantastic! In addition to the tortellini (which are delicious on their own, but even more delicious on top of pizza), this pie had juicy tomatoes and a perfectly crisped crust. The four cheese pizza was underwhelming. Despite the medley of cheese, it tasted bland and in this case, desperately needed tomato sauce.
Our third pie was the butternut squash, cranberry and ricotta. I had high hopes for this one, but was disappointed. The squash was pureed instead of cubed, which made the texture of the pizza too mushy. The cranberries were great as was the herbed ricotta cheese, but overall, the pizza was too sweet.Two days later I had the butternut squash pizza leftovers for lunch and honestly, it was better on day three!I was so happy to finally make it to Otto and I am now madly in love with the tortellini pizza. Before we even left I was already thinking about when I could go back to have it again.
I will say, if you're planning to eat dinner at Otto, prepare to wait for a table. Also be advised that this location is crowded with families and as such, children are running around in between tables and in and out of the front door all night. Lastly, don't get attached to the first waiter or waitress who visits your table, as Otto seems to have a zone defense going on and you'll eventually make contact with the entire team.
Have you been to any of the Otto Pizza locations? What was your favorite pie?
Explore: Alex Katz Prints At The Museum Of Fine Arts
To contact us Click HERE
Back in February my parents gifted me a membership to the Museum ofFine Arts. For the last two years I had been borrowing their membershipcard to go to all the exhibits that interested me and finally theydecided they'd like me to have my own. Thank you, parents!
Startingin the spring, the museum began advertising their summer exhibit, AlexKatz Prints. The tag line for the marketing campaign is, "MFA Summer.No SPF Required" and that tag line appears with this photo from theexhibit:
Thisis a genius marketing campaign. I've seen the banners all arounddowntown Boston and each time I see one, it makes me want to rush tothe exhibit. The vibrant colors draw you in and the look of that bluebackground makes you feel like you could just dip your toe into a poolor an ocean.
This Saturday I went to the museum to see the prints upclose and personal. The exhibit is in the gallery beneath the NewAmerican Cafe and the Dale Chihuly green icicle.
Alex Katz's prints are mostly portraits, the majority of whichare of his wife Ada. Ada is the light of his life and his greatestartistic muse. He loves her so much that he can't help but to continueto try and recreate her. How romantic is that?
I really loved this panoramic style portrait of a woman on a beach wearing a bright red hat and a large pair of sunglasses:
Myabsolute favorite print was of a woman wearing a black floppy hat andglamorous black sunglasses set against a mustard yellow background. Iwant this for my place!
Inaddition to the brightly colored portraits, Alex Katz also has printsinspired by nature. The last two rooms of the exhibit are all printsinspired by time he spent in Maine. There is a specific set of threeprints called "Twilight" that was breathtaking.
The next time the temperature skyrockets and you'rein search of air conditioning, head to the museum and wander throughAlex Katz Prints. The exhibit runs through July 29th.
Have you been to the exhibit? Which piece was your favorite?
*Images courtesy of MFA.org.
Startingin the spring, the museum began advertising their summer exhibit, AlexKatz Prints. The tag line for the marketing campaign is, "MFA Summer.No SPF Required" and that tag line appears with this photo from theexhibit:
Thisis a genius marketing campaign. I've seen the banners all arounddowntown Boston and each time I see one, it makes me want to rush tothe exhibit. The vibrant colors draw you in and the look of that bluebackground makes you feel like you could just dip your toe into a poolor an ocean. This Saturday I went to the museum to see the prints upclose and personal. The exhibit is in the gallery beneath the NewAmerican Cafe and the Dale Chihuly green icicle.
Alex Katz's prints are mostly portraits, the majority of whichare of his wife Ada. Ada is the light of his life and his greatestartistic muse. He loves her so much that he can't help but to continueto try and recreate her. How romantic is that?
I really loved this panoramic style portrait of a woman on a beach wearing a bright red hat and a large pair of sunglasses:Myabsolute favorite print was of a woman wearing a black floppy hat andglamorous black sunglasses set against a mustard yellow background. Iwant this for my place!Inaddition to the brightly colored portraits, Alex Katz also has printsinspired by nature. The last two rooms of the exhibit are all printsinspired by time he spent in Maine. There is a specific set of threeprints called "Twilight" that was breathtaking. The next time the temperature skyrockets and you'rein search of air conditioning, head to the museum and wander throughAlex Katz Prints. The exhibit runs through July 29th.
Have you been to the exhibit? Which piece was your favorite?
*Images courtesy of MFA.org.
Dining Out: Max & Dylan's
To contact us Click HERE
I first heard about Max & Dylan's when they were hosting a mac and cheese competition a few months ago. How could I resist a restaurant that encourages people to duke it out over the best version of the cheesey, delicious, American classic?
I finally made it to Max & Dylan's after work a few weeks ago. The restaurant is located on West Street in Downtown Crossing. You can spot it from the top of the street by its huge flag waving in the wind.
Max & Dylan's has two windows in the front of the restaurant that open to the street. In nice weather, you can practically sit on the window sill.
The first floor of the restaurant has a large, wooden bar that runs the length of the space.
I couldn't help but notice the oblong light fixtures and the patterned, silver ceiling.
We were super lucky and when we walked in, a couple was leaving one of the tables in the front window. We asked if we could have their spot and the hostess walked us right over. Jackpot!
The menus at Max & Dylan's sport a black and white, aerial shot of the city of Boston. Our waiter, who seemed to be a Boston history buff, informed us that the building is over 200 years old and that it used to be Nathaniel Hawthorne's house.
I ordered a glass of white wine sangria hoping it would come with a layer of fruit bobbing at the top, but sadly, the only garnish was a lime.
The sangria was sweet and great for a summer evening, but I now have my eye on two other drinks for my next visits, the blackberry mint margarita or the orange creamsicle martini.
The Max & Dylan's menu is packed with awesome offerings. There were so many items we wanted to try that we decided to order a few plates and share. I also noticed they have rice krispie coated French toast for Sunday brunch. I will certainly be making a return for that!
Our first plate to arrive was the steamed edamame which was dressed with srirachi-soy sauce and topped with pickled ginger and sesame seeds.
The edamame was delicious and addicting, but super messy. We kept wiping (translation = licking) our fingers from the sticky sauce!
Next up we ordered the waffle fries topped with cheddar cheese and jalapenos. I can honestly say I can't remember the last time I ordered straight up junk food in a public place, but boy was it satisfying! What is it about waffle fries that is so much better than regular fries?
As I mentioned earlier, Max & Dylan's values a great bowl of mac and cheese. As such, we felt we had to try one of their signature varieties. After much deliberation, we gambled on the spinach and artichoke mac and cheese.
The dish was cavatappi pasta with leaves of spinach, full size artichoke hearts and garlic bread crumbs expertly browned in the oven. Overall the dish was great, but the artichoke pieces were way too big. I prefer my artichokes very finely chopped.
Though we'd already eaten enough for an entire football team, we'd seen the dessert choices on the menu and felt we had to indulge. Our initial thought was that we'd order the red velvet cake, but when we saw one of the other options was a plate of three cupcakes, we decided to ask what flavors they were in case they included red velvet. Two birds with one stone!
It turned out the cupcake plate did include red velvet, along with a vanilla bean and a chocolate cupcake. The cupcakes arrived warmed and dusted with confectioner's sugar.
The red velvet cupcake was dry if you took a bite that didn't include frosting.
The chocolate cupcake had a topping much like Magic Shell that you pour over ice cream. The cake had good chocolate flavor, but was also a bit dry.
The vanilla bean cupcake tasted like the yellow cake you buy at supermarkets and the rainbow colored sprinkles on top tasted like teeny, tiny NECCO wafers.
These cupcakes were a B+ at best. Given all the great cupcake bakeries in Boston, I'd recommend skipping these and walking over to Cakeology, which is in the same neighborhood.
Before leaving Max and Dylan's we wanted to explore the rest of the space. We had no idea it was three stories high!
At the back of the bar there is a stairwell that leads to the area they call the mezzanine.
I think the mezzanine is the best part of the restaurant! The skylight lets in so much sun and I love the black and white photos of Boston on the wall.
The top floor feels like a whole other restaurant. It's a totally different vibe than the other two floors. This bar is darker and almost feels like it should be in a basement.
The food at Max and Dylan's is excellent junk food. When you feel like splurging with a group of friends, grab a table in the mezzanine and order up!
On our walk to the Park Street T stop after dinner I couldn't help but snap a picture of how beautiful the State House and the Common looked that night.
Do you have a favorite spot in Downtown Crossing?
I finally made it to Max & Dylan's after work a few weeks ago. The restaurant is located on West Street in Downtown Crossing. You can spot it from the top of the street by its huge flag waving in the wind.
Max & Dylan's has two windows in the front of the restaurant that open to the street. In nice weather, you can practically sit on the window sill. The first floor of the restaurant has a large, wooden bar that runs the length of the space. I couldn't help but notice the oblong light fixtures and the patterned, silver ceiling. We were super lucky and when we walked in, a couple was leaving one of the tables in the front window. We asked if we could have their spot and the hostess walked us right over. Jackpot!The menus at Max & Dylan's sport a black and white, aerial shot of the city of Boston. Our waiter, who seemed to be a Boston history buff, informed us that the building is over 200 years old and that it used to be Nathaniel Hawthorne's house. I ordered a glass of white wine sangria hoping it would come with a layer of fruit bobbing at the top, but sadly, the only garnish was a lime. The sangria was sweet and great for a summer evening, but I now have my eye on two other drinks for my next visits, the blackberry mint margarita or the orange creamsicle martini.The Max & Dylan's menu is packed with awesome offerings. There were so many items we wanted to try that we decided to order a few plates and share. I also noticed they have rice krispie coated French toast for Sunday brunch. I will certainly be making a return for that!
Our first plate to arrive was the steamed edamame which was dressed with srirachi-soy sauce and topped with pickled ginger and sesame seeds.
The edamame was delicious and addicting, but super messy. We kept wiping (translation = licking) our fingers from the sticky sauce!Next up we ordered the waffle fries topped with cheddar cheese and jalapenos. I can honestly say I can't remember the last time I ordered straight up junk food in a public place, but boy was it satisfying! What is it about waffle fries that is so much better than regular fries?
As I mentioned earlier, Max & Dylan's values a great bowl of mac and cheese. As such, we felt we had to try one of their signature varieties. After much deliberation, we gambled on the spinach and artichoke mac and cheese. The dish was cavatappi pasta with leaves of spinach, full size artichoke hearts and garlic bread crumbs expertly browned in the oven. Overall the dish was great, but the artichoke pieces were way too big. I prefer my artichokes very finely chopped.Though we'd already eaten enough for an entire football team, we'd seen the dessert choices on the menu and felt we had to indulge. Our initial thought was that we'd order the red velvet cake, but when we saw one of the other options was a plate of three cupcakes, we decided to ask what flavors they were in case they included red velvet. Two birds with one stone!
It turned out the cupcake plate did include red velvet, along with a vanilla bean and a chocolate cupcake. The cupcakes arrived warmed and dusted with confectioner's sugar.
The red velvet cupcake was dry if you took a bite that didn't include frosting. The chocolate cupcake had a topping much like Magic Shell that you pour over ice cream. The cake had good chocolate flavor, but was also a bit dry.The vanilla bean cupcake tasted like the yellow cake you buy at supermarkets and the rainbow colored sprinkles on top tasted like teeny, tiny NECCO wafers. These cupcakes were a B+ at best. Given all the great cupcake bakeries in Boston, I'd recommend skipping these and walking over to Cakeology, which is in the same neighborhood.Before leaving Max and Dylan's we wanted to explore the rest of the space. We had no idea it was three stories high!
At the back of the bar there is a stairwell that leads to the area they call the mezzanine.
I think the mezzanine is the best part of the restaurant! The skylight lets in so much sun and I love the black and white photos of Boston on the wall. The top floor feels like a whole other restaurant. It's a totally different vibe than the other two floors. This bar is darker and almost feels like it should be in a basement. The food at Max and Dylan's is excellent junk food. When you feel like splurging with a group of friends, grab a table in the mezzanine and order up!On our walk to the Park Street T stop after dinner I couldn't help but snap a picture of how beautiful the State House and the Common looked that night.
Do you have a favorite spot in Downtown Crossing?
Movie Musings: The Amazing Spider-Man
To contact us Click HERE
Last night I went with two friends to see "The Amazing Spider-Man." Admittedly, I never saw any of the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies. I don't find him attractive at all, nor did I have a boyfriend to drag me to see them, so I managed to circumvent that franchise all together.
However, as soon as this Spider-Man movie began its advertising campaign, I was hooked. They had me at Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. I loved Andrew Garfield as the scorned friend and business partner in "The Social Network" and Emma Stone had me laughing in "Easy A", "Crazy Stupid Love" and "The Help."
Let me begin this review by saying, I am obsessed with this movie! I had read a review earlier in the week by Lisa Schwarzbaum of "Entertainment Weekly" and I can now say with conviction that she captured the movie perfectly:
"Five minutes into 'The Amazing Spider-Man',I got bitten. With pleasure. A friskier, sweeter-natured variation onthe story Sam Raimi told in his recent trilogy, with greater emphasison human relations than on special effects, this Spidey rebootrefreshes an old story through the on-trend notion of making a Marvelsuperhero less...super-heroic. With an effortlessly winning AndrewGarfield now in the title role and the irresistible Emma Stone by hisside as Gwen Stacy, the most delicious high school girlfriend a bug-and love-bitten young man could hope to woo, 'The Amazing Spider-Man'may be the first big-ticket, big-budget, big-action-sequence comic-bookmovie that also doubles as a lilting coming-of-age indie. . . What's most amazing in 'The Amazing Spider-Man' turns out to be not the shared sensations of blockbuster wow! the picture elicits, but rather the shared satisfactions of intimate awww."
Her review is spot on and worth the full read. I think she hits the nail on the head when she says the movie is more about human emotions (empathy, sadness, fear, love) than it is about CGI and explosions.
Ok, now onto the nitty gritty! Warning: major spoilers ahead.
Andrew Garfield is endearing as Peter Parker and wins you over in his first scene. Given Peter's tough childhood and even tougher current reality, you whole heartedly root for him as he transforms from awkward, social outcast to confident super hero.
Sally Field and Martin Sheen plays Peter's caretakers, his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. For some reason, in all the reviews I read, I never realized these two heavy hitters had been cast in this movie! Sally Field brings an even combination of nurturing and strength to Aunt May. Martin Sheen is a scene stealer as Peter's Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben is his role model, but also his best friend.
As I mentioned before, I didn't see the earlier Spider-Man movies, so I had no idea that Uncle Ben gets killed and that Spider-Man comes to life in Peter's attempt to avenge his death. Due to my naivete, I actually gasped out loud and covered my face in the scene where Uncle Ben gets shot.
For me, the most touching moments in the film are when Peter listens to Uncle Ben's last voicemail on his cell phone over and over again just to hear his voice and feel close to him again. When Peter listened to the message again during the final scene of the movie, I teared up.
Emma Stone is sexy and smart as Gwen Stacy, Peter's love interest. Gwen's signature look is leggy - thigh high stockings or knee high boots with every, single outfit. Though it seems she'd be the seducer, she and Peter are adorably awkward in their pursuit of each other.
Gwen is the daughter of chief of police, Captain Stacy. Denis Leary of "Rescue Me" plays the Captain and in this role he is polished and distinguished. He ultimately allows Peter (as Spider-Man) to save the city, which winds up being at his own expense. When the giant reptile's claw slashed straight through his body, I was crushed.
I have to hand it to "The Amazing Spider-Man" team, during the action sequences in the movie I was genuinely scared the entire time. The creatures, the chase scenes and the explosions all kept you on the edge of your seat.
In addition to the heart pounding action, the movie is equally propelled by Peter and Gwen's sincere romance. Though Captain Stacy's dying wish was for Peter to stay away from Gwen, in one of the final scenes Peter whispers to Gwen, "The best promises are the ones meant to be broken." Yes! This is the perfect set up for their relationship to continue in a second movie.
I was also impressed by the little touches in the script that really elevated the human connections. In that final scene, when Peter brings home the carton of eggs for Aunt May, your heart melts.
"The Amazing Spider-Man" clocks in at two hours and sixteen minutes and honestly, it flew by. I didn't want the movie to end! When the credits rolled our entire theater began to clap. Loudly. Everyone in the theater was just as in love with the film as I was. I wanted to sit in the theater and wait for it to start again.
Have you seen "The Amazing Spider-Man"? Did you love it as much as I did?
*Images courtesy of About.com, Eonline.com, Film.com, MovieFanatic.com, MTV.com and OKMagazine.com.
However, as soon as this Spider-Man movie began its advertising campaign, I was hooked. They had me at Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. I loved Andrew Garfield as the scorned friend and business partner in "The Social Network" and Emma Stone had me laughing in "Easy A", "Crazy Stupid Love" and "The Help."
Let me begin this review by saying, I am obsessed with this movie! I had read a review earlier in the week by Lisa Schwarzbaum of "Entertainment Weekly" and I can now say with conviction that she captured the movie perfectly:
"Five minutes into 'The Amazing Spider-Man',I got bitten. With pleasure. A friskier, sweeter-natured variation onthe story Sam Raimi told in his recent trilogy, with greater emphasison human relations than on special effects, this Spidey rebootrefreshes an old story through the on-trend notion of making a Marvelsuperhero less...super-heroic. With an effortlessly winning AndrewGarfield now in the title role and the irresistible Emma Stone by hisside as Gwen Stacy, the most delicious high school girlfriend a bug-and love-bitten young man could hope to woo, 'The Amazing Spider-Man'may be the first big-ticket, big-budget, big-action-sequence comic-bookmovie that also doubles as a lilting coming-of-age indie. . . What's most amazing in 'The Amazing Spider-Man' turns out to be not the shared sensations of blockbuster wow! the picture elicits, but rather the shared satisfactions of intimate awww."
Her review is spot on and worth the full read. I think she hits the nail on the head when she says the movie is more about human emotions (empathy, sadness, fear, love) than it is about CGI and explosions.
Ok, now onto the nitty gritty! Warning: major spoilers ahead.
Andrew Garfield is endearing as Peter Parker and wins you over in his first scene. Given Peter's tough childhood and even tougher current reality, you whole heartedly root for him as he transforms from awkward, social outcast to confident super hero.
Sally Field and Martin Sheen plays Peter's caretakers, his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. For some reason, in all the reviews I read, I never realized these two heavy hitters had been cast in this movie! Sally Field brings an even combination of nurturing and strength to Aunt May. Martin Sheen is a scene stealer as Peter's Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben is his role model, but also his best friend.As I mentioned before, I didn't see the earlier Spider-Man movies, so I had no idea that Uncle Ben gets killed and that Spider-Man comes to life in Peter's attempt to avenge his death. Due to my naivete, I actually gasped out loud and covered my face in the scene where Uncle Ben gets shot. For me, the most touching moments in the film are when Peter listens to Uncle Ben's last voicemail on his cell phone over and over again just to hear his voice and feel close to him again. When Peter listened to the message again during the final scene of the movie, I teared up.
Emma Stone is sexy and smart as Gwen Stacy, Peter's love interest. Gwen's signature look is leggy - thigh high stockings or knee high boots with every, single outfit. Though it seems she'd be the seducer, she and Peter are adorably awkward in their pursuit of each other.
Gwen is the daughter of chief of police, Captain Stacy. Denis Leary of "Rescue Me" plays the Captain and in this role he is polished and distinguished. He ultimately allows Peter (as Spider-Man) to save the city, which winds up being at his own expense. When the giant reptile's claw slashed straight through his body, I was crushed. I have to hand it to "The Amazing Spider-Man" team, during the action sequences in the movie I was genuinely scared the entire time. The creatures, the chase scenes and the explosions all kept you on the edge of your seat. In addition to the heart pounding action, the movie is equally propelled by Peter and Gwen's sincere romance. Though Captain Stacy's dying wish was for Peter to stay away from Gwen, in one of the final scenes Peter whispers to Gwen, "The best promises are the ones meant to be broken." Yes! This is the perfect set up for their relationship to continue in a second movie.
I was also impressed by the little touches in the script that really elevated the human connections. In that final scene, when Peter brings home the carton of eggs for Aunt May, your heart melts. "The Amazing Spider-Man" clocks in at two hours and sixteen minutes and honestly, it flew by. I didn't want the movie to end! When the credits rolled our entire theater began to clap. Loudly. Everyone in the theater was just as in love with the film as I was. I wanted to sit in the theater and wait for it to start again.
Have you seen "The Amazing Spider-Man"? Did you love it as much as I did?
*Images courtesy of About.com, Eonline.com, Film.com, MovieFanatic.com, MTV.com and OKMagazine.com.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Mintwood Place, DC
To contact us Click HERE
We braved tornado warnings the in the DC Metro area to have dinner at Mintwood Place in Adams Morgan this past week. Chef Cedric Maupillier's new restaurant has garnered some rave reviews since opening at the start of this year. The place is casual and a bit noisy, but our food was great. At first glance of the menu, nothing jumps out, but everything we had was wonderful.
We started with a trio of "nibbles". First up was pickled devilled eggs.
We ordered a seasonal item, blanched radishes, snap peas, and baby carrots "a la croque au sel". The dip was an herbed butter and salt combination.
I realize I am a sucker for shishito peppers. Their version was simple- roasted and sprinkled with fleur de sel.
My favorite dish was a seasonal starter: burrata with spring garlic and asparagus. The perfectly cooked asparagus in combination with the creamy cheese and the fresh garlic flavors was out of this world.
My main was wild salmon on a bed of spring peas, carrots and sorrel. The skin was crispy and the fish was fatty and good.
Kathy & Karen both had the vegetarian dish, a marvelous five grain risotto with asparagus, peas, mushrooms, and broccolini.
Homer got the steak frites. It looked beautifully cooked. I tried one of the delicious fries.
For dessert, we shared a few items. Karen and Homer had the sorbet trio: strawberry, pineapple, and green apple. The winner was the apple.
Kathy had the blueberry tart topped with a Greek yogurt ice cream. It was loaded with berries.
I had the strawberry rhubarb crumble a la mode.
1813 Columbia Road Northwest
Washington DC
(202) 234-6732
We braved tornado warnings the in the DC Metro area to have dinner at Mintwood Place in Adams Morgan this past week. Chef Cedric Maupillier's new restaurant has garnered some rave reviews since opening at the start of this year. The place is casual and a bit noisy, but our food was great. At first glance of the menu, nothing jumps out, but everything we had was wonderful.We started with a trio of "nibbles". First up was pickled devilled eggs.
We ordered a seasonal item, blanched radishes, snap peas, and baby carrots "a la croque au sel". The dip was an herbed butter and salt combination.I realize I am a sucker for shishito peppers. Their version was simple- roasted and sprinkled with fleur de sel.
My favorite dish was a seasonal starter: burrata with spring garlic and asparagus. The perfectly cooked asparagus in combination with the creamy cheese and the fresh garlic flavors was out of this world.My main was wild salmon on a bed of spring peas, carrots and sorrel. The skin was crispy and the fish was fatty and good.
Kathy & Karen both had the vegetarian dish, a marvelous five grain risotto with asparagus, peas, mushrooms, and broccolini.Homer got the steak frites. It looked beautifully cooked. I tried one of the delicious fries.
For dessert, we shared a few items. Karen and Homer had the sorbet trio: strawberry, pineapple, and green apple. The winner was the apple.Kathy had the blueberry tart topped with a Greek yogurt ice cream. It was loaded with berries.
I had the strawberry rhubarb crumble a la mode.
1813 Columbia Road NorthwestWashington DC
(202) 234-6732
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