I saw and heard some things and thought only of the Record Dish whose name I thought was going to be changed...
I saw Smokin Aces on Saturday. Good idea, bad execution. The plot was a mob boss wants this key witness killed and literally wants his heart. Killers for hire hear the word on the street and the games begin.
1. ben affleck and his two man crew (a baldwin bro and someone else) were wack. the whole movie could've done without their parts. their boss (jason bateman) played his part well
2. the tremor brothers were good (no names)
3. Alicia Keys was surprisingly good as was her partner in crime, Taraji Henson
4. this spanish torture dude was good/sexy
5. this eastern european master of disguise was good and creepy
6. Andy Garcia was an FBI director; straight
7. Ray Liotta played his FBI agent part well!
8. I wish Jeremy Pivens (Ace) part was developed WAAAAAAAY more
9. so and still in love with Ryan Reynolds who played a serious role for the 1st time really well
10. Common's part was extra as hell. superfluous. and he had this whole soliloquy at the end that made me mad. not everyone can be mos def and act and rap. it was common in a movie as opposed to whoever his character was.
11. the ending/movie was thrown together and had too many unanswered questions. i would wake up in the middle of the night to ask Drew about the characters and their specific plot. i thought I missed something but nothing was there to be missing.
so yeah, this movie had hella people in it. reduce it by 50% and let quentin taratino direct it, i bet it would've been AWESOME!
that was viewing. as for listening, who here misses L. Boogie? well, the dude who developed her on the low has this chick named amy winehouse who when i heard, thought Lauryn had a new album coming out. british chick who sounds like lauryn HANDS DOWN!
1.29.2007
Shrimp with Roasted Red Pepper Cream
i think i'm turning vegetarian...
i'm not. i love my hamburgers too much and still haven't gotten to that 16oz joint at Cheeseburger Cheeseburger
serves 6
1 (7oz.) package vermicelli
1 (12oz) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
2 lb. peeled cooked shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1. prepare pasta according to package directions, omiting salt and oil. keep pasta warm
2. process red peppers and next 4 ingrediant i nbender or food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides. pour mixture into a large skillet
3. cook over medium heat, stiffing often, 5 inutes or until throuoghly heated. add shrimp and cook, stirring occassionally, 2-3 min or just until shrimp turn pink. remove from heat. serve over hot cooked pasta. sprinkle with basil
i'm not. i love my hamburgers too much and still haven't gotten to that 16oz joint at Cheeseburger Cheeseburger
serves 6
1 (7oz.) package vermicelli
1 (12oz) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
2 lb. peeled cooked shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1. prepare pasta according to package directions, omiting salt and oil. keep pasta warm
2. process red peppers and next 4 ingrediant i nbender or food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides. pour mixture into a large skillet
3. cook over medium heat, stiffing often, 5 inutes or until throuoghly heated. add shrimp and cook, stirring occassionally, 2-3 min or just until shrimp turn pink. remove from heat. serve over hot cooked pasta. sprinkle with basil
1.28.2007
I Know I'm Not Wrong
My fellow managers here have a similar outerwear fetish, though obviously Stace doesn't need it. So today I was saying I've decided I'm going to become the stylist for new Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's wife. She's adorable and I liked her outfit for the occasion (black and gold wrap dress with black knee high boots), but she had on a green pea coat and was carrying a brown bag. I said, her clothing should match her outerwear.
**crickets**
My director looked at me like I was nuts. What?
No one else does this? It's like do the shades match the drapes? You wouldn't dye your hair without dyeing your... just kidding... but I always match my outerwear to my clothing. That's why I have I think 5 jackets, 4 scarves (need more), had 3 pairs of earmuffs but one pair broke. Ash hates on me but its my thing. I love earmuffs. I think they're adorable. Maybe that's why the other day the waiter asked me if I'd just turned 21. It could also have something to do with the fact that I had on these bright green, pink, yellow and blue striped rain boots and turquoise leather gloves. I know it sounds horrid, but Stace and I have discussed in painstaking detail how you cannot describe anything, no matter how gorgeous with more than 2 colors or it sounds hideous and overdone. Best to leave it to the imagination or show pictures, right? I know. But I don't have a digital camera yet... I know. I said I have to buy one before the next time I see Kyle. So in about 2 weeks!
Back to the point. My outerwear. I was like, I only have 5 coats. A brown/black wool tweed, a black/white wool herringbone, a short beige cotton pea coat, a pink/white long wool pea coat, a gold/red/green flower-embroidered pea coat (don't start. we've already talked about naming multiple colors), a black hooded wool car coat (which I never wear anymore), and a short black snorkel (you know the coats with the fur-trimmed hood). Oops. I guess I lied to her. I have 7. But I only wear 6 AND I look damn fly doin it. Haters are gonna hate. Hahahahaha.
Furthermore, I still need a red coat and a cream one. They both must be wool pea coats in the appropriate color and style. I don't do double-breasted and am very picky about my reds. I found a perfect cream one at the end of last season but they didn't have my size. I've been on the hunt for the perfect red coat for at least 3 years and I'm not giving up. Ever. *maniacal laughter*
**crickets**
My director looked at me like I was nuts. What?
No one else does this? It's like do the shades match the drapes? You wouldn't dye your hair without dyeing your... just kidding... but I always match my outerwear to my clothing. That's why I have I think 5 jackets, 4 scarves (need more), had 3 pairs of earmuffs but one pair broke. Ash hates on me but its my thing. I love earmuffs. I think they're adorable. Maybe that's why the other day the waiter asked me if I'd just turned 21. It could also have something to do with the fact that I had on these bright green, pink, yellow and blue striped rain boots and turquoise leather gloves. I know it sounds horrid, but Stace and I have discussed in painstaking detail how you cannot describe anything, no matter how gorgeous with more than 2 colors or it sounds hideous and overdone. Best to leave it to the imagination or show pictures, right? I know. But I don't have a digital camera yet... I know. I said I have to buy one before the next time I see Kyle. So in about 2 weeks!
Back to the point. My outerwear. I was like, I only have 5 coats. A brown/black wool tweed, a black/white wool herringbone, a short beige cotton pea coat, a pink/white long wool pea coat, a gold/red/green flower-embroidered pea coat (don't start. we've already talked about naming multiple colors), a black hooded wool car coat (which I never wear anymore), and a short black snorkel (you know the coats with the fur-trimmed hood). Oops. I guess I lied to her. I have 7. But I only wear 6 AND I look damn fly doin it. Haters are gonna hate. Hahahahaha.
Furthermore, I still need a red coat and a cream one. They both must be wool pea coats in the appropriate color and style. I don't do double-breasted and am very picky about my reds. I found a perfect cream one at the end of last season but they didn't have my size. I've been on the hunt for the perfect red coat for at least 3 years and I'm not giving up. Ever. *maniacal laughter*
1.24.2007
Men at Work
I'm not sure if what the deal is... maybe cause i've been watching more t.v. than usual or maybe cause I have a BF... i've been paying a lot more attention to men's clothing.
nah. i've always paid attention to what a guy wears. the t.v. part comes in because its apparently when i see the most men. what are they wearing? PIN-STRIPES!
OMG, everybody who is a somebody is wearing pin-stripes. as with everything else men wear, do it with parent/girlfriend/female supervision. Watching MSNBC with Mom Dukes showed me that Olberman canNOT rock the pinstripes correctly. he reminded me of the black and white cartoon rivals from MAD... in the same person! His suit was gray, his stripes were black and too thick and they were too far apart. Wrong. Now Brian Williams, Colbert, and (what's the Irish guy's name? hannerty?) were rocking their DARK suit with a thin gray stripe VERY well.
I'm telling you, pin stripe is the CRAZE! I LOVE it! if its done well.
Another thing I've noticed about men who are somebodys is their tie.
1. the color that is in and looks good on all complexions is BRIGHT BLUE. OMG, love it with a pin-stripe suit and a stark white shirt. i've seen a pale blue and that looked good too.
2. the knot. don't want no obnoxiously fat knot but you look anal retentive when you knot is too tight/small. i forget the names of the various knots but no loose or tight booty ones
3. not a friend of patterns... damn sure hate those ones that remind me of holiday sweaters. what are they called, whimsical? save whimsy for a bedtime story. there is no reason your tie should light up, sing, move, or have attachments. so you like to bowl? don't want to know that on your tie. NO UGLY TIES!
My last point abt men at work is this:
DO NOT FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE MEN ON ESPN!!!! ESPECIALLY NOT SAL PAOLANTONIO and Miami Boy MICHAEL ERVING!! OMG, i know the women on that channel don't dress them cause they could use some help too but DAMN!!! Don't they have wives, mistresses, girlfriends, sisters, cut buddies, etc. to say, "babe, that brown and gray pinstripe you wore with the blue and puprle plaid shirt wasn't getting it. especially when you threw in that velvet orange and red tie...that was polka dot."
okay so they aren't that bad but Michael did have a velvet suit on one day and Sal be rocking them doo-doo brown suits with some clashing colors all dee time! don't do it to yourself.
class dismissed.
nah. i've always paid attention to what a guy wears. the t.v. part comes in because its apparently when i see the most men. what are they wearing? PIN-STRIPES!
OMG, everybody who is a somebody is wearing pin-stripes. as with everything else men wear, do it with parent/girlfriend/female supervision. Watching MSNBC with Mom Dukes showed me that Olberman canNOT rock the pinstripes correctly. he reminded me of the black and white cartoon rivals from MAD... in the same person! His suit was gray, his stripes were black and too thick and they were too far apart. Wrong. Now Brian Williams, Colbert, and (what's the Irish guy's name? hannerty?) were rocking their DARK suit with a thin gray stripe VERY well.
I'm telling you, pin stripe is the CRAZE! I LOVE it! if its done well.
Another thing I've noticed about men who are somebodys is their tie.
1. the color that is in and looks good on all complexions is BRIGHT BLUE. OMG, love it with a pin-stripe suit and a stark white shirt. i've seen a pale blue and that looked good too.
2. the knot. don't want no obnoxiously fat knot but you look anal retentive when you knot is too tight/small. i forget the names of the various knots but no loose or tight booty ones
3. not a friend of patterns... damn sure hate those ones that remind me of holiday sweaters. what are they called, whimsical? save whimsy for a bedtime story. there is no reason your tie should light up, sing, move, or have attachments. so you like to bowl? don't want to know that on your tie. NO UGLY TIES!
My last point abt men at work is this:
DO NOT FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE MEN ON ESPN!!!! ESPECIALLY NOT SAL PAOLANTONIO and Miami Boy MICHAEL ERVING!! OMG, i know the women on that channel don't dress them cause they could use some help too but DAMN!!! Don't they have wives, mistresses, girlfriends, sisters, cut buddies, etc. to say, "babe, that brown and gray pinstripe you wore with the blue and puprle plaid shirt wasn't getting it. especially when you threw in that velvet orange and red tie...that was polka dot."
okay so they aren't that bad but Michael did have a velvet suit on one day and Sal be rocking them doo-doo brown suits with some clashing colors all dee time! don't do it to yourself.
class dismissed.
1.22.2007
Cupcakes
Me and my sister have been practicing our cupcaking. Every weekend until March 10 we will be trying a new recipe. She wants a cupcake tree for her baby shower. Normally I don't think the mother-to-be participates in putting the shower together, but this heffa is nosy as hell so nothing is a surprise. So she gets to make her own cupcakes. She makes a really good pound cake (no i'm not sharing the recipe, cuz i don't know it), so we've been experimenting with different flavors of that one cake recipe. So far its been regular pound cake and chocolate. I'm on the decorating committee. I make the frosting and decorate the cakes. Her shower colors are: brown, pink, teal and lime.
First batch was ok. Buttercup Bakeshop has a Cookbook. They have really good cupcakes. So I made a golden cake with buttercream frosting. Cake was too dense, and frosting was too thin. Didn't have cupcake liners to fit in the large cupcake pan. So once i finished decorating, i put the cupcakes in the fridge without an airtight container. Next day they were rock hard.
Second batch was tasty but ugly. We didn't use liners because when she makes her cakes she sugars the pan, giving the cake a nice sweet & sugary crust. No luck with that in a cupcake pan. We filled the cups to high, the tops overflowed creating a pancake effect on top of the pan that we forgot to grease. The tops were to heavy so when it came time to take the cupcakes out of the pan the tops fell off. So we ended up with flat square top sandwich cupcakes. I had to use the frosting as a glue in order to keep the top and the bottoms together. I also didn't have a large enough cake decorating tip, so my frosting designs were not how I envisioned. However I found a better buttercream frosting recipe that had a better consistency and tasted really good. All in all the cupcakes were banging they just didn't look professional. My father suggested going to Sam's and ordering 60 cupcakes.
Third batch was banging. Used the pound cake recipe but added cocoa powder. Used bright pink cupcake liners that dyed the pan pink from the cooking spray. We only filled the cups 3/4 of the way and sprayed the top of the pan. These came out perfect. I added chocolate syrup to my frosting and had the right decorating tip. I sprinkled a little pink edible glitter and we were good to go. These cupcakes looked like they came from a bake shop.
Next week either carrot cake, pink velvet or keylime.
First batch was ok. Buttercup Bakeshop has a Cookbook. They have really good cupcakes. So I made a golden cake with buttercream frosting. Cake was too dense, and frosting was too thin. Didn't have cupcake liners to fit in the large cupcake pan. So once i finished decorating, i put the cupcakes in the fridge without an airtight container. Next day they were rock hard.
Second batch was tasty but ugly. We didn't use liners because when she makes her cakes she sugars the pan, giving the cake a nice sweet & sugary crust. No luck with that in a cupcake pan. We filled the cups to high, the tops overflowed creating a pancake effect on top of the pan that we forgot to grease. The tops were to heavy so when it came time to take the cupcakes out of the pan the tops fell off. So we ended up with flat square top sandwich cupcakes. I had to use the frosting as a glue in order to keep the top and the bottoms together. I also didn't have a large enough cake decorating tip, so my frosting designs were not how I envisioned. However I found a better buttercream frosting recipe that had a better consistency and tasted really good. All in all the cupcakes were banging they just didn't look professional. My father suggested going to Sam's and ordering 60 cupcakes.
Third batch was banging. Used the pound cake recipe but added cocoa powder. Used bright pink cupcake liners that dyed the pan pink from the cooking spray. We only filled the cups 3/4 of the way and sprayed the top of the pan. These came out perfect. I added chocolate syrup to my frosting and had the right decorating tip. I sprinkled a little pink edible glitter and we were good to go. These cupcakes looked like they came from a bake shop.
Next week either carrot cake, pink velvet or keylime.
1.15.2007
Adventures in Food
A can of cream of chicken, a can of cream of mushroom, some white rice, some pepper, water, then diced onions added as an afterthought.
Voila.
Dad's get well soup creation. He implored me to taste it. I passed. Not because it didn't smell good, and not because he wasn't ranting and raving over it through hacking coughs. I just wasn't hungry. I said I'd take some for lunch the next day. I went upstairs and went to sleep shortly thereafter.
The next day I come downstairs, open the container and am stumped. What is that? There are some brown masses in there. At first I think mushed beans or congealed beef fat or something, but the consistency is not right in the mostly yellow soup. Hmmmm.. I was going to take some, but I was too disturbed by the brown mystery. It's usually not a good thing in the refrigerator.
I erred on the side of caution and put that bad boy back where I got it from.
Later that day....
"Dad."
"Yes?"
"What was that brown stuff in the soup?"
"Oh I put a little bit of everything I could find in there."
"But what was the brown stuff."
"Roast beef from Arby's."
WTH.
"Oh. I didn't know what that was."
"You need to be more adventurous with food."
Oh hell no. You put some mystery meat in a bowl and I'm just supposed to eat it? Pass. Adventurous with food is me trying polenta, capers or lentils for the first time just because I've seen them on the Food Network. Adventurous is me being willing to try an Indian buffet though I've never had Indian before. ADVENTUROUS is me buying anchovy paste even though I've never eaten an anchovy to my knowledge, JUST because Rachael Ray said I should try it even if I think I don't like anchovies because when it cooks down it tastes nutty and not at all fishy. Please don't try me like that ever again.
Thanks.
Voila.
Dad's get well soup creation. He implored me to taste it. I passed. Not because it didn't smell good, and not because he wasn't ranting and raving over it through hacking coughs. I just wasn't hungry. I said I'd take some for lunch the next day. I went upstairs and went to sleep shortly thereafter.
The next day I come downstairs, open the container and am stumped. What is that? There are some brown masses in there. At first I think mushed beans or congealed beef fat or something, but the consistency is not right in the mostly yellow soup. Hmmmm.. I was going to take some, but I was too disturbed by the brown mystery. It's usually not a good thing in the refrigerator.
I erred on the side of caution and put that bad boy back where I got it from.
Later that day....
"Dad."
"Yes?"
"What was that brown stuff in the soup?"
"Oh I put a little bit of everything I could find in there."
"But what was the brown stuff."
"Roast beef from Arby's."
WTH.
"Oh. I didn't know what that was."
"You need to be more adventurous with food."
Oh hell no. You put some mystery meat in a bowl and I'm just supposed to eat it? Pass. Adventurous with food is me trying polenta, capers or lentils for the first time just because I've seen them on the Food Network. Adventurous is me being willing to try an Indian buffet though I've never had Indian before. ADVENTUROUS is me buying anchovy paste even though I've never eaten an anchovy to my knowledge, JUST because Rachael Ray said I should try it even if I think I don't like anchovies because when it cooks down it tastes nutty and not at all fishy. Please don't try me like that ever again.
Thanks.
