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First Impressions: AJ Bombers

2011-10-16T23:46:00.000-05:00

Few restaurants in Wisconsin can equal the social media buzz of AJ Bombers. I found myself following @ajbombers on Twitter a year ago. This would not be odd except for the fact that I had never been to the Milwaukee restaurant and that I lived in Madison. When word came down that their second location was coming to Madtown, I was already building up the hype and expectations in my head. Not only has Bombers met my expectations, but it has also had one of the smoothest opening months I've ever witnessed.My first trip came just a couple of days after they opened. Located in the former Crave space a block off State St., the space is open and features standard bar seating (booths and tall tables). I was one of the first through the doors for the lunch crowd and was impressed by the friendly service right off the bat. One of the owners sat me at the bar and walked me through the menu and ordering process. Each patron fills out an order slip that waitstaff retrieves. You can customize almost everything on the menu as well. Now one would hope that an owner would put their best foot forward shortly after opening, but I was impressed that the energy spread to the two bartenders who waited on me as well. I soon got to see what a peanut bomb looks like. Above the bar is a station of multiple "bombs" that run along tracks on the ceiling. At the end of each track is a target with a bowl below. The bartenders load the bombs with peanuts and well, you can guess the rest. Since I was seated at the bar I didn't get the theatrics but it was fun to watch the bartenders work on the speed of their bomb deliveries to the outlying tables. When filling out my slip, I decided to jump right in and try the Milwaukee favorite, Barrie burger. The quarter pound patty had a perfect crust around a medium core and was topped with American cheese, bacon and peanut butter. Yes with all the peanuts flying around this seemed appropriate and damn if it wasn't tasty too. I opted to add some jalapenos and without the juice from the peppers I think the peanut butter would have made it a tad to dry. The skin on fries were tasty but clearly the burger was the star of the show. By the time I left, the place had a pretty good lunch crowd going and I was impressed to see the personal service each person was receiving. The last nice touch for me was when the bartender gave me a Sharpie and invited me to write on the walls. At Bombers graffiti is clearly encouraged so I obliged, leaving my twitter handle which seemed entirely appropriate.

For my second trip I brought my partner and our two year old son. We came for a late lunch on a Sunday and found the place very empty. A little concerning being that the Packers were playing and I'd think this would be a great place to watch a game. Still with a toddler we're never too upset to have a place to ourselves. The service again was personal, without being fake, and certainly contributed to keeping the kid entertained. He loved the peanut bombs but as parents we really appreciated our server checking with us before sending a potentially scary, loud noise making machine over his head. Since it was the weekend I opted to start with the Bloody Bomber which was a monster of a bloody Mary topped with a bacon wrapped strip of muenster cheese and hamburger. The great garnishes were appreciated but let it be known that the bloody mix stands on it's own. I was offered a chaser of Miller Lite or High Life which was too bad given my boycott of Miller/Coors products. I thought about asking to sub for a Wisconsin craft brew but instead just nodded and nursed my way along. With three of us dining we got a little further into the menu. We split the buffalo chicken egg rolls which were tasty but nothing I'd rush to order again. I do appreciate that they were clearly made fresh but the flavors were a bit subdued for something that had buffalo in the title. For the kid we got a hot dog split open and topped with American cheese and sauteed onions. The kid picked off the onions but loved the bun and was ok with the dog. His parents were impressed with the cheesy dog and debated the origins of the sausage for the rest of the meal. My partner opted for the Mad Sconnie, AJ Bombers tribute to their new home town. The beef patty also contained bacon in the mix and was topped with lettuce, tomato, and a fried pickle. All of this sat on Stella's Bakery spicy cheese bread roll that had a healthy spread of Bomber sauce. We both liked it although we felt it could use more cheese. After all, a burger meant to pay tribute to the capital of the cheese state, should feature cheese in multiple ways. Not wanting to leave out Bombers' other location, I went with the Milwaukee burger. This burger had ample Colby cheese, bacon and Schlitz braised onions. Tough call on where this ranked with the Barrie as I can't really come up with any negatives. I panicked and ordered fries again leaving the sweet potato chips for another day.

I try hard not to make blanket proclamations about a place in it's first 60 days but AJ Bombers will clearly give Dotty's and The Blue Moon a run for the best burger in town. Not only is the food very good but the atmosphere just makes you feel welcome and at ease. On the second trip we sat in a booth we dubbed the Doctor Who booth given the (at least) 3 piece of Who art around the table. The only regret is that we didn't get a Sharpie to add a K-9 to the group.

AJ Bombers, 210 W. Gorham St., Madison, WI (608) 305-4474

First Impressions: Wis-Tex BBQ

2011-09-23T23:19:00.002-05:00

If there's one type of food that will get me back on the blog it's BBQ. I will never say that Madison has enough smokehouses. Hell, I was even sad when the chain Smokey Bones closed at West Towne.

Thanks to the weekly round up of restaurant news links from MadisonAtoZ.com, I learned about our newest addition Wis-Tex BBQ. I also discovered that it's Stoughton location isn't far from our new pad. Armed with that knowledge my toddler and I set out to pick up some take out.

Wis-Tex BBQ has only been open a few weeks so they're still working out some bugs. The menu MadisonDining.com posted had already changed so no sweet potatoes for my partner. Also when I was led to the bar to order,'the bartender asked me what I wanted before even handing us said menu. Really minor issue though as the service from the two bartenders made for a great experience overall. Not only did they rush our order but they also double checked it before handing it over (take note BW3). They also fawned over the boy including grabbing him some paper to draw on while we waited. As we enter the terrible twos, I can't tell you how much I appreciated this.

As for the food, it was all solid to good but nothing that induced a PPP like salivation. PPP refers to the departed Porky Pine Pete's my gold standard for BBQ in Madison.

For my two meat platter I went with the chopped pork and brisket. I'm used to a smokey dry brisket and this was full of moisture like a brisket roast. It was my least favorite meat and lacked seasoning. The pork was my second favorite though and had a good smoke ring throughout despite again needing more seasoning.

The sides of beans and fries were very on point and the best seasoned dishes of the night.

My partner opted for the smoked turkey breast and it was the closest to a PPP moment. I'm not usually a poultry fan when there's
pork around but this was moist and smokey. She went with sides of corn and potato salad that elicited no comment either way. Each meal also included a fine piece of Texas toast and a pickled cherry pepper. Sauce on the side was vinegar based with a pleasant sweetness.

For $4 extra we each added on a side of 3 ribs The ribs had a nice bark and great smoke ring. Like most everything though they could have used more rub/seasoning.

For a place that's only been open a few weeks there was good traffic. While it's no PPP or Smokey Jon's, good service, location,and solid food will have us back for more.

Wis-Tex BBQ, 620 Nygaard St,WI (608) 205-6201

First Impressions: Optimo Café

2011-07-11T14:27:00.002-05:00

Since we’ve got family in the driftless area we’ve been meaning to check out Optimo Café since it opened. Unfortunately our schedules have failed to match up the last few visits since Optimo is only open Thursday-Sunday (brunch). This past weekend the stars aligned and I think it’s safe to say we’ll make sure our visits are coordinated with their hours in the future.

In my experience, focusing on local producers is a necessity for restaurants in smaller towns instead of the marketing ploy some places in larger cities employ. Optimo has a brief efficient menu and their specials make the most of what they have available. We started with a baked goat cheese and feta appetizer. I’m not a feta fan so thankfully the goat cheese carried the flavors in the hot bubbly cheese. The accompanying crostini reminded me how good crostini can be and made me forget how often this simple accompaniment can be screwed up. It was buttery and had some give while retaining its overall crisp. Two of us opted for special entrees. My braised pork chop had a great flavor but was slightly overcooked. My partner had the bacon wrapped tenderloin which was cooked perfectly and wisely let the meat speak for itself. Both dishes were accompanied by some knockout sides. First up was a root mash which we could have made a meal out of. We were able to discern cauliflower and potatoes but could not pick out the other veggies. The second side was collard greens with bacon. The strong flavor the greens played nicely with a bit of sweetness from the bacon (perhaps maple?). Our other dining partners had the grilled cheese which like the crostini was full of buttery goodness but not to the determent of the other ingredients. The side of blue corn chips were not house made but were fresh and tasty. Two side salads with the entrees featured peapods, fresh lettuce, ramps and a homeade yogurt ranch that was very tasty. All the desserts were all tempting but keeping with the fresh and local idea we skipped cheesecake and mousse for a strawberry rhubarb crisp. Not only did the crisp travel well as we took it to go but so did the honey yogurt sauce that topped it.

Located in the Public Market building in Viroqua, the space is quite massive. Our reservation at 6pm turned out to be unnecessary as there was only one other table filled at our arrival. Still it should be noted that the front of house staff managed the space well. I can’t imagine that even when packed I would have any trouble hearing those at my table. There was some confusion whether they had a booster seat for our toddler but after a few minutes, one appeared. It struck me a bit odd they weren’t prepared as they promote themselves as a kid-friendly environment.

Service was strong overall but our server did seem a bit nervous. Once seated he quickly took our drink order and also quickly ran through the specials. He recovered nicely from his one misstep, forgetting to ask my partner how she wanted her meat cooked, by realizing it on his own and was on point for the rest of the night. I also appreciated that other staff checked in on us including one who offered to rush the toddler’s meal so that we could get him started before ours came. Parents know this can be a hit or miss offer. I’ve had some experiences were the child’s food came so early he was almost done, and subsequently bored, by the time ours has come. Thankfully the timing here was spot on and we were thankful that the wait staff made the offer.

The beer and wine list was impressive in local scope and moderate prices. Needless to say Scott Walker would not find any of his donors on the beer list. The two tap beers had been replaced from the menu and while I was initially disappointed by the absence of the Hinterland Pale Ale, I quickly found solace in the Potosi Steamboat Shandy I ordered. Also on tap was a Sand Creek brew which was quite tasty.

Optimo Cafe, 215 South Main Street, Viroqua, WI, (608) 637-2223

Unboxing Warby Parker Home Try On

2011-05-03T19:44:00.004-05:00

So its time for new specs and I thought I'd give online shop Warby Parker a try after hearing good things on TwitFace. I placed my order for try on pairs on Sunday and they arrived two short days later.

The Colton

The Digby

The Felton

The Larkin

The Crosby

My only complaint is that one style I wanted to try was not available when I ordered. Otherwise I'm very pleased and think I'll be ordering shortly.

Swanson Pyramid

2011-01-21T12:36:00.003-06:00

Last night's Parks and Recreation had this moment of TiVo glory. (photo via EW)

First Impressions: Bella Vita

2011-01-16T15:23:00.002-06:00

After a day of running errands and driving to and from Janesville, we decided to end our Saturday by trying Bella Vita. Madison’s newest Italian restaurant is housed in the space that once hosted TGI Friday’s, Peppermill Grill, and most recently the Tilted Kilt. On first impression, it looks like mall shoppers and westsiders have a locally owned business that offers a quality alternative to the chains that surround West Towne.

We pushed our luck by taking a car bound 18 month old to Bella Vita but found the place to be very family friendly, at least at 5:30pm. The space still shows some remnants of Friday’s on the outside but the inside has been given a nice, if generic face-lift. White table clothed tables surround a bar with a few flat screens, and cozy booths. Our hosts were very accommodating. I first thought that could be because of the early hour, but after the quality service we received the rest of the night I could tell that the importance of service is clearly stressed here.

Food wise we were started off with a complimentary dish that should hook anyone who enters the door. A cone of breadsticks was thin and crispy and while they were good they were nothing compared to the bowl of dipping marinara provided alongside. I’m always surprised how many places have difficulty with their red sauces but Bella Vita’s has a nice up front heat followed by a subtle sweetness. The garlic and basil flavors linger pleasantly. Our side salads arrived shortly afterwards and they were notable for three reasons. One, the small size was appreciated as too often side salads take on dinner salad proportions. Two, the mix of greens and veggies were above what you’d expect from a side salad. Lastly, the vinaigrette was thick but not overly sweet. My partner enjoyed it so much she saved her dressing cup to dip the freshly baked bread we received next.

For our entrees we tried to sample the menu as much as possible. Our boy had the kid’s pizza that featured a slightly thicker crust than the breadsticks and sausage that alone would be worth a repeat visit. While a nightly special pizza of sausage, Italian beef and giardiniera tempted me, I instead chose the cannelloni. Often times I find this to be all sauce and cheese but Bella Vita’s chef really makes the meat and veggie filling the star and lets the other components stand for support. My partner had the NY strip, which was topped with a garlic compound butter. The steak was cooked perfectly and consistently but I thought the butter didn’t stand up to the steak on every bite. She loved it though and the side of rigatoni with marinara that came with.

Prices were mid-range and the menu is extensive almost to a fault. We were given a dinner menu, pizza menu, wine list and specials menu when we sat down. Since the place is new I’m guessing they’ll whittle that down as time goes on.

One last word about the service as our child began to reach his breaking point about 10 minutes into our visit. We took turns walking him around and watching the AFC playoff game in the background. The staff couldn’t have been nicer and they were great about boxing up our meals about halfway through and being quick with the check. Certainly the type of service that along with the food (especially the addictive red sauce) dictates return visits.

Bella Vita, 420 Gammon Place, Madison, WI 608-836-5866

Madison Review: Fuzzy's Taco Shop

2010-11-03T07:54:00.001-05:00

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop recently opened next to the Starbuck’s on University Ave and from the conversations of the few in attendance; they are already building a loyal customer base. After my first meal I’m ready to join.

Food wise this is decidedly more of a baja taco joint than say a taqueria and again that’s fine as that’s their goal. We started off with the chips and queso. The cheese was a good consistency but a little bland. I would rank it above Panchero’s but slightly below Qdoba’s. Chip wise though Fuzzy’s has no peer in the chain ranks. They were fresh warm and had just the right amount of salt. My partner tried the pork and beans appetizer which turned out to be pinto beans topped with shredded pork, a little cheese, and salsa. It was an odd dish but tasty. My partner said she’d order it as an entrée in the future. She also tried the shredded garlic beef burrito. The beef had a great taste to it and certainly was true to its moniker. The tortilla was again the best I’ve had at a chain shop and was nearly as good as some I’ve had at taquerias. The rest of the ingredients were very fresh, although the guacamole got lost a bit. I opted for a trio of tacos. I started with the aforementioned garlic beef in a crispy shell. I strongly advise avoiding the crispy shells, it was almost to the point of stale and had no redeeming qualities. The filling again was top notch though and I especially liked the additional garlic sauce that came on all the tacos. The two soft tacos I had were outstanding. The same pork that came on the beans was housed in one and I opted for the shrimp tempura in the other. Shrimp and fish can be a risky proposition at times but the shrimp here was fresh tasting and the batter was great. Lastly I think I fell in love with a new condiment last night. Fuzzy’s habenero salsa, which technically I’d call a taco sauce, was a revelation. The vinegar based sauce had some heat but not overwhelming…until I drank one almost on its own.

The service was very cheery, almost to the point of overkill. I did really appreciate that when I ordered the aforementioned pork and beans, the counter, who initially told me it wasn’t on the menu, followed up with the kitchen and found that they could make it. It was a nice touch from a new place.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, 3519 University Ave, Madison, WI 608-232-1479

Claiming the blog on Urbanspoon

2010-09-03T07:33:00.001-05:00

So in order to prove I'm the me on Urbanspoon and the me on this blog I am stating the following: Urbanspoon rocks

First Impressions: Graze Pub

2010-08-22T10:25:00.005-05:00

When I heard last winter that L'etoile was moving and opening a pub as well, I started to salivate. Two of the best meals I've had in my life where at L’etoile but I wasn't sure when I'd get back again especially with a young child. Graze pub offered the chance to experience Tory Millers skill in the kitchen in a different setting with a more accessible menu. Having the space right next door to L'etoile makes this association clear even to those that don't follow the restaurant scene like myself. So when my partner and I had our first date night opportunity in months it was clear Graze was our destination. The results were unexpected in good and bad ways.

The Food
Both my partner and I had been anticipating this meal so we tried to sample as much as we could. We started with the popcorn with truffle oil. We thought it was a great value for $3 and more than just a cutesy take on bar food. I almost ordered a second basket that we would have bagged up for the movie we went to later that night. We also ordered the cheese curds as a starter, and while you’d want to compare them to The Old Fashioned down the street they are really two different varieties. The squeaky Sassy Cow cheese was battered and fried in a way that reminded me of the Minnesota State Fair (these are the pinnacle of cheese curds in my mind). While we were tempted by more fried goodness in the form of panko crusted onion rings, we wisely moved onto our next course. My partner went with the Graze burger which somehow justified its $19 price tag. The mixture of quality meats (short ribs, sirloin, ribeye) was identifiable and not lost when covered with the perfectly cooked caramelized onions. She also declared the fries the best she’s had in Madison (at least in the frites category). I had a very hard time disagreeing with that and wondered about setting up a taste test with Brassiere V. I wanted pig but instead of the pork done three ways I went with the mac and cheese topped with pulled pork. I’ve read some food columns decrying the overabundance of “gourmet” mac but this is a trend I hope never dies. The Graze variety out does both The Old Fashioned and Vintage Brewery which had held my top spots. The 10-year-old Hook’s cheddar is certainly no small part of that. The pulled pork initially felt out of place but as I ate more the flavors really blended nicely. We were too stuffed for dessert but the sundae that went by almost changed our mind. Despite the $19 burger we both agreed that Graze is a great value. The portions were large and the prices were more than reasonable. Our total tab was under $50 which seemed to fall in line with similarly designed restaurants and the meal was absolutely amazing.

The Space
I love the space but I'm not sure if it fits this concept. The high ceiling and abundant natural light made for a warm dining room. The chairs tables and booths have a similar warmness to them. My favorite touch is the lanterns at the end of the booth that counter some of the modern elements. Still while the design elements are all done well I felt like I was in the wrong place. For example I don't think you should feel bad when dropping popcorn on the floor but that was my initial reaction. Also while the beautiful bar space was certainly hoping by the time we left, it doesn't seem to invite any long-term visits despite very decent tap prices. There's a flat screen too and I find it hard to believe that will get much use especially when compared to say Cooper's or The Old Fashioned. I'm sure going back later at night would give me a different impression but my first was one was not of a cohesive space.

The Service
The space also tied into our first impressions of the service. You can enter through the shared front corridor for L'etoile and Graze or off the patio like we did. A server held the door for us but once we were in it took a moment to find the host stand and several moments for the hostess to find us. While the patio had a decent crowd upon arrival the dining area had only one or two tables full so you'd think our entrance would be heard but it wasn't until we were right on top of her that we were greeted. Our server seemed to be covering too many tables, which is not her fault, but it also doesn't excuse everything. The gaffes included drink orders (diet Cokes) that took too long, no water refills until a manager noticed and dropped off a carafe for us (very appreciated), and a very long wait between ordering apps and entrees. It wasn't until the table behind us was seated with a different server that we heard there were specials and a full explanation of the menu concept and that was almost more troubling. In the end it was one night and the place has only been open a month but if you're cashing in on the L'etoile pedigree then you're facing high expectations when it comes to service. My partner made the point that while L'etoile is fine dining she felt so welcomed and cared for it was like she was in someone’s home. Here at Graze you have a more comforting menu and concept but service that felt like it belonged in an overpriced chain.

Despite the mixed feelings on the space and the poor service, the food certainly demands we revisit Graze. I think we may have hit a bad night but another one of those and I'm not sure that even this food can sustain my business.

Graze, 1 S PINCKNEY ST, MADISON, WI, 608.251.2700

My Lost Thoughts (courtesy of coffee and duck tape)

2010-05-24T09:27:00.001-05:00

Lost kicked my ass last night. Emotionally I was spent and now physically the next morning I’m still drained due to staying up for the lame Aloha to Lost and letting my mind ponder for hours on end last night’s amazing finale. Here are just a few of the questions I thought of. I readily admit I might have missed some things as A) I watched half the episode through tear filled eyes and B) I’m freaking exhausted.

Where did Desmond go when Widmore through him into the electro-magnetic chamber?
I assumed that when Desmond flashed in this year’s episode he was travelling between the Purgatory universe (screw it I’m still calling it Sideways since that’s what we’ve all been calling it during the season) and the Island universe. After watching last night’s episode I think that was Darlton using a previous construct to pull the wool over our eyes. I think instead, Desmond did what Desmond does, and flashed through time seeing some of the actions he would take in the finale, and some of the aftermath (being reunited with Penny during Ben and Hurley’s upcoming reign). This would explain Desmond’s utter shock when lifting the cork didn’t work the way he thought it would and send him home.

Did Jacob always intend for the Man in Black to take Locke?
You could argue that Jacob had this all set up for a long time (i.e. Man in Black takes Locke’s form, Desmond comes back to the Island and releases the cork just long enough for Jack to kill Smocke). I’m going to say yes and no. Jacob knew Locke was special, a fact Ben certainly reminded us of later but I’m not sure he knew to what end until perhaps his own end. I think Jacob knew that gathering these people would lead to an end of some sort for him and his brother.

Was Charles Widmore the least redeemable character on the show?
I think “Across the Sea” established more sympathy for the Man in Black than Charles got in 5 seasons. I understand that people in the Sideways need to wake up when they’re ready but even there Charles is more concerned about greed, money and power than he is with his family and that seems to suit him just fine. (Please note I’m writing this off one viewing so perhaps he was lurking about in the final sendoff.)

What’s the deal with Aaron and Ji Yeon?
Aaron made out pretty well as he got his two moms (there’s your spinoff by the way or the island odd couple sitcom with Ben and Hurley). Not only did he get them in the Island verse after the duck tapped Ajira flight presumably got folks home (Kate apparently lived a long life per her comment to Jack in the Sideways) but he also got to crossover with them. I’m assuming his form wasn’t important as Christian Shepherd pretty much implied that physics didn’t matter much in the Sideways. Meanwhile Ji Yeon got orphaned and was presumably raised by her mom’s rather questionable family. Maybe Team Hurley helped her out but we’ll never know. Furthermore she didn’t even get a reunion with her parents other than a sonogram courtesy of our favorite blonde doctor. My partner argues that since time didn’t matter in the Sideways, Jin and Sun could have hooked up with Ji Yeon and hung out for a bit. I don’t see why this couldn’t happen but I think Ji Yeon will have her own Sideways some day and that when she does it will be with the people that were most important to her and her journey and sadly that would not be her parents.

When did I learn to let go?
After Smocke fell to his death I was sure he wasn’t done. In fact the next scene with a post surgery Locke waking up was simply terrifying. For what seemed like an eternity, I thought Smocke had jumped worlds and was going to choke Jack out and walk on towards the concert. Once it was revealed to be good old’ John I let out a sigh and knew it was all going to be alright and I honestly stopped caring about the devil face in the floor of the island or the skeletons at the base of the waterfall.

Was the Sideways universe necessary to telling the story in the Island universe?
Technically, I suppose not. In the end, the Sideways did not affect Island unless Hurley’s visitors (such as Ana Lucia and Charlie) came from there (this is one point I have no strong opinion of. Not sure whether those visits didn’t come from the Island or Jacob or even post Ark of Light (i.e. the church gathering)). You could have told this season’s Island story on its own. The bomb didn’t work except for catapulting our heroes back to the present, what happened, happened, and then there was pain, misery, a few spots of redemption and eventually the island itself persevered while many of our characters did not. I can also see why some might have anger that their time was wasted watching our character’s wake up in limbo when, for example, we could have found out about Dogan’s back-story or who was dropping off those Dharma rations post-purge. I think that’s a valid reaction but for me the Sideways was essential to sending the characters and the show off properly. All the “wake up” moments were brilliant and emotionally charged, especially the Kwons and Charlie/Claire. My partner said, “But you hate Claire!” The truth is a hated what she became post-Charlie but I loved her prior to that. The “wake-up” brought out the best in her which is as it should be in the Sideways. Think about how devastating it would be from an audience perspective to see all that sacrifice then ending the series with the Ajira folks flying off while Ben and Hurley set up shop. I think that would have been unsatisfying. Furthermore the Sideways did not undo the suffering. Jin and Sun still didn’t raise their daughter. Juliet still died horribly and never got to see her sister. Shannon died for literally no reason other than Ana Lucia’s itchy trigger finger. All these deaths and losses still mattered and still carried weight despite the fact that we got a happy reunion prior to the character’s taking their next step. The Sideways universe mattered, and my early reaction is that it will end up being equal in my memory to what happened on the island.

In the end I was completely satisfied with the ending and the series as a whole. Furthermore, in my sleep deprived state, I’m now ready to place it above Buffy as my favorite series of all time and above Angel for the best finale of all time. Like that finale it didn’t tie up everything but it paid tribute to the characters and what they lived, died, fought and loved for.

Elliot’s Top 5 TV Shows
5. Angel
4. SportsNight
3. Twin Peaks
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1. Lost

Elliot’s Top 5 Series Finales
5. M*A*S*H
4. Twin Peaks
3. Firefly
2. Angel
1. Lost

Live Oscar Blog

2010-03-04T09:23:00.001-06:00

Oscars 2010

First Impressions: Vintage Brewing Company

2010-02-28T10:26:00.005-06:00

Usually the failure of a restaurant to deliver on something that's in their name would spell doom. However despite a disappointing brew, the Vintage Brewing Company has enough other things going for it that I'm willing to cut the brewmaster some slack.

Located in the former JT Whitney's on Whitney Way, the Vintage is a welcome addition to the westside. Another patron dubbed it The Old Fashioned West and I'd say that could be an accurate comparison if our first visit is the standard. The space is still huge and JT fans will still find recognizable touches such as the the booths and the fish tank in the bar. However, the Vintage has done more than just slap on a fresh coat of paint. The walls are now ordained with classic beer paraphernalia including the 3D Blatz dioramas I dream about for my man cave. They've also added, dare I say, "vintage" vinyl chairs around the place that give it more of a supper club feel than a brew pub. Another nice touch is the hostess area up front that my partner said makes it a place you wouldn't mind waiting for a table. The familiar fire place is still in back surrounded by comfy couches. Even the bathrooms were not overlooked as they've gotten a nice update. As parents of an infant we really appreciated the brand new changing table.

Speaking of kids, the Vintage really shined on service in that regard and overall. The hostess was great in helping us with our car seat/high chair set up and our waiter even offered to bring us warm water for making up a bottle. These nice touches were further complimented when our waiter brought out our meals and had the kitchen refire my partner's as she was in the restroom changing our son.

Our waiter was also good in steering us to some successful menu choices. We started off with the wings which featured two sauce choices. We settled on the chipotle BBQ which the waiter heartily endorsed. The wings were more meaty than anything I've had in ages and the sauce was not overpowering. We also tried a shot of hot sauce for $1. The Vintage features 4 homemade hot sauces and we opted for the XXX. The sauce was not as hot as I'd have hoped although it had a nice slow burn. However, the flavors were outstanding as it mixed cumin and jalapenos with lime for a sweet, savory combination. For entrees I went with the half rack of baby back ribs. The dry rub on the ribs was excellent and the BBQ sauce was good. The ribs themselves were very meaty and had the perfect amount of fat. Between the wings and the ribs I'd say they've got a winner when it comes to their meat supplier. I'd say the biggest disappointment was that the ribs could have been cooked better as they weren't as tender as I'd have liked. The sides on the dish though were outstanding. The mashed potatoes were standard but perfectly done. The red vinegar based coleslaw was one of the better ones I've had and the corn bread gives Hubbard Ave Diner's a run for their money. It was so moist and sweet you didn't need any butter. My partner tried the baked mac and cheese and we both agreed it surpasses the same dish at The Old Fashioned. The sauce had the perfect thickness and the garlic breadcrumb topping added nice flavor to cut through the cheese. Using fresh RP's rigatoni was also a good call as those noodles certainly held their own. Other dishes that made their way past our table also looked good including a crab cake salad and a massive steak knife burger that a nearby patron declared one of the best in town.

Now about that beer. The Vintage currently has two taps going with a weiss beer and a double oatmeal stout. We tried the stout and found it lacked the texture and creaminess one usually associates with stout. They'll soon have a Belgian ale with 9% alcohol that I'd certainly come back to try. After all with the food standing out so well, I can't imagine that the kinks won't get worked out of the brewery in no time.

Vintage Brewing Company, 674 S Whitney Way, Madison, WI 608-204-BREW

Madison Wing Dings

2009-12-21T11:44:00.003-06:00

For me and my partner 2009 was the year of the chicken wing. A side effect of our impending parenthood dictated we ate a low carb diet so we became regulars at Buffalo Wild Wings aka BW3 (I know that’s not their name anymore but deal with it, I’m a creature of habit) and Quaker Steak & Lube. While our carb restriction has eased since the kid came into the world, we still pick up the occasional wing and have now included Madison’s newest wingery, Wingstop. So in honor of 2009 it seemed like a good idea to do a little comparison.

Wing Quality
The key to a good wing for me is the meat and how it’s cooked. It should be pretty hard to fuck up a wing but if you’ve ever sampled Pizza Hut’s version you know it can be done. Quaker has ok meat quality. I often find wings with little to no meat and their boneless wings are simply grilled chunks of breast meat that are visually unappealing. BW3 also is inconsistent with their traditional wings all though I’d say the quality of meat in their boneless is excellent. Unfortunately their boneless wings are often over breaded. Wingstop came out on top for both traditional and boneless. The traditional wings are always meaty and the boneless have good quality meat with the perfect amount of breading. The amount of sauce on both is perfect too as BW3 is too inconsistent (over and under sauced) and Quaker’s traditional are often over sauced.
Winner: Wingstop
Runner Up: BW3
Last Place: Quaker

Sauces
Wingstop is limited to eight sauces which doesn’t make it much of a fight against the numerous offerings of both Quaker and BW3. I’ve only sampled two sauces at Wingstop, and the Cajun sauce with dry rub is perhaps my new favorite in town. That being said their limited list and my own inexperience with said list leaves them at the bottom of this category with an incomplete. Quaker is solid in the sauce area but not spectacular. The Arizona Ranch is a unique sauce that I’ve never had anywhere else. The Buckeye BBQ is a good hot BBQ sauce but certainly not destination dining worthy. The Blazin’ sauce at BW3 is my favorite of the super hot variety and their spicy garlic is my partner’s favorite. I’ve probably worked my way through about two thirds of their sauces and the only negative experience I had was with their Parmesan Garlic (which should have been evident in retrospect).
Winner: BW3
Runner Up: Quaker
Incomplete: Wingstop

Sides and Other Menu Items
Wingstop smartly limits their menu and in doing so is able to focus on cooking those wings just right. I’ve only sampled their skin on fries but they are excellent and have a nice spice mixture served over them. Their coleslaw is supposedly equally as good but I haven’t tried it yet. BW3 has both potato wedges and circular “chips” that are usually pretty good. Again the various BW3 kitchens seem to have a problem with consistency but when they’re good they’re good. Their other menu items do not fare as well. The burgers are overcooked with buns that are too pronounced. Their ribs are a crime against BBQ enthusiasts everywhere and are way overpriced for their subpar meat. Quaker on the other hand has an extensive menu that is executed professionally and has exceeded my expectations over and over again. Their steaks are all grilled nicely and have good flavor. The burgers tend to overshadowed by their toppings but are still well done. While I usually prefer thin onion rings, their traditional “fat” ring is one of the best in town. Their salads are also done well with good fresh produce. The only negative is their fries which are pedestrian at best and lack seasoning.
Winner: Quaker
Runner Up: Wingstop
Last Place: BW3

Service
I wonder how the execs at BW3 feel about becoming the poster child for every restaurant service jab I’ve heard over the last year. Even though they have their to-go bags inspected they constantly fail to accurately bag up an order. Likewise their table delivery in house is similarly troubled. “The customer is always wrong” seems to be their motto. Take for example an experience I had this summer. I was calling in our weekly pregnancy take out order and was told by the staff that since it was 49 cent wing night I could only order take out in person. I asked why and was informed that it would not be fair to put my order ahead of someone dining in. I agreed and said I’d be happy to wait but that I’d rather wait in the comfort of my home as opposed to their hard stiff chairs by the door. Again I was told this wasn’t a possibility. I explained that I’d been ordering wings from them about once a week for almost nine months and that their food had been a savior for my pregnant partner. Apparently this loyalty meant nothing to them. When I asked to speak to the manager I was hung up on. When I called back and spoke to an assistant manager I was hung up on again. Calls and emails to both their corporate office and to the head manager were never returned. In short BW3 lost me as a loyal customer that night. This is just one example but I’ve heard enough similar stories from friends and associates to know this a trend. On the complete opposite side are Quaker and Wingstop. Quaker also has a cheap wing night and I’ve never had a problem getting take out from them. In addition they are always happy to accommodate special requests. Wingstop clearly knows they’re the new kid in town and are putting their best foot forward. They’ve been giving out free samples of their sides to folks and their staff shows great patience with new customers. They have counter service only but their servers are more polished than the wait staff and bartenders at BW3.
Winner: Quaker
Runner Up: Wingstop
Epic Fail: BW3

Final Verdict: If you’re looking for purely a wing experience I’d rank them 1) Wingstop, 2) Quaker and 3) BW3. If you’re looking to dine in I’d rank them 1) Quaker 2) Wingstop and 3) BW3. While I’m sure 2010 doesn’t hold as many wings for me, two of these three places have certainly earned my repeat business and the third will still probably get some if only out of habit and curiosity.

Best of 2009

2009-12-16T10:42:00.003-06:00

Best TV Drama of 2009: Lost
The show perfected the act of telling stories in different spaces and times. Whether it was with the Oceanic 6 back in LA or the folks left behind on the island, you always felt like something important was happening. Clearly the best season since the first, and an ending that was both mystifying and completely open ended. That my folks is Lost at its best, TV that makes your brain work almost to the point of madness.

Best TV Comedy of 2009:Modern Family and Parks & Recreation (tie)
I was late in coming to the Modern Family crowning but now I absolutely worship at their feet. A great ensemble packaged with smart writing that often has you rewinding to see what jokes you might have laughed over. While Parks & Recreation started out slow in the Spring, Amy Pohler and company have stepped up their game in season 2 and given us numerous fall out of the chair laughing moments. The episode “Practice Date” is my favorite 30 minutes of TV this year. Funny that both of these shows use the faux doc storytelling tool and do so successfully despite the feeling that The Office has ruined that trick for everyone.

Best Reality TV of 2009: Top Chef
While the end of season five of Top Chef was boring and uninspiring, season 6 aka Las Vegas was the finest season yet. Sure it could have used some Tony Bourdain or Eric Ripert sightings but the quality of the big four Jen, Brian, Mike, and Kevin made this season the most mouthwatering yet. The quality of food really came across our LCD and plasma screens and made me want to travel around the country to enjoy all these chefs.

Best Ongoing Comic Book of 2009: Batman & Robin
***Spoiler Alert***
When Grant Morrison moved Bruce Wayne off the chessboard he did so in such a convoluted way that many readers couldn’t care less who the new Batman was. Thankfully Morrison righted the ship quickly and has given readers the successor we always wanted and a Robin who we never knew we wanted. The inverted dynamic between Batman and Robin is refreshing and the reader finds themselves more wrapped up in their story than worrying about the inevitable return of Master Bruce. It also doesn’t hurt that Morrison has an all star team of artists working with him including Frank Quitely.

Best Limited Series/Graphic Novel of 2009: Blackest Night
Hard to believe in this day and age that something actually lives up to its hype. After a somewhat disappointing DC event in Final Crisis many were suffering from event fatigue. Geoff Johns however managed to find the cure for that fatigue by focusing an event on the core DC characters acting like core DC characters. Hal Jordan and Barry Allen have never been better. While I’m reading many of the tie-ins it’s completely possible that you could enjoy this series all on its own. Best part is that we’re only through issue 5 of 8.

Best Movie of 2009: Inglorius Basterds
Certainly this was a polarizing pic. I’ve heard the phrase self indulgent and unfunny thrown around over and over again. With respect I’d have to disagree and say this was escapism at its best. Tarantino continues to grow with every picture and I loved how this time he didn’t just pay tribute to one genre, he threw a bunch in blender and the results were spot on. He also continues to draw performances out of unexpected people. Who knew Eli Roth could act? (Avatar and/or Up in the Air could change this category over the next few weeks)

2009 Entertainer of the Year: Lady Gaga
At the beginning of the year I heard “Just Dance” and thought it was ok. Then I heard “Poker Face” and I was intrigued. “Love Game” was an instant download and by the time Lady Gaga hit the stage at the MTV Awards to do “Paparazzi”, I was on the edge of my seat. That performance along with her Saturday Night Live gig made me devoted fan. Her music is great but her performances are unique events that you feel like you can’t miss. Throw in the video of the year and song of the year “Bad Romance” and you’ve got someone who I’ll forever identify 2009 with.

First Impressions: Cafe Porta Alba

2009-11-06T08:48:00.004-06:00

When Café Porta Alba opened downtown Madison a few years back, I never had the chance to visit. Based on the ruckus raised when it closed I clearly knew I had missed out. So ever since it was announced that Café Porta Alba would be reopening in Hilldale, I’ve been stalking the empty space.

Since we did takeout, we can’t speak to the whole dining experience but we can certainly cover some basic thoughts. My partner stopped in to get our order and remarked that the space was warm and inviting. She also said it was packed. Clearly I wasn’t the only one stalking the space. She also noted that owner Vincenzo Pugliese was in the house giving every dish coming out of the kitchen a thorough look over.

While the pizza was the star, we did start with two salads. The caprese had amazing tomatoes for this time of year and the balsamic vinegar was of outstanding quality. The fresh mozzarella however did not hold up as well to the other ingredients. The bresaola salad on the other hand was a four star knockout. Again it was simple but the key was the balance of top quality ingredients. The bresaola itself was just as it should be. The paper thin dried beef had the color of a beet and a salty flavor that was only accentuated by the shaved parmigiano. As for the pizza, I always have a margherita pie on my first visit to a Neapolitan pizza joint. The same fresh mozz that was a disappointment in the caprese salad was a stand out on the pie. The crust was perfectly salty and cooked to perfection in its 900 degree oven. We also tried the salsiccia pizza with their wood oven sausage and mushrooms. The sausage was so good that while I know that minimal toppings are a trademark of Neapolitan pizza, I was ready to throw that rule out the window. Even the mushrooms were of noticeable quality. The menu also features some pastas and some deserts that I will definitely be back to try.

While some might argue that if you’ve had one Neapolitan pizza you’ve had them all, I find the joy lies in the differences. It is inevitable that comparisons will be made between Café Porta Alba and my other Madison fav, Pizza Brutta. I will say that while a Neapolitan pizza is not intended to travel, Pizza Brutta’s does travel better than Café Porta Alba. On the other hand I must say the sausage from Café Porta Alba is superior. The pies from Café Porta Alba are larger. On the flip side while I know it’s traditional not to slice a Neapolitan pizza, I appreciate that extra step from Brutta. I also love the flatbread that accompanies Brutta’s salads which is something that was missing from Café Porta Alba. Differences between the two places sure, but certainly enough room for both in my stomach. Without a doubt Café Porta Alba has already established a place in my rotation of favorites.

Café Porta Alba, 558 N Midvale Blvd, Madison WI 608-441-0202

Top Chef Restaurant Wars Past and Present

2009-10-16T15:26:00.002-05:00

While I no longer do weekly recaps of Top Chef, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to talk some Restaurant Wars. This challenge has been a highlight of many a season and has often resulted in some surprise winners and some surprise departures. As the Las Vegas crew speeds toward their dinner with destiny I thought it would be a good chance to recap past seasons’ wars and preview Wednesday’s episode.

Season 1
The original Restaurant Wars episode not only introduced the concept but also was the home of season one’s most memorable line as Dave told Tiffani, “I’m not your bitch, bitch.” Despite the lack of team harmony Dave, Tiffani, and eventual winner Harold took the challenge leading to Miguel’s departure. It was also the episode with guest judge Jeffrey Chodorow who might be best remembered as the jerk that wasn’t Rocco DiSpirito on The Restaurant.

Season 2
In episode 10 we saw another edition of Restaurant Wars although the term was not used. This was one of the few wars where the eliminated chef was probably the least talented at the time as Mike went home. Overall though both sides turned out really lackluster products that left the judges flummoxed. This episode again produced one of the most memorable moments of the season when lady-killer Sam tried to talk trash about Wylie Dufresne. Karma kicked Sam in the butt down the line.

Season 3
This was the season where Restaurant Wars truly became the defining point of a Top Chef season. After both teams initially turned in horrible efforts the judges declared no winner or loser and said let’s do it again. This was also the challenge where we saw a favorite to win head home. Tre who had been neck and neck with eventual winner Hung, took charge of his kitchen and thus took the blame when his team failed. I remember feeling just horrible as he packed his knives and walked out the door especially considering some of the riff raff that remained. I still wonder what a Tre/Hung finale would have looked like.

Season 4
No one seemed to learn from Tre, as Dale stepped up and then stepped out. His failure to harness his kitchen which featured classic Top Chef villain Lisa ended his rather promising tenure on the show. He also paired scallops and butterscoth...yuck! Meanwhile, the other team scrapped out a win in large part thanks to future winner Stephanie. This was really Stephanie's coming out party as a contender. My favorite part of this episode was that Anthony Bourdain filled in for Chef Tom although he did dial down the venom a bit.

Season 5
Looking back on last season, I’m more and more impressed with this year’s crop of chefs. The New York cast was mired in mediocrity and that really showed when they did Restaurant Wars. Leah was pigheaded and ignored the most talented chef on her team and Radhika chose to work the front of the house despite it being her concept. It came down to these two and Radhika exited thanks to her horrific service and complete loss of control in the kitchen. Sadly this episode will also be remembered as the one where Hosea and Leah did the tongue tango.

Season 6
Wow season 5 had some slim pickings in terms of quality. On the other hand season 6 features a top four of chefs that cannot be rivaled from season’s past. For that reason I’d expect the B team of Mike Isabella, Laurine, Eli and yes even Robin to survive (speaking of surviving did you hear that Robin survived breast cancer). I’m guessing we’re going to see one of the big four exit this week. From the previews we can see that the Voltaggio brothers are on a team and Kevin (aka Yukon Cornelius) and Jennifer on the other. This will be about who can manage their staff better. The brothers will have to contend with Robin based on the preview, so that could be dicey. Early money is that unfortunately one of them is going home.

Madison Restaurant Review: Bucatini

2009-09-29T15:09:00.002-05:00

This past weekend my partner and I had our first “date night” since the birth of our child. Dinner and movie seemed like the simplest of plans. Little did we know that dealing with our 3 month old would be easier than a meal at Bucatini in Middleton.

The service on our visit was so bad that it became laughable and certainly overshadowed the food. On a previous lunch visit that was close to the restaurant’s opening, I thought the service was a little rough but chalked it up to opening irregularities. Now nine months later I must say nothing has been ironed out, in fact it is much, much worse. The place seems to do a brisk business but thanks to its size, waits are few and far between. Perhaps the management should either reduce the number of tables or increase wait staff because we learned that just because we got seated, didn’t mean we’d get served. After 15 minutes of no water and no waiter, my partner went up to the two hosts. Neither apologized upon hearing the news and one asked which table we were. My partner pointed me out but the hostess that had seated us asked again for clarification. This time my partner pointed me out once more, and said, “We’re the only table in our area with no food or drink on the table." To top it off we had two tables surrounding us that were seated after us enjoying their drinks already. After a few more minutes we were greeted by a waiter whom I will call Weapon X. Just like Wolverine himself this guy had horned hair and while he did not have adamantium claws, he did have finger nails that protruded at least 4 inches from the end of his fingers. Weapon X welcomed us with a “Gooood evening” that sounded like he should be answering the door at Daddy Warbuck’s house. Switching to a hushed tone he did apologize for the delay, but he also provided an excuse. He explained that our intended waitress was serving a large group and that we got lost in the shuffle. Note to servers, apologies go a long way but excuses don’t. We ordered both our drinks and entrees and thought our meal was back on track. Weapon X returned quickly with our drinks but our confidence in him took a shot when he asked me to repeat my order. Still our salads and entrees arrived very quickly. While I’d love to move on to the food, I must sadly share another service mishap. We finished our meal and I noticed the movie started in 40 minutes. While my partner thought we had plenty of time, I said we should pull out our payment for the next time Weapon X stopped by. Unfortunately I was right as we waited another 25 minutes before he stopped by again to check on us. Adding insult to injury was the fact that he checked on an adjacent table 5 times while we waited. In review it was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had service wise and if we weren’t so caught up in enjoying our one night out, it could have turned out far worse.

There was of course food involved as well and while it was mostly positive, it was marred by inconsistency. Our house salads were made with very fresh greens, a simple balsamic dressing, and some of the very best shaved parmesan I’ve ever enjoyed. However I’d question the $3.99 price tag. On a previous visit I had enjoyed a rigatoni with pancetta, artichoke hearts in a white wine sauce, so this time around, I wanted to sample one of their red sauces. Their version of eggplant parmesan provided me that opportunity. The eggplant was cut perfectly thin but unfortunately was over breaded. When I complained, my partner reminded me that our state motto could be “when in doubt, add more breading”. Despite the over breading though, the accompanying sauce was satisfying and hit all the right notes. The highlight though, was the simple penne with fontina cheese sauce that accompanied the main dish. It was creamy without being rich and the saltiness played well with the marinara sauce on the eggplant. My partner opted for a bacon wrapped filet with gorgonzola cheese. Advertised at 7oz. the dish arrived with a piece of meat that was undercooked and no more than 4oz. We tend to order medium rare and don’t mind when the kitchen delivers something more on the rare side, however other patrons would not be as forgiving and no one should forgive that small of a piece of meat especially at a cost of $18.99. Again though the stars of the plate were the sauces. The gorgonzola cheese sauce around the steak was mild yet tangy and the porcini mushroom sauce that enveloped the accompanying risotto was exceptional. Too bad the risotto was overcooked and mushy. In short the kitchen excels at sauces but seems to miss the boat on the main items on the plate. Furthermore, this type of inconsistency does not make one forget about questionable service as other kitchens can.

Bucatini is in a space that formally housed a Macaroni Grill in Greenway Station. While they could have taken the easy route and slipped into the building, I must credit the ownership in making plenty of physical changes so that the restaurant sheds any comparisons to the chain uniformity that once marked the space. Unfortunately I cannot give them much credit for anything else.

Bucatini, 1611 Deming Way, Middleton, WI 608-824-0004

Madison Restaurant Review: Picasso's

2009-09-12T08:21:00.003-05:00

Picasso's is a restaurant with ups and downs but the ups are food related and the downs aren't enough to chase away customers...yet. Located off of Verona Road on Madison's Westside, Picasso's sits in an unassuming strip mall. The space itself is nice with an open kitchen centered in the room. There are tables on both sides and then a huge covered open-air patio off the dining room. While the center kitchen makes for good eye candy the heat of the giant pizza ovens creates some interesting climate situations. On multiple visits the front door has been propped open to let the heat out. This helps the tables to the left of the room but can leave some of the tables on the right a bit chilly. Also this certainly lets the flies in. The tables are rather barren and don't even include silverware. For the quality of the food you'd expect silverware at the table.

Speaking of the food this is certainly the best part of the place and since it’s a restaurant that's a good thing. The fried portabella mushrooms are a nice starter and certainly tasted fresh. The Creole dipping sauce was a little off though as there was a tanginess that didn't seem to belong. Pizza is a strong suit for Picasso’s when it comes to both traditional pies and more gourmet ones. Their homemade Italian sausage stars on your more normal pies, as does their sauce. The mac and cheese pizza is one of the best I've had although the fettuccine that came on top instead of traditional macaroni was a bit odd. The gorgonzola rib eye pizza was the favorite on our last visit. The thinly sliced meat stood out against the rest of the ingredients but the bite of the cheese was still there too. The same combination is featured in a pasta along with haystack onions and a garlic cream sauce. The steak was again amazing and made me wonder what the kitchen could do with a piece of meat all by itself. Another winning pasta dish was the cannelloni stuffed with the aforementioned sausage. You can choose your sauce and I went with the alfredo, which had outstanding flavor and avoided the pitfall of being too heavy. The fish fry has a lake perch option that always excites me and Picasso's delivers a lightly battered rendition that is very tasty. The coleslaw is solid but the fries are pretty pedestrian. While I have not had it at the restaurant, the stuffed chicken breast is another winner. Picasso’s catered one of the best wedding meals I’ve ever had and served the chicken stuffed with gouda and accompanied by risotto. The two dishes juicy and creamy respectively. The burgers and hot dogs that round out the menu are ok but not in the same league as the entrees and pizzas.

Service is inconsistent at best. On one visit we were forgotten about after our drink order. On another refills of water and silverware delivery needed double mentions. Then again the owner is almost always present and he makes a point to visit each table. This helps the place achieve a neighborhood vibe that almost makes you forget toilets that are often dirty or the odd temperature fluctuations.

Picasso's, 5266 Williamsburg Way, Madison, WI 608-271-8440

Pop Has Eaten Me

2009-09-10T09:23:00.006-05:00

As you can see I've given the old blog a fresh coat of paint and with it I've gained some perspective. When I started this blog, I had just come off an enjoyable but unsuccessful run in independent film as a writer and producer. I thought the blog would be an outlet for my writing and it certainly has been. However, somewhere along the line I stopped thinking of popwilleatme.com as an outlet for my writing and more as a second job complete with income possibilities. Over the last few years I've junked up the blog with ads, t-shirts, and more ads all in the name of making a few bucks. Also I've treated my writing as a chore instead of a joy. Take for example the fact that I recently tried to cover three reality shows in weekly columns. Reality shows tend to be easy topics as they are filled with idiots and drama, but they also demand quick turnaround from viewing to posting. Back in the day I focused on more on movies and narrative TV shows. Now I've become a slave to reality TV and I think it shows in my writing and my enthusiasm.

With that said, popwilleatme.com will still exist and I still plan to post often, but I'm going to focus more on quality and less on quantity. The greatest joy I've had in recent months has been writing my restaurant reviews. These will certainly continue even though I know many loyal readers live outside the Midwest haunts I frequent. Also if you've grown to appreciate my rants on reality TV, don't worry. Just because I'm not going to write weekly columns, that doesn't mean I'm axing reality shows out of my diet. Beside the occasional column I'll certainly be tweeting up a storm at twitter.com/popwilleatme on reality shows and all other manners of pop culture.

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."- Sir Winston Churchill

“If reality TV has taught us anything, it's that you can't keep people with no shame down.”- Liz Lemon

Runway Roundup: Week 3

2009-09-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

A rough week had filled me with piss and vinegar but thankfully last night’s episode of Project Runway brought a smile to my face. Praise the TV! Unfortunately it did not return the brain cells I’ve misplaced so this roundup will be brief and bulleted.

• Overall the surf challenge was a fun use of this season’s LA location. Although, I thought that many designers however missed the surf aesthetic.

• How cool was it to see Tim in sandals at the beach? I loved that he changed back into loafers by the time they all got to Mood.

• Any designer stupid enough not to see a second look being added to a team challenge deserves to go home.

• Is Nicolas’ accent real or fake? I just can’t decide yet. He and Gordana had some struggles but I liked the wrap around pants look in theory just poorly executed at the bottom.

• Thought Logan and Chris would blow this out of the water but surprisingly that giant hat stole the show.

• I also had high expectations for Althea and Louise and instead their looks were just ok.

• Loved Shirin and Carol Hannah’s looks. This only further cements my belief that Shirin is our early front runner.

• Johnny finally made a decent look and I think he owes a lot to Irina for that. The causal look was my favorite of the night.

• Ra’mon won despite being teamed with Mitchell and despite throwing together his looks rather last minute. While I don’t think Ra’mon deserved to go home, I don’t think he deserved to win either but whatever.

• Epperson and Qristyl never got on the same page but I did like Epperson’s causal look. It was flawed in the back but as the judges said it fit great up top and the print was handled well.

• So glad Mitchell went home over Qristyl. I haven’t been impressed with Qristyl but Mitchell has done absolutely nothing and I couldn’t stand to see him skate by another week. Can’t wait to watch Models on the TiVo to see how Fatma handles all this.

I Refuse To Call Them Cheftestants: Week 3

2009-09-03T21:02:00.003-05:00

Last night’s Top Chef bored me in the beginning, irritated me in the middle and entertained me in the end. I think the irritation in the middle however ruined the episode overall for me.

The boring comes into play with the Quickfire Challenge where the folks are tasked with creating an “out of this world” potato dish. While I appreciate the variety of potatoes that were made available the challenge itself seemed rather blah. I was once again shocked at how new contestants appear oblivious to past seasons as Ash tried to use the ice cream maker. No matter what season the Top Chef kitchen ice cream maker always seems to fail its user. Ash was in luck though as his sweet potato “custard” came out with a nice consistency that the judges deemed to be of high quality. Jennifer took him top prize again and she’s clearly this season’s Stefan. Question is, can she continue to grow as a chef throughout or will she plateau in the final stages. The only real excitement in the challenge came as Preeti used Ashley’s gnocchi water to cook her asparagus. Ashley quickly schooled her but apparently not enough for Jen who further foreshadowed an eventual kitchen blow up.

While the Quickfire was boring, the Elimination challenge was downright annoying. I’m so tired of these military themed challenges on reality shows. It provides an hour-long ad for the armed forces and requires the contestants to stick their noses up Uncle Sam’s ass. Furthermore, while last week’s challenge was centered on an exclusionary institution (marriage) this week’s challenge was based around an institution that is exclusionary and fosters hate crimes against the LGBT community. Could someone please grow a backbone and talk some smack? I’m so sick of soldiers making comments like “I wish I could get this in Iraq.” Hey guess what, you volunteered to serve so if you get second-class food look in the mirror for someone to blame! It’s not even that I hate the military but there is no need for this kind of mindless worship especially when there are other groups you could center these challenges around. How about Project Runway designs clothes for some women at a battered women’s shelter? How about Top Chef cooks for a homeless shelter? How about Design Star refurbishes a historical home that’s been run down? By the time Preeti declared that “9/11 inspired me to be a chef” I was about ready fly my toy X-Wing into my TV and create a 9/11 in my living room.

Thankfully judges table pulled me back from the abyss. The strong dishes were pretty clear and predictable given the chefs. Yukon Cornelius and Eli made very tasty looking bbq pork. Brother Michael did a great pork dish as well and deserved the win just for thinking of braising the slab bacon that was the base of his lettuce taco. On the bottom though there were three equally valid contenders. Non-brother Michael thought he was safe since he cooked with brother Michael but since this was an individual challenge and he cooked a non-Greek Greek salad his ass was on the line. Boy was he not happy about that as he rocked back and forth like a guilty child. Preeti and Laurine however made sure he was safe by choosing to make a pasta salad. I can't ever remember seeing a pasta salad on Top Chef; much less one that looks like it was made from a Simply Salad box. Preeti refused to take responsibility for a sub par dish and argued with the judges for a second week in a row. Laurine forgot she was on Top Chef but at least she didn’t pick a fight, so she was safe in the end after taking a serious verbal lashing from Tom. Preeti wandered off into the sunset mumbling about being misunderstood. Meanwhile, Jesse and Ron pondered why there were still there. Never fear guys next week looks like a double elimination.

Fall TV Preview: Wednesday

2009-09-02T08:44:00.002-05:00

New Shows:
Cougar Town, 8:30pm CST, ABC, Premieres September 23rd
I know the title of this show is horrible. Actually it’s beyond horrible. It’s so bad that I almost discarded the show before it aired. I’m thinking that might be a mistake though given the creative pedigree behind the show. Bill Lawrence, who created the inconsistent Spin City and the at times brilliant Scrubs, is behind this effort about a middle aged woman getting back in the dating game. Throw in Courtney Cox Arquette who dazzled last year on Scrubs and proved she still has her comedic talents and my interest is piqued. A supporting cast that includes Scrubs vet/ Lawrence’s wife Christa Miller, Ian Gomez, and Busy Phillips only adds to the idea that despite the title this show could be damn funny.

Returning Favorites:
America’s Next Top Model, 7pm CST, CW, Premieres September 9th
Unofficially dubbed the Shorty Season, ANTM brings us petite models for the first time ever. The auditions for this season included the infamous melee in NYC where girls went nuts all in the name of Tyra. I’ll be interested to see if that’s addressed at all. Guessing it will be and that Tyra will play the martyr. Also interested to see if she comes up with an opening entrance that somehow mocks the girls’ size. I’ve got images of the two Jays dressed up as munchkins and Tyra coming in as the Good Witch of the West.

South Park, 9pm CST, Comedy Central, Premieres October 7th
Not sure if anyone noticed but South Park was fucking hilarious last year. I hate to say South Park is back because I don’t really think it went anywhere but I’ll certainly say that Matt and Tre’s poking stick is sharpened and they are taking aim at America’s underbelly. I used to think that the show would become stale after a few years but instead they’ve kept it topical and fresh.

On Thin Ice:
nip/tuck, 9pm CST, f/x, Premiers October 14th
I think nip/tuck has already fallen through the ice for me as last season I gave up on it when Christian and Liz started up and Sean went through his 18th midlife crisis. Still this is the beginning of the final season and I’d be lying if I said I don’t care how it ends. Based on the previous years of quality I’m willing to give it a shot but if any combination of Kimber, Sean and Christian are in bed together by episode three then I’m out…for good.

Fall TV Preview: Intro and Monday/Tuesday

2009-09-01T08:36:00.002-05:00

A sure sign that you are aging is the amount of new TV shows you’re willing to add to your Fall schedule. An even bigger sign is when you start cutting shows out that are still airing. Last year I dropped Family Guy and The Simpsons. While I’ll still catch them every so often and certainly in reruns, neither show was worth my time or my TiVo’s time any longer. With that in mind I’m splitting my Fall preview up into three categories this year: New Shows, Returning Favorites, and On Thin Ice. The thin ice category features shows that might be this year’s casualties of Fall. Remember these certainly aren’t every Fall TV show, just the ones that catch my lazy, lazy eyes.

Monday
New Shows: None

Returning Favorites:
Gossip Girl, 8pm CST, CW, Premieres September 14th
Gossip Girl fought through the typical second season doldrums and went out strong last spring. The return of Georgina was just the thing to spice up the kids’ lives and make the audience forget about the multiple episode arc with Dark Jenny. Sadly Georgina’s portrayer, the awesome Michelle Trachtenberg, is starring in some kind of medical drama for NBC so we’ll only get bits and pieces of her this year. Also the show faces the challenge of keeping Chuck and Blair fresh now that they’ve gone all Sam and Diane on each other. Point of fact, anyone who uses a Cheers reference when writing about Gossip Girl should probably not be writing about Gossip Girl. Oh well, that’s why it’s a guilty pleasure I suppose.

On Thin Ice:
Heroes, 7pm CST, NBC, Premieres September 21st
This is it. I swear if Heroes doesn’t start making logical plot lines and better use of their quality cast I’m out. Sadly the outlook is dim as we’ve been promised more time travel which means more plot lines that never get resolved. Also the show is going to the circus and I can’t say that sounds like a good idea either. Watching the actors do their press this summer at the comic conventions it seemed most of them are losing patience as well. Hard to believe this show once had such promise.

Tuesday
New Shows:
Melrose Place, 8pm CST, CW, Premieres September 8th
I tried 90210 last year and was quickly turned off by the awkward mix of the new and old cast. I hear the show found its legs toward the end of the season but by then I was long gone. I’m hoping Melrose Place watched and learned. More than likely the show will be a colossal waste of time but my nostalgia bone is tingling and I think it won’t hurt to give it a shot.

V, ABC, Premieres November 3rd
Speaking of nostalgia it doesn’t get any more geektastic than a new version of the 80’s classic V. I still remember watching the mini-series, sequel, and short lived series like it was yesterday and while it was full of cheese it was also great fun. The new version looks less cheesy and that could be its downfall. Production was just shut down for a couple of weeks while ABC retools the series and that’s never a good sign. On the plus side I'm looking forward to seeing Elizabeth Mitchell get a starring role after her Lost run.

Returning Favorites:
The Hills, 9pm CST, MTV, Premieres September 29th
Not only is this in my returning favorites category because I still got much love for The Hills gang but also because it’s got one of my favorite returning reality stars in Kristin Cavallari. Sure I’ve always been solidly on Team LC but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the drama that Team Kristin brings to the table. Meanwhile I’m hoping the LC’s departure opens up more time for my favorite Lo and that we get to see more Stephanie dysfunction. Sadly we’ll also be getting more Speidi but I guess you take the good with the horribly horribly bad.

On Thin Ice:
The City, 9:30pm CST, MTV, Premieres September 29th
When Whitney Port left The Hills for her own spin off last January I thought it was genius. Other than Lo I couldn’t think of anyone that would be interesting enough for their own show (sorry Audrina). Unfortunately the execution was just not there. Whit Whit did not play the fish out of water well and you could just see she had a tough time dumbing herself down every week. Her supporting cast was mostly bland and that didn’t help. BFF Erin was quite possibly the weakest Laguna/Hills/City character ever and boyfriend Jay was a not so bad boy. The best “character” was Neville the cousin of Whit’s coworker Olivia. Neville was a gigantic ball of drugs, alcohol, self importance, and oddly enough, wisdom. Unless Neville starts dating eating disorder model Allie, the show’s prospects appear dim.

Design Me A Star: Week 7

2009-08-31T08:17:00.001-05:00

Maybe it’s the fact that higher quality reality programming like Top Chef and Project Runway are back on the air, or maybe it’s that I’m also writing columns on those two shows, but whatever the reason, HGTV’s Design Star is becoming more and more bland every week. Even a couple of “firsts” in last night’s episode didn’t spice up the show for me.

With only four designers left, the producers threw a curve ball and set up a group challenge instead of an individual one. All the designers had to work together to design and landscape a huge backyard from scratch, a Design Star first. “35” year old ex beauty queen Torie took on a leadership role that turned out to be in name only. Almost instantly Antonio took command of the team as they walked around the barren space. The clients wanted a modern oasis and it was clear that they’d be lucky if they just got a finished space.

The design and work tasks were pretty much split down stereotypical gender lines. Dan and Antonio were mostly relegated to yard work while Torie and Lonni did the shopping. Dan and Antonio did little in terms of actual design but did a ton of manual labor to make sure the yard was done and useable. Dan’s feeble attempt at river rock art was wisely snuffed out by Antonio while Antonio missed the chance to spruce up his concrete pool patio. Dan and Antonio were at the center of the other “first” in this episode as they helped the team go over their budget. Of course HGTV stepped in and saved the day with money but the mistake was pretty big as Dan signed off on a ten grand pergola when he only had five grand to spend. Antonio contributed to the confusion as well by messing with Dan’s pretty head about the 5 versus 10 figures. Team leader Torie was oblivious to all this as she continued her proud tradition of shopping poorly. She came back with a mish mash of furniture sets that did not fit the modern style of the clients. Lonni was the only designer who stood out for an actual design element as she made some smart plant choices to create a living wall.

When it came to elimination, the $5000 mistake was certainly a deciding factor. Lonni was safe based on her on camera work and plant shopping. Antonio had another strong camera performance which saved him. Dan and Torie were then left and it was clear who had to go. While Dan certainly screwed up, he was not the one in charge of the budget. Also, he really improved on camera this week and he looked cute with his shirt off. Torie was an absentee leader and also came across as a vacant talking head in her on camera, so it was time for her to exit.

Next week it’s a celebrity challenge with Jason Priestly, Tiffani Amber Thiessen and Kathy Griffin. Looks like Antonio gets Griffin which should make for some entertaining times and hopefully some livelier competition.

Runway Roundup: Week 2

2009-08-28T10:03:00.004-05:00

I have to start out by saying that after two weeks, the move of Project Runway from Bravo! to Lifetime is a dead issue. Last night as I tuned in it didn’t even occur to me that I was on a different channel. On a side note, hey Charter Cable can we please get Lifetime in glorious HD so we can see all those loose hems (and reruns of Mother, May I Sleep with Anger).

Challenge number two brought a new twist on the design for a celeb standard. A very pregnant Rebecca Romijn joins a for once not pregnant Heidi on the Runway, and introduces the first maternity wear challenge in the history of the show. Having just observed my partner go through a pregnancy I know firsthand how difficult it is to find decent, stylish, maternity wear so this was a challenge that instantly grabbed my attention. All the designers looked a bit crestfallen though as I’m sure they thought “yay celebrity, boo maternity.” I was also a bit shocked that there was no additional twist to the challenge. I’d have loved to see the designers create a non-maternity look inspired by the original piece.

***I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to address the Stamos situation. How many times do you think the designers had to redo their confidentials because they’d refer to Rebecca as Romijn-Stamos and not just Romijn. I know I muttered it wrong at least 3 times during the broadcast. Sorry Jerry O’Connell it’s just not the same.***

Alright let’s get on to the designs shall we. I thought some were really refreshing and well done. Gordana, whose name sounds like it should proceed “vs. Mothra”, did a wonderful job and as the only mother in the group clearly had good insight. Week one winner Chris did a fab job as did Weapon X himself Logan. Then we had the top three which included Shirin, Althea, and Louise. Althea’s dress was beautiful but was not the type of look that the judges were necessarily looking for despite the open door they implied. Her color choice though was spot on. Louise captured the best part of whimsy in her nightgown dress. The intricate lace, the dye work and, the thank god for Tim, under fabric, all made this a knockout that made up for the fact that it had limited wearibility. Shirin was my pick in the workroom and the judges on the Runway. Her jacket along with the detailed waist instantly jumped out at me. Christopher and Shirin are both shining early to me as both have executed strong in the first two weeks.

The bottom three could have easily been the bottom five. I thought Johnny must have gone back on the meth with his grim drab dress while Epperson’s tribute to Karate Kid had me questioning his taste level. The bottom three left those fools out though and instead included Ra’mon whose dress was identified by folks in the workroom and the runaway as a bowling ball bag. Worse yet it was sloppy and the amount of puckering was giving me stomach cramps. I am going to say Ra’mon stayed because of his awesome shout out to season 4’s Stella and her affection for “leatha”. More likely though it was the weakness of his fellow bottom three members, Mitchell and Malvin. Mitchell had a decent concept but again this guy hasn’t designed or made clothes in years and it shows. His shorts looked horrible and somehow he didn’t realize that until a couple of hours before showtime. Malvin meanwhile went out on a limb, a limb that is so far out he might have actually broke the space-time continuum. His egg concept was intriguing but the minute he told Tim that he wanted to make his model look like she had chicken thighs I thought goodbye. Of course that’s just what happened as Mitchell once again benefited from a designer taking risks while he just makes poor clothes. Meanwhile no one suffers more than us viewers as we’ve lost two characters in two weeks. I was just beginning to love you Malvin and you will be missed. Next week we’ve got our first team challenge which means plenty of claws are coming out and boy I can’t wait to see who gets paired with Mitchell.

I Refuse to Call them Cheftestants: Week 2

2009-08-27T10:05:00.001-05:00

The second episode of Top Chef seemed like a carbon copy of the first. For the most part the chefs that shined last week shined again and likewise, the chefs that failed last week failed again. On top of that we got another 2 or 3 ceviches which brings the total this season to 5…I think. I swear to god if I see another ceviche or twist on ceviche I’m going to lose my culinary mind. Oh, and gazpacho I’m watching you too.

The Quickfire Challenge was one of the surprising points of this episode. While the chefs were somewhat constrained by the dice dictated amount of ingredients, they had a great deal of freedom in what type of dish they cooked. This is the second challenge out of four where I believe they’ve gotten a chance to really cook what they choose. That ratio seems way out of whack compared to seasons past and if it keeps up should help the cream of the crop rise to the top. Jennifer (yes, I’m going to try and use real names this week) looked very strong again as did Yukon Cornelius (sorry Kevin but unless you shave that awesome beard your nickname is sticking). Jesse once again seemed to plan well but her execution was lacking. Kevin aka Brother #1 won the challenge with a gazpacho that had a nice twist with the liquid nitrogen.

The Elimination Challenge was the first of what I predict will be multiple Vegas wedding themed episodes. Ashley had some good points about the show celebrating an institution that discriminates against so many Americans. Tom Colicchio had some excellent points as well on why the show chose the wedding themed challenge that you can read here. As for the challenge itself the idea of the men cooking for the bachelorette party and the women cooking for the bachelor party was pretty pedestrian. Although having the chefs pair their dishes with shots, and not all typical shots, was a nice twist. I loved Jennifer’s outrage over the battle of the sexes theme and had to wonder whether it was because she thought it was sexist or because she knew that except for her, the women underperformed in week 1. If it was the later, then her concerns were well founded.

The men all seemed to have their act together with a few exceptions. Ron and Mattin both seemed to sputter again and should be thankful to their team members. Yukon Cornelius did well as did Hector who bounced back from that horrible deep fried steak debacle from week 1. Eli did a fresh take on tartar (season 4’s ceviche) and brother #1 Kevin did a nice dessert. I’d love to try that goat cheese cookie dough. In the end though it was brother #2’s (Michael) dish that was the top choice of the judges and made me want to jump into my TV and taste it. His sweet and salty macaroon was just inspired, a complete reinvention of a classic tequila pairing.

The women were certainly the opposite of the men this week. While there were a couple of strong dishes headlined once again by Jennifer, there were many weak performances. Ashley made one great dish and then screwed it up by making a second dish of unset panna cotta. Her one great dish saved her but hopefully she learned from her mistake. Jesse once again conceived well but executed poorly. She was saved this week as well which means I’ll most likely be typing that previous sentence again next week. Preeti had a visual mess of a dish and according to the judges one that was a mess of flavors as well. Then, she goes and basically argues that the guests’ tastes were better than the judges. Oooh child, you better watch yourself or Padma will go off. Preeti was saved however by Michigan’s lone representative Eve. Once again Eve screwed up shrimp which is a sure sign she needed to go home. Furthermore she knew the flavors of her dish were off and did nothing to fix them. Upon her exit, she pulled out the old “the judges don’t understand my flavor combinations” excuse. Eve, honey, you went home because you made a series of poor dishes with a relatively forgiving ingredient not because your Michigan cuisine is too complex for the likes of Tom, Padma, or Gail. A predictable exit on a rather predictable episode.

Madison Restaurant Review: Casa Del Sol

2009-08-24T09:16:00.002-05:00

Eating at Casa Del Sol this past weekend turned into a welcomed walk down memory lane. I can’t tell you how many times I ate at their sister restaurant, Casa De Lara on State Street, when I was student here in Madison. Over the years Madison has gained many more Mexican restaurants and while I certainly would rank some better, the folks behind Casa Del Sol and Casa De Lara do make an enjoyable version of Mexican comfort food.

Located in Fitchburg, Casa Del Sol is a mammoth space. The interior though is smartly split up into many small rooms that still maintain an open flow. Their outdoor space manages to avoid the suburban trap of simply overlooking a highway and instead has some green space in play. Service in such a huge space can sometimes be problematic but this is a finely tuned team. We had our newborn in tow on our visit and received great help and also had our food in front of us before we knew it. The place is certainly kid friendly based on the large table we saw in the adjacent room.

The food instantly brought back nostalgia to those old Casa De Lara visits. The complementary chips and salsa at Casa Del Sol are among the best in town. Warm chips and slightly spicy salsa are complimented by picked carrots, onions, and peppers. I could eat those veggies alone. We tried the homemade corn bread for an appetizer. The bread was light and fluffy and amongst the best in town ranking second only to the Hubbard Street Diner's. The only downside was the lone butter packet which was not enough for the bread and the guava jelly which was overly sweet. My partner went for the burrito Monterrey which was filled with shredded beef. The beef was tender and flavorful and reminded my partner of the best brisket she’s had. The "spicy" red sauce was not very spicy but still had a nice balance. My chili verde had huge chunks of pork which came out a bit overcooked. The sauce however was outstanding and so were the accompanying flour tortillas. The rice and beans were alright. The rice had a nice fluffiness but lacked flavor. The refried beans were textbook but good. One regret we had on this trip was not sampling their cactus based dishes which is something I remember Casa De Lara doing very well. My margarita was good not great, but was a relative steal at $6.50 compared to some of our other favorite places. All in all it was a great comfort meal and at under $35 it seemed like a steal.

Design Me A Star: Week 6

2009-08-24T08:41:00.000-05:00

This season of HGTV’s Design Star has flown by. Hard to believe last night’s episode consisted of only five designers and even harder to believe Butthead look alike Jason was still one of them. With such a small group it was about time we got another individual challenge and even more importantly about time we got these fools in front of the camera.

The challenge itself was redesigning rooms for kids and you knew instantly that some folks were going to struggle. Despite their reputation for being difficult clients Torie was predictably excited. Strangely the odd children were the older ones. Nico, Lonni’s client, was a 17 year old baseball player who apparently never wants to get any action as he wanted a baseball themed room. Meanwhile, Jason gets a 17 year old girl who wants a princess room…17 years old. The younger kids were more grown up as Dan’s wanted a green room and Torie’s wanted an artist’s loft. The designer’s were given carpenters to complete their designs and you could just see Antonio not give a crap. Jason fired his carpenter on the first day which I didn’t even know they could do. David Bromstad visited the designers as they worked and offered some pretty boring advice. That didn’t stop Dan from jazzing his pants a little bit and giving us a preview of how he’d be in front of the camera.

The top rooms were from my expected final two. Antonio had a five year old and did a great job creating a fantasy room full of dinosaurs. His description of the room as a "little man cave" was spot on and while his on camera performance was just ok he certainly showed promise. Lonni is quickly becoming the dark horse of the competition despite her uneven performance. Her on camera was great and she managed to make a passable room for Nico despite taking his love of baseball so literally. Torie fell in the middle as she had a strong camera performance but a horribly uneven design. She had a huge dead spot in the room and had some poor fabric choices hanging from the wall. On the plus side her bed set up truly accomplished the artist loft feel her client wanted.

The bottom two included one predictable contestant and one surprise. Dan who has been strong throughout fell apart a bit. First off he admitted he’d never designed for a kid which clearly intimidated him. His green room had some nice touches but he tried to work too many colors into the room. I thought his repurposed gumball machine was a daring move since his client said that was her favorite part of the room. Luckily that turned into a success but Dan’s on camera performance was not. The nervous energy the guy put out there made him almost unwatchable. His giggling was just annoying. Jason meanwhile was ok on camera but once again failed miserably in his design. From his poor choice to leave the room pink to the reliance on a rug he didn’t have, Jason made poor choice after poor choice. Perhaps the most egregious design piece was using placemats as a headboard and holding them up with multicolored pushpins. His design was also once again unfinished with tape stuck to the walls. Predictably he went home and now we’ve got a final four where anyone…except Torie has a chance of winning.

Runway Roundup: Week 1

2009-08-21T06:59:00.002-05:00

Hard to believe that after all this time Project Runway is finally back. Of course the elephant in the room is the whole move to Lifetime instead of Bravo. Except for the annoying Lifetime logo in the lower right hand corner I’m happy to say the changes were minimal. The minute Tim said “thank you Mood” I felt like we were right back at home.

Just like Top Chef the night before we got way too many contestants but I think we can all agree that this might be the best collection of names in Runway history. Gordana, Malvin, Epperson, Althea (the oldest looking 23 year old I’ve ever seen), Qristyl, Shirin, and crazy two name Carol Hannah. Those are some seriously fucked up names and I love them even if they will drive my spell check crazy. Of course the names got overshadowed in the first two segments by former meth addict Johnny. I was so bored with him after the third speech about addiction and then he played the drama up so he could get a pity hug from Tim. Ugh.

The red carpet challenge is a great way to start the season because it really gives the designers freedom. Of course that also means finding a bottom three can be way too easy since you’re leaving the designers to their own devices. Qristyl made a mess out of her dress but you knew she was safe compared to her fellow cellar dwellers. The minute Mitchell explained that he had been working on the business side of the industry; I thought he was in trouble. When I saw his Victorian collar I knew he was in trouble. His pantyhose dress was reminiscent of a dress that belonged on the 1970’s version of Battlestar Galactica except you didn’t see any ass. One way you can tell the names must be great is when a name like Ari Fish doesn’t make the cut for crazy names. However Ari quickly made her mark by declaring that she doesn’t sketch but instead meditates. Then she went and made a shiny soccer ball dress that looked like it was for a space hooker. I prayed that she survived so she could make it to a celebrity challenge where they have to present sketches and instead she would just stand on her head in a corner. The beauty of watching someone like SJP deal with that would be priceless. Sadly that will not happen and we’ll just have to rely on someone else to go bat shit crazy. Johnny made the top 3 but I think the fumes off of guest judge Lindsay Lohan must have gotten to Michael, Heidi and Nina. It was 70’s disco glam and not in a good way. Ra’mon’s dress was pretty boring too yet he made the top 3 too. It certainly was a fine garment but nothing special. His fellow Minnesota resident Christopher had my favorite dress of the top 3. I thought Michael described it best when he called it cute and edgy. Outside of the top 3 I also loved Irina’s gown but Shirin’s glamour/flapper dress which was gimmicky yet functional was my favorite. I thought she did the best but I can’t imagine that her duo purpose style could carry her to the finale. In fact no one jumped out as a favorite. Overall there was a lot of promise but I felt like a lot of the designs reminded me of past winners so hopefully these cats won’t turn out to be of the copy variety.

I Refuse to Call Them Cheftestants: Week 1

2009-08-19T22:08:00.001-05:00

I'm so happy to have Top Chef back and there is no better place than Las Vegas for this season considering the explosion of both new cuisine and celeb chefs. Of course I'll take that back after they do their 13th buffet challenge.

The worst thing about these early episodes is the obscene amount of chefs. In light of that I will only refer to the chefs by nicknames until we get a reasonable amount of chefs. I was hoping that the Quickfire would eliminate someone right off the bat. Unfortunately they did the opposite and gave someone a free pass. We'll call the gold chip winner the big coward for now because she turned down the chance to give up her undeserved immunity to win some cold hard cash. Instead the rest of the chefs competed in the classic relay race Quickfire. I'd be happier to see this if Top Chef Masters hadn't just pulled it out a couple weeks back. Anyway at least they added a twist and let the winning relay team fight it out for an additional $15,000. I liked pierced lady's dish best and was surprised to see the millionith ceviche in Top Chef history win.

I thought that the Elimination Challenge was almost too broad. The lack of restrictions or structure clearly left some chefs floundering. The minute I heard wheat gluten I knew the bland "hot tempered" chef was going home. My only hesitation came after seeing the war crimes committed against shrimp and scallops by the "only chef in Michigan". In the end though the crime against chile releno sent the anger bore home. I'm excited to see more from the Yukon Cornealius look alike as well as the cook brothers. I think we certainly have a group of talented chefs and other than Michigan I don't think there is much fat to trim.

Minneapolis Takeout Review: Burger Jones

2009-08-18T08:07:00.003-05:00

Since I no longer live in the Twin Cities, my dining choices every visit are usually split between old favorites and new spots that my friends and family share with me. My latest visit last week had a bit of a twist as I was now sporting around my newborn kid. While he’s a breeze at restaurants, mom and dad get a bit tired at the end of the day and takeout often sounds like the best option. Thankfully Burger Jones, one of the new places I wanted to try, was not only a stone’s throw away from where we were staying but also hype their takeout.

Located in a former Applebee’s just off Lake Calhoun, Burger Jones is the latest venture from the Parasole restaurant group. While we opted for takeout, I must say that the design of the place is appealing enough to grab folks as they wander in. The modern diner look might be a little to clean and glossy but you’ve got to love a bar wall that’s full of PBR tall boys and Maker’s Mark. Their outdoor patio also looks lovely although your lake view is a bit obstructed by the insanely busy street it directly overlooks. I can only speak to the service aspect from the takeout point of view and it was fast and friendly mixed with confusion. While our order was ready in less than 15 minutes, a shock given how busy the place was at 6pm on Friday night, we watched the hostess pick up the phone and call us as we sat in front of her. Apparently the other hostess had not communicated to her that we were already there. However, this was more of an amusing incident than an annoying one.

With a name like Burger Jones, it’s obvious who the star of the menu should be. We sampled three of their burgers and the results were mixed. While none of the burgers were bad, two of three had a real disconnect between meat and toppings. I opted for the White Trash Burger solely based on the promise of chicken fried bacon. Of course the cheese curds, Velveeta, and onion ring that also topped the burger didn’t stop me from ordering it either. The result of all this deep fried goodness was mixed. The bacon lost its flavor in the deep fryer and was also painfully dry. I’m wondering if they precook the bacon before frying. Meanwhile, the cheese curds were made of an outstanding cheese but were borderline cold while everything else was piping hot. Also they lacked a sufficient amount of salt. The meat itself though was done quite nicely. Mine was a perfect medium rare and the meat had quite a distinguished flavor despite the mountain of toppings. The bun also stood up well. My partner tried out their Black and Bleu burger and found similar results. While the meat and caramelized onions were great, the cold slab of bleu cheese didn’t integrate well into the burger. Finally our dining companion went with the bison burger and was probably the most pleased of all of us. The cabernet onions were the best topping of the three burgers and the bison which can often be dry was as moist as our beef burgers.

Of course with burgers, there must be fries. In the interest of sampling Burger Jones wide variety we ordered the tri-fry tasting tower which included a traditional fry, a maple-bacon sweet potato fry, and a parmesan waffle fry. The traditional fries were good but not something I’d run back for on their own. The sweet potato fries though were some of the best I’ve ever had and that’s coming from someone who usually passes on such a fry. The crispness and the sweet/salty balance were perfecto. I found the parmesan waffle fries to be an epic disappointment. Some of the fries were undercooked and except for the top two fries, the parmesan was nowhere to be seen. Along with the fries came 3 dipping sauces. The chipotle aioli which was the stand out of the three. The seasoned sour cream lacked seasoning and was a poor comparison to your average sports bar seasoned sour cream (Legend’s on East Hennepin has the best). The last sauce we tried was the night sauce which tasted like a cousin of Heinz 57.

In the end Burger Jones is in a great location and has a great concept but the food just isn’t there yet. Except for the waffle fries nothing was flat out bad. However, except for the sweet potato fries nothing blew my socks off either. Much has been made of the prices but I think they’re reasonable except perhaps for the $6 shake that barely filled up my to-go cup. While my s’more malt wasn’t anything amazing, the touch of having it topped with a roasted marshmallow, graham crackers and chocolate was another sign of potential which is something Burger Jones has plenty of.

Burger Jones, 3200 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 612.746.0800

Design Me A Star: Week 5

2009-08-18T07:38:00.000-05:00

Since this is a day late and a design short, let’s just hit the high and lowlights of this week’s HGTV Design Star.

• Team challenges are all well and good but how about another individual challenge (spoiler alert: looks like next week I get my wish).

• The old trusty military family challenge is similarly played out. “Thanks for volunteering to be in the military let’s reward you with a new living room.”

• The way the teams broke down made the outcome academic. No way were Lonni, Jason and Nathan going to create anything worthwhile.

• Lonni did actually show me something for the first time this season with her chevron wall. At first I questioned her choice because what happens to the symbolism if the soldier gets promoted or more likely killed. However in the end it’s a striking graphic that made for a stand out design accent.

• The rest of Lonni’s team was horrible. Jason continued his streak of average work mixed with incompetence. I thought it was hilarious when he started off the episode noting how all the fat had been trimmed off of the group of designers. Hello Jason, you are still here. His decision to nail in curtains along with his wall of keepsakes would have been enough to send him home if not for one slow ass teammate.

• Nathan was one of my favorites to win after week one but it’s clear now that Dan was the driving force on that team. After spending the entire challenge on one entertainment center I expected Nathan to reveal a stunning final product. Instead it looked like a cheap solution that may have worked for staging an open house. Also his decision to skip the desk, a primary element of the room, made his cancellation a slam dunk. While I think he may be more talented than Jason I have a hard time disagreeing with the judges once again.

• Antonio continues to surprise and frustrate. Loved his color scheme and the entertainment center. However he let himself get pushed out of shopping once again and still has not had a coherent complete design. He was right to push back on the colors and he should have pushed back on the shopping too.

• Dan continued to be the Rick Bayless of Design Star. His helpful attitude and peacemaking skills were certainly put to the test this week as Torie and Antonio had their dust up. He also managed to create a wonderful table/study area that was my favorite piece in the room.

• Torie took a small step forward this week. Her inability to see beyond the walls in reference to the client’s soft request for warm colors made her a target for possible cancellation. However she finally had a successful shopping trip. I felt like the couch wasn’t great but I loved the accents including those wood panels that flanked the TV area.

Quick VOD Review- Green Lantern: First Flight

2009-08-11T10:49:00.001-05:00

Caught the latest animated feature from DC and Warner Brothers over the weekend and I’ve got to say this is by far the most impressive attempt since the old Justice League TV show. Green Lantern: First Flight is a complete effort and delivers enough winks to diehard Lantern fans while still being a great stand alone story. The story opens with a brisk origin segment for Hal Jordan and the speed in which this was delivered was a relief considering a similar version was just told in the animated adaptation of JLA: The New Frontier. Once that is out of the way, the story picks up at a pace that suits the 78 minute running time. Hal is brought out to space by a group of Green Lantern Corps members, meets the Guardians, and is soon out on patrol with his new mentor Sinestro. The rest of the story takes some liberties with the DC cannon but the important thing is that it feels right. The scope of the GL universe is huge and the film certainly captures that by displaying the diversity in the both the universe and in the Corps. The animation is top notch especially in the space battles. The final piece to the film’s success is the voice work. Christopher Meloni does a great job of capturing the cockiness of Hal Jordan while Victor Garber gives us a definitive interpretation of Sinestro. If they ever attempt to adapt the Sinestro Corps Wars storyline, WB and DC need to sign Garber. Finally Michael Madsen does a wonderful Kilowog and I’m hoping he gets a shot at voicing the eventual CG version in the live action film. All in all this is clearly the best film the Bruce Timm animated team has done and it’s got me super excited for one of my all time favorite Batman/Superman stories coming this Fall.

Design Me A Star: Week 4

2009-08-10T08:19:00.000-05:00

Double elimination…is there any sweeter two words in the world of reality TV competitions? Last night’s HGTV Design Star teased us all week with the promise of just such an event and it delivered, all be it in predictable fashion. Predictable was the buzzword for the challenge itself as well.

Having our final eight designers redo garages into useable extra rooms was one of the more creative challenges I’ve ever seen on the show. Unfortunately the two couples resided in Boringville and asked for designs that but me to sleep before even seeing them. That said the two teams really seemed to embrace the challenge. Janey and Lonni both stepped up and took leadership of their teams during the planning stages. Unfortunately we learned that neither of them is very good at leading. Once again Antonio and Dan stepped up and became de-facto leaders but also took on the biggest tasks. A quick thought on Antonio: he must stop volunteering to do the construction and carpentry tasks. His design input is not coming across in these team challenges. Dan on the other hand has to stop being a mother hen. He endangers himself by helping and assisting others when he should be working on his own tasks.

Team Dan looked particularly shaky early on thanks to two things. On one hand you had Dan’s daft idea of building a platform in a tiny garage with a low ceiling. It was an interesting concept to solve for the floor but reducing the overall size in any direction of that room was a poor decision. In my sophomore year of college my roommate built a false floor into our tiny rectangle of a dorm room and while loved the hidden storage space (you could put your weed in it although we mostly just but our moving boxes in there), it did make the room feel smaller. The other major obstacle on Team Dan was Tashica. It was like grade school all over again when the designers split into teams and no one wanted to include Tashica. In her smartest move all season, Tashica just stayed put knowing that one group would have to stand where she was. Once the challenge began she proved to be utterly useless once again. Her lack of skills held up Dan. Her inability to come up with any design elements turned her into an irritating idea regurgitation machine. The rest of the team really should have got points for just completing their design with her on the team. For a while it certainly looked like that might not happen but in the final two hours they slapped together their Spanish style garage. The results were underwhelming to say the least. In addition to the odd platform, Team Dan chose not replace the old garage door that didn’t even lock. This is not a good thing when your garage has been loaded up with new furniture and a new flatscreen. The colors were ok but it looked like a garage that had been cleaned up rather than a true separate room.

Team Antonio faired a little better in terms of their finish but their design details were lacking. They had the burden of the more difficult clients who wanted an office, home theater, and work out room all in one, while done in the overdone boring ass style of the Hamptons. Antonio came up with a brilliant fix for the uneven floor but made a huge mistake in deciding to buy but not put together an elliptical trainer. Instead they stuck the box in the corner and put a rather unsightly bow on it. Janey and Torie made the majority of the design choices and they were as boring as possible. It’s clear that Torie does not work well with others and that Janey just graduated from design school. Butthead look alike Jason coasted by this week by being Antonio’s right hand man on the construction projects.

While the double elimination was satisfying the results were predictable. The spiciest moment came as Vern Yip did his best Vito Corleone impression and called a mid evaluation confab of all the judges. This juicy moment came in the middle of Tashica spinning a web of lies that even confused me. Anyway Clive delivered the news and Tashica was finally sent packing. As for the other elimination it came down to Janey and my early favorite to win Nathan. I think Nathan was being sent a message by the judges as his biggest commitment to his team, a Spanish mural, looked cheap and unfinished. Of course he was safe though and Janey took her text books and left the building.

Quick DVD Review: Watchmen

2009-08-06T07:56:00.000-05:00

My movie viewing habits have been off to say the least over the last few months. During the time leading up to becoming a first time dad, my priorities began to change. So much so that I just now got around to watching a movie I’ve dreamed of seeing for over 15 years…Watchmen.

Loyal readers will know that I’m not only a film geek but a comic book geek. Watchmen is one of my all time favorite stories and I’ve followed all the twists, turns, and false starts as it’s transitioned to the silver screen over the years. While I never saw 300 I was apprehensive when Zack Snyder was announced as the director simply because he was an unknown to me who seemed to value style over substance. That apprehension quickly dissipated over the last year when footage began to air and when news emerged that Snyder chose to cast relative no names in the leads. I never could quite see Brad Pitt in a fat suit playing Night Owl II. The first trailer set to a classic Smashing Pumpkins tune had me very excited as it seemed Snyder was going to be very true to the book. Turns out he was and it still wasn’t good enough.

Watchmen the movie is a faithful adaptation that leaves you devoid of feeling while still marveling at the skill of the filmmakers. Count me as a fan of Zack Snyder as I truly think the man did everything he could to make this book translate to screen. My only complaint in the production was the over the top use of pop music to indicate shifts in time. On the plus side, the cinematography is brilliant. The cast strong and the flow of a difficult narrative is pulled off. The shot for panel match ups are amazing. My jaw dropped as I see every panel of the comic brought to motion. Notice I say motion and not life. The film feels very mechanical and lacks soul. I really don’t think you can blame Snyder or the cast I think this was just an unwinnable job. The book is dense and the characters are drawn far deeper than most in comics. While the film does deviate on some plot points, I think the changes work and are certainly not the cause of the failure of the film. I’m coping out a bit here as I have not firm reason for the lack of emotions the film produces. It just doesn’t connect but I think huge kudos go to Snyder for trying.

Design Me A Star: Week 3

2009-08-03T09:30:00.001-05:00

Episode 3 of HGTV’s Design Star evoked memories of an old TV favorite and memories of designs from past seasons of Design Star. The first individual challenge was introduced and it was the white room challenge. This year’s twist: all the shopping had to be done at a grocery store. Still with a $1000 budget and two cans of paint this didn’t sound too bad to me at all. It screamed Project Runway rip-off but then again how many variations are there to reality show challenges. Watching Clive set the shoppers of on their way brought back memories of Supermarket Sweep. This used to be my favorite distraction from studying back in the college years.

Anyhoo, I saw all sorts of questionable choices during the shopping period. Nathan says he’s going to poor milk on the walls and my first reaction was “gross” and the second was “it will never work.” Lonni’s choice of using plastic cups seemed predictable to me as I thought she’d use Solo cups to cover something. The only one that jumped out to me was “35” year old Torie’s choice of charcoal. I wonder if Whole Foods is exclusive to Bravo! and what this non-descript grocery store got out of this deal. All in all, the shopping choices left me uninspired but thankfully some did translate into beautiful rooms. Let’s break them down by the good, the blah and the ugly.

The Good
Nathan- Who knew that his milk wall would work so wonderfully? Now granted he did cheat a little by mixing the milk with primer but the result was spectacular and I’m happy to eat crow on this one. His graffiti couch reminded my partner of Jen’s graphic pillows from last year but was also a standout, as was his oatmeal floor. My only gripe was his choice of blue tables. I didn’t think that fit at all.

Dan- His deconstructed orchard was not only a bold concept but an original one. I loved the color pallet and the crisp execution of everything he did. It was one of the few rooms I’ve ever seen on Design Star where I had nothing at all to bitch about.

Antonio- While I agreed with the judges that his room was a bit sparse and I didn’t love the whole watermelons in his toy wheelbarrows, the graphic design elevated this room near the top for me. Also the fruit loop bins were one of the best accessories in the challenge.

Torie- While this room didn’t appeal to me I had to give it props for execution. Her floor design was painstakingly detailed and her wall of crumpled paper looked like art and not a rushed exercise in design.

The Blah
Jason- While Jason’s hair gets weirder every week his designs get more boring. The yellow and brown was boring but not enough to get me fired up enough to send him home.

Janey- Speaking of boring, Janey continued to just slide by from week to week. While using the asparagus as flower stems was a great idea, her graphic looked awfully familiar to one from last season and her odd choice of word art really did not work. Respect what?

Lonni- So she went a completely different route with the cups then I thought she would and in the end it failed. Thankfully she had a safe and boring back up plan that saved her ass. I must say I appreciate her being competent enough to pull something off last second.

The Ugly
Tashica- Once again Tashica had my least favorite room. Hated the design, loathed the copy cat light fixture, and was struck by how incomplete and sloppy the execution was. Her feigned ignorance of copying her light fixture from a past contestant made her look even worse than her room. I thought for sure she’d be going home finally but then we had…

Jen- The color maven once again proved she has no sense of color. I don’t buy for one second that we’re missing something because it’s not translating to TV. Her room looked unfinished and lacked anything resembling polish. Also did anyone else notice that she aged like 10 years in the span of three episodes? TV was not kind to you honey.

So Tashica lives to fight another day and Dan, Nathan (despite last week) and Antonio continue to stand apart from all others. Let’s hope next week brings an end to Tashica and maybe some better work from the

Big Brother 11: The Twist is Boredom

2009-07-29T15:22:00.000-05:00

I can’t stand the talent shows that often dominate the summer TV line up, so Big Brother is my favorite summer reality indulgence. In the past the show has produced some good seasons and some snooze fests. The show has the distinction of having the finest all star competition ever. Their throw every twist in the book attitude has resulted in disgust (brother and sister meet for first time on TV) and brilliance (America votes back in evicted house guests). This summer I was really looking forward to Big Brother 11 as I thought it would be the perfect companion to late night feedings and sleep deprivation. Turns out it’s more of a sleep aid as this season has turned out to be intensely boring.

On paper this year looked promising. Same BB house decked out to the max, a pregnant Chen-bot carrying some kind of robot/human hybrid, and a returning competitor from seasons past. The house and Chen-bot have held up their end but the returning house guest twist was rendered stupid the minute roid rage Jessie (BB10) came back to the game. Any of the other choices would have been better even Cowboy who seems to be channeling Droopy the Dog more than ever. The execution has also been lacking on the major twist of sending the game back to high school. While separating the contestants into high school cliques sounds good, the results have been predictable. The jocks have muscled the nerds into doing what they want. The populars are aloof and out of touch (and racist). The off-beats try to latch on to whoever will have them. A far better twist would have been to find people who fell into these cliques in high school but no longer appear that way on the outside and group them together without revealing the ties that bind until a later date. Of course that doesn’t work when you cast walking stereotypes and people fresh out of high school.

As for the guests themselves I’m completely underwhelmed. Ronnie would have been my favorite but he fell into the age old reality pitfall of overplaying his hand. While he’s surviving he’s clearly lost control of the game. Jessie is an idiot who annoys me at every turn but seems to have the game in hand. Lydia was somewhat intriguing until she slept with Jessie. Kevin is too quiet in his game play. Jeff and Jordan are too slow in the head. Chima, Natalie, and Michele are accessories that are just place holding. Russell still hasn’t convinced me that he’s not just a coat tail riding bully and Casey made a stupid move that’s going to get him evicted this week. Perhaps the only player that was really captivating was the one I wrote off at first glance. Laura, evicted last week, was smart, saw how the game was being played and how to play it. Unfortunately she realized it a smidgen to late and now we’ve got to rely on CBS and the Chen-bot to shake things up.

Another twist has been promised for Thursday but I ‘m guessing that will be the dissolution of the cliques. I think the damage has already been done though and the rest of the season will just be a slow coronation to Russell or Jessie taking home the prize.

Design Me A Star: Week 2

2009-07-27T10:31:00.000-05:00

I have to hand it to the producers of HGTV’s Design Star as they’ve clearly been taking notes on how to ratchet up the drama. In just the second episode they threw the designers the dreaded kitchen challenge. For those of you new to Star, this is the challenge that derails the dreams of the aspiring designers year in and year out. Last night’s episode continued to bear that out.

Continuing to tightrope the line between smarmy and charming, host Clive Pearse introduced the designers to the challenge by having two competitors pick teams playground style. Keep in mind that Clive did not inform the designers what exactly the challenge was. It was because of this little fact that I was so surprised by non-descript Amy’s reaction of joy and elation. Hello Amy, let me introduce you to the reality TV construct where every week the challenges are harder and the team leaders are more likely to be eliminated then their underlings. So Amy and week 1 stand out Nathan were the two leaders and Amy continued to surprise by not choosing set designer and construction “expert” Antonio first. This was the first of many poor decisions. Nathan meanwhile smartly chose Antonio and then followed that up with the confusing pick of Jen V2.0, a so called color expert who nearly went home week one. Age-fibber Torie was the last one picked, which I suppose made sense given that she was the last one added to the cast, and lucky for Nathan ended up on his team.

Neither team impressed much this week. The nicest things in both kitchens were the appliances, granite and cabinets all of which should be easy for the novice designer. Team Nathan gave Jen free reign and for the second week in a row she displayed a complete lack of color skills. Granted their family gave them the odd request to mix Italian and Moroccan colors but still the color scheme was a huge mess. Torie did one of the only stand out pieces of design for either team by solving the backsplash issue with stamped foil. Meanwhile, Nathan completely failed as a leader and seemed more concerned about having a good time. Thankfully Antonio saved the day and ensured the nuts and bolts of the job got done. Kudos to him as well for asserting himself and making sure he got to participate in some of the design choices. Nathan further sank down in the ranks as he allowed Jason to pick out the styling accessories. Jason overcrowded the space with a mish-mash of pieces that looked like he just chose one piece out of every aisle at World Market. Please tell me how a Buddha fits in an Italian/Moroccan room. Still the team at least finished their room which cannot be said for Team Amy. The entire team was unfocused and sloppy. Tall guy Dan seemed to have his act together but other than that they all did some sloppy work. Amy was a complete failure as a leader and week one problem child Tashica once again showed a lack of skill by failing to complete any task including the staging. The kitchen had broken glass, crooked cabinets which lead to crooked granite, missing handles and not a single accessorie. Tashica had a hand in all of those problems. That’s why the judging process turned out to be a surprise.

The judging this week furthered my belief that the producers are amping up the drama. Antonio and Dan were predictably singled out for their strong efforts as was Torie. The bottom four were Nathan, Tashica, Amy, and Jen. Hopefully Nathan will rebound from this and learn from his mistakes as I enjoyed his design in week 1. The judges let both him and Jen off the hook since their kitchen was complete. I was prepared to see Tashica go home after spending another week in the bottom two and clearly adding no value to her team. While Amy certainly deserved to be in the bottom two I figured the fair thing to do would be to give her a second chance. Of course the best plot device would be to keep Tashica and let the remaining designers hate on her for sending Amy packing and dread having to work with her. Surprisingly that’s just what the judges did and if the faces of the remaining designers was any indication, the end result should be worth it. Ahoy, there be drama ahead!

Madison Restaurant Review: Big Red's Steaks

2009-07-21T11:24:00.002-05:00

Jim’s, Geno’s, and Pat’s are my fondest memories of my trips to Philly as a young kid and teenager. I fell in love with the cheesesteak and while I know some food memories can become romanticized I have spent all my Midwestern life trying to find a decent sandwich west of Philly. I’m happy to report my love has finally found a home at Big Red’s Steaks here in Madison, Wisconsin.

Walking into Big Red’s I was instantly put at ease by the laid back if not sloppy look of the place. I was worried I was going to get a glossy version of a steak place like you find at the mall. Nope, here we just have a counter with a menu board and a number of paper reminders about specials and what not. The staff is knowledgeable and certainly was patient with my partner’s first attempt at ordering a cheesesteak and my own rustiness as I attempted to “wit” and “wiz” my way through.

As my partner pointed out, if you want to get to the bottom of a place like Big Red’s you start out by ordering the standard and that’s just what we did. Two steaks wit fried onions and wiz. I know many folks who cringe at cheese wiz on their steaks as opposed to provolone but dammit I’m a purist. The sandwiches were tightly wrapped and dripping with grease which was a good sign right off the bat. Inside the imported bread and meat (from Philly of course) hit all the right notes. The meat was thin and tender and while the portion size was a bit small, it was clearly the star of the sandwich. Next up was the bread which was firm on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Finally there was the wiz and onions which worked in perfect harmony. This was it, after 20 plus years of searching my taste buds had hit pay dirt.

On top of the sandwich we got an order of cheese fries with more of the aforementioned wiz. The fries were also very good and I’m tempted next time to order the Philly fries which also have pieces of steak on them. Then again they also offer mac and cheese bites.

While she loved her cheesesteak, my partner was more excited at the prospect of the Tastykakes Big Red’s carries. For those unfamiliar, Tastykakes are the Philly equivalent of Little Debbie’s but according to my partner, so, so, much better. As a child, her father who was a Philly native, often regaled her with tales of Tastykakes and once in a while would share some with her when friends and family would bring them from out east. After sampling their equivalent of a Ho Ho I’m inclined to agree with her that these are the best packaged snack cakes ever. My partner thinks the secret ingredient is better lard.

Perhaps the biggest downside to Big Red’s is the location. The two owners who started the business as a late night food cart were smart to leave it in the downtown/campus area however the exact spot is difficult for anyone hoping to pick something up on the fly. The nearest meter is about a block away and the only other alternative is one of the State Street parking ramps. Granted I’m guessing that they do most of their business thanks to students and downtown workers, as lord knows if I was either I’d be there multiple times a week, but it’s a gigantic pain for any of us driving in. Still in light of the quality of the food it’s a small inconvenience. Thank you Big Red’s for finally ending my quest.

Big Red’s Steaks, 610 University Ave, Madison, WI (608)255-1183

Design Me a Star: Week 1

2009-07-20T13:33:00.002-05:00

What a difference a year makes. Last summer I dismissed HGTV’s Design Star as design for idiots since not only did the cast seem destined to forever dwell in Michael’s Arts and Crafts, but they also had to appeal to the average TV viewer since the viewers decided their fate. Now a year later I’m super jazzed about the latest season. Maybe it’s because there is no new season of Bravo!’s Top Design. Maybe it’s because my fellow South High Class of ’92 alum Genevieve Gorder is a judge. Maybe it’s because the judges, also Candice Olson and Vern Yip, now will decide who wins the grand prize. Then again it could just be the urge to watch anything remotely viewable in these dog days of summer TV. Whatever the reason, after last night’s premiere, I’m hooked and will now be doing a weekly column on the show.

The one thing Design Star still lacks are the smooth production twists that we’re accustomed to on shows like Runway or Top Chef. In an effort to change things up last night, they had the 10 designers vote in the 11th competitor. Their decision process was made up of a brief Q&A session and the potentials’ video reels. They chose Torie who looks like a 50 year old ex-beauty queen but in reality is a 35 year old ex-beauty queen. It was a pretty weak twist that did not make for anything resembling engrossing TV.

Once the now 11 contestants got that out of the way, they were given their first challenge of designing the rooms in their Hollywood house. Props to HGTV for delivering the designers the biggest budget in Design Star history even in these tough economic times. I also enjoyed the fact that the designers were left to chose who did what, and how to split the budget. The idea to base the splits on square footage was not only fair but sadly drama free.

The performance in this challenge instantly identified who the best and brightest are in this season. The dining room team of Dan and Nathan were great and the judges certainly recognized their effort. I thought star of the room other than the graphic painting was the large table with the cut out in the middle. Remembering back to last year and the drama the large table brought to those contestants; Dan and Nathan built their own and smartly assembled it in the actual room. The team of bitchy Lonnie, unremarkable Amy and my early favorite Antonio turned out to be a pretty good second. I thought they were heading for trouble with their colors but Antonio’s flying pink ducks saved the day. I also loved the idea of extending the fireplace ledge around the room. Torie and Jany did a nice guest bedroom that was just ok.

Of course with the good also came the bad. Instantly annoying Jason, who looks like a Will Ferrell character or a live action Butt-head, was teamed with Jen the sequel, she not only looks like last year’s winner Jen but came complete with pigtails, in one of the extra bedrooms. Their design included $700 astro turf and a desk chair that didn’t fit under the desk. Let’s not even get into the wooden animal heads they stuck to the wall that they didn’t stain or paint or the lame letter stencils on one wall. They claimed they imagined the owner of the room to be a writer for National Geographic but that was just a lame excuse to cover bad work. Clearly one of them would have gone home if not for the amazingly bad work of the poorly named NataLee and Tashica. Their master bedroom was good on paper but turned out to be one of the worst executed challenges in all of reality show history. This ranks right up there with the season 1 Apprentice challenge where a team made $7. With tape marks on the painted floor, queen comforters ripped in half to fit twin beds, and curtains duck taped to the ceiling this room was horrible beyond words. Credit to the judges for being able to see beyond that and give credit for the plan and the color palette. The only drama was which oddly named contestant would go home for the debacle and in the end it was NataLee due in large part to the seizure she had after doing a decent day’s work.

Perhaps I’m getting too excited about a show I ridiculed a year ago, but so far so good. The promise of Hollywood guest stars should at least keep the show fresh. Not only is basic cable whore Kathy Griffin guest starring but so are 90210 alum Jason Priestly and Tiffani Amber Thiessen. Of course if it goes downhill from here we still have August 20th and Project Runway on the horizon.

I'm back...what did I miss

2009-07-18T11:01:00.001-05:00

If you're reading this then first let me thank you for returning after my month long hiatus. I underestimated the impact that having a child would have on my blog. With that said, this is not a retirement speech. I still plan on blogging about all the ridiculous crap on TV and other pop culture items but perhaps not as regularly. Also be sure to follow me on twitter for instant thoughts at twitter.com/popwilleatme So let's start with some thoughts about things that happened while I was gone.

* Michael Jackson- Well I guess this was the biggest story of not only the summer but probably the pop culture year. I myself got caught up in the moment first by trying to keep up with the breaking news via twitter and contributing to the great web crash of 2009 via CNN.com. In the end Micheal Jackson's music will continue to be played in my house but Michael Jackson the man will be remembered as the man who taught me not to make heroes out of artists. The coverage of all this has been insane and certainly makes Princess Di look like a commoner. While the 24 hour news networks certainly get my usual disdain a special kind of venom goes out to the Jackson family for parading the kids up in front of thousands of strangers at the Staples Center and millions on TV. Mike's daughter looked so prodded and rehersed it was ridiculous.

* Summer of Death- MJ of course wasn't the only celeb to go down while I was gone. Farrah sucummbed to cancer which was sad but what's sadder is that more people will remember her as the crazy chick on Letterman and not as the pinup girl of the 70's. Meanwhile Cash for Gold spokesman Ed Mcmahon also passed. I hated Carson but thought Ed was ok. Just imagining Ed and Phil Hartman in the afterlife trying to one up each other brings a smile to my face. Then we also had Billy Mays who I would consider a celeb like Speidi is a celeb, still I'll miss that voice when I'm up at 3:30 in the morning feeding the boy. Finally we lost Walter Cronkite yesterday and I am truly saddened by the loss of one of the last great pure TV journalists. I just can't imagine Walter sitting outside the Staples Center last week.

* Summer TV Rolls On- I'll dedicate whole columns to Big Brother 11 and HGTV Design Star later this week but other shows premiered while I was gone. Bravo!'s latest scripted reality show Miami Social premiered this week and it was so bad it was bad. The faux friends feel less real then The Hills and it lacks any good villains. The drunk Russian girlfriend of one of the characters should get her own show though. Over on Comedy Central we had the extremely dissapointing premiere of Michael and Michael Have Issues. It's not a horrible show but not up to their previous efforts on Stella or The State. The jokes fall flat more often then they succeed and it's not worth a season pass. Meanwhile Top Chef Masters chugs along and while I'm enjoying it, I hope the final round of six makes for more in demand TV. On Next Food Network Star the mediocrity remains high and I remain firmly behind Jeffrey aka Captain Forehead.

* iPhone 3Gs- While I was on hiatus I also upgraded my phone to the new iPhone. While I've historically been an Apple whore, I resisted the pull of the mobile device largely due to price and AT&T's service. Thanks to my partner I got an early Father's Day present and made the jump. So far I proclaim the iPhone the greatest non-living thing ever. Both the 3G browsing and wifi browsing have exceeded my expectations and the coverage has been good. Then of course there is the video and camera. While I don't expect the iPhone to fully replace our camera or flip video cam it is an amazing tool to have at your side at all times. Lastly there are the apps. I've only just begun but I've used the app store heavily. During the last weeks of pregnancy we used multiple contraction logs. Tiger Woods Golf kept me occupied in the early mornings. The photo apps like Colorsplash and Video Up are useful and fun. Tweetie and Twittelator Pro are keeping me connected. In short I can't imagine my life without it.

Summer Siesta

2009-06-20T21:28:00.000-05:00

I'm taking a brief leave of absence from the blog over the next few weeks as I welcome my son aka the future pop culture fanatic.

Of course I'll still be absorbing copious amounts of TV sewage while on leave, so keep up with me on Twitter by following me at twitter.com/popwilleatme or the feed on the left hand side of this page.

Summer TV Preview: July and August

2009-06-18T11:54:00.001-05:00

Getting ready to go on a paternity leave from the blog but couldn’t resist giving you guys some good, bad, ugly, and unf&*%#ing believable choices for viewing in July and August.

The Good: Michael and Michael Have Issues (Premieres Wednesday July 15, 9:30pm CST, Comedy Central)
I was a big fan of Stella the highly underrated yet admittedly uneven show from Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain. It appears senor Wain is too big of a director now to hob knob with his Stella and State alumni but the two Michaels are back on TV in a show within a show concept. Apparently the two “characters” will be running a sketch TV show and we’ll get to see some of the sketches as well as behind the scenes stuff. I expect to laugh very hard most of the time and stare blankly at others but I guarantee it will be worth your time. I also guarantee it doesn’t last more than 1 season because the Comedy Central honchos are mostly inept.

The Bad: HGTV Design Star (Premieres Sunday July 19, 9pm CST, HGTV)
I can’t hate on this show too much because it’s honestly not that bad and also I want to stay married. Still this show is more like Next Food Network Star (NFNS) then Top Chef. That aside it’s a bit of a crap shoot what you get in terms of actual design. Last season every competitor had some truly horrible ideas and only a few that shined. The drama factor is a bit higher then NFNS but it still pales next to anything on Bravo!.

The Ugly: Big Brother 11 (Premieres Thursday July 11, 7pm CST, CBS)
Every season I bitch about this show until I’m blue in the face and every year I’m sorry when it ends. I love all the alliances and how the show tends to expose the people that have such holier than thou attitudes. I could do without the food challenges and the whole 3 nights a week thing (let alone the Big Brother After Dark on Showtime) but it’s a guilty pleasure I’m happy to indulge in.

The Unf&*$@#%ing Believable: Project Runway (Premieres Thursday August 20, 9pm CST, Lifetime)
I can’t even begin to hide my excitement over the return of Tim and Heidi. The best reality show of the last five years returns and despite a number of questions I’m thrilled. While some are concerned with the fact that this season was taped months ago I think this isn’t a problem unless you go out and spoil yourself. My bigger concern is the replacement of the production team of Magical Elves (also does Top Chef) with Bunim/Murray the folks behind The Real World. This along with the switch from Bravo! to Lifetime has many a loyal viewer concerned but the truth is they’d be fools to mess with success.

Madison Restaurant Review: The Great Dane (Hilldale)

2009-06-14T16:38:00.003-05:00

As a rule I try to review restaurants that are new to the area or new to me. However my partner and I have been on some dietary restrictions thanks to our impending bundle of joy so we’ve found ourselves repeating some places numerous times because we know the menu will fit our needs. Thankfully one of those places is an old favorite in a relatively new home.

I was a college junior when the original Great Dane opened in downtown Madison. My post graduation lunch was the first of many times where I brought out of town guests there due to their variety of pub fare and in-house brews. Over the years I’ve come and gone from Madison but The Great Dane has always been a reliable choice. The key word in that sentence is reliable. If you asked me to name my top 10 restaurants in Madison I’m not sure that the Dane would make it but I can tell you it’s a restaurant I eat at more often then half of those on the list.

The Hilldale location is the third Great Dane in the area (a fourth just opened outside of Madison in Wasau). Closer to my home then the downtown version or the uneven Fitchburg location, the Hilldale version recently went through a renovation and expansion thanks to its huge popularity since opening there in 2006. The décor is pretty similar to the other locations: pool hall in the back, cozy bar stalls and then a quieter dining area.

One reason I’ve always suggested the Dane for groups is that while the menu is full of pub fare, it is rather unique in its combinations. On a recent visit my group started off with the calamari. The squid itself was rather mundane but the addition of banana peppers and a spicy tomato sauce picked the dish up. A starter I can speak very enthusiastically of is the brown ale onion soup. I tend to avoid soups but this version of French onion was full of gooey Swiss cheese and the bread underneath had just the right amount of sturdiness. On my last visit I tried out the bacon mac and cheese pizza and yes it was as delightfully sinful as it sounds. While mac and cheese pizza has become more ubiquitous in this day and age of bistro pizza shops, Great Dane’s certainly stands out. The quality of the ingredients really set this pie apart especially the bacon and the crust laced with garlic oil. The 9-inch pie sounded small on paper but I ended up taking half of it home. My partner has become quite taken with the prime rib special on Saturdays and for the price I think its one of the best values in town. The skin on mashed potatoes and green beans that accompany the 16oz. piece of meat are not just afterthoughts either. Amongst the sandwiches I must point out two standouts. The brat and bacon pretzel burger was recently named the best burger in Wisconsin by Food Network magazine and while I won’t go that far, I’ll say it’s definitely in the top 10. The bun however is the greatest bun I’ve ever had in my life. The idea of a pretzel bun is again not new, but the execution is flawless. I’d order a dozen burgers at a time if only to take extra buns home with me. The brat, bacon and beef all retain their individuality and the homemade brown mustard deserves a spot in the Mustard Museum in Mt. Horeb. The other sandwich worth writing about recently left the menu. Don’t worry though folks the Dane often rotates dishes in and out so I have no doubt the meatloaf grinder will be back shortly. Served on a French roll (would be better on a pretzel roll, but I digress) the meatloaf sits upon fried onion straws, jalapenos and yes, mashed potatoes. In case you haven’t figured it out, the Dane is not a place to “eat light”. I could continue on about the solid food performance but I must mention the beer itself. Currently the Hilldale Dane is offering their Texas Speedbump IPA, which is one of my favorites. Not quite as hoppy as you might expect. Other standouts are the regular Landmark Lite and the seasonal Velvet Hammer bock and Tri-pepper pilsner.

Service has always been a standout at the Dane and the Hilldale version excels for the most part. I’d say their front of the house staff could use some more tips on seating. On the last two occasions I’ve had to lift a table out of the way for my pregnant partner and on the last trip we weren’t even offered the option the opportunity to sit outside. The wait staff though is knowledgeable and willing to do just about anything for you. On one recent visit we got numerous updates and apologies when the kitchen was a bit overwhelmed and on another we got some great recommendations including that amazing onion soup.

I’m guessing that once we welcome baby pop culture fanatic to the world, we may take a break from the Great Dane since we’ve ate there so often lately. That being said I can’t imagine another visit can’t be too far away thanks to their consistency from the tap and the kitchen.

Great Dane (Hilldale), 357 Price Place, Madison, WI, 608-661-9400

First Impressions: Top Chef Masters

2009-06-12T07:52:00.001-05:00

After watching the first episode of Top Chef Masters I realized that I was sitting in a pile of my own drool. Watching the likes of Tim Love and Hubert Keller whip up menus on the fly made my eyes water, my nose search, and my tongue hang out of my mouth. Beyond my food lust though lays a very good show.

The producers of Top Chef have done just enough to tweak the format for these world famous chefs. I had blogged earlier that I wasn’t looking forward much to seeing these guys in bunk beds or cuddling on the couch like the normal contestants. Thankfully and realistically these guys could not leave their empires for the amount of time a regular season of Top Chef takes. Instead there are 6 semifinal matches where the winner goes on to the final. I’m guessing the final may turn out to be a more traditional Top Chef format where only one goes home but either way I’m intrigued. I love that all the chefs are playing for charity and that the winner of each ep receives $10k for his charity. Also, while the Quickfire and Elimination Challenges are still there, we now have a point system. The scoring system goes up to 5 stars and in the premiere there were a total of 25 stars available.

In the first ep we got four chefs all over the culinary spectrum. I love Tim Love whose southwestern restaurant has almost made me want to visit Fort Worth. I quickly sized up his main competition as that of Hubert Keller, the acclaimed chef of Fleur De Lys and Burger Bar. Host Kelly Choi seemed to pronounce his name Q-Bert. Speaking of hosts, Kelly is not bad and is just really there. Meanwhile I love the judges especially that cranky old bag Gael Greene.

The Quickfire Challenge was a bit of an easy one as they had plenty of ingredients although it was dessert. The judges were Girl Scouts and they were tough. I thought Keller excelled with his presentation and inclusion of all things that make dessert, dessert (whipped cream, chocolate, etc). Meanwhile the Elimination Challenge was much tougher as the four chefs had to cook in college dorm rooms with only a hot plate, toaster oven and microwave. My man Love, froze his food on accident and while he redeemed his ingredients you just knew that Keller was going to take this thing especially when he unveiled his mac and cheese with prawns. The other two chefs I was less familiar with but I was surprised that one came within one star of Hubert. It was a clear sign that these shows will be very competitive.

While I’m not sure if I’ll be doing weekly coverage just yet I can proudly say that Top Chef Masters is the cure to our summer culinary TV blues. As expected it makes the Next Food Network Star look like a McDonald’s training video and it simply provides more drama as well.

Dueling Idiots: The Finale

2009-06-11T08:08:00.001-05:00

The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Duel 2 was a very entertaining if uneven challenge and brought the show back from the boredom that was The Island. Last night’s finale certainly continued that theme as overall it was a great hour of schlock TV.

First up we had to resolve the cliffhanger from last week and see the results of the previous two duels. Aneesa (RW: Chicago) held on to defeat Tori (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) but it was ever so close. Tori still took the opportunity to declare her inner beauty on the way out and completely ignored the previous 48 hours worth of bitching, whining, and all around drama. Meanwhile her grounded better half Brad (RW: San Diego) surprisingly sent MJ (RW: Philly) packing. I thought for sure we’d see Brad and Tori flying home together but was happy to see Brad stick around.

Uber-host TJ Lavin then threw the remaining 8 contestants a giant curve ball in that he absolutely did not. First he congratulates the final 8 on being in the final 8 and the ladies go crazy. Then TJ reminds that this competition gets down to the final 6 and then the light bulbs all went on again. Instead of a challenge though, this time they had to choose the first player into The Duel. On the ladies side Diem (Fresh Meat) was the quick choice and she did not take it well. Meanwhile Evan (Fresh Meat) rounded up Mark (RR: Season 1) and Brad to take out Landon (RW: Philly). Landon was shocked by this because he was the best performer all season. Honey, you may have been bitten by a radioactive spider that gave you super strength but you don’t have Peter Parker level smarts. The two chosen ones then got to pick their opponents at The Duel. Diem called out rookie Brittney (RW: Hollywood) and I was finally thinking we’d see the rook go home but Diem went for the same trick twice in Push Over and it cost her. Meanwhile Landon inexplicably called out Brad. I’ve got two problems with this. Number 1, if you’re all upset about the honor of the game being ruined by the other guys choosing you, then where’s your honor in picking on the guy that was in The Duel less than 24 hours ago. Second, how do you not pick out mentally fragile man-child Evan? Sure he may be a bit stronger then Brad but the guy has more cracks in his psyche then the U.S. banking system. Landon paid for his choice dearly but not before treating us to the best Duel of the season. These two guys played Back Off which was the first time the guys played it all season. Landon suplexed Brad and threw him into walls but in the end Brad once again showed why he’s too smart to be on this show and beat Landon by essentially batting a string in front of him like a cat. In disgust Landon threw his helmet into the New Zealand countryside and my partner couldn’t help but think that somewhere in the Shire, little Frodo just got a present.

The final challenge itself was a bit of a letdown. While some of the tasks were interesting and demanding it became clear early on that Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl) was going to take it for the ladies. Even better she beat all the guys. Sadly it was also clear once the players had to team up in girl/boy squads that Mark was going to finish last for the guys. The only drama came in the form of Brad and Evan competing for the top male spot. Brad finally crumbled and let that slimy bastard Evan sneak by him for the win but $35k is still not bad for a guy who’s unemployed. Evan basked in his win Evan style and made me pray that CT (RW: Paris) comes back for the next challenge and that Evan looks at him funny. In the meantime we’ve got a fresh group of drunk, diseased riddled folks in two weeks on Real World: Cancun.

First Impressions: The Next Food Network Star

2009-06-08T08:42:00.000-05:00

An old friend of mine made the following analogy last night. “Next Food Network Star (NFNS) is to Top Chef as The Fashion Show is to Project Runaway.” So true, so true. Yet with summer upon us I find myself latching on to shows that lack any real talent or drama. So even though the exciting Top Chef Masters is only 3 days away, I still sat down last night and watched NFNS.

Once again the brass at Food Network is more concerned with finding a personality as opposed to a chef. However I will give them some credit as this season seems filled with less housewives and restaurant managers then previous installments. I can’t keep all their names straight but there were a few personalities that stood out. Teethy, the dietician, has that certain annoying quality that almost guarantees she makes it close to the end. Global-A-Go-Go is my pick to win, as his food and personality seemed to be hits right off the bat. Guessing he’ll flounder though once they start doing demos in front of the camera. Stepford Wife was definitely looking to be the contestant I love to hate but she chose to cook green beans for a group of chefs that included two Iron Chefs so she went home. Instead I’m guessing I’ll love to hate Cool Guy with his faux hawk and threatening delivery.

The fact that Food Network chooses a cast of characters that neither excels at cooking nor hosting is only half the problem with the show. The other main problem comes at the complete suspension of disbelief the audiences most assume. Are we really to believe that the Food Network let these hacks cater their 16th anniversary party? That party was more staged then Speidi’s recent exit on I’m A Celebrity. The laughable lauding of Nancy O’Dell from Access Hollywood would have made for a great drinking game. I think the only realness from that party came from Iron Chef Morimoto as he looked at the Stepford Wife’s green beans.

Still I’m a sucker for reality shows and food so I’m guessing I’ll stick around for the next 8+ weeks. As long as you remember that you shouldn’t be attempting these folk’s recipes at home, I think you’ll be safe in joining me.

Dueling Idiots: Week 9

2009-06-04T07:57:00.000-05:00

I think we can agree on two things after watching the latest installment of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2.

#1. MTV needs to stop watching other reality shows and stealing their ideas, good or bad. Can’t believe they’re carrying over this week’s duels to next week.
#2. Brad (RW: San Diego) is far too well adjusted to be on this show.

Let’s delve into point #2 first. The main non-challenge drama of this ep occurred when Brad’s fiancée Tori (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) decided it would be a good time to confront Brad about some issues outside of the Duel 2. Yes for some reason she thought it would be appropriate to have it out about Brad’s current off camera employment situation, in front of the cameras. Then the same woman who later proclaims herself “low-drama” stormed out of Brad’s room leaving the engagement ring behind. Your average male on these shows would have punched walls, thrown shit, and yelled a bunch of venomous insults at Tori but Brad just took a step back and calmly addressed Tori and let her walk away. Even my partner, a therapist, was giving Brad credit and that means something considering she said any one of the other nut jobs could be a client for life. There would have been some additional tension about the situation and whether either Brad or Tori were going to quit the show early if not for the editing monkeys at MTV clearly showing Tori taking part in the challenge later in the show.

Speaking of challenges let’s talk on this for a bit. First up, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that in preparation for this week’s challenge Evan (Fresh Meat) got tucked into bed by MJ (RW: Philly). Apparently Evan thought that MJ could use the experience since he missed tucking in his daughter back in the states. However, coming from the guy who spent last week reading Eat, Pray, Love and crying in bed, I’m thinking it was more of a comfort needed before the big challenge. When MJ went into kiss Evan on the forehead I thought for a split second Evan was going to meet him lips on and a hot make out session would ensue. Sadly that did not happen, although the tuck in apparently worked cause Evan reigned supreme at the challenge, which emphasized the rarely used mental abilities of the contestants. Having these folks spell 4th and 5th grade words was just priceless and I pray that the producers get as much positive feedback as possible on this event so they repeat in the future. Of course spelling 100 feet in the air certainly adds some additional tension too. It was shocking to see Evan best not only ageless wonder Mark (RR: Season 1) but also Superboy Landon (RW: Philly). On the women’s side, once Diem (Fresh Meat) and Tori quit their antics and crying over the height, Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl) quickly took control and won her 354th challenge all time (approximation but given how many she’s been on that’s got to be close). Predictably MJ and Aneesa (RW: Chicago) were the last too standing after Evan and Rachel started the picking process and that leads us to the Duel itself.

While the choices of MJ and Aneesa were predictable the folks they called out were not so much. MJ chose Brad and the two selected Dual Pole Dancing which would seem to favor MJ. Aneesa completely did a 180 from last week and instead of going after the weakest player, Diem, called out Tori. Tori proceeded to disrespect Aneesa and Rachel and all of sudden it was on like Donkey Kong. The two were thrown into Elevator which was making its debut on the ladies side. It was neck and neck and then, the screen faded to black. MTV this is not Top Chef or Runway. I am not going to go online and try to find spoilers to who won this Duel before next week so stop trying to generate false excitement. On the other hand I will say the preview for next week looks like the finale so I will say they’ve piqued my interest for that since we’ve got 5 people of each sex standing right now and somehow they’ve got to get down to 3 and then 1. So in the end maybe they’ll make it up to us next week, but MTV, don’t make a habit out of this.

Help! I Watched I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here

2009-06-02T07:45:00.000-05:00

Three showers this morning and I still feel dirty after watching the premiere of NBC’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. I must admit the idea of watching “celebrities” like Heidi and Spencer suffer was intriguing and I also promised a friend I’d give covering the show a go on the blog. However I’m pushing the eject button and getting the hell out of the jungle now. I know a three week commitment pales in comparison to the years of mind numbing TV I’ve consumed over my life, but this show is so bad it hurts. Spencer and Heidi quit twice in the first episode and both times came back. Both near quits felt more staged than The Hills. Any conflict between the contestants was quickly ironed out and their camp looked like one of the resorts the Survivor contestants get to go to when they win reward challenges. Also there was far too much God in my TV last night. Seemed like everyone enjoyed the praying far too much. The final straw was when the group prayed for contestant Patti’s husband who face’s jail time. That husband…Rod Blagojevich. Normally when I write about reality schlock, I warn folks to beware of watching as they’ll likely get sucked in. No worries here folks, I’m guessing you could watch one episode and then move the hell on with no problem. I know I am.

Minneapolis Restaurant Briefs: yum!, Kozy’s, and Moto-I

2009-06-01T15:49:00.003-05:00

Had a whirlwind 24+ hours in Minneapolis this weekend, seeing friends, family and running errands. Of course, me being me, I still found plenty of time to eat and drink in spectacular fashion.

yum!, , 4000 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN, 952.922.4000

“Cupcakes and more” would be the lazy way to describe yum! kitchen and bakery. Doing so, however, would be a disservice to the “more” in that equation. The “more” on my recent visit included mini burgers, grilled cheese, and the delightful fries pictured above. The mini burgers were juicy despite their size and the red pepper aioli was a perfect complement. The grilled cheese was on challah was how it should be. Buttery bread melted with the gooeyness of muenster and cheddar. The star of this visit though was the fries. These, of the skin-on variety with sea salt and big chunks of black pepper, were so good they could have been my main course. The dipping sauces were alright but completely unnecessary. Of course you can’t go to yum! without getting something sweet so I picked up a moist vanilla cupcake with about a mile of frosting on top. Sure it was “boring” but it's gotta be the best cupcake in all the Twin Cities.

Kozy’s,3220 Galleria, Edina, MN, 952-224-5866

Located in a high end mall in Edina you sometimes forget that Kozy’s is run by the same folks that own NE Minneapolis staple Jax. Once you start eating though the comparisons come fast and furious. My group decided on Kozy’s based on some diet restrictions that thankfully allowed us all to eat as much beef as possible. The place was certainly quiet on a Saturday night but with their steakhouse prices that’s not a surprise. I was struck at some of the promotions they were running to drum up more business, like ‘kids eat for $1” or “$35 Lobster Sunday” and how I just don’t see them driving in more folks. In a neighborhood joint like Jax that could work, but Kozy’s feels like a sanitized steakhouse like Wildfire or Ruth Chris. The best thing they can do is to promote their connection to Jax and the Kozlak food empire (something their website does well). The food is a little overpriced but is excellent and certainly a fine representation of their family history. I started with the poblano pepper soup and while I was expecting more of a cream based soup the tomato broth with chunks of veggies had a fire I did not expect but was pleased to find. The garden salads my companions had were good but unspectacular. My wife’s regular cut of prime rib was at least 18oz so I’d be terrified to see what the king cut looks like. It was done perfectly and seasoned very well. The beef tournedos were another example of perfectly cooked beef as the two sauces (béarnaise and marsala) hit just the right notes. The crostini that were included were throw away additions as was the broiled parmesan tomato. The garlic mashed potatoes while heavy on a summer night we very well done. My smothered rib eye was served over a bed of hash browns that must have been cooked in at least a stick of butter. Please note, that’s not a complaint. The steak itself was again done perfectly and the char crust seasoning, sautéed mushrooms and onions only accentuated the meat’s flavor. I thought the wine list was nice and surprisingly well priced in comparison to the beef. It certainly appears Kozy’s, like our economy, could use a boost so if you’re in the mood for a little extravagance keep it in mind.

Moto-i, 2940 Lyndale Ave South, Minneapolis, MN, 612-821-NAMA

While I ate no food at Moto-i in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood, I must share with you the new love of my life…sake. Yes stuck in this busy block of Minneapolis restaurants and pubs is the only sake brew spot in the U.S. I originally found this hard to believe given the huge effect of Asian culture in major cities and I found it even harder to believe after tasting the sweet, sweet nectars of the gods. Yes Moto-i’s sake is the real deal and yes I want to take it behind the bleachers and get it pregnant. It’s that fucking good. I started out with a sampler of three of their in-house brews. The junmai nama nigori was cloudy in appearance and was slightly bolder then the junmai nama. Both were fine choices but the real star of my sampler was the junmai nama genshu that was brewed without any additional water added. This heavy on the alcohol brew still had a subtle sweetness and had a dryness that lingered pleasantly on my pallet. All three were served chilled which surprised me. My limited sake experience had only been with the warm table style sake which Moto-i also brews and the chilled sparkling variety of which I’ve recently become enamored with. Apparently they will soon start selling bottles of their sake and I’ve got to tell you I’ll never leave Minneapolis again without having one of them in my car.

Thoughts on Hills Finale (spoilers)

2009-05-31T22:39:00.001-05:00

In an effort to bump up the MTV Movie Awards viewership, we got the season finale of The Hills a night early. Spoilers ahead but really, if you’ve turned on a computer in the last 2 months then you know most of went down.

There were two important tasks this finale had to achieve. One, it had to send series star Lauren “LC” Conrad off in style and two, it had to convince us viewers that a LC-free Hills would be worth watching this Fall. Surprisingly I’d say MTV came through on both counts while centering the episode on the unholy wedding of Heidi and Spencer.

Let’s get the wedding stuff out of the way first. After you suspend your belief that Heidi and Spencer were able to throw this massive wedding together over a matter of weeks, their march to the alter became quite entertaining. First up, you had former BFF Brody cut Spencer off at the knees by calling him out on his new fake “therapy works wonders” persona. Then you had Holly, Heidi’s sister, get shit faced at the rehearsal dinner. You almost wondered if She-devil Stephanie, who not so secretly envied Holly’s maid of honor status, spiked Holly’s drink. Holly rambled on for untold minutes, ruined Heidi’s purse and then stormed out after Spencer tried to use his new found human-like skills on her. The wedding itself was a who’s who of The Hills. The only friend we’ve seen Spencer have, Charlie, was not in the wedding strangely and instead brought pretend bartender Stacy as his guest. JustinBobby made an appearance and seemed to be channeling his inner Joaquin Phoenix. Heidi’s fake boss Brent Bolthouse showed up and so did Brody, Frankie, Audrina and Lo. There were two “shocking” guests as well and both tied back in to the tasks this finale had to carry out.

First up was LC, who has slowly been fazing herself out of the show over the last few months. Her departure is not a surprise but I wonder if the fact that the show had become more and more staged was finally getting to her. While I would never argue that the show gave an accurate portrayal of the stars lives, I think we can all agree the unbelievable meet ups and spoon fed newbies has increased tenfold over the last 2 seasons. You could almost see LC get fed up with that aspect herself in this episode. After spending most of the ep hemming and hawing over attending the wedding, she shows up and gives Heidi a sort of blessing. You could see the strain in her face and I wondered if it was from her own inner conflict of seeing her friend make a mistake or obeying MTV’s order to show the hell up at the wedding. This look of strain only increased, as she was made aware of the second “surprise” guest.

It was very convenient that this ep brought to light the fact that LC’s old Laguna Beach rival Kristin Cavallari was the one who introduced Spencer and Heidi. Hard to believe this fact was never thrown out there over the last four plus seasons. Anyhoo guess who shows up at the wedding with a microphone and dedicated camera? Yes Kristin is in the house and is clearly being set up as the new lead on the show. So just as she took over for Lauren on Laguna Beach, Kristin will now take over on The Hills. As utterly ridiculous as this is, I’m buying it. Kristin has always embraced the scripted nature of these shows on and off screen and given how The Hills has gotten she is the perfect fit. I’m sure Lauren knew that Kristin was going to be there but her face was almost believable. The juxtaposition of Lauren’s departure out of the side of the church against Kristin’s wave to the paparazzi was the perfect picture of where this show has come from and where it’s headed. Either way, I think it will be worth seeing where that road goes.

Dueling Idiots: Week 8

2009-05-28T19:47:00.000-05:00

I caught this week’s installment of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge on delay so I’m going bullet style in the interest of posting this quickly.

o Highlight of the ep? Clearly it was Evan (Fresh Meat) huddling in his bed near tears while he reads Eat, Love, Prey.
o The one thing these challenges never lack is hypocrisy. How can Aneesa (RW: Chicago) call out Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl) over a fling with Jen (RW: Denver) when that was the same thing the two of them did SEVEN years ago? (BTW, that sentence literally made my head hurt)
o I like seeing Diem (Fresh Meat) cry as much as the next person but how many more “suspend the douchebag” challenges can we have?
o Landon (RW: Philly), aka son of Zeus, continues to look damn near unbeatable. I know anything can happen in the final weeks, as the contestants constantly tell us, but we’re approaching man among boys territory.
o Finally saw a chink in the armor of Landon’s “partner” Britney (RW: Hollywood). She still is in the upper echelon of competitors but is no longer on an equal standing with challenge winner Rachel.
o The Duel was full of surprises. Not surprised Evan won but completely shocked at the way Derrick (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) folded. He made Davis (RW: Denver) look like a strong competitor. Meanwhile Diem flattened Jen in short order in perhaps the most stunning Duel result yet.
o One last parting shot to Aneesa: You know you suck and your game sucks when your only ally in the house is the guy who cries while reading Eat, Pray, Love.

Only a few weeks left bitches then it’s on to Mexico to cast for future challenges. This is also known as Real World: Cancun.

Real World 22 Cancun - MTV Shows

Summer TV Preview: June

2009-05-26T20:09:00.000-05:00

Just because your TiVo is finally able to breathe, doesn’t mean there is a lack of TV on the horizon to junk it up all over again. Yes my friends, it’s time for the summer TV season. An annual tradition that usually brings a few cable gems and a lot of broadcast schlock. Of course I love both equally.

I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (June 1st, NBC)
I’d like to say there is no way I’ll watch this show but I’d be lying due to one simple word…Sanjaya. I may not watch Idol but damn it all if I don’t love me some Sanjaya. Now the show itself felt like a Survivor rip off when it aired on ABC a few years back and the celebs were F list back then (Downtown Julie Brown? Wubba wubba wubba indeed!) but this time around I think NBC is taking a different approach. While the celebrities are most D to E list, they are mostly people we love to hate so I’m guessing the show will focus more on humiliating the “stars”. Given that Spencer, Heidi, and Spencer’s flesh colored beard are also contestants, that’s enough to make me tune in for at least a couple of nights. One huge negative is the over saturation as NBC is airing this 4 or 5 times a week.

The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (June 1st, NBC)
I know this isn’t a new show per say but I can’t wait to see Conan take over for The Chin. I’m hoping he still gets a chance to be a little crazy even though it’s an hour earlier and I’m excited to see Andy Richter return.

The Next Food Network Star (June 7th, FoodTV)
Average chefs with big personalities compete to host a show we’ll probably never watch. I know this show pales to Top Chef but the challenges are still fun and the producers usually cast an interesting cast of half wits and cry babies.

Weeds (June 8th, Showtime)
I’m late to this party but my partner got me hooked on it last year. It doesn’t hurt that I had a huge Mary-Louise Parker crush when she was on West Wing. Seems like the show likes to constantly change the status quo and with last year’s cliffhanger of a health situation certainly seems like that will hold true this year.

Nurse Jackie (June 8th, Showtime)
I'm curious to see if this Edie Falco vehicle lives up to the high standards that Showtime has recently established with Weeds, Dexter and United States of Tara. Haven’t heard much buzz either way but a must-see at least initially.

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (June 8th, Bravo!)
I gave up on this show last year and questioned whether it even belonged on the air any more. Kathy herself seemed like she was ready to move on but then money talked and apparently she’s back for at least one more season. I’ll certainly check in from time to time, but the spontaneity and reality that once made this reality show need to make reappearance.

Top Chef: Masters (June 10th, Bravo!)
I still don’t know if I understand how this new version of Top Chef works but frankly I could give a damn. Famous chefs from across fair land will battle each other week to week to earn the title of Master. There will be Quickfire-type challenges and the format should be somewhat familiar. However, I just can’t see Rick Bayless sharing a bunk bed with Hubert Keller.

NYC Prep (June 16th, Bravo!)
Another title for this show could be Real Housewives of NYC in Training or The Real Gossip Girl. A more accurate title might be Laguna Beach East as the show follows a group of rich NYC kids going through prep school. This has a chance to be the breakout schlock show of the summer or it could be tedious and boring. Either way count me in on premiere night.

Dueling Idiots: Week 7

2009-05-21T07:41:00.001-05:00

Being an editor for any MTV show must be tough but especially if you’re an editor for The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2. You spend one and a half episodes focusing on the wall punching lunatic Dunbar (RW: Sydney) and his “partner” Paula Walnuts (RW: Key West) only to have the rug predictably pulled out from under you. To top it off you have to find a way to edit one of the most ingenious yet boring challenges in reality history.

At first both my partner and I were excited by the contraption hanging above the water for this week’s challenge. Suspended players used a pully system in a series of flag races…for 7 heats! Yes while the dynamite exploding made for an initial sensory shock, by round 7 it was like watching Eric (Fresh Meat) and Derek (Viewer’s Revenge) all over again. Super soldier test subject Landon (RW:Philly) won yet again and even though this was finally a much needed individual challenge, his partner Brittney (RW:Hollywood) showed much strength in pulling out the win on the women’s side.

This episode lacked any drama what so over as Paula and Dunbar found themselves in the bottom two. Dunbar picked on MJ (RW: Philly) while Paula chose bitch killer Aneesa (RW: Chicago). I’m guessing these two wanted to go home because there was no way Dunbar and Paula were going to pull out victories and sure enough after a few short minutes that was proven true.

In the end though, I couldn’t help but think of that poor editor who now has to fashion a new storyline out of the hours of footage for the next episode. Let’s face it, there are only so many times we can have Evan (Fresh Meat) ruminate on how tough this game is and how dirty it’s going to get.

What the Fox?

2009-05-19T07:49:00.001-05:00

I know you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth but what if the horse is an evil mastermind? The jaw dropping news that Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse has been renewed for a well deserved second season brings me great joy along with great confusion. This puzzling move is one of two curve balls thrown by the execs at Fox who can officially be diagnosed as suffering from multiple personality disorder.

While I was one of many Whedonites who was disappointed by the slow start of Dollhouse, the mythology heavy final half of the season grabbed my attention and left me wanting more. Of course I assumed that those desires would be left unfulfilled as the show was getting little to no ratings in its Friday night timeslot of death. Strong DVR numbers and the promise of big DVD sales were apparently enough for the execs at Fox to reconsider though, and in one the most shocking changes of direction the show was renewed. What I don’t understand though is why the folks at Fox aren’t giving it a chance to improve. I get that the financial times are tough so a smaller budget makes sense. Apparently Whedon had some foresight and shot the yet unaired season finale on a much smaller budget to show Fox it could be done. So while I don’t have a gripe with Fox shrinking the money I do have a problem with them leaving the show on Friday nights at 8pm CST. If you’re going to keep a show why not try and expand the viewership. Pair Dollhouse with 24 on Mondays come winter or better yet make a geek night with Fringe in the Fall. Speaking of pairings, who is the ad wizard who decided the best lead in would be the god awful and surprisingly still on the air show ‘Til Death starring Brad Garrett. Fox may have given us another season of Dollhouse for which I am thankful but I’m already bracing for word of cancellation this time next year.

So while Fox gives backhanded rewards to Dollhouse they also gave a complete slap in the face to Jesus fucking Christ himself, JJ Abrams. I don’t know who they think they are but shuffling Abrams’ baby and best rated new Fox show, Fringe off to Thursdays to face ratings powerhouses Grey’s Anatomy, CSI and The Office, is just about the biggest screw you they could give. All Fringe did this last year is give Fox some much needed geek cred and deliver high performance. Now moved off to Thursdays, I expect to see the ratings drop and to see the show on the chopping block this time next year. Why Fox would bite the hand that feeds them is beyond me and I don’t think Abrams is as forgiving as Joss (who in this scenario is Buddha).

Dueling Idiots: Week 6

2009-05-15T06:37:00.000-05:00

Ok so after last night’s Lost I was in no mood for the idiocracy of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2. However after a tiring day of work the idea of watching these fools bicker and scheme finally sounded appealing. So with apologies for the lateness of this post aside, let’s get on with it.

Last week my heart was crushed as Isaac (RW: Sydney) and Ruthie (RW: Hawaii) both went home and I was left without much hope for this season. Thankfully this week’s ep renewed my faith. First off you had the return of Paula Walnuts (RW: Key West). Now you might be thinking, “Hey Elliot, Paula’s been on the show since day one, how many brain cells did Lost kill last night?” I agree that Paula’s been on since day one and while she’s been slightly crazy it was not until last night’s Dunbar (RW: Sydney) meltdown that the baby voiced, needy, jealous Paula Walnuts fully came out. While supposedly being “just friends” with Dunbar, Paula got insanely jealous when Dunbar started hanging out with racist toothpick Kim (RW: Hollywood). Not only is Paula staking her entire game on her partnership with Dunbar but she’s also got his girlfriend Julie’s back. You Sydney viewers might remember Julie; she’s the girl who Dunbar cheated on during his season down under. Paula flips out multiple times and you almost forget that Dunbar is a world-class douche and that Evan (Fresh Meat) was supposed to be Paula’s partner all along.

Of course there were challenges to be had as well. Predictably the big challenge came down to Team Brandon (Brittney (RW: Hollywood) and Landon (RW: Philly)) and Team Marchel (Mark (RR: Season 1) and Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl)). Team Brandon pulls out the close victory and the inevitable popularity game leaves Derek (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) and Dunbar as the final two. Dunbar gets saved and is left with Paula and Kim. Derek takes down Eric (Fresh Meat) in predictable yet tedious fashion. Dunbar meanwhile makes the right call and sends the rook, Kim, into The Duel where she picks on Jen (RW: Denver). Jen punishes Kim in The Duel and accomplishes two great feats. One she sends the annoying blonde packing and two she manages to enrage Dunbar even further by sending his new fuck toy out of the game. Later in the ep Dunbar confronts his friend Paula who seems pleased by the events. Dunbar takes out his frustration by….writing in his journal. Oh well the whole episode can’t be a winner.

Looking Back at the New Shows of the 2008 TV Season

2009-05-13T09:59:00.000-05:00

As we wind up the 2008/2009 season I thought it would be a good time to review how the new shows I spotlighted in my Fall preview faired and look at which ones should and will return.

My Own Worst Enemy
Christian Slater’s Alias remake failed fast and hard. Thanks to a barrage of negative reviews and a very competitive time slot, Enemy was one of the first cancelled shows of the Fall. I never even caught an episode and I can’t say I’m feeling much regret. Guess every ex-movie star can’t make the jump to the small screen.
Outlook: Cancelled

Knight Rider
I was dubious of this remake after the horrendous TV movie that aired last year. The original show was fun when I was a kid but catching repeats as an adult reminded me how laughably bad it actually was. Then I sat down and watched the pilot this Fall and lost the will to live in less than 15 minutes. The cast was flat, Val Kilmer’s KITT was creepy and the dialogue was not funny bad just plain unwatchable bad. I find it amazing that the same network that brings us 30 Rock would try and stick with Knight Rider as long as it did. In the end though NBC saw the light and kicked KITT to the curb. Also there was not enough Hoff.
Outlook: Cancelled

90210
The other big remake of the Fall was 90210 to which I also had a mixed reaction. While I watched the first few weeks I found the show to be too much like Gossip Girl West. The addition of old favorites like Kelly and Brenda kept me interested but after their boring stories were explored I was left with a group of kids I just didn’t care about. Oh and Lori Laughlin too. Seems though that things have changed. Many critics whom I consider likeminded to myself have said that the show has improved greatly and is heading towards a spectacular finish. I may have to revisit West Beverly High next year after all.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009

Fringe
More JJ Abrams love here as the Midas touch continues. Early comparisons to The X-Files are long forgotten as Fringe has carved out its own territory in the geek community. Sharing some similar ideas with Lost and Alias sure doesn’t hurt. I loved the interplay and performances from Joshua Jackson and John Noble but it’s Anna Torv as Olivia who has really given the show its creative touchstone over the final episodes. Throw in a pending appearance by a certain Trek veteran and you’ve got geek nirvana.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009

Dollhouse
While JJ can do no wrong Joss Whedon struggles. When Fox canceled Firefly, many Whedonites including myself swore that the network would pay when Joss returned to TV. Surprisingly Joss returned to TV with Fox yet again who promptly shuttled Dollhouse to a mid season replacement and stuck it with the Friday time slot of death. The show started out mighty rocky as the stand alone eps left me feeling unsatisfied. However once Joss kick started the mythology the show began to find its footing. The Whedon humor began to emerge in the scripts more often and the cast began to excel. Then came word that Fox wasn’t going to air the 13th and final episode and it began to feel like Firefly all over again especially given that Friday’s 12th episode and season finale created so many new questions to be answered. The word is that the show may still return given the high DVR and download numbers it does but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Here’s hoping that HBO or Showtime steps up and gives Joss a chance next time.
Outlook: Probably cancelled but nothing official

Parks and Recreation
Next to Dollhouse the other mid-season show I was pumped for was Amy Pohler’s collaboration with the US Office creators. Unlike Dollhouse however, I felt Parks and Recreation never found its stride after the awkward first couple of episodes. Sure the cast is amazing and there have been some funny moments but overall I find it to be completely forgettable. I’m glad to see though that NBC is giving it a second chance and I’m hoping a creative renaissance is in order.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009

Better Off Ted
Here’s a show that I had no clue about and ended up enjoying far more than I expected. From the minds that brought you Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Ted is another workplace sitcom that finds a wonderful balance between reality and absurdity. The in-show adds for Veridian Dynamics are almost worth watching alone. ABC aired 7 episodes this spring to pretty lackluster ratings but the cast and crew are filming an additional 5 that may air this summer or start out season 2 next Fall if all goes well.
Outlook: Cloudy with a chance of sun

Quick Music Review: NOFX- Coaster

2009-05-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

The latest album from NOFX is a greatest hits album yet it’s all new material. If you listen to Coaster you’re apt to think back fondly to The War on Errorism, Pump Up the Valuum, and even Two Heebs and a Bean. Often times a sentiment like that means a band has gone stale but I’d argue that this actually shows signs of versatility and after the lackluster 2006 release Wolves in Wolves’ Clothing it is desperately appreciated. Fat Mike sounds like he’s having fun again and so does the rest of the band. The opening track, We Called it America, starts with a quote from Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross and proceeds to shred your ear drums. My Orphan Year is a pretty personal track that elicited a real emotion reaction from yours truly. Creeping Out Sara is probably the funniest NOFX track I’ve listened to in years and might be my favorite cut off the album. Best God in Show is pure NOFX ska and along with Blasphemy depict the band’s maturing view on religion. Maturity seems to be the overall theme of the album, even with tracks like First Call and I Am an Alcoholic. While the music is still fast, loose and fun the lyrics tend to be more poignant and at least to this 30-something more relatable. That being said it’s still funny as hell and something I’ll be blasting out my car speakers all summer long.

Star Trek Review and a note on the Geek Revolution

2009-05-11T08:53:00.001-05:00

Let’s get this out of the way first: All hail JJ Abrams, king of the geeks. Except for Mission Impossible 3, the man can do no wrong and some would even argue that MI3 was passable given the luggage Cruise brings along. Felicity, Alias, Lost, Cloverfield, Fringe, and now Star Trek, the man just keeps the hits on coming. As an acknowledged geek, there is no one working in Hollywood today who gets my juices flowing faster than Mr. Bad Robot. Star Trek was to be the moment where the hero failed; after all can you really re-launch a franchise without pissing off the legions of hardcore fans. Yet once again, JJ has defied expectations creating a film that appeals to everyone and still leaves room for old school and new school sequels. Without spoiling too much, the script finds a way to exercise all the years and years of muddled Trek continuity yet still leaves the door open for Shatner, Stewart and even Bakula to find work again in the Federation. I love that when Spock explains this to Spock (no typo there and if you didn’t know that spoiler then you missed every ad for the last six months) JJ even throws in a dig at the time travel logic Lost uses.

While I don’t consider myself a Trekkie, I’m certainly well versed in the universe including a love affair with The Next Generation from college right up through First Contact, but I certainly wouldn’t consider myself hardcore. That being said, I can’t imagine the hardcore folks being upset with what JJ has done. Here he’s injected a fresh set of ideas and a fresh look into a world that was becoming obsolete. The best part is that he’s done all this with the same characters more or less and lot of that credit goes to the actors. A lot of buzz has gone to Zach Quinto for his Spock and while I thought he was wonderful I thought Chris Pine was the real surprise. He had the swagger and the cockiness but also brought a real edge of self doubt. I wanted to cheer for him not because he was Kirk but because he was an endearing lead character. The rest of the cast seemed to follow Pine and made the characters their own. John Cho, Zoe Saldana, and Simon Pegg really seemed to make Sulu, Uhura, and Scotty fresh new characters and not characterizations. However Anton Yelchin’s Chekov is over the top and probably the weakest part of the film. Speaking of weak, we all know how weak the Trek villains tend to be but Eric Bana really gives Nemo a chance to star here. While the villain still gets shorted on time, Bana makes the most of what he has and falls just short of Khan territory. Throw in all the tech wizardry and the updated art direction and you’ve got an early front runner for best picture of summer 2009.

Now a quick note on the Geek Revolution. I have enjoyed the rise of geekery into mainstream culture over the last few years. Shows like Lost, Heroes, and Fringe have been embraced on TV. Other shows like 30 Rock and The Office celebrate the geek as well. Star Trek opens to boffo box office numbers and Harry Potter still reigns supreme two years after the last book was published. At times though, I long for the days when geeks didn’t have to compete with everyone else for a collectable glass or a decent seat in the theater. My partner and I went to a 7pm show for Trek on Friday and arrived a good 45 minutes early with our pre-purchased tickets expecting to find a few Trekkie early birds. Instead, we found a packed theater that required us to sit about six rows away from the IMAX screen. This made me long for the days when only geeks would line up ahead of time for their badge of honor. I know pop culture is cyclical and I’m guessing this will pass and my kid-to-be will be lucky enough to experience teasing and wedgies if he follows my geeky path. In the meantime though I got to say I’m getting a little tired of the revolution and the negatives it brings like packed theaters, slap dash sequels (Indiana Jones), unnecessary geek remakes (GI Joe), and pseudo geek shows (The Big Bang Theory, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Geekery will live long and prosper but I’m beginning to hope that the Geek Revolution soon feels the icy grip of the Vulcan nerve pinch.

Eyebrows and Pit Stops: Finale

2009-05-08T11:35:00.003-05:00

Amazing Race: Live Finale

Dueling Idiots: Week 5

2009-05-07T07:53:00.001-05:00

On MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2 it is often tough to find contestants you actually want to cheer for. In the first 5 weeks of this challenge I’ve been blessed with two worthy folks in Ruthie (RW: Hawaii) and Isaac (RW: Sydney). Damn you all to hell MTV they are now both gone and I’m left with a show full of backstabbing jackasses.

Foreshadowing can be a bitch and purposeful foreshadowing even more so. As the group celebrated Brad (RW: San Diego) and Eric’s (Fresh Meat) birthdays, Isaac passed out and was violated. Superboy-Prime Landon (RW: Philly) swooped in and cut Isaac’s big toenail that he had been growing for weeks. When Isaac discovered this he vowed vengeance and I just knew my man crush was heading home. Thankfully Isaac went out with a verbal bang. His choice to make this all about the toenail was inspired. Clearly he knew he’d never make it to the final given the clique of folks in charge of the game so he figured he’d go out Isaac-style and take on Landon in The Duel. It was close for a bit but being that Isaac does not have super strength and can’t fly, Landon eventually prevailed. While I’ll miss him I’m glad Isaac went out on his terms.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said for his partner Ruthie. Predictably she was thrown into The Duel after refusing to play the kiss ass game and for just being an intimidating competitor to the other girls. Ruthie smartly chose racist, twig, and rookie Kimberly (RW: Hollywood) but then forgot to bring her brains to the event. Kimberly outsmarted Ruthie, first time for everything, and soundly beat her. One wonders if her heart just wasn’t in it after seeing Isaac lose, but either way it was a damn sad thing to see.

Other quick observations on this week:

• I would bet there’s some footage on the editing floor where Kim tries to figure out, “what Ruthie is” ethnicity wise.

• Kudos to Brad (RW: San Diego) and Tori (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) for recognizing how ridiculous the game is and also their argument about following “the list” or not. While I gave them crap for forming a relationship founded on a challenge show, I was really impressed last night.

• If I have to cheer for someone, I guess I’m pulling for old man Mark (RR: Season 1). While he may old enough to be some of these kids father, I’m really enjoying him kicking ass old school style.

• Evan (Fresh Meat) is still an ass but watching him drop Diem (Fresh Meat) after she jibber-jabbered during the challenge was by far the best moment of the ep.

My Legally Blonde Experience

2009-05-04T18:27:00.006-05:00

My exposure to the original production of Legally Blonde the Musical was limited to the telecast of two years ago and the original cast soundtrack. While I never saw the show on Broadway I wore out my original TiVo and my iPod watching and listening. Heck I even watched MTV's reality show Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods. With all that said, I really couched my expectations as I entered St. Paul’s Ordway theater this past Saturday to see the touring show. Thankfully my expectations were shattered beyond all hopes as me and a theater full of…well…view my partner’s assessment of the crowd below…cheered and jumped out of our seats.

My biggest fear was that the traveling cast would not live up to the high standard set by the original Broadway cast. This may be heresy but Becky Gulsvig actually made me forget about Laura Bell Bundy after the show. Her humor and strength shined through her voice at all times. You never saw her fade completely away even when others were performing. Natalie Joy Johnson who originated the role of Enid on Broadway also had a tall task in playing the Paulette role originated by Ofreh. Again, like Gulsvig, Johnson put a spin on the original performance and yet made it her own. Elle’s Greek chorus also matched the vocal energy of their predecessors. Perhaps the only role that was lacking was that of Jeff McLean as Warner. I found his performance to be out of sync with the rest of the cast. Of course there were many other folks in the cast including Lauren Ashley Zarkin from the MTV show, who along with Gulsvig is a Minnesota native. Perhaps my viewership of the MTV show clouded my perspective but I thought Zarkin mugged far more then any of the ensemble players. Maybe it was being in the home state and maybe I’m harping but it was distracting at times.

The staging of the show did suffer from being packed up for the road. It was far more minimalist but the main elements were still there including the pillars that frame the stage and the action. I also appreciated that while some of the moments were scaled back the intent was still there including Elle’s big first act closing number So Much Better. The orchestra filled the theater with every note of Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s old school musical arrangements. Sitting six rows away we were swept up in the music, even my kid to be was dancing in his mama’s stomach. That and the standing O at the end were clear testaments that the touring version of the best musical of the new century is a rousing success.

Eyebrows and Pit Stops: Week 11

2009-05-04T17:54:00.000-05:00

Sorry to be so late with this week’s installment but truth be told I’ve had more real life drama than this episode of The Amazing Race could provide. In fact, even if I’d spent the last 48 hours sitting in a sensory deprivation tank, my life would have had more drama. In short, this week was just a copy of last week’s episode. Margie and Luke continued to be bitchy, but this time were bitchy with each other. The self-titled ex-cheerleaders yelled at cabbies and bemoaned the lack of English as a world language. Victor and Tammy stayed above the fray except for a U-Turn of Kisha and Jen who once again found a unique way to fuck things up. While I know many will blame Victor and Tammy’s U-Turn as the reason Kisha and Jen were eliminated, the truth is that these were about the two least competitive “athletes” I’ve ever seen. Last week it was the water phobia, and this week they folded under the pressure of juggernauts Cara and Jamie at the roadblock. Then they succumbed to a weak bladder and the fear of wet pants as they felt their dignity was worth more then one million dollars. The whole episode felt like a replay of the Mike and Mark ep a few weeks ago where the outcome was almost entirely without suspense. Next week is the finale and while I’ve loved this season, I’m ready for the end.

Top Ten Most Anticipated Summer Movies: 2 and 1

2009-05-02T13:48:00.000-05:00

2. Bruno (July 10)
I’m not going to post the NSFW trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen’s follow up to Borat but trust me when I say this looks to be worthy of similar accolades. This time Cohen’s uses his German fashion designer alter ego to wreck havoc across the US and to turn the ugly mirror on ourselves. Word is that this is much more offensive, equally funny, and also equally depressing when you witness some of the behavior of our fellow citizens. Of course this time around it was also more difficult for Cohen and director Larry Charles to find truly unsuspecting folk so word is that the two had to rely on more staged situations. It will be interesting to see how that affects the truthiness of the film.

1. Star Trek (May 8)
JJ Abrams has been on a hot streak for damn near a decade. Each step he has taken in his career has been an improvement on the latter. Because of this, I constantly expect him to fail or disappoint in a spectacular fashion and relaunching the Star Trek franchise seemed to be the best opportunity yet. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t wanted to see JJ fail, it’s just that after folks like Spielberg, Lucas, and Miller, the geek in me expects to face disappointment eventually. Thankfully it sounds like I’ll have to wait for Cloverfield 2 because early reports say that JJ has hit another home run with Star Trek. The tricky balance of respecting the original while creating something new seems to have been attained and fanboys are rejoicing. I was never a fan of the original series but did enjoy Star Trek movies 2, 4 and 6 with the original cast. Plus as a fan of The Next Generation I’m curious to see how JJ addresses stripping away the entire continuity of the future Trek universe. The marketing has been spot on, the buzz amazing, and now I’m just ready to see it already!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Summer Movies: 4 and 3

2009-05-01T13:14:00.000-05:00

4. Inglorious Basterds (August 21)
It’s hard to believe that Quentin Tarantino’s World War II opus is finally almost here. Those of us geeks who follow the Hollywood scene have heard about his plans for this film about a squad of Allied Jewish Nazi hunters for years. Supposedly it has been his dream project and his finest script, both of which are saying something considering the wonderful indulgence that is Kill Bill and the stunning originality of Pulp Fiction. Brad Pitt leads a rather unique group of actors including The Offices’ BJ Novak and Hostel director Eli Roth. Tarantino is one of the few directors who I will still blindly plop down $8 bucks for so I’m super excited for this one.

3. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (July 15)
Speaking of movies that take forever to get to the screen, this July brings us the third to last Harry Potter flick. While it is based on the second to last book the final opus has been split into two films thus extending our love affair with Hogwarts. I’m curious to see how the creative team handles this tale that features so many flashbacks to the rise of Voldemort. I’m guessing there will be copious amounts of edits but as long as they’re able to tell the spirit of the tale as they did in Order of the Phoenix then I predict this film will continue the trend of each Potter movie improving on the last.

Dueling Idiots: Week 4

2009-04-30T11:17:00.001-05:00

This week, the contestants on MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2 took their level of social dysfunction to a new level both in the game and in the boudoir.

First of all there was the level of denial about their own motivations. Fresh off his come from behind win from last week Evan (Fresh Meat) continued to be stunned as to why he was targeted. Certainly it had nothing to do with his bragging and posturing? Best line of the night came later in the show when Evan admitted that maybe his problem is that he doesn’t understand anything. So true Evan, so true. Meanwhile the self proclaimed good guy Nehemiah (RW: Austin) continued the efforts of his dismissed dragon slaying buddy Davis (RW: Denver) by targeting some of the vets at the popular table with the oh so powerful motivational message of the day. Really Nehemiah, that’s your secret weapon? Let’s forget for a moment that you threw your alliance buddy Davis under the bus last week and just call you for flagrant douche-baggery on this one. If you want to get under these guys skin you’ve got to call them out in a drunken rage or beat the crap out of them in a drunken rage. Motivational sayings are just lame on the confrontation scale. Then again you could also call them out in The Duel but more on that later.

The other level of dysfunction this week came on the personal level as Jen (RW: Denver) and Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl) rekindled their friendship…with benefits. Half the episode was spent with the two facing off about their past relationship on The Island and their subsequent break up. Truthfully I’m not sure if you can call a relationship forged in the bacteria playground that is a Challenge a relationship but whatever works. Anyway, after spraining her shoulder Jen comes to realize the only way to heal her body is to heal the wounds with Rachel who apparently has also flipped 180 degrees and is ready for some mutual deep tissue massage. Does anyone stick to their positions anymore?

The challenge this week was certainly the least confrontational so not too many emotions spilled out except a lot of laughing due to the enormous literal heads these egomaniacs with figurative large heads had to wear. Nice touch producers! Landon (RW: Philly) and Brittney (RW: Hollywood) took first yet again and continued their relatively stress free picking order. Predictably Nehemiah was left last and the guy manned up and went after Evan who continued to be confused. Jen was left last on the girls side partly due to her shoulder and due to the fact that she’s on the outs with the in crowd (at least prior to the deep muscle massage). Unfortunately Jen wussed out and picked one of my favs Katie (RR: The Quest) instead of targeting one of the in-crowd. Jen was quick to say to Katie that she picked her because they’d have “fun” in The Duel but clearly it was a size advantage that Jen quickly used to send Katie home. Katie though had one final moment in the sun though as she just left without saying goodbye. That’s my girl! On the guys side Nehemiah followed the Davis formula and shot out to a quick lead on Evan only to choke it away in the final moments. Evan celebrated by trashing Nehemiah’s stuff and shouting out declarations about his abilities. Geez Evan, why does everyone target you?

Top Ten Most Anticipated Summer Movies: 6 and 5

2009-04-29T06:53:00.000-05:00

6. Public Enemies (July 1)
This doesn’t really feel like typical summer fare. In fact I’d say with a pedigree of director Michael Mann, Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, this sounds like an Oscar season release. Still the idea of Mann doing what he does best, the crime film, with two of the finest working actors screams must-see no matter what the season. Much like Mann’s classic Heat, the two leads don’t share much screen time but rather tell parallel versions of the same tale of master heist man John Dillinger and the FBI’s hunt to get America’s most wanted. As an added bonus to my interest the film was shot around the Midwest including nearby Columbus Wisconsin.

5. Up (June 29)
I’m a Pixar whore. I love pretty much anything they’ve put on screen with the exceptions of Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc. So imagine my worry last year when I learned that Wall-E was helmed by the Nemo director. Of course that faded after seeing the best picture of 2008. Now I have equal fears about Up as it is helmed by the Monsters Inc. director. Here’s hoping the tale of a grumpy old man who flies his house on a final safari adventure defies expectations like every other Pixar flick. One thing’s for certain I’m sure the bar will be raised visually once again especially in light of the 3D aspect.

Top Ten Most Anticipated Summer Movies: 8 and 7

2009-04-28T07:02:00.001-05:00

8. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24)
Not sure how this managed to make my top 10. I mean we all know this is going to be a train wreck featuring over the top acting, special effects that are so kinetic you can’t even see the action, enough editing cuts to make 10 Kevin Smith films, and a plot so full of holes you’ll be longing for The Phantom Menace. Yet I’m strangely intrigued. The first Transformers was Michael Bay on 8 as the director threw almost everything in his tired bag at the audience and it actually kind of worked. While I only saw the film once I have to admit it wasn’t terrible. Sure I laughed at many of the inadequacies but I was also pretty damn well entertained. I expect Bay to unleash a whole new batch of crazy and excess on this film so I’m hoping that the level of entertainment will rise although I’m not sure if I can draw that corollary.

7. Land of the Lost (June 5)
There is no reason this movie should have been made. The classic 70’s Saturday morning show about a family who falls down a waterfall into a pseudo-prehistoric word was kitsch at its finest. Who didn’t love the slow as molasses yet somehow scary Sleestaks or the idiotic yet lovable hairy ape boy Chaka? This new big screen version has updated some of the details of the journey but has kept many of the set pieces the same which is encouraging. Plus the cast of Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Pushing Daisies ingénue Anna Friel also peaks my interest. While I don’t understand why the pic got made it speaks to my childhood in the same way Transformers does.

Eyebrows and Pitstops: Week 10

2009-04-27T07:48:00.001-05:00

I should change the name of this column to “People I Don’t Want to See Win The Amazing Race.” One week after settling on cheering for Jen and Kisha, the sisters went negative this week and have left me with 3 out of 4 teams of ugly Americans. We had our first severe weather warnings of the spring so the overzealous weather folks cut into about half of the episode so bear with me if I omit a few details.

Clearly the whole Luke/Margie and Jen/Kisha beef was not squashed during the rest at the Pit Stop. Both teams made it very clear they’d be happy to see the other team go home. Margie and Luke continued to suffer from a case of bitchassness as they whined the whole episode. Meanwhile Jen and Kisha seemed to take the high road but then took a detour into stereotype village as they derided the Chinese citizens they encountered. They pulled out the old, “why can’t they just say I no speakee the English” and the ever-loving “they all look the same.” Really girls? Just when I started pulling for you.

The Road Block in Beijing was certainly fun to watch as all these teams were brought to tears. It was particularly fulfilling to watch so-called cheerleader Cara get her feet pummeled by the Chinese masseuse. Meanwhile Tammy and Victor realized what we viewers realized last week that just because you speak the language doesn’t mean your cab driver will know where he’s going. It certainly looked like a tight race as all the teams left that massage parlor about the same time.

The Detour on this leg proved to be the most difficult set of options yet. Victor and Tammy inexplicably stuck with the synchronized diving option which seemed damn near impossible especially with the stingy judges. Jamie and Cara and Margie and Luke wisely chose the swimming option which while tiring seemed the simplest. Those two were unfortunately out the door quickly while Jen and Kisha were paralyzed by Jen’s fear of swimming. My partner who served as a lifeguard said Jen was the kind of person she’d jump into assist and watching Jen bury her head in the water and struggle I can see why. Once Victor and Tammy came to their senses and switched to the swimming it was clear Jen and Kisha were going home.

Of course this all seemed rather anti-climactic. All episode long the fact that next week would be the finale seemed oddly timed to me. After all May sweeps don’t begin until next Sunday and you’d think CBS would want at least two weeks of the Race. As Victor and Tammy struggled with his cramp (best line of the night “Can you do that in the taxi?) there was still no tension or hope that Kisha and Jen would catch up. Of course we then got to Phil’s smiling face and raised eyebrow telling us that this leg wasn’t finished yet. So now we’ve got another week of all four teams trying to out ugly each other and I’m left pulling for Victor and Tammy a team I originally couldn’t stand. All signs of a pretty damn good season.

Top 10 Most Anticipated Summer Movies: 10&9

2009-04-26T12:42:00.001-05:00

Welcome all to my annual summer movie preview. While most previews focus on what will make the most money or what the mindless masses will flock too (seriously America, Hancock…WTF?), my focus centers on what gets me juiced enough to forego the sun and run inside to an air conditioned theater. With the expected birth of my offspring this summer I’m not sure what I’ll get to see so I had to put a lot of thought into this one.

10. Year One (June 19)
Like most of you I came down with a severe Jack Black hangover last year. Nacho Libre all but made me swear off the court jester. Then came Tropic Thunder where I was reminded of just how funny this man can be when paired with equally talented folks. Year One has me excited as Black is teamed with Michael Cera and directed by comedy god Harold Ramis. The Super Bowl preview was kinda ho hum but the new one looks better and the pedigree is all there on this one.

9. The Brothers Bloom (May 15)
Director Rian Johnson blew me away with his debut flick Brick back in 2005. Now comes his second picture with a bigger budget and cast. Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody star as two con men brothers and Rachel Weiss joins in on the fun. A definite departure in tone for Johnson but not in style. The trailer below shows that his artistry behind the camera continues to grow and this time we get plenty of laughs too.

Dueling Idiots: Week 3

2009-04-23T12:18:00.001-05:00

Well after two strong weeks of competition and drama The Real World/Road Rules Challenge –The Duel 2 took a step back this week. Sure there was still plenty of bitching, whining and boozing, but not at the levels we’d seen previously.

The big theme of this episode was the continued fallout from Paula’s (RW: Key West) misstep in the Duel process last week. Evan (Fresh Meat) spent most of the episode trying to repair the “horrible” damage that was caused by his “partner”. All this did was put Evan at risk as the rest of the guys saw him overcompensating and overestimating his value to his alliance. Nehemiah (RW: Austin) and Davis (RW: Denver) create a nice bond early in the episode over the need to break Evan’s hold on the game. Unfortunately this bond was broken hours later, but more on that to come.

This week’s challenge seemed more subdued then the previous two weeks. Basically the game consisted of shaking your competitors off a rope bridge over mud. Nehemiah came close to winning it all but All American Boy Landon (RW: Philly) pulled off the victory. On the girls side, this was all about Ruthie (RW: Hawaii) as she shook, hung, and crawled her way all over the ropes. The deliberation process of Landon and Ruthie was quick and largely without drama which makes me think these two should be in charge all the time.

When it came to the order of choosing though the game took a turn. Evan turned on Paula causing a number of shocked faces. Meanwhile, Nehemiah sent his new buddy Davis into The Duel rather than Dunbar (RW: Sydney) and screwed up their new found alliance. Davis inexplicably and thankfully did not send rookie and Al Jolson fan Isaac (RW: Sydney) and instead stayed true to Nehemiah by going after Evan. The Duel itself was a letdown. Brooke (RW: Denver) sent her crazy ass self home by not putting any effort up against the poster child for “who are you again” Brittney (RW: Hollywood). Davis continued to underwhelm in these challenges by blowing a huge lead to Evan and walking out in shame. I couldn’t help but think that everyone was pulling for Evan to leave which was further evidenced by the fact that Evan spent the rest of the night holed up by himself. Oh what a tangled web we weave…

Eyebrows and Pitstops: Week 9

2009-04-20T08:51:00.000-05:00

One reason I’ve always liked The Amazing Race is that it’s one of the few reality completion shows that doesn’t play on the worst parts of the human condition. While I certainly don’t have a problem with those that do (witness my Thursday blog on The Duel), I’ve appreciated that the Race keeps it clean. However, I’d be lying if I hadn’t spent the last week salivating at the advertised throw down between sisters Jen and Kisha and mom/son team Margie and Luke.

The great marketing minds at CBS certainly played up the confrontation from the get go and it’s a damn good thing because otherwise this could have been the most forgettable episode of Amazing Race since the family edition. Mark and Michael started so far behind the rest of the teams that you knew before the show started that they’d be eliminated. Kudos should go to the guys for not walking through this leg in a morose fog and instead enjoying their journey to the fullest. So with their departure a preconceived notion, the only real drama was the slotting of the other teams and of course the much hyped altercation.

As we wind down on the season this certainly appears to be one of the most competitive final four we’ve had in a while. The self proclaimed ex-cheerleaders continue to be my most hated team and if not for the four hour deficit of Mark and Michael were clearly in the most danger this week. This week we were presented with further proof that Jaime and Cara are not really ex-cheerleaders as they couldn’t dance their way out of a detour. Meanwhile Victor and Tammy excelled with their use of the native language but found that it didn’t give them as big of a time advantage as they thought it would. In the end they finished in a pack with Kisha and Jen and Margie and Luke.

So that finally brings us to the two fighting teams. After reviewing the incidents over and over again thanks to the multiple replays in the episode it does appear that Luke is a bitch. In incident number one Jen and Luke did arrive at about the same time to the clue box and Luke damn near elbowed her in the face. On the second incident Luke was clearly the aggressor as he nearly shoved Jen to the ground. Now I’m willing to give the kid the benefit of the doubt on the first incident but on the second he clearly was up for some physical shoving. Luke’s bitchness though was nothing compared to the bitchassery his mother displayed at the pit stop. When she pulled out the old “you’re black you should know how oppression feels” card on Jen and Kisha I thought things were going to get a lot worse but thankfully the sisters stood back and smiled. Speaking of smiling I also get Kisha’s reaction to Luke’s attack. I often will smile or laugh at someone when they’re attacking me as a way to diffuse the situation. Sometimes it works and sometimes it unleashes attack mothers or in my case gets me choked.

In the end the fight was a lot of posturing and preaching and a fun distraction to an otherwise boring episode. Stay classy Amazing Race.

Dueling Idiots: Week 2

2009-04-16T08:21:00.001-05:00

One of the great joys in finding my life partner has been corrupting them with all the TV I consume. Never has this feeling been greater than last night as I watched them struggle to understand the behavior of the contestants on MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel II. I tried to explain that logic does not fuel these people but rather a steady diet of Corona, muscle relaxants, and a desperate desire for pseudo fame, but that did not ease their frustration. Once again though I’m getting ahead of myself as the episode started out simply enough with a massive Duel beat down.

When last we left, Aneesa (RW: Chicago) had been called out by rookie Shauvon (RW: Sydney) in the first ladies Duel. Apparently Shauvon’s blood only runs to her massive bosom and not to her brain as Aneesa is one of the strongest competitors and she loves to kill bitches dead. Well Shauvon probably realized her mistake as Aneesa hammered her face with a metal hook over and over again. Greatest Real World cast member ever, and apparent Ted Danson fan, Isaac (RW:Sydney) called it a chick fight but I think in fairness only Shauvon was fighting like a “chick”, as Aneesa was a goddamn warrior. On a side note I know they don’t but these shows on DVD, but if MTV could get Isaac to record commentary for every episode, I’d plop down $50 in a heartbeat. Anyway Shauvon was sent packing and got no love from cast mates thanks to the fact that she got much love from CT (RW: Paris) on the roof last week. See you Shauvon, please come back to another Challenge soon as you certainly helped create some of the most entertaining Challenge moments in years.

This week’s main challenge was a little less physical than last week’s rugby ep. Girl/guy teams playing human curling was a nice idea though and it seemed to give everyone a chance to win. AARP member Mark (RR: 1) took the top spot with Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl) in a very competitive overtime period against Landon (RW: Philly) and Brittini (RW: Hollywood). Nice to see Landon help a rookie out even though they did not win. Their performance pretty much guaranteed that Brittini would not be sent to the Duel. I assumed then that her fellow Hollywood cast member and ignorant racist Kimberly would then go in to the Duel and I was proven right all be it in a convoluted way.

You see, it’s only two weeks into this season and the idiots have already made this game far too complicated. Puppet masters Evan (Fresh Meat) and Paula (RW: Key West) stirred everyone up into thinking how exactly the process had to go to ensure the right people remain to go into the Duel. It seems simple but after a good 15 minutes of air time, which translates to about 8 hours real time, the contestants were awash in their stupidity and this is where my partner was literally yelling at the TV. Paula made a false step which ended up with MJ (RW: Philly) in the Duel as opposed to rookie Isaac and veteran Robin (RW: San Diego) instead of Kimberly. Robin corrected this mistake by choosing to take on Kimberly while MJ picked the weakest kid in the sandbox Ryan (Fresh Meat) who went into his second Duel in a row. MJ made short work of Ryan but Kimberly got a challenge that clearly favored her over the top heavy Robin and sent the paranoid vet packing. While I’m sad to see the psycho go, I’m pleased we get more Kim who will certainly say some obnoxious things and eventually get her ass beat by Aneesa or another vet in a more physical challenge. Meanwhile the ridiculous alliances continued to fall apart and Paula seems to be on the outside looking in. All in all another strong week.

First Impressions: College Life

2009-04-14T07:39:00.001-05:00

MTV has premiered its latest reality opus, College Life, and unless you can identify the difference between a Witte dorm room and a Sellery dorm room the show looks to be a complete waste of time, even by MTV standards. As University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni, the show offers me and my partner a great look down memory lane as the show follows four freshmen struggling through their first year at UW. In my living room last night most of the comments on the show were along the lines of: “I forgot how many people you could fit into a dorm room”, “I think my friend lived in that apartment”, and “I puked next to that house.”

However, if you’re not one who bleeds cardinal and white, then I must recommend you pass on this show. The four freshmen film themselves so the show does lack the scripted gloss of The Hills. Unfortunately these four could use some gloss and glamour as they’re just plain boring. Jordan, a Jamicanadian, comes from an Illinois suburb and doesn’t go for the crowd mentality of college. Alex is the smart girl from Texas who struggles with men issues. Andrea is the good girl who doesn’t drink and won’t give it up and Kevin is the party animal already hosting keggers in his room. They’re all just so cookie cutter that it almost seems fake and while the self shot approach is a nice idea, the first episode featured far too much action off screen with the cast member either shutting off their cameras or being asked too. If you follow Bucky then I recommend you keep watching if only to play the “name that place game”, but I might also recommend muting the TV so you’re not bothered by the so called drama.

Eyebrows and Pitstops: Week 8

2009-04-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

It’s been two weeks since we’ve had an episode of The Amazing Race, yet my pain over the loss of Mike and Mel still stings. The show just seems darker without the father and son pair on it. Last night we got a little uglier thanks to the former “cheerleaders” (is anyone else expecting these two to pop up in Hustler post race?), and a lot stupider thanks to Michael and Mark and their inability to follow instructions. In the end I was just left screaming “why Phil why” at my TV.

Staying in Thailand for a second week was perhaps a sign of the economy as the producers wanted to milk the most out of one country. This season continues to be an improvement over the last if only for the continued lack of airport scenes. It was clear all the teams would be travelling to Bangkok together so I appreciated that the producers did not attempt to create any false tension. Once they arrived I thought the Road Block was relatively easy but boy was I wrong. While the task itself was finished quickly the instructions threw nearly all the teams for a loop, and two teams left all their bags behind as they moved on. From this point on you knew it was a two team race to the bottom. Jen and Kisha made the bonehead move of finishing the leg and then doubling back to collect their gear. How they thought Phil would check them in without passports is beyond me. Of course when you’re racing against Mark and Michael you can always have hope. While the brothers stuntmen went back for the bags right away, they mismanaged their money to the point where they had to barter gear for rides. By the time they arrived to the mat, they had amassed two 2-hour penalties for obtaining rides by trading their personal belongings. Jen and Kisha soon arrived a second time and were safe for another week. Then came the news I knew was coming all episode long, this was not an elimination leg. Mark and Michael are safe and while they have the deepest hole of the season, I wouldn’t count them completely out. In that moment though I just thought of Mel and Mike and wished they could have held on for one more week.

Next week it looks like we’ve got Duel II type drama as there is a bitchfest between dainty Luke (just put your hands in their god damn mouths) and Jen.

First Impressions: Parks and Recreation

2009-04-10T17:08:00.001-05:00

When I heard the folks behind the US version of The Office had recruited Amy Pohler for their non-spin-off I was ecstatic. As much as I loved the lady on SNL, it was time for her to take the next step in her career and follow the Jane Curtains and Tina Feys of the world. The addition of Human Giant vet and short lived Scrubs standout, Aziz Ansari, and Rashida Jones, from the Stamford branch of Dunder Mifflin, got me even giddier. Sadly my excitement was not reciprocated by the folks behind their new show, Parks and Recreation. The first episode seemed like TV on dope, as every thing moved so slow. I was waiting for one of the characters to tell me how amazing the human hand is. It was one of the most tedious half hours of my recent TV life, but it’s not all bad news. The talent is still all there. Jones in particular shone brightly. Pohler seems desperate not to be a Michael Scott copy and just needs to try a little less. Ansari needs his character to flushed out a little more and you know what, I think that will happen. Remember folks this is just a pilot and while the first episode was borderline horrible I think we can all remember how uncomfortable the first meeting between Liz and Jack was on 30 Rock or more recently, the jaw droppingly slow start of the now kickass Dollhouse. So keep hope alive and let’s see if Leslie Knope follows Larry B’s advice sinks that shot.

Dueling Idiots: Week 1

2009-04-09T09:32:00.000-05:00

Daring to flaunt the very ideals of reason and logic I am embarking on a journey over the next several weeks to cover the drunken, backstabbing ways of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge-The Duel 2. Some might call me crazy for attempting to write a weekly column on a show that dares us to turn it off, yet I call myself lazy, for The Duel II offers me something on a weekly basis that other shows don’t…fresh material full of jackassery. Yes last night’s premiere certainly rewarded us all with plenty of booze induced drama, and to think, that was just the start.

After experimenting with last year’s Island format, the producers have returned to standard challenge operating procedure. Set in beautiful New Zealand the cast members are nestled in a sweet house that could very well be down the street from Bag’s End. Multiple sex rooms are included throughout the house including the requisite hot tub which Davis (RW: Denver) and Ryan (Fresh Meat) waste no time in breaking in along with super crazy herself, Brooke (RW: Denver). Of course who needs a tub or a room when you have a roof? Violently dashing drunkard CT (RW: Paris) and the breasts of Shauvon (RW: Sydney) escaped to the roof for a little nasty that of course led to much drama.

For as many years as this show has been around, you’d think that the cast members would learn not to take these hook ups too seriously. With the exception of Sean (RW: Boston) and Rachel (RW: San Fran) these don’t usually end up with long term success. Here we had CT spreading his wings and Shauvon’s legs while the supposed love of his life, Diem (Fresh Meat) stayed under the same sex having roof. Of course Diem was terribly hurt by this after learning the truth from Hall of Famer Katie (RR: The Quest) and Adam (RW: Paris). Then Adam was terribly hurt by CT’s fists. Once again our favorite bad boy went home before the first challenge thanks to his drunken temper and this time he took Adam down with him.

If you thought that would be the end of the drama then you best check yourself as there are plenty of good storylines this season. Apparently not learning from CT and Diem, Brad (RW: San Diego) and Tori (RR: Viewers Revenge) have shown up engaged. The oldest man alive, Mark from the very first Road Rules, has come out of retirement desperate for cash and attention. Issac (RW: Sydney) perhaps the greatest cast member ever is in the house to spit truth. Throw in the rest of the crazies and the fact that it’s every person for themselves and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Oh yeah, and the challenges themselves look pretty sweet. Rugby in week one followed by a duel featuring a challenge where you have to hang someone from a hook. Consider me hooked too.

The Hills Are Alive and Going Strong

2009-04-07T07:40:00.000-05:00

I’ve used the whole Sound of Music gimmick multiple times over the years in describing MTV’s The Hills. However as I write this today, I realize this might be one of the final times I get to beat this dead, dead horse. With star Lauren “LC” Conrad announcing she’s leaving the show and vacant eyed costar Audrina Patridge leaving for her own show, The Hills as we know it began its final season last night. Despite the excess in which the show has been covered and promoted over the years, I actually found myself a bit sad last night. Perhaps it was the fact that the season premiere had more drama in one hour than the entire last season. LC and best frenemy Heidi Montag came together again to hash out why they can’t be friends. Their teary eyed conversation was acted so well, my partner actually said she felt emotions for the two blondes. Meanwhile, the son of Satan, Spencer Pratt hit on waitresses and beat the crap out of one of the red shirt ex-boyfriends of his she devil sister Stephanie. Heidi and Spencer then embarked on their annual spat where one leaves and the other will eventually have to follow. It is a sad that they couldn’t come up with a different locale. We’ve already seen the Colorado version of this story and the Vegas one. Throw in little moments like crazy ass Stephanie Pratt having a moment of clarity long enough to dress down Spencer and plenty of Lo action and you’ve got a winning premiere. The biggest drama though had to be the disappearance of Spencer’s flesh colored beard. Thank god the previews seem to hint at its return. Eleven more episodes and then The Hills as we know it will fade away. Enjoy it folks and remember that even if it’s been scripted, sometimes poorly, The Hills has been an event that defines our self loathing love affair with pop culture. You hate to love it, but you also love to hate it.

Quick Restaurant Review: Flattop Grill

2009-04-04T11:35:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I expressed my displeasure with DIY dinning at Hu Hot Mongolian BBQ. Well call me a hypocrite because I must admit I had a very enjoyable time at the similarly constructed Flattop Grill. Once again, the idea remains the same as diners construct bowls of ingredients (veggies, noodles, meats, sauces) that the grill operators cook for you. The big difference between the two is quality. The veggies, meats, and sauces at Flattop are all vastly superior to Hu Hot. The biggest difference lies in the fact that everything is fresh, not frozen. In addition, the selection of veggies is about quality versus quantity. The sauces are not one-note exercises but rather have layers of flavor. I also appreciated the add-ons such as fry bread, egg, and shrimp skewers. The chefs themselves also seem to take more care. While Hu Hot is certainly a faster proposition, I appreciate the time the chefs take at Flattop as the food comes out cooked much more evenly. Displaying the nutrition information on the wall for all the sauces is also a nice touch for those of us watching our diets. I would even go so far as to say the atmosphere is much more enjoyable. While I was there for a Sunday lunch the place was still crowded yet the open airy space felt less like the cattle call that was Hu Hot. Don’t get me wrong I’d still rather have someone else prepare my food for me when dining out but if you’re looking for a DIY experience choose the quality over the quantity and try Flattop.

Flattop Grill, 538 N. Midvale Blvd. Madison, WI 608-236-0500

Madsion Restaurant Review: Samba

2009-04-01T10:57:00.002-05:00

Meat on swords? That’s the common refrain heard when discussing Samba Brazilian Grill. While surely I’d be remiss in not covering the style of service, there is so much more to one of Madison’s newest and brightest restaurants. When Samba opened last year to much fanfare, I must admit I was a bit reticent about dining there. After all I’m not usually one for a “dining experience”, I want good food, skillfully cooked. Thankfully in the case of Samba one is not mutually exclusive of the other.

This was my first time to a South American steak house so there was a bit of a learning curve. After we were seated our server came over and gave us the 411. We were invited to start at the first course station at any time where we could indulge in a number of salads, veggies, and spreads. Thankfully she advised us to choose carefully so we did not fill up. She further instructed us to turn over our meat pillar from red to green once we were ready for the meat course. The meat course is compiled of a number of servers, or gauchos, coming to your table with skewers or swords full of different types of meat. As long as your pillar is green, the gauchos keep coming. I’m not a big fan of theatrical dining and thankfully the delivery of the meats is not quite as dramatic as it sounds. The gauchos do have cute hats though.

Delivery methods aside, the real question is how is the food? Quick answer, quality and variety best sum it up. The first course station has a couple of forgettable green salads but it excels when you probe some of the deeper choices. The potato salad was one of the best I’ve had and the sweet potato dish was equally appealing. The Spanish cheeses were also appreciated as was the roasted garlic spread that went nicely with cheese puffed rolls on our table. I also found the roasted vegetables in crème fraiche to be a solid choice. All the cold choices rotate on a regular basis but I’m certainly encouraged that there would always be some choices of a high quality. In addition to the cold dishes there are also two sides for your meat. The first was garlic whipped mashed potatoes which were probably the most disappointing item I sampled all night. I could not detect the garlic and the potatoes were a bit lumpy for my taste. The other choice was their black beans and these were a home run. The beans were firm and full of flavor including a subtle kick at the end.

However, as good as many of the sides were, the variety and quality pale in comparison to the main courses. I must admit I was hesitant when the first gaucho strode up with his leg of lamb. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to fill up on something until I knew all the choices (usually there are around eight). In retrospect, I should have jumped on it right away. The servers do a wonderful job in portioning out small amounts of the meat so that you could go through all the choices multiple times. I was a big fan of the duck beast which was rich and tender like the finest beef. The top sirloin was heavy on the garlic and charred to perfection. I was lucky enough to get an end sliced off which was simply grilled meat at its best. The beef tenderloin was also done nicely if it a bit simpler. The chimichurri sauce available at the first course station was a nice accompaniment. The flank steak was the lone meat disappointment thanks to a flavorless marinade and the fact that it was overcooked. The jerk pork tenderloin quickly got the meal back on track as did the linguica sausages. The soft pork sausages were my partner’s favorite meat of the night. The only meat we skipped all night was the chicken as frankly it just seemed too boring. Despite the large amounts of protein we consumed, we still found room to sample the flan with berries. One of the better flans I’ve had in Madison, Samba nails the proper texture. Other deserts looked equally inviting but perhaps too heavy to follow the meal we’d just had.

Located in the Women’s Club building off of State Street, Samba creates an impression upon arrival. The rich dark tones of the restaurant are supplemented by touches of vibrant color. The open dining room and bar are not overwhelmed by noise thanks to the high ceilings despite the large space. Situated on one side of the room is the massive first course station and to the other is the constantly fired up grill, both of which are appealing focal points.

Service has to be high at a place like Samba and this crew excels. While our waitress had little to do other than pass on instructions and bring us our drinks, she did both very well as we navigated the dinner service like pros. Little touches like fresh dessert spoons and hanging our napkins on our chairs while we were at the first course station were appreciated. I also thought that it was a nice touch to have one of the grill operators stop over to inquire about which meats we’d like to try more of after our first round. Throw in an excellent host staff and a rare downtown parking lot, and you’ve got a winning experience.

Samba Brazilian Grill, 240 West Gilman Street, Madison, WI 608-257-1111

RIP Andy Hallett

2009-03-31T09:07:00.001-05:00

Read E's story here.

Eyebrows and Pitstops: Week 7

2009-03-30T08:14:00.001-05:00

Last night’s Amazing Race was a heartbreaker to be sure. I just can’t bring myself to recap the entire episode that saw my favorite team go. Watching Mel and Mike struggle upon arrival in Thailand, you felt their journey was ending. While there was a brief moment of hope at the detour as they caught the sisters, this was one of the most foregone elimination conclusions of the year. I had grown quite accustomed to having the father and son team around and they have been a big reason why this season has been so enjoyable. If Mike and Mel were your favorites too, here’s some reasons to cheer for or cheer against the remaining teams.

Mark and Michael
Pros: Their energy is contagious and like Mel and Mike, they seem to enjoying the game as well as the experience.
Cons: Their inability to navigate just about anything is frustrating as all hell. I believe last night was the first time they found a route marker right off the bat. Of course, they also cheated twice, incurred an hour penalty and made some more racially questionable comments.

Margie and Luke
Pros: It has certainly been a joy to see this mother and son team communicate and thrive. Leaving the deafness aside, it has been quite a treat to see a mother and son team do so well in the race. They seem to carry each other at different times such as last night’s rickshaw challenge. Luke’s devious side is also a plus.
Cons: Margie and Luke tend to whine a lot and they rarely seem to appreciate the fun of the game.

Victor and Tammy
Pros: They certainly play the game the best. Victor and Tammy have often picked the best detours (except for the coffin thing) and choose the best team member to compete in roadblocks.
Cons: Victor is an ass! Each week he discovers new ways to insult his sister all while claiming to be an Asian American stereotype.

Kisha and Jen
Pros: Oh come on how can you not appreciate Kisha as she shared money with the homeless kids in the streets of India? In addition, their sibling banter has been highly entertaining and their challenge performance has been equally absorbing.
Cons: Not many. They tend to get frustrated easily but overall this is probably the team I’m pulling for now.

Cara and Jaime
Pros: Cara can sometimes be nice.
Cons: Where do I start? Jaime is a “witch that starts with a B” according to a fellow cast mate. They portray the ugly American traveler to a T. They rely on everyone else to help them on every leg and I think they’re lying about their lives as cheerleaders cause they are neither cheery or leaders.

Handicapping America’s Next Top Tyra

2009-03-26T08:42:00.002-05:00

I am once again sucked into another cycle of America’s Next Top Model and after last night’s ep, I thought it was time to look at the remaining models and their chances for taking this season.

Tahlia: Oh my goodness I’m tired of this girl. One minute she’s proud of her body burns and all, and the next she’s ashamed. One minute she’s ready to quit and the next, she’s brining the best photo of the shoot. Just go home already. I’m sure she’ll last a little longer because Tyra loves to play the fairy godmother who almost gives you your dream but Tahlia has no real chance to win. Odds to win: 30 to 1

Sandra: Oooh I hate this girl. She is completely sour, as Benny Ninja would say. Week after week, she scrapes by on her beauty and the incompetence of others and seems completely unaware of how this is happening. I think this will run out eventually but thanks to Celia’s outburst last week, I’m guessing she’s safe for at least another week. Odds to win: 20 to 1

Allison: My personal favorite is Allison aka Legalos. Her large eyes and elvin ears are more than just an oddity they are down right mesmerizing. Unfortunately, Allison is not growing at all from week to week. Her shyness will be her undoing unless she manages to turn it around but I’ve seen no indications that will happen and it makes me sad. Plus I’m beginning to think she’ll never achieve her dream of getting a bloody nose. Odds to win: 15 to 1

Aminat: I think Aminat might be the most beautiful girl this cycle but she just hasn’t delivered. Last night the judges liked her photo but I still thought she didn’t connect what so ever. That being said it seems every cycle has someone who manages to stick around and then blossoms late. I think Aminat is that contestant this year. Odds to win: 12 to 1

Celia: Until last night when she decided to play hero and throw one girl she dislikes under the bus to save another girl she doesn’t like, Celia was the clear-cut favorite to win. Tyra loves the cross-eyed girls (shout out to cycle 11 winner McKey). Celia also has a presence in person and that carries a lot of weight with the judges. However, the one thing you can’t do is step up to Tyra and dare to take the spotlight off of her. If someone really fucks up next week Celia could slide by and after that, she could move back to the top. Odds to win: 50 to 1 next week but after that 8 to 1

Teyona: Surely Teyona is a favorite in the America’s Next Top Forehead competition but until recently I thought she was a long shot to win. Lately though she’s been improving by leaps and bounds. I think she’s got the longevity to go far into the show but I am concerned about her chances once the commercial work comes up. Odds to win: 8 to 1

London: Losing the headband and toning down the Jesus talk have made London a player in this cycle. I honestly thought she wouldn’t make it past the casting call episode and now she’s one my favorites to win. Her personality should translate well in the screen tests and her walk is improving. Posing seems to be an issue but as long as she improves over time, I think she’s a slam-dunk to be in the finale. Odds to win: 5 to 1

Natalie: The model with most modeling experience has struggled the last two weeks but I still think she’s got a good shot of winning. Like many of this season’s contestants, she lacks any personality in front of the judges. Her pictures though have been some of the best of they cycle and I have a hard time believing she won’t be able to turn it on down the homestretch. Odds to win: 5 to 1

Fo: My partner’s dark horse from day one has been Miss Fo and I’m beginning to agree. She’s got a unique look and a bubbly personality. Her photos are beautiful but sometimes miss the editorial mark. She has recovered nicely from her hair freak out in week 2 and seems to have found a nice rhythm. Odds to win: 5 to 1

As you can see, I’m not ready to pick a favorite but I’m pretty confident that the final three will be Fo, Natalie, and London. Of course, as always, the real winner is Tyra and the real losers are those of us that watch.

My Heart Just Jumped

2009-03-25T18:22:00.001-05:00

This is easily the best movie trailer I've seen in 2009. Perfect combo of music, graphics and footage. Course it doesn't hurt what it's for. Click below and see

Live Blog: RuPaul's Drag Race Finale

2009-03-23T16:08:00.000-05:00

RuPaul's Drag Race Finale

Eyebrows and Pit Stops: Week 6

2009-03-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

Was anyone else saddened by the fact that the contestants on The Amazing Race were let out of Siberia this week? I know the harsh conditions are tough on the crew but come on folks, let’s make these travelers suffer a bit more. Alas, the gang got their route info and off they were to warmer climates, specifically India. While I believe this season has been excellent so far, I have had only one major complaint, I don’t hate any of the teams. The self-proclaimed former cheerleaders may finally have taken that home after last night. Their outrage over animals eating trash seemed so petty and idiotic when there were children standing there doing the same thing. In addition, they won the first ugly American award of the season when they berated their English speaking cab driver both to his face and behind his back. Of course, their ugly American award was quickly taken by Mark and Mike when one of them let out a blood-curdling yelp, which he said, was the call of the Indian working man. Perhaps in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom but not in the real world Mike (or Mark, I have a hard time keeping them straight). By the way, are these two ever going to be able to find anything? They remind me of Joyce and Uchinna who got lost going everywhere and often walked right by clue boxes. On a happier note, kudos to the editing team for putting the fear of god into me that Mel and Mike were on their way home. Once I saw the roadblock, I feared that Mel would struggle but thankfully, his brain overcame the other teams’ brawn as he found the basket used for the feed. It did make for some tense moments though. In the end, the blondes couldn’t overcome their deficit and were sent packing. They certainly made it close though as they were right on Mark and Mike’s heels. Can’t say I’m sorry they’re gone as they were pretty boring for the most part. Next week looks like we’ve got a fainter.

One Last Plea for Dollhouse

2009-03-20T07:19:00.002-05:00

I was so excited about Joss Whedon's new show Dollhouse that I promoted it more than the impending birth of my first child. Sadly, like many of you I was underwhelmed by the show's premiere and subsequent offerings. Surely, it hasn't been the worse thing on TV but it just hasn't clicked. Still I'm willing to give it one more chance. Tonight's episode entitled Man on the Street is penned by Joss. Furthermore, Joss has gone out of his way to say this is the game changer that should grab fans new and old. Early reviews from everyone from AICN's Herc to E!'s Watch with Kristen have supported that statement and then some. Given Mr. Whedon's track record and the fact that both Buffy and Angel took some time to really click I'm pleading with you fine readers to give Dollhouse another chance. I know its airing at 8pm CST tonight against basketball, Friday Night Lights and of course, the series finale of Battlestar, but hey, that's what TiVo is for. If the episode yet again falls short, I promise never to speak of Dollhouse again on this blog.

Tyrapocalypse

2009-03-18T18:11:00.000-05:00

I’m a day late and a dollar short to this party but good god how sad yet amazing was this news of prospective Top Model contestants tearing up New York City.

After reviewing the tape, I’m convinced this is another sign of the Tyrapocalypse. Here are the seven signs as predicted by the Book of Fierce:

7. And the world shall be filled with people overusing the word fierce.

6. A great evil shall emerge named Tyra that mimics the godess O but instead of spreading hope and love she shall spread greed and dispair.

5. There will be multiple sightings of the evil one in a fat suit.

4. The streets will run red with the blood of the followers of Tyra.

3. All things will revolve around Tyra as she commands it to be so.

2. There shall be a gigantic panty party in a television studio.

1. And all shall have pictures of Tyra in their house.

I’m telling you people, number one will happen any day now.

Whit Whit Learns Her Lesson

2009-03-18T17:49:00.001-05:00

Is it possible for a show to go out with a whimper and a bang? That is the question I ponder after Monday’s season finale of The City. The much-ballyhooed Hills spin-off has been a ratings failure as seen by the fact that MTV hardly promoted the last episode. Still despite the lack of business success, the show itself turned in its strongest episode to date as “star” Whitney Port turned in a leading lady performance that rivaled her old Hills boss L.C. Not only did Whitney assert herself in the workplace by standing up to her evil coworker and socialite Olivia, but she also learned from L.C.’s mistakes and choose career over bad boy Jay. It was the first time all year that I really felt emotionally connected to Whitney the lead as opposed to Whitney the supporting character. MTV has already ordered up a second season of The City, which makes sense given the impending departure of The Hills, and after Monday’s finale, I’m willing to give Whit, Olivia, Jay, and even boring old Erin another shot.

Eyebrows and Pit Stops: Week 5

2009-03-16T08:05:00.002-05:00

We join this recap of The Amazing Race already in progress as the season has already started. Thankfully, the fifth episode of The Amazing Race actually served as a great jumping on point for the season. We got to see once again why Victor and Tammy are this season’s villains as they ditched the self proclaimed former cheerleaders and mom/son team Luke and Margie, during a caravan. We also got to see a bit of the fallout from last week’s shocking Blind U Turn played by Luke as any edge he had at being underestimated due to his deafness went out the window. Meanwhile everyone else pretty much stuck to form. The M&M boys (Michael and Mark) got lost again but this time in the theater where they had to check in to the pit stop. The rapidly aging before our eyes stewardesses went from first back to their more comfortable worst position. The athlete sisters bickered back and forth and got lost yet again. Mike and Mel continued to cement their status as fan favorites as they enjoyed every minute of every challenge. I dare anyone not to cheer for those two. I did think this episode lacked any tension right from the outset and sure enough there was a reason for that as this was a non-elimination leg of the race. While I certainly enjoyed seeing the teams struggle in the cold (although 20 degrees is hardly freezing), you could sense that there really was nothing more these teams could do in Siberia to truly separate themselves. Looking ahead to next week, the blondes face a tough challenge in trying to make up ground but with the athlete sisters only a few minutes ahead, they may have a chance.

Poll Results are in!

2009-03-15T19:35:00.002-05:00

By semi-popular demand I will now be covering The Amazing Race on a weekly basis starting tomorrow. As a bonus I will also be covering the Real World/Road Rules Challenge starting April 8th. So strap on your reality hats and settle in for all the tears of joy, pain, and embarrassment.

Quick Review: Kelly Clarkson- All I Ever Wanted

2009-03-15T11:00:00.001-05:00

You could count me as one of the few who really appreciated Kelly Clarkson’s 2007 effort My December. I thought the somber tone really let her vocal range shine and I appreciated the slightly darker tone in her bubble gum pop lyrics. Of course I was in a minority as many thought the album lost the fun, infectious tones of her best work on Breakaway. Clarkson’s latest effort, All I Ever Wanted should please all of her fans and bring in some new ones, as it should be called Best of Both Worlds.

Wanted features a number of tracks that evoke past hits like Since U Been Gone. The first single, My Life Would Suck Without You is currently blazing up the charts but I’ve got to warn you folks, it’s nothing compared to I Do Not Hook Up and Whyyawannabringmedown. These two tracks are already instant staples on my car mix and I imagine my next road trip will be spent singing to these up-tempo tracks. Also of note is The Day We Feel Apart.

Kelly also represents her artistic growth on the album by trying new things as she did on My December. Already Gone and Tip of My Tongue are two distinctly different tracks but they do share something in common in that they sound new coming from Clarkson. The ballad Cry even shows some new range in her amazing voice.

If anything this album is bogged down by excess. At 16 tracks, there are a few clunkers but nothing offensively bad. I’d skip over Save You, If No One Will Listen, and Ready which just sound like weaker efforts of similar tracks on the album.

Quick Comic Review: Battle for the Cowl #1

2009-03-12T08:31:00.000-05:00

With the recent “death” of Batman, Gotham City has descended into a level of madness not seen before. At least that’s what writer/artist Tony Daniel wants you to believe when you read his new limited series designed to choose a temporary Batman until the inevitable return of Bruce Wayne. Problem is, we’ve seen this all before. Gotham has gone in the crapper so many times I’ve lost count and while Daniel’s art is strong and dynamic, its tough to overlook the lazy storytelling that sets up the villainous side of Battle for the Cowl. On the plus side, I was pleased with the characterization of Tim Drake. Daniel really seems to have a handle on Robin III and his narration keeps this issue from failing completely. Also well done is the mystery of where this will all end. While we can all guess who the gun toting Batman will turn out to be, the identity of the temp Batman is really up for grabs. After the well-written scene between Alfred and Nightwing, I’ve got my money on the butler. Given the frenetic pace of this first issue and the fact the series is only three issues long, I’m willing to come back next month just to see if Daniel can keep this up on the artistic side and improve on the writing side. For now though I can only half recommend this.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the DC editorial board deserves a special award for outstanding achievements in poor marketing for their final page blurb about Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s Batman and Robin. The announcement about the new series from the All Star Superman and New X-Men team is enough to make any fan boy soil themselves but it also severely distracts from Battle for the Cowl. Essentially I felt like I’m reading this book for three months until the real show starts. Nice job DC.

What's Next?

2009-03-11T14:43:00.002-05:00

Usually I cover a weekly reality show on the site but since there's no Project Runway or Top Chef on the horizon, I'm at a loss. RuPaul's Drag Race has been criminally neglected on the site and while I wish I could start covering that, its just about wrapped up. Some shows are already in mid-stride but I will put it to you good people of the blogsphere as to what show should I cover next. I will abide by your decision no matter what schlock I end up watching. Poll ends Sunday 3/15. Vote on the poll on the top right of the page.

Minneapolis Restaurant Review: Rinata

2009-03-09T09:03:00.001-05:00

Often times restaurants owned or managed by the same family fall into one of two sibling categories. The first is the identical twin where the two restaurants are near carbon copies of each other (see any of the Edina/Longfellow Grill family). The other is the adopted sibling where the two restaurants couldn’t be any more different such as La Belle Vie and Smalley’s. Neither of these is a bad thing but it just seems to be typical of how owners and managers expand their culinary empires. There is of course a third option where you can see the relationship between the two restaurants but they each stand on their own and local chef Jon Hunt has done this with his new Uptown joint, Rinata.

Rinata has very big shoes to fill, thanks both to its family reputation and to its location. Hunt opened the South Minneapolis gem, Al Vento in 2005. The southern Italian restaurant fit the neighborhood like a glove and drew in folks from all around. It is one of my top 15 in town so I was very excited to hear about Rinata opening in Uptown. Sadly, the opportunity came as Uptown lost long time institution Giorgio’s. Clearly, Rinata was going to have to make people embrace something new while also living up to the high standards of Al Vento. Happily, I can say they succeed on both counts.

The old Giorgio’s space has been given a once over and the result is a cozy environment on one of the main arteries of Minneapolis. A thriving bar sits in the back of the main room while dark wooden tables are scattered about. The lighting is dim and I could certainly see this as an instant date night staple in Uptown. While the dinning room was doing a brisk Friday night business on my visit, nothing about it screamed cramped or crowded.

The menu varies greatly from Al Vento but thankfully the execution in the kitchen at Rinata lives up to the standard of its brethren. The more sophisticated menu focuses on more regions of Italian cooking and really emphasizes Hunt’s fresh pastas, which are the best in town. Our meal started with an appetizer of eggplant involtini. The thinly sliced eggplant was wrapped around goat cheese and topped with pine nuts and a tomato sauce that was rich and surprisingly non-acidic. My companion was quick to note that, thankfully, the kitchen is not afraid of garlic. It was a dish that showcased both skill and taste. The beet salad was notable for the parmesan vinaigrette dressing that topped the red beets and parsnips on the plate. The addition of whole pistachios to the plate was bothersome as it was difficult to corral the rolling nuts into bites with the other components. If there are short ribs on a menu then you best bet my companion will seek them out. In the case of the short rib agnolotti, she couldn’t have been more pleased. The mild gorgonzola cheese in the dish did not come close to overpowering the tender meat that blanketed the pasta pillows. The sauce made from the meat was rich in taste but not heavy. My fettuccini with pancetta, peas, and mushrooms was simply the best dish I’ve had in weeks. The fresh herbs in the cream based sauce lingered on my tongue after the initial salty taste of the incredible pancetta. Next time I must ask where the get their pancetta from. One other thing that should be noted is the serving sizes. Whether it was the app or the entrees, the kitchen does a marvelous job of keeping the size of the dishes just right. While we did not leave with a doggy bag, we certainly could have had dessert if not for a prior commitment.

One of the best things Rinata has taken from Al Vento is their commitment to stellar service. Our utensils were constantly changed out and our meal impeccably timed. I also appreciated the fact that our server was knowledgeable about the menu and clearly had sampled every dish we had questions on.

Rinata, 2451 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 612-374-8998

I Refuse To Cover Reunion Shows About Cheftestants

2009-03-06T07:35:00.001-06:00

Ok so the title of this entry is a bit of a lie as I did end up watching the Top Chef: New York reunion this week. Just like the season itself, the reunion was a snooze fest where the most deserving winner, this time the fan favorite category, went home empty handed. Fabio beat Carla? Are you f’ing kidding me? That said, the rest of the show was a lot of boring backslapping by chefs and judges who failed to step up this year. Perhaps even more disappointing was the lack of advertising for a new season or the spinoff show Top Chef Masters. With no Project Runway, no Top Chef, and, probably thankfully, no Top Design, what the hell is Bravo going to air other than the Real Lives of the Golden Girls and I’m A Prostitute Who Wants to Marry Rich?

Fired Before Hired

2009-03-05T15:48:00.001-06:00

Last year when NBC introduced The Celebrity Apprentice, it sounded like a desperate grab at attention by a fading pseudo celeb himself, in Donald Trump. While I was probably accurate in my assumption, I did find myself tuning in week after week as the D-list stars lied, swindled and backstabbed each other. It was entertaining as hell and certainly breathed life into the Apprentice franchise. Of course, there was one big thing that impacted last year’s edition and that was timing. The WGA strike left a huge hole in the TV schedule last winter and Lennox Lewis and company quickly filled it. The strike however did not register with me as I set up my TiVo for a season pass for the latest installment of Celebrity Apprentice. As I sat down and watched the two-hour premiere I quickly found the fast forward button and before you knew it, I was done in less than 4 minutes. I know the novelty is gone, I know this cast of celebrities is even more questionable (Herschel Walker and a briefcase model?) but the truth of the matter is the show has really just been exposed by the quality of the other shows around it. Sorry Donald but I’m cancelling my pass and if there is a TV God hopefully NBC will follow suit shortly.

First Impressions: Reaper

2009-03-04T15:27:00.001-06:00

When a TV show goes away for an extended period, it runs the risk of becoming lost both in the minds of viewers and in its own creative path. Unfortunately, it looks like one of the promising shows of last year, Reaper, has fallen into both categories. Last night’s season 2 premiere was dripping in mediocrity. Clearly the PTB thought the best way to bring the show back was by setting all the characters back to square one. Too bad they did so in a way that still referenced enough back story to put off any new viewers. I think no further evidence of that was needed after the 4 minute “previously on” segment. I’m not pulling the plug just yet as we all know that most shows run into the second season blues (yes even Lost). The network however, might not be so kind based on the dismal showing in last night’s ratings. Unless downloads and DVRs come to the rescue it might not matter if Reaper can right the ship.

Madison Restaurant Review: HuHot

2009-03-03T17:12:00.003-06:00

How forgettable can a restaurant be when you aren’t sure whether you’ve already written a review on it or not? That my friends, is HuHot in a nutshell. The “Mongolian BBQ” chain has reached us here in Madison with a lot of fanfare and I’m here to say that while it’s an experience, it’s not necessarily one you’ll be eager to repeat.

My partner and I arrived at the multi-purpose suburban building that houses the new restaurant early on a Friday night. The interior is minimalist mall Asian that falls slightly below PF Changs and slightly above Chin’s Asian Fresh. Clearly, the open kitchen is meant to be the star of the dining room but it is purposely obscured by retaining walls meant to herd the diners into the assembly line. There’s a small bar as well but if you’re not there before six o’clock on most nights, don’t expect to see it as the overflow the place is currently enjoying fills it up quickly.

Once seated we were quickly greeted by our server who must have taken this job after failing to nab the role of the new fast talking FedEx guy. The facts are these, other than a few apps, soups, salads, and desserts you’re pretty much here to choose your own culinary adventure. In the interest of doing a full review we took advantage of a deal including an app, soup or salad, all you can eat BBQ (the norm), and a dessert.

The appetizer we chose was a basket of fried portabella mushrooms. Clearly, these came from a freezer bag but I must compliment HuHot on the quality of the mushrooms themselves. The southwest dipping sauce that accompanied them was less of a hit as it tasted vaguely of mayo gone bad mixed with sweet and sour and a dash of cayenne. The soups were pedestrian but good, the egg drop in particular. With these annoyances out of the way, we went to the star of the show, the BBQ.

I will admit that buffets and cook it yourself places are not usually my favorites but there is certainly something to be said for the experience. As I approached the first station full of frozen proteins and noodles, my eyes were instantly drawn to the woman at the end of the line who had compiled a bowl entirely of shrimp. No veggies, no sauce, just shrimp. Of course, she also had a towering bowl of beef, noodles, and veggies. As I watched her drop off the food for the grill operators, I noticed that she skipped to the end of the line to pick up a completed dish she must have put in minutes earlier. Sure enough, a few minutes later she was lip smacking back to the end to pick up the shrimp (now in plate form) and the noodle dish. This kind of timing is to be admired, praised, and studied. Shrimp woman was not alone, as I noticed many repeat customers working to time their drop off and pick up all while eating in between. In the span of an hour and a half, my partner and I must have seen at least three different couples eat and leave at the table next to us.

Human studies aside, the food itself must be discussed. Sure, the proteins are all frozen and the veggies of middling quality but the sauces HuHot features are flavorful enough to compensate…if you get them right. I enjoyed my spicy Szechuan sauce with chili pepper oil although the jalapenos and wasabi I added might have been spice overkill. My partner enjoyed the curry sauce but again found she made a mistake in her choice of oil. My second go round I tried the peanut sauce, which was certainly the best of the night and my most successful creation. Of course, that brings me back to the problem with places like HuHot. It’s a fun novelty to pick your ingredients and then watch a team of cooks flip and dice the food to your plate, but on the negative, you’re paying to experiment with flavors that might not turn out well in the end. For the same price we paid at HuHot, my partner and I could have eaten at almost any Asian place in town including a couple of Muramoto’s places and had food prepared by experienced chefs.

Our meal ended with more craziness from our rapid speaking server and our dessert. In keeping with the DIY attitude, we had smores that we made ourselves over a sterno flame. It was the best dish of the night because it was the easiest not to screw up on our own.

HuHot, 610 Junction Road, Madison, WI (608) 827-7110

Still Surviving

2009-03-01T20:50:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I wrote about the new life that this season has brought to The Amazing Race. Well today, I thought I’d throw my two cents in on the old dinosaur that keeps on trucking, Survivor. While there have been some clunkers in seasons past like the China fiasco, this show has steadily plowed along. I’ve said it once but I’ll say it again, no one makes smart changes to their format like Survivor. The multiple merges, Exile Island, the multiple votes, all of these changes to the show have kept it fresh and this season they’ve done it again by sending contestants from opposing teams to Exile Island. The new opportunity this creates has not been lost on this well-rounded cast. Watching Taj and Brandon hatch their cross tribal alliance has been damn near exhilarating. Speaking of Taj, she is one many contestants who are both intriguing and bedeviling. Here you have a woman who had a moderately successful pop music career with SWV back in the 90’s. I believe I even had one of their albums. On top of that she’s married to former NFL star and current announcer Eddie George. You can’t argue that she needs the money, but you can appreciate the level of competitor she must be to put herself through the physical and emotional hell Survivor can bring. Then you’ve got Coach a player the show must have cast expecting a “villain”. Sadly Coach just can’t seem to get his act together and you half expect him to be gone next week. On the entertainment side you’ve got crazy old coot Sandy. Her lack of knowledge of the game, her teammates, and her environment just makes me giggle. I doubted that she’d last long but now she seems to be safe at least for a couple more episodes of guaranteed hilarity. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge the producer’s ability to find great locations. The latest locale of Brazil is just breathtaking in HD both for its greenery and for its desert. Yep Survivor still has it going on and it’s hard to see it slowing down anytime soon.