Date Night Movie Review: The Perks of Being A Wallflower

The Perks of Being A Wallflower

I have been looking forward to this movie for quite some time. I was so excited in September when I thought it was being released, only to have my little heart broken that it was limited release. But, luckily I was patient enough and it finally came to Columbus this week. Tim was not really looking forward to it, but he gave in and took me to see it last night. Needless to say, we both loved it.

TPOBAW is based on a book by the same name. I can't remember when I first read it, I think I was actually  a freshmen in college and I had borrowed it from Sarah, Tim's sister. Even though I was in college there was something about it that just hit me so hard, hit so close to home. I think that's the great thing about the book is that it perfectly captures that part of you that just struggles to figure it all out. In case you've missed it on my millions of facebook posts, here is the trailer:

I thought the movie was perfectly cast. I know that on message boards I read a lot of concern about Emma Watson for this reason or the other (my favorite negative remark has to be with people complaining about her eye color...seriously???). Emma was a perfect Sam. The whole cast was perfect.

I pretty much cried during the entire movie (note: do not wear eyeglasses to a movie you know you're going to cry during- it only makes things more difficult). Not because I was sad, but because I just kept feeling. It amazes me how deeply a book and/or a movie can make us feel. I think it really helped that the movie was written for screen and directed by the book's author. He really owned his characters and it showed throughout the entire movie. If you have the time, make it a point to see this movie soon!

Saying Goodbye to Harry

Last night was something I've both looked forward to and dreaded. I'm actually glad I was able to recruit Tim for the task. We went to what will probably be my last "first midnight showing" of a movie. Not to say I won't ever do it again, but I just don't know how many more I'll be dying to see at the first available moment.

I will never forget how I came to love Harry Potter. Tim and I were dating, and it was the summer after he graduated and I was finished with my first year of college. Tim's little sister Sarah wanted to go to the midnight release. Well, I had been one of those obnoxious naysayers. I wasn't interested in "kid's books" and the like.

But, something happened. I casually opened the cover of the first book at Tim's family's kitchen table. I started to read the first page. We took Sarah to the local Books A Million at midnight so she could get her book. I kept reading. I think I read through the night. I remember finishing quickly enough that I could tell them all I was sold. Hooked. Transformed into a total Harry Potter freak.

A couple years later. I went to a midnight release to get my own copy of the next novel. I remember reading as much through the night as I could. And a few years later, I was in graduate school, in line with my Auburn pals getting my final copy.

While the journey for me has been a bit shorter than others, it has been an exciting 8 years for me. I really think JK Rowling has set a new standard in fiction writing for multiple generations. I don't know how easy that will be to top.

Eleven in 11: Evaluating May

Where is this year going so quickly? Each day seems to zoom by! May was an incredibly busy month for us and I hardly had time to blog. But, let's see how we did.

The breakdown:
1. Volunteer opportunity- Check! I am now an advocate. I am also interested in volunteering for the libraries in town. A dear friend of mine is a librarian and I know he busts his for his patrons. I'm a little saddened by what I've read recently about the funding for the libraries in town, so my philosophy is to always be part of the solution, and not just someone who complains. We'll see.
2. The weight loss one- Ugggg. I have hit a plateau, however, I'm not gaining. Which is good. I'm maintaining the net loss of 33 lbs. Part of the problem is that I'm no longer tracking points as strictly. But, also, I've slacked up on the gym. We have a good incentive though for me to press on and finish my ultimate goal. This fall we are going to NY for a family member's engagement party! 
3. Plan and take honeymoon- We went to Amelia Island. Collectively, Tim and I decided that we simply didn't ever have a honeymoon. While the trip was a FABULOUS trip, it just wan't a honeymoon. We missed the boat 3 years ago, and it isn't something you can just have 3 years late. It's ok though, we still loved vacationing! You can see our recent trip photos from here and here.
4. Trying four new recipes- I think we managed to do it this time:

• Parmesan Parsley Chicken
• Roasted Red Ranch Potatoes
• Cube Steak Rollups
• and another roasted red potatoes recipe, only this time tried a French Onion mix

5. Blog three times a week- Only had 12 posts, but again...we were kind of swamped.

6. Student loan- Check!

7. Savings!- Check! 

8. Read 52 books- I bought another book, this time Chelsea Handler's newest release...but I've still only made it through the introduction...

9. Facebook birthdays- I really am reconnecting with some folks because of this!

10. Visit 12 new restaurants- Koreana was soooo yum! I highly recommend!

11. Etsy- I think I'm going to use Fridays as a crafting day. Did I mention I now work 4 days a week? Yay! 10 hours is a little rough M-Th...but having 3 day weekends is a blast!

I hope many of you are getting to take some time off this summer to do fun things. I want to go to six flags at least once. Any takers?

Restaurant Review: Koreana

It has been a while but this month we did try a new place in town. We went to Koreana. It is fairly new in town; before it was an amazing Japanese restaurant called Tokyo. Side note: my sister-in-law is half Japanese so she always gave us the 411 on which "Japanese" restaurants in town were the closest to the real thing. She liked Tokyo best.

Anyways, I had never had Korean food before so it was a totally new experience for me. We went with our new friends Johnson and his wife Crystal (I absolutely LOVE them by the way) and it was very nice. We all ordered off the menu a big feast of a special they had so we literally got to try a bit of everything they had to offer. Everything comes out on tiny little plates and you share a lot of what they bring out. It made eating a community experience and I enjoyed the quiet setting. If you want to try something new and different, I highly recommend it.

Restaurant Review: Old Siam

I realize that I haven't reviewed this place yet, but we did enjoy trying it out this month. We went to Old Siam before a hockey game this month. I had NEVER had Thai food before in my life. I always hear "it's spicy, really spicy" when people describe it. But, I also know it similar to Chinese food, and I like spicy Chinese food...so why not try it out?

First of all, this place has AMAZING SERVICE. Props to our young gal server who was extremely kind and accommodating. She asked if it was our first time and we said yes, and she even asked if it was our first time eating Thai and we said yes. She asked us questions about what we like and don't like and her recommendations were perfect.

Tim had the Spicy Basil Chicken and I had Red Curry Pineapple Chicken. Both were delicious, but I was more of a fan of Tim's dish.

All in all, it was a great evening. The service was good, the setting is cute, the food is great and we tried something new- and liked it!

Restaurant Review: The Black Cow

The Black Cow storefront. It is pretty cute.

So, as part of our/my Eleven in 11 we tried a new place out last night. We went out for a date night with our good friends Mel and Chris to a restaurant in downtown (Uptown- whichever) Columbus. The Black Cow is, to my knowledge, a fairly new place. Maybe under a year or right at a year old. Anywho, I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but I don't think it lived up to some of the fanfare I had heard about.

I had heard from a friend on facebook that it was really famous for the Pressed Turkey Sandwich. A turkey sandwich that uses goat cheese and fig preserve. This of course interested me because back in Auburn there was a place that had an amazing turkey wrap that I loved. Needless to say, I've wanted to try this place for a while. Mel and Chris got interested when they had a mailer from The Black Cow, so we all decided to find a time to go.

We decided to go last night on a double date night to The Black Cow and to see a movie. I'm notorious for looking up menu items online so I can try and decide before I get to the restaurant what I want (or in some cases I look up the nutrition information so I can calculate WW point combinations so I don't feel as bad for eating out).

I was a little troubled when I found some of the reviews for The Black Cow on websites. I know that rating sites are generally frequented by people who A- have a really really good experience or B- a really really bad experience. And that is what we found- a mix of great experiences and bad experiences. I was even more disturbed by the ones on facebook. Somewhat tangent note: If you have a facebook page, you need to monitor it. If you have bad feedback- address it. Bottom line.

Basically, we had similar issues to the negative feedback posters. Tim and I arrived first, put our names in and were told we would have a ten minute wait- no big deal there. We waited and got our seat pretty quick, but then that is when the wait began. Mel and Chris arrived only a minute or so after we were seated. The four of us waited at least 10 minutes to even be greeted by our server. Now, I recognize that it was a Saturday and that is a busy night. However, why would you seat people and not even greet them and say 'hey, its a busy night I'll be back...blah blah blah whatever." Or at least grab the drinks. If you get young adults (or really any drinking adult) started on beer and wine they are more likely to drink more during their long wait (hey, that's an idea!). When he finally came by (which I think he only showed up because Mel channeled him with her awesome nonverbal skills) we went ahead and ordered our drinks and food.

Mel ordered the chicken and grits, Tim ordered a burger, and Chris & I both dared to try the Pressed Turkey Sandwich. I think Mel's dish was ok, but her first bite did burn her mouth pretty badly from the reaction she had. Tim said it was pretty hard to mess up a burger and that he enjoyed his. I think Chris liked the sandwich. I thought it was pretty good. I did not think I would like the fig preserve because I am not a jelly or jam kind of gal. But in the end I think the sweet preserve complimented the salty goat cheese. It did seem like the bread was a bit greasy, and my second sandwich half fell apart while eating it. Oh I forgot: Mel and I both had salads. If you do not like what my dad calls "weed" salad, then don't order the side salad. I can take the different kinds you find in a spring mix- so long as it is green. When it's that dark purple stuff I can't handle it. I feel like I'm eating a flowerbed. On the plus, I loved their balsamic vinaigrette. Very yum.

With all that said, the final summation is this: I probably won't ever go there again unless it is with someone who really wants to go. Or, if it is possible to call in an order to pick up. I may or may not crave the turkey sandwich. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as memorable for me.

Pressed Turkey Sandwich and Smashed Red Potatoes.

Tim's burger and fries.

Date Night Movie Review: The Social Network

Friday night, Tim and I went to dinner and a movie. The parents were out of town at a high school gathering down in their hometown. We ate our usual at O'Charleys (we enjoy the two meals for $14.99-- or whatever the meal deal is) and then waited for the movie to start. We saw The Social Network.

Pretty good flick. I'm not sure on the truthfulness of the movie, or rather how accurate it is, but it's a great story. I'm a PR gal at heart (my Master's focus and all) so I thought a lot about image when watching: "Is this a negative portrayal or positive portrayal?" Tim probably said it best though, "who really wants someone to make a movie of them at age 19? Would any of us be happy with that image?"

So I'm trying to think, would I? Probably not because I'm trying to remember sophomore year of college and I think that year was pretty uneventful.

Oh, and on a random note: Disney's Brenda Song was featured in the movie, but not in a very Disney appropriate role. I'm guessing she won't be back any time soon on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Late Night Music Video Update: Matt & Kim-- Daylight

This is such a catchy song. Tim heard it first from some beer commercial but the song is just happy and upbeat. It goes with my current mood after having a fun date night with the husband.

DAYLIGHT

we cut the legs off of our pants
threw our shoes into the ocean
sit back and wave through the daylight
sit back and wave through the daylight

slip and slide on subway grates
these shoes are poor mans ice skates
fall through like change in the daylight
fall through like change in the daylight

i miss yellow lines in my roads
some color on monochrome
maybe i’ll paint them in myself
maybe i’ll paint them in myself

these sidewalks liquid then stone
building walls and an old pay phone
it rings like all through the daylight
it rings like all through the daylight

chorus
and in the daylight we can hitchhike to maine
i hope that someday i’ll see without these frames
and in the daylight i don’t pick up my phone
cause in the daylight anywhere feels like home

I have five clocks in my life
and only one has the time right
i’ll just unplug it for today
ill just unplug it for today

open hydrant rolled down windows
this car might make a good old boat
and float down grand street in daylight
and float down grand street in daylight

and with just half of a sunburn
new yellow lines that i earned
step back and here comes the night time
step back and here comes the night time

chorus
and in the daylight we can hitchhike to maine
i hope that someday i’ll see without these frames
and in the daylight i don’t pick up my phone
cause in the daylight anywhere feels like home

Date Night Movie Review: Easy A

Today around lunch I (Kelly) got a text from Tim that said "date night?" Of course! So after I got done at work we decided to do dinner and a movie. What's more fun than date night? Double date night with another married couple (other than my parents- because let's face it, almost every night seems like a double date night with the parents...). We made plans to meet for a showing of the new flick Easy A with newlyweds Mel + Chris. I have to say that the movie exceeded all of our expectations.

I went into it thinking, oh it's another Superbad or Knocked Up type movie. I'll laugh at some good old fashioned overplayed adolescent jokes. But, it actually surprised me. I enjoyed the appropriate amount of John Hughes references, the literary references, and even the line about running out of things to talk about and sticking heads in the over (Plath anyone?). I really enjoyed the minor characters as much as the main ones. The parents were the best. The principal even better - "My job is to keep the girls off the poles and the boys off the pipes." I laughed the entire movie. I think at some points though Tim, Mel, Chris and I were the only ones laughing. We certainly were the only four left to watch the ends credits, mostly to see what music was featured in the movie (because there were some nice tracks to bob your head to).

Overall, it the movie was good. The company was good. Married life is good.