John Carter...Warlord of Mars! Review

   

    Of all the books I read as a kid that I have waited to see on the big screen, the John Carter books were first and foremost on my list. This was one of the earlier books I read as a kid that blew my imagination away. I didn't even read them in order, the first two I read were actually books(see pic above) from later in the series, but I was hooked and went out, found and read all of them. Here was a world where the inhabitants of Mars were not little green men but tall huge tusked four armed violent warriors that laughed during battle! The main human-like inhabitants are Red hued, scantily clad yet loaded with swords and guns slung on their hips and across their backs. They are constantly at war with other city states, Assassination is a common practice run by guilds, and of course the Mad Scientists who construct their unmanned ships and synthetic-men. Pirates colored dark ebony sail and raid the skies... and of course the Plant-Men, blue in hue and carnivorous! The protagonist of the series John Carter is a Civil War vet, lost in the mountains of AZ running from Indians, seeks refuge up in a cave and then finds himself transported to Mars. A skilled fighter as is, he is made even fiercer due to his abilities heightened by the difference in gravity. Early on he meets and falls in love with the "incomparable" and beautiful Dejah Thoris and throughout the series he is fighting for her and the city state of Helium. Dejah though is no women in distress by any means. Edgar Rice Burroughs (Yes, the creator of Tarzan) was well ahead of his times writing these books in the early 1900's with making her so strong.

    Now did the movie totally nail it, was it what I've been waiting for all these years...? Not exactly, but in all fairness they got plenty right and I enjoyed it (and will watch a million times on DVD). John Carter is a fun old school Sci-Fi/Fantasy flick. The critics who ripped this apart and gave it under two stars are a bunch of self-hating, disgruntled, clueless English Lit majors. Saying that you've seen this all before shows an utter lack of understanding of the source material. It was written a 100yrs ago! It's not that you've see it all before...it's that John Carter is the source material for most of the Sci-Fi you have ever seen. More importantly, this film has its own look. Are there some things they borrowed from others, sure, big deal. As for convoluted storyline, I guess if you suffer from ADD or are not too bright, then yeah maybe, but if you're of reasonable intelligence you should be fine.

     For fans of the books without spoiling things they did make some major changes. For one thing, in the books the Therns are a religious order and in the first book no one has ever seen them. This is a major plot point of the early stories. In the movie their role is very different. In the book the explanation of how he got to Mars was kinda weak..which was odd considering all the inventions that he did foresee. In the movie how he gets to Mars ties in with the Therns new storyline. A major plot point of the overall stories is that Barsoom( Mars) is a dying world that requires an Atmosphere plant powered by the 9th ray to provide air. In the movie it's never mentioned(I found this odd, the subplot of religious orders and energy resources that he wrote about 100 yrs ago are so timely now) and the 9th ray is used more as a weapon though it is alluded that it can be used for good. They also took a lot of liberties with Dejah's character. It is with the Tharks and key Thark characters they did the most justice to the books. Oddly enough the "dog" creature is from the books, though not so sure about his Road-Runner like speed.

    I do think the script could have been better, some lines were a bit campy, but the actors all did a good job and deserve far more credit then they have been given. The main problems have more to do with the terrible job the geniuses at Disney did in marketing it, due to their fears about the failure with Mars needs Moms. They are so damn stupid that they think just hearing Mars in a title would have an adverse effect on people decision to see the movie. The other problem is that though written 100 yrs ago...the John Carter books were R rated not PG. They were full of bloody battles and atrocities committed by vicious warriors, terrible monsters, and maniacal mad scientists. Also, due to the heat the Martians are scantily clad wearing nothing more then boots/scandels, battle harnesses and briefs/thongs. Again Disney tried to appeal to the masses. I think this will do well overseas and fantastic on DVD. Much like John Carter...I yearn to return to Mars and look forward to a sequel or two. All in all this is a fun old school Sci-Fi/Fantasy movie and if this is your genre go out and see it. If you like it, buy the original books, they are great and Dynamite-Warlord of Mars Comics is doing a few series based not only on the books, but stories from Mars past that focus on Dejah Thoris and on Barsoom's distant past that have been absolutely fantastic and fun.

Lamont Pride: The Jokers Conundrum

     A career criminal is once again out of jail for all the wrong reasons including loopholes in the system and misguided compassion. He races through the night from dark alley's and buildings to the next after violently ending innocent lives and forever psychologically scarring the lives of the victims loved ones and friends. He is chased by an avenging angel...a dark knight...a battle ensues...it's vicious and bloody...the final blow sends the criminal over the edge of the building...to his well deserved death...but the hero catches his foot just as he goes over and with incredible effort and risk to his own life saves the killer. He turns him over to the authorities to arrest, try, and if found guilty with the proper evidence incarcerated. Release into society and repeat over and over again sacrificing innocents in the process.

    While the above reads as a comic book you've read or seen in the movies or on TV...the real problem and sad truth is that without the elaborate costumes, gadgets, and make-up this happens on our streets every day. Peter Figoski was a Blue Knight who was shot down in cold blood by a career criminal who should not have been on the streets in the first place. Lamont Pride...a fitting last name for a career criminal with an 11 page rap sheet..."pride" being not only one of the deadly sins but considered to be the original. Why was he out on the streets in the first place? I'm not just referencing the judge's decision to release him...why was he out in the first place? How many crimes does one have to commit until it becomes clear that he/she simply cannot live within our society without harming others? We are one country and while I'm no Lawyer so I don not know the details...if one shoots someone in one state is another to do nothing about it? Can another state not hold or extradite one to another state?!?

    I understand that the laws are in place are to protect us from becoming a Totalitarian state. Our laws came about because Royalty in Western Europe believed they were above the common man. As common men our ancestors throw off their yoke and put an end to that. So while I agree with innocent until proven guilty (though I question if it should be by peers or professionals) just how many times do you have to be proven guilty or commit an act so heinous that you are removed from society for good? Take Jerome Issac for instance. He's not a career criminal..he has no priors or 11 page rap sheet. Why do I mention him? Jerome felt an elderly woman owed him money for work he did around her apartment. She stopped using his services because things in her apartment were going missing on a regular basis whenever he did work. Jerome solution's to work this out...he approached the 67 year old woman in an elevator...sprayed her with flammable liquid then threw a Molotov cocktail at her lighting her on fire...she burned to death screaming. The list of horrors that have been committed just over this last year from the shooting of Senator Gifford and those killed around her to the massacre at the Long Island Pharmacy...the list is sadly endless.

    Now some of you may point out that neither of these men have been found guilty in a court of law...yet. You would be correct at this point in time. Lamont Pride for the record to the best of my knowledge admits he did shoot Officer Figoski...but by accident and that it was not his gun. Jerome Issac turned himself him. Half of his face is baldy burned...in a dark twisted take on life imitating art he looks like a real life version of Two-Face. What is our society to do what men like these(I will not put in writing what I what do...but it would less then pleasant for you to read). The Laws need to protect the innocent as well as the accused. If one is incapable of not stealing, raping, assaulting, killing etc then one should not be allowed to live among us. If one commits an act so vicious and horrible...I'm sorry but I have no desire to give them a second chance or try to rehabilitate them. Some of you might. You may be more compassionate then I. I've heard more then enough pseudo hypothetical pseudo-intellectual arguments on the subject. Just tell me...if your Mother was burned alive by a madman or your Daddy was shot in the face and killed by a career criminal who should have been in jail and not on the streets in the first place do your arguments still hold up for you?

Please note...if you are so inclined you can make a donation to a fund for Officer Figoski's surviving 4 daughters at Peter Figoski Scholarship Fund Please make sure you note that it is for this fund....as there are many.

Margin Call Review ****

    If you work in Finance, have any interest in the banking crisis or just need to take a break from your fellow OWS protesters go check out Margin Call. This is a great movie with a great script and cast. There are no Hollywood cliche's here nor mmoore like indictments on the free market economy. Margin Call is a fictional financial thriller that takes places in 24 hours starting with a mass layoff and ending with what this fictionalized bank(I believe Lehman was the model) will do in order to survive.

    Real quick synopsis, the Head of Risk who was just fired was working on some numbers that don't look too good...on his way out he gives them to his subordinate who after running the numbers and models starts calling people back into the firm late at night on a Thursday to discuss their ramifications to not only the firm...but the entire financial market. From here it keeps escalating to higher and higher levels of management.

    What really makes this such a good thriller...is what a great job they did catching what was really going on at the time and likely now. For someone who works(ed) for an Investment Bank I would be very curious to hear what they thought, for someone like me that has learned about their business as a business partner I found it fascinating and so dead on in many places that many if not familiar with this world will think as bull...but are really wholly accurate. For the OWS crowd and their supporters...this is porn. They will be foaming at the mouth watching this.

    There are quite a few lines and soliloquy's here that were really dead on and I will mention where to look for them and who spoke them along with their roles ...but will not provide them to keep this spoiler free.

• Penn Bagley the Jr Analyst's explanation of his job in the town car and his scene in the Men's room stall
• Paul Bettany the Head Trader getting dark on the roof and in belief the way the world works in his sports car
• Jeremy Irons the CEO John Tuld (Lehman ya think?!) in the board room and the executive dining room...Has he ever played a Vampire? If not...he needs to
• Kevin Spacy is a Managing Director and one of the few characters portrayed with a soul...yet still a company man...the scene with his dog, late night meetings and with Irons in the executive dining room
• Stanley Tucci as the Trading floors Head of Risk...getting let go at the beginning of the film and on the stairs of his home later in the film explaining his background
  
• Zach Quito...when he uses telekinesis to cut the top of Tuld's head off...oh wait sorry wrong show, I mean when he gives Bagley a Vulcan neck...oops wrong movie...Actually he was great in this...in the car with Bagley, when he explains his CV(resume...background...please note this is not Hollywood hype...it's actually more common then you would think) in the boardroom explaining the financial models
• Simon Baker as the 40 something Executive who is cold blooded and ruthless... in the elevator with Demi Moore and in the initial meeting to discuss the crisis
• Demi Moore I believe is the CRO... in the elevator with Baker and in the office with Tucci

    There are two things that really hit me at the end of this movie. The first is with so many people from other fields (ie sciences, engineering) getting into finance for the far batter pay...what are we losing? What is not getting invented, developed, built, discovered, changed, improved, etc...We need more Steve Jobs...not guys running equations to just make more money. The second is after attending pop-international-gallery-bermanotomlinson-event where people from many different fields got together for charitable causes...is it all really about the money...isn't it about making the world a better place?

    Now some final deep thoughts...first is the Financial Community is heavily involved in Charity work, more then most people think. So the "1%" are doing some good out there(it's the ruthless 1% of the 1% that cause all the trouble). The rub though is...things are the way they are because we all buy things we don't need and many buy things they cannot afford. Our economy is all based on debt and most of us contribute to it. So if you have a mortgage, credit card debt, live beyond your own means etc...don't be so fast to thrown stones in the glass house you help to create each and every day...

Mark Cuban's Soapbox Advice to the OWS Movement and then some

    I saw on Twitter a fairly thought provoking article from Mark Cuban's blog and his thoughts on the Financial Markets. soapbox-advice-to-the-ows-movement-and-then-some/ After you read his piece... my deep thoughts...

    My $.02 for what's it worth is this...the Frank/Dodd bill is a disaster because he doesn't tackle the real problems on Wall St and our Gov't...it attacks the easy to see profits...which is only resulting in not only less profits for banks but less tax revenues...guess where the money comes from that pays Union's, Unemployment benefits etc...???

    Where I think Mr Cuban nailed it is on these two points...

1) Holding Corporations responsible. Buying a share of stock and attending share holder meetings would likely do a bit more then getting high in a park while asking for hand-outs and using the very tools of Capitalism (iPhones, Twitter, Google, etc) while accepting gifts from American Apparel, etc...to attempt to...do what exactly...

2)The stock market was created to raise capital for companies so they can come out with better product/services and in turn become more profitable...that's not what's going on any longer...

    Where I don't agree is in regards to High Frequency Trading...I don't see it going away anytime soon...it's a matter of how it's used. Furthermore I don't think sending our trading markets overseas would benefit us whatsoever and really don't get why he does, unless he was just being provocative.

    Last but not least...while I believe there need to be major changes in Wall St regulation, the Gov't, the Tax code etc...I do not see the OWS as the vehicle to get us there. If anything they are doing more damage then good by diverting Police resources away from high crime areas where they are needed(yes...crime is up) and not only are they not affecting Big Banks profits... they are killing small business's in the Wall St vicinity!
 

    I also had the pleasure of walking through them in USQ when it first started. It was not comprised of intelligent people articulating their thoughts... it was a mass of unwashed idiots screaming and shaking their fists while carrying signs about one thing and yelling about another. The fact that its comprised of anarchists looking to bring down Capitalism, Anti-Semites spewing their rants(yes a minority...but I have 0 tolerance for it) and the clueless looking for something to do...they quite simply do not get my support and I think it's time for them to pack up for the next protest they know nothing about.

    Maybe they can camp out at the Universities that charge the crazy exorbitant fee's that have lead to a TRILLION dollar bubble in unpaid student loans getting ready to burst...or possibly on Barney Frank's lawn. He can come out and explain Fannie and Freddie to them and tell them why he said he supports them while he was at a fundraiser meeting with Investment Banks while in New York recently...

Peter Lik's Sunset Dreams...yet I yearn for Endless Summer

  

    This past Friday world renowned Photographer Peter Lik released his newest piece Sunset Dreams. It's a new variation on a theme he has done before, a jetty extending out into calm waters. The picture entices you to reach out...take that special someones hand and step right into the picture to stroll along the jetty to enjoy that magnificent sunset together. In his last piece like this the picture was all about cool blues during the day. This one is about a sunset bursting with a multitude of purples, pinks, reds, oranges, and blues. If like me as a kid you had the big box of Crayola's see how many colors you can name.
   
    In addition to Sunset Dreams Peter decided to surprise the crowd and sent over Endless Summer...which I believe turned out to be the star of the show. Endless Summer is a Trestle extending out high over lapping waves with highlights of light throughout the piece. It's primarily cool blues and grays yet like many of his photographs packs an emotional punch. The incredible blue color towards the end of the tunnel like trestle is incredible.
    
    For those not familiar with Peter Lik's works...they are not as many suspect back-lit. It is a combination of very high end film, the camera he is using and the quality of the printing process they employ. While there are those who are skeptical, for any of you that have seen the incredible colors of a sunset for yourself, the blues of distant oceans, the colors of life under the sea and the colors of flowers on land you realize that these colors exist in nature...whether they be of divine intent or simple scientific light refraction I will leave to you to decide.

An 'Affaire' to Remember on Avenue B

    Affaire is one of those transporting destination restaurants where you find yourself walking down Avenue B in the East Village and the next thing you know you're out through the looking glass and in a bistro in Paris oozing with sex appeal. The menu is primarily French bistro classics with a few updated takes on classics. Favorites include their Mussels with frites, Steak Au Poivre, Frites with chevre (goat cheese) sauce, and for something with a twist, "Buffalo" Frog Legs.Lobster Risotto is high on the top of my list to try on my next visit. 

    I was lucky enough to attend an event hosted by Affaire's affable Andrew Krauss and the sweet Sasha Cox (the entire staff was great). We had a good crew comprised of NearSay staff, bloggers, a sports photographer and a mixologist extraordinaire and had the pleasure of watching Affaire's Executive Chef Edgar Navarrete work his magic making mussels over the fire.It's always a pleasure watching a pro, be it an athlete, artist or chef in action doing their craft while making it look effortless. And watching him cook the mussels was a lot of fun, almost as much as eating them – almost. We were also sopping up the chevre cheese and pesto atop the frites.

    Affaire has a nice, roomy L-shaped bar when you enter; it's well stocked with a nice selection of wines. Their specialty drink menu is geared towards the ladies (fruity, topped with Champagne etc) yet they equally make a nice solid classic stiff drink. If you're lucky, the lovely Nicole will be shaking and mixing them for you. The dining room has wooden tables, one very large lampshade and chandeliers to set the mood. To continue your evening Affaire has multiple subterranean lounges which if I had to pick one word to describe them would be sultry. They are done up with brick walls, dark wood, gold ceilings, banquettes, couches (a raised chaise that got all our imaginations going), and plenty of nooks and cranies for quiet conversation and if things go well some canoodling. Affaire is definitely a place to, at the very least, fall in love with, if not ending up falling head over heels with your date.

    For you "cunning linguists" out there, the word affaire is often maligned as an illicit relationship of a sexual nature when in fact the actual definition of the word is "a matter to attend to, an event or happening" which comes from the Anglo-French a faire "to do"

    To make the mussels, if I remember correctly, heat up some oil, add chopped shallots, then the mussels followed by chopped garlic (add in after the shallots and on top of the mussels so you do not burn the garlic), add white wine, a bit of butter (butchers thumb) salt, pepper and top with chopped parsley. Once the mussels start opening turn down the flame so they don't overcook. Add bacon, beer and some cream to make Grand Mere style or add cream and curry if that's your thing.
Affaire: 50 Ave. B, at E. 4th St.

Garlic Pizza Bar: Do We Have a New Sherrif in Town?

    While making my way in the pouring rain in my neighborhood to pick up some provisions for the week, I needed some sustenance (fridge was a bit bare). I had a few of my usual places in mind till I remembered seeing a new pizza place on Second Avenue and decided to give it a whirl. While Murray Hill may not be lacking in places that provide pizza, Garlic Pizza Bar turned out to be a very welcome edition.

    I scanned up and down their long pizza bar trying to decide from among all the tasty looking choices on display before me. I decided to go healthy with a Grandma slice topped with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil followed by an almost, but not quite as healthy meat slice covered with pepperoni and very tasty ground sausage on a pie slice. What makes and breaks a good slice (in New York I take it for granted they get the crust right) is the use of good quality ingredients (fresh mozzarella and veggies, good quality meats, etc.) and their sauce. Garlic nailed their sauce. It was the first thing that hit me when I tasted the Grandma slice. It was the quality of the ground sausage versus what you usually get that really stood out on the meat slice.

    Garlic Pizza Bar has a full menu including regular, Sicilian, and Grandma (cut square, but thin and usually without cheese) pies, with 18 choices in toppings, appetizers, entrees, pastas and salads. They do have broccoli rabe on the menu (i.e. with sausage or chicken under appetizers) but it's not on the pizza toppings list. Here's hoping they will do a broccoli rabe and sausage pie.

    Garlic has a nice and immaculately clean Indoor dining area and even a little backyard/outdoor space that will work whether you go with your gal or guy, friends or family. They also have plasma screens playing sports against the back wall to check the games while grabbing a bite. This is an old school place with all your red sauce joint favorites. It tastes like it belongs in the SoHo area on the outskirts of Little Italy or in Brooklyn. Luckily for my neighbors and I it's in Murray Hill.
Garlic Pizza Bar: 629 34th St., at 2nd Ave.

Night-Out: Dances with Vice/Aquagrill

    In the immortal words of Monty Python: "and now for something completely different."
I recently attended Dances with Vice: Shanghai Foxtrot at Le Poisson Rouge. The space is a fairly good size with plenty of tables and bar space. The drinks were well made even though the size of the glasses varied during the show. They do have a full menu but only one item was ordered at our table. It was a spicy tuna roll and I don't believe it was quite the best they ever had. Again, not fair to judge by one item and if you're starving at least food is an

    The show's theme was a nightclub in 1930's Shanghai, which at the time was known as the "Paris of the East." I expected it to be primarily a Burlesque act with some song and dance but it turned out to be the opposite. Most of the show was a "Torch-Singer" singing Chinese hits from the '30s backed up by a jazz band. In addition to that, two couples came out to tango. There was an old school Burlesque feather dance (lots of feathers, not much else aside from some covering of the naughties – that is what they called lady-parts back then right?) and also a very good tap-dancer. The show was entertaining. Just my group all expected something a bit more risque.

    From there we strolled on over to Aquagrill for some tasty seafood. Aquagrill has been a mainstay in SoHo for many years now and is one of the cities top seafood restaurants. If you've been here before, it's still great. If you have yet to dine here, put it on your list if your idea of a diet is a seafood diet.

    Aquagrill has a spectacular selection of oysters from both coasts to choose from and the staff is well versed in what distinguishes one from the other. I really wish I could remember the name of the half-dozen to started with, but I can't. It was from the West coast, thin lipped, decent sized and delicious (please note we were told it could take up to 50 minutes to get them...they came within 20 and worst comes to worst they would have made a great desert).

    The other starters our table enjoyed included a sea bass roll special that was pretty tasty, a nice version of Manhattan clam chowder (remember that's the tomato based version vs the cream based from New England) and one of the better tuna tartares I've had in awhile. It was spicy, topped with fish roe I believe was from the belly.

    For main courses, a couple of us went with the branzino, the whole fish. Being a fish from the Mediterranean, I've usually had it in Italian restaurants served with flavors from the region. At Aquagrill, they did it with Asian flavors via a sesame vinaigrette, bok choy and a cucumber salad. I love branzino and this tasty version was a nice change of pace. A little known fact: great seafood restaurants always have great steaks to keep carnivores in the party happy. Our carnivore was rather happy with his steak. The star of the show went to the Truffle Crusted Cod (which made the truffle loving lady quite happy) that came with wild mushroom ravioli along with roasted hen of the wood mushrooms and spinach in a – drum roll please – truffle mushroom sauce. It was earthy, rich and oh so yummy.

    On Saturday nights for dessert, Aquagrill offers aside from the usual suspects, souffles. We gave the chocolate and the lemon a whirl. I'm not a big souffle kinda guy, but they were light, airy, and quite good. To go with the meal, Aquagrill has a nice wine selection and some interesting cocktails, for example the Jalapeno Quencher – chilled Kettle One vodka, pomegranate liquor, jalapeno, lime and cranberry juice, shaken not stirred of course. Fellow heat-seekers please note: they left some seeds in the pepper. If you were looking for hot, you got it.

Le Poisson Rouge: 158 Bleecker St., bet. Thompson & Sullivan Sts.
Aquagrill: 210 Spring St., at 6th Ave.

NYC ICY:ICE ICE BABY

    Two words: Watermelon Chip. Watermelon ices with chocolate chips masquerading as seeds. The first time I went by NYC ICY it was sold out, but with a dozen or so ices/sorbet flavors and another dozen plus cream-based (everything from the usual basics of lemon, chocolate, etc. to ginger, Thai iced tea, Nutella, mango basil) it wasn't too difficult to choose another which turned out to be the FDNY Cherry ices with pieces of cherry in it (For NYPD fans go Blue). I also tried their lychee – both were great. If you like some heat try the cream-based Mexican chocolate which was delicious. Warning: it really has some heat, but in a good way if you like some flava.

    After a filling meal at Frank, needing a stroll to work it off and a little something to cleanse my palette I popped by NYC ICY and they had the watermelon chip. It was awesome. I was pleasantly surprised how well the chocolate chips worked with the water-based ices. One of the better treats I've had so far this summer.

    Ice cream shops are popping up all over the place and as much as I scream for my ice cream, I do like my Iices. With this summer being a bit on the warm side, ices are a great light treat that cool you down without filling you up and all for only $2.50 to $5.

NYC ICY: 171 Ave. A, bet. E. 10th & 11th Sts.

Francois Payard's Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwiches

    Yes, you read the headline correctly – Macaroon Ice Cream sandwiches! Francois Payard Bakery on West Houston has added ice cream sandwiches to their already decadent menu. Their take is a bit different then most out there. They use French macarons for the sandwich and sorbets instead of ice cream for the fillings. These little treats really are delicious and perfect for when you need a cool sweet fix, but don't want a huge dessert or are petite and/or European and think a 4 X 2 inch treat is rather large. They come in a number of combinations including Coconut Mango (my choice for today), Pistachio Raspberry, and Berries and Cheesecake.

    Francois Payard Bakery has a full menu of pastries and baked goods (croissants, macarons, tarts, etc $2.50 to $4+) sandwiches and a selection of chocolates and treats to take home. To make sure I take in enough antioxidants I picked up their Dark Chocolate and Orange Peel (protect from scurvy) bar ($7) They also have a Milk Chocolate and a White with berries. I also espied on their shelves a tube of something they call a Brigadeiro ($9.25) which is their version of a chocolate spread for bread and/or as an ice cream topping (milk, dark and white). In this case I went with the White. It has the Coconut and the Lime in it, plus not just the flavor, bits...oh soooooo good.

    Francois Payard Bakery is a welcome addition to the neighborhood and a great spot to pop by before or after a flick at the Angelika, a show at Le Poisson Rouge or to re-fuel you for your shopping spree (or carrying your significant other's bags from their spree).
Francois Payard Bakery: 116 W. Houston St., near Sullivan St.

Midnight in Paris/Tapas at El Porron

    Looking for a good movie to take your girl since she's been a trooper going to your summer action flicks, or has your guy been doing the right thing lately so you don't want to punish him with a total chick flick that he could lose his "man-card" over? Midnight in Paris is your ticket so to speak and it's playing at City Cinema's 1, 2 and 3. It's Woody Allen's latest and I would put it up there with one of his better ones. To make this spoiler free I will give you the overview and some good stuff to look/listen out for.

    The basic story is an engaged couple played by Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams go to Paris on vacation along with her parents and catch up with a friend from the past played by Michael Sheen as an obnoxious know-it-all. The Owen Wilson character is a successful screenwriter who wants to write a book and finds his job lacking fulfillment. He falls in love with Paris and decides he would rather walk around at night to enjoy the streets by himself then go out dancing with his wife and friends. Somehow he finds himself in 1920s Paris and meets the various ex-pat artists, writers and their muses who made Paris their home at the time. In the morning, he is back in his time. If you've read Hemingway, really listen to how he speaks in the movie. If you're a fan of Dali, listen to him describe how he is going to draw a portrait.

    The overall theme of the movie is everyone seems to think that the times before theirs were "Golden." I can't say that I cannot relate with that. The acting was superb throughout the entire cast and they had a terrific script and story to work with. Oh, fans of the Hangover and like movies, keep your ears open for Woody's opinion on them.

    There is plenty to talk about after seeing this movie, from the shots of Paris, the acting, lines in the script, themes, etc. Now while most would go to a wine bar for French wine to stay with the theme, I decided to put a little twist on that by going to a Spanish tapas bar. While the movie may take in Paris, Dali and Picasso are Spanish, and Hemingway made his bones with the classic For Whom the Bell Tolls, about the Spanish Civil War.

    El Porron is a brief walk away from the theater and a great place for a lite bite and drink. It has a nice long bar with cocktail and dinner tables. It's dark and candle lit with some quirky black and white portraits on the walls. They have a nice selection of red and whites by the glass as well as bottle (if you are not familiar with Spanish wines try the Tempranillo for a rojo and the Albarino for a blanco) and of course Sangria. They offer about a dozen each of hot and cold Tapas. We went with the chorizo sausage and shrimp in garlic sauce – both were winners ($7 to $12). They do have a full entree menu, but will have to check it out on another visit as well as their desert menu.

City Cinemas: 1001 3rd Ave., near E. 60th St.
El Porron: 1123 1st Ave., bet. 61st & 62nd Sts.

Darioush Rezaei : Who-Done-It???

     Darioush Rezaei was gunned down in cold blood last weekend on the streets of Tehran, Iran. There are two unanswered questions in this case. The first being, who was he and the second being who did it? To figure out who done it we really need to know if Mr. Rezaei was just a Electronics Student, a Physics Professor or part of Iran's Nuclear Weapons program (The Iranians are playing the name game here for once) . I realize some of you may be saying....whoa...hang on a second there...you mean the country of Iran's Nuclear Power program right? No, I mean their Nuclear Weapons program.

    Now considering the fact that he was 35 I'm guessing he was more likely a Professor, then a student. If he was either one of those was he killed by mistake by a foreign intelligence service or is this less sinister and was he murdered over love or money (the two most common reasons) and was it purely personal? If he was part of Iran's Yes-Nukes-Now program and was working on Switching devices as reported then who killed him and why? Was he killed by the West (CIA, Mossad, MI6, etc...) to stop his work or was he not cooperating as fully as the Mullah's would like and did he maybe know too much for his own good and knocked off by MISIRI (Iran's Intelligence agency...hmmm is that an oxymoron?). Likely we will never know. One thing we do know thought...this isn't the first such incident...nor will it likely be the last...


   If stories like this interest and fascinate you in not only the news, but in fiction as well...check out Danial Silva's latest Gabriel Allon novel The Rembrandt Affair. It's a fantastic highly entertaining and thought provoking read...plus after reading this story...it will really make you wonder what is going on out there...

Corporate Jet-Setting Phat Cats

    While defending his need to raise taxes and spend yet even more money on entitlement programs to raise the Debt Ceiling to save the economy so the country doesn't collapse on August 2nd (it's not), the Big O mentioned a few of the culprits that need to be taxed and a new sub breed of them...the dreaded Corporate Jet Owners. Who exactly are these evil CJO's? Are they the same guys on Wall St and throughout Corporate America that donated money to help get Obama elected? Are they the Wall Street fat cats that blew off his recent fundraising  dinner in New York? Are they the Studio Heads and Stars of Hollywood that give him money and use award events to bash prior Presidents while praising our current POTUS? What about the Hedge Fund guys that paid 10's of thousands for one of his recent dinners, do they count or are they off the hook because they are not part of a GE like corporation?

    How about when the First Lady jets off to Spain with her entourage...is she a Corporate Jet using Phat Cat? Is Ms Pelosi who racked up more mileage then any other Speaker of the House flying all over the place on our tax dimes a Phat Cat? What about when POTUS goes golfing, to fundraisers, photo opps with the WNBA is he a Phat Cat Corporate Jet user? Or do they not count because they are using Government property that is funded by taxes? What is really sad here is that all this will raise is a few billion that adds up to about half of 1 percent of the deficient. In other words, Big O needs to find another 200 of like places to tax to even things up. Maybe he should consider some other options to save the economy.

    There are many who fear that we might see riots like we have been seeing in Greece. While others say not likely, I think the opposite is true. Just how difficult do you think it would be to set up a protest with like riots and clashes with Police here? Greece in it's heyday was the worlds "Superpower". It was the Greeks who gave us Democracy and much of our culture. It was Greek Spartans who stood at Thermopylae and held off the Persians. The Greek Athenian Navy that then counter-attacked and routed  Xerxes forces at Salamis and then finished them off at Plataea (hmmm the West fighting off Persians...sound familiar fellow History buffs?). However, it is not the United States having to face the problems of the Greece of today that concern me. It is the Rome of yesterday that I fear we may become. Another Superpower of it's time, a society that lost it's core values and gorged on itself amid public spectacle (again, any of this sounding familiar?). Rome in the end fell as it spread itself to thin, became fat, happy and stupid and was conquered and crushed by Barbarian hordes. That seemed to work out pretty well for Mankind now didn't it (hint...the Middle Ages)?

    This country wasn't founded on a few hard working families while the rest sat waiting around for handouts. It was founded by people working together to create a better life for themselves and their children. We are not going to get out of this mess by over-taxing high achievers nor by enabling those who refuse to contribute to society. This country offers the potential to better yourself and move up from the circumstances one was born into. It does not guarantee a better easier life. It is a combination of hard work and yes some luck to live the American dream. It is something one must earn...no one is entitled to it.

    Big O might want to brush up on his history (classes he obviously skipped along with Economics) and keep in mind that the reason we decided to separate ourselves from Mother England was because we didn't want to be ruled by an unelected King who calmed Divine rights nor be taxed to death. Not to be repetitive...but any of this sounding familiar?

"Borghild Project" Nazi's Attempt to "Master Their Domain"

    File this one under, so bat-shit crazy it is likely true. While working on a book on the evolution of the Barbie Doll, Author Graeme Donald stumbled upon a secret Nazi project code-named "Borghild". As it turns out, the biggest problem the German Army was facing in Paris was not the loss of soldiers from enemy fire, but the loss of soldiers from STD's! Not only were the women of Paris "offering their services" to the invading Hun, but with not a whole lot of Frenchmen around to cater to their needs they were more then willing to sleep with the enemy...
   
    To solve this problem, some Nazi Super Scientist came up with the idea of equipping the soldiers with "dolls" to take care of their needs. Supposedly this was a failure since the soldiers were worried if captured...the embarrassment would kill them. I could not find any pictures to confirm this, and the claim is most were destroyed. However, the reason I believe this is that the Japanese some years ago came out with "companions" for their scientists who work in inhospitable areas with little to no human contact. For the record, the NY Post had an article on the Borghild Project in the paper today & I read about the Japanese project in either Wired or Playboy. Which kind of scares me...because if I'm finding about about this stuff in legitimate news sources...what the hell is out their in the "Underground" & "off the radar" sources?!?

High Line Phase II Photo Safari

    If you liked or as in my case absolutely loved the High Line Phase I, then you are really going to fall for phase II. Kudos to the team who put this together, they really knocked it out of the park, while building one up in the air. I'm going to tell the bulk of this story via photo's with just a quick briefing. The new park starts in the early 20's and currently ends at 30th (there are plans for a phase III). At 30th street you have Rainbow City, a balloon park that is not just for the kids (there is a Coolhaus truck and a Kelvin Slushee truck). From there you have the Highline Lot that is comprised of food trucks on one side, the Lot on Tap bar on the other and long wooden bench tables to sit down for lunch or a few cold brews.
  
    In the park I grabbed a Slushee from Kelvin. You choose from three base flavors and then add fresh fruit purees and/or herbs. I went with Spicy Ginger for the base and added White Peach puree and mint. It actually was as yummy as it sounds...I may be addicted. The Kimchi Taco's are what I call a "God Bless America" moment. Cooking styles and flavors from two cultures separated by thousands of miles and oceans come together with home grown American produce for a taste-bud sensation.

    The new section has a grass lawn to lie out, bleachers to chill out, and the Woodland Flyover for a stroll in between. It can get busy, so try to go early or off hours to enjoy it best. Of special note: while there are no Lions, Tigers or Bears stalking the park, there are many of the dreaded Digitalslraraus* about, both local and foreign.

*Someone with an SLR they have no idea how to use, sports a huge telephoto lens, stops every three seconds to take pictures and never ever looks at what's going on around them. OK, now time to enjoy my pics.

Best Williamsburg Restaurants

    When most New Yorkers are asked which is the best steak in the city, true carnivores and foodies answer Peter Luger's with a yeah, but it's actually in Brooklyn. That's kind of how I see Williamsburg, one of my favorite neighborhoods. It happens to be remarkably easy to get to and in many cases easier to get to then some neighborhoods in the city.

    I do bring this up because a friend who is a resident pointed out that most people only know what's by the L train and not the "real" places in the 'hood. Fine, for the most part guilty as charged. Getting called a B&T by someone from the Midwest who now lives Brooklyn, where I was born – priceless! The following places are a mix of places to check out to get you acquainted with Williamsburg if you're not and to check out if you have not done so already.

Peter Luger's - Best Steak House Restaurant in Williamsburg 
The aforementioned Peter Luger's is an institution. You go there for their Porterhouse, make sure you get a piece of their slab bacon (not sure if it's on the menu) and so good, a client/friend once ordered it for dessert. For dessert you get  the apple strudel with the slag (heaviest whipped cream ever. Put it in your coffee).

Fette Sau- Best BBQ Restaurant in Williamsburg
Need some BBQ, head over to Fette Sau. The menu varies daily and It's self serve Texas cafeteria style. Last time I had pulled pork, sausage and some sort of shank that was awesome. Now on the one hand their baked beans may have been the best I've had, but otherwise they need a better selection of sides. Problem is they have an amazing selection of bourbon which is why I didn't have ribs, they ran out and my friend and I got caught up trying the various Bourbons. Loved the Noah's Mill.

Fatty 'Cue - Best Asian Fusion BBQ in Williamsburg
You can't decide between all the Asian restaurants or BBQ no prob, you go to Fatty 'Cue. High end meats done up with Asian flavors. With whatever else you order, get the Beef Brisket in Bao with the works and the Heritage Park ribs. To drink it down get one of their shot, pickle back, can of beer Recession specials.

Khao Sarn & Sea Thai - Best Thai Restaurant in Williamsburg
When I first started coming here it was almost all Thai and Japanese places with a random Latin joint. For Thai I like the lunch specials at Khao Sarn which for $6 to $7 your main comes with a starter. Sea Thai Bistro has a like menu but it's a buck or two more. It is a much nicer bigger space with a koi pond and a Buddha. At night for this place cranks hip hop and gets a club like crowd, so if that's you're thing go for dinner. I prefer more of a Zen thing with my Thai.

Tacu Tacu & El Almacen - Best Latin Restaurant in Williamsburg
Now for Latin. Tacu Tacu is one of my favorites (actually a mix of Peruvian, Nuevo Latin, and Vietnamese). I love the ceviche's to start and for my main go with the Cau Cau del Marisco a combo of seafood cooked with mint or one of their Paella's (please note these are muy grande much like the space).

El Almacen is a bit more low key and has a nice backyard garden. To start I either go with one of their seafood taco's or a ceviche and I always seem to get the Entrana steak that comes served on a cross section of a tree with chimichurri sauce, salsa and a poblano puree. Dining companions have enjoyed a variety of main courses that they have always been happy with, but their Paella while tasty is very small...they use very little rice. So great for your girlfriend maintaining her yoga/Pilate honed physique...not quite as good for your 200 pound male cousin that thought a steak wasn't going to be filling enough.

Shocu and Surf Bar - Best After Dinner Drinks in Williamsburg
For an after dinner drink/liquid desert I like the flavored Shocu's and mixed drinks at Bozu (their menu of rolls and "bombs" looked good. I need to check it out). My must stop for at least one is the Surf Bar's frozen Mojito's – slushee's for adults. They load 'em up with mint and are delicious. Just don't drink them too fast or "brain freeze"! The place looks like it belongs on the beach. There's sand on the floor, boards on the ceiling and a backyard.

Best Restaurants in Williamsburg
Bozu: 296 Grand St., bet. Havemeyer & Roebling Sts.
El Almacen: 557 Driggs Ave., at N. 7th St.
Fatty 'Cue: 91 S. 6th St., bet. Berry St. & Bedford Ave.
Fette Sau: 354 Metropolitan Ave., bet. Roebling & Havemeyer Sts.
Khao Sarn: 311 Bedford Ave., at S. 2nd St.
Peter Luger's: 178 Broadway, near Driggs Ave.
Sea Thai Bistro: 114 N. 6th St., bet. Berry St. & Wythe Ave.
Surf Bar: 139 N. 6th St., bet. Berry St. & Bedford Ave.
Tacu Tacu: 134-6 N. 6th St., bet. Berry St. & Wythe Ave.

William Bennett Gallery Exhibiting Dali's Zodiac Bas-Reliefs

    Do you dream about owning a Dali, Picasso, or Miro? Truth be told that while purchasing an original may be out of most of our pockets, but owning a limited edition work is not necessarily as far out of range as one may think. The other night a few friends and I attended the William Bennett Galleries opening for the introduction of bronzed bas-reliefs of Dali's famous "12 Signs of the Zodiac." Along with these were a number of rare prints and limited editions from various Dali collections on the main floor. (Miro's, Picasso's and the like were on the lower floor and well worth seeking)

    For those of you not familiar with the works of Dali he was a master and driving force of surrealism. Think back to art classes in high school or college and does the image of "melting clocks" come to mind now by any chance (see picture below)? Dali had a mind numbingly incredible imagination and was gifted with the ability to transpose what was in his mind's eye onto a number of mediums to share with the world (Dali produced paintings, sculpture, graphic arts and even film).

     One of the great things about NYC is the ability to see these wondrous works for free in the incredible selection of galleries throughout Manhattan, especially SoHo. For information on how long this show goes and inquiries on acquiring pieces please contact the gallery.
* Works start as low I believe in the 2K range (please do not quote me) and go up and up from there...hey I did say affordable, these are not poster prints...

William Bennett Gallery: 65 Greene St.,  bet. Broome & Spring Sts.

Best Summer Salads in SoHo, 2011

    Summer is nearly officially here and you are already looking so hot/buff in your bikini/board-shorts that you almost feel sorry for all the hearts you will be breaking...though not quite. Thus, to stay mean and lean sometimes you are going to want a nice healthy salad to get you through the day. However you are no rabbit and need more than leaves and carrots. You need some protein in that salad to keep your glutes/pecs/quads buff from your weight/Pilate's/yoga/swim workout.The following are some of the better, tastier ones I've found. Now please keep in mind I'm not Jenny Craig nor am I weighing what I should be watching, so these are not the lowest calorie least fattening necessarily.

    The Octopus Salad at Rubirosa is one of my favorite new dishes altogether. Delicious octopus with fava beans, mini potatoes, olives, and the now not-so-secret ingredient of mint, make this a winner. I supplement this with a slice of their Vodka pizza (this may explain why I don't have so much a situation for a waistline, but more of a dilemma).

    At L'Asso, the Arugula Salad is loaded with, pear, pancetta, candied walnuts (amazing!), ricotta salata in a white wine vinegar and honey drizzle. Add chicken for $3 to turbocharge it (the salad in the picture is their Pianura).

    The Aroma Special is a combo of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, hard-boiled egg, black olives, and your choice of tuna or feta cheese (get it with the tuna). Have a cup of their really good coffee to rev you up (plus it comes with a piece of chocolate to calm down your sweet tooth).

    The Carpaccio Di Salmone Affumicato E Melo at Epistrophy  consists of smoked salmon, arugula, apples, black pepper and parmigiano cheese in extra virgin olive oil. Epistrophy always has a very good-looking crowd, many of them being thin and yoga-lean pretty girls. I mention this because portion wise, the food is geared more towards their caloric needs then mine.

    For those of you who like a little beef with your greens check out the Ensalada Novecento made up of grilled skirt steak (Novecento is Argentinian after all), French fries, baby mixed greens, avocado, and capped with a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette (Full disclosure: If I come here I'm not getting a salad. I go for their prix fixe lunch and get the Entrana and Fries for my main while starting with the spinach (see green!) and cheese empanadas. Now can you see my dilemma?.

    At Felix the Le Steak Tartare (I get it spicy) comes with French fries and salad. You can request no fries, double salad, thus a large salad with raw beef and egg for protein (I might not have been the best person to write a piece on salads come to think of it) You of course could go with one of their two versions (seared fresh tuna or a la canned) of the Nicoise salad.

    Most of the salads listed above average between $15 to $20 and come with bread, fresh no calorie NY State mountain spring water (or tap for short) and of course great service.


Rubirosa: 235 Mulberry St., bet. Spring & Prince Sts.
L'asso: 192 Mott St., at Kenmare St.
Aroma: 145 Greene St., at W. Houston St.
Epistrophy: 200 Mott St., bet. Spring & Kenmare St.
Novocentro: 343 West Broadway, near Grand St.
Felix: 340 West Broadway, at Grand St.

Best Sandwiches and Sides in SoHo: Spring '11 Edition

    While it may feel like August in Abu Dhabi, it's still spring in Soho, which means it's time for somewhat lighter lunches. Here are some great sandwiches and sides to get you through the heat. Eat these indoors by the window to enjoy the views, and when the temp goes back down find some public space to sit back and relax before you head back to office or your next client meeting.

    I don't know what they do to their turkey breast at Torrisi Italian Specialties, but it makes an amazing sandwich with their special sauce, lettuce and tomato. Get it as a small round roll and go with a side of their awesome spicy rabe ($4).

    Bread has a great selection of sandwiches ($11 for most) that comes with a side salad. I'm a big fan of the shrimp with arugula, avocado and salsa rosa on big ciabatta. They also have a great soup and half sandwich lunch special for $11 and have chilled soups likes gazpacho. Of special note: not only is the waitstaff at Bread comprised of beautiful women, but more importantly some of the most personable as well.

    As great as their Cuban is, I've become a big fan of Cafe Habana's "Sloppy Jose" comprised of spicy barbcue pulled pork, served with black beans, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo. It's a bit on the caliente side, but muy bueno. Now as for sides, do I really need to tell anyone about the corn ($4.25)? I think every guidebook lists it. Oh, they do offer serious competition for best looking and personable ladies of lunch.

    I'm going to give the "Hunter's pb & chocolate Genius combo award" to Snack for their Roasted chicken with tomatoes, roasted red onions, arugula, and fresh mint topped with....drum roll please... spicy mint lemonaise on stirato bread ($10). The award is for the use of the dressing and as a leafy green. I love me the mint. For the side, go with one of their great spreads ($5).

    This is not you clown's fillet o' fish sandwich. Just north of SoHo, Pinche Taqueria's Torta's ($6.95 + $2 or $3 for the fish) are great and their fish on a fresh baked Mexican sandwich roll with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, jalapenos, guacamole, beans, cheese and special Mexican mayonnaise are yummy. Go with their tasty Yuca Fries and dip them in homemade cilantro mayonnaise and roasted jalapeno ketchup.

Best Sandwiches and Sides in SoHo:
Torrisi Italian Specialties: 250 Mulberry St., at Prince St.
Bread: 20 Spring St., bet Elizabeth & Mott Sts.
Cafe Habana: 17 Spring St., at Elizabeth St.
Snack: 105 Thompson St., bet. Prince & Spring Sts.
Pinche Taqueria: 333 Lafayette St., at Bleecker St.

Tacombi: Tacos de Delicioso Desayuno

    Buenos Dias Senoritas y Gringo's! While there are many contenders for best taco's in NYC... it would be rather challenging to pick which is best, since this one has the best this and that one has the best that...(plus I will be saving this and that for a future piece). However, I did have this weekend the best Breakfast Taco's I've had outside of Texas (the best being my buddy Terry's wife Michelle's ...who also turned me onto Cerveza-rita's* and those at the Stripes Gas Stations** on South Padre Island, Texas).

    Tacombi offers their breakfast taco's for 3.69 all day. The selection varies depending on what is available, best and freshest at the market. Today they had three choices and it's hard to pick a favorite. I really loved the Mexicana which had tomatoes, onions and  jalapenos for some heat, the Chorizo and Potato was nice and spicy and last but certainly not least the Verde Huevos (think Dr Seuss) eggs cooked in tomatillo sauce (little green tomatoes w/a husk) with potatoes. All were topped with a slice of fresh avocado and delicious.

    The interior of Tacombi is set up to look like a taco stand in a seaside town south of the border. It has a VW bus (serving the lunch and dinner taco's) big leafy plants, folding metal tables and chairs and a nice big skylight to let the sunshine in. You purchase tickets at the drink counter (Coffee, Horchata, Aqua de Tamarindo, etc) on the center right and get you breakfast from the kitchen in the back.

    Tacombi's lunch and dinner taco's ($3.69 as well) are really good as well and I'm really looking forward to trying their home-made Paletas (Mexican Ice pops usually made w/fresh fruit ...and I'm really hoping they make some of the spicy versions with chilies added to the fruit)

 *Dumbfounded that this was not invented earlier...and that it is still offered in few places...Quite simply pour a good dark Mexican beer like Negra Modelo or Bohemia in a glass and top with a few ounces of frozen margarita. Add a slice of lime to the glass...drink...repeat as necessary...to quench thirst


**I'm not kidding...do not think some slurpee joint here. Stripes is a gas station and among the usual convenience store fare and beer cave...they have a large taco stand serving awesome breakfast taco's and a salad bar with fresh salsa, chopped jalapenos, etc...