It's amount damn time.... new music from The Strokes!

I have loved The Strokes since high school but I'll be honestly, in the last couple years I've kind of forgotten about them. So imagine my surprise and delight when I heard they had just come out with a new full album! The last album they put out was "First Impressions of Earth," which was released in January 2006. After the tour and media to support that album, they released a statement saying they were taking a "much needed break." Then they promptly fell off the map (with the exception of the drummer, Fabrizi Moretti being engaged to Drew Barrymore, which ended in 2007). They started doing live shows again in 2010 and on March 1st, 2011, release their new album, "Angles." Their new album still has the stylized, beat-heavy familiar sound of The Strokes. There are some major differences though. Julian Casablancas use to do all their writing and arrangements but this album was much more collaborative. There's definitely a 80's synthpop sound to this album. Other styles clearly present on some of the tracks include reggae, rock, and pop. They also experimented with various production techniques. It's the kind evolution that shows this band will be able to stick around for a long time. The Strokes have already made a few statements that their already working on their fifth studio album!

Movie review: Winter's Bone

Last night I finally got around to one of this last award season's favorites, Winter Bone. It stars the wonderful Jenifer Lawrence. I totally get why she was nominated for her role in it. If you see her on the red carpet, she's this gorgeous, blond, California girl. In the movie, she's gritty, real, and matches her surroundings. She's not afraid to get down, dirty, and beat-up. The movie is set in the dreary part of the Ozark mountains. For me, it's crazy to think that some people actually do live there. I'm so use to city life. The premise of the movie is that Lawrence's character has to go on a search for her meth-making father, as he put their house up as collateral for his bail and then didn't show up. It was an interesting movie. The people in that town have a law of their own, and even though there's a sheriff that shows up occasionally throughout the movie. There are some really gritty parts to the movie that I can't explain without ruining the plot. I definitely had to look away at one point. I hope this is just the beginning of a long career for Jennifer Lawrence, who's next role is playing the young Mystique in "X-Men: First Class," coming to theaters soon.

Tasty brunch at Hell's Kitchen

Last weekend my boyfriend's parents were in town, so we suggested Hell's Kitchen for brunch. The setup and interior of Hell's Kitchen is super fun and different. It's like what hell would look like if is was designed by a goth foodie who likes art deco and just needs a drink. There's several rooms that make up this place. One of the main rooms has live music during the brunch hour. All of their food is pretty good, but their brunch is really spectacular. During brunch, all the servers wear pajamas, which must rock for them. They key thing to remember when going there for brunch is to make sure you order something with toast. With any side of toast, they bring you a cup of their housemade peanut butter, which is the best thing ever. It's chunky and sweet (I think they must add brown sugar to it). I got a cornmeal pancake, with eggs and bison sausage, which was very good. The bison sausage has a bot of a spicy kick to it. My boyfriend got the steak and eggs, which came with a huge piece of tenderloin. His mom got the shrimp and crab cake, with a poached egg, which looked delicious and like a healthier version of a crab cake eggs benedict. Hell's Kitchen does offer four different kinds of eggs benedict (classic, vegetable, portobello, and bison). I think the bison one is the best, as the meat is spicy and the hollandaise is a tangerine-jalapeno. Yum! One last recommendation is to try the Mahnomin porridge. It looks kind of weird, like runny wild rice soup, but it's actually tasty and unique. It's wild rice, served with hazelnuts, dried blueberries, cranberries, heavy cream, and maple syrup. It's sweet without being too sweet. All and all, if you're in downtown Minneapolis on a Saturday or Sunday and are looking for a unique and delicious brunch option, Hell's Kitchen is the place to go! There's just something different about enjoying a pancake under a picture of a creepy screaming skeleton.

Lunch at the Red Stag Supperclub

Yesterday I had lunch with my mom at the Red Stag Supperclub, a restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis. They are open for both lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, despite calling themselves a supperclub. I like that they have lots of local musicians come in to play. In the summertime they have a block party, with music, food, and drinks, which is always a good time. The food they serves is all local and/or organic. The interior and the food match in style. It rustic, but not boring. There's a funky, contemporary edge on everything you see and eat. Also, the wine and beer list is pretty extensive and carries a lit of local favorites that are hard to find.

For lunch yesterday, I ordered my favorite off the menu, the lobster egg salad sandwich with french fries and a side of garlic aoili. It's so delicious. The lobster egg salad is lighter than you would expect and is complimented by sliced avocado and greens on a sourdough bread. The fries at Red Stag are delicious. They have a malt vinegar seasoning on them, dusted with herbs and garlic. The salads at the Red Stag are also quite tasty. My mom had the grilled chicken cobb, which she enjoyed. My other favorite salad is the flat iron steak, which features a perfectly cooked steak on top of heirloom romaine, tobacco onions, sour cream, and a truffle emulsion. One other favorite off the menu worth mentioning is their spin on Mac & Cheese. This rich, cheesy dish also has lobster and grilled leeks mixed in. If you are ever looking for a place to eat in Northeast, put this place near the top of your list!

Amazing band. Amazing show.

Last Friday night I went to the best show I've been to in quite a while. I went to see Rural Alberta Advantage at First Ave. First off, in regards to the band, I have loved them for years and been dying to see them. The last time they came to Minneapolis was two winters ago and they played the 7th Street Entry, which sold out at the door before I could get there. Rural Alberta Advantage is a folk/indie rock band hybrid from Toronto (hence the Canadian name). They are made up of three members. The band was formed in 2005 and dropped their first full-length album, "Hometowns," in 2008. I loved every single song off "Hometowns." They cover so many different sounds on the album, from a more rock edge on "Drain the Blood," to the haunting romantic melody of "Don't Haunt This Place," to the whimsical song "In the Summertime." It has a song on it for almost every mood. Their new album, "Departing," dropped in March 2011 and from what I've heard so far, I love it just as much as the first one. It's just as personal and haunting, detailing out the frustrations of small-town life. My favorite songs off it so far are "Stamps" and "North Star."

The RAA Homepage

Their show at First Ave on Friday night was amazing. They sold out the mainroom and apparently it was the biggest show they've ever played. They were so genuine and grateful for everyone coming and so excited to play the show. The crowd knew every song and sang along. During the show, they did one cover song. It was "Eye of the Tiger," which sounded great with their spin on it. The drummer, Paul Banwatt, played his heart out, dripping sweat over his drumset. The band came back for multiple encores and pretty much played every song they had until they ran out, otherwise I believe they would have kept playing. At the very end, they came off stage, went through the crowd, and went up the stairs to the platform in the middle overlooking the floor. There they played their last song, completely unplugged. It was "Good Night," from their newest album. The place was so quiet, just so everyone could hear and after they were done broke out into thunderous applause. The band informed everyone that after the show they'd be back at the merch table and wanted to meet as many people as possible. That right there is amazing. When is the last time a band who sold out the mainroom gone to hang out at the merch table after the show??

I can't express how much I love this band. They gave me the perfect last First Ave show to hold me over until I make it back to Minneapolis for a visit.

A long dinner at Nye's....

Last night I went to Nye's Polonaise Room for dinner because we had a Groupon for them that was expiring that day. Apparently everyone else in Minnesota had the same idea. We showed up at 5pm and it was packed full. We were informed it would be over an hour wait. After an hour, and the line still out the door, a server took pity on us and we got served. We started out with lump crab and shrimp cakes, which were really good. They were super thick, with big chunks of shrimp and crab. That was probably the highlight of the meal. The complimentary onion bread loaf they bring out is pretty tasty, and the pickled vegetable tray is a fun addition. I got an entree, so it came with a house salad, which was probably the most generic salad I've ever had at a restaurant. It was literally a bowl of iceberg lettuce with two cucumber slices and a tomato wedge, drenched in ranch dressing. Easy on the dressing Nye's! And would it hurt to throw in some more different kinds of vegetable, cheese, or croutons on your house salad? My entree was disappointing. I got the macadamia crusted chicken, with mashed potatoes, asparagus spears, and gravy. The chicken was dry. The gravy had no flavor. The only thing good was the garlic mashed potatoes, which were thick, creamy, and garlicy. My boyfriend got the NY prime dip sandwich, which was just your typical prime dip sandwich with au jus, but Swiss cheese, onion, and mushroom was added. It was pretty standard and nothing special. The fries it came with were hard and overcooked.  Now, I've been to Nye's before and had their perogies, polish sausage, and sauerkraut, which were extremely tasty. So, if you go here, stick with the Polish specials. Or better yet, save yourself some time and just go across the street to Kramarczuk's, where they get all their Polish food from. Outside of the Polish specials, Nye's food isn't that great. Also, because it was the last day of the Groupon, the actual meal took an hour and a half because the kitchen was backed up. So dinner at Nye's took two and a half hours. We've been to other restaurants on the last day of a Groupon and it's been busy, but Nye's was completely unprepared for this rush. Their kitchen was out of half the food on the menu. A note to restaurants putting themselves on Groupon, know what you're getting yourself into! I think the only time I would go back to Nye's is if it was just for a drink and to enjoy the piano bar.

Beautiful, spacious Minneapolis apartment available for sublease!

Hi readers, I have a favor to ask. With Chris and I moving the San Francisco, we are desperate to find a subleaser for our apartment in Minneapolis. Could anyone who knows someone looking for a downtown summer apartment please pass my info along? We have a spacious one bedroom apartment in the Warehouse District. The building were in is Heritage Landing, on N First Street: Heritage Landing Homepage It's a ten minute walk to Target Field, 15 minutes walk to the heart of Downtown. The apartment is a little over 900 square feet and has gorgeous bay windows. Apartment amenities include central air, dishwasher, microwave, in-unit washer and dryer, and a walk-in closet. Building amenities include a gym, sauna, tanning, computer lab, and a rooftop deck being built right now that will be ready for the summer. There is also a convenience store, dry cleaners, and wine bar in the building. It is cat and dog friendly. Heated, underground parking is available at an additional cost. Monthly rent is $1,395. We would also require a $500 security deposit. The apartment is available for subleasing 4/15 to 8/31. The building is willing to offer a lease after that if the person would like to stay. Anyone interested can email me at larisatj7@gmail.com. Thanks!

Tomorrow is Caturday!

The American is meh...

The other night I watch "The American," starring George Clooney. The plot sounded really exciting and action-packed. Clooney plays an assassin, hiding out in Italy for one last assignment before he gets out of the game. First problem, Clooney isn't really an assassin in this. He shoots some people at the beginning of the movie for finding him, but that's really about it. His assignment in Italy is making this complex gun for a female client. It's very strange and doesn't really get explained how he's just an amazing rifle/sniper gun maker. He befriends a priest in the small Italian town he's staying in, but it just seems weird and out of place in the movie. Symbolism? He falls in love with a prostitute and they go on some dates. There's a part where they talk about how two prostitutes have been murdered lately and how she carries a gun now. He spies on her a lot. You think this means that the prostitute murderers will come after her or Clooney will hunt them down, but nothing ever comes of that storyline. Overall, it was a very slow-moving movie that didn't make a lot of sense. I was not a fan. I'm wondering how they talked Clooney into doing this movie. Maybe the script made it seem like everything made sense and was tied in together. Well, that was not the case for the actual movie. It's a 66 on Rotten Tomatoes, because the critics raved about the scenery and the subtlety of Clooney's performance. Yes, Italy is beautiful. That has nothing to do with the movie. Clooney was subdue, meaning not exciting at all. I would not recommend this movie.

I watched a Lifetime movie and liked it.

Confession, last night I watch the Lifetime movie I DVRed a while ago, "Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy." I thought Lifetime only made sappy, weepy movies but apparently this has changed. Now Lifetime is all about cashing in on salacious American crimes. The other day I was channel-flipping and saw they had a movie about the Amish school shooting that happened a couple years ago. Who is profiting off these movies beside Lifetime? How do they get the rights? I know because of the Son of Sam law criminals can't sell the rights to their stories. So who can? Interesting thought. Anyway, back to my movie review. It was actually pretty good. They got Hayden Panettiere to play Amanda Knox and she did a decent job. Marcia Gay Harden played Knox's mother and did an excellent job. I've always thought she was a great actress and I wonder why she isn't getting better offers. The movie did an excellent job of not making any judgment calls on if Knox and her boyfriend did murder British student, Meredith Kertcher. I followed this in the news and always thought it sounded like Knox did it. After watching the movie, that's still my conclusion. Knox and her boyfriend were convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison, but appealed the decision in December 2010. I will admit the evidence is not air-tight, so I'm interested in seeing what happens. Well, I guess I like the true-crime Lifetime movies. I'm still going to avoid the sap-fest ones though....

Green Eggs & Glam is going West Coast

I'm moving to San Francisco in three weeks! The man, the kitties, and I are packing up and driving out there. But don't worry, Green Eggs & Glam will continue from the West Coast. Be prepared for restaurant and food reviews of my new city. I hope they like sparkly things out there....

Mmmm.... El Meson!

One of my all-time favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities is El Meson. It's on Lyndale in South Minneapolis. They serve Spanish-Caribbean food and it is delicious! Seriously, I've never had a dish there where I wasn't tempted to lick the plate clean. I went again last Saturday with the family and the boyfriend. We didn't get any appetizers because the complimentary bread basket, filled to the brim with baguette slices smothered in garlic butter, are more than enough. If you do get an appetizer, I recommend either the plantain chips (crispy, salty and sweet, with excellent avocado dipping sauce), the calamari (salty with spicy aoili dipping sauce), or the ceviche (citrus-y, good variety of seafood, comes with thick plantain chips (tostones) to scoop it on). For dinner this time, I got the carne a la brava, which is beef medallions with saffron rice, braised fingerling potatoes, artichoke hearts, and chorizo. The potato, artichokes, and chorizo are mixed together in a tempranillo demi-glaze and are amazing! I would have never thought to combine those three items but they worked well together. The saffron rice was creamy and topped with Serrano crisps, which added the needed texture. It was sooooo good! Other favorites off the dinner menu include the asado and bistec encebollado. You can't go wrong with this menu. I hear the fish dishes are wonderful too, but that's not my taste preference. And of course, get a craft of their sangria to wash it all down. Saturday nights they have live music and a flamenco dancer at the front of the restaurant. So festive! This place is a must-visit for anyone in the Twin Cities looking for a flavorful meal.

Movies of the weekend

Dreary Monday mornings always make me wish I was burrowed in bed watching a good movie. Sadly, I am at work. I was able to see a couple movies this weekend though. I was one in the theater, which was "Red Riding Hood." I convinced my little brother to go with me because the previews make it look like a werewolf slasher-thriller. Actually, the main plot turned out to be a romantic love triangle, so my brother wasn't too thrilled. I thought the movie was okay. The cinematography was excellent, with the winter scenery and the colors they made pop against it. I always want to know the filming location of movies like this. The werewolf was a little fake looking. I thought all the actors did a good job. The two young male leads for the love triangle were played by newcomers Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons. They were quite attractive and did fairly good jobs, so I bet we'll be seeing a lot more from both of them. And I use to not like Amanda Seyfried as an actress (except for when she played Karen from "Mean Girls"), but she really is growing on me. My overall opinion of this movie, wait for rental.

The second movie I watched was off my DVR. Since I'm claiming to be a sort of movie aficionado, but my knowledge really only covers everything released from 2000 on, I'm trying to watch all the big cultural movies from before that. This weekend I watch "Taxi Driver," with Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster. This movie came out in 1976 and I think it really predicted that both Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster would go on to have long and successful movie careers. They both played their roles in it quite well. De Niro does silent psycho quite well. When thinking about when this movie came out, I think it was really addressing the issues of that time, when vets from Vietnam were back and suffering mentally from what they went through over there. It was a very interesting movie and I can see why it became a cult classic.

The third movie I watched was "Love Happens." Yes, I know the movie is cheesy and got horrible reviews, but I like it. I think Aaron Eckhart is very versatile as an actor and can make your average "rom-com" plot watchable. I guess technically this isn't a romantic comedy but I'm not quite sure what to call the genre. Romantic drama? Depressing but uplifting? Eckhart plays a windower who lost his wife 3 years ago, has built a successful career on helping people overcome their losses, but who secretly hasn't overcome his. Jennifer Aniston was okay in this movie. She played the same role she always does. But I did love her wardrobe in this movie. I wanted all the sweaters and scarves they had her wear for the rainy Seattle weather. Anyway, it's a tear-jerker so I recommend it for when you need a good cry.

Caturday is just around the corner!

New restaurant alert: The Inn

Last night I went to a newer restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, The Inn. It's the new restaurant in the old Hell's Kitchen space on 10th. The Inn is owned by the same people who owned the Town Talk Diner and The Strip Club. And I think those are some of my favorite Twin Cities restaurants ever! The Inn is a cozy space with a lot of charm. The bar area is set up pretty cool. I heard they were known for their mixology skills, so I started out with one of their cocktails, the Polish Delight. It was made from grass vodka, apple/scallion syrup, ginger, and sparkling wine. It was amazing! There were so many different flavors working together in harmony. It was sweet, but there was a tinge of something else that I just couldn't put my finger on. As an appetizer, my friend and I split the the crispy potato dumplings, which were basically crispy wontons filled with mashed potato on a bed of caramelized onion. They came with a dipping sauce as well. So delicious! For an entree, I had the Italian Beef sandwich, which came with a horseradish spread on an onion roll. The horseradish sauce was quite strong, which I enjoyed, but is probably not for people with neutral feelings on it. The fries that came with it were a tad to salty, and I love salt so you can imagine how salty they really were. My friend has the risotto with roasted squash, wild mushrooms, sage, and triple creme. She said it was tasty, but nothing super special. If I go again, I'll probably either try the chicken or a grass-fed steak, both of which are suppose to be quite tasty. And it's definitely a good place to go for a tasty and unique drink.

Review: The Romantics

Last night I watched the "The Romantics," a film just recently released on video. I was excited to view it, as I love most of the star-studded cast. The cast includes Anna Paquin, Malin Akerman, Candice Bergen, Adam Brody, and Elijah Wood. The two people who played the leads are the ones I wasn't wild about. Josh Duhamel played the lead man, and actually he worked for me. His cocky personality went with the role he was portraying. However, my main issue was the female lead, played by Katie Holmes. Her character was suppose to be extremely passionate and romantic, but her portrayal of the character fell flat and was uninspired. The movie itself is about a group of college friend who reunite for the wedding of two in the group. The problem is that the bride-to-be and the maid of honor have a long rivalry over the groom and he's messing around with both of them. I like the movie. The music in it is great. The scenery is beautiful and the wedding setup is gorgeous. It just wasn't a great movie. It lacked a climax. The scene which is apparently the climax just seemed like something leading up to a very heated moment. And I think if someone more emotional had replaced Katie Holmes, it would have been so much better!

A lovely meal at Lucia's

Last week I had dinner at Lucia's, located in 31st Street in Minneapolis. It's a smaller restaurant and wine bar, with a patio in the summertime. The food menu may be small but Lucia's uses seasonal and local ingredients, so they update their menu weekly with new dishes. They also update the wine list regularly, so there is always pairing selections with the food menu. When I was there, I had a fresh mixed greens salad, which was tasty but nothing special. For my entree I got the braised bison, which was tender and delicious. It came with a side of diced root vegetables, which I could tell were fresh, and mustard tarragon creme fraiche. For dessert I had a bite of a chocolate nutella torte, which would have been super heavy but a couple bites to finish the meal was perfect! The restaurant itself is very warm and cozy. It's definitely a place I wouldn't find sitting at for a few hours and drinking a bottle of wine. My parents have been their for Valentine's Day before and I think it would be a nice place for that. I also saw on their website they offer brunch on weekends, which I bet is pretty tasty and healthy.

A weekend at the movie theater

Hi readers, I apologize for the lapse in posting. I had the stomach flu, so the last few days haven't been too exciting. However, I was able to muster up enough energy to see a couple movies at the theater that just came out. The first one I saw was "The Adjustment Bureau." I really liked this movie! I hadn't been reading the greatest reviews for it but went to see it based on my love for Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. Both of them were wonderful in this movie and they worked together because they were suppose to be opposites. It actually turned out to be a really romantic movie that had me clinging to my seat near the ending, hoping that they would end up together despite the odds. The whole "adjustment bureau" thing is a little weird. I think they were suppose to be working for the higher power? Well, just don't over-think that aspect and you'll be fine. John Slattery (from Mad Men fame) and Anthony Mackie are great at adding some emotion and depth to the bureau men.

The second movie I saw was "Battle: Los Angeles." I saw this one for the boyfriend. Alien movies are just not my cup of tea. I love, love, love Aaron Eckhart (ever since the brilliant movie "Thank You For Smoking") and he was okay in this. Michelle Rodriguez played her typical ass-kicking female role, which she has pretty much nailed down. It says the other star of this movie was Bridget Moynahan, but she had a cumulative screen time of like five minutes, so I have no comment on her performance. The main thing that annoyed me about this movie (spoilers ahead) was that right at the beginning the film they introduce you to ten different characters, give them all back stories, then put them all in war gear so they all look identical, and then kill off half of them in the first 30 minutes. It's confusing, you have no idea which ones are alive, and are wondering why you even bothered to try and get to know the characters. Movies like this just need to concentrate on a couple key players. Also, it was shot at really close range so you feel like you're in the movie, which is intense but makes it really hard to see sometimes and figure out what happened. I guess if you're into alien movies, you'll probably like this film.

The Girl Talk Get-Down

Last night I went to the first of two sold out Girl Talk shows at First Ave. Girl Talk is a one man DJ, Gregg Gillis, who takes popular songs from different musical genres and makes dance party mashups. I saw him two Novembers ago when he came to First Ave after releasing "Feed The Animals," and I knew I had to see him when he came back. In 2010 he released "All Day," which was free to download online. Can I just say I love when artists do this? It just shows that they're all about getting their music to the people and that's what matters. And is Girl Talk going to go broke for this? No way! That man is playing sold out shows across the country. His show last night was amazing. First off, he comes out in sweatpants and a zip-up hoodie, which is just awesome. First Ave was packed to the walls with dancing hipsters. Everyone had their hands in the air the entire show. He was playing new hits and old hits. They were throwing out glowsticks, balloons, confetti, and toilet paper like there was no tomorrow. The lights were awesome. Everything about the show was electric. My only complaint would be the people he lets dance up on stage. They're coming right up to the edge of the stage, so you can't see him deejay is you're standing to one of the sides. Otherwise, awesome, it was one of my favorite shows in the last year. I came out of First Ave drenched with sweat. That's when you know it's been a good night!

Lunch at D'Amico Kitchen

Just got back from a tasty lunch at the D'Amico Kitchen, in the Chambers/Le Meridian (does anyone know which one it is these days?) Hotel. I've been hearing good things about it for awhile, so I was looking forward to trying it. For lunch they have a nifty little deal where you can pick three things to sample of a small list of soups, salads, appetizers, pastas, and sandwiches. I got the Chicken Salad, Spicy Fried Calamari, and 1/2 Meatball Sandwich. The salad was okay. The chicken was well cooked and big chunks of fresh avocado was a nice touch. I just have an issue with salads where they grill the lettuce. If just makes the lettuce soggy! That's one food trend I just can't get behind. The calamari was good and came with a tasty dipping aoili. The waitress said one of the things they're know for is the meatballs, and I would agree based off my half meatball sandwich. The meat was juicy and well seasoned. The ambiance was pretty cool. It was very clean and white, which bold color accents and sparkly chandeliers (which of course I'm a fan of). Overall, I would say the D'Amico Kitchen is good, but not great. I think it's a little over-hyped and isn't doing any food that's too revolutionary.

The D'Amico family of restaurant also just started a cool "Date Night" promotion (hint, hint to my boyfriend who reads my blog). For $50, you can get a three course dinner for two, with a bottle of wine. The restaurants this is available at are D'Amico kitchen, Masa, Parma 8200, Cafe Lurcat, and Campiello. My personal favorite of all these is Cafe Lurcat. Each restaurant features a limited menu for the date night deal, which can be viewed here: D'Amico Date Night Menus

Thai-tastic!

Ha, okay, sometimes I have issues thinking up titles for my blog posts. Well, this one is about the newer Thai restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis, Ginger Hop, where I went to dinner for Restaurant Week last Friday. I'm so sad Restaurant Week is already over, it goes by way too fast! Ginger Hop's dinner started out with with the veggie fried spring rolls, which were decent. The sweet chili sauce they came with was pretty good. I also ordered a pickle satay, because who am I to resist a deep fried pickle with bleu cheese dressing. That was tasty, although it didn't stay on the satay stick very well. They need to find a way to make the breading stay more on the pickle. For the main course I got the Basil Stir Fry (I was very sad Pad Thai wasn't an option for Restaurant Week). It, unfortunately, was not the best. There was too much basil, and it drowned out all the other wonderful Thai spices in the dish. There was also too much red pepper, and not enough of the other veggies and meat. For dessert, the meal included a house-made ginger snap with vanilla ice cream and candied ginger. Now, those of you who know me know I don't like ice cream. I know, I know, that's weird. But the ginger snap cookie was warm, soft, and delicious :) The ambiance of the place is very cool. There's more of a modern Asian influence, with bright colors and dark wood. The bar space looked really cool and I guess on weekend nights, they have a deejay and dancing later. The restaurant is in the old Times space, right by Nye's. Overall, I think I would have liked it much better if I had just ordered what I wanted instead of going off their Restaurant Week menu.

Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s new tunes

I am a huge fan of the electronic punk rock band from the UK, Does It Offend You, Yeah? I mean, can't you tell right away from the name that they are going to rock you? Anyway, they roll into Minneapolis about once every one to two years on tour and their shows are always amazing. Both times they've played at the 7th Street Entry and it's been all about the moshing, crowd-surfing, rafter-hanging, and just an all-around insane dance party. I would describe the show styles as an electronic thrash. Last time one of the guys from the band was crowd-surfing, hit his head on the speaker, and they still cam back for an encore. They really haven't had anything new since the "You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into" album in 2008. Well, their new music, "Don't Say We Didn't Warn You," is available for pre-order now. From what I've heard, it's great. There isn't a huge difference in sound from their old stuff, but that's what works. No one else has a sound like theirs, so why bother changing it up. I'm loving the funny lyrics of the track "The Monkeys Are Coming." All in all, totally worth the purchase and I will definitely be seeing them again next time they come to town!

Weekend movie wrap-up

This weekend was pretty busy for me but I did get two movie viewings in. One was good. The other one was awful. The good one was "Stop-Loss." First off, let me just clarify that I'm saying it was good, not great. The acting in the movie was nothing spectacular (Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt). This is the movie where Phillippe met Cornish, had an affair with her in real life, which led to the divorce with Reese Witherspoon. Anyway, the main reason I liked this movie was the real-life concept behind it. I'd heard the term "stop-loss" before but wasn't really sure what it was. It's when a solider is getting out of the army and the government forces them to reenlist and if they don't, they get considered AWOL and locked up. That's crazy to me! It is like the movie calls it, a "back-door draft." And the stats of how many soldiers have been stop-lossed is just sad. This movie did a good job of showing how much a solider goes through when returning to their homes after a tour in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The AWFUL movie I watched was "The Killer Inside Me." It stars Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, and Kate Hudson. Casey plays a sheriff deputy who goes around killing people. Beside the fact he's psychotic, the movie tries to explain the killings, but it doesn't make any sense and I still have no real explanation. Jessica Alba "won" a Razzie for "Supporting Actress" for this movie (along with pretty much everything else she made in 2010). I think this movie was suppose to be artistic. They would play happy-go-lucky Texas music while sinister things were going on. Casey Affleck had a fetish for spanking women, which can from his mother (weird). And it took like 20 punches to the face for Alba to die, yet Hudson dies after three? I don't mean to spoil the plot, but there really is no plot. And I don't recommend anyone see this movie! Casey Affleck, you're better than this.

Concert Review: Murs

Last night we went to the Fine Line in downtown Minneapolis to see Murs perform. While Murs may be a rapper from California, he'll always have a strong fan-base in the Midwest because of his part in Felt (group formed by Murs and Slug, who have different deejays produce their LPs). And during the show, he definitely made it clear that he respects what Minneapolis is doing with hip hop. I thought Murs' set was great. He was very energetic. He did all he songs we wanted to hear. He engaged the audience, but didn't spend too much time talking in between songs.  My only qualm with this show was his openers. I've noticed this with quite a few indie hip hop artists. I like the hip hop that is prolific, full of impressive vocabulary, pop culture references, and political undertones. There is a ton of really smart hip hop out there. However, a lot of these artists go on tour and get openers who don't match their feel or fan base at all. The openers for Murs were Tabi Bonney and Whole Wheat Bread. While Tabi at least matched Murs in energy and hometown pride, both openers were bordering a little too close to rap. There is a distinct difference between rap and hip hop, and openers need to be chosen more carefully for hip hop shows. We don't come to see rap. Artists, pick people who match your sound. Don't just pick them because they're your friends.

I'll always love Radiohead

They've had some mind-blowing, revolutionary albums. They've had some album that just kind of missed the mark (yes, I'm talking to you Hail to the Thief). But every since the day I heard "Karma Police" off OK Computer back in 1997, I've been hooked ever since. They cemented a place in my heart permanently after Kid A in 2000. Their newest album, The King of Limbs  just came out this February and is Radiohead's eighth studio album. I love how they always self-release their music, you know it's not all about the benjamins for them. I like The King of Limbs more than their previosu release, In Rainbows, even though there are a lot of critics who would disagree with me. But then again, critics hated Kid A when it came out and then it made a bunch of top album of the decade lists. I really think it's hard to review Radiohead. Some people love it, some people hate it. Some people say they aren't making revolutionary music anymore. But are there any bands out there that can make the electronic music Radiohead makes as well as they do? If so, I haven't heard them yet. Anyway, for me, it's all about how Radiohead resonates with you. If their eerie beats permeate your soul, then you'll always be a fan.

Getting too old to go out on school nights... thankful it's almost Caturday!

Restaurant Week: Cosmos

There is nothing better than Restaurant Week! A chance for me to finally try out those restaurants that are way out of my price range. Since it's Restaurant Week here in Minneapolis, last night I went to Cosmos to try it out. Cosmos is the restaurant a few floors up in the Graves hotel downtown. It was AMAZING! For $30, I got a delicious three course meal. It started out with an amuse bouche, a spoonful of tuna tartare. It was so flavorful I think I could have eaten a full bowl of it. Next up was the appetizer round, where I got a crab cake on mango chutney. The crab and mango were perfectly balanced. My only complaint would be that I usually like some kind of creamy sauce with crab cakes and there was no sauce at all. The second course was NY strip with mashed potatoes. The strip was sliced up, which was a little different from the norm. The steak was cooked at a perfect medium rare and was melt-in-your-mouth tender. For the desert course I got greek yogurt with blackberry sorbet. I know a lot of people thing yogurt sounds like a lame dessert but it was the perfect ending! Rich, creamy, and cold, with just the right serving size. Another interesting aspect to mention is their tomato water, which is added to some of the dishes. We all tried a couple sips out of curiosity and it was amazing! Somehow they make it by boiling a tomato for something like eight hours, then putting the tomato in a cheesecloth, and then the tomato water is everything that drips out. It sounds bizarre but tastes awesome. The ambiance and lighting of Cosmos was very cool. My only complaint, the chairs! You're a high-end restaurants. Shell out and get some better chairs.

Life's Too Short To Hate Your Job

Check out this cool ad campaign for a job-searching site in Berlin. Really makes me realize I could have a much worse job! Europeans have such better ad campaigns....