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Track Kitchen – Aiken, SC
Posted By Michael Stern on 3/3/2013 4:22:00 AM The Track Kitchen is so laid-back and friendly that the first day I ate there, I finished breakfast, brought my dishes back into the kitchen (as all customers do), and walked out forgetting to pay! When I returned the next day and confessed my crime to Carol Carter, who runs the place with her husband, Pockets, she joked, “I’ve got my eye on you!” I did remember to pay that day for both meals but I get the feeling that a lot of customers just pay weekly, or whenever they remember to do so. It’s that casual.
Named because it adjoins the dirt track where thoroughbred horses are exercised, this little breakfast-only joint is more like a friendly company dining room than a regular restaurant. The same people come in every morning and usually sit in the same seats and table-hop throughout the meal. They are the trainers, owners, and riders of the sport horses around which much of Aiken’s life revolves.
They range from billionaires to hourly wage earners, from Arabian sheiks to southern rednecks. What do they eat? Good old southern home cooking.
Nothing on the menu is exotic or audacious, but it all is prepared with care. You know this because every meal takes a good while to cook; every plate is doted over by the one and only one person who does the cooking: Carol. Her pancakes are handsome fluffies; her grits are rich and buttery; her eggs are always cooked exactly as requested.
Country ham is pretty good, although not ringing with cured-meat savor like the best of them, but Track Kitchen bacon is fabulous. It is baked rather than fried, and the pieces are put close enough together in the oven that several might stick together, resulting in deliciously unctuous bacon clusters that are crisp but barely bendable just the way bacon ought to be. Note that the Track Kitchen closes in the summer; and note also that it can get very crowded on weekends when races, steeplechase, or other equestrian events are going on.
Overall: One of the Best – Worth a Trip Bacon Home Fries Grits Western Omelet Country Ham Pancakes “Baked bacon often arrives in clumps of stuck-together strips.” Michael Stern “No matter how you get your eggs — scrambled, fried, or, shown here, as a western omelet — they always seem to be rich and buttery. Probably because they are cooked with lots of butter!” Michael Stern “Streets around the Track Kitchen are unpaved out of concern for the well-being of hooves of horses who trod them. ” Michael Stern “A sharp knife is required to sever a forkful of country ham. It is only moderately salty, and while full-flavored, does not pack the punch of more expensive ham.” Michael Stern “Grab a mug and help yourself to coffee in the kitchen.” Michael Stern “While these are not formal ‘creamy grits,’ neither are they watery.
They are dense and satisfying, and all that butter on top doesn’t hurt a bit.” Michael Stern “Remarkably grease-free, home fries are nice sops for running egg yolks.” Michael Stern “Nearly everyone who eats at the Track Kitchen is somehow involved in horses.
And nearly everyone who eats here knows everyone else.” Michael Stern “Hot cakes are easy-to-eat lightweights.” Michael Stern “Yes, the elite do meet here, as do grooms and stable boys.” Michael Stern “7am: the Track Kitchen parking lot is not full.
By 8am, it will be, and all seats in the house will be occupied.” Michael Stern “A stack of newspapers is available for those who want to read, but most people who come for breakfast are too busy socializing to read.” Michael Stern “A sign above the stove in Carol’s kitchen.” Michael Stern
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Track Kitchen – Aiken, SC
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dayton-theatre-review-intimate-apparel-sinclair-community-college …
Marva M.B. Williams in Intimate Apparel (Photo by Patti Celek) Sinclair Community College supplies an absorbing local premiere of Lynn Nottage s poignant 2003 drama Intimate Apparel, the heartwarming and heartbreaking account of African-American seamstress Esther Mills set in and around a Lower Manhattan boarding house circa 1905. Delicately directed by Sinclair and Wright State University alumnus Monica L.
Williams, Intimate Apparel, refreshingly grounded as a melting pot of diverse cultures and personalities, is firmly led by Marva M.B. Williams, a standout in the Human Race Theatre Company s production of Gem of the Ocean last season. Williams brings grace, humility and ample naivet to her commendable portrayal of Esther, a God-fearing, 35-year-old spinster defying the odds of her race and status by making a comfortable living designing and sewing garments for the upper and lower classes.
As the illiterate yet talented Esther, a true survivor and descendant of slaves, becomes enamored by the letters she receives from the exotic George (an admirable Tray Shelton sustaining a thick Barbadian accent) and ultimately marries him with alarming consequences, Williams strikes an emotional chord that lingers long after the final bows. In fact, when Esther s world comes crashing down thanks to the candor of sassy prostitute Mayme (a playful Sade Oyeyemi), Williams transforms Nottage s rich text into poetry. Toward the conclusion she also wonderfully conveys Esther s undeniable hurt of having been enticed by lies and to have married a stranger only to become a stranger to herself.
The marvelously earthy Catherine A. Collins, who appeared in Sinclair s terrific 2006 production of Flyin West also directed by Williams, absolutely shines as meddlesome boarding house proprietress Mrs. Dickson, who takes Esther under her wing as is she were her mother.
Collins particularly captivates when Mrs. Dickson discusses the intimacies of marriage. Kevin Erman is equally impressive in a quieter fashion as the kindly Mr.
Marks, a Jewish merchant attracted to Esther but afraid to make his feelings known. Katie Beyoglides, in her stage debut, has the potential to take her portrayal of conflicted socialite Mrs. Van Buren to great depths, but oddly stops short, especially when divulging a pivotal revelation immersed in juicy drama.
Even so, she ensures her character is a credible confidant throughout. Guest scenic designer Chris Harmon supplies a striking, multileveled set proficiently lit by Dan Brunk. Kathleen Hotmer supplies lovely period costumes.
Jennifer Kramer s properties, Gina Neurer s projection design and Kate Joss Glasheen s dialect coaching are also noteworthy. Intimate Apparel intriguingly looks back at a time when strong African-American women were bound by limitations and a narrow sense of purpose. Thankfully, they can hold their heads high today as equal and worthy without fear of leaving an unidentified legacy.
Intimate Apparel continues through Feb. 10 in Blair Hall Theatre, Building 2, of Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St., Dayton.
Performances are Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 50 minutes; Act Two: 40 minutes.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students.
For tickets or more information, visit online.
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Kitchen Delights: Cinnamon Soho, London – Review
Posting by Kitchen Delights London Reporter. Sometimes there is nothing more thrilling than going out for Indian food. It s the combination of spices, rich creamy sauces and quite frankly the chance to gorge on exotic homely food.
Cinnamon Soho delivered the goods! When you walk into the restaurant, the first thing that strikes you are the prominent low pendant green lights above the diners tables and these are dramatically set against a stark dark mahogany wall. It was a good indicator that the food I had heard so much about was going to be quite special, with quirky modern twists on traditional favourites.We decided to start with a bottle of Alsace wine ( 31) – perfect to cut through spicy foods with its soft buttery notes.
My dining companion Hannah and I were then directed to the Kingly Seekh Kebab wrapped in a naan bread as a large starter for 6.50. The posh kebab as we christened it on arrival, was sensational (see pictured). It was filled with moist lamb, spices, cumin and ginger in a piping hot naan bread.
We also chose a couple of small starter plates to share – Burnt chilli chicken, Indo-Chinese style ( 4.80) and Naanza naan bread pizza with spiced paneer ( 4.80 and pictured above). The portions were super generous and we had to muster up space for mains Tandoori king prawns with a coconut malai sauce ( 17). It was like eating fresh lobster with it s hunky melt in the mouth texture.
For dessert, we had to have the sticky toffee pudding with ginger and garam masala it was the size of a doorstop, and slightly more fragrant and lighter than the usual British type! So Cinnamon Soho was every bit as exciting as we hoped. It was excellent value for such high quality nosh, making this a must stop destination in London town.
Cinnamon Soho5 Kingly StreetLondonW1B 5PF All images were provided for this review.
A huge thank you to Nicky and Emily @ Roche Communications and Jean-Luc at Cinnamon Soho.
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Kitchen Delights: Cinnamon Soho, London – Review
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Models Direct Beauty Review – SunZu
At the beginning of this year, our beauty bloggers at Models Direct were all about the matte lip trend. But, with gloss pretty much dominating lips over the past decade, we can’t forget it, especially now that The Body Shop have just released a brand new super-glossy, mouth-watering lip gloss range! With 11 luscious shades to choose from, each with a succulent fruity flavour to lift your mood, we’ve been converted to gloss – even if the gorgeous French beauty model Constance Jablonski does rock an amazing matte lip in the Estee Lauder ads.
But enough of Constance, The Body Shop’s super-shiny shades deliver a gorgeous glaze of sheer colour that’s non-sticky and lightweight to wear. Having trialled them out at the model agency this week, our lips have been left moisturised, smooth and kissably soft, which is all thanks to the new formula enriched with vitamins E and B5 and Community Fair Trade organic virgin coconut oil. But which one to choose?
If you’re more of a classic seasonal fruits fan, then we recommend slicking on the Plum, Peach or Strawberry. But, if you fancy something more exotic, then try the Mango, Lychee or Coconut. And for a refreshing hue, have a sip of the Mint or Watermelon, or go wild and mix them up!
Priced at 7.00, we think these little transparent tubes in their chic new packs are great to keep in your handbag, and their amazing moisturising qualities make them perfect for the winter months ahead!
Suzy O’Connor, Operations Director, Models Direct Connecting models with business, every day.
Let me help you find a model , or perhaps you or someone you know is considering becoming a model Let me help you find a model , or perhaps you or someone you know is considering becoming a model .
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Models Direct Beauty Review – SunZu
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RASOI INDIAN KITCHEN | FOOD REVIEW | Buzz Magazine
RASOI INDIAN KITCHEN ***** 192 Bryntirion Road, Swansea. Info: 01792 882409 / www.rasoiwales.co.uk On a bitterly cold evening two weeks before Christmas in an apparently cash strapped economy, the Rasoi Indian Kitchen is brimming with diners keen to sample the Indian fusion cuisine that has seen the establishment win the accolade of Best Newcomer at the British Curry Awards. The restaurant, several motorway junctions away from the hustle and bustle of Swansea City Centre, is the epitome of exotic, modern opulence, all earthy tones and Indian motifs.
Throughout three courses of the traditional and thoroughly innovative, our tastebuds were tantalised with mango infusions, tamarind glazes and homemade desserts to make pastry chefs the country over quiver in their chefs whites. After much debate over how to filter out two starters from an array of enticing offers, we chose the most succulent scallops dressed like the true kings of the sea that they are with impeccable sauces of mango chili, coriander salsa and beetroot sauce. With a fault-free starter under our belts, we entered into a rather traditional foodie relationship with a Chicken Dhansak and Balti, both heady with spice and elevated from your standard takeaway-fare by their fragrance and depth.
The star of the show was the accompanying massala chilli chips, twice-fried hunks of potato coated in a sweet, spicy chili sauce that left us fighting for the last morsels in the bowl. Dessert was an affair worthy of an equally triumphant fanfare. Presented on slate and fragrant with rosewater, my Almond and Pistachio Kulfi was a culinary hug after the spice trip my tastebuds had been on.
Rasoi Indian Kitchen is an elegant establishment offering diners the chance to look on as the chef creates culinary theatre in the open kitchen while being waited on by the most discreetly attentive, knowledgeable staff.
It is a breath of fresh air in a sea of identikit, middle of the road Indian restaurants.
CHARLOTTE BEER
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MommaB&Babyboy: 449.
What Joshua Eats…
Ella's Kitchen Review.
The lovely people from Ella’s Kitchen recently sent my boys some yummy breakfasts to try. I was so impressed with their customer service, Iona was incredibly friendly and really showed interest in my boys which made me smile. We received Wakey Wakey Porridge and Round Ones from their latest range.
Both went down really well, Daniel said they were “real-real yummy!” & “sooo crunchy”! Although Joshua’ face doesn’t look terribly impressed he ate the whole bowl! I love the idea of these cereals, that I’m choosing the bedt for my boys and the special pouring spout was great – it will keep them fresher for longer too!
Ella s Kitchen s NEW 100% organic breakfast range is the perfect fun and healthy way for tiny tummies to startthe day, made with just simple ingredients and with nothing else added: NO added refined sugar or salt NO additives or thickeners NO GM JUST yummy organic breakfast for little ones To help busy mums and dads, the Wakey wakey range comes in easy to pour, resealable pouches, filling babies bowl with tasty textures and flavours just add milk! Wakey Wakey Baby Porridge Perfect for babies first breakfast, Baby Porridge has a super smooth texture and yummy exotic flavours to start little ones on their tiny taste bud journey. Wakey Wakey Baby Porridge (RRP 2.19, 125g pouch) Wakey Wakey Mango + Apple Baby Porridge (RRP 2.29, 125g pouch) Wakey Wakey Porridge Our deeelicious textured (not lumpy!) porridge helps little mouths start to chew.
Wakey Wakey Porridge is full of just oats, rice maize + fruit in flavours worth waking up for: Wakey Wakey Strawberry, Mango + Banana Porridge (RRP 2.49, 150g pouch) Wakey Wakey Banana Porridge (RRP 2.49, 150g pouch) Wakey Wakey Round Ones This melt in the mouth cereal is made up of 2 different multigrain Round Ones.
They are the perfect size for tiny fingers to hold and squeeze and little teeth to learn to chew.
Deeelicious with milk or add yoghurt + fruit for a tasty morning treat. (RRP 2.19 for 46g pouch) Lots of LoveMomma Bxxx
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MommaB&Babyboy: 449.
What Joshua Eats…
Ella's Kitchen Review.
Toronto Beauty Reviews: Testing, Testing: ARUHNDARA Spice and …
A few months back I had the opportunity to try out a body moisturizer from a brand called Aruhndara . One of the founders, Khanita was kind enough to contact me via facebook and have her representative in Toronto drop off one of their most popular products for me to test out. The Spice & Shine Light body cream in ginger and marigold really is a nice lightweight everyday cream.
Normally I’m not a huge fan of ginger but I loved the smell of this! It was very refreshing yet exotic. I actually think the scent and weight of this lotion is perfect all year round.
It absorbs well without any sticky residue and leaves your skin lightly scented all day long. Did you know the ginger stimulates and acts as an anti-oxidant and that marigold soothes and balances the skin? So not only does this lotion feel and smell nice it’s good for your skin too.
All of Aruhndara products are formulated with natural and certified organic ingredients, do not undergo animal testing, have been dermatologist tested and contain no parabens, mineral oils or harmful chemical ingredients. Based in Vancouver and available online, any of these products would make lovely gifts! With the holidays coming up it’s kind of nice to give the gift of something beautiful, useful and different too!
Would you like a chance to WIN and Aruhndara gift pack for yourself or to give to someone special? Here’s your chance – Khanita is kindly offering one of my readers a Princess PA gift pack. Nice to note is that a portion of any purchase from the Princess PA collection goes towards a local Thai community of women to help sustain their way of living.
So here’s what you can win: A Princess PA Earth Mineral Rock Salt Cream Scrub and an Earth Mineral Shower gel!
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KITCHEN TESTED Cookbook Review & Giveaway: Kosher by …
After I attended a private media reception for Susie Fishbein s newest cookbook, Kosher By Design Cooking Coach, my friends were bombarding me with questions about the recipes! How s the cookbook? Do you love the recipes?
Should I go buy the cookbook? Well, let s just say that the answer to all of those questions is YES! Let me just say that all of the opinions in this review are completely my own.
After meeting Susie at her launch party, I can truly say that I am a huge fan of not only her cookbooks but also her passion for food and teaching the world how to have fun in the kitchen. GAME PLAN: There are many layers to Susie Fishbein s newest cookbook. The Cooking Coach isn t just a book of recipes; it s also an education in cooking technique and budget-stretching ideas.
Let s start at the beginning with the Game Plan . From the minute you open the cookbook, you are treated to an education on the equipment every cook should have in the kitchen. From knives and cutting boards to buying the perfect pots and pans, Susie s comprehensive list won t leave you empty handed.
If you re a novice chef, moving in to your first home or just a cook that likes to keep things simple, some of the items on the list may be a little out of your league. Sure, everyone needs sharp knives but don t worry if they are Japanese or European. And you know I love a good candy thermometer, but I don t own a deep frying thermometer and I m not running out to buy one any time soon.
My favorite part of Susie s Game Plan is the check list of good ingredients that you should have in your pantry at all times. Many are as simple as fresh eggs, lemons and olive oil, while others are more exotic, like sriracha (my favorite hot sauce), mirin and chicken bones. Let me tell you, with all of those ingredients in your kitchen, you can follow any of Susie s recipes in a snap.
Nice planning, Susie, nice planning! Each section of the Cooking Coach begins with a Game Plan. Besides the incredible recipes, THIS is my favorite part of the cookbook!
You will learn plating and garnishing technique s, how to perfectly dress and prepare a salad, how to spatchcock a chicken and carve a turkey, the differences in cuts of meat, how to hard-boil and soft-boil and egg, and more! Want to know the difference between flour, all-purpose flour, cake flour and bread flour? Just turn to page 291 in the Dessert Section!
THE PLAYBOOK: Susie s family is anti-leftovers. I, on the other hand, can eat the same leftovers over and over again but I can understand how one might not want to see the same food every night. So the Playbook section is all about recycling your leftovers in new ways.
From Appetizers all the way through Side Dishes, Susie gives you tons of ways to remake her recipes into completely new dishes. For example, when making Helene s Turkey Taco Eggrolls (Susie taught us how to make these delicious eggrolls and the supporting dishes at her launch party), make a double batch of the filling and freeze some for later. When you are ready to use the ground turkey, defrost and mix with jarred marinara sauce to make stuffed portobello mushroom caps.
By using this concept throughout Cooking Coach or in any of the other recipes you find in cookbooks and online, you will never have to eat plain leftovers again unless you want to! Turkey Taco Eggrolls pg. 46 RECIPES: Now on to the most important part of any cookbook- the recipes !
If you are new in the kitchen and cooking for the first time, you might be a bit intimidated by many of the recipes in Cooking Coach. There are a lot of ingredients, even in some of the more simple dishes. But if you have the patience to go grocery shopping with a long list, the directions for the recipes aren t too out of control.
Susie obviously has the knack for telling a story with her recipes and you can t really get lost following her perfectly laid our directions. Just don t forget to read the directions a day or two before you plan to make any of her recipes! That tip goes for making any new dishes.
You never know if you ll have to marinate something overnight or make a dough that needs to be refrigerated for 3 hours Susie has graciously allowed me to share a few of her recipes from Cooking Coach. Choosing my favorites was nearly impossible but I was able to narrow it down! Since I can only share two, I also wanted to share a few gorgeous photos of my other favorites just so you can check them out when you buy (or win below) the cookbook.
Drool away: Blueberry and Fig-Glazed Duck Breasts, pg. 134 Lamb Shanks with Cherries and Port pg. 198 Now on to the recipes: Just click on the names to find the full printable recipes.
I chose these two recipes because the flavors are some of my favorites and I hope you feel the same. 1. Pecan Pie French Toast Bake: I am absolutely in love with bread pudding and this french toast bake reminds me of a combination I would make up in my own kitchen.
Pecans, pancake syrup, challah and lots of dark brown sugar! Pecan Pie French Toast Bake pg. 250 2.
Miso-Glazed Eggplant: I never say no to miso-glazed eggplant! Never! If it s on a menu, I order it.
Now I can make it myself! Miso-Glazed Eggplant pg. 264 Now that you ve seen what Kosher By Design Cooking Coach has to offer, I know you want to go out and get it.
You can certainly buy it here but you can also try winning it below.
So it s time for the Giveaway !!!
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KITCHEN TESTED Cookbook Review & Giveaway: Kosher by …
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Life of Pi Review, by Vince Mancini for Filmdrunk.com
Shockingly, Life of Pi is not about math. In fact, Yann Martel s award-winning novel tells the story of Pi Patel, a religion-preoccupied Indian boy who obsessively studies and successively converts to Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, saying that he just wants to love God, much to the chagrin of the Atheist father who named him after a swimming pool (Pi being short for Piscine Molitor, after a particularly fine pool in France). Young Piscine, who shortens his name to Pi in tribute to his favorite band, A Perfect Circle (not really), and his childhood obsession with religion, is the first of the three-part novel, the second part being Pi s journey across the ocean stuck in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, after the container ship transporting his family s zoo across the ocean goes down in a storm (a zoo on a boat, isn t that wacky?!).
The third part is Pi s subsequent retelling of this story to disbelieving shipping agents. The journey, then, becomes an allegory for mankind s incomplete attempt to explain their relationship to God through religion. Whoa Tigers = God, get it?
Don t worry, you will, because it s all a little facile and didactic. Themes will be introduced, re-introduced, and then overtly explained with big Looney Tunes acme signs, just in case. All the characters even have cutesy names, a spoonful of quirk to help the medicine go down (besides the titular Pi-because-of-a-swimming pool, there s also the tiger named Richard Parker, the result of a clerical error).
And with its unitarianish, pan-theistic spiritualism, adorable third-world immigrant boy narrator, and general, faux-exotic feel-good liberalism, it s like catnip for every white-guilt baby boomer in Yoga class, the perfect complement to the soccer-mom regimen of acupuncture, Christmas shopping, and Kabbalah. Awards? Count on it.
And you know what? I love it. It s a great f*cking book.
You throw out every allegorical religious element and you ve still got a kid on a lifeboat with a hyena, a tiger, and an orangutan, told in a way that actually makes it believable. It s a hell of a premise, and don t even get me started on the edible carnivorous island covered in meerkats. Seriously, an island of meerkats.
Give me that shit over a melancholic semi-autobiographical tale of a romantic bohemian trying to find his place in an alienating world any day. It helps that even though the story is limousine-liberal crack and probably gives Aaron Sorkin a big boner, in Martel s hands, it doesn t feel like bullshit. It feels like he was genuinely trying to answer some questions for himself and not just trying to get on Oprah s book club.
A little hokey, sure, but trying to find your own way to love God, it isn t the worst theme in the world. Which still leaves the question how does the movie adaptation fare? Well, it s got a lot of CGI.
I mean seriously, more like LIFE OF CGI , am I right?!? Okay, so that doesn t quite cover it. Ang Lee s 3D cinematography, when shooting scenes of every day Indian life, is incredible.
The first part of the story, which was always my least favorite of the book, because it reminds me of every immigrant-clashes-with-traditional-parents story from a Margaret Cho bit (albeit flipped in this case), is actually my favorite of the movie. The Spielberg-ish child-like innocence schtick is worth putting up with just for the way Ang Lee shoots pools and zoos and saris and shrines. It s so vivid and so pretty, you can almost smell the curry.
Haha, I m just kidding, that s racist. Anyway, the problem Lee runs into is that those fantastical parts of the book that look so incredible in your imagination look kind of chintzy in CGI. I m not saying the VFX guys don t do an incredible job creating a digital tiger (which solves the inherent problem of not wanting to get your actor eaten), or that you can always tell where the real tiger shots end and the CGI tiger shots begin, but CGI only has to be recognizable as CGI once for it to take you out of the story.
And the CGI in Life of Pi is noticeable a lot more than once. The orangutan in particular never comes close to being believable. And noticing technical flaws is that much more distracting when the story in question is supposed to be some profound religious allegory.
Just imagine a bunch of disciples standing around going, Pff, whatever, dude, that s not even a real cross. They should ve gotten Andy Serkis to play Satan. The technical issues are understandable, and perhaps an unavoidable consequence of trying to adapt a fantastical novel about tigers on boats, but there are structural problems as well.
In the book, part three consists of Pi retelling the story of his journey to agents from the shipping company, narrating it much the same way he narrated the tiger-and-edible-island parts. Part three, a bloody story of human violence and sacrifice starring the ship s murderous cook, pi s mother, and an unfortunate sailor, felt just a vivid as part two, just as much of a flashback. Or at least, that s how I remember it.
In the movie, it doesn t get the same treatment, just Pi telling the story verbally while the Japanese agents listen in. Thus, the whole Christiano-Islamic leg of the allegory gets short shrift the worst of all the shrifts! In the book, as in the movie, the story begins with an adult Pi telling his story through flashback to a visiting writer, a l The Princess Bride.
Can t complain about having a wonderful actor like Irrfan Khan around to play the middle-aged Pi (check him in The Namesake , the dude hangs dong), but Pi s visitor says he s come around because he s heard Pi has a story that will make me believe in God, it s hard not to roll your eyes. I mean really? This story wasn t reductive enough already?
Do we really need the extra frame? If Ang Lee was a UFC fighter, his scouting report would definitely include heavy hands. In that way, he and Martel are kindred spirits.
Lee handles the emotional arc of the book well, for the most part, but the movie can t quite overcome its inherent hokeyness the way the book does. Some of the best parts of the book get lost in imperfect pacing and not-quite-good-enough CGI. Life of Pi is a loving, well-intentioned, but not-quite-perfect attempt to bring a really good book to life.
Maybe next time, throw out the CGI and spend the money on a couple of extra Indian kids, in case the first two get eaten. Oh, and more meerkats. You can never have too many meerkats.
A dearth of meerkats is what ruined The Reader .
GRADE: B
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Life of Pi Review, by Vince Mancini for Filmdrunk.com
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ArtsBeatLA Intimate Apparel Los Angeles theater review …
Photo by Jim Cox. A persuasive melodrama, Intimate Apparel is perhaps Lynn Nottage s best known play, although she won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Ruined in 2009. Written and first staged at Center Stage in Baltimore almost ten years ago, Intimate Apparel has a pleasing contemporary relevance.
Although Nottage s drama is set in New York City in 1905, in the love letter romance there are parallels with the perils of contemporary online dating, as well as a slight nod to the pretext of Cyrano de Bergerac. Intimate Apparel focuses on an African-American woman who has travelled to New York to pursue her dreams, becoming an independent woman by laboring as a seamstress. Esther ( Vanessa Williams ) makes exquisite corsets and fine lace undergarments for wealthier women, notably a dancer and prostitute who works at a saloon, Mayme ( Kristy Johnson ) and a white socialite, Mrs.
Van Buren ( Angel Reda ). We learn Esther works tirelessly and is saving up to open her own beauty parlor. Esther rooms with a number of other single young black women in the home of a widowed landlady, the lively and witty Mrs.
Dickson ( Dawnn Lewis ). As yet another one of Mrs. Dickson s house guests celebrates their impending marriage, Esther rebuff s Mrs.
Dickson s exhortations to mingle with the guests and seek out eligible bachelors. Esther is plain and she knows it. Now in her mid-thirties, she s also very much an unwanted old maid.
She s resigned to her lot until out of the blue a letter arrives from Panama. It seems a Caribbean construction worker learned about her from a fellow who attended Esther s church, and he has taken the bold step of corresponding with her. The letters from George ( David St.
Louis ) are full of poetic imagery describing the monumental undertaking to carve a passage through the Isthmus of Panama in order to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Esther is flattered by the attention and writes back. Her illiterate state means she seeks the confidence and assistance of her two closest clients.
Pretty soon George s letters become more and more insistently romantic. Director Sheldon Epps stages the early sequences extremely effectively, with George narrating his own letters in his exotic Caribbean accent. At first he s a shadowy, far away presence, but as his letters become increasing insistent and persuasive, his hulking, macho presence looms larger both on stage and in Esther s mind s eye.
Esther eventually agrees to his proposal of marriage before they have even met. Upon meeting and marrying her romantic swain, Esther soon learns his motives are far from honorable. It all seems pretty fishy to a cynical eye, but Nottage s story unfolds well.
A clever device by which Esther discovers her man s duplicitous nature is handled extremely well. Intimate Apparel is a fine play and a convincing melodrama. Production photos by Jim Cox.
Photo by Jim Cox. Intimate Apparel Pasadena Playhouse 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena Performances: Runs through December 2, 2012 Tuesday Saturday, 8pm Saturday matinee, 4pm Sundays 2pm and 7pm.
Running time: Approximately 2 and a half hours, including a 15 minute intermission TICKETS: $22 62.00 Box Office: Purchase tickets here or call (626) 356-7529.
Rush tickets are available for $20.00 one hour prior to the performance time and are subject to availability.
Rush tickets must be purchased at The Pasadena Playhouse Box Office.
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ArtsBeatLA Intimate Apparel Los Angeles theater review …
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A few months back I had the opportunity to try out a body moisturizer from a brand called Aruhndara . One of the founders, Khanita was kind enough to contact me via facebook and have her representative in Toronto drop off one of their most popular products for me to test out. The Spice & Shine Light body cream in ginger and marigold really is a nice lightweight everyday cream.
Normally I’m not a huge fan of ginger but I loved the smell of this! It was very refreshing yet exotic. I actually think the scent and weight of this lotion is perfect all year round.
It absorbs well without any sticky residue and leaves your skin lightly scented all day long. Did you know the ginger stimulates and acts as an anti-oxidant and that marigold soothes and balances the skin? So not only does this lotion feel and smell nice it’s good for your skin too.
All of Aruhndara products are formulated with natural and certified organic ingredients, do not undergo animal testing, have been dermatologist tested and contain no parabens, mineral oils or harmful chemical ingredients. Based in Vancouver and available online, any of these products would make lovely gifts! With the holidays coming up it’s kind of nice to give the gift of something beautiful, useful and different too!
Would you like a chance to WIN and Aruhndara gift pack for yourself or to give to someone special? Here’s your chance – Khanita is kindly offering one of my readers a Princess PA gift pack. Nice to note is that a portion of any purchase from the Princess PA collection goes towards a local Thai community of women to help sustain their way of living.
So here’s what you can win: A Princess PA Earth Mineral Rock Salt Cream Scrub and an Earth Mineral Shower gel!
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Toronto Beauty Reviews: Testing, Testing: ARUHNDARA Spice and …
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KITCHEN TESTED Cookbook Review & Giveaway: Kosher by …
After I attended a private media reception for Susie Fishbein s newest cookbook, Kosher By Design Cooking Coach, my friends were bombarding me with questions about the recipes! How s the cookbook? Do you love the recipes?
Should I go buy the cookbook? Well, let s just say that the answer to all of those questions is YES! Let me just say that all of the opinions in this review are completely my own.
After meeting Susie at her launch party, I can truly say that I am a huge fan of not only her cookbooks but also her passion for food and teaching the world how to have fun in the kitchen. GAME PLAN: There are many layers to Susie Fishbein s newest cookbook. The Cooking Coach isn t just a book of recipes; it s also an education in cooking technique and budget-stretching ideas.
Let s start at the beginning with the Game Plan . From the minute you open the cookbook, you are treated to an education on the equipment every cook should have in the kitchen. From knives and cutting boards to buying the perfect pots and pans, Susie s comprehensive list won t leave you empty handed.
If you re a novice chef, moving in to your first home or just a cook that likes to keep things simple, some of the items on the list may be a little out of your league. Sure, everyone needs sharp knives but don t worry if they are Japanese or European. And you know I love a good candy thermometer, but I don t own a deep frying thermometer and I m not running out to buy one any time soon.
My favorite part of Susie s Game Plan is the check list of good ingredients that you should have in your pantry at all times. Many are as simple as fresh eggs, lemons and olive oil, while others are more exotic, like sriracha (my favorite hot sauce), mirin and chicken bones. Let me tell you, with all of those ingredients in your kitchen, you can follow any of Susie s recipes in a snap.
Nice planning, Susie, nice planning! Each section of the Cooking Coach begins with a Game Plan. Besides the incredible recipes, THIS is my favorite part of the cookbook!
You will learn plating and garnishing technique s, how to perfectly dress and prepare a salad, how to spatchcock a chicken and carve a turkey, the differences in cuts of meat, how to hard-boil and soft-boil and egg, and more! Want to know the difference between flour, all-purpose flour, cake flour and bread flour? Just turn to page 291 in the Dessert Section!
THE PLAYBOOK: Susie s family is anti-leftovers. I, on the other hand, can eat the same leftovers over and over again but I can understand how one might not want to see the same food every night. So the Playbook section is all about recycling your leftovers in new ways.
From Appetizers all the way through Side Dishes, Susie gives you tons of ways to remake her recipes into completely new dishes. For example, when making Helene s Turkey Taco Eggrolls (Susie taught us how to make these delicious eggrolls and the supporting dishes at her launch party), make a double batch of the filling and freeze some for later. When you are ready to use the ground turkey, defrost and mix with jarred marinara sauce to make stuffed portobello mushroom caps.
By using this concept throughout Cooking Coach or in any of the other recipes you find in cookbooks and online, you will never have to eat plain leftovers again unless you want to! Turkey Taco Eggrolls pg. 46 RECIPES: Now on to the most important part of any cookbook- the recipes !
If you are new in the kitchen and cooking for the first time, you might be a bit intimidated by many of the recipes in Cooking Coach. There are a lot of ingredients, even in some of the more simple dishes. But if you have the patience to go grocery shopping with a long list, the directions for the recipes aren t too out of control.
Susie obviously has the knack for telling a story with her recipes and you can t really get lost following her perfectly laid our directions. Just don t forget to read the directions a day or two before you plan to make any of her recipes! That tip goes for making any new dishes.
You never know if you ll have to marinate something overnight or make a dough that needs to be refrigerated for 3 hours Susie has graciously allowed me to share a few of her recipes from Cooking Coach. Choosing my favorites was nearly impossible but I was able to narrow it down! Since I can only share two, I also wanted to share a few gorgeous photos of my other favorites just so you can check them out when you buy (or win below) the cookbook.
Drool away: Blueberry and Fig-Glazed Duck Breasts, pg. 134 Lamb Shanks with Cherries and Port pg. 198 Now on to the recipes: Just click on the names to find the full printable recipes.
I chose these two recipes because the flavors are some of my favorites and I hope you feel the same. 1. Pecan Pie French Toast Bake: I am absolutely in love with bread pudding and this french toast bake reminds me of a combination I would make up in my own kitchen.
Pecans, pancake syrup, challah and lots of dark brown sugar! Pecan Pie French Toast Bake pg. 250 2.
Miso-Glazed Eggplant: I never say no to miso-glazed eggplant! Never! If it s on a menu, I order it.
Now I can make it myself! Miso-Glazed Eggplant pg. 264 Now that you ve seen what Kosher By Design Cooking Coach has to offer, I know you want to go out and get it.
You can certainly buy it here but you can also try winning it below.
So it s time for the Giveaway !!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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KITCHEN TESTED Cookbook Review & Giveaway: Kosher by …
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Life of Pi Review, by Vince Mancini for Filmdrunk.com
Shockingly, Life of Pi is not about math. In fact, Yann Martel s award-winning novel tells the story of Pi Patel, a religion-preoccupied Indian boy who obsessively studies and successively converts to Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, saying that he just wants to love God, much to the chagrin of the Atheist father who named him after a swimming pool (Pi being short for Piscine Molitor, after a particularly fine pool in France). Young Piscine, who shortens his name to Pi in tribute to his favorite band, A Perfect Circle (not really), and his childhood obsession with religion, is the first of the three-part novel, the second part being Pi s journey across the ocean stuck in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, after the container ship transporting his family s zoo across the ocean goes down in a storm (a zoo on a boat, isn t that wacky?!).
The third part is Pi s subsequent retelling of this story to disbelieving shipping agents. The journey, then, becomes an allegory for mankind s incomplete attempt to explain their relationship to God through religion. Whoa Tigers = God, get it?
Don t worry, you will, because it s all a little facile and didactic. Themes will be introduced, re-introduced, and then overtly explained with big Looney Tunes acme signs, just in case. All the characters even have cutesy names, a spoonful of quirk to help the medicine go down (besides the titular Pi-because-of-a-swimming pool, there s also the tiger named Richard Parker, the result of a clerical error).
And with its unitarianish, pan-theistic spiritualism, adorable third-world immigrant boy narrator, and general, faux-exotic feel-good liberalism, it s like catnip for every white-guilt baby boomer in Yoga class, the perfect complement to the soccer-mom regimen of acupuncture, Christmas shopping, and Kabbalah. Awards? Count on it.
And you know what? I love it. It s a great f*cking book.
You throw out every allegorical religious element and you ve still got a kid on a lifeboat with a hyena, a tiger, and an orangutan, told in a way that actually makes it believable. It s a hell of a premise, and don t even get me started on the edible carnivorous island covered in meerkats. Seriously, an island of meerkats.
Give me that shit over a melancholic semi-autobiographical tale of a romantic bohemian trying to find his place in an alienating world any day. It helps that even though the story is limousine-liberal crack and probably gives Aaron Sorkin a big boner, in Martel s hands, it doesn t feel like bullshit. It feels like he was genuinely trying to answer some questions for himself and not just trying to get on Oprah s book club.
A little hokey, sure, but trying to find your own way to love God, it isn t the worst theme in the world. Which still leaves the question how does the movie adaptation fare? Well, it s got a lot of CGI.
I mean seriously, more like LIFE OF CGI , am I right?!? Okay, so that doesn t quite cover it. Ang Lee s 3D cinematography, when shooting scenes of every day Indian life, is incredible.
The first part of the story, which was always my least favorite of the book, because it reminds me of every immigrant-clashes-with-traditional-parents story from a Margaret Cho bit (albeit flipped in this case), is actually my favorite of the movie. The Spielberg-ish child-like innocence schtick is worth putting up with just for the way Ang Lee shoots pools and zoos and saris and shrines. It s so vivid and so pretty, you can almost smell the curry.
Haha, I m just kidding, that s racist. Anyway, the problem Lee runs into is that those fantastical parts of the book that look so incredible in your imagination look kind of chintzy in CGI. I m not saying the VFX guys don t do an incredible job creating a digital tiger (which solves the inherent problem of not wanting to get your actor eaten), or that you can always tell where the real tiger shots end and the CGI tiger shots begin, but CGI only has to be recognizable as CGI once for it to take you out of the story.
And the CGI in Life of Pi is noticeable a lot more than once. The orangutan in particular never comes close to being believable. And noticing technical flaws is that much more distracting when the story in question is supposed to be some profound religious allegory.
Just imagine a bunch of disciples standing around going, Pff, whatever, dude, that s not even a real cross. They should ve gotten Andy Serkis to play Satan. The technical issues are understandable, and perhaps an unavoidable consequence of trying to adapt a fantastical novel about tigers on boats, but there are structural problems as well.
In the book, part three consists of Pi retelling the story of his journey to agents from the shipping company, narrating it much the same way he narrated the tiger-and-edible-island parts. Part three, a bloody story of human violence and sacrifice starring the ship s murderous cook, pi s mother, and an unfortunate sailor, felt just a vivid as part two, just as much of a flashback. Or at least, that s how I remember it.
In the movie, it doesn t get the same treatment, just Pi telling the story verbally while the Japanese agents listen in. Thus, the whole Christiano-Islamic leg of the allegory gets short shrift the worst of all the shrifts! In the book, as in the movie, the story begins with an adult Pi telling his story through flashback to a visiting writer, a l The Princess Bride.
Can t complain about having a wonderful actor like Irrfan Khan around to play the middle-aged Pi (check him in The Namesake , the dude hangs dong), but Pi s visitor says he s come around because he s heard Pi has a story that will make me believe in God, it s hard not to roll your eyes. I mean really? This story wasn t reductive enough already?
Do we really need the extra frame? If Ang Lee was a UFC fighter, his scouting report would definitely include heavy hands. In that way, he and Martel are kindred spirits.
Lee handles the emotional arc of the book well, for the most part, but the movie can t quite overcome its inherent hokeyness the way the book does. Some of the best parts of the book get lost in imperfect pacing and not-quite-good-enough CGI. Life of Pi is a loving, well-intentioned, but not-quite-perfect attempt to bring a really good book to life.
Maybe next time, throw out the CGI and spend the money on a couple of extra Indian kids, in case the first two get eaten. Oh, and more meerkats. You can never have too many meerkats.
A dearth of meerkats is what ruined The Reader .
GRADE: B
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Life of Pi Review, by Vince Mancini for Filmdrunk.com
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ArtsBeatLA Intimate Apparel Los Angeles theater review …
Photo by Jim Cox. A persuasive melodrama, Intimate Apparel is perhaps Lynn Nottage s best known play, although she won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Ruined in 2009. Written and first staged at Center Stage in Baltimore almost ten years ago, Intimate Apparel has a pleasing contemporary relevance.
Although Nottage s drama is set in New York City in 1905, in the love letter romance there are parallels with the perils of contemporary online dating, as well as a slight nod to the pretext of Cyrano de Bergerac. Intimate Apparel focuses on an African-American woman who has travelled to New York to pursue her dreams, becoming an independent woman by laboring as a seamstress. Esther ( Vanessa Williams ) makes exquisite corsets and fine lace undergarments for wealthier women, notably a dancer and prostitute who works at a saloon, Mayme ( Kristy Johnson ) and a white socialite, Mrs.
Van Buren ( Angel Reda ). We learn Esther works tirelessly and is saving up to open her own beauty parlor. Esther rooms with a number of other single young black women in the home of a widowed landlady, the lively and witty Mrs.
Dickson ( Dawnn Lewis ). As yet another one of Mrs. Dickson s house guests celebrates their impending marriage, Esther rebuff s Mrs.
Dickson s exhortations to mingle with the guests and seek out eligible bachelors. Esther is plain and she knows it. Now in her mid-thirties, she s also very much an unwanted old maid.
She s resigned to her lot until out of the blue a letter arrives from Panama. It seems a Caribbean construction worker learned about her from a fellow who attended Esther s church, and he has taken the bold step of corresponding with her. The letters from George ( David St.
Louis ) are full of poetic imagery describing the monumental undertaking to carve a passage through the Isthmus of Panama in order to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Esther is flattered by the attention and writes back. Her illiterate state means she seeks the confidence and assistance of her two closest clients.
Pretty soon George s letters become more and more insistently romantic. Director Sheldon Epps stages the early sequences extremely effectively, with George narrating his own letters in his exotic Caribbean accent. At first he s a shadowy, far away presence, but as his letters become increasing insistent and persuasive, his hulking, macho presence looms larger both on stage and in Esther s mind s eye.
Esther eventually agrees to his proposal of marriage before they have even met. Upon meeting and marrying her romantic swain, Esther soon learns his motives are far from honorable. It all seems pretty fishy to a cynical eye, but Nottage s story unfolds well.
A clever device by which Esther discovers her man s duplicitous nature is handled extremely well. Intimate Apparel is a fine play and a convincing melodrama. Production photos by Jim Cox.
Photo by Jim Cox. Intimate Apparel Pasadena Playhouse 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena Performances: Runs through December 2, 2012 Tuesday Saturday, 8pm Saturday matinee, 4pm Sundays 2pm and 7pm.
Running time: Approximately 2 and a half hours, including a 15 minute intermission TICKETS: $22 62.00 Box Office: Purchase tickets here or call (626) 356-7529.
Rush tickets are available for $20.00 one hour prior to the performance time and are subject to availability.
Rush tickets must be purchased at The Pasadena Playhouse Box Office.
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ArtsBeatLA Intimate Apparel Los Angeles theater review …
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